The Buddhacarita and the Arakasutta on the suffering and finiteness of human life

 

The Buddhacarita and the Arakasutta on the suffering and finiteness of human life

Buddhacarita, book 3 (written by Ashvaghosa):

Here is how the Buddhist poet Ashvaghosa retold the story of the Buddha’s (the ‘prince’ in the story) encounter with old age, illness and death:

“26. But then the gods, dwelling in pure abodes, having beheld that city thus rejoicing like heaven itself, created an old man to walk along on purpose to stir the heart of the king’s son.

27. The prince having beheld him thus overcome with decrepitude and different in form from other men, with his gaze intently fixed on him, thus addressed his driver with simple confidence:

28. ‘Who is this man that has come here, O charioteer, with white hair and his hand resting on a staff, his eyes hidden beneath his brows, his limbs bent down and hanging loose, — is this a change produced in him or his natural state or an accident?’

29. Thus addressed, the charioteer revealed to the king’s son the secret that should have been kept so carefully, thinking no harm in his simplicity, for those same gods had bewildered his mind:

30. ‘That is old age by which he is broken down, — the ravisher of beauty, the ruin of vigour, the cause of sorrow, the destruction of delights, the bane of memories, the enemy of the senses.

31. ‘He too once drank milk in his childhood, and in course of time he learned to grope on the ground; having step by step become a vigorous youth, he has step by step in the same way reached old age.’

32. Being thus addressed, the prince, starting a little, spoke these words to the charioteer, ‘What! will this evil come to me also?’ and to him again spoke the charioteer:

33. ‘It will come without doubt by the force of time through multitude of years even to my long-lived lord; all the world knows thus that old age will destroy their comeliness and they are content to have it so.’

34. Then he, the great-souled one, who had his mind purified by the impressions of former good actions, who possessed a store of merits accumulated through many preceding aeons, was deeply agitated when he heard of old age, like a bull who has heard the crash of a thunderbolt close by.

35. Drawing a long sigh and shaking his head, and fixing his eyes on that decrepit old man, and looking round on that exultant multitude he then uttered these distressed words:

36. ‘Old age thus strikes down all alike, our memory, comeliness, and valour; and yet the world is not disturbed, even when it sees such a fate visibly impending.

37. ‘Since such is our condition, O charioteer, turn back the horses, — go quickly home; how can I rejoice in the pleasure-garden, when the thoughts arising from old age overpower me?’

38. Then the charioteer at the command of the king’s son turned the chariot back, and the prince lost in thought entered even that royal palace as if it were empty.

39. But when he found no happiness even there, as he continually kept reflecting, ‘old age, old age,’ then once more, with the permission of the king, he went out with the same arrangement as before.

40. Then the same deities created another man with his body all afflicted by disease; and on seeing him the son of Śuddhodana addressed the charioteer, having his gaze fixed on the man:

41. ‘Yonder man with a swollen belly, his whole frame shaking as he pants, his arms and shoulders hanging loose, his body all pale and thin, uttering plaintively the word "mother," when he embraces a stranger, — who, pray, is this?’

42. Then his charioteer answered, ‘Gentle Sir, it is a very great affliction called sickness, that has grown up, caused by the inflammation of the (three) humours, which has made even this strong man no longer master of himself.’

43. Then the prince again addressed him, looking upon the man compassionately, ‘Is this evil peculiar to him or are all beings alike threatened by sickness?’

44. Then the charioteer answered, ‘O prince, this evil is common to all; thus pressed round by diseases men run to pleasure, though racked with pain.’

45. Having heard this account, his mind deeply distressed, he trembled like the moon reflected in the waves of water; and full of sorrow he uttered these words in a low voice:

46. ‘Even while they see all this calamity of diseases mankind can yet feel tranquillity; alas for the scattered intelligence of men who can smile when still not free from the terrors of disease!

47. ‘Let the chariot, O charioteer, be turned back from going outside, let it return straight to the king’s palace; having heard this alarm of disease, my mind shrinks into itself, repelled from pleasures.’

48. Then having turned back, with all joy departed, he entered his home, absorbed in thought; and having seen him thus return a second time, the king himself entered the city.

49. Having heard the occasion of the prince’s return he felt himself as deserted by him, and, although unused to severe punishment, even when displeased, he rebuked him whose duty it was to see that the road was clear.

50. And once more he arranged for his son all kinds of worldly enjoyments to their highest point; imploring in his heart, ‘Would that he might not be able to forsake us, even though rendered unable only through the restlessness of his senses.’

51. But when in the women’s apartments his son found no pleasure in the several objects of the senses, sweet sounds and the rest, he gave orders for another progress outside, thinking to himself, ‘It may create a diversion of sentiment.’

52. And in his affection pondering on the condition of his son, never thinking of any ills that might come from his haste, he ordered the best singing-women to be in attendance, as well-skilled in all the soft arts that can please.

