{"id":"an8.29","title":"Lost Opportunities","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"an8.29","title":"Lost Opportunities","units":[{"id":"an8.29:0","sourceIds":["an8.29:0.1","an8.29:0.2","an8.29:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.29\n3. Gahapativagga\nAkkhaṇasutta","en":"Numbered Discourses 8.29\n3. Householders\nLost Opportunities"}},{"id":"an8.29:1","sourceIds":["an8.29:1.1","an8.29:1.2","an8.29:1.3","an8.29:1.4","an8.29:1.5","an8.29:1.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“‘Khaṇakicco loko, khaṇakicco loko’ti, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano bhāsati, no ca kho so jānāti khaṇaṁ vā akkhaṇaṁ vā.\nAṭṭhime, bhikkhave, akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.\nKatame aṭṭha?\nIdha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;\nayañca puggalo nirayaṁ upapanno hoti.\nAyaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.","en":"“‘Now is the time! Now is the time!’ So says an unlearned ordinary person. But they don’t know whether it’s time or not.\nMendicants, there are eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.\nWhat eight?\nFirstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.\nBut an individual has been reborn in hell.\nThis is the first lost opportunity for spiritual practice."}},{"id":"an8.29:2","sourceIds":["an8.29:2.1","an8.29:2.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;\nayañca puggalo tiracchānayoniṁ upapanno hoti …pe….","en":"Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.\nBut an individual has been reborn in the animal realm. This is the second lost opportunity …"}},{"id":"an8.29:3","sourceIds":["an8.29:3.1","an8.29:3.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…\nayañca puggalo pettivisayaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….","en":"Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world …\nBut an individual has been reborn in the ghost realm. This is the third lost opportunity …"}},{"id":"an8.29:4","sourceIds":["an8.29:4.1","an8.29:4.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…\nayañca puggalo aññataraṁ dīghāyukaṁ devanikāyaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….","en":"Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world …\nBut an individual has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods. This is the fourth lost opportunity …"}},{"id":"an8.29:5","sourceIds":["an8.29:5.1","an8.29:5.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…\nayañca puggalo paccantimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti aviññātāresu milakkhesu, yattha natthi gati bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ …pe….","en":"Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world …\nBut an individual has been reborn in the borderlands, among uneducated foreigners, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go. This is the fifth lost opportunity …"}},{"id":"an8.29:6","sourceIds":["an8.29:6.1","an8.29:6.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti micchādiṭṭhiko viparītadassano:\n‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammā paṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti …pe….","en":"Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … And an individual is reborn in a central country. But they have wrong view and distorted perspective:\n‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is the sixth lost opportunity …"}},{"id":"an8.29:7","sourceIds":["an8.29:7.1","an8.29:7.2","an8.29:7.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…\nayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti duppañño jaḷo eḷamūgo appaṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.\nAyaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.","en":"Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world …\nAnd an individual is reborn in a central country. But they’re witless, dull, idiotic, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.\nThis is the seventh lost opportunity for spiritual practice."}},{"id":"an8.29:8","sourceIds":["an8.29:8.1","an8.29:8.2","an8.29:8.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke anuppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.\nDhammo ca na desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.\nAyaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.","en":"Furthermore, a Realized One has not arisen in the world …\nSo he doesn’t teach the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.\nThis is the eighth lost opportunity for spiritual practice."}},{"id":"an8.29:9","sourceIds":["an8.29:9.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.","en":"There are these eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice."}},{"id":"an8.29:10","sourceIds":["an8.29:10.1","an8.29:10.2","an8.29:10.3","an8.29:10.4","an8.29:10.