Indeed, life is brief, Even a hundred years pass swiftly by; Whoever may live beyond this, Still, ultimately, is worn away by old age.
People grieve over their possessions, Truly, no possessions are permanent; Realizing separation is ever-present, One should dwell free from possessions.
By death, that too is relinquished, That which one deems as 'mine'; Realizing this, the wise, Should not cling to selfhood.
Just as a dream encountered, that a person no longer sees on waking up; Similarly, the beloved, once departed, Once dead, are no longer seen.
Even those people who have been seen and heard, Whose names are often spoken; Only their names will remain, Merely as symbols of the departed.
Grief, lamentation, and stinginess, Are not abandoned by the greedy for possessions; Therefore, sages, renouncing attachments, Practiced, observing safety and peace.
A bhikkhu who practices withdrawal, Finding solace in a secluded seat; They call this harmony, For he does not show a self in his dwelling.
The sage, unattached, impartial everywhere, Neither favors the dear nor rejects the disliked; In him, neither lamentation nor greed takes hold, Like water that does not cling to a leaf.
Just like a water droplet on a lotus, That does not stick to the lotus; So too, the sage remains unattached, To what is seen, heard, or sensed.
The purified one forms no notions, From what is seen, heard, or sensed; He seeks purity from no other source, For he is neither bound by desire nor seeks to escape it.
The Buddha is advising through these verses that are deep in meaning and worth reflecting to pursue security, safety and peace found through enlightenment rather than hoping to find it in possessions or in a beloved, for all things in world are impermanent.
Picture: Silence Through the Ages, Max Ernst, 1968
Related Teachings:
The Human Condition: From "In the Buddha's Words" by Bhikkhu Bodhi ↗️ - A collection of teachings on the human condition from the anthology: In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi
The appearance and dissolution of the world (SN 12.44) - The Buddha explains on the appearance of the world and its dissolution through sense contact and dependent origination.
Intoxicated with Vanity of Youth, Health and Life (AN 3.31) - In this teaching, the Buddha recounts his delicate bringing up, and warns on the three intoxications: of youth, health, and life.
