bodom wrote: ↑Sat Sep 25, 2021 4:11 pm Some contemplations from the suttas:
(7) CONTEMPLATION OF DEATH (maranusati)
In Vism VIII,4 it is said: One who wishes to develop this exercise should go into solitude, and while in seclusion he should consider deeply: “Death will come; the life faculty will come to an end”: or: “I am destined to die! I am des-tined to die!” To him, in fact, who does not undertake this consideration in the right way, there may arise grief, when thinking for example about the death of a beloved person, just as in the case of a mother when thinking on the death of her child. And when considering the death of a person regarded with dislike, joy may spring up, just as in the case of enemies thinking on the death of their enemies; yet, when thinking on the death of a person regarded with indifference, no emotion will be aroused, just as in the case of a cremator of dead bodies while looking at a dead body. While think-ing on one’s own death, however, horror may arise, just as in one who sees a murderer with drawn sword standing before him. But when seeing here and there bodies of the slain or other dead beings, one may reflect on the death of such beings who once had lived in happiness, and one may incite one’s mindfulness, emotions, and wisdom and consider thus: “Death will come.” Only in one who practises the contemplation on death in this way will mindfulness be-come firmly established, and the mental exercise will reach neighbourhood concentration (upacara-samadhi).
According to Vism VIII,8, one may also contemplate on death in the following way: One may consider death like a murderer with a drawn sword standing in front of one; or one may consider that all happiness ends in death; or that even the mightiest beings in the world cannot escape death; or that this body must be shared by us with innumerable worms and other beings living in it; or that life is something depending on in-and-out breathing; or that life functions only as long as the elements, food, and breath are functioning properly; or that nobody knows when, where, and through what one will die; or what kind of destiny awaits us after death; or that life is very short and limited.AN 8:74
Contemplation on death, O monks, developed and frequently practised, brings high reward and blessing, has the Deathless as goal and end. And how so?
As soon, O monks, as the day draws to a close, or when the night vanishes and the day breaks, the monk thinks to himself: “Truly, there are many possibilities of dying: a serpent may bite me, or a scorpion or centipede may sting me, and thereby I may lose my life. But this would be for me an obstruction. Or I may stumble and fall down; or the food taken by me may disagree with me. Bile, phlegm, or pricking gases may become stirred up. Men or evil spirits may attack me, and thereby I may lose my life. But that would be for me an obstruction.” Here, the monk has to consider: “Are there still found in me unsubdued evil and unwholesome states which, if I should die today or tonight, would lead me to misfortune (in the next life)?”
Now, if the monk in his reflections notices that there are still unsubdued evil and unwholesome states found in him, then he should use his utmost determination, energy, exertion, perseverance, stead-fastness, mindfulness, and clear comprehension in order to subdue these evil and unwholesome states.
If, however, the monk in his reflections notices that there are no more found in him any evil and unwholesome states which, if he should die, would lead him to misfortune, then this monk should dwell in blissful joy, training himself in all good things by day and by night.AN 7:46
If, O monks, a monk often entertains the thought of death, his mind will shrink from attachment to life, will turn away from it, get detached from it, will not feel drawn to it, and equanimity or disgust will make their appearance.
Just as, O monks, a cock’s feather or a piece of bowstring, thrown into the fire, shrinks, twists, rolls itself up, no more stretches itself out: just so the mind shrinks back from attachment to life, turns away from it, gets detached from it, does not feel drawn to it, and equanimity or disgust make their appearance.
If, however, the monk, though he often entertains the idea of death, still has attachment to life, and no disgust makes its appearance, then the monk should know that he has not developed the idea of death, and that he has not reached successive stages of distinction, and that he has not reached the full strength of that meditation. In this way he has a clear comprehension of it.
If, however, in a monk, who often entertains the idea of death, his mind shrinks from attachment to life, turns away from it, gets detached from it, does not feel drawn to it, and equanimity or disgust make their appearance, then this monk should know that he has developed the idea of death, and that he has reached successive stages of distinction, and that he has reached the full strength of that meditation. In this way he has a clear comprehension of it.SN 4:10
The days and nights are flying past, Life dwindles hurriedly away:
The life of mortals vanishes Like water in a tiny stream.AN 7:70
Short, alas, is the life of man, limited and fleeting, full of pain and torment. One should wisely under-stand this, do good deeds, and lead a holy life; for no mortal ever escapes death.
Just as the dewdrop at the point of the grass blade at sunrise very soon vanishes and does not remain for long: just so is the life of humans like a dewdrop, very short and fl eeting.Or, just as at the pouring down of a mighty rain-cloud the bubbles on the water very soon vanish and do not remain for long: just so is the bubble-like life of humans very short and fleeting.
Or, just as a furrow drawn with a stick in the water very soon vanishes and does not remain for long: just so is the furrow-like life of humans very short and fleeting.
Or, just as a strong man forms a ball of spittle with the tip of his tongue and without any effort spits it out: just so is the life of humans like a ball of spittle, very short and fleeting.
Or, just as if one throws a lump of meat into a metal pot heated for a full day, the meat at once dissolves and does not remain for long: just so is the life of hu-mans like a lump of meat, very short and fleeting.
Or, just as cattle for slaughter, whatever foot they lift, ever stand on the brink of death: just so is the life of hu-mans like cattle for slaughter, very short and fleeting.
One should wisely understand this, do good deeds, and lead a holy life; for no mortal ever es-capes death.
