Loading translation...
These verses are also found nearly verbatim in the Anityavarga (“Chapter on Impermanence”) in the Udānavarga.
These manuscripts are CTRC Box 111, No. 5, folios 13a2–14b2 and CTRC Box 1112, No. 5, pp. 23–24. Ven. Vinītā has edited and translated the first of these mss. and provided a transliteration of the second. See Bhikṣuṇī Vinītā 2010, pp. 170–206.
National Archives, Kathmandu: NAK 3/589, No. 8, 35a36b = NGMPP A 131–9, A 861/13 (dated 1860
Folios 222b10–223b4 of a Dhāraṇīsaṃgraha manuscript from the private collection of Mr. Padmajyoti Dhakhwa of Patan. The colophon was added later and does not provide an exact date, stating simply that the manuscript was copied “80 years ago by Pandit Ratna Bahadur Vajracharya.” It is not clear, however, when this colophon was added and thus it is impossible to calculate when it was copied. It seems very likely, though, that the manuscript was copied in the latter half of the nineteenth century. See Shakya 1988 for a transliteration. However, this transliteration contains many variances in readings from the actual manuscript and it is unclear whether these are misreadings or silent emendations by Shakya. The edition of the Anityatāsūtra found in the appendix of this translation is partially based upon this manuscript.
Société Asiatique, no. 14(36) in Filliozat 1941/42. Filliozat notes that the Anityatāsūtra witness here is part of a larger collection which she describes as “Recueil de dhāraṇī, stotra, çataka, etc.” (“a collection of dhāraṇī, stotra, śataka, etc.”) dating from 1823 (Filliozat 1941/42, pp. 17–34). Although she does not state it, this is almost certainly a witness of the Dhāraṇīsaṃgraha collection. A transliteration has been published in Bhikṣuṇī Vinītā 2010.
Royal Asiatic Society, London: Hodgson Collection, Ms. no. 55 (H. 147), 60a2–62a1. This is from a Dhāraṇīsaṃgraha manuscript dated 1791
Tōyō Bunko, Tokyo, Ms. No. 13.7. This manuscript is undated and has not been studied as far as we are aware. Further information may be found in Hidas 2021, pp. 360–67.
Tokyo University Library, Tokyo. Kawaguchi and Takakusu Collection, Ms. 416 No. 8. 46a3–47b4. Like the above witnesses, this Anityatāsūtra is again a component work within a Dhāraṇīsaṃgraha collection. No date is provided for this manuscript, but it is listed as “modern” in the catalog notes, which would suggest it was copied in the nineteenth century
For information on the Dhāraṇīsaṃgraha see Hidas 2021, which is a study on several manuscripts of this work.
See the edition of the Anityatāsūtra in the appendix for further information on the relationship between these two manuscript witnesses.
Lg59.4, mdo, Ha-L97 10b1–12a6: mi rtag pa nyid kyi mdo rdzogs s+ho / rgya gar gyi mkhan po ka ma la gub tra dang / zhu chen gi lo tsha ba rin chen bzang pos sgyur cing zhus te / gtan la phab pa /
Ng22.51, mdo, za 308b5–310a8: myi rtag pa nyid kyi mdo’ / rdzogs s+ho / rgya gar gi mkhan po ka ma la kub ta dang / zhu chen gi lo tsa ba dge slong rin chen bzang pos bsgyur cing zhus te / gtan la phab pa /
Lg29.4, mdo, Ha-L15 9b4–11b3: myi rtag pa nyid kyi mdo’ rdzogs s+ho / rgya gar kyi mkhan po ka ma la gub tra dang / zhu chen gyi lo tsha ba dge’ slong rin chen bzang pos bsgyur zhing zhus te gtan la phab pa /
Lg59.4, mdo, Ha-L97 10b1–12a6: mi rtag pa nyid kyi mdo rdzogs s+ho / rgya gar gyi mkhan po ka ma la gub tra dang / zhu chen gi lo tsha ba rin chen bzang pos sgyur cing zhus te / gtan la phab pa / Ng22.51, mdo, za 308b5–310a8: myi rtag pa nyid kyi mdo’ / rdzogs s+ho / rgya gar gi mkhan po ka ma la kub ta dang / zhu chen gi lo tsa ba dge slong rin chen bzang pos bsgyur cing zhus te / gtan la phab pa /
See Sakya Pandita Translation Group, trans., The Sūtra on Impermanence (1), Toh 309 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021).
See, for example, the Jarāmaraṇasutta (SN I 71 (SN 3.3)) and Vepullapabbatasutta (SN II 191–193 (SN 15.20)) in the Saṃyuttanikāya, and the Mahāsudassanasutta (DN II 169–199 (DN 17)) in the Dīghanikāya.
Both the great community of monks and their number is omitted in Tibetan. The Chinese reads 1,250: 千二百五十人, while the Sanskrit variously reads 1,300 or 1,250 in the Nepalese and Potala transmissions, respectively. It seems that at some point there was a corruption in the Sanskrit transmission where the number diverged from the Chinese, and I have emended the Sanskrit edition to follow the Chinese and CTRC: mahatā bhikṣusaṃghena sārddhan ‹ardha›trayodaśabhir bhikṣuśataiḥ. Interestingly, the great community of monks is included in the other Anityatāsūtra preserved in the Kangyur, Toh 309, which shares the same opening frame narrative reading: dge slong gi dge ’dun chen po dang thabs cig tu.
Tibetan reads “even for them life concludes in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die” (gson pa’i mtha’ yang ’chi bar ’gyur ba ste/ skye nas ’chi bar mi ’gyur ba med do).
Referring to fruit harvested from the ground, i.e., not cultivated through agriculture. Skt. carries the sense of plucked, released, i.e., fallen. Tib. carries the sense of fruit already on the ground.
Tibetan reads “even for them life concludes in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die” (gson pa’i mtha’ yang ’chi bar ’gyur ba ste/ skye nas ’chi bar mi ’gyur ba med do).
kāmāvacarāḥ (gods of the realm of desire) is omitted in Tibetan but necessary in context with the next two sections, which go on to elaborate the certain death of gods in the form realm and the formless realm.
The Tibetan switches the order of sudṛśa and sudarśana, reading shin tu mthong ba dang | gya nom snang dang. Note: this is the case in the translated passage in note 39.
1.8b “Those gods who have obtained the second dhyāna—those of limited radiance, [F.156.b] those of immeasurable radiance, and those who are radiant—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.
1.8c “Those gods who have obtained the third dhyāna—those of limited splendor, those of immeasurable splendor, and those of complete splendor—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.
1.8d “Those gods who have obtained the fourth dhyāna—those who are unclouded, those with abundant merit, those with great fruition, those who have a nature that is free from perception, and [those gods of the Pure Abodes]: those who are relatively not great, those without trouble, those of excellent appearance, those of excellent observation, and those who are highest—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.”
1.8a “Those gods of the form realm who have obtained the first dhyāna—those who attend Brahmā, those stationed before Brahmā, and those Great Brahmā gods—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.
1.8b “Those gods who have obtained the second dhyāna—those of limited radiance, [F.156.b] those of immeasurable radiance, and those who are radiant—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die. 1.8c “Those gods who have obtained the third dhyāna—those of limited splendor, those of immeasurable splendor, and those of complete splendor—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die. 1.8d “Those gods who have obtained the fourth dhyāna—those who are unclouded, those with abundant merit, those with great fruition, those who have a nature that is free from perception, and [those gods of the Pure Abodes]: those who are relatively not great, those without trouble, those of excellent appearance, those of excellent observation, and those who are highest—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.”
Tibetan: yid du ’ong ba. This is not present in any Sanskrit witness where only kāya (“body”) is mentioned and is also omitted in Chinese.
tshogs na spyod pa (vargacārin), omitted in all Sanskrit witnesses and Chinese. This is the second, less famous but more gregarious, of the two classes of pratyekabuddha.
āśravajñānaprahāṇavaiśāradyam. A less precise translation would be “confidence in their knowledge of the abandonment of negative influences.” This is a problematic phrase within this interpretation of the caturvaiśāradya that is unique to The Sūtra on Impermanence. The equivalent in the standard list of the four confidences would be sarvāśravakṣayajñānavaiśāradyam (s.v. this entry in Mvy 130 (S. 132)), “confidence in the knowledge of exhausting negative influences,” which seems to be the intended meaning of āśravajñānaprahāṇavaiśāradyam. However, prahāṇa in Sanskrit Buddhist literature generally, and in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit, is not related to the Sanskrit term prahāṇa (“abandonment”), but rather the Pali term padhāna (“effort”), an important technical term. It seems that whoever added this explanation of the four confidences in the Sanskrit transmission of The Sūtra on Impermanence conflated the correct BHS usage of prahāṇa for the standard Sanskrit usage. This may bolster the conclusion we take from the manuscript evidence that these four terms laying out the four confidences were possibly later additions to the text.
The order of the description of buddhas is slightly different between the Sanskrit and Tibetan, and the Sanskrit adds a passage laying out the four confidences. It seems that this was a later addition in an effort to make the four confidences clearer to the reader. Interestingly, the explanation provided in the Sanskrit is a unique list that differs in wording from the four confidences. See the noted discussion on caturvaiśāradyaviśaradā in ap1.12 of the Sanskrit critical edition (note n.191). The translation of the Tibetan (Degé) is:
1.12 “Those tathāgatas, [F.157.a] arhats, complete and perfect buddhas, mighty with the ten powers, confident in the four confidences, worthy of admiration, their bodies strong-limbed and firm like Nārāyaṇa, roaring a true lion’s roar—even for them their pleasing bodies are subject to being given up.”
This analogy of the unavoidable destruction of pots, which makes up the first half of this section, is omitted in the Peking and Choné Kangyurs.
This conclusion to the narrative frame is shared verbatim in the other Anityatāsūtra translation in the Degé Kangyur, Toh 309.
°piṇḍadasyāme, CTRC (emended to °piṇḍadasyārāme). Shakya either incorrectly reads or silently emends to °piṇḍadasyārāme in his transliteration of PDP, which reads °piṇḍasyārāme along with RAS and TUL.
ardha°, CTRC. Yamada reads sārdham ardhatrayodaśabhir with a note indicating that ardha in his reading is supplied by the Chinese: 千二百五十人.
anitā, RAS and TUL; anit*yā, PDP where a virāma is needlessly placed under the -t- ligature in the tyā conjunct. This virāma usage appears relatively often in the PDP manuscript. Yamada incorrectly notes that the anitā reading is only found in TUL (Yamada 1972, 31/1000 n. 7). anityā, CTRC.
anāsvāsikā RAS and TUL; anāśvāsikā PDP and CTRC. Shakya reads anāsvāsikā in PDP, but it appears to be śvā in this manuscript.
yad, RAS and TUL; ye, PDP; omitted, CTRC. Shakya reads yad in his transliteration of PDP, but this cannot be. It seems possible that he was relying to some extent upon Yamada’s earlier edition.
nirvatum, RAS and TUL; nivartum, PDP; nivarttitaṃ, CTRC. Shakya reads nirvartitum in his transliteration of PDP, which is either a misreading or a silent emendation.
āmaranāntaṃ, RAS; āmaraṇanāṃtaṃ, TUL; āmaraṇāntaṃ, PDP; maraṇānta‹ṃ›, CTRC. Shakya reads āmaraṇanta in his transliteration of PDP, missing the anusvara.
ra, RAS and TUL; ||, PDP. It appears both RAS and TUL suffered the same misreading in the copying tradition where a ra was copied instead of a daṇḍa here. This suggests that the manuscripts may descend from the same copying transmission. Kimura reads ca here in his edition of TUL (Kimura 1985, p. 98). While ca is not the correct reading, it does indeed bear a resemblance to ra. It seems he was perhaps trying to force a reading that made some sense.
Cf. ŚPrSū 105: tatra yāni tāni kulāny āḍhyāni mahādhanāni mahābhogāni prabhūtavittopakaraṇāni prabhūtasvāpadeyāni prabhūtadhanadhānyakośakoṣṭhāgārasaṁnicayāni prabhūtamitrāmātyajñātisālohitāni prabhūtadāsīdāsakarmakarapauruṣeyāṇi.
gṛhapatayo mahāsālakulā, RAS and TUL; gṛhapatayo mahāśākulā, PDP; gṛhapatemahāśalakhlāḥ, CTRC (emended to gṛhapatimahāśālakuklā).
brāhmaṇamahāsālakulā, RAS and TUL; °mahāśākulā, PDP; °sālakulāḥ, CTRC (emended to °mahāśālakulā).
kṣatriyo mahāsākulā, RAS; kṣatriyo mahāsālakūla, TUL; kṣatriyamahāśākulā, PDP; kṣatriyamahāśālakulā{ḥ}, CTRC.
