One day, King Bimbisara of Kosala came to the Buddha's dwelling, paid homage to the Buddha, and sat down on one side. The Buddha said to King Bimbisara: "Your Majesty, you have come to see me today after a long journey. Where have you been?"

King Bimbisara said: "Venerable One, I have just returned from inspecting the country. As the king of Kosala, I have to deal with many state affairs every day. Of course, I sometimes indulge in the feeling of being powerful, having the power to kill and take life, and conquering other countries. I also indulge in the feeling of being looked up to by the army, generals, soldiers, and ordinary people. I am their master, I let them live and work in peace, I lead them to expand their territory, I let them raise their heads, and I make Kosala the overlord of the surrounding countries!"

The Buddha said: "Your Majesty, if you have a trusted person, your confidant, who comes from the east, he kneels down to you and says to you: "Your Majesty, I have just come from the east and saw a huge mountain of stone as high as the clouds rolling towards us. The mountain of stone rolls over the place, everything, people, animals, villages, cities, all are crushed into powder, no people, animals, plants can be spared, Your Majesty, you hurry up and think of a way, or we will all be crushed to death by the mountain of stone."

Your Majesty, then, there are some people, they are also your trusted people, they are also your confidants, they come from the south, west, north, they kneel down and report to you in unison: "Your Majesty, it's not good! It's not good! There are huge mountains of stone rolling towards us from the south, west, and north. These mountains of stone will crush everything, people, animals, plants, villages, and cities to powder and be destroyed. Your Majesty, what should we do? Your Majesty, please think of a way quickly! What should we do?"

Your Majesty, if you meet such a dangerous and terrifying thing, you and your people and country will soon be crushed to death and destroyed by the mountain of stone. What would you do in such a situation? What should you do?"

King Bimbisara opened his eyes in surprise and said: "Venerable One, if there is really a huge mountain of stone rolling towards my country, I have nothing to do. I know that this mountain of stone will soon crush me and my people and country to pieces. Venerable One, you have said before: "After death, people can only take away the merits they have planted in the world by doing good deeds, and the sins they have committed by doing evil deeds. Those with deep merits will be born into a rich and noble family, and even be liberated from the cycle of birth and death forever; those with weak merits and heavy sins will be born into a poor and humble family, and will suffer in the three evil paths of hell, ghosts, and beasts."

I am powerless to face this mountain of stone, so I can only do my best to cultivate in the right way according to what Venerable One has said, do more good deeds, and plant merits for myself. I will take out all the money, food, clothes, and everything in the treasury and palace and give them to all the people in my country as alms. Anyway, everyone is about to be crushed to death by the mountain of stone. These things are no longer meaningful to me. I will share them with the people, let everyone enjoy them before they die, so that at least everyone can be happy and happy before they die, and have a short-lived joy and happiness. Venerable One, apart from that, I can't do anything else. At most, I can comfort my family and subjects, let them not be so afraid, and tell them about the right way of Venerable One, hoping that they can open their wisdom in the last moment, and plant merits for themselves to be liberated from birth and death. Venerable One, these are the things I can think of and do."

The Buddha said: Your Majesty, the rolling boulder that is coming towards you and your kingdom is old age and death. Old age and death are the rolling boulders that are coming towards everyone in the world. No one can escape the crushing of the boulder of old age and death. Your Majesty, what will you do when old age and death come rolling towards you? What should you do?

King Bimbisara said: Venerable One, this is a very apt metaphor. To compare old age and death to the rolling boulders that are coming towards everyone in the world. Venerable One, when old age and death come rolling towards me, I will do my best to follow the teachings of the Buddha. I will do my best to practice good deeds and cultivate virtue in my lifetime. What else can I do? Everyone in the world will die. Apart from following the teachings of the Buddha, apart from practicing good deeds and cultivating virtue, what else can I do?

The Buddha said: Your Majesty, you just said to me arrogantly: "As a king, I have to deal with many state affairs every day. I am intoxicated by the feeling of being powerful, having the power to kill and take life, and conquering other countries. I am also intoxicated by the feeling of being looked up to by the army, generals, soldiers, and ordinary people. I am their master. I let them live and work in peace. I lead them to expand their territory. I let them raise their heads. I let Kosala become the overlord of the surrounding countries!"

King Bimbisara said: "Venerable One, please forgive me for the words I said to you. When old age and death come, my armies, my elephant corps, cavalry corps, chariot corps, and infantry corps will be useless. They will all grow old and die. They will not even be able to find an object to attack and fight. My ministers and ministers cannot think of any strategies or methods to fight against old age and death. Old age and death are on their own bodies. They can never defeat old age and death.

I have countless gold and jewelry, jade artifacts, gold and silver bars, and countless wealth; I also have countless land, beauty, servants, and food. When my enemy country invades my country, when they occupy my territory, when my army cannot resist them, when my ministers and ministers are helpless, I will use these wealth, land, beauty, servants, food, and other things I have to bribe them to let them retreat. They will withdraw their troops when they get the benefit. However, Venerable One, I cannot use these wealth, land, beauty, servants, food, and other things to bribe old age and death. When old age and death roll and crush, even if I have countless gold and jewelry, jade artifacts, gold and silver bars, and countless wealth, I cannot buy off old age and death, let them let me go, and let them endow me with immortality. Even if I have countless land, beauty, servants, and food that people in the world want, I cannot buy off old age and death, let them stop or slow down the torture and destruction of my body. Even if I give them everything I have, and ask them to give me even a little bit of youth and a little bit of life, they will not satisfy my wish.”

