1 Evaṃ me sutaṃ—​   ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā rājagahe viharati indakūṭe pabbate, indakassa yakkhassa bhavane. Atha kho indako yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasankami; upasankamitvā bhagavantaṃ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

2 "Rūpaṃ na jīvanti vadanti buddhā,
Kathaṃ nvayaṃ vindatimaṃ sarīraṃ;
Kutassa aṭṭhīyakapiṇḍameti,
Kathaṃ nvayaṃ sajjati gabbharasmin"ti.

3 "Paṭhamaṃ kalalaṃ hoti,
kalalā hoti abbudaṃ;
Abbudā jāyate pesi,
pesi nibbattatī ghano;
Ghanā pasākhā jāyanti,
kesā lomā nakhāpi ca.

4 Yañcassa bhuñjatī mātā,
annaṃ pānañca bhojanaṃ;
Tena so tattha yāpeti,
mātukucchigato naro"ti.