[295] And what, bhikkhus, is birth (jāti)? The birth of the various beings in the various orders of beings, their coming to birth, descent [into the womb], production, coming forth, the manifestation of the aggregates (khandha), the obtaining of the sense bases (āyatana) — this, bhikkhus, is called birth.
And what, bhikkhus, is aging (jarā)? The aging of the various beings in the various orders of beings, their growing old, brokenness of teeth, greyness of hair, wrinkling of skin, the decline of the life-span, the ripening of the faculties — this, bhikkhus, is called aging.
And what, bhikkhus, is death (maraṇa)? The passing away of the various beings from the various orders of beings, their falling away, breaking up, disappearance, mortality, death, the completion of one's time, the breaking up of the aggregates, the laying down of the body, the cutting off of the life faculty — this, bhikkhus, is called death.
And what, bhikkhus, is sorrow (soka)? The sorrow, sorrowing, sorrowfulness, inner sorrow, inner deep sorrow of one afflicted by some misfortune or other, touched by some painful thing or other — this, bhikkhus, is called sorrow.
And what, bhikkhus, is lamentation (parideva)? The crying and lamenting, the act of crying and the act of lamenting, the state of crying and the state of lamenting of one afflicted by some misfortune or other, touched by some painful thing or other — this, bhikkhus, is called lamentation.
And what, bhikkhus, is pain (dukkha)? Bodily pain, bodily discomfort, painful, uncomfortable feeling (vedanā) born of bodily contact — this, bhikkhus, is called pain.
And what, bhikkhus, is grief (domanassa)? Mental pain, mental discomfort, painful, uncomfortable feeling born of mind-contact — this, bhikkhus, is called grief.
And what, bhikkhus, is despair (upāyāsa)? The distress and despair, the state of being distressed and the state of despairing of one afflicted by some misfortune or other, touched by some painful thing or other — this, bhikkhus, is called despair.
And what, bhikkhus, is meant by "union with what is unloved is suffering (dukkha)"? Here, whoever has sights, sounds, odors, tastes, and tangibles that are unwished for, undesirable, disagreeable; or whoever has those who wish him harm, who wish him ill, who wish him discomfort, who wish him no security from bondage — the meeting with them, the coming together with them, the conjunction, the mingling with them: this, bhikkhus, is called "union with what is unloved is suffering."
And what, bhikkhus, is meant by "separation from what is loved is suffering"? Here, whoever has sights, sounds, odors, tastes, and tangibles that are wished for, desirable, agreeable; or whoever has those who wish him well, who wish him good, who wish him comfort, who wish him security from bondage — mother, or father, or brother, or sister, or friends, or companions, or relatives and kin — the not meeting with them, the not coming together with them, the non-conjunction, the non-mingling with them: this, bhikkhus, is called "separation from what is loved is suffering."
And what, bhikkhus, is meant by "not to get what one wishes for — that too is suffering"? In beings subject to birth, bhikkhus, such a wish arises: "Oh, that we were not subject to birth! Oh, that birth would not come to us!" But this cannot be attained by wishing. This too is "not to get what one wishes for — that too is suffering." In beings subject to aging, bhikkhus … In beings subject to illness, bhikkhus … In beings subject to death, bhikkhus … In beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, bhikkhus, such a wish arises: "Oh, that we were not subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair! Oh, that sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair would not come to us!" But this cannot be attained by wishing. This too is "not to get what one wishes for — that too is suffering."
And what, bhikkhus, is meant by "in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging (upādānakkhandha) are suffering"? Namely: the form aggregate subject to clinging, the feeling aggregate subject to clinging, the perception aggregate subject to clinging, the volitional-formations aggregate subject to clinging, the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging. These, bhikkhus, are called "in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering."
This, bhikkhus, is called the noble truth of suffering.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.