The Eight Laws Relating to the Vicissitude of Life
(Pali: “Labho alabho, Ayaso yaso, Ninda pasansa cha,
Sukhancha dukkhan, Ethe anichcha manujesu dhamma,
Asassatha vipparinama dhamma.”)
Profit & loss, fame & anonymity, humiliation & honor, happiness & sorrow are called the ’Eight Laws Relating to the Vicissitude of Life’.
Every person who lives in this world, meets with those eight laws from time to time. Since those laws revolving like a cart wheel happen upon people stage by stage, even a king cannot live the same life always; let alone an ordinary man. Sorrow would come to a person who lived happily once. Happiness would come to a person who lived in sadness once.
A person should have a good grip on those laws which affect one’s life. An ignoramus, who does not know about them, acts conceitedly, thinking himself superior than the rest when he partakes profit, fame, honor and happiness. Intoxicated by those laws, he does so many wrong deeds deteriorating his life both in this world and the life after death.
He repents badly when he has to face loss, anonymity, humiliation and sorrow. He does so many bad deeds because of hatred and jealousy of the others. Thus, deteriorating his life both in this world and the life after death.
The person who understands about the ‘Laws Relating to the Vicissitude of Life’ never becomes conceited when he partakes profit, fame, honor and happiness. He knows the frailty in them and never acts conceited, thinking others inferior and himself superior.
In loss, anonymity, humiliation and sorrow, he does not become miserable. Does not hate or act jealous towards the others. Does not think himself inferior. Thus, the intelligent person who takes the middle path concerning the ‘Laws Relating to the Vicissitude of Life’, upgrades his life both in this birth and the life after death.
Being conservative regarding the ‘Laws Relating to the Vicissitude of Life’ is a quality of noble people with great ideas. Being conceited and sorrowful regarding the ‘Laws Relating to the Vicissitude of Life’ is a quality of lowly, inferior people.