[502] "Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling (assutavā puthujjano) speaks of these three as perils that part mother and son (amātāputtika-bhaya). What three? There is a time, bhikkhus, when a great conflagration breaks out. When a great conflagration has broken out, by it villages are burned, towns are burned, and cities are burned. While villages are burning, towns are burning, and cities are burning, there the mother does not find her son, and the son does not find his mother. This, bhikkhus, is the first peril that the uninstructed worldling speaks of as a peril that parts mother and son.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, there is a time when a great rain-cloud arises. When a great rain-cloud has arisen, a great flood of water comes into being. When a great flood of water has come into being, by it villages are swept away, towns are swept away, and cities are swept away. While villages are being swept away, towns are being swept away, and cities are being swept away, there the mother does not find her son, and the son does not find his mother. This, bhikkhus, is the second peril that the uninstructed worldling speaks of as a peril that parts mother and son.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, there is a time when there is peril, an upheaval of wilderness tribes, and the people of the countryside, mounted upon their carts, flee in all directions. When there is peril, an upheaval of wilderness tribes, and the people of the countryside, mounted upon their carts, are fleeing in all directions, there the mother does not find her son, and the son does not find his mother. This, bhikkhus, is the third peril that the uninstructed worldling speaks of as a peril that parts mother and son. These, bhikkhus, are the three perils that the uninstructed worldling speaks of as perils that part mother and son.
"But, bhikkhus, these three are in fact perils in which mother and son remain together (samātāputtika), yet the uninstructed worldling speaks of them as perils that part mother and son. What three? There is a time, bhikkhus, when a great conflagration breaks out. When a great conflagration has broken out, by it villages are burned, towns are burned, and cities are burned. While villages are burning, towns are burning, and cities are burning, there is a time when, now and then, the mother finds her son and the son finds his mother. This, bhikkhus, is the first peril in which mother and son are in fact together, which the uninstructed worldling speaks of as a peril that parts mother and son.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, there is a time when a great rain-cloud arises. When a great rain-cloud has arisen, a great flood of water comes into being. When a great flood of water has come into being, by it villages are swept away, towns are swept away, and cities are swept away. While villages are being swept away, towns are being swept away, and cities are being swept away, there is a time when, now and then, the mother finds her son and the son finds his mother. This, bhikkhus, is the second peril in which mother and son are in fact together, which the uninstructed worldling speaks of as a peril that parts mother and son.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, there is a time when there is peril, an upheaval of wilderness tribes, and the people of the countryside, mounted upon their carts, flee in all directions. When there is peril, an upheaval of wilderness tribes, and the people of the countryside, mounted upon their carts, are fleeing in all directions, there is a time when, now and then, the mother finds her son and the son finds his mother. This, bhikkhus, is the third peril in which mother and son are in fact together, which the uninstructed worldling speaks of as a peril that parts mother and son. These, bhikkhus, are the three perils in which mother and son are in fact together, which the uninstructed worldling speaks of as perils that part mother and son.
"There are, bhikkhus, these three perils that truly part mother and son. What three? The peril of aging (jarā), the peril of illness, and the peril of death. Bhikkhus, when her son is aging, the mother does not obtain her wish: 'Let me age, but may my son not age!' Nor, when his mother is aging, does the son obtain his wish: 'Let me age, but may my mother not age!' When her son is falling ill, the mother does not obtain her wish: 'Let me fall ill, but may my son not fall ill!' Nor, when his mother is falling ill, does the son obtain his wish: 'Let me fall ill, but may my mother not fall ill!' When her son is dying, the mother does not obtain her wish: 'Let me die, but may my son not die!' Nor, when his mother is dying, does the son obtain his wish: 'Let me die, but may my mother not die!' These, bhikkhus, are the three perils that part mother and son.
"There is, bhikkhus, a path (magga), there is a way of practice (paṭipadā), that leads to the abandoning and overcoming of these three perils in which mother and son are together and of these three perils that part mother and son. And what, bhikkhus, is the path, what is the way of practice, that leads to the abandoning and overcoming of these three perils in which mother and son are together and of these three perils that part mother and son? It is just this Noble Eightfold Path, namely: Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration. This, bhikkhus, is the path, this is the way of practice, that leads to the abandoning and overcoming of these three perils in which mother and son are together and of these three perils that part mother and son."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.