Disciples

I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anàthapiõóika in Jeta's grove in Sàvatthi.

Then many monks approached the Blessed One, worshipped and sat on a side.

Sitting on a side those monks said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, has a large number of world cycles gone by and finished?"

"Monks, a large number of world cycles have gone by, it is not easy to innumerate them as `it's this amount of world cycles,' or `this amount of hundred world cycles,' or `this amount of thousand world cycles,' or `this amount of hundred thousand world cycles'."

"Venerable sir, is it possible to give a comparison?"

The Blessed One said: "Possible. Monks, there are four disciples who have life spans of hundred years and live the life span of hundred years. They recollect a hundred thousand world cycles per day. Even while they recollect the world cycle remains The four disciples who have life spans of hundred years and has lived the hundred years pass off at the end of the hundred years.

"Monks, a large number of world cycles have gone by, it is not easy to innumerate them as `it's this amount of world cycles,' or `this amount of hundred world cycles,' or `this amount of thousand world cycles,' or `this amount of hundred thousand world cycles'.

"What is the reason? Monks, without an end is the train of existence, a beginning cannot be pointed out of beings enveloped in ignorance and bound by craving, running from one existence to another.

"Monks, it is suitable that you should turn away from all determinations, fade and be released from them."