10.
The Discourse on Araka
74.
"Once in the past, monks, there was a teacher named Araka, a founder of a sect, free from lust towards sensual pleasures.
And, monks, the teacher Araka had many hundreds of disciples.
The teacher Araka expounded the Teaching thus to his disciples:
'Short, brahmin, is the life of human beings, limited, light, with much suffering, with much tribulation; this should be understood with wisdom; wholesome deeds should be done; the holy life should be lived; there is no deathlessness for one who is born.
"Just as, brahmin, a dew-drop on the tip of a blade of grass quickly disappears when the sun rises, it is not long-lasting; so too, brahmin, the life of human beings is like a dew-drop, limited, light, with much suffering, with much tribulation; this should be understood with wisdom; wholesome deeds should be done; the holy life should be lived; there is no deathlessness for one who is born.
"Just as, brahmin, when the sky rains with large drops, a water bubble quickly disappears, it is not long-lasting; so too, brahmin, the life of human beings is like a water bubble, limited, light, with much suffering, with much tribulation; this should be understood with wisdom; wholesome deeds should be done; the holy life should be lived; there is no deathlessness for one who is born.
"Just as, brahmin, a line drawn in water quickly disappears, it is not long-lasting; so too, brahmin, the life of human beings is like a line drawn in water, limited, etc. there is no deathlessness for one who is born.
"Just as, brahmin, a mountain river, going far, with a swift current, able to carry things away, there is not that moment or instant or second when it turns back, but rather it just goes, just proceeds, just flows; so too, brahmin, the life of human beings is like a mountain river, limited, light, etc. there is no deathlessness for one who is born.
"Just as, brahmin, a strong man, having formed a lump of spittle on the tip of his tongue, would eject it without difficulty; so too, brahmin, the life of human beings is like a lump of spittle, limited, etc. there is no deathlessness for one who is born.
"Just as, brahmin, a slice of flesh thrown into an iron cauldron heated all day quickly disappears, it is not long-lasting; so too, brahmin, the life of human beings is like a slice of flesh, limited, etc. there is no deathlessness for one who is born.
"Just as, brahmin, a cow fit to be killed, being led to the slaughter-house, whatever foot she lifts up, she is near to slaughter, near to death; so too, brahmin, the life of human beings is like a cow fit to be killed, limited, light, with much suffering, with much tribulation; this should be understood with wisdom; wholesome deeds should be done; the holy life should be lived; there is no deathlessness for one who is born."
"Now at that time, monks, the life-span of human beings was sixty thousand years, and a five-hundred-year-old girl was of marriageable age. Now at that time, monks, human beings had only six illnesses: cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, and urination. Yet indeed, monks, the teacher Araka, when human beings were so long-lived, so long-lasting, with so few illnesses, expounded the Teaching thus to his disciples: 'Short, brahmin, is the life of human beings, limited, light, with much suffering, with much tribulation; this should be understood with wisdom; wholesome deeds should be done; the holy life should be lived; there is no deathlessness for one who is born.'
"Now, monks, one speaking rightly would say: 'Short is the life of human beings, limited, light, with much suffering, with much tribulation; this should be understood with wisdom; wholesome deeds should be done; the holy life should be lived; there is no deathlessness for one who is born.' Now, monks, one who lives long lives a hundred years or a little more. And, monks, one living a hundred years lives only three hundred seasons: a hundred seasons of winter, a hundred seasons of summer, a hundred seasons of the rains. And, monks, one living three hundred seasons lives only twelve hundred months: four hundred months of winter, four hundred months of summer, four hundred months of the rains. And, monks, one living twelve hundred months lives only twenty-four hundred fortnights: eight hundred fortnights of winter, eight hundred fortnights of summer, eight hundred fortnights of the rains. And, monks, one living twenty-four hundred fortnights lives only thirty-six thousand nights: twelve thousand nights of winter, twelve thousand nights of summer, twelve thousand nights of the rains. And, monks, one living thirty-six thousand nights eats only seventy-two thousand meals: twenty-four thousand meals of winter, twenty-four thousand meals of summer, twenty-four thousand meals of the rains, together with mother's milk, together with the interruptions of meals.
"Here are these obstacles to meals: when overcome by torpor one does not eat a meal, when afflicted one does not eat a meal, when ill one does not eat a meal, when observing the Uposatha one does not eat a meal, and when there is no gain one does not eat a meal. Thus indeed, monks, by me for a human being with a life span of a hundred years, the life has been reckoned, the life-span has been reckoned, the seasons have been reckoned, the years have been reckoned, the months have been reckoned, the fortnights have been reckoned, the nights have been reckoned, the days have been reckoned, the meals have been reckoned, and the obstacles to meals have been reckoned. Whatever, monks, is to be done by a Teacher for disciples, seeking their welfare, compassionate, out of compassion; that has been done by me for you. These, monks, are tree-roots, these are empty houses. Meditate, monks, do not be negligent; do not be remorseful afterwards. This is our instruction to you." The tenth.