English
the holy life should be lived, there is no not dying for one who is born. Just as, brahmin, a cow led to slaughter with every step it takes, is closer to slaughter, closer to death; just so, brahmin, the life of humans is like a cow led to slaughter, brief, light, full of suffering, full of tribulation. It should be understood with wisdom, good should be done, the holy life should be lived, there is no not dying for one who is born. Now at that time, monks, the lifespan of humans was sixty thousand years. was of age, a five-hundred-year-old girl was fit for a husband. And at that time, monks, humans had only six ailments – cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, urination. Indeed, monks, the Teacher Arak, among humans of such long life, of such long duration, of such few ailments, taught his disciples this Dhamma – ‘Short, brahmin, is the life of humans, meager, fleeting, full of suffering, full of tribulation. It should be understood with wisdom, good should be done, the holy life should be lived, there is no escaping death for one who is born.’ Now, monks, one who speaks rightly would say – ‘Short is the life of humans, meager, fleeting, full of suffering, full of tribulation. It should be understood with wisdom, good should be done, the holy life should be lived, there is no escaping death for one who is born.’ Now, monks, whoever lives long, lives a hundred years, or a little more. And living a hundred years, monks, one lives only three hundred seasons – a hundred seasons of winter, a hundred seasons of summer, a hundred seasons of rain. And living three hundred seasons, monks, one lives only twelve hundred months – four hundred months of winter, four hundred months of summer, four hundred months of rain. And living twelve hundred months, monks, one lives only twenty-four hundred half-months – eight hundred half-months of winter, eight hundred half-months of summer, eight hundred half-months of rain. And living twenty-four hundred half-months, monks, one lives only thirty-six thousand nights – twelve thousand nights of winter, twelve thousand nights of summer, twelve thousand nights of rain. And living thirty-six thousand nights, monks, one lives only seventy-two thousand meals. He eats – twenty-four thousand meals in winter, twenty-four thousand meals in summer, twenty-four thousand meals in the rainy season, along with mother's milk, along with meal interruptions. "These are the meal interruptions there: one does not eat a meal even when sleepy, one does not eat a meal even when suffering, one does not eat a meal even when sick, one does not eat a meal even when observing Uposatha, one does not eat a meal even when there is no gain. Thus, monks, by me, for a human being with a lifespan of a hundred years, the lifespan has been calculated, the measure of life has been calculated, the seasons have been calculated, the years have been calculated, the months have been calculated, the half-months have been calculated, the nights have been calculated, the days have been calculated, the meals have been calculated, the meal interruptions have been calculated. Whatever, monks, a teacher should do for his disciples, out of kindness, out of compassion, taking compassion as the basis; that has been done by me for you. These, monks, are the roots of trees, these are the empty dwellings. Meditate, monks, do not be heedless; do not be regretful later. This is our instruction to you." The Tenth. The Great Chapter, the Seventh. Its summary – Shame and the sun, the simile, the knower of Dhamma, the coral tree; Diligence, development, fire, and Sunetta and Araka.