4.
The Second Discourse on Recollection of Death
74.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Nātikā in the brick house.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks, etc.
"Recollection of death, monks, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and great benefit, grounded upon the Deathless, having the Deathless as its final goal.
And how, monks, is recollection of death developed, how is it cultivated, so that it is of great fruit and great benefit, grounded upon the Deathless, having the Deathless as its final goal? Here, monks, a monk, when the day has departed and night has set in, considers thus - 'Many indeed are the conditions for my death - a snake might bite me, or a scorpion might bite me, or a centipede might bite me; on account of that there would be death for me. That would be an obstacle for me. Or I might stumble and fall, or the food I have eaten might make me ill, or my bile might become disturbed, or my phlegm might become disturbed, or cutting winds might become disturbed, or human beings might attack me, or non-human spirits might attack me; on account of that there would be death for me. That would be an obstacle for me.' By that monk, monks, it should be considered thus - 'Are there any evil unwholesome mental states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle for me if I were to die during the night?'"
"If, monks, a monk reviewing thus knows - 'There are evil unwholesome mental states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle for me if I were to die during the night,' by that monk, monks, for the abandoning of those very evil unwholesome mental states, exceeding desire and effort and endeavour and enthusiasm and unremitting and mindfulness and full awareness is to be done.
Just as, monks, one whose garment is on fire or whose head is on fire, for the quenching of that very garment or head, would make exceeding desire and effort and endeavour and enthusiasm and unremitting and mindfulness and full awareness; so too, monks, by that monk, for the abandoning of those very evil unwholesome mental states, exceeding desire and effort and endeavour and enthusiasm and unremitting and mindfulness and full awareness is to be done.
"But if, monks, a monk reviewing thus knows - 'There are no evil unwholesome mental states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle for me if I were to die during the night,' by that monk, monks, there should be dwelling with that very joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome mental states.
"Here again, monks, a monk, when the night has departed and day has set in, considers thus - 'Many indeed are the conditions for my death - a snake might bite me, or a scorpion might bite me, or a centipede might bite me; on account of that there would be death for me. That would be an obstacle for me. Or I might stumble and fall, or the food I have eaten might make me ill, or my bile might become disturbed, or my phlegm might become disturbed, or cutting winds might become disturbed, or human beings might attack me, or non-human spirits might attack me; on account of that there would be death for me. That would be an obstacle for me.' By that monk, monks, it should be considered thus - 'Are there any evil unwholesome mental states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle for me if I were to die during the day?'"
"If, monks, a monk reviewing thus knows - 'There are evil unwholesome mental states not abandoned in me, which would be an obstacle for me if I were to die during the day,' by that monk, monks, for the abandoning of those very evil unwholesome mental states, exceeding desire and effort and endeavour and enthusiasm and unremitting and mindfulness and full awareness is to be done.
Just as, monks, one whose garment is on fire or whose head is on fire, for the quenching of that very garment or head, would make exceeding desire and effort and endeavour and enthusiasm and unremitting and mindfulness and full awareness; so too, monks, by that monk, for the abandoning of those very evil unwholesome mental states, exceeding desire and effort and endeavour and enthusiasm and unremitting and mindfulness and full awareness is to be done.
"But if, monks, a monk reviewing thus knows - 'There are no evil unwholesome mental states in me not abandoned, which would be an obstacle for me if I were to die during the day,' by that monk there should be dwelling with that very joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome mental states. Thus developed, monks, recollection of death, thus cultivated, is of great fruit and great benefit, grounded upon the Deathless, having the Deathless as its final goal." The fourth.