tatrāssa kāṇo kacchapo, so vassasatassa vassasatassa accayena sakiṃ ummujjeyya.
And there was a blind turtle, which would surface once every hundred years.
taṃ kiṃ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu so kāṇo kacchapo amusmiṃ ekacchiggale yuge gīvaṃ paveseyyā’’ti?
What do you think, bhikkhus, would that blind turtle ever put its neck through that single-holed yoke?”
(‘‘no hetaṃ, bhante’’.) ‘‘yadi pana, bhante, kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayenā’’ti.
(“No, Venerable Sir.”) “Perhaps, Venerable Sir, after a very long time, on some rare occasion.”
‘‘khippataraṃ kho so, bhikkhave, kāṇo kacchapo amusmiṃ ekacchiggale yuge gīvaṃ paveseyya, ato dullabhatarāhaṃ, bhikkhave, manussattaṃ vadāmi sakiṃ vinipātagatena bālena.
“That blind turtle, bhikkhus, would put its neck through that single-holed yoke sooner than a foolish person who has fallen into a state of woe would regain human existence.
taṃ kissa hetu?
For what reason?
na hettha, bhikkhave, atthi dhammacariyā samacariyā kusalakiriyā puññakiriyā.
Because, bhikkhus, there is no righteous conduct, no equitable conduct, no performance of wholesome deeds, no performance of meritorious deeds there.
aññamaññakhādikā ettha, bhikkhave, vattati dubbalakhādikā’’.
There, bhikkhus, there is only mutual devouring, the devouring of the weak.”
‘‘sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo sace kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena manussattaṃ āgacchati, yāni tāni nīcakulāni – caṇḍālakulaṃ vā nesādakulaṃ vā venakulaṃ vā rathakārakulaṃ vā pukkusakulaṃ vā.
“If, bhikkhus, that foolish person, after a very long time, should ever regain human existence, he is reborn into one of those low families—a Caṇḍāla family, or a Nesāda family, or a Veṇa family, or a Rathakāra family, or a Pukkusa family.
tathārūpe kule paccājāyati dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.
He is reborn into such a family, poor, with little food and drink, living a difficult life, where sustenance is obtained with difficulty.
so ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khujjo vā pakkhahato vā na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.
And he is ill-favored, unpleasant to look at, hunchbacked, afflicted with many diseases, one-eyed, or lame, or crippled, or paralyzed, and does not obtain food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes, ointments, beds, dwellings, or lamps.
so kāyena duccaritaṃ carati vācāya duccaritaṃ carati manasā duccaritaṃ carati.
He performs evil conduct by body, evil conduct by speech, and evil conduct by mind.
so kāyena duccaritaṃ caritvā vācāya duccaritaṃ caritvā manasā duccaritaṃ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapajjati.
Having performed bad conduct by body, bad conduct by speech, and bad conduct by mind, at the breaking up of the body, after death, he is reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell.