āsāṃ, RAS, TUL, and PDP. Shakya incorrectly records āśāṃ in his transliteration of PDP. āḍhyā, CTRC, which seems to be the correct reading with āsāṃ a later corruption. Note, for example, DN I 134.22: aḍḍho mahaddhano mahābhogo.
There appears to have been some confusion here in the copying transmission of this work. prabhūtamaṇimāniṣka°, TUL and PDP (Shakya reads kya). Yamada reads ṣka in both RAS and TUL, but the akṣara conjunct in RAS seems to be an unsure kya where the scribe hedged his bet by making it also possibly discernable as ṣka. In the end, nkya is the reading that leads to a more coherent phrase and is used here. CTRC omits these words entirely.
°śaṃkhasilā, TUL. TUL also omits rūparajata; prabhūtajātarūparajatavittopakaraṇāḥ, CTRC omitting the first half of the compound.
°koṣṭhakoṣṭhāgārasaṃnicayāḥ, RAS; koṣṭhakoṣṭhāṃgārasanniccayāḥ, TUL; °kośakoṣṭhāgārasannicayāḥ, PDP (Shakya incorrectly reads °koṣa° in his transliteration). CTRC omits this phrase. Yamada notes the reading in TUL but neglects to note the reading in RAS (Yamada 1972, 31/1000 n. 25). The same instance of either a simple error copying ṣṭa for śa or erroneous duplication of koṣṭha recorded in both RAS and TUL provides further evidence that these two manuscripts were produced within the same copying transmission.
prabhūtadāsidāsakarmakarapauraṣeyāḥ, RAS and TUL; prabhūtadāsīdāsakarmakarapauruṣeyāḥ, PDP and CTRC (Shakya incorrectly reads °paurūṣeyo in his PDP transliteration).
All living beings.
According to Buddhist tradition, one who is worthy of worship (pūjām arhati), or one who has conquered the enemies, the mental afflictions (kleśa-ari-hata-vat), and reached liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is the fourth and highest of the four fruits attainable by śrāvakas. Also used as an epithet of the Buddha.
In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to break”).
All conditioned states or factors which in turn collectively make up ordinary states of being.
Confidence in (1) ascending dharmas, (2) all their teaching, (3) comprehending the path to nirvāṇa, and (4) their effort for the knowledge of exhausting negative influences.
One who has been consecrated; a consecrated king; a man of the kṣatriya caste.
Dhyāna is defined as one-pointed abiding in an undistracted state of mind, free from afflicted mental states. Four states of dhyāna are identified as being conducive to birth within the form realm. In the context of the Mahāyāna, it is the fifth of the six perfections. It is commonly translated as “concentration,” “meditative concentration,” and so on.
This specifically refers to brahmins in the third stage of life (after the student and householder stages) where one abandons social responsibilities and lives as an ascetic in the forest for one’s twilight years.
A god of one of the heavens in the realm of form.
The Paranirmitavaśavartin gods, those who control enjoyments created by others, the sixth and highest of the six heavens of the desire realm. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities. These gods enjoy the creations of others, as opposed to the Nirmāṇarati gods who enjoy their own creations.
The Nirmāṇarati gods, the gods of Nirmāṇarati Heaven (the Heaven of Delightful Emanations), the fifth of the six heavens of the desire realm. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities. These gods create their own pleasing enjoyments.
Gods of the Heaven of the Four World Guardians/Great Kings (cāturmahārājika), first of the six heavens of the realm of desire. The name is of both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-three (trayastriṃśa), the second of the six heavens of the desire realm. The thirty-three are Indra and thirty-two other deities. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The gods of Tuṣita Heaven, the Joyous Heaven, the fourth of the six heavens of the desire realm. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities. Tuṣita is of note for being the abode of Maitreya until his eventual birth on Earth (and indeed all buddhas in their penultimate birth before their final birth).
The gods of the Yāma Heaven, the third of the six heavens of the desire realm. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The gods in the abode of Mahābrahmā, the fourth of the four classes of gods of the form realm in the first dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
One of the first Buddhist monasteries, located in a park outside Śrāvastī, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kośala in northern India. This park was originally owned by Prince Jeta, hence the name Jetavana, meaning Jeta’s grove. The wealthy merchant Anāthapiṇḍada, wishing to offer it to the Buddha, sought to buy it from him, but the prince, not wishing to sell, said he would only do so if Anāthapiṇḍada covered the entire property with gold coins. Anāthapiṇḍada agreed, and managed to cover all of the park except the entrance, hence the name Anāthapiṇḍadasyārāmaḥ, meaning Anāthapiṇḍada’s park. The place is usually referred to in the sūtras as “Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s park,” and according to the Saṃghabhedavastu the Buddha used Prince Jeta’s name in first place because that was Prince Jeta’s own unspoken wish while Anāthapiṇḍada was offering the park. Inspired by the occasion and the Buddha’s use of his name, Prince Jeta then offered the rest of the property and had an entrance gate built. The Buddha specifically instructed those who recite the sūtras to use Prince Jeta’s name in first place to commemorate the mutual effort of both benefactors.
Anāthapiṇḍada built residences for the monks, to house them during the monsoon season, thus creating the first Buddhist monastery. It was one of the Buddha’s main residences, where he spent around nineteen rainy season retreats, and it was therefore the setting for many of the Buddha’s discourses and events. According to the travel accounts of Chinese monks, it was still in use as a Buddhist monastery in the early fifth century ᴄᴇ, but by the sixth century it had been reduced to ruins.
One of the two classes of pratyekabuddha, used for those living a solitary life. The other type is the vargacārin, “those who live in crowds.”
An epithet of a buddha. In one enumeration, the ten powers are (1) knowing what is possible and what is not possible; (2) knowing the results of actions; (3) knowing the aspirations of beings; (4) knowing the elements; (5) knowing the higher and lower powers of beings; (6) knowing the paths that lead everywhere; (7) knowing the dhyānas, liberations, absorptions, and equilibriums; (8) knowing previous lives; (9) the knowledge of transference and death; and (10) knowing that the defilements are exhausted.
An alternate name for Viṣṇu.
Literally, “buddha for oneself” or “solitary realizer.” Someone who, in his or her last life, attains awakening entirely through their own contemplation, without relying on a teacher. Unlike the awakening of a fully realized buddha (samyaksambuddha), the accomplishment of a pratyekabuddha is not regarded as final or ultimate. They attain realization of the nature of dependent origination, the selflessness of the person, and a partial realization of the selflessness of phenomena, by observing the suchness of all that arises through interdependence. This is the result of progress in previous lives but, unlike a buddha, they do not have the necessary merit, compassion or motivation to teach others. They are named as “rhinoceros-like” (khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpa) for their preference for staying in solitude or as “congregators” (vargacārin) when their preference is to stay among peers.
An ancient Indian spiritual title especially for divinely inspired individuals credited with creating the foundations for Indian culture.
This term in its broadest sense can refer to any being, whether human, animal, or nonhuman. However, it is often used to refer to a specific class of nonhuman beings, especially when bhūtas are mentioned alongside rākṣasas, piśācas, or pretas. In common with these other kinds of nonhumans, bhūtas are usually depicted with unattractive and misshapen bodies. Like several other classes of nonhuman beings, bhūtas take spontaneous birth. As their leader is traditionally regarded to be Rudra-Śiva (also known by the name Bhūta), with whom they haunt dangerous and wild places, bhūtas are especially prominent in Śaivism, where large sections of certain tantras concentrate on them.
During the life of the Buddha, Śrāvastī was the capital city of the powerful kingdom of Kośala, ruled by King Prasenajit, who became a follower and patron of the Buddha. It was also the hometown of Anāthapiṇḍada, the wealthy patron who first invited the Buddha there, and then offered him a park known as Jetavana, Prince Jeta’s Grove, which became one of the first Buddhist monasteries. The Buddha is said to have spent about twenty-five rainy seasons with his disciples in Śrāvastī, thus it is named as the setting of numerous events and teachings. It is located in present-day Uttar Pradesh in northern India.
One of the standard epithets of the buddhas. A recurrent explanation offers three different meanings for su- that are meant to show the special qualities of “accomplishment of one’s own purpose” (svārthasampad) for a complete buddha. Thus, the Sugata is “well” gone, as in the expression su-rūpa (“having a good form”); he is gone “in a way that he shall not come back,” as in the expression su-naṣṭa-jvara (“a fever that has utterly gone”); and he has gone “without any remainder” as in the expression su-pūrṇa-ghaṭa (“a pot that is completely full”). According to Buddhaghoṣa, the term means that the way the Buddha went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su) and where he went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su).
A frequently used synonym for buddha. According to different explanations, it can be read as tathā-gata, literally meaning “one who has thus gone,” or as tathā-āgata, “one who has thus come.” Gata, though literally meaning “gone,” is a past passive participle used to describe a state or condition of existence. Tatha(tā), often rendered as “suchness” or “thusness,” is the quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Therefore, this epithet is interpreted in different ways, but in general it implies one who has departed in the wake of the buddhas of the past, or one who has manifested the supreme awakening dependent on the reality that does not abide in the two extremes of existence and quiescence. It is also often used as a specific epithet of the Buddha Śākyamuni.
A formless state, either a meditative state or its resultant realm of existence, i.e., a class of deities of the formless realm. (No equivalent of upaga in Tib.)
A formless state, either a meditative state or its resultant realm of existence, i.e., a class of deities of the formless realm. (No equivalent of upaga in Tib.)
A formless state, either a meditative state or its resultant realm of existence, i.e., a class of deities of the formless realm. (No equivalent of upaga in Tib.)
A formless state, either a meditative state or its resultant realm of existence, i.e., a class of deities of the formless realm. (No equivalent of upaga in Tib.)
The third (or sometimes second) of the four classes of gods of the form realm in the first dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The third of the three classes of gods of the form realm in the third dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The third of the five classes of gods dwelling in the Pure Abodes (śuddhāvāsa).
The fourth of the five classes of gods dwelling in the Pure Abodes (śuddhāvāsa). See n.37.
The second of the three classes of gods of the form realm in the second dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The second of the three classes of gods of the form realm in the third dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The first of the three classes of gods of the form realm in the second dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The first of the three classes of gods of the form realm in the third dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The second (or sometimes third) of the four classes of gods of the form realm in the first dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The highest, fifth, and final class of gods dwelling in the Pure Abodes (śuddhāvāsa).
The third of the three classes of gods of the form realm in the second dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The first of five classes of gods dwelling in the Pure Abodes (śuddhāvāsa).
The first of the four classes of gods of the form realm in the fourth dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The first of the four classes of gods of the form realm in the first dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The fourth of the four classes of gods of the form realm in the fourth dhyāna. The name is the same for both the location and the inhabitant deities.
The gods who dwell in the abode of the first dhyāna.
The gods who dwell in the abode of the fourth dhyāna.
The gods who dwell in the abode of the second dhyāna.
mi rtag pa nyid kyi mdo (Anityatāsūtra). Toh 310, Degé Kangyur vol. 72 (mdo sde, sa), folios 155b.5–157a.5.
Anityatāsūtra. Manuscript witness held in the collection of the Royal Asiatic Society, London. Hodgson Collection, Ms. no. 55 (H. 147), folios 60a2–62a1.
Anityatāsūtra. Manuscript witness held in the collection of the Tokyo University Library, Tokyo. Kawaguchu and Takakusu Collection, Ms. 416 no. 8, folios 46a3–47b4.
Anityatāsūtra. Manuscript witness held in the private collection of Mr. Padmajyoti Dhakhwa of Patan, folios 222b10–223b4.
ched du brjod pa’i tshoms (Udānavarga). Toh 326, Degé Kangyur vol. 72 (mdo sde, sa), folios 209.a–253.a. English translation in Champa Thupten Zongtse (1990).
mi rtag pa nyid kyi mdo (Anityatāsūtra). Toh 309, Degé Kangyur vol. 72 (mdo sde, sa), folios 155a.2–155b.4. English translation in Sakya Pandita Translation Group (2013).
