[367] **Standing in the middle of the lake** (majjhe sarasmiṃ tiṭṭhataṃ): "lake" (saro) is said to be saṃsāra — the coming, the going, the coming-and-going, time [i.e., the making of one's time], destination, existence upon existence, passing away and rearising, production and dissolution, birth, aging, and death. Of saṃsāra no past limit is discerned, and no future limit is discerned; and in the middle of saṃsāra beings stand, are established, cling, have approached, are attached, are intent upon it.
How is the past limit of saṃsāra not discerned? "For this many births the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of births the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many thousands of births the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of thousands of births the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many koṭis of births the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of koṭis of births the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many thousands of koṭis of births the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of thousands of koṭis of births the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many years the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of years the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many thousands of years the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of thousands of years the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many koṭis of years the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of koṭis of years the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many thousands of koṭis of years the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of thousands of koṭis of years the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many eons (kappa) the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of eons the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many thousands of eons the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of thousands of eons the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many koṭis of eons the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of koṭis of eons the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many thousands of koṭis of eons the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of thousands of koṭis of eons the round revolved; beyond that it does not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned.
For this was said by the Blessed One: "Bhikkhus, without discoverable beginning is this [saṃsāra]; a first limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. For beings hindered by ignorance (avijjā) and fettered by craving (taṇhā), running on and wandering on, for so long a time, bhikkhus, suffering (dukkha) has been experienced, intense adversity [experienced], the charnel ground swelled — so much so, bhikkhus, that this is enough to become disenchanted with all formations, enough to become dispassionate toward them, enough to be liberated from them." Thus too the past limit of saṃsāra is not discerned.
How is the future limit of saṃsāra not discerned? "For this many births the round will revolve; beyond that it will not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the future limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. "For this many hundreds of births, this many thousands of births, this many hundreds of thousands of births … this many koṭis of births, this many hundreds of koṭis of births, this many thousands of koṭis of births, this many hundreds of thousands of koṭis of births, this many years, this many hundreds of years, this many thousands of years, this many hundreds of thousands of years, this many koṭis of years, this many hundreds of koṭis of years, this many thousands of koṭis of years, this many hundreds of thousands of koṭis of years, this many eons, this many hundreds of eons, this many thousands of eons, this many hundreds of thousands of eons, this many koṭis of eons, this many hundreds of koṭis of eons, this many thousands of koṭis of eons, this many hundreds of thousands of koṭis of eons the round will revolve; beyond that it will not revolve" — there is no such thing; thus too the future limit of saṃsāra is not discerned. Thus of saṃsāra neither the past limit is discerned nor the future limit is discerned. And in the very middle of saṃsāra beings stand, are established, cling, have approached, are attached, are intent upon it — hence, "standing in the middle of the lake."
**Thus [said] the venerable Kappa** (iccāyasmā Kappo): "icca" (thus) is a joining of words … this word "icca" is a sequential ordering of words. "Āyasmā" (venerable): this is a term of endearment, a term of respect; this word "āyasmā" is a designation carrying reverence and deference. "Kappa" is that brahmin's name … a designation. Hence, "thus [said] the venerable Kappa."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.