The Buddha said:Your Majesty, you are correct. When the boulder of old age and death rolls towards us, no one can stop it. No matter if you are a king, a prince, a noble, a general, a soldier, a commoner, or a slave, all of us will be crushed by it. Therefore, we should all strive to practice good deeds and accumulate merit while we are still alive. This way, we can be reborn into a wealthy family, a heavenly realm, or even be liberated from the cycle of birth and death.

King Bimbisara said: Venerable One I understand. I will now strive to practice good deeds and accumulate merit. I will also try to help others as much as I can. I know that I cannot escape old age and death, but I can at least try to make my life and the lives of others better.

The Buddha said: Good, Your Majesty. I am glad to hear that you have decided to follow the path of good. I know that you will succeed in your endeavors.

At that time, the Buddha spoke the following verse:

"

The great rock pierces the sky,

And presses upon all from all sides.

The power of old age and death

Hangs over the heads of all.

The kshatriyas, brahmins, vaishyas,

And even the sudras and chandalas,

Who sweep the water,

All are subject to it.

No one can escape,

All are forced to submit.

The elephant army has no room,

Neither do the chariots nor the foot soldiers.

Schemes are also useless,

And wealth is also useless.

Therefore, the wise should think for themselves.

Plant faith in the Dharma and the Sangha.

Be a person who acts in accordance with the Dharma

In body, speech, and mind.

In this life, you will be praised,

And in the next life, you will be born in heaven."

Pali original scripture

SN.3.25/(5). Pabbatūpamasuttaṃ

　　 136. Sāvatthinidānaṃ Ekamantaṃ nisinnaṃ kho rājānaṃ pasenadiṃ kosalaṃ bhagavā etadavoca– “handa, kuto nu tvaṃ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā”ti? “Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṃ khattiyānaṃ muddhāvasittānaṃ issariyamadamattānaṃ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṃ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṃ mahantaṃ pathavimaṇḍalaṃ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṃ rājakaraṇīyāni bhavanti, tesu khvāhaṃ, etarahi ussukkamāpanno”ti.

　　 “Taṃ kiṃ maññasi, mahārāja, idha te puriso āgaccheyya puratthimāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. So taṃ upasaṅkamitvā evaṃ vadeyya– ‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṃ āgacchāmi puratthimāya disāya. Tatthaddasaṃ mahantaṃ pabbataṃ abbhasamaṃ sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati. Yaṃ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṃ, taṃ karohī’ti. Atha dutiyo puriso āgaccheyya pacchimāya disāya …pe… atha tatiyo puriso āgaccheyya uttarāya disāya …pe… atha catuttho puriso āgaccheyya dakkhiṇāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. So taṃ upasaṅkamitvā evaṃ vadeyya– ‘yagghe mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṃ āgacchāmi dakkhiṇāya disāya. Tatthaddasaṃ mahantaṃ pabbataṃ abbhasamaṃ sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati. Yaṃ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṃ taṃ karohī’ti. Evarūpe te, mahārāja, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?

　　 “Evarūpe me, bhante, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyaṃ aññatra dhammacariyāya aññatra samacariyāya aññatra kusalakiriyāya aññatra puññakiriyāyā”ti?

　　 “Ārocemi kho te, mahārāja, paṭivedemi kho te, mahārāja, adhivattati kho taṃ, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇaṃ. Adhivattamāne ce te, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyan”ti? “Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṃ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāya? Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṃ khattiyānaṃ muddhāvasittānaṃ issariyamadamattānaṃ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṃ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṃ mahantaṃ pathavimaṇḍalaṃ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṃ hatthiyuddhāni bhavanti; tesampi, bhante, hatthiyuddhānaṃ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe. Yānipi tāni, bhante, raññaṃ khattiyānaṃ muddhāvasittānaṃ …pe… ajjhāvasantānaṃ assayuddhāni bhavanti …pe… rathayuddhāni bhavanti …pe… pattiyuddhāni bhavanti; tesampi bhante, pattiyuddhānaṃ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe. Santi kho pana, bhante, imasmiṃ rājakule mantino mahāmattā, ye pahonti āgate paccatthike mantehi bhedayituṃ. Tesampi, bhante, mantayuddhānaṃ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe. Saṃvijjati kho pana, bhante, imasmiṃ rājakule pahūtaṃ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṃ bhūmigatañceva vehāsaṭṭhañca, yena mayaṃ pahoma āgate paccatthike dhanena upalāpetuṃ. Tesampi, bhante, dhanayuddhānaṃ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe. Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṃ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?

　　 “Evametaṃ, mahārāja, evametaṃ, mahārāja! Adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṃ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti? Idamavoca bhagavā …pe… satthā–

　　 “Yathāpi selā vipulā, nabhaṃ āhacca pabbatā;

　　 Samantānupariyāyeyyuṃ, nippothento catuddisā.

　　 “Evaṃ jarā ca maccu ca, adhivattanti pāṇine.

　　 Khattiye brāhmaṇe vesse, sudde caṇḍālapukkuse.

　　 Na kiñci parivajjeti, sabbamevābhimaddati.

　　 “Na tattha hatthīnaṃ bhūmi, na rathānaṃ na pattiyā;

　　 Na cāpi mantayuddhena, sakkā jetuṃ dhanena vā.

　　 “Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso, sampassaṃ atthamattano;

　　 Buddhe dhamme ca saṅghe ca, dhīro saddhaṃ nivesaye.

　　 “Yo dhammaṃ cari kāyena, vācāya uda cetasā;

　　 Idheva naṃ pasaṃsanti, pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

　　 Tatiyo vaggo.

　　 Tassuddānaṃ–

　　 Puggalo ayyikā loko, issattaṃ pabbatūpamā;

　　 Desitaṃ buddhaseṭṭhena, imaṃ kosalapañcakanti.

　　 Kosalasaṃyuttaṃ samattaṃ.