An Auspicious Day

Atītaṃ nānvāgameyya

Nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṃ

Yad'atītam-pahīnantaṃ

Appattañca anāgataṃ

He would not range after the past,

Nor wonder about the future.

What is past has been left behind,

The future is as yet unreached.

Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṃ

Tatha tatha vipassati

Asaṃhiraṃ asaṅkuppaṃ

Taṃ viddhā manubrūhaye

Whatever phenomenon is present,

he clearly sees right there, right there.

Unvanquished, unshaken,

That is how he develops the mind.

Ajjeva kiccam-ātappaṃ

Ko jaññā maraṇaṃ suve

Na hi no saṅgarantena

Mahāsenena maccunā

Doing his duty ardently, today,

For — who knows? — tomorrow death may come.

There is no bargaining

With Death & his mighty horde.

Evaṃ vihārim-ātāpiṃ

Aho-rattam-atanditaṃ

Taṃ ve bhaddeka-ratto'ti

Santo ācikkhate munīti.

Whoever lives thus ardently,

relentlessly both day & night,

has truly had an auspicious day:

So says the Peaceful Sage.