AN 6.19 maraṇa-s-sati: what if it's the last bite you ever eat

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AN 6.19 Paṭhamamaraṇassati: rememberfulness of Death (1st)

• 6.19.1 - ( If I’d only live for another day and night)
• 6.19.2 - ( If I’d only live for another day)
• 6.19.3 - ( If I’d only live as long as it takes to eat a meal)
• 6.19.4 - ( … to chew and swallow four or five mouthfuls)
• 6.19.5 - ( to chew and swallow a single mouthful)
• 6.19.6 - ( … to breathe out after breathing in)
• 6.19.7 - (#1-4 doesn’t meet Buddha’s standard)
• 6.19.8 - (#5-6 meets Buddha’s standards)

(2023 SP-FLUENT translation by frankk‍ derived from B. Sujato‍)

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?”

§19.1 – ( If I’d only live for another day and night)

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.”

§19.2 – ( If I’d only live for another day)

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.”

§19.3 – ( If I’d only live as long as it takes to eat a meal)

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.”

§19.4 – ( … to chew and swallow four or five mouthfuls)

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.”

§19.5 – ( to chew and swallow a single mouthful)

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.”

§19.6 – ( … to breathe out after breathing in)

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.”

§19.7 – (#1-4 doesn’t meet Buddha’s standard)

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 asinine-inclinations.

§19.8 – (#5-6 meets Buddha’s standards)

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 assiduously. They ardently develop rememberfulness of death for the ending of asinine-inclinations.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ:	So you should train like this:
‘appamattā viharissāma, tikkhaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāvessāma āsavānaṃ khayāyā’ti.	‘We will live assiduously. We will ardently develop rememberfulness of death for the ending of asinine-inclinations.’
Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.	That’s how you should train.”

end of section [6.19 - AN 6.19 Paṭhamamaraṇassati: rememberfulness of Death (1st)]❧