1 Evaṃ me sutaṃ—​   ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tatra kho bhagavā … pe … etadavoca: 

2 "Appamidaṃ, bhikkhave, manussānaṃ āyu. Gamanīyo samparāyo, kattabbaṃ kusalaṃ, caritabbaṃ brahmacariyaṃ. Natthi jātassa amaraṇaṃ. Yo, bhikkhave, ciraṃ jīvati, so vassasataṃ appaṃ vā bhiyyo"ti.

3 Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasankami; upasankamitvā bhagavantaṃ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

4 "Nāccayanti ahorattā,
Jīvitaṃ nūparujjhati;
Āyu anupariyāyati maccānaṃ,
Nemīva rathakubbaran"ti.

5 "Accayanti ahorattā,
jīvitaṃ uparujjhati;
Āyu khīyati maccānaṃ,
kunnadīnaṃva odakan"ti.

6 Atha kho māro pāpimā "jānāti maṃ bhagavā, jānāti maṃ sugato"ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Paṭhamo vaggo.

7 Tapokammañca nāgo ca,
subhaṃ pāsena te duve;
Sappo supati nandanaṃ,
āyunā apare duveti.