1. Impermanency (UV-KG1)

Glory be to Him who knows all! Let there be happiness!

The Victorious one spoke these verses (udāna); Hearken unto me while I tell them; what I say is to dispel sleep and torpor, and to bring gladness to the mind.

The All-wise, the Protector, the Mighty one, the Very compassionate one, He who had finished with corporeal existence, Bhagavat, spoke (or has spoken) thus:

Alas! the impermanency of created things (samkāra); what is created is subject to decay. As what has been born must come to destruction, happy they who are at rest!

To one who is being burnt, what joy can there be, what subject of rejoicing? Ye who dwell in the midst of darkness, why seek ye not a light?

Those pigeon-coloured bones are thrown away and scattered in every direction; what pleasure is there in looking at them?

One who has heretofore been subject to the misery of birth from the womb may go to the highest place and come no more back again (into the world).

One sees many men in the forenoon, some of whom one will not see in the afternoon; one sees many men in the afternoon, some of whom one will not see in the (next) forenoon.

Many men and women do die even in their prime; though men then be called young, what reliance can they place in life?

Some die in the womb, some die at the birth, some gradually decay, some pass away in the vigour of their manhood.

Some are old, and some are young, some are grown up; by degrees they all do disappear, like ripe fruit falling.

As the ripe fruit is always filled with the dread of falling, so likewise he who has been born is filled with the fear of death.

It is with the life of mortal man as with the shining vases made from clay by the potter—they all finish by being destroyed.

It is with the life of mortal man as with the spider, who, stretching hither and thither its web, is enclosed in it.

It is with the life of mortal man as with (the spider), who, though it would free itself from its trap, finds, whichever way it takes a step, the abode of death before it.

As a river that is always running swiftly by and never returns are the days of man's life—they depart and come back no more.

Joy is fleeting and mixed with pain; it swiftly disappears, like figures traced on water with a wand.

As a cowherd with his staff gathers his cattle into the stable, so disease and old age bring mankind to the lord of death.

As the waters of a brook, so flow on by day and night the hours of man's life; it draws nearer and nearer to its end.

Long is the night to him who is watching, great the distance to him who is wayworn, and great the circle of transmigration to the fools who know not the holy Law.

“These children are mine, these riches are mine;” with these (thoughts) is the fool disturbed. What are children and riches to one who (owns) not even himself in the other world?

It is the law of humanity that, though one acquires hundreds and thousands of worldly goods, one still falls into the power of the lord of death.

The end of all that has been hoarded up is to be spent; the end of what has been lifted up is to be cast down; the end of meeting is separation; the end of life is death.

As the end of life is death, and all creatures do die, so likewise do virtue and vice bear fruits which follow after the deeds.

They who do evil go to hell; they who are virtuous go to happiness; they who have observed the right way and are without sin obtain nirvāṇa.

The Buddhas, the pratyeka Buddhas, and the disciples of the Buddhas cast off this body; what is the use of speaking of the ignorant crowd?

There is no place where is not the pain of death, not in the sky nor in the midst of the sea, not even if one enters into the clefts of the mountains.

All who have been and all who shall be, abandon this body and depart; the wise man who understands that (the body) is to be dreaded, lives a life of purity according to the Law.

Seeing old age, the pain of disease, and the death of the heedless, he who is earnest gives up a home that is like a prison; but how can the common of mortals cast off desires?

Even the brilliant chariot of the king is destroyed, the body also draws nigh to old age; but the best of men, who teaches others this best of all good laws, shall not know old age.

Thou art foolish and despicable, and doest not that which is right; for that body (rūpa) in which thou delightest will be the cause of thy ruin.

One may live a hundred years, yet he is subject to the lord of death; one may reach old age, or else he is carried off by disease.

He who is (always) changing without ceasing, decaying day and night, filled with the anguish of birth and death, is like the fish thrown in hot water.

This life is fleeting away day and night; it is unstable like the stream of a great river; one goes on not to return again.

Man is like a fish in a shallow pool of water; day and night this life is passing away; what subject of rejoicing is there in so brief a thing?

The end of life is death; this body bent down by age, this receptacle of disease, is rapidly wasting away; this mass of corruption will soon be destroyed.

Alas! this body will soon lie on the earth unnoticed, empty, senseless, thrown away in a cemetery like a billet of wood.

Continually afflicted by disease, always emitting some impurity, this body, undermined by age and death, what is the use of it?

“This (abode) will do for winter and (this) for summer;” thus ponders the rapidly decaying fool who has not seen the danger.

Thou who art surrounded by children and flocks, children are no refuge, nor are father, mother, and kinsfolk; thou art without a refuge!

“Such and such actions are a source of felicity, which I, having performed them, will acquire.” He who prepares himself in this manner will overcome age, disease, and death.

Give yourselves up then to the unceasing joy of meditation (samādhi); see the end of birth and age in the birth of diligence; overcome the hosts of Māra and the Bhixus shall pass beyond birth and death.

Chapter on Impermanency, the First.

Translated by Woodville Rockhill.

1975, Udânavarga: a collection of verses from the Buddhist canon compiled by Dharmatrâta, Oriental Press, Amsterdam (reprint of original from 1883).

Translated (into Tibetan) by the Indian Pandit Vidyaprabhakara and the Lotsāva Bande-rin-tchen-mtchog; revised and arranged by the corrector, the Lotsāva Bande-dpal-brtsegs.

Original taken from University of Oslo, faculty of humanities.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Yasoj and Ayya Vimala.