GrandmotherAyyikāsutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

King Pasenadi of Kosala sat to one side, and the Buddha said to him,Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “So, Great King, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”“handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divādivassā”ti?

“Sir, my grandmother has passed away. She was old, elderly and senior. She was advanced in years and had reached the final stage of life; she was a hundred and twenty years old.“Ayyikā me, bhante, kālaṅkatā jiṇṇā vuḍḍhā mahallikā addhagatā vayoanuppattā vīsavassasatikā jātiyā. But I loved my grandmother; she was dear to me.Ayyikā kho pana me, bhante, piyā hoti manāpā. If by giving away the elephant-treasure I could get my grandmother back, I’d do it.Hatthiratanena cepāhaṁ, bhante, labheyyaṁ ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti, hatthiratanampāhaṁ dadeyyaṁ: If by giving away the horse-treasure I could get my grandmother back, I’d do it.Assaratanena cepāhaṁ, bhante, labheyyaṁ ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti, assaratanampāhaṁ dadeyyaṁ: If by giving away a prize village I could get my grandmother back, I’d do it.Gāmavarena cepāhaṁ, bhante, labheyyaṁ ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti, gāmavarampāhaṁ dadeyyaṁ: If by giving away the whole country I could get my grandmother back, I’d do it.”Janapadapadesena cepāhaṁ, bhante, labheyyaṁ ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti, janapadapadesampāhaṁ dadeyyaṁ:

“Great king, all sentient beings are liable to die. Death is their end; they’re not exempt from death.”“Sabbe sattā, mahārāja, maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṁ anatītā”ti.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. how well said this was by the Buddha:Yāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā— ‘All sentient beings are liable to die. Death is their end; they’re not exempt from death.’”sabbe sattā maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṁ anatītā’”ti.

“That’s so true, Great King! That’s so true!“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja. All sentient beings are liable to die. Death is their end; they’re not exempt from death.Sabbe sattā maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṁ anatītā. It’s like the vessels made by potters. Whatever kind they are, whether baked or unbaked, all of them are liable to break apart. Breaking is their end; they’re not exempt from breakage.Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, yāni kānici kumbhakārabhājanāni āmakāni ceva pakkāni ca sabbāni tāni bhedanadhammāni bhedanapariyosānāni bhedanaṁ anatītāni; In the same way, all sentient beings are liable to die. Death is their end; they’re not exempt from death.”evameva kho, mahārāja, sabbe sattā maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṁ anatītā”ti.

That is what the Buddha said. …Idamavoca …pe…

“All beings will die,“Sabbe sattā marissanti, for life ends in death.maraṇantañhi jīvitaṁ; They pass on according to their deeds,Yathākammaṁ gamissanti, reaping the fruits of good and bad.puññapāpaphalūpagā; Those who do bad go to hell,Nirayaṁ pāpakammantā, and if you do good you go to heaven.puññakammā ca suggatiṁ.

That’s why you should do good,Tasmā kareyya kalyāṇaṁ, investing in the future life.nicayaṁ samparāyikaṁ; The good deeds of sentient beingsPuññāni paralokasmiṁ, support them in the next world.”patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan”ti.