is Sanskrit and PÃÂli for "old age" () and "death" (). In Buddhism, jaramarana is associated with the inevitable decay and death-related suffering of all beings prior to their rebirth within saá¹ÂsÃÂra (cyclic existence).
Jaràand maraá¹Âa are identified as the twelfth link within the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination.
The word jarÃÂ is related to the older Vedic Sanskrit word jarÃÂ, jaras, jarati, gerÃÂ, which means "to become brittle, to decay, to be consumed". The Vedic root is related to the Latin ', Goth. kaurn, Greek geras, geros (later geriatric) all of which in one context mean "hardening, old age".
The word maraá¹Âa is based on the Vedic Sanskrit root má¹Â, mriyate which means death. The Vedic root is related to later Sanskrit marta, as well as to German ', Lith. mirti, Latin and ', and Greek üÃÂÃÂÿÃÂ, all of which mean "to die, death".
Within the teachings on the Four Noble Truths, jaràand maraá¹Âa are identified as aspects of dukkha (suffering, anxiety, unsatisfactoriness). For example, The Discourse That Sets Turning the Wheel of Truth states:
Elsewhere in the canon the Buddha further elaborates on JarÃÂmaraá¹Âa (aging and death):
JarÃÂmaraa is the last of the Twelve NidÃÂnas, directly conditioned by birth (jÃÂti), meaning that all who are born are destined to age and die.
In the Buddhist Pali Canon's "Subjects for Contemplation Discourse" (Upajjhatthana Sutta, AN 5.57), the Buddha enjoins followers to reflect often on the following:
In the Pali Canon, aging and death affect all beings, including gods, humans, animals and those born in a hell realm. Only beings who achieve enlightenment (bodhi) in this lifetime escape rebirth in this cycle of birth-and-death (sasÃÂra).
As what the Buddha instructed King Pasenadi of Kosala about aging and death in the Pabbatopama Sutta (SN 3.25):
The Dhammapada has one chapter known as "Jaravagga", that consisted of eleven verses about old age, (from verse 146 to 156).