Bernhard, Franz. Udānavarga. 2 vols. Sanskrittexte aus den Turfanfunden 10. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1965–68.
Brough, John. The Gāndhārī Dharmapada. London Oriental Series Volume 7. London: Oxford University Press, 1962.
Champa Thupten Zongtse. Udānavarga. Band III. Sanskrittexte aus den Turfanfunden 10, 3. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1990.
Edgerton, Franklin. [1953]. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary. 2 vols. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1972.
Feer, Léon. [1884–98]. Saṃyutta-Nikāya. 5 vols. London/Oxford: Pali Text Society, 1975–2006.
Filliozat, Jean. “Catalogue des manuscrits sanskrits et tibétains de la Société Asiatique.” Journal Asiatique 233 (1941–42): 1–81.
Hidas, Gergeley. Powers of Protection: The Buddhist Tradition of Spells in the Dhāraṇīsaṃgraha Collections. Beyond Boundaries Volume 9. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter, 2021.
Ishihama, Yumiko and Yoichi Fukuda, eds. A New Critical Edition of the Mahāvytupatti: Sanskrit-Tibetan-Mongolian Dictionary of Buddhist Terminology. Materials for Tibetan-Mongolian Dictionaries, Vol. 1. Tokyo: The Toyo Bunko, 1989.
Kimura, Takayasu. “The Anityatā-Sūtram.” In 俳教の歴史と思想：壬生台舜煩毒記念, edited by 壬生台舜博士質毒記念論文集刊行曾, (95)–(108). Tokyo: 大蔵出版, 1985.
Monier-Williams, Monier. A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1899.
Rhys Davids, T. W., and J. Estlin Carpenter. [1890–1911]. The Dīgha Nikāya. 3 vols. Reprint, London: Pali Text Society, 1966–76.
Rhys Davids, T. W., and William Stede. The Pali Text Society’s Pali-English Dictionary. London: Pali Text Society, 1921–25.
Sakya Pandita Translation Group, trans. The Sūtra on Impermanence (1) (Anityatāsūtra, Toh 309). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. 2013.
Shakya, M. B. “Āryānityātāsūtra.” Buddhist Himalaya 1, no. 1 (1988): 58–60 [1–3].
Takakusu, Junjirō 高楠順次郎, and Watanabe Kaikyoku 渡辺海旭, eds. Taishō shinshū daizōkyō 大正新脩大藏經. 100 vols. Tokyo: Taishō Issaikyō Kankōkai 大正一切經刊行會, 1924–34.
Tripāṭhī, Chandrabhāl. Fünfundzwanzig Sūtras des Nidānasaṃyukta. Sanskrittexte aus den Turfanfunden 8, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, 1962.
Vinītā, Bhikṣuṇī, ed. and trans. A Unique Collection of Twenty Sūtras in a Sanskrit Manuscript from the Potala. Sanskrit Texts from the Tibetan Autonomous Region 7/1. Beijing: China Tibetology Publishing House; Vienna: Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, 2010.
Waldschmidt, Ernst. Bruchstücke buddhistischer sutras aus dem zentralasiatischen Sanskritkanon I. Leipzig: Deutsche morgenländische Gesellschaft, 1932.
Waldschmidt, Ernst. [1950–51]. Das Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra: Text in Sanskrit und Tibetisch, verglichen mit dem Pāli nebst einer Übersetzung der chinesischen Entsprechung im Vinaya der Mūlasarvāstivādins. 3 vols. Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, 1950–51. Reprint, Kyoto: Rinsen Book Co., 1986.
Waldschmidt, Ernst, Heinz Bechert, Georg von Simson, Michael Schmidt, and Jens-Uwe Hartmann, eds. Sanskrit-Wörterbuch der buddhistischen Texte aus den Turfan-Funden. Volumes 1–4, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1973ff.
Yamada, Isshi. “Anityatāsūtra.” Indogaku Bukkyōgaku Kenkyū (印度學佛教學研究) 20, no. 2 (1972): 30–35.
BHSD Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary. (Edgerton, Franklin).
CTRC Manuscript witness of the Anityatāsūtra held in the collection of the China Tibetology Research Center.
DN Dīgha-nikāya (Rhys Davids, T. W., and J. Estlin Carpenter).
MPS Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra (Waldschmidt, Ernst).
MW Monier-Williams’s Sanskrit-English dictionary.
Ms. Manuscript.
Mvy Mahāvyutpatti (Ishihama, Yumiko and Yoichi Fukida).
NidSa Nidānasaṃyukta (Tripāṭhī, Chandrabhāl).
PDP Manuscript witness of the Anityatāsūtra held in the private collection of Mr. Padmajyoti Dhakhwa of Patan, folios 222b10–223b4.
PTS Pali Text Society, London.
PTSD The Pali Text Society’s Pali-English Dictionary (Rhys Davids, T .W. and William Stede).
RAS Manuscript witness of the Anityatāsūtra held in the collection of the Royal Asiatic Society, London: Hodgson Collection.
SN Saṃyutta-nikāya (Feer, Léon).
SWTF Sanskrit-Wörterbuch der buddhistischen Texte aus den Turfan-Funden. (Waldschmidt, Ernst, et al).
TUL Manuscript witness of the Anityatāsūtra held in the collection of the Tokyo University Library, Tokyo
UV Udānavarga (Bernhard, Franz).
ŚPrSū Śakrapraśnasūtra (Waldschmidt, Ernst).
The Sūtra on Impermanence (Anityatāsūtra) is a short discourse on the impermanence of conditioned states. The Buddha explains that it does not matter what one’s social status is, whether one is born in a heaven, or even if one has realized awakening and is an arhat, a pratyekabuddha, or a buddha. All that lives will eventually die. He concludes with a series of verses on impermanence exhorting the audience to understand that happiness is to bring conditioned states to rest.
This translation was produced by Charles DiSimone and Jin Kyoung Choi. DiSimone translated the text into English from Tibetan and Sanskrit, created the Sanskrit critical edition, and prepared the introduction. Choi checked and revised the translation, critical edition, and introduction. DiSimone and Choi produced the glossary. We wish to thank the Royal Asiatic Society of London for kindly providing high-quality scans of the RAS Anityatāsūtra manuscript witness and Dr. Miroj Shakya of the University of the West for kindly providing high-quality scans of the PDP Anityatāsūtra manuscript witnesses. Both of these were of immense importance in the creation of the critical edition.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
In the span of a human life, it can sometimes feel as if we have all the time in the world. As time goes by and one day bleeds into the next, the months and years pass away. Grave concerns over the inherent dis-ease of existence are put out of mind as more pressing matters arise and we become concerned with what appear to be more immediate goals. The Sūtra on Impermanence (Anityatāsūtra) is a discourse that steers the listener or reader away from such notions.
The Sūtra on Impermanence is a short work, which may be separated into fifteen sections. It begins with the very brief opening half of its narrative frame 1.1. This opening frame gives little information apart from indicating that the Buddha was staying at the Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, in Śrāvastī. There is no interlocutor. The Buddha addresses the monks in his presence by declaring that all conditioned states are impermanent and therefore should be rejected 1.2, noting that “life indeed concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die,” the refrain of the sūtra 1.3. He then goes on to present various examples of types of beings, starting with wealthy people of high social status who, despite their status, will ultimately die 1.4. He continues with further examples of beings ascending in importance: kings 1.5, sages 1.6, gods in the realm of desire 1.7, gods in the form realm 1.8, and gods in the formless realm 1.9. All such beings will die. Moving beyond this general hierarchy within Buddhist cosmology, the Buddha continues to the three vehicles and declares that even those who have realized awakening and are free from further births, that is, arhats 1.10, pratyekabuddhas 1.11, and buddhas 1.12, have bodies that will eventually come to an end. The Buddha then reiterates his refrain that there is nothing that is born that will not die, using a simile of clay pots that are created and eventually destroyed 1.13. Following this, the Buddha recites a series of verses on the transitory nature of life designed to inspire one to soteriological pursuits 1.14.1 The sūtra ends with the concluding half of the narrative frame, which is even more brief than the opening half, stating the delight of those who heard the Buddha’s discourse 1.15.
A number of Sanskrit witnesses of The Sūtra on Impermanence survive. These extant manuscripts might be classified into at least two separate transmissions. The first is what we may call the “Potala Transmission,” which consists of two Indic manuscripts copied in Dhārikā script. These were both collected into the Sanskrit manuscript library at the Potala Palace in Lhasa and are still housed there to this day. While these two manuscripts are unavailable for inspection, photostats have been made that are held by the China Tibetology Research Center (CTRC) in Beijing.2 To call this a transmission itself is somewhat debatable. The two manuscripts, while sharing the same script, were copied by different hands and often show divergences from one another. However, they do share similarities that are not seen in the other witnesses, which suggests the possibility of a shared transmission. Nonetheless, it is unclear when each manuscript came into the possession of the Potala or from where they were produced. Additionally, because of the extensive use of the Dhārikā script over a number of centuries, it is not possible to provide a satisfactory estimate for the dates of these two manuscripts. Both witnesses appear as component works in larger multitext sūtra manuscripts, but the exact nature of these two distinct multitext manuscripts remains unclear. They are without known titles and are not known to have circulated in South Asia or beyond, apart from the witnesses within the Potala Palace Collection.
The second extant transmission of The Sūtra on Impermanence may be referred to as the “Nepalese Transmission.” This transmission consists of a number of manuscripts that have been uncovered in collections throughout the Kathmandu Valley and are now spread throughout collections in Nepal, Europe, and Japan. There are seven individual witnesses known to scholars: two witnesses in the National Archives of Nepal,3 one witness in a private collection in Lalitpur (Patan) in Nepal,4 one witness in the collection of the Société Asiatique in Paris,5 one witness in the collection of the Royal Asiatic Society in London,6 one witness in the collection of the Tōyō Bunko in Tokyo,7 and one witness in the collection of the Tokyo University Library.8 All of the known manuscript witnesses of The Sūtra on Impermanence in the Nepalese Transmission are rather late, dating from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century
The translation of The Sūtra on Impermanence within the Degé Kangyur contains only a very brief colophon mirroring the Sanskrit colophon. The colophon simply states that the sūtra has ended, providing no details on the translation.11 This brief colophon is seen in the majority of witnesses to The Sūtra on Impermanence within the Tibetan Kangyurs. However, there are three witnesses with expanded colophons: two witnesses in the Langdo (lang mdo) collection and one in the Namgyal Kangyur.12 These colophons state that The Sūtra on Impermanence was translated by the team of Kamalagupta (tenth–eleventh century) and Rinchen Sangpo (958–1055), who were frequent collaborators. Kamalagupta, a Kashmiri paṇḍita, was an immigrant to Tibet, and Rinchen Sangpo was a native Tibetan translator. This places the date of the translation within the tenth and eleventh centuries in the beginning of the second transmission of Tibetan translations. Beyond these colophons there are no major variations among the Tibetan versions of The Sūtra on Impermanence within the various Kangyurs. The Sūtra on Impermanence is always included in the General Sūtra Section in all Kangyurs. There is another work titled The Sūtra on Impermanence (1) (Anityatāsūtra),13 Toh 309, appearing directly before Toh 310, the sūtra translated here. While these two works share a title and theme, their content differs, and they are each unique works. It should be noted, however, that the opening and concluding narrative frame of Toh 309 is nearly the same as that of Toh 310. This may suggest that the two works developed in connection with one another and are possibly parallels of the same work from different Buddhist textual traditions.
