SAUNDARANANDA 15.54: Warning: Death Kills

balastho 'haM yuvaa v" eti
na te bhavitum arhati
mRtyuH sarvaasv avasthaasu
hanti n'aavekShate vayaH

- = = = - = = -
- = - - - = - -
= = = = - = = -
= - = = - = - =

15.54
That "I am young," or "I am strong,"

Should not occur to you:

Death kills in all situations

Without regard for sprightliness.

COMMENT:
Speed Kills, road signs warn us. And in some situations speed clearly does. But Speed Kills seems to invite the assumption that if I drive nice and slowly, then I might be able to avoid either suffering or causing death -- which is by no means true.

Similarly, when cigarette packets announce Smoking Kills, there is something faintly reassuring about this statement for a non-smoker.

With Death Kills (mRtyuH hanti), in contrast, the Buddha offers us here no wiggle room at all. I may be a sprightly non-smoker who has not yet turned 50 but one of these days, as sure as eggs are eggs, death is going to kill me.

Q: What is the biggest killer of Zen bastards between the ages of 50 and 60?

A: Death.



EH Johnston:
Do not reflect that you are strong or young. Death strikes on all occasions and is no respecter of youth.

Linda Covill:
The thought that you are young or strong should not exist for you; death kills in all circumstances, without noticing a person's age.

VOCABULARY:
balasthaH (nom. sg. m.): mfn. " being in strength or power " , strong , powerful , vigorous
aham (nom. sg. m.): I
yuvaa = nom. sg. m. yuvan: mfn. young , youthful , adult (applied to men and animals) , strong , good , healthy
vaa: or
iti: ".... ", thus, that

na: not
te (gen.): of/for/in you
bhavitum (infinitive bhuu): to be, exist, occur
arhati: it should not

mRtyuH (nom. sg.) m. death, dying
sarvaasu (loc. pl.): all
avasthaasu = loc. pl. avasthaa: f. state , condition , situation

hanti = 3rd pers. sg. han: to strike , beat (also a drum) , pound , hammer; to smite , slay , hit , kill , mar , destroy
na: not
avekShate = 3rd pers. sg. avekSh: to look towards , look at , behold
vayaH = acc. sg. vayas: n. energy (both bodily and mental) , strength , health , vigour , power , might ; vigorous age , youth , prime of life , any period of life , age