Dhammapada, Dhamma Verses (KN 2)

63
Jarāvaggo
11. The Chapter about Old Age
Ko nu hāso, kim-ānando, niccaṁ pajjalite sati,
Why this laughter, why this joy, when the world is constantly burning,
andhakārena onaddhā, padīpaṁ na gavesatha? [146]
why, when enveloped by darkness, do you not seek for a light?
Passa cittakataṁ bimbaṁ, arukāyaṁ samussitaṁ,
See this beautified manikin, a heap of sores that is raised up,
āturaṁ bahusaṅkappaṁ, yassa natthi dhuvaṁ ṭhiti. [147]
sick, imagined in many ways, 1 which has nothing stable or firm.
Parijiṇṇam-idaṁ rūpaṁ, roganīḷaṁ pabhaṅguraṁ,
This body is worn out, a nest of disease, perishing,
bhijjati pūtisandeho, maraṇantaṁ hi jīvitaṁ. [148]
the putrid body comes to destruction, for life ends in death.
Yānimāni apatthāni alāpūneva sārade
Like discarded white gourds 2 thrown away in autumn
kāpotakāni aṭṭhīni, tāni disvāna kā rati? [149]
are these grey bones; seeing them, why is there delight?
Aṭṭhīnaṁ nagaraṁ kataṁ,
This fortress is made out of bones,
maṁsalohitalepanaṁ,
plastered over with flesh and blood,
yattha jarā ca maccu ca,
but hidden within lie old age,
māno makkho ca ohito. [150]
death, also conceit and anger. 3
1
It is very unclear how we should read this, as we are talking about the body it seems translations
indicating it has many intentions are incorrect. The comm. says: mahājanena bahudhā
saṅkappaṁ, which I follow.
2 The comm. positions the Buddha as pointing out discarded corpses as he says this; the word
specifically means white gourds.
3
It seems strange to say that the mental states of conceit and anger lie hidden in the body here.