There is one Chinese translation by Fatian 法天 (aka Dharmadeva), Foshuo zhuxing youwei jing 佛說諸行有為經, completed in 984
There are no direct Pali equivalents to The Sūtra on Impermanence. There are multiple works with the same name, Aniccasutta, found in the Saṃyuttanikāya, but none of these are directly related to the sūtra translated here. While there are no direct equivalents in the Pali canon, there are multiple instances of passages and phrases that directly parallel the content of The Sūtra on Impermanence, often but not always in the Saṃyuttanikāya.14
There are also a number of parallel passages to be found within surviving Sanskrit Buddhist works beyond the verses shared with the Udānavarga, which themselves appear across a spectrum of texts.15 That the present sūtra is not found in Pali, but that its modular pieces may be found in Pali works, may be telling. This, taken with the fact that the Chinese translation is rather late and is in the Collected Sūtras section of the Taishō, not associated with any āgama, may suggest that The Sūtra on Impermanence belongs to an āgama that was not translated in its entirety into Chinese. This would possibly also suggest a (Mūla-)Sarvāstivāda āgama affiliation for this work. This may be bolstered, too, by the fact that Kamalagupta, the primary translator of the work into Tibetan, was from Kashmir, where the Mūlasarvāstivāda tradition would have been dominant during his lifetime. Another source pointing toward a (Mūla-)Sarvāstivāda affiliation is the inclusion of the verses found in the Udānavarga, which was likely a Sarvāstivāda work.16 Nonetheless, we should not conclude any doctrinal affiliation with certainty. It is also possible, although less plausible, that this work was translated later because it was composed later and was not included in any āgama/nikāya collection.
The primary source texts used for this English translation were the Tibetan translation in the Degé Kangyur and a critical edition of the Sanskrit created from the witnesses of the Royal Asiatic Society, Tokyo University Library, and private collection of Mr. Padmajyoti Dhakhwa of Patan. The Tibetan of the Degé and the Sanskrit are generally consistent but differences between the two are noted when encountered. While there are no major differences between the Tibetan and Sanskrit, when differing readings are noted, translations of more substantial differences are provided in the notes.17 There is some disagreement found between the Tibetan and the Sanskrit on the number of verses at the end of the sūtra, with two recorded in the Degé and four in the Sanskrit, sharing one verse between them. All verses from both the Tibetan and Sanskrit are translated, totaling five verses.
The Sanskrit edition was created for this translation and may be found in the appendices. In addition to the RAS, TUL, and PDP manuscripts that make up the edition, variant readings from the first of the two CTRC manuscripts are also always noted. The edition follows the general orthography of the three Sanskrit manuscript witnesses. Therefore, some variations in the spelling of words are not emended to conform to classical Sanskrit standards. For example, gemination is always reported. Sandhi is not always standardized because the formations used would not have been considered incorrect when the manuscripts were copied, and they can provide important information about inherent punctuation of statements.
In addition to the Degé and Sanskrit critical edition, multiple Kangyurs were consulted. The Degé was checked throughout against the Peking Kangyur with substantial variants, which do not occur often, noted when present. The Choné and Stok Palace versions of the Tibetan were also consulted. The Chinese translation was also consulted throughout. Variants between the Chinese and the Tibetan and Sanskrit are occasionally noted. Instances where something appears in the Tibetan but not the Sanskrit and/or Chinese are always noted.
[RAS.60.a2] [TUL.46.a3] [PDP.222.b9] Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.18
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, along with a great community of monks numbering 1,250.19
Then, the Blessed One addressed those monks: “Monks, all conditioned states are impermanent, uncertain, unreliable, subject to change. This being the case, monks, one should become disgusted with, indifferent to, not fixated upon,20 and liberated from all conditioned states.21
“For all beings, all spirits, and all that draw breath, life indeed concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing [PDP.223.a] that is born that will not die.
“Monks,22 those wealthy householder families, wealthy brahmin families, and wealthy warrior families who are of great wealth, of great affluence, having an abundance of jewels, rubies, pearls, beryl, conch shells, crystal, coral, [RAS.60.b] gold, silver, and luxuries; owning an abundance of treasuries and storerooms of money and grain; [TUL.46.b] having an abundance of male slaves, female slaves, servants,23 and laborers; and having an abundance of friends, counselors,24 relations, and relatives—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.25
“Monks,26 those consecrated kings and warriors, who have obtained strength27 and power through sovereignty over the people, who dwell having conquered the great circumference of the Earth—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.
“Monks,28 those sages who are forest hermits, whose livelihood consists of fallen fruit,29 who eat fallen fruit, who are nourished by fallen fruit—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.30
“Monks,31 those gods of the realm of desire32—the gods of the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the gods of Yāma Heaven, the gods of Tuṣita Heaven, the gods of the Heaven of Delightful Emanations, and the gods of the Heaven of Control of Enjoyments Created by Others—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.
“Monks,33 those gods of the form realm34—those who have obtained the first dhyāna, that is, those who attend Brahmā, those stationed before Brahmā, those in the assembly of Brahmā,35 and those Great Brahmā gods; [RAS.61.a] those who have obtained the second dhyāna, that is, those of limited radiance, those of immeasurable radiance, and those who are radiant ones; those who have obtained the third dhyāna, that is, those of limited splendor, those of immeasurable splendor, and those of complete splendor; those who have obtained the fourth dhyāna, that is, those who are unclouded, those with abundant merit, those with great fruition, and those who have a nature that is free from perception; and those gods36 [of the Pure Abodes (śuddhāvāsa)], that is, those who are relatively not great, those without trouble, those of excellent appearance, those of excellent observation,37 and those who are highest—even for them [TUL.47.a] life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.38
“Monks,39 those gods of the formless realm40—those gods belonging to the sphere of the infinity of space, those belonging to the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, those belonging to the sphere of nothingness, those belonging to the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception; even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die. These are the three worlds.41
“Monks,42 those arhats, whose negative influences have been exhausted, who have fulfilled their duty, who have done what is to be done, who have laid aside their burdens, who have reached their own goals, those for whom the fetters of existence have been exhausted, whose minds have been completely liberated by proper, highest knowledge, those who have obtained the excellent perfection consisting of complete mastery of thought—even for them their pleasing43 bodies are subject to being given up.44
“Monks,45 those pratyekabuddhas living alone like a rhinoceros, who live in crowds,46 who master themselves alone, who pacify themselves alone, who enter parinirvāṇa themselves alone—even for them their pleasing47 bodies are subject to being given up. [RAS.61.b]
“Monks,48 those tathāgatas, arhats, complete and perfect buddhas, mighty with the ten powers, worthy of admiration, roaring a true lion’s roar, confident in the four confidences—confidence in ascending dharmas, confidence in all their teaching, confidence in comprehending the path to nirvāṇa, and confidence in their effort for the knowledge of exhausting negative influences49—their bodies strong-limbed and firm like Nārāyaṇa—even for them their pleasing50 bodies are subject to being given up.51
“Monks, just as pots made by potters, [PDP.223.b] whether unfired or fired, are destroyed, conclude in destruction,52 it is exactly so, monks, for all beings, all spirits, and all that draw breath—[TUL.47.b] life indeed concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.”
So said the Blessed One. After the Sugata said this, the Teacher spoke further:
So said the Blessed One. The assembly was delighted, and those monks rejoiced at the speech of the Blessed One.58
Here ends the noble “Sūtra on Impermanence.”
[RAS60a2] [TUL46a3] [PDP222b9] || [PDP222b10] oṃ namaḥ sarvajñā[RAS60a3]ya ||
1.1 evam mayā [TUL46a4] śrutam; ekasmin59 samaye60 bhagavān61 śrāvastyāṃ viharati sma ||62 jetavane ’nāthapiṇḍa‹da›syārāme63 mahatā bhikṣusaṃghena sārddhan64 ‹ardha›trayodaśabhir65 bhikṣuśataiḥ ||66
1.2 tatra khalu bha[RAS60a4]gavān bhikṣūn67 āmantrayate [TUL46a5] sma ||68 anityā69 bhikṣavaḥ sarva[PDP222b11]saṃskārā70 adhruvā anāśvāsikā71 vipariṇāmadharmānaḥ72 ||73 yad74 yāvad bhikṣavaḥ sarvebhyaḥ75 saṃskārebhyo76 ’laṃ nirve[RAS60a5]tum77 alaṃ viraktum78 alaṃ79 vimoktuṃ ||80
1.3 sarveṣām satvā[TUL46a6]nāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ81 prāṇinām82 āmaraṇāntaṃ83 hi jīvita‹ṃ›84 maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti [PDP223a1] jātasyāmaraṇaṃ85 ||86
1.487 ye ‹’›pi88 te bhikṣa[RAS60a6]vo89 gṛhapati{yo}mahāsālakulā90 brāhmaṇamahāsāla[TUL46a7]kulā‹ḥ›91 kṣatriyamahāsālakulā92 āḍhyā{ṃ}93 mahādhanā94 mahābhogāḥ prabhūtamaṇimānikya95muktāvaiḍūryyaśaṃkhaśilāpravā[RAS60b1]lajātarūparajatavittopakaraṇāḥ96 [PDP223a2] prabhūtadhanadhānyakośakoṣṭhā[TUL46b1]gārasaṃnicayāḥ97 prabhūtadāsīdāsakarmakarapauruṣeyāḥ98 prabhūtamitrāmātyajñātisālohitās;99 te[RAS60b2]ṣām api maraṇāntaṃ100 jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ101 nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||102
1.5103 ye ‹’›pi te [TUL46b2] bhikṣavaḥ rājānaḥ kṣatriyāś ca [PDP223a3] mūrddhābhiṣiktā104 jānapadaiśvaryasthāmavīryam105 anuprāptā ma[RASA60b3]hāntaṃ pṛthvīmaṇḍalam abhinirjityāvasanti ‹|› teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyava[TUL46b3]sānaṃ106 nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||107
1.6108 ye ’pi te bhikṣava109 ṛṣayo vānaprasthāḥ110 pramu[RAS60b4]ktaphalāhārā[PDP223a4]ḥ pramuktaphalabhojinaḥ111 pramuktaphalena yāpa‹ya›nti112 ‹|› teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ113 maraṇaparya[TUL46b4]vasānaṃ114 nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||115
1.7 ye ’pi te bhikṣavaḥ116 kā[RAS60b5]māvacarā devāś cāturmahārājikā117 devās trayastriṃśā118 devā119 yāmā120 devās121 tuṣitā devā122 [PDP223a5] nirmāṇaratayo123 devāḥ124 paranirmitava[TUL46b5]śavarttino devās; teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jī[RAS60b6]vita‹ṃ›125 maraṇaparyavasānaṃ126 nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||127
