Mindfulness of Death (Marananussati)

The below is an extract of a dharma talk by Pa-Auk Sayadaw & Dr. Mehm Tin Mon, published in the book “Breakthrough in Samatha Meditation and Vipassana Meditation”.

According to the instructions given in Visuddhi Magga and Mahasatipatthana Sutta a meditator, who has successfully developed the first jhana by reflecting on the foulness of a corpse, can easilychange his meditation to mindfulness of death. 

The meditator first recalls the acquired sign or the counter sign of a corpse which he has developed before. He then reflects on its foulness to develop the first jhana in asubha-bhavana. He then emerges from this jhana and reflects on the nature of death thus, “This body of mine has the nature to disintegrate; I will surely die; I cannot escape from death.”

He should constantly focus his attention on the nature of his death, establishing mindfulness of death and developing a sense of urgency together with the knowledge od death. Soon he will observe with his mind-eye the disgusting corpse of his dead body in place of the external corpse. Then he discerns with his wisdom the nature of the cutting of life-faculty in his dead body. 

And focusing his meditative mind on the object of the cutting-off of life-faculty or in other words the cessation of bhavanga consciousness which is associated with life-faculty, he reflects repeatedly in one of the following ways that he likes best.

1. My death is certain, my being alive is uncertain.

2. My death will certainly occur.

3. My being alive has only death as its end.

4. Death, death.

He should ardently strive to concentrate his meditative mind on the object of the cutting-off of life-faculty in his dead body for one hour, two hours or more. If he is successful, he will find that the jhana factors become distinct. As the object of meditation is the nature of death and frightening, awaking the sense of urgency, only access jhana arises.

As the benefits of marananussati, the yogi acquires the perception of disgust and disenchantment with all kinds of existences; he cuts off attachment to life and properties; he avoids evil doing and much storing; he develops the perception of impermanence, and consequently the perception of suffering and the perception of not-self. Finally, he develops the sense of urgency to undertake meditation promptly. 

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My question to my readers: do you understand what is meant by “sign” and “counter-sign” mentioned above? Have you experienced it? Answer to yourself and you will know where you are in the meditation journey. You should know that marananussati is a stronger and deeper meditation than the Lam Rim contemplations taught in the Tibetan Buddhist schools. This Mindfulness of Death is really deep diving into it. It is not just touching on the surface of understanding we are going to die. 

Try to read the earlier blog posts I have posted. A suggested post is this one – https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-make-mantras-work.html

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