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Pitaka » Anguttara Nikaya » Context
of this sutta
- Anguttara Nikaya VI.20
- Maranassati Sutta
- Mindfulness of Death (2)
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was staying at Nadika,
in the Brick Hall. There he addressed the monks, "Monks, mindfulness of death -- when
developed & pursued -- is of great fruit & great benefit. It plunges into the
Deathless, has the Deathless as its final end. And how is mindfulness of death developed
& pursued so that it is of great fruit & great benefit, plunges into the
Deathless, and has the Deathless as its final end?
"There is the case where a monk, as day departs and night returns, reflects: 'Many
are the [possible] causes of my death. A snake might bite me, a scorpion might sting me, a
centipede might bite me. That would be how my death would come about. That would be an
obstruction for me. Stumbling, I might fall; my food, digested, might trouble me; my bile
might be provoked, my phlegm...piercing wind forces [in the body] might be provoked. That
would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction for me.' Then the
monk should investigate: 'Are there any evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by
me that would be an obstruction for me were I to die in the night?' If, on reflecting, he
realizes that there are evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by him that would be
an obstruction for him were he to die in the night, then he should put forth extra desire,
effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness for the abandoning of
those very same evil, unskillful qualities. Just as when a person
whose turban or head was on fire would put forth extra desire, effort, diligence,
endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness to put out the fire on his turban or
head, in the same way the monk should put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor,
undivided mindfulness, & alertness for the abandoning of those very same evil,
unskillful qualities. But if, on reflecting, he realizes that there are no evil,
unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by him that would be an obstruction for him were
he to die in the night, then for that very reason he should dwell in joy & rapture,
training himself day & night in skillful qualities.
"Further, there is the case where a monk, as night departs and day returns,
reflects: 'Many are the [possible] causes of my death. A snake might bite me, a scorpion
might sting me, a centipede might bite me. That would be how my death would come about.
That would be an obstruction for me. Stumbling, I might fall; my food, digested, might
trouble me; my bile might be provoked, my phlegm...piercing wind forces [in the body]
might be provoked. That would be how my death would come about. That would be an
obstruction for me.' Then the monk should investigate: 'Are there any evil, unskillful
mental qualities unabandoned by me that would be an obstruction for me were I to die
during the day?' If, on reflecting, he realizes that there are evil, unskillful mental
qualities unabandoned by him that would be an obstruction for him were he to die during
the day, then he should put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided
mindfulness, & alertness for the abandoning of those very same evil, unskillful
qualities. Just as when a person whose turban or head was on fire
would put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, &
alertness to put out the fire on his turban or head, in the same way the monk should put
forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness
for the abandoning of those very same evil, unskillful qualities. But if, on reflecting,
he realizes that there are no evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by him that
would be an obstruction for him were he to die during the day, then for that very reason
he should dwell in joy & rapture, training himself day & night in skillful
qualities.
"This, monks, is how mindfulness of death is developed & pursued so that it is
of great fruit & great benefit, plunges into the Deathless, and has the Deathless as
its final end."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's
words.