The Sallā Sutta (8)
The Nature of Beings in the World
[380] The lives of beings in this world bear no mark; no one can know them. They are difficult, brief, and filled with dukkha. For beings who have been born, there is no effort by which they will not die. Even if they reach old age, they must die — for such is the nature of beings.
Just as ripe fruit is always in danger of falling in the morning, even so beings who have been born are always in danger, for they must inevitably die.
All clay pots made by a potter end in breaking; so too the lives of beings. Whether young or old, foolish or wise — all fall under the sway of Death, all have Death as their destination ahead.
When beings are overcome by Death, they must go on to the next world. A father cannot protect his son, nor can relatives protect their relatives.
You should behold it as when the relatives of one destined to die stand looking on, lamenting in various ways. The one who must die is carried off by Death alone — like a cow being led away, alone, to be slaughtered. Thus are beings crushed by Death and Age. Therefore, the wise — knowing clearly the nature of the world — do not grieve.
One does not know the path of one who comes or goes, nor sees the two ends. Even if one laments, it is useless. If a lamenter, confused, afflicts himself, what benefit could arise from that? Only a discerning sage would abandon such lamentation.
No one attains peace of mind through weeping or sorrow. Suffering only grows for such a person, and his body becomes wasted.
One who harms himself becomes emaciated, his complexion dull and faded. Those who have departed cannot be safeguarded by one’s lamentation. Lamentation is useless.
If one keeps lamenting over the deceased, unable to abandon grief, dominated by sorrow, he experiences even greater dukkha.
Behold others too, preparing to depart according to their fate. And see beings in this world, come under the power of Death, struggling as they are dragged along.
Whatever way beings consider things, those states change later on. Such separation is inevitable. Behold the nature of the world.
Even if a youth were to live a hundred years or more, he must be separated from his relatives, and must leave his life behind in this world.
Therefore, after hearing the Dhamma-teaching of an Arahant, seeing those who have passed away, one should clearly understand: “We cannot say to one who has passed away, ‘Continue to live.’”
One should dispel lamentation. Just as a man extinguishes a spreading fire with water, so should a wise and intelligent person quickly dispel arising sorrow — as the wind scatters a tuft of cotton.
One who seeks his own welfare should abandon lamentation, craving, and grief. He should pull out the arrow of kilesa from himself.
With the arrow of kilesa removed, with no foothold for taṇhā and diṭṭhi, he attains peace of mind, transcending all sorrow — sorrow-free, serene, and cool.
End of the Sallā Sutta (8)