At one time the Buddha was staying at Ñātika in the brick house. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nātike viharati giñjakāvasathe. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi …pe… “Mendicants, when mindfulness of death is developed and cultivated it’s very fruitful and beneficial. It culminates in freedom from death and ends in freedom from death. maraṇassati, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā.

And how is mindfulness of death developed and cultivated to be very fruitful and beneficial, to culminate in freedom from death and end in freedom from death? Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, maraṇassati kathaṁ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā? As day passes by and night draws close, a mendicant reflects: Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu divase nikkhante rattiyā patihitāya iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘I might die of many causes. ‘bahukā kho me paccayā maraṇassa—A snake might bite me, or a scorpion or centipede might sting me. ahi vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, vicchiko vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, satapadī vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya; And if I died from that it would be an obstacle to my progress. tena me assa kālakiriyā. So mama assa antarāyo. Or I might stumble off a cliff, or get food poisoning, or suffer a disturbance of bile, phlegm, or piercing winds. Or I might be attacked by humans or non-humans. Upakkhalitvā vā papateyyaṁ, bhattaṁ vā me bhuttaṁ byāpajjeyya, pittaṁ vā me kuppeyya, semhaṁ vā me kuppeyya, satthakā vā me vātā kuppeyyuṁ, manussā vā maṁ upakkameyyuṁ, amanussā vā maṁ upakkameyyuṁ; And if I died from that it would be an obstacle to my progress.’ tena me assa kālakiriyā. So mama assa antarāyo’ti. That mendicant should reflect: Tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā iti paṭisañcikkhitabbaṁ: ‘Are there any bad, unskillful qualities that I haven’t given up, which might be an obstacle to my progress if I die tonight?’ ‘atthi nu kho me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā ye me assu rattiṁ kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti.

Suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows that Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: there are such bad, unskillful qualities. Then in order to give them up they should apply extraordinary enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness. ‘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.

Suppose your clothes or head were on fire. In order to extinguish it, you’d apply extraordinary enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ādittacelo vā ādittasīso vā tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimattaṁ chandañca vāyāmañca ussāhañca ussoḷhiñca appaṭivāniñca satiñca sampajaññañca kareyya; In the same way, in order to give up those bad, unskillful qualities, that mendicant should apply extraordinary enthusiasm … 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.

But suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows that Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: there are no such bad, unskillful qualities. Then that mendicant should meditate with rapture and joy, training day and night in skillful qualities. ‘natthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā ye me assu rattiṁ kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṁ ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesu.

Or else, as night passes by and day draws close, a mendicant reflects: Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rattiyā nikkhantāya divase patihite iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘I might die of many causes. ‘bahukā kho me paccayā maraṇassa—A snake might bite me, or a scorpion or centipede might sting me. ahi vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, vicchiko vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, satapadī vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya; And if I died from that it would be an obstacle to my progress. tena me assa kālakiriyā. So mama assa antarāyo. Or I might stumble off a cliff, or get food poisoning, or suffer a disturbance of bile, phlegm, or piercing winds. Or I might be attacked by humans or non-humans. Upakkhalitvā vā papateyyaṁ, bhattaṁ vā me bhuttaṁ byāpajjeyya, pittaṁ vā me kuppeyya, semhaṁ vā me kuppeyya, satthakā vā me vātā kuppeyyuṁ, manussā vā maṁ upakkameyyuṁ, amanussā vā maṁ upakkameyyuṁ; And if I died from that it would be an obstacle to my progress.’ tena me assa kālakiriyā. So mama assa antarāyo’ti. That mendicant should reflect: Tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā iti paṭisañcikkhitabbaṁ: ‘Are there any bad, unskillful qualities that I haven’t given up, which might be an obstacle to my progress if I die today?’ ‘atthi nu kho me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā ye me assu divā kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti.

Suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows that Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: there are such bad, unskillful qualities. Then in order to give them up they should apply extraordinary enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness. ‘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.

Suppose your clothes or head were on fire. In order to extinguish it, you’d apply extraordinary enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ādittacelo vā ādittasīso vā tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimattaṁ chandañca vāyāmañca ussāhañca ussoḷhiñca appaṭivāniñca satiñca sampajaññañca kareyya; In the same way, in order to give up those bad, unskillful qualities, that mendicant should apply extraordinary enthusiasm … 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.

But suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows that Sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ jānāti: there are no such bad, unskillful qualities. Then that mendicant should meditate with rapture and joy, training day and night in skillful qualities. ‘natthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā ye me assu divā kālaṁ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṁ ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesu. Mindfulness of death, when developed and cultivated in this way, is very fruitful and beneficial. It culminates in freedom from death and ends in freedom from death.” Evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, maraṇassati evaṁ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā”ti.

Catutthaṁ.