Notes and Resources
Wednesday November 19 Deeper Dive into the Dharme we finished up Dependent Origination with the final link, Aging and Death. Then reviewed all the links in the chain with a few examples. I don’t have that picture from the old website but found one on Facebook you can use if you’d like. Thank you so much for posting for me!
Roxy
Maranassati Sutta: Mindfulness of Death
I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was staying at Nadika, in the Brick Hall. There he addressed the monks, “Monks!”
“Yes, lord,” the monks replied.
The Blessed One said, “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. Therefore you should develop mindfulness of death.”
When this was said, a certain monk addressed the Blessed One, “I already develop mindfulness of death.”
“And how do you develop mindfulness of death?”
“I think, ‘O, that I might live for a day & night, that I might attend to the Blessed One’s instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal.’ This is how I develop mindfulness of death.”
Then another monk addressed the Blessed One, “I, too, already develop mindfulness of death.”
“And how do you develop mindfulness of death?”
“I think, ‘O, that I might live for a day, that I might attend to the Blessed One’s instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal.’ This is how I develop mindfulness of death.”
Then another monk addressed the Blessed One, “I, too, develop mindfulness of death.” … “I think, ‘O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to eat a meal, that I might attend to the Blessed One’s instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal.’ …”
Then another monk addressed the Blessed One, “I, too, develop mindfulness of death.” … “I think, ‘O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up four morsels of food, that I might attend to the Blessed One’s instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal.’ …”
Then another monk addressed the Blessed One, “I, too, develop mindfulness of death.” … “I think, ‘O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up one morsel of food, that I might attend to the Blessed One’s instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal.’ …”
Then another monk addressed the Blessed One, “I, too, develop mindfulness of death.” … “I think, ‘O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, that I might attend to the Blessed One’s instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal.’ This is how I develop mindfulness of death.”
When this was said, the Blessed One addressed the monks. “Whoever develops mindfulness of death, thinking, ‘O, that I might live for a day & night… for a day… for the interval that it takes to eat a meal… for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up four morsels of food, that I might attend to the Blessed One’s instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal’ — they are said to dwell heedlessly. They develop mindfulness of death slowly for the sake of ending the effluents.
“But whoever develops mindfulness of death, thinking, ‘O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up one morsel of food… for the interval that it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, that I might attend to the Blessed One’s instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal’ — they are said to dwell heedfully. They develop mindfulness of death acutely for the sake of ending the effluents.
“Therefore you should train yourselves: ‘We will dwell heedfully. We will develop mindfulness of death acutely for the sake of ending the effluents.’ That is how you should train yourselves.”
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
AN 6.19 PTS: A iii 303
Maranassati Sutta: Mindfulness of Death (1)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 1997–2013
The five daily recollections from the Buddha, known as the “Five Remembrances,” are:
1. I am of the nature to grow old; there is no way to escape growing old.
2. I am of the nature to have ill health; there is no way to escape having ill health.
3. I am of the nature to die; there is no way to escape death.
4. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change; there is no way to escape being separated from them.
5. My actions are my only true belongings; I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.
Anicca Vata Sankhara – “Impermanent, alas, are all formations” is the phrase used in Theravada Buddhist lands to announce the death of a loved one.
Review
12 Links of Dependent Origination
- Ignorance (Avidya)
Not seeing things clearly; misunderstanding reality.2. Formations (Sankhara)
Mental habits, impulses, and tendencies.3. Consciousness (Viddha)
Basic awareness that arises with conditions.4. Name & Form (Nama-rupa)
Mind and body processes.5. Six Sense Bases (Salayatana)
Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, thinking.6. Contact (Phassa)
When sense base + object + consciousness meet.7. Feeling (Vedana)
Pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral sensation.8. Craving (Tanha)
Wanting, resisting, or dullness.9. Clinging (Upadana)
Holding on tightly to views, habits, or desires.10. Becoming (Bhava)
The creation of a mental world or identity.11. Birth (Jati)
The arising of a new state of being.12. Aging & Death (Jara-marana)
Stress and suffering that arise from conditioned states
Examples beginning with contact
Example 1: Craving Ice Cream
• Contact: See ice cream ad
• Feeling: Pleasant
• Craving: Want it now
• Clinging: ‘I deserve this treat’
• Becoming: Trying to get it
• Birth: Identity as ‘ice-cream-getter’
• Aging & Death: Regret or satisfaction
Example 2: Traffic Anger
• Contact: Someone cuts you off
• Feeling: Unpleasant
• Craving: Wanting control
• Clinging: ‘People shouldn’t do that’
• Becoming: Angry driver
• Birth: Mind filled with irritation
• Aging & Death: Stress after arriving
Example 3: Praise at Work
• Contact: Boss compliments you
• Feeling: Pleasant
• Craving: Want more praise
• Clinging: ‘I must always perform perfectly’
• Becoming: Perfectionist identity
• Birth: Stressful striving
• Aging & Death: Burnout or anxiety
At any point we can become aware and break the chain.
with kindness
Roxy