53. Then the royal road being specially adorned and guarded, the king once more made the prince go out, having ordered the charioteer and chariot to proceed in a contrary direction (to the previous one).

54. But as the king’s son was thus going on his way, the very same deities created a dead man, and only the charioteer and the prince, and none else, beheld him as he was carried dead along the road.

55. Then spoke the prince to the charioteer, ‘Who is this borne by four men, followed by mournful companions, who is bewailed, adorned but no longer breathing?’

56. Then the driver, — having his mind overpowered by the gods who possess pure minds and pure dwellings, — himself knowing the truth, uttered to his lord this truth also which was not to be told:

57. ‘This is some poor man who, bereft of his intellect, senses, vital airs and qualities, lying asleep and unconscious, like mere wood or straw, is abandoned alike by friends and enemies after they have carefully swathed and guarded him.’

58. Having heard these words of the charioteer he was somewhat startled and said to him, ‘Is this an accident peculiar to him alone, or is such the end of all living creatures?’

59. Then the charioteer replied to him, ‘This is the final end of all living creatures; be it a mean man, a man of middle state, or a noble, destruction is fixed to all in this world.’

60. Then the king’s son, sedate though he was, as soon as he heard of death, immediately sank down overwhelmed, and pressing the end of the chariotpole with his shoulder spoke with a loud voice,

61. ‘Is this end appointed to all creatures, and yet the world throws off all fear and is infatuated! Hard indeed, I think, must the hearts of men be, who can be self-composed in such a road.

62. ‘Therefore, O charioteer, turn back our chariot, this is no time or place for a pleasure-excursion; how can a rational being, who knows what destruction is, stay heedless here, in the hour of calamity?’” (Book 3, verses 26-62; translation by E.B. Cowell, source: https://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Buddhacarita/03-Book-III.htm )

Arakasutta

The following text is, instead, a discourse taken from the Pali Canon in which the Buddha shares approvingly the teachings of a legendary teacher named Araka about the brevity and the sufferings of the human life:

““Once upon a time, mendicants, there was a teacher named Araka. He was a religious founder and was free of desire for sensual pleasures. He had many hundreds of disciples, and he taught them like this: ‘Brahmins, life as a human is short, brief, and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no one born can escape death.

It’s like a drop of dew on a grass tip. When the sun comes up it vanishes right away and doesn’t last long. In the same way, life as a human is like a dewdrop. It’s brief and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no one born can escape death.

It’s like when the heavens rain heavily. The bubbles vanish right away and don’t last long. In the same way, life as a human is like a bubble. …

It’s like a line drawn in water. It vanishes right away and doesn’t last long. In the same way, life as a human is like a line drawn in water. …

It’s like a mountain river traveling far, flowing fast, carrying all before it. It doesn’t turn back—not for a moment, a second, an hour—but runs, rolls, and flows on. In the same way, life as a human is like a mountain river. …

It’s like a strong man who has formed a glob of spit on the tip of his tongue. He could easily spit it out. In the same way, life as a human is like a glob of spit. …

Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day. If you tossed a scrap of meat in, it would vanish right away and not last long. In the same way, life as a human is like a scrap of meat. …

It’s like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse. With every step she comes closer to the slaughter, closer to death. In the same way, life as a human is like a cow being slaughtered. It’s brief and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no one born can escape death.’

Now, mendicants, at that time human beings had a lifespan of 60,000 years. Girls could be married at 500 years of age. And human beings only had six afflictions: cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and the need to defecate and urinate. But even though humans were so long-lived with so few afflictions, Araka still taught in this way: ‘Life as a human is short, brief, and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no one born can escape death.’

These days it’d be right to say: ‘Life as a human is short, brief, and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no one born can escape death.’ For these days a long life is a hundred years or a little more. Living for a hundred years, there are just three hundred seasons, a hundred each of the winter, summer, and rains. Living for three hundred seasons, there are just twelve hundred months, four hundred in each of the winter, summer, and rains. Living for twelve hundred months, there are just twenty-four hundred fortnights, eight hundred in each of the winter, summer, and rains. Living for 2,400 fortnights, there are just 36,000 days, 12,000 in each of the summer, winter, and rains. Living for 36,000 days, you just eat 72,000 meals, 24,000 in each of the summer, winter, and rains, including when you’re suckling at the breast, and when you’re prevented from eating.

Things that prevent you from eating include anger, pain, sickness, sabbath, or being unable to get food. So mendicants, for a human being with a hundred years lifespan I have counted the lifespan, the limit of the lifespan, the seasons, the years, the months, the fortnights, the nights, the days, the meals, and the things that prevent them from eating. Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, mendicants! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”” (Araka sutta, AN 7.47, bhikkhu Sujato translation, source: https://suttacentral.net/an7.74/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin )