ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā nātike viharati giñjakāvasathe. tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was staying at Nadika, in the Brick Hall. There he addressed the monks:

— “maraṇassati, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā. kathaṃ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, maraṇassati kathaṃ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā?

— "Monks, mindfulness of death — when developed & pursued — is of great fruit & great benefit. It gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its final end. And how is mindfulness of death developed & pursued so that it is of great fruit & great benefit, gains a footing in the Deathless, and has the Deathless as its final end?

“idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu divase nikkhante rattiyā patihitāya iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘bahukā kho me paccayā maraṇassa: ahi vā maṃ ḍaṃseyya, vicchiko vā maṃ ḍaṃseyya, satapadī vā maṃ ḍaṃseyya; tena me assa kālakiriyā, so mamassa antarāyo. upakkhalitvā vā papateyyaṃ, bhattaṃ vā me bhuttaṃ byāpajjeyya, pittaṃ vā me kuppeyya, semhaṃ vā me kuppeyya, satthakā vā me vātā kuppeyyuṃ; tena me assa kālakiriyā, so mamassa antarāyo’ti. tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā iti paṭisañcikkhitabbaṃ: ‘atthi nu kho me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu rattiṃ kālaṃ karontassa antarāyāyā’”ti.

"There is the case where a monk, as day departs and night returns, reflects: 'Many are the [possible] causes of my death. A snake might bite me, a scorpion might sting me, a centipede might bite me. That would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction for me. Stumbling, I might fall; my food, digested, might trouble me; my bile might be provoked, my phlegm might be provoked, piercing wind forces [in the body] might be provoked. That would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction for me.' Then the monk should investigate: 'Are there any evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by me that would be an obstruction for me were I to die in the night?'

“sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṃ jānāti: ‘atthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu rattiṃ kālaṃ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṃyeva pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṃ.

If, on reflecting, he realizes that there are evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by him that would be an obstruction for him were he to die in the night, then he should put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness for the abandoning of those very same evil, unskillful qualities.

seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ādittacelo vā ādittasīso vā tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimattaṃ chandañca vāyāmañca ussāhañca ussoḷhiñca appaṭivāniñca satiñca sampajaññañca kareyya; evamevaṃ kho, bhikkhave, tena bhikkhunā tesaṃyeva pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṃ.

Just as when a person whose turban or head was on fire would put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness to put out the fire on his turban or head, in the same way the monk should put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness for the abandoning of those very same evil, unskillful qualities.

“sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṃ jānāti: ‘natthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu rattiṃ kālaṃ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṃ ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesu.

But if, on reflecting, he realizes that there are no evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by him that would be an obstruction for him were he to die in the night, then for that very reason he should dwell in joy & rapture, training himself day & night in skillful qualities.

“idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rattiyā nikkhantāya divase patihite iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘bahukā kho me paccayā maraṇassa: ahi vā maṃ ḍaṃseyya, vicchiko vā maṃ ḍaṃseyya, satapadī vā maṃ ḍaṃseyya; tena me assa kālakiriyā so mamassa antarāyo. upakkhalitvā vā papateyyaṃ, bhattaṃ vā me bhuttaṃ byāpajjeyya, pittaṃ vā me kuppeyya, semhaṃ vā me kuppeyya, satthakā vā me vātā kuppeyyuṃ; tena me assa kālakiriyā so mamassa antarāyo’ti. tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā iti paṭisañcikkhitabbaṃ: ‘atthi nu kho me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu divā kālaṃ karontassa antarāyāyā’”ti.

"Further, there is the case where a monk, as night departs and day returns, reflects: 'Many are the [possible] causes of my death. A snake might bite me, a scorpion might sting me, a centipede might bite me. That would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction for me. Stumbling, I might fall; my food, digested, might trouble me; my bile might be provoked, my phlegm might be provoked, piercing wind forces [in the body] might be provoked. That would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction for me.' Then the monk should investigate: 'Are there any evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by me that would be an obstruction for me were I to die during the day?'

“sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṃ jānāti: ‘atthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu divā kālaṃ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tesaṃyeva pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṃ.

If, on reflecting, he realizes that there are evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by him that would be an obstruction for him were he to die during the day, then he should put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness for the abandoning of those very same evil, unskillful qualities.

seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ādittacelo vā ādittasīso vā tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimattaṃ chandañca vāyāmañca ussāhañca ussoḷhiñca appaṭivāniñca satiñca sampajaññañca kareyya; evamevaṃ kho, bhikkhave, tena bhikkhunā tesaṃyeva pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṃ.

Just as when a person whose turban or head was on fire would put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness to put out the fire on his turban or head, in the same way the monk should put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness for the abandoning of those very same evil, unskillful qualities.

“sace pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṃ jānāti — ‘natthi me pāpakā akusalā dhammā appahīnā, ye me assu divā kālaṃ karontassa antarāyāyā’ti, tena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṃ ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesu.

But if, on reflecting, he realizes that there are no evil, unskillful mental qualities unabandoned by him that would be an obstruction for him were he to die during the day, then for that very reason he should dwell in joy & rapture, training himself day & night in skillful qualities.

evaṃ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, maraṇassati evaṃ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā amatogadhā amatapariyosānā”ti.

"This, monks, is how mindfulness of death is developed & pursued so that it is of great fruit & great benefit, gains a footing in the Deathless, and has the Deathless as its final end."