Translated by Gautama Saṅghadeva of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (397–398)

Translated into English by Shaku Shingan (13.7.2025) 

Thus have I ⁠heard: 

At one time, the Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, at Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada's Park. 

At that time, the Bhagavān addressed the bhikṣus: "Before the day I went forth from home and began training on the path, I⁠ came from a life of leisure, of leisurely contentment, and extreme softness and delicacy. When I ⁠was in the house of my father, the king Śuddhodana, various palaces were built for me: a palace for the spring, a palace for the summer, and a palace for the winter, all for my enjoyment. 

"Not far from the palaces, various flower ponds were constructed: ponds of blue lotuses, ponds of pink lotuses, ponds of red lotuses, and ponds of white lotuses. In those ponds, there were always these various kinds of water flowers: blue flowers, pink flowers, red flowers, and white flowers. There was always water, and there were always flowers. There were people to guard them, and they were not accessible to all, but were only for my enjoyment. On the banks of those ponds, there were various kinds of land flowers: sumanā flowers, vārṣika flowers, campaka flowers, utpala flowers, madhuka flowers, atimuktaka flowers, and pārijātaka flowers, all for my enjoyment. 

"There were four people employed to bathe me. After bathing me, red sandalwood was used to anoint my body. After anointing my body with ointment, I⁠ wore new silk garments. Upper and lower robes, inner and outer robes: all were new. Day and night, I⁠ was always covered by a parasol, lest the crown prince be dampened by dew at night or burned by the sun during the day. 

"While commoners have coarse bran, barley rice, bean soup, ginger and vegetables as their best dishes, the lowest servants in the home of my father, Śuddhodana, had fine rice and delicacies as their best dishes. Furthermore, if there were birds and beasts of the fields, they were the most beautiful birds and beasts, *tattaravas, Kāśmīrī jālas, *kemakalitissaśailamas, and such birds and beasts of the fields. They were the most beautiful birds and beasts, and they were always prepared for me as my food. 

"I remember, once, in the home of my father Śuddhodana, during the fourth month of summer, I⁠ ascended to the main palace, and there were no men present, but only female entertainers who amused me. I did not wish to leave, but when I wanted to go out to view the gardens, thirty cavalrymen were selected from the best riders as my entourage, both before and behind. A⁠ retinue of attendants led the way; how much more to speak of the luxury of everything else? I possessed such things to my satisfaction that I was the softest and most delicate. 

"I ⁠also remember, once, while watching farmhands at work in the field, I⁠ took a break and went above the field to the foot of a jambū tree. Sitting in the lotus position, I was separated from desires and evil or unwholesome dharmas, and with applied thought and sustained thought, I experienced bliss and rapture born of seclusion, and I first entered upon the accomplishment of the first dhyāna. 

"I thought to myself:⁠ 'Unlearned, ordinary people, also have the dharma of sickness, are not separated from sickness; seeing other people sick, they detest and look down upon them, not loving them or rejoicing with them; they do not observe themselves.' 

"I also thought to myself:⁠ 'I, too, have the dharma of sickness, am not separated from sickness; if I see other people sick and detest and look down upon them, and do not love or rejoice with them, then that would not be proper for me; I⁠ too am subject to this dharma.' Having contemplated thus, the arrogance that arose from not being sick was immediately extinguished within me. 

"I also thought to myself:⁠ 'Unlearned, ordinary people, also have the dharma of ageing, are not separated from ageing; seeing other people elderly, they detest and look down upon them, not loving them or rejoicing with them; they do not observe themselves.' 

"I also thought to myself: ⁠'I, too, have the dharma of ageing, am not separated from ageing; if I see other people who are elderly and detest and look down upon them, and do not love or rejoice with them, then that would not be proper for me; I⁠ too am subject to this dharma.' Having contemplated thus, the arrogance that arose from still having longevity was immediately extinguished within me. 

"Unlearned, ordinary people, being free from sickness, become arrogant, haughty, and negligent; because of their delusion arising from desire, they do not cultivate noble conduct. Unlearned, ordinary people, being youthful, become arrogant, haughty, and negligent; because of their delusion arising from desire, they do not cultivate noble conduct. Unlearned, ordinary people, still having longevity, become arrogant, haughty and negligent; because of their delusion arising from desire, they do not cultivate noble conduct." 

Thereupon, the Bhagavān spoke this gāthā: 

"The dharmas of sickness and of ageing,
Going up to the dharma of dying,
All these dharmas exist within ourselves,
But the worldling sees only the evil. 

If I were to feel evil anger,
I would then not transcend past these dharmas,
That would not be proper conduct for me,
As I, too, am subject to these dharmas. 

If one practises in accord with this,
One will know the dharma that's beyond birth.
But with little sickness and in one's prime,
One's long lifespan gives rise to haughty pride. 

Having cut off all arrogance and pride,
One sees the peace of desirelessness;
Such a person is therefore awakened;
Not having fear due to their desires,

They will attain the state beyond all thought,
By practising pure and noble conduct." 

Thus spoke the Buddha. Those bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha had said, gladly accepted and joyfully practised it. 

End of the first sūtra, The Soft and Delicate Sūtra ⁠(791 characters)