1.8 ye ‹’›pi te bhikṣavo128 rūpiṇo129 devāḥ prathamadhyānalābhino130 brahmakāyikā131 brahmapurohi[TUL46b6]tā brahmapārṣadyā132 [PDP223a6] mahābrahmā[RAS61a1]ṇaḥ133 ‹|› dvitīyadhyānalābhinaḥ134 parīttā{śu}bhā135 apramāṇā{śu}bhā136 ābhāsvarās;137 tṛtīyadhyānalābhinaḥ138 parīttaśubhā139 apramāṇaśubhāḥ140 [TUL46b7] śubhakṛtsnā‹ś›;141 caturthadhyānalābhino142 ’nabhrakāḥ143 pu[RAS61a2]ṇyaprasavā bṛhatphalā144 asaṃjñisatvā145 abṛhā atapāḥ [PDP223a7] sudṛśāḥ146 sudarśanā147 akaniṣṭhāś ca148 devās; teṣām api [TUL47a1] maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ149 nāsti jātasyāma[RAS61a3]raṇaṃ ||150
1.9 ye ‹’›pi te bhikṣavo151 ’rūpiṇo152 devā ākāśānantyāyatanopagā153 vijñānānantyāyatanopagā154 ākiñcanyāya[PDP223a8]tanopagā155 [TUL47a2] naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatanopagāś156 ca157 devāś158 ca159 ‹|› [RAS61a4] teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ160 hi jīvitaṃ161 maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||162 traidhātukam idaṃ163 ||164
1.10 ye ’pi te bhikṣavo165 ’rhantaḥ kṣīṇāśravā166 [TUL47a3] kṛtakṛtyāḥ kṛtakaraṇīyā167 apahṛ[RAS61a5]tabhārā168 [PDP223a9] anuprāptasvakārthāḥ169 parikṣīṇabhavasaṃyojanāḥ170 samyagājñāsuvimuktacittāḥ171 sarvacetovaśiparamapāramitāprāptās;172 teṣām api173 kāyā174 [TUL47a4] nikṣepaṇadharmāḥ175 ||176
1.11 [RAS61a6] ye ‹’›pi te bhikṣavaḥ pratyekabuddhāḥ177 khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpā ekam ātmāna‹ṃ›178 damayanti179 [PDP223a10] ekam ātmānaṃ180 śamayanti181 ekam ātmānaṃ parinirvāpayanti182 ‹|› teṣām apy ayaṃ kāyo183 nikṣe[TUL47a5]paṇa[RAS61b1]dharmaḥ184 ||185
1.12 ye ‹’›pi te bhikṣavas186 tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhā187 daśabalabalinaḥ188 udārārṣabhāḥ189 samyaksiṃhanādanādinaś190 caturvaiśāradya‹viśaradā›191 dharmā[PDP223a11]rohaṇavaiśāradyaṃ192 |193 sarva[TUL47a6]dharma[RAS61b2]deśanāvaiśāradyaṃ194 |195 nirvāṇamārgāvatāraṇavaiśāradyaṃ196 |197 āśravajñānaprahāṇavaiśāradyaṃ198 |199 {viśadā}dṛḍhanārāyaṇasaṃhatakāyās;200 teṣām apy ayam kāyo201 nikṣepaṇadharmaḥ202 ||203
1.13 tadya[TUL47a7]thāpi [RAS61b3] nāma bhikṣavaḥ kumbhakāra[PDP223b1]kṛtāni204 bhāṇḍāni205 āmāni206 vā pakvāni207 vā208 bhedanaparyantāni209 bhedanaparyavasānāny;210 evam211 eva bhikṣavaḥ sarveṣāṃ satvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ212 prā[RAS61b4]ṇi[TUL47b1]nāṃ213 maraṇāntaṃ214 hi215 jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ216 ||
1.14 idam217 avoca[PDP223b2]d bhagavān; idam218 uktvā219 sugato hy athāpara‹ṃ› uvāca220 śāstā ||
anityā bata saṃskārā u[RAS61b5]tpādavyayadharmi[TUL47b2]ṇaḥ221 |222
utpadya223 hi nirudhyante224 teṣāṃ vyupaśamaḥ225 sukhaṃ ||226
yathā hi227 kumbhakāreṇa mṛttikābhājanaṃ228 kṛtaṃ229 |230 sarvam231 bhedanaparyantaṃ satvānāṃ232 jīvitaṃ233 tathā234 ||235
[PDP223b3] yathā [RAS61b6] phalānāṃ pakvānāṃ236 śaśvat237 patanato bha[TUL47b3]yaṃ238 |239 tathā240 saṃskārajāḥ241 satvānāṃ242 nityaṃ243 maraṇato bhayaṃ244 ||245
sarve kṣayāntā246 nicayāḥ247 patanāntā‹ḥ›248 samucchrayāḥ |249 saṃyogāś ca viyogāntā250 ma[RAS62a1]raṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ ||251
1.15 idam avoca[TUL47b4]d bhagavān252 āttamanā[PDP223b4]s253 te ca bhikṣavas te ca parṣado254 bhagavato255 bhāṣitam256 abhyanandan;257
1.16 ity āryānityatāsūtraṃ258 samāptaṃ259 ||
Anityatāsūtra. Manuscript witness held in the collection of the Royal Asiatic Society, London: Hodgson Collection, Ms. no. 55 (H. 147), folios 60a2–62a1. Yellow paper, 240 leaves, 6 lines, 39.0 x 10.5 cm, Nepalese akṣaras, dated 1791
60a2 2 || oṃ namaḥ sarvajñā
3 ya || evam mayā śrutam ekasmi samaye bhagavāṃ śrāvastyāṃ viharati sma jetavane ’nāthapiṇḍasyārāme mahatā bhikṣusaṃghena sārddha trayodaśabhir bhikṣuśataiḥ tatra khalu bha
4 gavān bhikṣūn āmantrayate sma || anitā bhikṣavaḥ sarvasaskārā adhruvā anāsvāsikā viparināmadharmānaḥ || yad yāvad bhikṣavaḥ sarvvebhyaḥ saṃskārebhyo ’laṃ nirva=
5 tum alaṃ viraktam alam vimoktuṃ | sarveṣām satvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ prāṇinām āmaranāntaṃ hi jivita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ra ye pi te bhikṣa
6 vo gṛhapatayo mahāsālakulā brāhmaṇamahāsālakulā kṣatriyo mahāsākulā āsāṃ mahādhanā mahābhogāḥ prabhūtamaṇimā niṣkamuktāvaiḍūryyaśaṃkhaśilāpravā=
60b 1 lajātarūparajatavittopakaraṇāḥ prabhūtadhanadhānyakoṣṭhakoṣṭhāgārasaṃnicayāḥ prabhūtadāsidāsakarmakarapauraṣeyāḥ prabhūtamitrāmātyajñātisārohitās te
2 ṣām api maraṇāntaṃ jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣavaḥ rājānaḥ kṣatriyāś ca mūrddhnābhiṣiktā jānapadaiśvaryāsthāmavīryam anuprāptā ma
3 hāntaṃ pṛthvīmaṇḍalam abhinirjityāvasanti teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye ’pi te bhikṣava ṛṣayo vānaprasthāḥ pramu=
4 ktaphalāhārāḥ pramuktaphalabhojinaḥ pramuktaphalena yāpanti teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jivitaṃ maraṇaparyavaṃsānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye ’pi te bhikṣavaḥ kā
5 māvacarā devāś cātumahārājikā devās trayatriṃsā devā yāmā devās tuṣitā devā nirmānaratayo devāḥ paranirmitavaśavarttino devās teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jī
6 vita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣavo rūpino devāḥ prathamadhyānalābhino brahmakāyikā brahmapurohitā brahmapārṣadyā mahābrahmā{{dvi}}
61a 1 ṇā dvitīyadhyānalābhināḥ paritaśubhā apramānaśubhā ābhāsvarās tṛtīyadhyānalābhinaḥ paritaśubhā apramānaśubhāḥ śubhakṛtsnā caturdhyānalābhino ’nabhrakāḥ pu=
2 ṇyaprasavā bṛhatphalā asaśisatvābṛhā atapāḥ sudarśāḥ sudarśaṇā akaniṣṭāś ca devās teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāma=
3 raṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣavo ’rūpino devā ākāśānaṃtyāyatanopagā vijñānānaṃtyāyatanopagā ākiṃcityāyatanopagā naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatanopagāś ca devāś ca
4 teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | traidhātukam idaṃ || ye pi te bhikṣavo ’rhantaḥ kṣīṇāśravā kṛtakṛtyāḥ kṛtakaraṇīyā apahṛ
5 tabhārā ānuprā‹‹pta››svakārthāḥ parikṣīṇabhavasaṃyojanāḥ samyagājñāsuvimuktacittāḥ sarvacetovasiparamapāramitāprāptās teṣāṃ api kāyā nikṣepanadharmāḥ |
6 ye pi te bhikṣavaḥ pratyakakabuddhāḥ khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpā ekam ātmāna damanti ekam ātmānaṃ samayanti ekam ātmānaṃ parinivāpayanti teṣāṃ apy ayaṃ kāyo nikṣepaṇa
61b 1 dharmaḥ | ye pi te bhikṣavas tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksambuddhā daśabalabalinaḥ udārārṣabhāḥ samyaksiṃhanādanādinaś catuvaiśāradya dharmārohaṇāvaiśāradyaṃ | sarvadharma
2 deśanāvaiśāradyaṃ | nirvāṇamārgavatāraṇavaiśāradyaṃ | āśravajñānaprahāṇavaiśāradyaṃ | viśadādṛḍhanārāyanasaṃhatakāyāś teṣāṃ apy ayaṃ kāyo nikṣepanadharmaḥ | tadyathāpi
3 nāma bhikṣavaḥ kumbhākārakṛtāni bhāṇḍā āmāni vā pakkāni vā bhedanaparyyantāni bhedanaparyavaśāny evam eva bhikṣavaḥ sarveṣāṃ satvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ prā=
4 ṇināṃ maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ || idam avocad bhagavān idam uktyo sugato hy athāparā ’vāca śāstā || anityā bata saṃskārā u
5 tpādavyayadhārminaḥ | utpadya hi nirūdhyante teṣāṃ vyupasamaḥ sukhaṃ || yathā hi kumbhakāreṇa mṛttikābhājanaṃ kṛtaṃ | sarvam bhedanapartantaṃ satvānāṃ jivitaṃ tathā || yathā =
6 phalānāṃ pakkānāṃ śaśva‹‹taṃ›› patanato bhayaṃ | tathā saskārājāḥ satvā‹‹nāṃ›› nityaṃ maraṇato bhāyaṃ || sarvve kṣayāntā nicayāḥ patanāntā samucchrayāḥ | saṃyogāś ca viyogāntā ma
62a 1 raṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ || || idam avocad bhagavānn ātamanās te ca bhikṣavas te ca parṣado bhgavato bhāṣitam abhyanandan ity āryānityatāsūtraṃ samāptaṃ || ○ || ※ ||
Anityatāsūtra. Manuscript witness held in the collection of the Tokyo University Library, Tokyo. Kawaguchu and Takakusu Collection, Ms. 416 No. 8, folios 46a3–47b4. White paper, 117 leaves, 7 lines, 38.4 x 10.6 cm, Nepalese akṣaras, undated (~nineteenth century).
46a 3 || oṃ namaḥ sarvajñāya || evam mayā
4 śrutam, ekasmin samaya bhagavān* śrāvastyāṃ viharati sma | jetavane nāthapiṇḍasyārāme mahatā bhikṣusaṃghena sārddhan* trayodaśabhir bhikṣuśataiḥ tatra khalu bhagavān* bhikṣūnām āmantrayate
5 sma | anitā bhikṣavaḥ sarvasaṃskārā adhruvā anāsvāsikā vipariṇāmadharmānaḥ | yad yāvad bhikṣavaḥ sarvebhyaḥ saṃskārebhya laṃ nirvatum alaṃ viraktam alaṃ vimoktuṃ | sarveṣām satvā
6 nāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ prāṇinām āmaraṇanāṃtaṃ hi jīvita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti tasyāmaraṇaṃ ra ye pi te bhikṣavo gṛhapatayo mahāsālakulā brāhmaṇamahāsāla
7 kulā kṣatriyo mahāsālakulā āsāṃ mahādhanā mahābhogāḥ prabhūtamaṇimā niṣkamuktāvaiḍūryyaśaṃkhasilāpravālajātavittopakaraṇāḥ prabhūtadhanadhānyakoṣṭhakoṣṭhāṃ
46b 1 gārasanniccayāḥ prabhūtadāsidāsakarmakarapauraṣeyāḥ prabhūtamitrāmātyajñātisālohitās teṣām api maraṇāṃtaṃ jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te
2 bhikṣavaḥ rājānaḥ kṣatriyāś ca mūrddhnābhiṣiktā jānapadaiśvaryāsthāmaviryam anuprāptā mahāntaṃ pṛthvīmaṇḍalam abhinirjityāvasanti teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyava=
3 sānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣava ṛṣayo vānapasthāḥ pramuktaphalāhārāḥ pramuktaphale bhojinaḥ pramuktaphalena yāpanti teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyaṃ
4 vasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ || ye pi te bhikṣavaḥ kāmāvacarā devāś cātumahārājikā devās traye triṃśā devā yāmā devās tuṣitā devā nirmāṇaratayo devāḥ paranirmitava=
5 śavarttino devās teṣām api maraṇāṃtaṃ hi jivita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pe te bhikṣavo rūpino devāḥ prathamadhyānarābhino brāhmakāyikā brahmapurohi
6 tā brahmapārṣadhyā mahābra[hma]nā dvitiyadhyānalābhinaḥ paritaśubhā apramānaśubhā ābhāsvarās tṛtīyadhyānalābhinaḥ paritaśubhā apranaśubhā ābhāsvarās tṛtīyadhyanarābhinaḥ
7 paritaśubhā apramānaśubhāḥ śubhakṛtsnā caturthadhyānalābhino nabhrakāḥ punyaprasavā bṛhat*phalā asaṃgītvā abṛhātapāḥ sudarśāḥ sudarśanā akaniṣṭāś ca devās teṣāṃ api
47a 1 maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣavo rūpino devā ākāśānaṃ*tyāyatanopagā vijñānānaṃtyāyatanopagā ākiṃciṃtyāyatanopagā
2 naivasaṃjñānām asaṃjñāyatanopagāś ca devāś ca teṣām api maraṇāṃtaṃ hi jīvita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | traidhātukam idaṃ ye pi te bhikṣavo rhantaḥ kṣīṇāśravā
3 kṛtakṛtyāḥ kṛtakaraṇīyā apahitabhārā anuprāsvakārthāḥ parikṣīnabhavasaṃyojanāḥ samyagājñāsuvimuktacittāḥ sarvacetovasiparamapāramitāprāptā‹‹s teṣā››m api kāyā
4 nikṣapadharmāḥ || ye pi te bhikṣavaḥ pratyekabuddhāḥ khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpā ekam ātmā damaṃti ekam ātmānaṃ samayanti ekam ātmānaṃ parinirvāpayanti teṣāṃ apy ayaṃ kāyo nikṣa
5 panadharmaḥ | ye pi te bhikṣavas tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaskaṃbuddhā daśabalabalinaḥ udārāṣabhāḥ samyak*siṃhanādanādinaś catuvaiśāradya dharmārohanavaiśāradyaṃ | sarvadha
6 dharmadyasanāvaiśāradyaṃ | nirvāṇamārgavatāraṇavaiśāradyaṃ || āśravajñānaprahāṇavaiśāradyaṃ | viśadhādṛḍhanārāyaṇasaṃhatakāyās teṣāṃ apy ayaṃ kāyo nikṣapanadharmaḥ || tadya
7 thāpi nāma bhikṣavaḥ kuṃbhākārakṛtāni bhāṇḍā āmāni vā bakkāni vā bhedanaparyantāni bhedanaparyavaśany avam eva bhikṣavaḥ sarveṣāṃ satvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ prāṇī
47b 1 nā amarānāṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ || idaṃm avocad bhagavān idam uktyo sugato hy athāparāvāca śāstā || anityā bata saṃskārā utpādavyadhārmi
2 naḥ | utpadya hi nirudhyante teṣāṃ vyapasamaḥ sukhaṃ | yathā hi kuṃbhakāreṇa mṛtikābhājanaṃ kṛta | sarvam bhedanaparyantaṃ satvānāṃ jītan tathā | yathā phalānāṃ kkānāṃ śaśvat patanato =
3 yaṃ || tathā saskārajāḥ satvā nitya maraṇato bhayaṃ || sarve kṣāyāṃ niścayāḥ patanāntā samucchrayāḥ | saṃyogaś ca viyogāntā maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ || || idam avoca
4 d bhagavānn ātamanās te ca bhikśavas te ca parṣado bhagavato bhāṣitam abhyanaṃdan ity āryānityatāsutraṃ samāptaṃ || || 8 ||
Anityatāsūtra. Manuscript witness held in the private collection of Mr. Padmajyoti Dhakhwa of Patan, folios 222b10–223b4. Yellow paper, 11 lines, Nepalese akṣaras, undated (~nineteenth century).
