1.1Appaṁ vata jīvitaṁ idaṁ,Short, alas, is this life;1.2Oraṁ vassasatāpi miyyati;you die before a hundred years.1.3Yo cepi aticca jīvati,Even if you live a little longer,1.4Atha kho so jarasāpi miyyati.you still die of old age.

2.1Socanti janā mamāyite,People grieve over belongings,2.2Na hi santi niccā pariggahā;yet there is no such thing as permanent possessions.2.3Vinābhāvasantamevidaṁ,Separation is a fact of life; when you see this,2.4Iti disvā nāgāramāvase.you wouldn’t stay living at home.

3.1Maraṇenapi taṁ pahīyati,Whatever a person thinks of as belonging to them,3.2Yaṁ puriso mamidanti maññati;that too is given up when they die.3.3Etampi viditvā paṇḍito,Knowing this, an astute follower of mine3.4Na mamattāya nametha māmako.would not be bent on ownership.¹

4.1Supinena yathāpi saṅgataṁ,Just as, upon awakening, a person does not see4.2Paṭibuddho puriso na passati;what they encountered in a dream;4.3Evampi piyāyitaṁ janaṁ,so too you do not see your loved ones4.4Petaṁ kālaṅkataṁ na passati.when they are dead and gone.

5.1Diṭṭhāpi sutāpi te janā,You used to see and hear those folk,5.2Yesaṁ nāmamidaṁ pavuccati;and call them by their name.5.3Nāmaṁyevāvasissati,Yet the name is all that’s left to tell5.4Akkheyyaṁ petassa jantuno.of a personage when they’re gone.

6.1Sokapparidevamaccharaṁ,Those who are greedy for belongings6.2Na jahanti giddhā mamāyite;don’t give up sorrow, lamentation, and stinginess.6.3Tasmā munayo pariggahaṁ,That’s why the sages, seers of sanctuary,²6.4Hitvā acariṁsu khemadassino.left possessions behind and wandered.

7.1Patilīnacarassa bhikkhuno,For a mendicant who lives withdrawn,7.2Bhajamānassa vivittamāsanaṁ;frequenting a secluded seat,7.3Sāmaggiyamāhu tassa taṁ,they say it’s fitting7.4Yo attānaṁ bhavane na dassaye.to not show themselves in a home.

8.1Sabbattha munī anissito,The sage is independent everywhere,8.2Na piyaṁ kubbati nopi appiyaṁ;they don’t form likes or dislikes.8.3Tasmiṁ paridevamaccharaṁ,Lamentation and stinginess8.4Paṇṇe vāri yathā na limpati.slip off them like water from a leaf.

9.1Udabindu yathāpi pokkhare,Like a droplet slips from a lotus-leaf,9.2Padume vāri yathā na limpati;like water from a lotus flower;9.3Evaṁ muni nopalimpati,the sage doesn’t cling to that9.4Yadidaṁ diṭṭhasutaṁ mutesu vā.which is seen or heard or thought.

10.1Dhono na hi tena maññati,For the one who is cleansed does not conceive10.2Yadidaṁ diṭṭhasutaṁ mutesu vā;in terms of things seen, heard, or thought.10.3Nāññena visuddhimicchati,They do not wish to be purified by another;10.4Na hi so rajjati no virajjatīti.they are neither passionate <j>nor growing dispassioned.³

10.5Jarāsuttaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.