"Bhikkhus, mindfulness of death, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit, culminating in the deathless, having the deathless as its consummation. But do you, bhikkhus, develop mindfulness of death?"
When this was said, one bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, I develop mindfulness of death."
"Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu who develops mindfulness of death thus:
'May I live just a night and a day so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!';
'May I live just a day so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!";
'May I live just half a day so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplished much!';
'May I live just the length of time it takes to eat a single alms meal so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!';
'May I live just the length of time it takes to eat half an alms meal so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching. I could then accomplish much!";
'May I live just the length of time it takes to chew and swallow four or five mouthfuls of food so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching.
I could then accomplish much!': these are called bhikkhus who dwell heedlessly. They develop mindfulness of death sluggishly for the destruction of the taints.
"But the bhikkhu who develops mindfulness of death thus:
'May I live just the length of time it takes to chew and swallow a single mouthful of food so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching.
I could then accomplish much!";
'May I live just the length of time it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, so that I may attend to the Blessed One's teaching.
I could then accomplish much!': these are called bhikkhus who dwell heedfully.
They develop mindfulness of death keenly for the destruction of the taints.
"Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: 'We will dwell heedfully.
We will develop mindfulness of death keenly for the destruction of the tainis' Thus should you train yourselves."
