1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Nādika in the brick hall. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus!"

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nātike viharati giñjakāvasathe. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:  "bhikkhavo"ti.

"Venerable sir!" those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

"Bhikkhus, mindfulness of death, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, culminating in the deathless, having the deathless as its consummation. But do you, bhikkhus, develop mindfulness of death?"

2(1) When this was said, one bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "Bhante, I develop mindfulness of death."

"Māraṇassati, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā. Bhāvetha no tumhe, bhikkhave, maraṇassatin"ti.

2Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "ahaṁ kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti.

"But how, bhikkhu, do you develop mindfulness of death?"

"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin"ti?

"Here, Bhante, I think thus: ‘May I live just a night and a day so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’ It is in this way that I develop mindfulness of death."

"Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ rattindivaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti. (1)

3(2) Another bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "I too, Bhante, develop mindfulness of death."

3Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti.

"But how, bhikkhu, do you develop mindfulness of death?"

"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin"ti?

"Here, Bhante, I think: ‘May I live just a day so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’ It is in this way that I develop mindfulness of death."

"Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ divasaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti. (2)

4(3) Still another bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "I too, Bhante, develop mindfulness of death."

4Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti.

"But how, bhikkhu, do you develop mindfulness of death?"

"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin"ti?

"Here, Bhante, I think: ‘May I live just half a day so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’ It is in this way that I develop mindfulness of death."

"Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ upaḍḍhadivasaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti. (3)

5(4) Still another bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "I too, Bhante, develop mindfulness of death."

5Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti.

"But how, bhikkhu, do you develop mindfulness of death?"

"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin"ti?

"Here, Bhante, I think: ‘May I live just the time it takes to eat a single alms meal so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’ It is in this way that I develop mindfulness of death."

"Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ ekapiṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti. (4)

6(5) Still another bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "I too, Bhante, develop mindfulness of death."

6Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti.

"But how, bhikkhu, do you develop mindfulness of death?"

"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin"ti?

"Here, Bhante, I think: ‘May I live just the time it takes to eat half an alms meal so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’ It is in this way that I develop mindfulness of death."

"Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ upaḍḍhapiṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti. (5)

7(6) Still another bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "I too, Bhante, develop mindfulness of death."

7Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti.

"But how, bhikkhu, do you develop mindfulness of death?"

"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin"ti?

"Here, Bhante, I think: ‘May I live just the time it takes to chew and swallow four or five mouthfuls of food so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’ It is in this way that I develop mindfulness of death."

"Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ cattāro pañca ālope saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti. (6)

8(7) Still another bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "I too, Bhante, develop mindfulness of death."

8Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti.

"But how, bhikkhu, do you develop mindfulness of death?"

"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin"ti?

"Here, Bhante, I think: ‘May I live just the time it takes to chew and swallow a single mouthful of food so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’ It is in this way that I develop mindfulness of death."

"Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ ekaṁ ālopaṁ saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti. (7)

9(8) Still another bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "I too, Bhante, develop mindfulness of death."

9Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti.

"But how, bhikkhu, do you develop mindfulness of death?"

"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin"ti?

"Here, Bhante, I think: ‘May I live just the time it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’ It is in this way that I develop mindfulness of death."

"Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ assasitvā vā passasāmi, passasitvā vā assasāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin"ti. (8)

10When this was said, the Blessed One said to those bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, (1) the bhikkhu who develops mindfulness of death thus: ‘May I live just a night and a day so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’; and (2) the one who develops mindfulness of death thus: ‘May I live just a day so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’; and (3) the one who develops mindfulness of death thus: ‘May I live just half a day so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’; and (4) the one who develops mindfulness of death thus: ‘May I live just the length of time it takes to eat a single alms meal so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’; and (5) the one who develops mindfulness of death thus: ‘May I live just the length of time it takes to eat half an alms meal so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’; and (6) the one who develops mindfulness of death thus: ‘May I live just the length of time it takes to chew and swallow four or five mouthfuls of food so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’: these are called bhikkhus who dwell heedlessly. They develop mindfulness of death sluggishly for the destruction of the taints.

10Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā te bhikkhū etadavoca:  "yvāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ rattindivaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ divasaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti; yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ upaḍḍhadivasaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ ekapiṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti; yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ upaḍḍhapiṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ cattāro pañca ālope saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti – ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhū pamattā viharanti, dandhaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāventi āsavānaṁ khayāya’.

11"But (7) the bhikkhu who develops mindfulness of death thus: ‘May I live just the length of time it takes to chew and swallow a single mouthful of food so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’; and (8) the one who develops mindfulness of death thus: ‘May I live just the length of time it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!’: these are called bhikkhus who dwell heedfully. They develop mindfulness of death keenly for the destruction of the taints.

11Yo ca khvāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ ekaṁ ālopaṁ saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti. Yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:  ‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ assasitvā vā passasāmi, passasitvā vā assasāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti – ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhū appamattā viharanti, tikkhaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāventi āsavānaṁ khayāya’.

12"Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell heedfully. We will develop mindfulness of death keenly for the destruction of the taints.’ Thus should you train yourselves."

12Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:  ‘appamattā viharissāma, tikkhaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāvayissāma āsavānaṁ khayāyā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.

Tatiyaṁ.