[78] Bhikkhus, seeing these five future perils (anāgatabhaya), it is quite enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful (appamatta), ardent, and resolute, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized. What five?
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'At present I am young, a youth with jet-black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the first stage of life. But there will come a time when aging touches this body. When one is old, overcome by aging, it is not easy to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas; it is not easy to resort to remote lodgings in forests and woodland thickets. Before that unwished-for, undesirable, disagreeable state comes upon me, let me arouse energy (vīriya) beforehand, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized, so that, endowed with that state, I shall dwell at ease even when old.' This, bhikkhus, is the first future peril, seeing which it is quite enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'At present I have little affliction and little illness; I am endowed with an even digestion, neither too cool nor too hot, but medium, suitable for striving. But there will come a time when illness touches this body. When one is ill, overcome by illness, it is not easy to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas; it is not easy to resort to remote lodgings in forests and woodland thickets. Before that unwished-for, undesirable, disagreeable state comes upon me, let me arouse energy beforehand, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized, so that, endowed with that state, I shall dwell at ease even when ill.' This, bhikkhus, is the second future peril, seeing which it is quite enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'At present the harvest is good, almsfood is easily obtained, and it is easy to sustain oneself by gleaning and by gathering alms. But there will come a time of famine, of a bad harvest, when almsfood is difficult to obtain and it is not easy to sustain oneself by gleaning and by gathering alms. In a famine, moreover, people move to where food is plentiful, and there one dwells in a group, dwells in a crowd. When one dwells in a group, dwells in a crowd, it is not easy to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas; it is not easy to resort to remote lodgings in forests and woodland thickets. Before that unwished-for, undesirable, disagreeable state comes upon me, let me arouse energy beforehand, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized, so that, endowed with that state, I shall dwell at ease even in a famine.' This, bhikkhus, is the third future peril, seeing which it is quite enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'At present people dwell in concord, on friendly terms, without dispute, blending like milk and water, regarding one another with affectionate eyes. But there will come a time of peril, of upheaval from the wilderness, when the people of the countryside, mounted upon their vehicles, flee in all directions. In a time of peril, moreover, people move to where it is safe, and there one dwells in a group, dwells in a crowd. When one dwells in a group, dwells in a crowd, it is not easy to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas; it is not easy to resort to remote lodgings in forests and woodland thickets. Before that unwished-for, undesirable, disagreeable state comes upon me, let me arouse energy beforehand, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized, so that, endowed with that state, I shall dwell at ease even in a time of peril.' This, bhikkhus, is the fourth future peril, seeing which it is quite enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'At present the Saṅgha dwells in concord, on friendly terms, without dispute, with a single recitation, at ease. But there will come a time when the Saṅgha is divided. When the Saṅgha is divided, it is not easy to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas; it is not easy to resort to remote lodgings in forests and woodland thickets. Before that unwished-for, undesirable, disagreeable state comes upon me, let me arouse energy beforehand, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized, so that, endowed with that state, I shall dwell at ease even when the Saṅgha is divided.' This, bhikkhus, is the fifth future peril, seeing which it is quite enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized.
These, bhikkhus, are the five future perils, seeing which it is quite enough for a bhikkhu to dwell heedful, ardent, and resolute, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the achievement of what has not yet been achieved, for the realization of what has not yet been realized.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.