ཚའ་མཐའ་མད 5

5

At the first stage, they are infants, feeble and lying on their back. At the second stage they are children, disposed to playing. At the third stage, as youths, they chase after pleasure. At the fourth stage they are endowed with physical strength and strong enthusiasm. At the fifth stage they possess prudence and self-confidence.⁶³ At the sixth stage they are experienced and more given to reflection. At the seventh stage they practice religion with all their heart.⁶⁴ At the eighth stage they are venerable and people of distinction.⁶⁵ At the ninth stage they are old, fragile, and weakened by age. At the tenth stage life is exhausted and only death remains.⁶⁶ Monks, in a hundred years, their lives undergo those ten stages.

“Monks, living for one hundred years, they live for one hundred times each the three seasons: one hundred winters, one hundred summers, and one hundred rains.⁶⁷ Living three seasons one hundred times each, they live for twelve months one hundred times: four months each of winters, four of summers, and four of rains. Living for twelve months one hundred times, they live for twenty-four times one hundred half-months, or two thousand four hundred half-months: eight half-months each of winters, eight half-months of summers, and eight half-months of rains. Living twenty-four times one hundred half-months, they live for thirty-six thousand days: twelve thousand days each of summer, winter, and rains.

“Living for thirty-six thousand days, they eat seventy-two thousand meals, except for when there is something that prevents them from eating.⁶⁸ These meal interruptions are as follows: when they are angry, they do not eat; when they suffer, they do not eat; when impoverished,⁶⁹ they do not eat; during fasting,⁷⁰ they do not eat; because of loss, they do not eat; because of gain, too, they do not eat; when sleeping, they do not eat; when drunk,