{"id":"an5.48","title":"Things That Cannot Be Had","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"an5.48","title":"Things That Cannot Be Had","units":[{"id":"an5.48:0","sourceIds":["an5.48:0.1","an5.48:0.2","an5.48:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.48\n5. Muṇḍarājavagga\nAlabbhanīyaṭhānasutta","en":"Numbered Discourses 5.48\n5. With King Muṇḍa\nThings That Cannot Be Had"}},{"id":"an5.48:1","sourceIds":["an5.48:1.1","an5.48:1.2","an5.48:1.3","an5.48:1.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, alabbhanīyāni ṭhānāni samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.\nKatamāni pañca?\n‘Jarādhammaṁ mā jīrī’ti alabbhanīyaṁ ṭhānaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.\n‘Byādhidhammaṁ mā byādhīyī’ti …pe… ‘maraṇadhammaṁ mā mīyī’ti … ‘khayadhammaṁ mā khīyī’ti … ‘nassanadhammaṁ mā nassī’ti alabbhanīyaṁ ṭhānaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.","en":"“Mendicants, there are five things that cannot be had by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world.\nWhat five?\nThat someone liable to old age should not grow old.\nThat someone liable to sickness should not get sick. … That someone liable to death should not die. … That someone liable to ending should not end. … That someone liable to perishing should not perish. …"}},{"id":"an5.48:2","sourceIds":["an5.48:2.1","an5.48:2.2","an5.48:2.3","an5.48:2.4","an5.48:2.5","an5.48:2.6","an5.48:2.7"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Assutavato, bhikkhave, puthujjanassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati.\nSo jarādhamme jiṇṇe na iti paṭisañcikkhati:\n‘na kho mayhevekassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ jarādhammaṁ jīrati.\nAhañceva kho pana jarādhamme jiṇṇe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.\nSo jarādhamme jiṇṇe socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati.\nAyaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:\n‘assutavā puthujjano viddho savisena sokasallena attānaṁyeva paritāpeti’.","en":"An unlearned ordinary person has someone liable to old age who grows old.\nBut they don’t reflect on old age:\n‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to old age who grows old. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to old age who grows old.\nIf I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to old age grows old, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’\nAnd so, when someone liable to old age grows old, they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.\nThis is called\nan unlearned ordinary person struck by sorrow’s poisoned arrow, who only mortifies themselves."}},{"id":"an5.48:3","sourceIds":["an5.48:3.1","an5.48:3.2","an5.48:3.3","an5.48:3.4","an5.48:3.5","an5.48:3.6","an5.48:3.7"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavato puthujjanassa byādhidhammaṁ byādhīyati …pe… maraṇadhammaṁ mīyati … khayadhammaṁ khīyati … nassanadhammaṁ nassati.\nSo nassanadhamme naṭṭhe na iti paṭisañcikkhati:\n‘na kho mayhevekassa nassanadhammaṁ nassati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ nassanadhammaṁ nassati.\nAhañceva kho pana nassanadhamme naṭṭhe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.\nSo nassanadhamme naṭṭhe socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati.\nAyaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:\n‘assutavā puthujjano viddho savisena sokasallena attānaṁyeva paritāpeti’.","en":"Furthermore, an unlearned ordinary person has someone liable to sickness … death … ending … perishing.\nBut they don’t reflect on perishing:\n‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to perishing who perishes. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to perishing who perishes.\nIf I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to perishing perishes, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’\nAnd so, when someone liable to perishing perishes, they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.\nThis is called\nan unlearned ordinary person struck by sorrow’s poisoned arrow, who only mortifies themselves."}},{"id":"an5.48:4","sourceIds":["an5.48:4.1","an5.48:4.2","an5.48:4.3","an5.48:4.4","an5.48:4.5","an5.48:4.6","an5.48:4.7","an5.48:4.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Sutavato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati.\nSo jarādhamme jiṇṇe iti paṭisañcikkhati:\n‘na kho mayhevekassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ jarādhammaṁ jīrati.\nAhañceva kho pana jarādhamme jiṇṇe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.\nSo jarādhamme jiṇṇe na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati.\nAyaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:\n‘sutavā ariyasāvako abbuhi savisaṁ sokasallaṁ, yena viddho assutavā puthujjano attānaṁyeva paritāpeti.\nAsoko visallo ariyasāvako attānaṁyeva parinibbāpeti’.","en":"A learned noble disciple has someone liable to old age who grows old.\nSo they reflect on old age:\n‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to old age who grows old. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to old age who grows old.\nIf I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to old age grows old, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’\nAnd so, when someone liable to old age grows old, they don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.\nThis is called\na learned noble disciple who has drawn out sorrow’s poisoned arrow, struck by which unlearned ordinary people only mortify themselves.\nSorrowless, free of thorns, that noble disciple only extinguishes themselves."}},{"id":"an5.48:5","sourceIds":["an5.48:5.1","an5.48:5.2","an5.48:5.3","an5.48:5.4","an5.48:5.5","an5.48:5.6","an5.48:5.7","an5.48:5.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavato ariyasāvakassa byādhidhammaṁ byādhīyati …pe… maraṇadhammaṁ mīyati … khayadhammaṁ khīyati … nassanadhammaṁ nassati.\nSo nassanadhamme naṭṭhe iti paṭisañcikkhati:\n‘na kho mayhevekassa nassanadhammaṁ nassati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ nassanadhammaṁ nassati.\nAhañceva kho pana nassanadhamme naṭṭhe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.\nSo nassanadhamme naṭṭhe na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati.\nAyaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:\n‘sutavā ariyasāvako abbuhi savisaṁ sokasallaṁ, yena viddho assutavā puthujjano attānaṁyeva paritāpeti.\nAsoko visallo ariyasāvako attānaṁyeva parinibbāpetī’ti.","en":"Furthermore, a learned noble disciple has someone liable to sickness … death … ending … perishing.\nSo they reflect on perishing:\n‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to perishing who perishes. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to perishing who perishes.\nIf I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to perishing perishes, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’\nAnd so, when someone liable to perishing perishes, they don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.\nThis is called\na learned noble disciple who has drawn out sorrow’s poisoned arrow, struck by which unlearned ordinary people only mortify themselves.\nSorrowless, free of thorns, that noble disciple only extinguishes themselves."}},{"id":"an5.48:6","sourceIds":["an5.48:6.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca alabbhanīyāni ṭhānāni samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasminti.","en":"These are the five things that cannot be had by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world."}},{"id":"an5.48:7","sourceIds":["an5.48:7.1","an5.48:7.2","an5.48:7.3","an5.48:7.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Na socanāya paridevanāya,\nAtthodha labbhā api appakopi;\nSocantamenaṁ dukhitaṁ viditvā,\nPaccatthikā attamanā bhavanti.","en":"Sorrowing and lamenting\ndoesn’t do even a little bit of good.\nWhen they know that you’re sad,\nyour enemies are encouraged."}},{"id":"an5.48:8","sourceIds":["an5.48:8.1","an5.48:8.2","an5.48:8.3","an5.48:8.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Yato ca kho paṇḍito āpadāsu,\nNa vedhatī atthavinicchayaññū;\nPaccatthikāssa dukhitā bhavanti,\nDisvā mukhaṁ avikāraṁ purāṇaṁ.","en":"When an astute person doesn’t waver in the face of adversity,\nas they’re able to evaluate what’s beneficial,\ntheir enemies suffer,\nseeing that their normal expression doesn’t change."}},{"id":"an5.48:9","sourceIds":["an5.48:9.1","an5.48:9.2","an5.48:9.3","an5.48:9.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Jappena mantena subhāsitena,\nAnuppadānena paveṇiyā vā;\nYathā yathā yattha labhetha atthaṁ,\nTathā tathā tattha parakkameyya.","en":"Prayers, recitations, fine sayings,\nor charity of woven rugs:\nif by means of any such things you benefit,\nthen by all means keep doing them."}},{"id":"an5.48:10","sourceIds":["an5.48:10.1","an5.48:10.2","an5.48:10.3","an5.48:10.4","an5.48:10.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Sace pajāneyya alabbhaneyyo,\nMayāva aññena vā esa attho;\nAsocamāno adhivāsayeyya,\nKammaṁ daḷhaṁ kinti karomi dānī”ti.\nAṭṭhamaṁ.","en":"But if you understand that ‘this good thing\ncan’t be had by me or by anyone else’,\nyou should accept it without sorrowing, thinking:\n‘The deed is powerful. What can I do now?’”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/an5.48/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}