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SN 1.4PTS (1st ed) SN 1.31 min read

Time Flies

Accentisutta

Time flies, so we should drop the world’s bait.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.4Linked Discourses 1.4
  • 0.21. Naḷavagga1. A Reed

0.3AccentisuttaTime Flies

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

2.1“Accenti kālā tarayanti rattiyo,“Time flies, nights pass by,2.2Vayoguṇā anupubbaṁ jahanti;the stages of life leave us one by one.2.3Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,Seeing this peril in death,2.4Puññāni kayirātha sukhāvahānī”ti.do good deeds that bring you joy.”

3.1“Accenti kālā tarayanti rattiyo,“Time flies, nights pass by,3.2Vayoguṇā anupubbaṁ jahanti;the stages of life leave us one by one.3.3Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,Seeing this peril in death,3.4Lokāmisaṁ pajahe santipekkho”ti.a seeker of peace would drop the world’s bait.”