222b 9 ||
The Sūtra on Impermanence (Anityatāsūtra) is a short discourse on the impermanence of conditioned states. The Buddha explains that it does not matter what one’s social status is, whether one is born in a heaven, or even if one has realized awakening and is an arhat, a pratyekabuddha, or a buddha. All that lives will eventually die. He concludes with a series of verses on impermanence exhorting the audience to understand that happiness is to bring conditioned states to rest.
This translation was produced by Charles DiSimone and Jin Kyoung Choi. DiSimone translated the text into English from Tibetan and Sanskrit, created the Sanskrit critical edition, and prepared the introduction. Choi checked and revised the translation, critical edition, and introduction. DiSimone and Choi produced the glossary. We wish to thank the Royal Asiatic Society of London for kindly providing high-quality scans of the RAS Anityatāsūtra manuscript witness and Dr. Miroj Shakya of the University of the West for kindly providing high-quality scans of the PDP Anityatāsūtra manuscript witnesses. Both of these were of immense importance in the creation of the critical edition.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
In the span of a human life, it can sometimes feel as if we have all the time in the world. As time goes by and one day bleeds into the next, the months and years pass away. Grave concerns over the inherent dis-ease of existence are put out of mind as more pressing matters arise and we become concerned with what appear to be more immediate goals. The Sūtra on Impermanence (Anityatāsūtra) is a discourse that steers the listener or reader away from such notions.
The Sūtra on Impermanence is a short work, which may be separated into fifteen sections. It begins with the very brief opening half of its narrative frame 1.1. This opening frame gives little information apart from indicating that the Buddha was staying at the Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, in Śrāvastī. There is no interlocutor. The Buddha addresses the monks in his presence by declaring that all conditioned states are impermanent and therefore should be rejected 1.2, noting that “life indeed concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die,” the refrain of the sūtra 1.3. He then goes on to present various examples of types of beings, starting with wealthy people of high social status who, despite their status, will ultimately die 1.4. He continues with further examples of beings ascending in importance: kings 1.5, sages 1.6, gods in the realm of desire 1.7, gods in the form realm 1.8, and gods in the formless realm 1.9. All such beings will die. Moving beyond this general hierarchy within Buddhist cosmology, the Buddha continues to the three vehicles and declares that even those who have realized awakening and are free from further births, that is, arhats 1.10, pratyekabuddhas 1.11, and buddhas 1.12, have bodies that will eventually come to an end. The Buddha then reiterates his refrain that there is nothing that is born that will not die, using a simile of clay pots that are created and eventually destroyed 1.13. Following this, the Buddha recites a series of verses on the transitory nature of life designed to inspire one to soteriological pursuits 1.14.1 The sūtra ends with the concluding half of the narrative frame, which is even more brief than the opening half, stating the delight of those who heard the Buddha’s discourse 1.15.
A number of Sanskrit witnesses of The Sūtra on Impermanence survive. These extant manuscripts might be classified into at least two separate transmissions. The first is what we may call the “Potala Transmission,” which consists of two Indic manuscripts copied in Dhārikā script. These were both collected into the Sanskrit manuscript library at the Potala Palace in Lhasa and are still housed there to this day. While these two manuscripts are unavailable for inspection, photostats have been made that are held by the China Tibetology Research Center (CTRC) in Beijing.2 To call this a transmission itself is somewhat debatable. The two manuscripts, while sharing the same script, were copied by different hands and often show divergences from one another. However, they do share similarities that are not seen in the other witnesses, which suggests the possibility of a shared transmission. Nonetheless, it is unclear when each manuscript came into the possession of the Potala or from where they were produced. Additionally, because of the extensive use of the Dhārikā script over a number of centuries, it is not possible to provide a satisfactory estimate for the dates of these two manuscripts. Both witnesses appear as component works in larger multitext sūtra manuscripts, but the exact nature of these two distinct multitext manuscripts remains unclear. They are without known titles and are not known to have circulated in South Asia or beyond, apart from the witnesses within the Potala Palace Collection.
The second extant transmission of The Sūtra on Impermanence may be referred to as the “Nepalese Transmission.” This transmission consists of a number of manuscripts that have been uncovered in collections throughout the Kathmandu Valley and are now spread throughout collections in Nepal, Europe, and Japan. There are seven individual witnesses known to scholars: two witnesses in the National Archives of Nepal,3 one witness in a private collection in Lalitpur (Patan) in Nepal,4 one witness in the collection of the Société Asiatique in Paris,5 one witness in the collection of the Royal Asiatic Society in London,6 one witness in the collection of the Tōyō Bunko in Tokyo,7 and one witness in the collection of the Tokyo University Library.8 All of the known manuscript witnesses of The Sūtra on Impermanence in the Nepalese Transmission are rather late, dating from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century
The translation of The Sūtra on Impermanence within the Degé Kangyur contains only a very brief colophon mirroring the Sanskrit colophon. The colophon simply states that the sūtra has ended, providing no details on the translation.11 This brief colophon is seen in the majority of witnesses to The Sūtra on Impermanence within the Tibetan Kangyurs. However, there are three witnesses with expanded colophons: two witnesses in the Langdo (lang mdo) collection and one in the Namgyal Kangyur.12 These colophons state that The Sūtra on Impermanence was translated by the team of Kamalagupta (tenth–eleventh century) and Rinchen Sangpo (958–1055), who were frequent collaborators. Kamalagupta, a Kashmiri paṇḍita, was an immigrant to Tibet, and Rinchen Sangpo was a native Tibetan translator. This places the date of the translation within the tenth and eleventh centuries in the beginning of the second transmission of Tibetan translations. Beyond these colophons there are no major variations among the Tibetan versions of The Sūtra on Impermanence within the various Kangyurs. The Sūtra on Impermanence is always included in the General Sūtra Section in all Kangyurs. There is another work titled The Sūtra on Impermanence (1) (Anityatāsūtra),13 Toh 309, appearing directly before Toh 310, the sūtra translated here. While these two works share a title and theme, their content differs, and they are each unique works. It should be noted, however, that the opening and concluding narrative frame of Toh 309 is nearly the same as that of Toh 310. This may suggest that the two works developed in connection with one another and are possibly parallels of the same work from different Buddhist textual traditions.
There is one Chinese translation by Fatian 法天 (aka Dharmadeva), Foshuo zhuxing youwei jing 佛說諸行有為經, completed in 984
There are no direct Pali equivalents to The Sūtra on Impermanence. There are multiple works with the same name, Aniccasutta, found in the Saṃyuttanikāya, but none of these are directly related to the sūtra translated here. While there are no direct equivalents in the Pali canon, there are multiple instances of passages and phrases that directly parallel the content of The Sūtra on Impermanence, often but not always in the Saṃyuttanikāya.14
There are also a number of parallel passages to be found within surviving Sanskrit Buddhist works beyond the verses shared with the Udānavarga, which themselves appear across a spectrum of texts.15 That the present sūtra is not found in Pali, but that its modular pieces may be found in Pali works, may be telling. This, taken with the fact that the Chinese translation is rather late and is in the Collected Sūtras section of the Taishō, not associated with any āgama, may suggest that The Sūtra on Impermanence belongs to an āgama that was not translated in its entirety into Chinese. This would possibly also suggest a (Mūla-)Sarvāstivāda āgama affiliation for this work. This may be bolstered, too, by the fact that Kamalagupta, the primary translator of the work into Tibetan, was from Kashmir, where the Mūlasarvāstivāda tradition would have been dominant during his lifetime. Another source pointing toward a (Mūla-)Sarvāstivāda affiliation is the inclusion of the verses found in the Udānavarga, which was likely a Sarvāstivāda work.16 Nonetheless, we should not conclude any doctrinal affiliation with certainty. It is also possible, although less plausible, that this work was translated later because it was composed later and was not included in any āgama/nikāya collection.
The primary source texts used for this English translation were the Tibetan translation in the Degé Kangyur and a critical edition of the Sanskrit created from the witnesses of the Royal Asiatic Society, Tokyo University Library, and private collection of Mr. Padmajyoti Dhakhwa of Patan. The Tibetan of the Degé and the Sanskrit are generally consistent but differences between the two are noted when encountered. While there are no major differences between the Tibetan and Sanskrit, when differing readings are noted, translations of more substantial differences are provided in the notes.17 There is some disagreement found between the Tibetan and the Sanskrit on the number of verses at the end of the sūtra, with two recorded in the Degé and four in the Sanskrit, sharing one verse between them. All verses from both the Tibetan and Sanskrit are translated, totaling five verses.
The Sanskrit edition was created for this translation and may be found in the appendices. In addition to the RAS, TUL, and PDP manuscripts that make up the edition, variant readings from the first of the two CTRC manuscripts are also always noted. The edition follows the general orthography of the three Sanskrit manuscript witnesses. Therefore, some variations in the spelling of words are not emended to conform to classical Sanskrit standards. For example, gemination is always reported. Sandhi is not always standardized because the formations used would not have been considered incorrect when the manuscripts were copied, and they can provide important information about inherent punctuation of statements.
In addition to the Degé and Sanskrit critical edition, multiple Kangyurs were consulted. The Degé was checked throughout against the Peking Kangyur with substantial variants, which do not occur often, noted when present. The Choné and Stok Palace versions of the Tibetan were also consulted. The Chinese translation was also consulted throughout. Variants between the Chinese and the Tibetan and Sanskrit are occasionally noted. Instances where something appears in the Tibetan but not the Sanskrit and/or Chinese are always noted.
[RAS.60.a2] [TUL.46.a3] [PDP.222.b9] Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.18
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, along with a great community of monks numbering 1,250.19
Then, the Blessed One addressed those monks: “Monks, all conditioned states are impermanent, uncertain, unreliable, subject to change. This being the case, monks, one should become disgusted with, indifferent to, not fixated upon,20 and liberated from all conditioned states.21
“For all beings, all spirits, and all that draw breath, life indeed concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing [PDP.223.a] that is born that will not die.
