Monks, the uninstructed worldling speaks of these three difficulties that separate mother and son.

What three?

There comes a time when a great wildfire arises. When the great wildfire has arisen, it burns up villages, towns, and cities. When villages, towns, and cities are burning up, the mother does not find her son and the son does not find his mother. This is the first difficulty that separates mother and son of which the uninstructed worldling speaks.

Again, there comes a time when a great rain cloud arises. When the great rain cloud has arisen, a great landslide takes place. When the great landslide takes place, villages, towns, and cities are swept away. When villages, towns, and cities are being swept away, the mother does not find her son and the son does not find his mother. This is the second difficulty that separates mother and son of which the uninstructed worldling speaks.

Again, there comes a time of a dangerous windstorm in the wilderness, when the people of the countryside, mounted on their vehicles, flee on all sides. When there is a dangerous windstorm in the wilderness, and the people of the countryside, mounted on their vehicles, are fleeing on all sides, the mother does not find her son and the son does not find his mother. This is the third difficulty that separates mother and son of which the uninstructed worldling speaks.

These are the three difficulties that separate mother and son of which the uninstructed worldling speaks.

There are, Monks, these three difficulties when mother and son reconnect that the uninstructed worldling speaks of as difficulties that separate mother and son.

What three?

There comes a time when a great wildfire arises, when a great rain cloud arises, and there comes a time of a dangerous windstorm in the wilderness, there is sometimes an occasion when the mother finds her son and the son finds his mother.

These are the three difficulties when mother and son reconnect that the uninstructed worldling speak of as difficulties that separate mother and son.