AN 8 The Book of the Eights – Aṭṭhakanipāta > AN 8.73 Mindfulness of Death (1st)

Numbered Discourses 8.73 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.73

8. Pairs – 8. Yamakavagga

AN 8.73 Mindfulness of Death (1st) – Paṭhamamaraṇassatisutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying at Nādika in the brick house.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nātike viharati giñjakāvasathe.

1.2

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū,

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

1.3

“Bhikkhū!”

“bhikkhavo”ti.

1.4

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

1.5

The Buddha said this:

Bhagavā etadavoca:

1.6

“Bhikkhū, when mindfulness of death is developed and cultivated it’s very fruitful and beneficial. It culminates in the deathless and ends with the deathless.

“maraṇassati, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā.

1.7

But do you develop mindfulness of death?”

Bhāvetha no tumhe, bhikkhave, maraṇassatin”ti.

2.1

When he said this, one of the bhikkhū said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2.2

“Sir, I develop mindfulness of death.”

“ahaṁ kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

2.3

“But bhikkhu, how do you develop it?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti?

2.4

“In this case, sir, I think:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

2.5

‘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.’

‘aho vatāhaṁ rattindivaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

2.6

That’s how I develop mindfulness of death.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

3.1

Another bhikkhu said to the Buddha,

Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

3.2

“Sir, I too develop mindfulness of death.”

“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

3.3

“But bhikkhu, how do you develop it?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti?

3.4

“In this case, sir, I think:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

3.5

‘Oh, if I’d only live for another day, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’

‘aho vatāhaṁ divasaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

3.6

That’s how I develop mindfulness of death.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

4.1

Another bhikkhu said to the Buddha,

Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

4.2

“Sir, I too develop mindfulness of death.”

“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

4.3

“But bhikkhu, how do you develop it?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti?

4.4

“In this case, sir, I think:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

4.5

‘Oh, if I’d only live for half a day, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’

‘aho vatāhaṁ upaḍḍhadivasaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

4.6

That’s how I develop mindfulness of death.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

5.1

Another bhikkhu said to the Buddha,

Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

5.2

“Sir, I too develop mindfulness of death.”

“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

5.3

“But bhikkhu, how do you develop it?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti?

5.4

“In this case, sir, I think:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

5.5

‘Oh, if I’d only live as long as it takes to eat a single almsmeal, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ ekapiṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

5.6

That’s how I develop mindfulness of death.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

6.1

Another bhikkhu said to the Buddha,

Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

6.2

“Sir, I too develop mindfulness of death.”

“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

6.3

“But bhikkhu, how do you develop it?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti?

6.4

“In this case, sir, I think:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

6.5

‘Oh, if I’d only live as long as it takes to eat half an almsmeal, I’d focus on the Buddha’s instructions and I could really achieve a lot.’

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ upaḍḍhapiṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

6.6

That’s how I develop mindfulness of death.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

7.1

Another bhikkhu said to the Buddha,

Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

7.2

“Sir, I too develop mindfulness of death.”

“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

7.3

“But bhikkhu, how do you develop it?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti?

7.4

“In this case, sir, I think:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

7.5

‘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.’

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ cattāro pañca ālope saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

7.6

That’s how I develop mindfulness of death.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

8.1

Another bhikkhu said to the Buddha,

Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

8.2

“Sir, I too develop mindfulness of death.”

“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

8.3

“But bhikkhu, how do you develop it?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti?

8.4

“In this case, sir, I think:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

8.5

‘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.’

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ ekaṁ ālopaṁ saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

8.6

That’s how I develop mindfulness of death.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

9.1

Another bhikkhu said to the Buddha,

Aññataropi kho bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

9.2

“Sir, I too develop mindfulness of death.”

“ahampi kho, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

9.3

“But bhikkhu, how do you develop it?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, bhāvesi maraṇassatin”ti?

9.4

“In this case, sir, I think:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:

9.5

‘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.’

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ assasitvā vā passasāmi, passasitvā vā assasāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

9.6

That’s how I develop mindfulness of death.”

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhāvemi maraṇassatin”ti.

10.1

When this was said, the Buddha said to those bhikkhū:

Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā te bhikkhū etadavoca:

10.2

“The bhikkhū who develop mindfulness of death by wishing

“yvāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:

10.3

to live for a day and night …

‘aho vatāhaṁ rattindivaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

10.4

Yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:

10.5

or to live for a day …

‘aho vatāhaṁ divasaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti;

10.6

yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:

10.7

or to live for half a day …

‘aho vatāhaṁ upaḍḍhadivasaṁ jīveyyaṁ, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

10.8

Yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:

10.9

or to live as long as it takes to eat a meal of almsfood …

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ ekapiṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti;

10.10

yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:

10.11

or to live as long as it takes to eat half a meal of almsfood …

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ upaḍḍhapiṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

10.12

Yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:

10.13

or to live as long as it takes to chew and swallow four or five mouthfuls …

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ cattāro pañca ālope saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti—

10.14

These are called bhikkhū who live negligently. They slackly develop mindfulness of death for the ending of defilements.

ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhū pamattā viharanti, dandhaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāventi āsavānaṁ khayāya’.

11.1

But the bhikkhū who develop mindfulness of death by wishing

Yo ca khvāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:

11.2

to live as long as it takes to chew and swallow a single mouthful …

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ ekaṁ ālopaṁ saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti.

11.3

Yo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāveti:

11.4

or to live as long as it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out …

‘aho vatāhaṁ tadantaraṁ jīveyyaṁ yadantaraṁ assasitvā vā passasāmi, passasitvā vā assasāmi, bhagavato sāsanaṁ manasi kareyyaṁ, bahu vata me kataṁ assā’ti—

11.5

These are called bhikkhū who live diligently. They keenly develop mindfulness of death for the ending of defilements.

ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, ‘bhikkhū appamattā viharanti, tikkhaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāventi āsavānaṁ khayāya’.

12.1

So you should train like this:

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

12.2

‘We will live diligently. We will keenly develop mindfulness of death for the ending of defilements.’

‘appamattā viharissāma, tikkhaṁ maraṇassatiṁ bhāvayissāma āsavānaṁ khayāyā’ti.

12.3

That’s how you should train.”

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

12.4

Tatiyaṁ.