“Monks,22 those wealthy householder families, wealthy brahmin families, and wealthy warrior families who are of great wealth, of great affluence, having an abundance of jewels, rubies, pearls, beryl, conch shells, crystal, coral, [RAS.60.b] gold, silver, and luxuries; owning an abundance of treasuries and storerooms of money and grain; [TUL.46.b] having an abundance of male slaves, female slaves, servants,23 and laborers; and having an abundance of friends, counselors,24 relations, and relatives—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.25
“Monks,26 those consecrated kings and warriors, who have obtained strength27 and power through sovereignty over the people, who dwell having conquered the great circumference of the Earth—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.
“Monks,28 those sages who are forest hermits, whose livelihood consists of fallen fruit,29 who eat fallen fruit, who are nourished by fallen fruit—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.30
“Monks,31 those gods of the realm of desire32—the gods of the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the gods of Yāma Heaven, the gods of Tuṣita Heaven, the gods of the Heaven of Delightful Emanations, and the gods of the Heaven of Control of Enjoyments Created by Others—even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.
“Monks,33 those gods of the form realm34—those who have obtained the first dhyāna, that is, those who attend Brahmā, those stationed before Brahmā, those in the assembly of Brahmā,35 and those Great Brahmā gods; [RAS.61.a] those who have obtained the second dhyāna, that is, those of limited radiance, those of immeasurable radiance, and those who are radiant ones; those who have obtained the third dhyāna, that is, those of limited splendor, those of immeasurable splendor, and those of complete splendor; those who have obtained the fourth dhyāna, that is, those who are unclouded, those with abundant merit, those with great fruition, and those who have a nature that is free from perception; and those gods36 [of the Pure Abodes (śuddhāvāsa)], that is, those who are relatively not great, those without trouble, those of excellent appearance, those of excellent observation,37 and those who are highest—even for them [TUL.47.a] life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.38
“Monks,39 those gods of the formless realm40—those gods belonging to the sphere of the infinity of space, those belonging to the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, those belonging to the sphere of nothingness, those belonging to the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception; even for them life concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die. These are the three worlds.41
“Monks,42 those arhats, whose negative influences have been exhausted, who have fulfilled their duty, who have done what is to be done, who have laid aside their burdens, who have reached their own goals, those for whom the fetters of existence have been exhausted, whose minds have been completely liberated by proper, highest knowledge, those who have obtained the excellent perfection consisting of complete mastery of thought—even for them their pleasing43 bodies are subject to being given up.44
“Monks,45 those pratyekabuddhas living alone like a rhinoceros, who live in crowds,46 who master themselves alone, who pacify themselves alone, who enter parinirvāṇa themselves alone—even for them their pleasing47 bodies are subject to being given up. [RAS.61.b]
“Monks,48 those tathāgatas, arhats, complete and perfect buddhas, mighty with the ten powers, worthy of admiration, roaring a true lion’s roar, confident in the four confidences—confidence in ascending dharmas, confidence in all their teaching, confidence in comprehending the path to nirvāṇa, and confidence in their effort for the knowledge of exhausting negative influences49—their bodies strong-limbed and firm like Nārāyaṇa—even for them their pleasing50 bodies are subject to being given up.51
“Monks, just as pots made by potters, [PDP.223.b] whether unfired or fired, are destroyed, conclude in destruction,52 it is exactly so, monks, for all beings, all spirits, and all that draw breath—[TUL.47.b] life indeed concludes with death, has its limit in death, for there is nothing that is born that will not die.”
So said the Blessed One. After the Sugata said this, the Teacher spoke further:
So said the Blessed One. The assembly was delighted, and those monks rejoiced at the speech of the Blessed One.58
Here ends the noble “Sūtra on Impermanence.”
[RAS60a2] [TUL46a3] [PDP222b9] || [PDP222b10] oṃ namaḥ sarvajñā[RAS60a3]ya ||
1.1 evam mayā [TUL46a4] śrutam; ekasmin59 samaye60 bhagavān61 śrāvastyāṃ viharati sma ||62 jetavane ’nāthapiṇḍa‹da›syārāme63 mahatā bhikṣusaṃghena sārddhan64 ‹ardha›trayodaśabhir65 bhikṣuśataiḥ ||66
1.2 tatra khalu bha[RAS60a4]gavān bhikṣūn67 āmantrayate [TUL46a5] sma ||68 anityā69 bhikṣavaḥ sarva[PDP222b11]saṃskārā70 adhruvā anāśvāsikā71 vipariṇāmadharmānaḥ72 ||73 yad74 yāvad bhikṣavaḥ sarvebhyaḥ75 saṃskārebhyo76 ’laṃ nirve[RAS60a5]tum77 alaṃ viraktum78 alaṃ79 vimoktuṃ ||80
1.3 sarveṣām satvā[TUL46a6]nāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ81 prāṇinām82 āmaraṇāntaṃ83 hi jīvita‹ṃ›84 maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti [PDP223a1] jātasyāmaraṇaṃ85 ||86
1.487 ye ‹’›pi88 te bhikṣa[RAS60a6]vo89 gṛhapati{yo}mahāsālakulā90 brāhmaṇamahāsāla[TUL46a7]kulā‹ḥ›91 kṣatriyamahāsālakulā92 āḍhyā{ṃ}93 mahādhanā94 mahābhogāḥ prabhūtamaṇimānikya95muktāvaiḍūryyaśaṃkhaśilāpravā[RAS60b1]lajātarūparajatavittopakaraṇāḥ96 [PDP223a2] prabhūtadhanadhānyakośakoṣṭhā[TUL46b1]gārasaṃnicayāḥ97 prabhūtadāsīdāsakarmakarapauruṣeyāḥ98 prabhūtamitrāmātyajñātisālohitās;99 te[RAS60b2]ṣām api maraṇāntaṃ100 jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ101 nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||102
1.5103 ye ‹’›pi te [TUL46b2] bhikṣavaḥ rājānaḥ kṣatriyāś ca [PDP223a3] mūrddhābhiṣiktā104 jānapadaiśvaryasthāmavīryam105 anuprāptā ma[RASA60b3]hāntaṃ pṛthvīmaṇḍalam abhinirjityāvasanti ‹|› teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyava[TUL46b3]sānaṃ106 nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||107
1.6108 ye ’pi te bhikṣava109 ṛṣayo vānaprasthāḥ110 pramu[RAS60b4]ktaphalāhārā[PDP223a4]ḥ pramuktaphalabhojinaḥ111 pramuktaphalena yāpa‹ya›nti112 ‹|› teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ113 maraṇaparya[TUL46b4]vasānaṃ114 nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||115
1.7 ye ’pi te bhikṣavaḥ116 kā[RAS60b5]māvacarā devāś cāturmahārājikā117 devās trayastriṃśā118 devā119 yāmā120 devās121 tuṣitā devā122 [PDP223a5] nirmāṇaratayo123 devāḥ124 paranirmitava[TUL46b5]śavarttino devās; teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jī[RAS60b6]vita‹ṃ›125 maraṇaparyavasānaṃ126 nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||127
1.8 ye ‹’›pi te bhikṣavo128 rūpiṇo129 devāḥ prathamadhyānalābhino130 brahmakāyikā131 brahmapurohi[TUL46b6]tā brahmapārṣadyā132 [PDP223a6] mahābrahmā[RAS61a1]ṇaḥ133 ‹|› dvitīyadhyānalābhinaḥ134 parīttā{śu}bhā135 apramāṇā{śu}bhā136 ābhāsvarās;137 tṛtīyadhyānalābhinaḥ138 parīttaśubhā139 apramāṇaśubhāḥ140 [TUL46b7] śubhakṛtsnā‹ś›;141 caturthadhyānalābhino142 ’nabhrakāḥ143 pu[RAS61a2]ṇyaprasavā bṛhatphalā144 asaṃjñisatvā145 abṛhā atapāḥ [PDP223a7] sudṛśāḥ146 sudarśanā147 akaniṣṭhāś ca148 devās; teṣām api [TUL47a1] maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ149 nāsti jātasyāma[RAS61a3]raṇaṃ ||150
1.9 ye ‹’›pi te bhikṣavo151 ’rūpiṇo152 devā ākāśānantyāyatanopagā153 vijñānānantyāyatanopagā154 ākiñcanyāya[PDP223a8]tanopagā155 [TUL47a2] naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatanopagāś156 ca157 devāś158 ca159 ‹|› [RAS61a4] teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ160 hi jīvitaṃ161 maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ||162 traidhātukam idaṃ163 ||164
1.10 ye ’pi te bhikṣavo165 ’rhantaḥ kṣīṇāśravā166 [TUL47a3] kṛtakṛtyāḥ kṛtakaraṇīyā167 apahṛ[RAS61a5]tabhārā168 [PDP223a9] anuprāptasvakārthāḥ169 parikṣīṇabhavasaṃyojanāḥ170 samyagājñāsuvimuktacittāḥ171 sarvacetovaśiparamapāramitāprāptās;172 teṣām api173 kāyā174 [TUL47a4] nikṣepaṇadharmāḥ175 ||176
1.11 [RAS61a6] ye ‹’›pi te bhikṣavaḥ pratyekabuddhāḥ177 khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpā ekam ātmāna‹ṃ›178 damayanti179 [PDP223a10] ekam ātmānaṃ180 śamayanti181 ekam ātmānaṃ parinirvāpayanti182 ‹|› teṣām apy ayaṃ kāyo183 nikṣe[TUL47a5]paṇa[RAS61b1]dharmaḥ184 ||185
1.12 ye ‹’›pi te bhikṣavas186 tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhā187 daśabalabalinaḥ188 udārārṣabhāḥ189 samyaksiṃhanādanādinaś190 caturvaiśāradya‹viśaradā›191 dharmā[PDP223a11]rohaṇavaiśāradyaṃ192 |193 sarva[TUL47a6]dharma[RAS61b2]deśanāvaiśāradyaṃ194 |195 nirvāṇamārgāvatāraṇavaiśāradyaṃ196 |197 āśravajñānaprahāṇavaiśāradyaṃ198 |199 {viśadā}dṛḍhanārāyaṇasaṃhatakāyās;200 teṣām apy ayam kāyo201 nikṣepaṇadharmaḥ202 ||203
1.13 tadya[TUL47a7]thāpi [RAS61b3] nāma bhikṣavaḥ kumbhakāra[PDP223b1]kṛtāni204 bhāṇḍāni205 āmāni206 vā pakvāni207 vā208 bhedanaparyantāni209 bhedanaparyavasānāny;210 evam211 eva bhikṣavaḥ sarveṣāṃ satvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ212 prā[RAS61b4]ṇi[TUL47b1]nāṃ213 maraṇāntaṃ214 hi215 jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ216 ||
1.14 idam217 avoca[PDP223b2]d bhagavān; idam218 uktvā219 sugato hy athāpara‹ṃ› uvāca220 śāstā ||
anityā bata saṃskārā u[RAS61b5]tpādavyayadharmi[TUL47b2]ṇaḥ221 |222
