Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.20 2.

Dutiyamaraṇassatisutta

Sāraṇīyavagga Dutiyamaraṇassatisutta Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nātike viharati giñjakāvasathe.

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Nātika in the Brick Hall. There, the Blessed One addressed the disciples:

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “maraṇassati, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā.

Mindfulness of death when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as its consummation.

Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, maraṇassati kathaṁ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā?

How is mindfulness of death developed and cultivated to be of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as its consummation?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu divase nikkhante rattiyā patihitāya iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘bahukā kho me paccayā maraṇassa— ahi vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, vicchiko vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, satapadī vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya; tena me assa kālakiriyā, so mamassa antarāyo.

Here a disciple reflects at the end of the day, as night falls: There are many causes for my death: a snake might bite me, a scorpion might sting me, a centipede might bite me; that would be an obstacle for me.

Upakkhalitvā vā papateyyaṁ, bhattaṁ vā me bhuttaṁ byāpajjeyya, pittaṁ vā me kuppeyya, semhaṁ vā me kuppeyya, satthakā vā me vātā kuppeyyuṁ; tena me assa kālakiriyā, so mamassa antarāyo’ti.

I might stumble and fall, the food I have eaten might cause me trouble, my bile or phlegm might be disturbed, or the bodily humors might be disturbed; that would be an obstacle for me.

Tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā iti paṭisañcikkhitabbaṁ: ‘atthi nu kho me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu rattiṁ kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti.

Therefore a disciple should reflect: Are there any unskillful, unwholesome states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle if I were to die tonight?

Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘atthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu rattiṁ kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṁyeva pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ.

If, upon reflection, a disciple knows: There are unskillful, unwholesome states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle if I were to die tonight, then that disciple should arouse extraordinary desire, effort, enthusiasm, resolution, mindfulness, and clear knowing for the abandoning of those very unskillful, unwholesome states.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ādittacelo vā ādittasīso vā tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimattaṁ chandañca vāyāmañca ussāhañca ussoḷhiñca appaṭivāniñca satiñca sampajaññañca kareyya; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tena bhikkhunā tesaṁyeva pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ.

Just as if one's clothes or head were on fire, one would exert extraordinary desire, effort, enthusiasm, resolution, mindfulness, and clear knowing to extinguish the fire on one's clothes or head; similarly that disciple should exert effort for the abandoning of those very unskillful, unwholesome states.

Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘natthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu rattiṁ kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṁ ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesu.

If, however, upon reflection, a disciple knows: There are no unskillful, unwholesome states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle if I were to die tonight, then that disciple should dwell with joy and happiness, training day and night in wholesome states.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rattiyā nikkhantāya divase patihite iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘bahukā kho me paccayā maraṇassa— ahi vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, vicchiko vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, satapadī vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya; tena me assa kālakiriyā so mamassa antarāyo.

Here a disciple reflects at the dawn of day: There are many causes for my death: a snake might bite me, a scorpion might sting me, a centipede might bite me; that would be an obstacle for me.

Upakkhalitvā vā papateyyaṁ, bhattaṁ vā me bhuttaṁ byāpajjeyya, pittaṁ vā me kuppeyya, semhaṁ vā me kuppeyya, satthakā vā me vātā kuppeyyuṁ; tena me assa kālakiriyā so mamassa antarāyo’ti.

I might stumble and fall, the food I have eaten might cause me trouble, my bile or phlegm might be disturbed, or the bodily humors might be disturbed; that would be an obstacle for me.

Tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā iti paṭisañcikkhitabbaṁ: ‘atthi nu kho me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu divā kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti.

Therefore a disciple should reflect: Are there any unskillful, unwholesome states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle if I were to die today?

Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘atthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu divā kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṁyeva pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ.

If, upon reflection, a disciple knows: There are unskillful, unwholesome states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle if I were to die today, then that disciple should arouse extraordinary desire, effort, enthusiasm, resolution, mindfulness, and clear knowing for the abandoning of those very unskillful, unwholesome states.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ādittacelo vā ādittasīso vā tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimattaṁ chandañca vāyāmañca ussāhañca ussoḷhiñca appaṭivāniñca satiñca sampajaññañca kareyya; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tena bhikkhunā tesaṁyeva pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ.

Just as if one's clothes or head were on fire, one would exert extraordinary desire, effort, enthusiasm, resolution, mindfulness, and clear knowing to extinguish the fire on one's clothes or head; similarly that disciple should exert effort for the abandoning of those very unskillful, unwholesome states.

Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘natthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu divā kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṁ ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesu. Evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, maraṇassati evaṁ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā”ti.

If, however, upon reflection, a disciple knows: There are no unskillful, unwholesome states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle if I were to die today, then that disciple should dwell with joy and happiness, training day and night in wholesome states.

Dasamaṁ. Sāraṇīyavaggo dutiyo. Tassuddānaṁ Dve sāraṇī nisāraṇīyaṁ, bhaddakaṁ anutappiyaṁ; Nakulaṁ soppamacchā ca, dve honti maraṇassatīti.

Thus developed mindfulness of death is of great fruit and benefit, leading to the deathless, having the deathless as its consummation.