19. Paṭhamamaraṇassatisutta |
19. rememberfulness of Death (1st) |
Ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā nātike viharati giñjakāvasathe. |
At one time the Buddha was staying at Nādika in the brick house. |
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: |
There the Buddha addressed the monks: |
“bhikkhavo”ti. |
“monks!” |
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ. |
“Venerable sir,” they replied. |
Bhagavā etadavoca: |
The Buddha said this: |
“maraṇassati, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā. |
“monks, when rememberfulness of death is developed and cultivated it’s very fruitful and beneficial. It culminates in the deathless and ends with the deathless. |
Bhāvetha no tumhe, bhikkhave, maraṇassatin”ti? |
But do you develop rememberfulness of death?” |
Evaṃ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: |
When he said this, one of the monks said to the Buddha: |
“ahaṃ kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. |
“Sir, I develop rememberfulness of death.” |
“Yathā kathaṃ pana tvaṃ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti? |
“But monk, how do you develop it?” |
“Idha mayhaṃ, bhante, evaṃ hoti: |
“In this case, sir, I think: |
‘aho vatāhaṃ rattindivaṃ jīveyyaṃ, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. |
‘Oh, if I’d only live for another day and night, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’ |
Evaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. (1) |
That’s how I develop rememberfulness of death.” |
Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: |
Another monk said to the Buddha: |
“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. |
“Sir, I too develop rememberfulness of death.” |
“Yathā kathaṃ pana tvaṃ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti? |
“But monk, how do you develop it?” |
“Idha mayhaṃ, bhante, evaṃ hoti: |
“In this case, sir, I think: |
‘aho vatāhaṃ divasaṃ jīveyyaṃ, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. |
‘Oh, if I’d only live for another day, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’ |
Evaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. (2) |
That’s how I develop rememberfulness of death.” |
Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: |
Another monk said to the Buddha: |
“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. |
“Sir, I too develop rememberfulness of death.” |
“Yathā kathaṃ pana tvaṃ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti? |
“But monk, how do you develop it?” |
“Idha mayhaṃ, bhante, evaṃ hoti: |
“In this case, sir, I think: |
‘aho vatāhaṃ tadantaraṃ jīveyyaṃ yadantaraṃ ekapiṇḍapātaṃ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. |
‘Oh, if I’d only live as long as it takes to eat a meal of alms-food, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’ |
Evaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. (3) |
That’s how I develop rememberfulness of death.” |
Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: |
Another monk said to the Buddha: |
“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. |
“Sir, I too develop rememberfulness of death.” |
“Yathā kathaṃ pana tvaṃ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti? |
“But monk, how do you develop it?” |
“Idha mayhaṃ, bhante, evaṃ hoti: |
“In this case, sir, I think: |
‘aho vatāhaṃ tadantaraṃ jīveyyaṃ yadantaraṃ cattāro pañca ālope saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. |
‘Oh, if I’d only live as long as it takes to chew and swallow four or five mouthfuls, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’ |
Evaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. (4) |
That’s how I develop rememberfulness of death.” |
Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: |
Another monk said to the Buddha: |
“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. |
“Sir, I too develop rememberfulness of death.” |
“Yathā kathaṃ pana tvaṃ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti? |
“But monk, how do you develop it?” |
“Idha mayhaṃ, bhante, evaṃ hoti: |
“In this case, sir, I think: |
‘aho vatāhaṃ tadantaraṃ jīveyyaṃ yadantaraṃ ekaṃ ālopaṃ saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. |
‘Oh, if I’d only live as long as it takes to chew and swallow a single mouthful, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’ |
Evaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. (5) |
That’s how I develop rememberfulness of death.” |
Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: |
Another monk said to the Buddha: |
“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. |
“Sir, I too develop rememberfulness of death.” |
“Yathā kathaṃ pana tvaṃ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti? |
“But monk, how do you develop it?” |
“Idha mayhaṃ, bhante, evaṃ hoti: |
“In this case, sir, I think: |
‘aho vatāhaṃ tadantaraṃ jīveyyaṃ yadantaraṃ assasitvā vā passasāmi passasitvā vā assasāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. |
‘Oh, if I’d only live as long as it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’ |
Evaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti. (6) |
That’s how I develop rememberfulness of death.” |
Evaṃ vutte, bhagavā te bhikkhū etadavoca: |
When this was said, the Buddha said to those monks: |
“yo cāyaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāveti: |
“The monks who develop rememberfulness of death by wishing |
‘aho vatāhaṃ rattindivaṃ jīveyyaṃ, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. (1) |
to live for a day and night … |
Yo cāyaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāveti: |
|
‘aho vatāhaṃ divasaṃ jīveyyaṃ, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. (2) |
or to live for a day … |
Yo cāyaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāveti: |
|
‘aho vatāhaṃ tadantaraṃ jīveyyaṃ yadantaraṃ ekapiṇḍapātaṃ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. (3) |
or to live as long as it takes to eat a meal of alms-food … |
Yo cāyaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāveti: |
|
‘aho vatāhaṃ tadantaraṃ jīveyyaṃ yadantaraṃ cattāro pañca ālope saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. (4) |
or to live as long as it takes to chew and swallow four or five mouthfuls … |
Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, bhikkhū pamattā viharanti dandhaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāventi āsavānaṃ khayāya. (1–4.) |
These are called monks who live negligently. They slackly develop rememberfulness of death for the ending of defilements. |
Yo ca khvāyaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāveti: |
But the monks who develop rememberfulness of death by wishing |
‘aho vatāhaṃ tadantaraṃ jīveyyaṃ yadantaraṃ ekaṃ ālopaṃ saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. (5) |
to live as long as it takes to chew and swallow a single mouthful … |
Yo cāyaṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāveti: |
|
‘aho vatāhaṃ tadantaraṃ jīveyyaṃ yadantaraṃ assasitvā vā passasāmi passasitvā vā assasāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasi kareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ti. (6) |
or to live as long as it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out … |
Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, bhikkhū appamattā viharanti tikkhaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāventi āsavānaṃ khayāya. (5–6.) |
These are called monks who live diligently. They keenly develop rememberfulness of death for the ending of defilements. |
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ: |
So you should train like this: |
‘appamattā viharissāma, tikkhaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāvessāma āsavānaṃ khayāyā’ti. |
‘We will live diligently. We will keenly develop rememberfulness of death for the ending of defilements.’ |
Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti. |
That’s how you should train.” |