English
Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. The Discourse on the Four Protections 1. Reflection on the Body 1. Discourse on Immorality, 2. Discourse on the Benefits of Morality, 3. Discourse on Instruction, 4. Discourse on the Conduct of Residents, 5. Discourse on the Abandonment of Requisites, 6. Discourse on the Pātimokkha, 7. Discourse on Advice to Donors, Pledge of Adoration 1. Hundreds of thousands of world-systems, kissed by hosts of deities; May the lotus feet of the Buddha rest, upon my head, born of compassion, the triple gem. 2. Illuminating endless world-systems, qualities accumulated by the Victor; I venerate the Dhamma revered by him, and the Saṅgha born of it, immaculate. 3. I will expound the four protections, in accordance with the Buddha's words; This leads to diligence, may it be heard, by those fearful of existence. 4. Recollection of the Buddha, mindfulness of death, loving-kindness, and meditation; For diligence, these protections, are esteemed by the wise. 1. Meditation on Recollection of the Buddha, 2. Meditation on Mindfulness of Death, 3. Meditation on Repulsiveness, 4. Meditation on Loving-Kindness, 5. Remembering the Buddha's teaching, those seeking happiness escape death; They go to a cool, cooler place, established in loving-kindness, like water. 6. The Buddha's word is water, preventing the fire of death; Many scorched by that fire, find cool shelter in that water. 7. With faith, ignite the Buddha, with mindfulness of death, subdue pride; With repulsiveness, destroy lust, with loving-kindness, hatred, the wise one. 1. Exposition of Recollection of the Buddha 1. Worthy, Perfectly Enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct; Well-gone, well-spoken, Teacher, all-knowing, the supreme Blessed One. 2. Because of being far from defilements, because of being worthy, the destroyer of the fortress of evil; Because the wheel is destroyed, because of being worthy of offerings, therefore I salute the Worthy One. 3. Having conquered the multitude of householders, the Victor gave a graduated discourse; He gave supreme joy, showing the truths by day. 4. To the monks in the first watch, he gave the elixir of immortality; To the hosts of deities from the realm of birth, the cutting of doubt in the middle watch; 5. At the beginning, the Victor knew the bliss of fruition, in the middle, he made a lion's roar; To those capable of being guided, at the end of the world, in the last watch, he divided it into three. 6. Not counting the weariness, the Lord bore the five duties of a Buddha; The Teacher succeeded in this world and the next. Thus, he was diligent, full of great compassion. 7. Walking and sitting, Meditating day and night; Sleeping only briefly, The Buddha advised the monks. 8. There is no laziness for him, In the dispensation of the great hero; Mindfulness is praised by the sage, Gratitude is well-regarded. 9. To realize the unrealized, To attain the unattained; It is not proper to be inactive, But to be mindful and secluded. 10. Begin, strive forth, Engage in the Buddha's teaching; Shake off the army of death, Like an elephant a house of reeds. 11. Whoever in this Doctrine and Discipline, Lives mindfully; Abandoning the cycle of birth, Will make an end to suffering. 12. Thus is our exhortation, A reminder of liberation from the liberated; It is not proper to be negligent, Of the compassionate Teacher. 13. Through a bad theory, Or by doing what is not to be done; The fool wastes time in vain, How can he make an end to suffering? 14. The sky, the universe, Beings, and the Buddha's virtues too; These four are infinite, No limit can be found. 15. Just as the sky, the heavens, Cannot be measured with fingers, ropes, or sticks; Even so, no one can measure his virtues. 2. Recollection of Death 1. Desiring mindfulness of death, First listen to the Buddha's word; With an undistracted mind, Here is the Buddha's teaching. 2. Unseen, unknown, Is the life of mortals here; Difficult and brief, And combined with suffering. 3. There is no means, By which those born do not die; Having reached old age, death, Such is the nature of beings. 4. Like ripe fruits, There is constant fear of falling; So for mortals who are born, There is constant fear of death. 5. Just as a potter, Makes vessels of clay; All end in breaking, So is the life of mortals. 6. Young and old, Fools and wise; All go under death's control, All are subject to death. 7. Of those overcome by death, Going to the other world; Neither father protects son, Nor relatives their kin; 8. While relatives look on, , see the babbler spread abroad; Each single mortal, is led away like an ox to slaughter. 9. Thus is the world afflicted, by death and by old age; Therefore the wise grieve not, knowing the way of the world. 