utpadya223 hi nirudhyante224 teṣāṃ vyupaśamaḥ225 sukhaṃ ||226
yathā hi227 kumbhakāreṇa mṛttikābhājanaṃ228 kṛtaṃ229 |230 sarvam231 bhedanaparyantaṃ satvānāṃ232 jīvitaṃ233 tathā234 ||235
[PDP223b3] yathā [RAS61b6] phalānāṃ pakvānāṃ236 śaśvat237 patanato bha[TUL47b3]yaṃ238 |239 tathā240 saṃskārajāḥ241 satvānāṃ242 nityaṃ243 maraṇato bhayaṃ244 ||245
sarve kṣayāntā246 nicayāḥ247 patanāntā‹ḥ›248 samucchrayāḥ |249 saṃyogāś ca viyogāntā250 ma[RAS62a1]raṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ ||251
1.15 idam avoca[TUL47b4]d bhagavān252 āttamanā[PDP223b4]s253 te ca bhikṣavas te ca parṣado254 bhagavato255 bhāṣitam256 abhyanandan;257
1.16 ity āryānityatāsūtraṃ258 samāptaṃ259 ||
Anityatāsūtra. Manuscript witness held in the collection of the Royal Asiatic Society, London: Hodgson Collection, Ms. no. 55 (H. 147), folios 60a2–62a1. Yellow paper, 240 leaves, 6 lines, 39.0 x 10.5 cm, Nepalese akṣaras, dated 1791
60a2 2 || oṃ namaḥ sarvajñā
3 ya || evam mayā śrutam ekasmi samaye bhagavāṃ śrāvastyāṃ viharati sma jetavane ’nāthapiṇḍasyārāme mahatā bhikṣusaṃghena sārddha trayodaśabhir bhikṣuśataiḥ tatra khalu bha
4 gavān bhikṣūn āmantrayate sma || anitā bhikṣavaḥ sarvasaskārā adhruvā anāsvāsikā viparināmadharmānaḥ || yad yāvad bhikṣavaḥ sarvvebhyaḥ saṃskārebhyo ’laṃ nirva=
5 tum alaṃ viraktam alam vimoktuṃ | sarveṣām satvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ prāṇinām āmaranāntaṃ hi jivita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ ra ye pi te bhikṣa
6 vo gṛhapatayo mahāsālakulā brāhmaṇamahāsālakulā kṣatriyo mahāsākulā āsāṃ mahādhanā mahābhogāḥ prabhūtamaṇimā niṣkamuktāvaiḍūryyaśaṃkhaśilāpravā=
60b 1 lajātarūparajatavittopakaraṇāḥ prabhūtadhanadhānyakoṣṭhakoṣṭhāgārasaṃnicayāḥ prabhūtadāsidāsakarmakarapauraṣeyāḥ prabhūtamitrāmātyajñātisārohitās te
2 ṣām api maraṇāntaṃ jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣavaḥ rājānaḥ kṣatriyāś ca mūrddhnābhiṣiktā jānapadaiśvaryāsthāmavīryam anuprāptā ma
3 hāntaṃ pṛthvīmaṇḍalam abhinirjityāvasanti teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye ’pi te bhikṣava ṛṣayo vānaprasthāḥ pramu=
4 ktaphalāhārāḥ pramuktaphalabhojinaḥ pramuktaphalena yāpanti teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jivitaṃ maraṇaparyavaṃsānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye ’pi te bhikṣavaḥ kā
5 māvacarā devāś cātumahārājikā devās trayatriṃsā devā yāmā devās tuṣitā devā nirmānaratayo devāḥ paranirmitavaśavarttino devās teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jī
6 vita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣavo rūpino devāḥ prathamadhyānalābhino brahmakāyikā brahmapurohitā brahmapārṣadyā mahābrahmā{{dvi}}
61a 1 ṇā dvitīyadhyānalābhināḥ paritaśubhā apramānaśubhā ābhāsvarās tṛtīyadhyānalābhinaḥ paritaśubhā apramānaśubhāḥ śubhakṛtsnā caturdhyānalābhino ’nabhrakāḥ pu=
2 ṇyaprasavā bṛhatphalā asaśisatvābṛhā atapāḥ sudarśāḥ sudarśaṇā akaniṣṭāś ca devās teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāma=
3 raṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣavo ’rūpino devā ākāśānaṃtyāyatanopagā vijñānānaṃtyāyatanopagā ākiṃcityāyatanopagā naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatanopagāś ca devāś ca
4 teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | traidhātukam idaṃ || ye pi te bhikṣavo ’rhantaḥ kṣīṇāśravā kṛtakṛtyāḥ kṛtakaraṇīyā apahṛ
5 tabhārā ānuprā‹‹pta››svakārthāḥ parikṣīṇabhavasaṃyojanāḥ samyagājñāsuvimuktacittāḥ sarvacetovasiparamapāramitāprāptās teṣāṃ api kāyā nikṣepanadharmāḥ |
6 ye pi te bhikṣavaḥ pratyakakabuddhāḥ khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpā ekam ātmāna damanti ekam ātmānaṃ samayanti ekam ātmānaṃ parinivāpayanti teṣāṃ apy ayaṃ kāyo nikṣepaṇa
61b 1 dharmaḥ | ye pi te bhikṣavas tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaksambuddhā daśabalabalinaḥ udārārṣabhāḥ samyaksiṃhanādanādinaś catuvaiśāradya dharmārohaṇāvaiśāradyaṃ | sarvadharma
2 deśanāvaiśāradyaṃ | nirvāṇamārgavatāraṇavaiśāradyaṃ | āśravajñānaprahāṇavaiśāradyaṃ | viśadādṛḍhanārāyanasaṃhatakāyāś teṣāṃ apy ayaṃ kāyo nikṣepanadharmaḥ | tadyathāpi
3 nāma bhikṣavaḥ kumbhākārakṛtāni bhāṇḍā āmāni vā pakkāni vā bhedanaparyyantāni bhedanaparyavaśāny evam eva bhikṣavaḥ sarveṣāṃ satvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ prā=
4 ṇināṃ maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ || idam avocad bhagavān idam uktyo sugato hy athāparā ’vāca śāstā || anityā bata saṃskārā u
5 tpādavyayadhārminaḥ | utpadya hi nirūdhyante teṣāṃ vyupasamaḥ sukhaṃ || yathā hi kumbhakāreṇa mṛttikābhājanaṃ kṛtaṃ | sarvam bhedanapartantaṃ satvānāṃ jivitaṃ tathā || yathā =
6 phalānāṃ pakkānāṃ śaśva‹‹taṃ›› patanato bhayaṃ | tathā saskārājāḥ satvā‹‹nāṃ›› nityaṃ maraṇato bhāyaṃ || sarvve kṣayāntā nicayāḥ patanāntā samucchrayāḥ | saṃyogāś ca viyogāntā ma
62a 1 raṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ || || idam avocad bhagavānn ātamanās te ca bhikṣavas te ca parṣado bhgavato bhāṣitam abhyanandan ity āryānityatāsūtraṃ samāptaṃ || ○ || ※ ||
Anityatāsūtra. Manuscript witness held in the collection of the Tokyo University Library, Tokyo. Kawaguchu and Takakusu Collection, Ms. 416 No. 8, folios 46a3–47b4. White paper, 117 leaves, 7 lines, 38.4 x 10.6 cm, Nepalese akṣaras, undated (~nineteenth century).
46a 3 || oṃ namaḥ sarvajñāya || evam mayā
4 śrutam, ekasmin samaya bhagavān* śrāvastyāṃ viharati sma | jetavane nāthapiṇḍasyārāme mahatā bhikṣusaṃghena sārddhan* trayodaśabhir bhikṣuśataiḥ tatra khalu bhagavān* bhikṣūnām āmantrayate
5 sma | anitā bhikṣavaḥ sarvasaṃskārā adhruvā anāsvāsikā vipariṇāmadharmānaḥ | yad yāvad bhikṣavaḥ sarvebhyaḥ saṃskārebhya laṃ nirvatum alaṃ viraktam alaṃ vimoktuṃ | sarveṣām satvā
6 nāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ prāṇinām āmaraṇanāṃtaṃ hi jīvita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti tasyāmaraṇaṃ ra ye pi te bhikṣavo gṛhapatayo mahāsālakulā brāhmaṇamahāsāla
7 kulā kṣatriyo mahāsālakulā āsāṃ mahādhanā mahābhogāḥ prabhūtamaṇimā niṣkamuktāvaiḍūryyaśaṃkhasilāpravālajātavittopakaraṇāḥ prabhūtadhanadhānyakoṣṭhakoṣṭhāṃ
46b 1 gārasanniccayāḥ prabhūtadāsidāsakarmakarapauraṣeyāḥ prabhūtamitrāmātyajñātisālohitās teṣām api maraṇāṃtaṃ jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te
2 bhikṣavaḥ rājānaḥ kṣatriyāś ca mūrddhnābhiṣiktā jānapadaiśvaryāsthāmaviryam anuprāptā mahāntaṃ pṛthvīmaṇḍalam abhinirjityāvasanti teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyava=
3 sānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣava ṛṣayo vānapasthāḥ pramuktaphalāhārāḥ pramuktaphale bhojinaḥ pramuktaphalena yāpanti teṣām api maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyaṃ
4 vasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ || ye pi te bhikṣavaḥ kāmāvacarā devāś cātumahārājikā devās traye triṃśā devā yāmā devās tuṣitā devā nirmāṇaratayo devāḥ paranirmitava=
5 śavarttino devās teṣām api maraṇāṃtaṃ hi jivita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pe te bhikṣavo rūpino devāḥ prathamadhyānarābhino brāhmakāyikā brahmapurohi
6 tā brahmapārṣadhyā mahābra[hma]nā dvitiyadhyānalābhinaḥ paritaśubhā apramānaśubhā ābhāsvarās tṛtīyadhyānalābhinaḥ paritaśubhā apranaśubhā ābhāsvarās tṛtīyadhyanarābhinaḥ
7 paritaśubhā apramānaśubhāḥ śubhakṛtsnā caturthadhyānalābhino nabhrakāḥ punyaprasavā bṛhat*phalā asaṃgītvā abṛhātapāḥ sudarśāḥ sudarśanā akaniṣṭāś ca devās teṣāṃ api
47a 1 maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | ye pi te bhikṣavo rūpino devā ākāśānaṃ*tyāyatanopagā vijñānānaṃtyāyatanopagā ākiṃciṃtyāyatanopagā
2 naivasaṃjñānām asaṃjñāyatanopagāś ca devāś ca teṣām api maraṇāṃtaṃ hi jīvita maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ | traidhātukam idaṃ ye pi te bhikṣavo rhantaḥ kṣīṇāśravā
3 kṛtakṛtyāḥ kṛtakaraṇīyā apahitabhārā anuprāsvakārthāḥ parikṣīnabhavasaṃyojanāḥ samyagājñāsuvimuktacittāḥ sarvacetovasiparamapāramitāprāptā‹‹s teṣā››m api kāyā
4 nikṣapadharmāḥ || ye pi te bhikṣavaḥ pratyekabuddhāḥ khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpā ekam ātmā damaṃti ekam ātmānaṃ samayanti ekam ātmānaṃ parinirvāpayanti teṣāṃ apy ayaṃ kāyo nikṣa
5 panadharmaḥ | ye pi te bhikṣavas tathāgatā arhantaḥ samyaskaṃbuddhā daśabalabalinaḥ udārāṣabhāḥ samyak*siṃhanādanādinaś catuvaiśāradya dharmārohanavaiśāradyaṃ | sarvadha
6 dharmadyasanāvaiśāradyaṃ | nirvāṇamārgavatāraṇavaiśāradyaṃ || āśravajñānaprahāṇavaiśāradyaṃ | viśadhādṛḍhanārāyaṇasaṃhatakāyās teṣāṃ apy ayaṃ kāyo nikṣapanadharmaḥ || tadya
7 thāpi nāma bhikṣavaḥ kuṃbhākārakṛtāni bhāṇḍā āmāni vā bakkāni vā bhedanaparyantāni bhedanaparyavaśany avam eva bhikṣavaḥ sarveṣāṃ satvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ prāṇī
47b 1 nā amarānāṃ hi jīvitaṃ maraṇaparyavasānaṃ nāsti jātasyāmaraṇaṃ || idaṃm avocad bhagavān idam uktyo sugato hy athāparāvāca śāstā || anityā bata saṃskārā utpādavyadhārmi
2 naḥ | utpadya hi nirudhyante teṣāṃ vyapasamaḥ sukhaṃ | yathā hi kuṃbhakāreṇa mṛtikābhājanaṃ kṛta | sarvam bhedanaparyantaṃ satvānāṃ jītan tathā | yathā phalānāṃ kkānāṃ śaśvat patanato =
3 yaṃ || tathā saskārajāḥ satvā nitya maraṇato bhayaṃ || sarve kṣāyāṃ niścayāḥ patanāntā samucchrayāḥ | saṃyogaś ca viyogāntā maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitaṃ || || idam avoca
4 d bhagavānn ātamanās te ca bhikśavas te ca parṣado bhagavato bhāṣitam abhyanaṃdan ity āryānityatāsutraṃ samāptaṃ || || 8 ||
Anityatāsūtra. Manuscript witness held in the private collection of Mr. Padmajyoti Dhakhwa of Patan, folios 222b10–223b4. Yellow paper, 11 lines, Nepalese akṣaras, undated (~nineteenth century).
222b 9 ||