The life here of mortals is without sign, unknown, difficult, brief and entwine with suffering.
There is no means by which those who are born will not die.
If they live to attain old age, they still die. Such is truth for all beings.
As with ripe fruits have the peril of dropping, so for mortals, once born, the peril is death.
Just as all potteries will be broken at the end, so death is the end of life.
Young & old, foolish & wise, all come under the sway of death,
all have death as their destiny.
When those facing death must leave for the next world -
fathers cannot shelter their sons, nor relatives shelter their kin.
You see, just as when relatives are looking on, weeping, lamenting the departing;
Only the dying will alone die, like a destined cow taken alone to be slaughtered.
Aging and death afflicted all living beings.
Sages know the way of the world as such, do not grieve.
One does not know a person's path – where do they come from, where do they go.
Seeing neither end, lamenting is futile.
The lost lament and harm themselves. If any benefits could be gained, would the wise not do it too?
Not by weeping and grieving, can one calm the mind.
Pain arises all the more. And weeping and grieving distress the body.
One harms oneself with grieving, Becoming thin and pale,
The departed are not protected by this means.
Lamentation is useless.
One who is not able to let go of grief, wailing for the deceased, falls under the power of sorrow, suffers even more pain.
Look at those whose end has come, shivering and struggling, readying to pass on according to their deeds.
For however they see it, it always changes later. Such separation is possible.
See, the way of the world,
Even if a person lives a hundred years or more, he will part from his relatives, will leave his life on earth.
Thus, having heard the arahant's teachings, seeing the dead, one is mindful that when a person is dead, "I cannot get him back." and subdues lamentation.
Just as one would put out a burning fire with water, so does the discerning and wise would promptly blow away any arisen grief, as wind, a tuft of cotton.
He who seeks happiness should rid his own lamentations, longings and grief.
Should pull out the arrow, which is his own impurities (kilesa).
With the arrow (kilesa) pulled out, unattached to passion and opinions, attaining peace of awareness, transcend all grief. He is sorrow-free, unbound.
