1-1-6 Jarāvaggo | Samyutta

VI. Old Age

51 (1) Old Age

[A Devatā:]

183 What is good until old age?
What is good when established?
What is the precious gem of humans?
What is hard for thieves to steal?

[The Blessed One:]

184 Virtue is good until old age;
Faith is good when established;
Wisdom is the precious gem of humans;
Merit is hard for thieves to steal.

52 (2) Undecaying

185 What is good by not decaying?
What is good when made secure?
What is the precious gem of humans?
What cannot be stolen by thieves?

[37]

186 Virtue is good by not decaying;
Faith is good when made secure;
Wisdom is the precious gem of humans;
Merit cannot be stolen by thieves.

53 (3) The Friend

187 What is the friend of one on a journey?
What is the friend in one’s own home?
What is the friend of one in need?
What is the friend in the future life?

188 A caravan is the friend of one on a journey;
A mother is the friend in one’s own home;
A comrade when the need arises
Is one’s friend again and again.
The deeds of merit one has done—
That is the friend in the future life.

54 (4) Support

189 What is the support of human beings?
What is the best companion here?
The creatures who dwell on the earth—
By what do they sustain their life?

190 Sons are the support of human beings,
A wife the best companion;
The creatures who dwell on the earth
Sustain their life by rain.

55 (5) Produces

191 What is it that produces a person?
What does he have that runs around?
What enters upon Saṃsāra?
What is his greatest fear?

192 It is craving that produces a person;
His mind is what runs around;
A being enters upon Saṃsāra;
Suffering is his greatest fear.

56 (6) Produces

193 What is it that produces a person?
What does he have that runs around?
What enters upon Saṃsāra?
From what is he not yet freed?

194 Craving is what produces a person;
His mind is what runs around;
A being enters upon Saṃsāra;
He is not freed from suffering.

57 (7) Produces

195 What is it that produces a person?
What does he have that runs around?
What enters upon Saṃsāra?
What determines his destiny?

196 Craving is what produces a person;
His mind is what runs around;
A being enters upon Saṃsāra;
Kamma determines his destiny.

58 (8) The Deviant Path

197 What is declared the deviant path?
What undergoes destruction night and day?
What is the stain of the holy life?
What is the bath without water?

198 Lust is declared the deviant path;
Life undergoes destruction night and day;
Women are the stain of the holy life:
Here menfolk are enmeshed.
Austerity and the holy life—
That is the bath without water.

59 (9) Partner

199 What is a person’s partner?
What is it that instructs him?
Taking delight in what is a mortal
Released from all suffering?

200 Faith is a person’s partner,
And wisdom is what instructs him.
Taking delight in Nibbāna, a mortal
Is released from all suffering.

60 (10) Poetry

201 What is the scaffolding of verses?
What constitutes their phrasing?
On what base do verses rest?
What is the abode of verses?

202 Metre is the scaffolding of verses;
Syllables constitute their phrasing;
Verses rest on a base of names;
The poet is the abode of verses.