In short: Chapter 11 of the Dhammapada, Old Age (Jarāvagga), verses 146 to 156. The body as a fragile house, and the famous verses on finding the house-builder.
What is joy, what is laughter, when the flames are ever burning? Swathed in darkness, would you not seek a light?
Dhammapada 146, the chapter's first verse.
Pāli and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral. The introduction is ANEW's.
The verses in Pāli and English
| Verse | Pāli | English |
|---|---|---|
| 146 | Ko nu hāso kimānando, | What is joy, what is laughter, |
| niccaṁ pajjalite sati; | when the flames are ever burning? | |
| Andhakārena onaddhā, | Swathed in darkness, | |
| padīpaṁ na gavesatha. | would you not seek a light? | |
| 147 | Passa cittakataṁ bimbaṁ, | See this fancy puppet, |
| arukāyaṁ samussitaṁ; | a body built of sores, | |
| Āturaṁ bahusaṅkappaṁ, | diseased, obsessed over, | |
| yassa natthi dhuvaṁ ṭhiti. | in which nothing lasts at all. | |
| 148 | Parijiṇṇamidaṁ rūpaṁ, | This body is decrepit and frail, |
| roganīḷaṁ pabhaṅguraṁ; | a nest of disease. | |
| Bhijjati pūtisandeho, | This foul carcass falls apart, | |
| maraṇantañhi jīvitaṁ. | for life ends in death. | |
| 149 | Yānimāni apatthāni, | These dove-grey bones |
| alābūneva sārade; | are tossed away like | |
| Kāpotakāni aṭṭhīni, | dried gourds in the autumn— | |
| tāni disvāna kā rati. | what joy is there in such a sight? | |
| 150 | Aṭṭhīnaṁ nagaraṁ kataṁ, | In this city built of bones, |
| maṁsalohitalepanaṁ; | plastered with flesh and blood, | |
| Yattha jarā ca maccu ca, | old age and death are stashed away, | |
| māno makkho ca ohito. | along with conceit and contempt. | |
| 151 | Jīranti ve rājarathā sucittā, | Fancy chariots of kings wear out, |
| Atho sarīrampi jaraṁ upeti; | and even this body gets old. | |
| Satañca dhammo na jaraṁ upeti, | But the truth of the good never gets old— | |
| Santo have sabbhi pavedayanti. | so the good proclaim to the good. | |
| 152 | Appassutāyaṁ puriso, | A person of little learning |
| balībaddhova jīrati; | ages like an ox— | |
| Maṁsāni tassa vaḍḍhanti, | their flesh grows, | |
| paññā tassa na vaḍḍhati. | but not their wisdom. | |
| 153 | Anekajātisaṁsāraṁ, | Transmigrating through countless rebirths, |
| sandhāvissaṁ anibbisaṁ; | I’ve journeyed without reward, | |
| Gahakāraṁ gavesanto, | searching for the house-builder; | |
| dukkhā jāti punappunaṁ. | painful is birth again and again. | |
| 154 | Gahakāraka diṭṭhosi, | I’ve seen you, house-builder! |
| puna gehaṁ na kāhasi; | You won’t build a house again! | |
| Sabbā te phāsukā bhaggā, | Your rafters are all broken, | |
| gahakūṭaṁ visaṅkhataṁ; | your roof-peak demolished. | |
| Visaṅkhāragataṁ cittaṁ, | The mind, set on demolition, | |
| taṇhānaṁ khayamajjhagā. | has reached the end of cravings. | |
| 155 | Acaritvā brahmacariyaṁ, | When young they spurned the spiritual path |
| aladdhā yobbane dhanaṁ; | and failed to earn any wealth. | |
| Jiṇṇakoñcāva jhāyanti, | Now they brood like old cranes | |
| khīṇamaccheva pallale. | in a pond bereft of fish. | |
| 156 | Acaritvā brahmacariyaṁ, | When young they spurned the spiritual path |
| aladdhā yobbane dhanaṁ; | and failed to earn any wealth. | |
| Senti cāpātikhīṇāva, | Now they lie like spent arrows, | |
| purāṇāni anutthunaṁ. | bemoaning over things past. |
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Questions people ask
What is chapter 11 of the Dhammapada about?
The body as a fragile house, and the famous verses on finding the house-builder.
Which verses are in Dhammapada chapter 11?
Chapter 11, Old Age (Jarāvagga), contains verses 146 to 156.