A Heap of BonesAṭṭhipuñjasutta

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Mendicants, one individual roaming and transmigrating for an eon would amass a heap of bones the size of this Mount Vepulla, if they were gathered together and not lost.”“Ekapuggalassa, bhikkhave, kappaṁ sandhāvato saṁsarato siyā evaṁ mahā aṭṭhikaṅkalo aṭṭhipuñjo aṭṭhirāsi yathāyaṁ vepullo pabbato, sace saṁhārako assa, sambhatañca na vinasseyyā”ti.

The Buddha spoke this matter.Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. On this it is said:Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“If the bones of a single individual“Ekassekena kappena, for a single eon were gathered up,puggalassaṭṭhisañcayo; they’d make a pile the size of a mountain:Siyā pabbatasamo rāsi, so said the great seer.iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.

And this is declared to beSo kho panāyaṁ akkhāto, as big as Mount Vepulla,vepullo pabbato mahā; higher than the Vulture’s PeakUttaro gijjhakūṭassa, in the Mountainfold of the Magadhans.magadhānaṁ giribbaje.

But then, with right understanding,Yato ca ariyasaccāni, one sees the noble truths—sammappaññāya passati; suffering, suffering’s origin,Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ, suffering’s transcendence,dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ; and the noble eightfold pathAriyañcaṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ, that leads to the stilling of suffering.dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

After roaming on seven times at most,Sa sattakkhattuṁ paramaṁ, that individualsandhāvitvāna puggalo; makes an end of suffering,Dukkhassantakaro hoti, with the ending of all fetters.”sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā”ti.

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.