Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.25 3. Tatiyavagga Pabbatūpamasutta Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā”ti?

The Blessed One, while sitting to one side, addressed King Pasenadi of Kosala: Where have you come from, great king, in the middle of the day?

“Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ rājakaraṇīyāni bhavanti, tesu khvāhaṁ, etarahi ussukkamāpanno”ti.

Venerable sir, I have been engaged in the royal duties that are the concern of kings, noble warriors, who are intoxicated with the pride of sovereignty, overwhelmed by the greed for sensual pleasures, having conquered a vast expanse of land, and who dwell in their territories.

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, idha te puriso āgaccheyya puratthimāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi puratthimāya disāya.

What do you think, great king? Suppose a man were to come from the eastern direction, trustworthy and reliable, and he were to approach you and say: Great king, you should know that I am coming from the east.

Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ, sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati.

There I saw a great mountain, high as the clouds, crushing all living beings as it advances.

Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī’ti.

Whatever you have to do, great king, do it now.

Atha dutiyo puriso āgaccheyya pacchimāya disāya …pe…

Then a second man were to come from the western direction...

atha tatiyo puriso āgaccheyya uttarāya disāya …

then a third man from the northern direction...

atha catuttho puriso āgaccheyya dakkhiṇāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi dakkhiṇāya disāya.

then a fourth man from the southern direction, trustworthy and reliable, and he were to approach you and say: Great king, you should know that I am coming from the south.

Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati.

There I saw a great mountain, high as the clouds, crushing all living beings as it advances.

Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

Whatever you have to do, great king, do it now.

Evarūpe te, mahārāja, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?

In such a situation, great king, with a great impending danger, a terrible destruction of human life, a rarity of human existence, what should be done?

“Evarūpe me, bhante, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya aññatra samacariyāya aññatra kusalakiriyāya aññatra puññakiriyāyā”ti?

In such a situation, venerable sir, with a great impending danger, a terrible destruction of human life, a rarity of human existence, what else should be done but to live by the Dhamma, to live righteously, to do wholesome deeds, to perform meritorious actions?

“Ārocemi kho te, mahārāja, paṭivedemi kho te, mahārāja, adhivattati kho taṁ, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇaṁ.

I inform you, great king, I declare to you, great king, that old age and death are advancing upon you.

Adhivattamāne ce te, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?

With old age and death advancing upon you, great king, what should be done?

“Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāya?

With old age and death advancing upon me, venerable sir, what else should be done but to live by the Dhamma, to live righteously, to do wholesome deeds, to perform meritorious actions?

Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ hatthiyuddhāni bhavanti; tesampi, bhante, hatthiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

Venerable sir, the elephant battles that are the concern of kings, noble warriors, who are intoxicated with the pride of sovereignty, overwhelmed by the greed for sensual pleasures, having conquered a vast expanse of land, and who dwell in their territories, even those elephant battles have no escape, no domain, when old age and death are advancing.

Yānipi tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ …pe… ajjhāvasantānaṁ assayuddhāni bhavanti …pe… rathayuddhāni bhavanti …pe… pattiyuddhāni bhavanti; tesampi, bhante, pattiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

Venerable sir, whatever battles there are among the kings, the warriors anointed on the head, whether they be battles of horses, chariots, or infantry, none of these battles have any escape or domain when old age and death are advancing.

Santi kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule mantino mahāmattā, ye pahonti āgate paccatthike mantehi bhedayituṁ.

There are, venerable sir, in this royal family, ministers and great officials who are capable of breaking the approaching enemies with their strategies.

Tesampi, bhante, mantayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

Yet, even for them, there is no escape or domain in strategic battles when old age and death are advancing.

Saṁvijjati kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule pahūtaṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ bhūmigatañceva vehāsaṭṭhañca, yena mayaṁ pahoma āgate paccatthike dhanena upalāpetuṁ.

There is, venerable sir, abundant gold and silver in this royal family, both on the ground and in the sky, with which we might be able to appease the approaching enemies with wealth.

Tesampi, bhante, dhanayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

Yet, even for them, there is no escape or domain in battles of wealth when old age and death are advancing.

Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?

When old age and death are advancing upon me, venerable sir, what should be done except for the practice of the Dhamma, righteous conduct, skillful actions, and meritorious deeds?

“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.

Indeed, great king, indeed, great king.

Adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?

When old age and death are advancing, what should be done except for the practice of the Dhamma, righteous conduct, skillful actions, and meritorious deeds?

Idamavoca bhagavā …pe…

Thus spoke the Blessed One, the teacher.

satthā: “Yathāpi selā vipulā, nabhaṁ āhacca pabbatā; Samantānupariyāyeyyuṁ, nippothento catuddisā. Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca, adhivattanti pāṇine; Khattiye brāhmaṇe vesse, sudde caṇḍālapukkuse; Na kiñci parivajjeti, sabbamevābhimaddati.

Just as great rocks, mountains touching the sky, would crush everything in all directions, so do old age and death advance upon beings, whether they be warriors, brahmins, merchants, or outcasts. They spare nothing, they crush everything.

Na tattha hatthīnaṁ bhūmi, na rathānaṁ na pattiyā; Na cāpi mantayuddhena, sakkā jetuṁ dhanena vā.

There is no ground for elephants, no ground for chariots, no ground for infantry, nor can one win with strategic battles or wealth.

Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso, sampassaṁ atthamattano; Buddhe dhamme ca saṅghe ca, dhīro saddhaṁ nivesaye.

Therefore, a wise person, seeing his own benefit, should place faith in the Tathāgata, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.

Yo dhammaṁ cari kāyena, vācāya uda cetasā; Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti, pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

Whoever practices the Dhamma with body, speech, and mind, is praised here and rejoices in heaven after passing away.

Tatiyo vaggo.

This is the third section.

Tassuddānaṁ Puggalo ayyikā loko, issattaṁ pabbatūpamā; Desitaṁ buddhaseṭṭhena, imaṁ kosalapañcakanti.

The summary is: The individual, the grandmother, the world, sovereignty, and the mountain simile, as taught by the supreme Tathāgata, this is the Kosala Pentad.

Kosalasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

The Kosala Samyutta is complete.