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A Heap of Bones

Aṭṭhipuñjasutta

In this course of transmigrating, one person would leave behind a heap of bones as large as a mountain—if there were someone to collect the bones and the collection were not destroyed.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Itivuttaka 24So It Was Said 24
  • 0.2EkakanipātaThe Book of the Ones
  • 0.3TatiyavaggaChapter Three

0.4AṭṭhipuñjasuttaA Heap of Bones

1.1Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

2.1“Ekapuggalassa, bhikkhave, kappaṁ sandhāvato saṁsarato siyā evaṁ mahā aṭṭhikaṅkalo aṭṭhipuñjo aṭṭhirāsi yathāyaṁ vepullo pabbato, sace saṁhārako assa, sambhatañca na vinasseyyā”ti.“Mendicants, one individual roaming and transmigrating for an eon would amass a heap of bones the size of this Mount Vepulla, if they were gathered together and not lost.”

2.2Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.The Buddha spoke this matter.2.3Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:On this it is said:

3.1“Ekassekena kappena,“If the bones of a single individual3.2puggalassaṭṭhisañcayo;for a single eon were gathered up,3.3Siyā pabbatasamo rāsi,they’d make a pile the size of a mountain:3.4iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.so said the great seer.

4.1So kho panāyaṁ akkhāto,And this is declared to be4.2vepullo pabbato mahā;as big as Mount Vepulla,4.3Uttaro gijjhakūṭassa,higher than the Vulture’s Peak4.4magadhānaṁ giribbaje.in the Mountainfold of the Magadhans.

5.1Yato ca ariyasaccāni,But then, with right understanding,5.2sammappaññāya passati;one sees the noble truths—5.3Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,suffering, suffering’s origin,5.4dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;suffering’s transcendence,5.5Ariyañcaṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,and the noble eightfold path5.6dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.that leads to the stilling of suffering.

6.1Sa sattakkhattuṁ paramaṁ,After roaming on seven times at most,6.2sandhāvitvāna puggalo;that individual6.3Dukkhassantakaro hoti,makes an end of suffering,6.4sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā”ti.with the ending of all fetters.”

7.1Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

7.2Catutthaṁ.