Atha kho aññataro brāhmaṇamahāsālo
yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami
Upasamkamitva ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo
bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then a well-to-do Brahmin went up to the Buddha, and seated to one side, he said to Him:
“sutaṁ metaṁ, bho gotama,
“Master Gotama, I have heard
pubbakānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ vuddhānaṁ mahallakānaṁ
older brahmins who are aged, burdened with years,
ācariyapācariyānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ:
I have heard teachers of teachers, saying:
‘pubbe sudaṁ ayaṁ loko
avīci maññe phuṭo ahosi manussehi,
In the old days, this world was so full of people you’d think they were squashed together.
kukkuṭasaṁpātikā gāmanigamarājadhāniyo’ti.
The villages, towns, and capital cities were so close that chickens could fly between them.
Ko nu kho, bho gotama,
Why is it, Master Gotama,
hetu ko paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti,
tanuttaṁ paññāyati,
that at present the number of people has declined, and depopulation is seen,
gāmāpi agāmā honti,
Villages have vanished,
nigamāpi anigamā honti,
Towns have vanished,
nagarāpi anagarā honti,
Cities have vanished,
Janapadāpi ajanapadā hontī”ti?
and districts have vanished?
“Etarahi, brāhmaṇa,
At present, brahmin,
manussā adhammarāgarattā
People are infatuated by illicit lust,
Visamalobhābhibhūtā
overcome by unrighteous greed,
Micchādhammaparetā.
afflicted by wrong ideas.
Te adhammarāgarattā
Visamalobhābhibhūtā
micchādhammaparetā
tiṇhāni satthāni gahetvā
As a result of these, they take up sharp weapons
aññamaññaṁ jīvitā voropenti,
they murder each other,
tena bahū manussā kālaṁ karonti.
and so, many people die.
Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa,
hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti,
tanuttaṁ paññāyati,
This is the reason why at present the number of people has declined, depopulation is seen,
gāmāpi agāmā honti,
Villages have vanished,
nigamāpi anigamā honti,
Towns have vanished,
nagarāpi anagarā honti,
Cities have vanished,
janapadāpi ajanapadā honti.
districts have vanished.
Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa,
Again, brahmin,
etarahi manussā adhammarāgarattā
these days humans are excited by illicit lust
Visamalobhābhibhūtā
overcome by unrighteous greed,
Micchādhammaparetā
afflicted by wrong ideas,
Tesaṁ adhammarāgarattānaṁ
Because they are excited by illicit lust
Visamalobhābhibhūtānaṁ
overcome by unrighteous greed
Micchādhammaparetānaṁ
And afflicted by wrong ideas,
devo na sammādhāraṁ anuppavecchati.
sufficient rain does not fall.
Tena dubbhikkhaṁ hoti
As a result, there is a famine,
dussassaṁ setaṭṭhikaṁ
Salākāvuttaṁ.
a scarcity of grain; the crops become blighted and people survived on ration coupons.
Tena bahū manussā kālaṁ karonti.
And so, many people die.
Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa,
hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti,
tanuttaṁ paññāyati,
This is the reason why at present the number of people has declined, depopulation is seen,
gāmāpi agāmā honti,
Villages have vanished,
nigamāpi anigamā honti,
Towns have vanished,
nagarāpi anagarā honti,
Cities have vanished,
janapadāpi ajanapadā honti.
districts have vanished.
Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa,
Again, brahmin,
etarahi manussā adhammarāgarattā
these days humans are excited by illicit lust
Visamalobhābhibhūtā
overcome by unrighteous greed,
Micchādhammaparetā
afflicted by wrong ideas,
Tesaṁ adhammarāgarattānaṁ
Because they are excited by illicit lust
Visamalobhābhibhūtānaṁ
overcome by unrighteous greed
Micchādhammaparetānaṁ
And afflicted by wrong ideas,
yakkhā vāḷe amanusse ossajjanti,
the yakkhas release evil spirits.
tena bahū manussā kālaṁ karonti.
And so, many people die.
Ayampi kho, brāhmaṇa,
hetu ayaṁ paccayo yenetarahi manussānaṁ khayo hoti,
tanuttaṁ paññāyati,
This is the reason why at present the number of people has declined, depopulation is seen,
gāmāpi agāmā honti,
Villages have vanished,
nigamāpi anigamā honti,
Towns have vanished,
nagarāpi anagarā honti,
Cities have vanished,
janapadāpi ajanapadā honti.
districts have vanished.
“Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama
Magnificent, Master Gotama!
Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama
Magnificent, Master Gotama!
Seyyathāpi bho gotama
nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya,
Just as a man were to set upright what was overturned,
paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya,
to reveal what was hidden,
mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya,
to show the way to one who was lost,
andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya:
or to carry a lamp into the dark so that
‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti;
those with eyes could see forms,
evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena
In the same way, Master Gotama
anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.
has made the Dhamma clear in many ways,
Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi
I go for refuge to the Master Gotama,
dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.
to the Dhamma, and to the community of monks.
Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu
May the Venerable Gotama accept me as a lay follower
ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
who has gone for refuge (to the Triple Gem), from today onwards, for as long as life lasts.