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one is an attainer, not unwise. Having established yourself, Mahānāma, in these five qualities, you should further develop six qualities. Here, Mahānāma, you should recollect the Tathāgata: 'Indeed, that Blessed One…'" Thus, it was taught to show the dwelling-place to the noble disciple who asked, "For us, venerable sir, who dwell in various ways, by what dwelling should we dwell?" 166. Even so, beyond this should be kept in mind even by ordinary people endowed with pure virtue and other qualities. For even by way of tradition, the mind of one who recollects the qualities of the Buddhas and so on becomes serene. By the power of which, having suppressed the hindrances, with great joy, having begun insight, one might realize Arahatship, like the Elder Phussadeva, who lived in a dark cave. It is said that this venerable one, seeing a Buddha-image created by Māra, thought: "If this one, who is still with lust, hatred, and delusion, shines so, how much more must the Blessed One shine, for he is entirely free from lust, hatred, and delusion!" Having thus attained joy with the Buddha as its object, he developed insight and attained Arahatship. Thus, in the Visuddhimagga, composed for the joy of good people, In the section on the development of concentration, The exposition of the six recollections, The seventh chapter. 8. The Exposition of Recollection Meditations Discourse on the Recollection of Death 167. Now, immediately after this, the exposition of the development of the recollection of death is presented. Here, death means the cutting off of the life faculty belonging to a single existence. But the cutting-off death, which is the cutting off of the suffering of the cycle of existence for Arahants; the momentary death, which is the momentary dissolution of formations; and the conventional death, as in "the tree is dead," "the iron is dead," and so on—these are not intended here. And that which is intended is of two kinds: timely death and untimely death. Of these, timely death occurs due to the exhaustion of merit, or the exhaustion of life-span, or the exhaustion of both. Untimely death occurs due to a karma that cuts off other karma. Of these, when death occurs, even though there is a complete set of conditions generating the continuity of life, solely due to the ripening of the karma that generated rebirth, this is called death due to the exhaustion of merit. When death occurs due to the exhaustion of a life-span of only about a hundred years, as in the case of people of the present age, due to the absence of favorable conditions such as gait, time, and food, this is called death due to the exhaustion of life-span. But when the continuity is cut off by karma capable of displacing one from one's position at that very moment, like for Dūsī, Māra, King Kalābu, and so on, due to past karma, or by means of weapons and other attacks, for those whose life-continuum is being cut off, death occurs. This is called untimely death. All of this is included in the cutting off of the life faculty, as described. Thus, mindfulness of death is mindfulness of death, which is the cutting off of the life faculty. 168. One who wishes to cultivate this, being in seclusion, should engage in proper attention, thinking, "Death will occur, the life faculty will be cut off," or "Death, death." For one who engages in improper attention, sorrow arises when remembering the death of loved ones, like a mother who has given birth remembering the death of her beloved son. Joy arises when remembering the death of disliked people, like enemies remembering the death of their foes. No urgency arises when remembering the death of neutral people, like a corpse-burner seeing a dead body. Terror arises when remembering one's own death, like a timid person seeing an executioner with a raised sword. All of this occurs due to the absence of mindfulness, urgency, and wisdom. Therefore, observing the slain and dead beings here and there, and reflecting on the death of beings who previously possessed prosperity, one should combine mindfulness, urgency, and wisdom, and engage in attention in the manner of "Death will occur," and so on. One who thus engages is said to engage properly, meaning, to engage skillfully. For one who thus engages, the hindrances are indeed suppressed for some, mindfulness focused on death becomes established, and the meditation subject reaches access concentration. 