1.
The Subject to Ageing Discourse
511.
Thus have I heard.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in the Eastern Park, in Migāramātā's mansion.
Now at that time, in the evening, the Blessed One, having emerged from seclusion, was seated in the afternoon sunshine, warming his back.
Then the venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, having paid respect to the Blessed One, while stroking the Blessed One's limbs with his hand, he said this to the Blessed One: "Wonderful, venerable Sir, marvellous, venerable Sir! Now, venerable Sir, the Blessed One's complexion is no longer so pure and bright, the limbs are all loose and wrinkled, the body is inclined forward, and an alteration of the faculties is seen - of the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, the body faculty."
"So it is, Ānanda - subject to ageing in youth, subject to disease in health, subject to death in life. The complexion is no longer so pure and bright, the limbs are all loose and wrinkled, the body is inclined forward, and an alteration of the faculties is seen - of the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, the body faculty."
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, said further:
Such a delightful image has been crushed by ageing.
It spares nothing, it crushes everything." The first.