[291] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Nādika, in the Brick House (Giñjakāvasatha). There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, mindfulness of death (maraṇassati), when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and great benefit, merging in the deathless, having the deathless as its culmination. And how, bhikkhus, is mindfulness of death developed, how is it cultivated, so that it is of great fruit and great benefit, merging in the deathless, having the deathless as its culmination?
Here, bhikkhus, when the day has departed and the night has set in, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'Many indeed are the conditions (paccayā) of death for me: a snake might bite me, or a scorpion might sting me, or a centipede might bite me — through that I might die, and that would be an obstacle for me. Or I might stumble and fall down, or the food I have eaten might disagree with me, or my bile might become agitated, or my phlegm might become agitated, or the knife-like winds in me might become agitated — through that I might die, and that would be an obstacle for me.' Then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should reflect thus: 'Are there in me any evil, unwholesome states (pāpakā akusalā dhammā) not yet abandoned, which would be an obstacle for me were I to die during the night?' If, bhikkhus, upon reviewing, the bhikkhu knows thus: 'There are in me evil, unwholesome states not yet abandoned, which would be an obstacle for me were I to die during the night,' then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should apply exceptional desire, effort, endeavour, exertion, unflagging perseverance, mindfulness, and clear comprehension for the abandoning of those very evil, unwholesome states. Just as, bhikkhus, one whose clothes were ablaze or whose head was ablaze would apply exceptional desire, effort, endeavour, exertion, unflagging perseverance, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to extinguish [the fire on] those clothes or that head, even so, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should apply exceptional desire, effort, endeavour, exertion, unflagging perseverance, mindfulness, and clear comprehension for the abandoning of those very evil, unwholesome states. But if, bhikkhus, upon reviewing, the bhikkhu knows thus: 'There are in me no evil, unwholesome states not yet abandoned, which would be an obstacle for me were I to die during the night,' then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should dwell in that very rapture and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states.
But here, bhikkhus, when the night has departed and the day has set in, a bhikkhu reflects thus: 'Many indeed are the conditions of death for me: a snake might bite me, or a scorpion might sting me, or a centipede might bite me — through that I might die, and that would be an obstacle for me. Or I might stumble and fall down, or the food I have eaten might disagree with me, or my bile might become agitated, or my phlegm might become agitated, or the knife-like winds in me might become agitated — through that I might die, and that would be an obstacle for me.' Then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should reflect thus: 'Are there in me any evil, unwholesome states not yet abandoned, which would be an obstacle for me were I to die during the day?' If, bhikkhus, upon reviewing, the bhikkhu knows thus: 'There are in me evil, unwholesome states not yet abandoned, which would be an obstacle for me were I to die during the day,' then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should apply exceptional desire, effort, endeavour, exertion, unflagging perseverance, mindfulness, and clear comprehension for the abandoning of those very evil, unwholesome states. Just as, bhikkhus, one whose clothes were ablaze or whose head was ablaze would apply exceptional desire, effort, endeavour, exertion, unflagging perseverance, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to extinguish [the fire on] those clothes or that head, even so, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should apply exceptional desire, effort, endeavour, exertion, unflagging perseverance, mindfulness, and clear comprehension for the abandoning of those very evil, unwholesome states. But if, bhikkhus, upon reviewing, the bhikkhu knows thus: 'There are in me no evil, unwholesome states not yet abandoned, which would be an obstacle for me were I to die during the day,' then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should dwell in that very rapture and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states.
It is when developed thus, bhikkhus, and cultivated thus, that mindfulness of death is of great fruit and great benefit, merging in the deathless, having the deathless as its culmination."
The Second Chapter: the Sārāṇiyādi Vagga.
Its summary (uddāna):
The two on Sārāṇīya, Mettā,
Bhaddaka, Anutappiya, Nakula,
Kusala, Maccha, and the two
on Maraṇassati — these make ten.
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The Third Chapter: the Anuttariya Vagga
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.