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ekova kho, bhikkhave, khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāya.\nKatamo eko?\nIdha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.\nDhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.\nAyaṁ, bhikkhave, ekova khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāyāti.","en":"Mendicants, there is just one opportunity for spiritual practice.\nWhat is that one?\nIt’s when a Realized One has arisen in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.\nHe teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.\nThis is the one opportunity for spiritual practice."}},{"id":"an8.29:11","sourceIds":["an8.29:11.1","an8.29:11.2","an8.29:11.3","an8.29:11.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Manussalābhaṁ laddhāna,\nsaddhamme suppavedite;\nYe khaṇaṁ nādhigacchanti,\natināmenti te khaṇaṁ.","en":"When you’ve gained the human state,\nand the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,\nthose who don’t seize the moment\nare wasting their time."}},{"id":"an8.29:12","sourceIds":["an8.29:12.1","an8.29:12.2","an8.29:12.3","an8.29:12.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Bahū hi akkhaṇā vuttā,\nmaggassa antarāyikā;\nKadāci karahaci loke,\nuppajjanti tathāgatā.","en":"For many wrong times are spoken of,\nwhich obstruct the path.\nOnly on rare occasions\ndo Realized Ones arise."}},{"id":"an8.29:13","sourceIds":["an8.29:13.1","an8.29:13.2","an8.29:13.3","an8.29:13.4","an8.29:13.5","an8.29:13.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tayidaṁ sammukhībhūtaṁ,\nyaṁ lokasmiṁ sudullabhaṁ;\nManussapaṭilābho ca,\nsaddhammassa ca desanā;\nAlaṁ vāyamituṁ tattha,\nattakāmena jantunā.","en":"If you find yourself in their presence,\nso hard to find in the world,\nand if you’ve gained a human birth,\nand the teaching of the Dhamma;\nthat’s enough to make an effort,\nfor a personage who desires self-knowledge."}},{"id":"an8.29:14","sourceIds":["an8.29:14.1","an8.29:14.2","an8.29:14.3","an8.29:14.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kathaṁ vijaññā saddhammaṁ,\nkhaṇo ve mā upaccagā;\nKhaṇātītā hi socanti,\nnirayamhi samappitā.","en":"How is the true teaching to be understood\nso that the moment doesn’t pass you by?\nFor if you miss your moment\nyou’ll grieve when sent to hell."}},{"id":"an8.29:15","sourceIds":["an8.29:15.1","an8.29:15.2","an8.29:15.3","an8.29:15.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Idha ce naṁ virādheti,\nsaddhammassa niyāmataṁ;\nVāṇijova atītattho,\ncirattaṁ anutapissati.","en":"If you fail to achieve\ncertainty regarding the true teaching\nyou’ll regret it for a long time,\nlike the merchant in the story of the past."}},{"id":"an8.29:16","sourceIds":["an8.29:16.1","an8.29:16.2","an8.29:16.3","an8.29:16.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Avijjānivuto poso,\nsaddhammaṁ aparādhiko;\nJātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ,\nciraṁ paccanubhossati.","en":"A man shrouded by ignorance,\na failure in the true teaching,\nwill long undergo\ntransmigration through birth and death."}},{"id":"an8.29:17","sourceIds":["an8.29:17.1","an8.29:17.2","an8.29:17.3","an8.29:17.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ye ca laddhā manussattaṁ,\nsaddhamme suppavedite;\nAkaṁsu satthu vacanaṁ,\nkarissanti karonti vā.","en":"Those who’ve gained the human state\nwhen the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,\nand have completed what the Teacher taught—\nor will do so, or are doing so now—"}},{"id":"an8.29:18","sourceIds":["an8.29:18.1","an8.29:18.2","an8.29:18.3","an8.29:18.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Khaṇaṁ paccaviduṁ loke,\nbrahmacariyaṁ anuttaraṁ;\nYe maggaṁ paṭipajjiṁsu,\ntathāgatappaveditaṁ.","en":"have realized the right time in the world\nfor the supreme spiritual life.\nYou should live guarded, ever mindful,\nnot festering with defilements,"}},{"id":"an8.29:19","sourceIds":["an8.29:19.1","an8.29:19.2","an8.29:19.3","an8.29:19.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ye saṁvarā cakkhumatā,\ndesitādiccabandhunā;\nTesu gutto sadā sato,\nvihare anavassuto.","en":"among those restrained ones\nwho have practiced the path\nproclaimed by the Realized One, the Clear-eyed One,\nand taught by the Kinsman of the Sun."}},{"id":"an8.29:20","sourceIds":["an8.29:20.1","an8.29:20.2","an8.29:20.3","an8.29:20.4","an8.29:20.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Sabbe anusaye chetvā,\nmāradheyyaparānuge;\nTe ve pāraṅgatā loke,\nye pattā āsavakkhayan”ti.\nNavamaṁ.","en":"Having cut off all underlying tendencies\nthat follow those drifting in Māra’s dominion,\nthey’re the ones in this world who’ve truly crossed over,\nhaving reached the ending of defilements.”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/an8.29/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}