1. Paṭhamavagga
Chapter One
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Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha … and asked him,
‘ettakā kappā iti vā, ettakāni kappasatāni iti vā, ettakāni kappasahassāni iti vā, ettakāni kappasatasahassāni iti vā’”ti.
how many eons have passed, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of eons.”
“Idhassu, bhikkhave, cattāro sāvakā vassasatāyukā vassasatajīvino.
“Suppose there were four disciples with a lifespan of a hundred years.
Te divase divase kappasatasahassaṁ kappasatasahassaṁ anussareyyuṁ.
And each day they would each recollect a hundred thousand eons.
Ananussaritāva, bhikkhave, tehi kappā assu, atha kho te cattāro sāvakā vassasatāyukā vassasatajīvino vassasatassa accayena kālaṁ kareyyuṁ.
Those four disciples would pass away after a hundred years and there would still be eons that they haven’t recollected.
‘ettakā kappā iti vā, ettakāni kappasatāni iti vā, ettakāni kappasahassāni iti vā, ettakāni kappasatasahassāni iti vā’ti.
how many eons have passed, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of eons.
alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
Sattamaṁ.