Breaking ApartPalokasutta

Then a certain well-to-do brahmin went up to the Buddha, and seated to one side he said to him:Atha kho aññataro brāhmaṇamahāsālo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Worthy Gotama, I have heard that brahmins of the past who were elderly and senior, the tutors of tutors, said:“sutaṁ metaṁ, bho gotama, pubbakānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ vuddhānaṁ mahallakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ: ‘In the old days this world was so full of humans you’d think they were squashed together. The villages, towns, and capital cities were no more than a chicken’s flight apart.’‘pubbe sudaṁ ayaṁ loko avīci maññe phuṭo ahosi manussehi, kukkuṭasaṁpātikā gāmanigamarājadhāniyo’ti. What is the cause, worthy Gotama, what is the reason why these days human numbers have dwindled, a decline in population is evident, and whole villages, towns, cities, and countries have disappeared?”Ko nu kho, bho gotama, hetu ko paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti, tanuttaṁ paññāyati, gāmāpi agāmā honti, nigamāpi anigamā honti, nagarāpi anagarā honti, janapadāpi ajanapadā hontī”ti?

“These days, brahmin, humans just love illicit desire. They’re overcome by immoral greed, and mired in wrong religious teachings.“Etarahi, brāhmaṇa, manussā adhammarāgarattā visamalobhābhibhūtā micchādhammaparetā. Taking up sharp knives, they murder each other. And so many people perish.Te adhammarāgarattā visamalobhābhibhūtā micchādhammaparetā tiṇhāni satthāni gahetvā aññamaññaṁ jīvitā voropenti, tena bahū manussā kālaṁ karonti. This is the cause, this is the reason why these days human numbers have dwindled.Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti, tanuttaṁ paññāyati, gāmāpi agāmā honti, nigamāpi anigamā honti, nagarāpi anagarā honti, janapadāpi ajanapadā honti.

Furthermore, because these days humans just love illicit desire …Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etarahi manussā adhammarāgarattā visamalobhābhibhūtā micchādhammaparetā. the heavens don’t provide enough rain,Tesaṁ adhammarāgarattānaṁ visamalobhābhibhūtānaṁ micchādhammaparetānaṁ devo na sammādhāraṁ anuppavecchati. so there’s famine, a bad harvest, with crops blighted and turned to straw.Tena dubbhikkhaṁ hoti dussassaṁ setaṭṭhikaṁ salākāvuttaṁ. And so many people perish.Tena bahū manussā kālaṁ karonti. This is the cause, this is the reason why these days human numbers have dwindled.Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti, tanuttaṁ paññāyati, gāmāpi agāmā honti, nigamāpi anigamā honti, nagarāpi anagarā honti, janapadāpi ajanapadā honti.

Furthermore, because these days humans just love illicit desire …Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, etarahi manussā adhammarāgarattā visamalobhābhibhūtā micchādhammaparetā. native spirits let vicious monsters loose. And so many humans perish.Tesaṁ adhammarāgarattānaṁ visamalobhābhibhūtānaṁ micchādhammaparetānaṁ yakkhā vāḷe amanusse ossajjanti, tena bahū manussā kālaṁ karonti. This is the cause, this is the reason why these days human numbers have dwindled.”Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti, tanuttaṁ paññāyati, gāmāpi agāmā honti, nigamāpi anigamā honti, nagarāpi anagarā honti, janapadāpi ajanapadā hontī”ti.

“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …“Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.