So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. There the Buddha … said: Tatra kho bhagavā …pe… etadavoca:

“Mendicants, the lifespan of humans is short. “Appamidaṁ, bhikkhave, manussānaṁ āyu. You must go to the next life. So you should do what is skillful, you should practice the spiritual life. Gamanīyo samparāyo, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ. No-one born is immortal. Natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ. A long life is a hundred years or a little more.” Yo, bhikkhave, ciraṁ jīvati, so vassasataṁ appaṁ vā bhiyyo”ti.

Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse: Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“The days and nights don’t rush by, “Nāccayanti ahorattā, and life isn’t cut short. Jīvitaṁ nūparujjhati; The life of mortals keeps rolling on, Āyu anupariyāyati maccānaṁ, like a chariot’s rim around the hub.” Nemīva rathakubbaran”ti.

“The days and nights rush by, “Accayanti ahorattā, and then life is cut short. jīvitaṁ uparujjhati; The life of mortals wastes away, Āyu khīyati maccānaṁ, like the water in tiny streams.” kunnadīnaṁva odakan”ti.

Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The Buddha knows me! The Holy One knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there. Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Tapokammañca nāgo ca, subhaṁ pāsena te duve; Sappo supati nandanaṁ, āyunā apare duveti.