On one occasion, while dwelling at Sāvatthi, the Blessed One said this: “Bhikkhus, this saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings roaming and wandering on hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving. Whenever you see anyone in misfortune, in misery, you can conclude: ‘We too have experienced the same thing in this long course.’ For what reason? Because, Bhikkhus, this saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning…. It is enough to be liberated from them.”
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, this saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning…. Whenever you see anyone happy and fortunate, you can conclude: ‘We too have experienced the same thing in this long course.’ For what reason? Because, Bhikkhus, this saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning…. It is enough to be liberated from them.”
At Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove. Then thirty Bhikkhus from Pāvā approached the Blessed One — all forest dwellers, almsfood eaters, rag-robe wearers, triple-robe users, yet all were still with fetters. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “These thirty Bhikkhus from Pāvā are all forest dwellers, almsfood eaters, rag-robe wearers, triple-robe users, yet all are still with fetters. Let me teach them the Dhamma in such a way that while they are sitting in these very seats their minds will be liberated from the taints by nonclinging.”
Then the Blessed One addressed those Bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable sir!” those Bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, this saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings roaming and wandering on hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the stream of blood that you have shed when you were beheaded as you roamed and wandered on through this long course — this or the water in the four great oceans?”
“As we understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, venerable sir, the stream of blood that we have shed when we were beheaded as we roamed and wandered on through this long course — this alone is more than the water in the four great oceans.”
“Good, good, Bhikkhus! It is good that you understand the Dhamma taught by me in such a way. The stream of blood that you have shed when you were beheaded as you roamed and wandered on through this long course — this alone is more than the water in the four great oceans. For a long time, Bhikkhus, you have been cows, and when as cows you were beheaded, the stream of blood that you shed is greater than the waters in the four great oceans. For a long time you have been buffalo, sheep, goats, deer, chickens, and pigs…. For a long time you have been arrested as burglars, highwaymen, and adulterers, and when you were beheaded, the stream of blood that you shed is greater than the water in the four great oceans. For what reason? Because, Bhikkhus, this saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning…. It is enough to be liberated from them.”
This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, those Bhikkhus delighted in the Blessed One’s statement. And while this exposition was being spoken, the minds of the thirty Bhikkhus from Pāvā were liberated from the taints by nonclinging.
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, this saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning…. It is not easy, Bhikkhus, to find a being who in this long course has not previously been your mother … your father … your brother … your sister … … your son … your daughter. For what reason? Because, Bhikkhus, this saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning…. It is enough to be liberated from them.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak. There the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”
“Venerable sir!” those Bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, this saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings roaming and wandering on hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving. In the past, Bhikkhus, this Mount Vepulla was called Pācīnavaṃsa, and at that time these people were called Tivaras. The life span of the Tivaras was 40,000 years. They could climb Mount Pācīnavaṃsa in four days and descend in four days. At that time the Blessed One Kakusandha, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, had arisen in the world. His two chief disciples were named Vidhura and SañjIva, an excellent pair. See, Bhikkhus! That name for this mountain has disappeared, those people have died, and that Blessed One has attained final Nibbāna. So impermanent are formations, Bhikkhus, so unstable, so unreliable. It is enough, Bhikkhus, to experience revulsion towards all formations, enough to become dispassionate towards them, enough to be liberated from them.
“[At another time] in the past, Bhikkhus, this Mount Vepulla was called Vaṅkaka, and at that time these people were called Rohitassas. The life span of the Rohitassas was 30,000 years. They could climb Mount Vaṅkaka in three days and descend in three days. At that time the Blessed One Koṇāgamana, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, had arisen in the world. His two chief disciples were named Bhiyyosa and Uttara, an excellent pair. See, Bhikkhus! That name for this mountain has disappeared, those people have died, and that Blessed One has attained final Nibbāna. So impermanent are formations…. It is enough to be liberated from them.
“[At still another time] in the past, Bhikkhus, this Mount Vepulla was called Supassa, and at that time these people were called Suppiyas. The life span of the Suppiyas was 20,000 years. They could climb Mount Supassa in two days and descend in two days. At that time the Blessed One Kassapa, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, had arisen in the world. His two chief disciples were named Tissa and Bhāradvāja, an excellent pair. See, Bhikkhus! That name for this mountain has disappeared, those people have died, and that Blessed One has attained final Nibbāna. So impermanent are formations…. It is enough to be liberated from them.
“At present, Bhikkhus, this Mount Vepulla is called Vepulla, and at present these people are called Magadhans. The life span of the Magadhans is short, limited, fleeting; one who lives long lives a hundred years or a little more. The Magadhans climb Mount Vepulla in an hour and descend in an hour. At present I have arisen in the world, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
My two chief disciples are named Sāriputta and Moggallāna, an excellent pair. There will come a time, Bhikkhus, when the name for this mountain will have disappeared, when these people will have died, and I will have attained final Nibbāna. So impermanent are formations, Bhikkhus, so unstable, so unreliable. It is enough, Bhikkhus, to experience revulsion towards all formations, enough to become dispassionate towards them, enough to be liberated from them.”
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
“This was called Pācīnavaṃsa by the Tivaras,
And Vaṅkaka by the Rohitassas,
Supassa by the Suppiya people,
Vepulla by the Magadhan folk.
“Impermanent, alas, are formations,
Their nature is to arise and vanish.
Having arisen, they cease:
Their appeasement is blissful.”