10. See also others departing, men going according to their deeds; Having come under death's power, creatures tremble here in various ways. 11. For whatever they think, it turns out otherwise for them; Such is the change, see the way of the world. [Said in the Sulla Sutta.] 12. Just as great rocks, reaching to the sky and crushed; Would come all around, crushing the four directions. 13. Even so old age and death, overcome living beings; Kshatriyas, Brahmins, Vaishyas, Shudras, Chandalas, and Pukkusas; It spares nothing, it crushes all alike. 14. There, neither elephants nor land, nor chariots nor infantry; Nor even by mantra-warfare, can one conquer, nor by wealth. 15. Therefore, a wise person, seeing his own good; In the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, the wise one should place confidence. 16. He who practices the Dhamma by body, speech, and mind; Here itself they praise him, in the next life he rejoices. [Said in the Pabbatūpama Sutta.] 17. Just as a flood of water, carries away trees growing on the bank; Even so, by old age and death, all living beings are swept away. 18. Even the young die, men and women alike; Where is there confidence for a person, who delights in life while young? 19. Some are seen in the evening, but are not seen in the morning by many people; Some are not seen in the morning, but are seen in the evening by many people. 20. Today the effort must be made, who knows if death will come tomorrow; For there is no bargain with that, great army of death. [Said in the Jatakas.] 21. There is no other instructor here, than self-exhortation; By the instruction of the Conqueror, the bhikkhu is fearful of samsara. 22. A snake might bite me, or other venomous creatures; Unpleasant things might kill me, these diseases might arise. 23. Death's army is countless, internal and external troubles; Life is afflicted, I might die today, Or perhaps tomorrow. 24. For dwellings are beset By cattle, thieves, and foes; By constant gatherings, And ninety-six diseases. 25. Though many benefits Like food and drink are given, I'm ever pressed to die, Life might cease even today. 26. Death, devoid of pity, Lets fly many weapons, A hidden foe in life's fray, None escape death's arms. 27. The mighty, wise, and rich, The powerful and wealthy, Even the All-Enlightened One, Lord of all, escaped not. 28. Like me, young, old, and new, By those same weapons slain, So too shall I surely die, Let merit be my refuge made. 29. Earth, water, fire, and air, Food and drink and such, Cold, heat, and seasons too, The humors: bile, phlegm, wind. 30. When elements, food, humors, Are balanced, life remains; Unbalanced, in that very hour, It's cut off, helpless, dependent. 31. If elements, food, humors, Are unbalanced, tomorrow's bleak; Though eager, when the time is right, What can the helpless one then do? 32. Ills may arise tomorrow, Unpleasant, painful, harsh; So start beforehand now, Lest later you regret. 33. For beings of low deeds, Even memory is fearful; I know not the lowest depths, Nor death's approach itself. 34. For beings by deeds afflicted, Fear arises in that moment; One might die today or tomorrow, Unfit to be complacent. 35. Beings with merit spent, Quickly perish, causeless too; With a pure heart I'll die, Not with a mind defiled. 36. I have many chances too, Thoughts of being and not being; Life might be cut off today, So wisely now, let's face death. 37. For beings by deeds oppressed, Destruction stands at hand; Misfortune in fortune's guise, Assails the wise and stands firm. 38. When death is near at hand, The wise one should reflect; Reflecting thus, serene, He'd not dare do any evil. 39. When death is near at hand, The Buddha's disciple reflects; Reflecting thus, serene, He's never agitated. 40. Surely death will come, the wise one, Even beforehand. He reflects: "I will do what needs to be done," Thus, he does not lament. 41. Mindful of impending death, Diligent and discerning, Even at the moment of death, He is neither confused nor sorrowful. 42. Mindful of impending death, He purifies his own defilement; The monk, departed stainless, Certainly does not go to misery. 43. Mindfulness of impending death, Or delusion of distance; He who does what should not be done, Then he greatly laments. 44. Mindfulness of impending death, Or delusion of distance; Overwhelmed by evil practices, He then broods, dejected. 45. Mindfulness of impending death, Angry, hateful, and stubborn; He rejoices and delights, Then he is exceedingly miserable. 46. Mindfulness of impending death, He does not quickly remedy; Having knowingly committed an offense, Then he wails. 47. Mindfulness of impending death, Associated with laypeople and novices; Not in accordance with the Dhamma, His face then covered in tears. 48. Mindfulness of impending death, A hypocrite, a family corrupter; Engaged in wrong livelihood, He departs with evil omens. 49. Sorrowful and joyful, Sad in sorrow, happy in happiness; Eager in household affairs,