1.1“‘Khaṇakicco loko, khaṇakicco loko’ti, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano bhāsati, no ca kho so jānāti khaṇaṁ vā akkhaṇaṁ vā.“‘Now is the time! Now is the time!’ So says an unlearned ordinary person. But they don’t know whether it’s time or not.1.2Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.Mendicants, there are eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.1.3Katame aṭṭha?What eight?

1.4Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;Firstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.1.5ayañca puggalo nirayaṁ upapanno hoti.But an individual has been reborn in hell.1.6Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.This is the first lost opportunity for spiritual practice.

2.1PTS 4.226Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.2.2ayañca puggalo tiracchānayoniṁ upapanno hoti …pe….But an individual has been reborn in the animal realm. This is the second lost opportunity …

3.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world …3.2ayañca puggalo pettivisayaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….But an individual has been reborn in the ghost realm. This is the third lost opportunity …

4.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world …4.2ayañca puggalo aññataraṁ dīghāyukaṁ devanikāyaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….But an individual has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods. This is the fourth lost opportunity …

5.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world …5.2ayañca puggalo paccantimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti aviññātāresu milakkhesu, yattha natthi gati bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ …pe….But an individual has been reborn in the borderlands, among uneducated foreigners, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go. This is the fifth lost opportunity …

6.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti micchādiṭṭhiko viparītadassano:Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … And an individual is reborn in a central country. But they have wrong view and distorted perspective:6.2‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammā paṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti …pe….‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is the sixth lost opportunity …

7.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world …7.2ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti duppañño jaḷo eḷamūgo appaṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.And an individual is reborn in a central country. But they’re witless, dull, idiotic, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.7.3Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.This is the seventh lost opportunity for spiritual practice.

8.1PTS 4.227Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke anuppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.Furthermore, a Realized One has not arisen in the world …8.2Dhammo ca na desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.So he doesn’t teach the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.8.3Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.This is the eighth lost opportunity for spiritual practice.

9.1Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.There are these eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.

10.1Ekova kho, bhikkhave, khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāya.Mendicants, there is just one opportunity for spiritual practice.10.2Katamo eko?What is that one?10.3Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.It’s when a Realized One has arisen in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.10.4Dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.10.5Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, ekova khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāyāti.This is the one opportunity for spiritual practice.

11.1Manussalābhaṁ laddhāna,When you’ve gained the human state,11.2saddhamme suppavedite;and the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,11.3Ye khaṇaṁ nādhigacchanti,those who don’t seize the moment11.4atināmenti te khaṇaṁ.are wasting their time.

12.1Bahū hi akkhaṇā vuttā,For many wrong times are spoken of,12.2maggassa antarāyikā;which obstruct the path.12.3Kadāci karahaci loke,Only on rare occasions12.4uppajjanti tathāgatā.do Realized Ones arise.

13.1Tayidaṁ sammukhībhūtaṁ,If you find yourself in their presence,13.2yaṁ lokasmiṁ sudullabhaṁ;so hard to find in the world,13.3Manussapaṭilābho ca,and if you’ve gained a human birth,13.4saddhammassa ca desanā;and the teaching of the Dhamma;13.5Alaṁ vāyamituṁ tattha,that’s enough to make an effort,13.6attakāmena jantunā.for a personage who desires self-knowledge.

14.1PTS 4.228Kathaṁ vijaññā saddhammaṁ,∥How is the true teaching to be understood14.2khaṇo ve mā upaccagā;so that the moment doesn’t pass you by?14.3Khaṇātītā hi socanti,For if you miss your moment14.4nirayamhi samappitā.you’ll grieve when sent to hell.

15.1Idha ce naṁ virādheti,If you fail to achieve15.2saddhammassa niyāmataṁ;certainty regarding the true teaching15.3Vāṇijova atītattho,you’ll regret it for a long time,15.4cirattaṁ anutapissati.like the merchant in the story of the past.

16.1Avijjānivuto poso,A man shrouded by ignorance,16.2saddhammaṁ aparādhiko;a failure in the true teaching,16.3Jātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ,will long undergo16.4ciraṁ paccanubhossati.transmigration through birth and death.

17.1Ye ca laddhā manussattaṁ,Those who’ve gained the human state17.2saddhamme suppavedite;when the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,17.3Akaṁsu satthu vacanaṁ,and have completed what the Teacher taught—17.4karissanti karonti vā.or will do so, or are doing so now—

18.1Khaṇaṁ paccaviduṁ loke,have realized the right time in the world18.2brahmacariyaṁ anuttaraṁ;for the supreme spiritual life.18.3Ye maggaṁ paṭipajjiṁsu,You should live guarded, ever mindful,18.4tathāgatappaveditaṁ.not festering with defilements,

19.1Ye saṁvarā cakkhumatā,among those restrained ones19.2desitādiccabandhunā;who have practiced the path19.3Tesu gutto sadā sato,proclaimed by the Realized One, the Clear-eyed One,19.4vihare anavassuto.and taught by the Kinsman of the Sun.

20.1Sabbe anusaye chetvā,Having cut off all underlying tendencies20.2māradheyyaparānuge;that follow those drifting in Māra’s dominion,20.3Te ve pāraṅgatā loke,they’re the ones in this world <j>who’ve truly crossed over,20.4ye pattā āsavakkhayan”ti.having reached the ending of defilements.”

20.5Navamaṁ.