法句譬喻經 37: Birth and death

Texts from the Buddhist Canon commonly known as Dhammapada, with accompanying narratives 37

Language: English

Birth and death

37.p1

In days of old when Buddha was residing in the Jetavana Vihāra, near Śrāvastī, preaching his law for the sake of Devas and men, there was a certain rich householder, a Brahman, who had a son just twenty years old, who had recently married a wife. And now seven days had passed after the marriage, when the young pair agreed to go together to the after-garden to look at the beautiful trees and flowers. It was just the third month of spring-time when they sallied forth. Amongst the other trees there was one beautiful plum-tree in blossom, the flowers of which were beyond their reach, but yet the bride longed to have one. On this the young man assayed to climb the tree to get his love a flower. Having reached a topmost branch, lo! it gave way beneath his weight, and he fell to the ground and was killed. Then there was great lamentation among the members of his family. The wails and cries of his friends resounded on every side—and after returning from his funeral obsequies—which were conducted according to the rules of religion—the house was again filled with the sounds of grief and lamentation. On this the World-honoured, perceiving the circumstances of the case, came at once to the dwelling. On seeing him, the father and mother and all the rest went forth and did him reverence; and on explaining the cause of their grief the master addressed the householder and said, “Cease your lamentations, and listen to me! All things around you are inconstant and destined to change! Once born, then there is death. Sin and its consequences are necessarily bound up together. And who is this youth, and who his relations for whom ye weep so pitifully and without intermission?” And then the Master repeated these verses :—

37.p2

“What is life but the flower or the fruit which falls, when ripe, but yet which ever fears the untimely frost? Once born there is nought but sorrow; for who is there can escape death? From the first moment of conception in the womb, the result of passionate love and desire, there is nought but the bodily form, transitory as the lightning flash. It is difficult to dam up the daily flow of the waters of life. The body is but a thing destined to perish. There is no certain form given to the spirit conceived with the body. Once dead it is again born—the connections of sin and of merit cannot be overreached. It is not a matter of one life, or one death, but from the act of renewed conception proceeds all the consequences of former deeds, resulting in joy or misery; the body dies but the spirit is not entombed!”

37.p3

After these verses were said, Buddha explained that the cause of the untimely death of the young bridegroom was, that in former days he had ruthlessly shot a young sparrow through the body, as he wandered through the garden of his house with three companions; and then after explaining the consequences of this proceeding in each case the World-honoured added these verses:

37.p4

“It is the mind alone (spirit) that determines the character of (life in) the three worlds. Just as the life has been virtuous or the contrary, is the subsequent career of the individual. Living in the dark, darkness will follow; the consequent birth is as the echo from the cavern, immersed in carnal desires, there cannot be any thing but carnal appetite; all things result from previous conduct, as the traces follow the elephant-step, or the shadow the substance.”

Linked texts (1)

法句譬喻經 — Classical Chinese

法句譬喻經 37: Birth and death

Birth and death

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Linked texts (1)