The Book of Fives
48
The Unattainable
"Beggars! There are these five states
which are unattainable by shaman, brahman, God, dieties or the Devil;
nor by anyone in the world.
What five?"
The state where there is aging but no old age.
This is the first state
which is unattainable by shaman, brahman, God, dieties or the Devil;
nor by anyone in the world.
The state where there is going but no being gone.
This is the second state
which is unattainable by shaman, brahman, God, dieties or the Devil;
nor by anyone in the world.
The state where there is dying but no death.
This is the third state
which is unattainable by shaman, brahman, God, dieties or the Devil;
nor by anyone in the world.
The state where there is passing but no passing away.
This is the fourth state
which is unattainable by shaman, brahman, God, dieties or the Devil;
nor by anyone in the world.
The state where there is disappearance but no disappearing.
This is the fifth state
which is unattainable by shaman, brahman, God, dieties or the Devil;
nor by anyone in the world.
§
Beggars! For the untamed, untrained, uneducated common man,
aging brings old age.
But when old age approaches he does not think:
'Aging does not bring old age only to me.
Wherever aging is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all aging brings old age.
If I were one who, when old age comes,
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, indeed, beggars,
when old age comes,
he is one who weeps and laments, grieves and complains,
beats his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
and food no longer provides enjoyment to him
and wasting afflicts his body
and his business suffers
and his enemies are happy
while his friends are sad.
This fellow, Beggars,
is just to be known as
an untamed, untrained, uneducated common man;
struck by misfortune's arrow he simply torments himself.
Beggars! For the untamed, untrained, uneducated common man,
going brings being gone.
But when going approaches he does not think:
'Going does not bring being gone only to me.
Wherever going is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all going brings geing gone.
If I were one who, when going comes,
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, indeed, beggars, when going comes,
he is one who weeps and laments, grieves and complains,
beats his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
and food no longer provides enjoyment to him
and wasting afflicts his body
and his business suffers
and his enemies are happy
while his friends are sad.
This fellow, Beggars, is just to be known as
an untamed, untrained, uneducated common man;
struck by misfortune's arrow he simply torments himself.
Beggars! For the untamed, untrained, uneducated common man,
dying brings death.
But when death approaches he does not think:
'Dying does not bring death only to me.
Wherever dying is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all dying brings death.
If I were one who, when dying comes
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, indeed, beggars, when dying comes,,
he is one who weeps and laments, grieves and complains,
beats his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
and food no longer provides enjoyment to him
and wasting afflicts his body
and his business suffers
and his enemies are happy
while his friends are sad.
This fellow, Beggars, is just to be known as
an untamed, untrained, uneducated common man;
struck by misfortune's arrow he simply torments himself.
Beggars! For the untamed, untrained, uneducated common man,
passing brings passing away.
But when passing approaches he does not think:
'Passing does not bring passing away only to me.
Wherever passing is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all passing brings passing away.
If I were one who, when passing comes
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, indeed, beggars, when passing comes,,
he is one who weeps and laments, grieves and complains,
beats his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
and food no longer provides enjoyment to him
and wasting afflicts his body
and his business suffers
and his enemies are happy
while his friends are sad.
This fellow, Beggars, is just to be known as
an untamed, untrained, uneducated common man;
struck by misfortune's arrow he simply torments himself.
Beggars! For the untamed, untrained, uneducated common man, disappearance brings disappearing.
But when disappearance approaches he does not think:
'Disappearance does not bring disappearing only to me.
Wherever disappearance is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all disappearance brings disappearing.
If I were one who, when disappearance comes,
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, indeed, beggars, when disappearance comes,,
he is one who weeps and laments, grieves and complains,
beats his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
and food no longer provides enjoyment to him
and wasting afflicts his body
and his business suffers
and his enemies are happy
while his friends are sad.
This fellow, Beggars, is just to be known as
an untamed, untrained, uneducated common man;
struck by misfortune's arrow he simply torments himself.
Beggars! For the well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats,
aging brings old age.
But when old age approaches he does think:
'Aging does not bring old age only to me.
Wherever aging is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all aging brings old age.
If I were one who, when old age comes,
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, beggars, when old age comes,
he does not weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
This fellow, Beggars, is one to be known as
a well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats;
struck by misfortune's arrow
he drains off the poison
with which the common man torments himself
and lives untormented, unpoisoned, cool.
Beggars! For the well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats,
going brings being gone.
But when going approaches he does think:
'Going does not bring being gone only to me.
Wherever going is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all going brings being gone.
If I were one who, when going comes,
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, beggars, when going comes,
he does not weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
This fellow, Beggars, is one to be known as
a well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats;
struck by misfortune's arrow
he drains off the poison
with which the common man torments himself
and lives untormented, unpoisoned, cool.
Beggars! For the well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats,
dying brings death.
But when dying approaches he does think:
'Dying does not bring death only to me.
Wherever dying is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all dying brings death.
If I were one who, when dying comes,
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, beggars, when dying comes,
he does not weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
This fellow, Beggars, is one to be known as
a well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats;
struck by misfortune's arrow
he drains off the poison
with which the common man torments himself
and lives untormented, unpoisoned, cool.
Beggars! For the well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats,
passing brings passing away.
But when passing approaches he does think:
'Passing does not bring passing away only to me.
Wherever passing is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all passing brings passing away.
If I were one who, when passing comes,
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, beggars, when passing comes,
he does not weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
This fellow, Beggars, is one to be known as
a well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats;
struck by misfortune's arrow
he drains off the poison
with which the common man torments himself
and lives untormented, unpoisoned, cool.
Beggars! For the well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats,
disappearance brings disappearing.
But when disappearance approaches he does think:
'Disappearance does not bring disappearing only to me.
Wherever disappearing is to be seen,
there one also sees the arriving and departing,
passing away and coming to be of beings.
To one and all disappearance brings disappearing.
If I were one who, when disappearance comes,
were to weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat my breast in frustration, anger and despair,
then food would no longer provide enjoyment
and wasting would afflict my body
and my business would suffer
and my enemies would be happy
while my friends would be sad.'
And, beggars, when disappearance comes,
he does not weep and lament, grieve and complain,
beat his breast in frustration, anger and despair,
This fellow, Beggars, is one to be known as
a well tamed, well trained, well educated student of the Aristocrats;
struck by misfortune's arrow
he drains off the poison
with which the common man torments himself
and lives untormented, unpoisoned, cool.
Where there is aging but no old age;
where there is going but no being gone;
where there is dying but no death;
where there is passing but no passing away;
where there is disappearance but no disappearing.
These are five states which are unattainable
by shaman, brahman, God, dieties or the Devil;
nor by anyone in the world.
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