A young deity observes that time flies by and speaks on performing meritorious deeds. The Buddha agrees with the observation but instead advises to drop the world's bait, and seek peace.
Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho nando devaputto bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Standing to one side, the young deity Nanda recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
“Accenti kālā tarayanti rattiyo,
Vayoguṇā anupubbaṁ jahanti;
Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,
Puññāni kayirātha sukhāvahānī”ti.
“Time flies by, the nights swiftly pass,
The stages of life gradually abandon [us];
Clearly seeing this danger in death,
One should do meritorious deeds that bring happiness.”
“Accenti kālā tarayanti rattiyo,
Vayoguṇā anupubbaṁ jahanti;
Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,
Lokāmisaṁ pajahe santipekkho”ti.
[The Blessed One]: “Time flies by, the nights swiftly pass,
The stages of life gradually abandon [us];
Clearly seeing this danger in death,
One should drop the |world’s bait::material delight, worldliness [lokāmisa]|, looking for peace.”
Standing to one side, the young deity Nanda recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
“Time flies by, the nights swiftly pass,
The stages of life gradually abandon [us];
Clearly seeing this danger in death,
One should do meritorious deeds that bring happiness.”
[The Blessed One]: “Time flies by, the nights swiftly pass,
The stages of life gradually abandon [us];
Clearly seeing this danger in death,
One should drop the |world’s bait::material delight, worldliness [lokāmisa]|, looking for peace.”
Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho nando devaputto bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“Accenti kālā tarayanti rattiyo,
Vayoguṇā anupubbaṁ jahanti;
Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,
Puññāni kayirātha sukhāvahānī”ti.
“Accenti kālā tarayanti rattiyo,
Vayoguṇā anupubbaṁ jahanti;
Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,
Lokāmisaṁ pajahe santipekkho”ti.