169. But if for someone this does not happen even then, they should contemplate death in these eight ways: as the presence of an executioner, as the separation of prosperity, as the bringing together (of all things to an end), as common to many bodies, as the weakness of life, as signless, as the limited duration of the path, and as the brevity of the moment. Among these, "as the presence of an executioner" means like the presence of an executioner. Just as an executioner, holding a sword to cut off someone's head, and moving it around the neck, is present It is beneficial, thus death is also ever-present, it should be remembered. Why? Because it comes with birth, and because it takes away life. Just as a mushroom sprout emerges taking soil on its head, so beings are born taking old age and death. For their rebirth-consciousness, immediately after arising, having fallen into old age, breaks apart like a rock fallen from a mountain peak, along with its associated aggregates. Thus, momentary death comes with birth. But for one who is born, death is inevitable, so the death intended here also comes with birth. Therefore, from the time of birth, this being, just as the risen sun goes towards setting, does not turn back even a little from where it has gone. Or just as a mountain river, swift-flowing, carrying away debris, flows and turns, not turning back even a little, so too, not turning back even a little, one goes towards death. Therefore it was said – The youth who dwells one first night in the womb; He goes forth, as if arisen, going, he does not turn back. As he thus goes, like the drying up of small rivers afflicted by summer heat, like the falling of tree fruits whose stems are loosened by sap, like the breaking of clay pots struck by a hammer, and like the scattering of dewdrops touched by sunbeams, death itself becomes imminent. Therefore it was said – Days and nights pass by, life ceases; The life of mortals wastes away, like water in small rivers. Like ripe fruits, the fear of falling in the morning; So for mortals who are born, there is always fear from death. Just as a potter's clay vessel, Be it small or large, whether fired or unfired; All ends in breaking, so is the life of mortals. Like dew on a blade of grass, at the rising of the sun; So is the life of humans, mother, do not hinder me. . 1.11.79); Thus, just as a murderer with an upraised sword, this death, which has come with birth, like that murderer, wielding the sword at the neck, certainly takes life; it does not turn back without taking it. Therefore, because it has come with birth, and because it takes life, death is present just like a murderer with an upraised sword. Thus, death should be recollected from its presence like a murderer. 170. From prosperity and adversity: Here, prosperity is beautiful only as long as adversity does not overcome it, and there is no such prosperity that can stand beyond adversity. Indeed, “Having enjoyed the entire earth, Giving a hundred million in happiness; At the end, he became master Of a mere half-myrobalan’s worth. “With that same body, When his merit was exhausted; Facing death, even Asoka Came to sorrow.” Moreover, all health ends in sickness, all youth ends in old age, all life ends in death, and every gathering of beings in the world is accompanied by birth, entangled by old age, overcome by sickness, and struck down by death. Therefore, it is said: “Just as vast mountains, Reaching the sky, Would move around on all sides, Crushing in the four directions. “So too, old age and death Overcome living beings; Kshatriyas, Brahmins, Vaishyas, Shudras, Chandalas, Pukkusas; It spares nothing, It crushes everything. “There is no ground for elephants, No for chariots, no for infantry; Nor can it be conquered By strategy or by wealth.” (Saṃ. Ni. 1.136); Thus, establishing that the prosperity of life ends in the adversity of death, death should be recollected from prosperity and adversity. 171. From comparison: From comparing oneself with others. Here, death should be recollected from comparison in seven ways: from greatness of fame, from greatness of merit, from greatness of strength, from greatness of psychic power, from greatness of wisdom, from Paccekabuddhas, and from Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones. How? This death is not Indeed, upon those of great fame, with great retinues, endowed with wealth and vehicles, upon Mahāsammata, Mandhātu, Mahāsudassana, Daḷhanemi, Nimi, and others, it has fallen without doubt. How much more then will it not fall upon me? Greatly renowned, supreme kings, Mahāsammata and others; Even they fell under death's sway, What then to speak of those like me? Thus, one should reflect on the greatness of fame. How, by the greatness of merit? Jotika, Jaṭila, Ugga, Meṇḍaka, and Puṇṇaka; These and others in the world, Renowned for great merit; All met with death, What then to speak of those like me? Thus, one should reflect on the greatness of merit. How, by the greatness of strength? Vāsudeva, Baladeva, Bhīmasena, Yudhiṭṭhila; Cānura, that great wrestler, All went under the sway of the Ender (Death). Thus endowed with strength and power, So renowned in the world; Even they went to death, What then to speak of those like me? Thus, one should reflect on the greatness of strength. How, by the greatness of psychic power? With just the tip of his big toe, He shook the Vejayanta (palace); He who was foremost among those with psychic power, The second chief disciple.