《禪與人類文明研究》第 7 期（2020） International Journal for the Study of Chan and Human Civilization Issue 7 (2020)

UTILITY OF MINDFULNESS OF DEATH FOR EFFICACIOUS BEING

Wimal Hewamanage (University of )

ABSTRACT

Recollection of death is one of the meditation subjects which comes under the ‘ten recollections’ (dasa-anussati) among the forty subjects of tranquility meditation (samatha bhāvanā). In common sense, though death is a pessimistic subject to think and talk it has indisputably availed as a meditation subject in early Buddhism and later Buddhist fraternities. This research paper discloses how it can be utilized for efficacious being and why this ominous subject selected as meditation subjects, and finally investigates its modern implication through commercial, political, social and professional careers. As a qualitative research this paper outstandingly is based on the Discourse of Second Mindfulness of Death of the Numerical Discourses of the Buddha (Aṅguttaranikāya) and other discourses in the Pali Sutta Piṭaka. In the above discourse, there are eight causes of death which should be mindful namely; snake bite, scorpion or centipede sting, stumble and fall down, food allergy, agitation three doṣas, and human or wild spirits attack. War and terrorism, accidents, infectious and noninfectious diseases, and murder are key reasons for death in contemporary world. Adherents should recollect death twice per day; day and night but that is not essential to follow very famous cross legged meditation posture. Recollection of death supports adherents to change their immortal (sassata) attitudes not only towards themselves but also towards the society associated with nationality, colour, gender etc. It overcomes individual and collective violence which runs under the name of religion, socio economics and politics. Political agenda focused on power and resource has given rise to terrorism, poverty, and insecurity all over the world. Environment is destroyed by commercialized vice without concerning its sustainability. Thus, this research paper proposes the necessity of recollection of death for efficacious being who protects himself and others.

KEYWORDS

Recollection of Death, Maraṇānussati, Maraṇasati, Meditation, Bhāvanā

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1. INTRODUCTION

Meditation is one of the foremost admired activities among religious followers regardless of being Buddhists, Christians, and Hindus etc. with similarities and dissimilarities. Concerning Buddhists, it is more popular today than in the past precisely not only centering in attaining final liberation but also gaining a healthy and successful secular life. One who is attached to this material world doesn’t prefer much to think about death. The history of humankind does not lack evidence for seeking the way for immortality. Rig-Veda, a collection of ancient Vedic hymns has mentioned about amrita or soma, a drink that bestows immortality. The ancient Chinese Emperors attempted to discover an everlasting medicine all the way through the world by utilizing their imperial power. Ancient Babylonian legend of Gilgamesh, two-thirds god and one-third man, seeking way for immortality medicine is one more example. He, finally, found the medicine through many difficulties but it disappeared with a little short-coming. Intrinsic nature of all beings is wanting to live (jīvitukāmā), not wanting to die (amaritukāmā), desire comfort (sukhakāmā) and hate suffering (dukkhapaṭikkūlā) (Dīghanikāya Vol. II 1966, p. 330). Buddhist attempt is to understand the real nature of what is called mortality regardless of whether we like or dislike to discuss or consider. Thus, it has emphasized shortness and non-granted nature of life and it overcomes egocentric ideas. At the same time, utilization of recollection of death as a meditation subject would also be more accommodating to think Buddhism as a pessimistic religion, yet Buddhists would make use of such meditation to understand the nature of this world, and to find a way for the benefit of all living beings and creatures.

2. MINDFULNESS OF DEATH IN MEDITATION SUBJECTS

Many Buddhist scholars do not much prefer to utilize the terms meditation and mind culture or mind development, according to them, more suitable translation for bhāvanā, the oldest term can be seen in both Pali and Sanskrit languages which have been utilized in early Southern and Northern Buddhist traditions. This European term ‘meditation’ covers three different things in Buddhism called mindfulness, concentration and wisdom (Conze 1972, p.16). Recollection of death or mindfulness of death is one of the meditation subjects that can be drawn on for both tranquility meditation and insight meditation. Guiding the shortness and non-granted nature of life it can be found in early Buddhist discourses and later Buddhist accounts as well. The shows the standard list of about 40 meditation subjects namely; 10 Devices (earth, water, fire, air, blue, yellow, red, white, light, space), 10 Repulsive Things (swollen corpse, blueish corpse, festering corpse, fissured corpse, gnawed corpse, scattered corpse, hacked and scattered corpse, bloody corpse, worm-eaten corpse, skeleton), 10 Recollections (the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, morality, liberality, devas, death, what belongs to the body, respiration, peace), 4 Stations of Brahma (Loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity), 4 Formless States (station of endless space, station of unlimited consciousness, station of nothing whatsoever, station of neither perception nor non-perception), 1 Perception (perception of disgusting aspects of food), and 1 Analysis (analysis of the four elements). In this list, Recollections of Death is the seventh of the Ten Recollections. At the same time, 10 Repulsive Things are also subjects to death. The development of insight called ‘paññābhāvanā’ in Pali is the intuitive insight into Three Characteristics; impermanence (anicca), misery (dukkha) and impersonality (anatta) all bodily and mental phenomena of existence. Thus, seeing the nature of

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things based on death is insight meditation as well. These impurities named as 10 Repulsive subjects, what belongs to the body (32 body parts) and Perception of disgusting aspects of food which guide to counteract greed (Visuddhimagga 1975 110, 111; Ñānamoli & Bodhi 2011, p. 104, 105; Conze 1972, p. 15). In brief, once Yogi Milarepa said that without being mindful of death, whatever Dharma practices you take up will be merely superficial (Ellison and Weingast 2016, p. 215). Though the commentator Buddhaghosa’s explanation on 40 meditation subjects was more popularized among Theravadins recollection of death was confirmed as maraṇānussati rather than maraṇasati which occurred in some canonical discourses. Buddhaghosa Thera pointed out Buddha, Dhamma, Saṁgha, sīla, cāga, devatā, and upasama with the suffix called anussati and ānāpāna, maraṇa, and kāyagātasati with suffix . Dr. Senaddheera has attempted through his good Doctoral Degree dissertation to show up two different meanings as anussati for recollection and sati for mindfulness but there cannot be found a good argument for his hypothesis. According to him sati is wakefulness and anussati is a process of thought and also recollection qualities of the Buddha with analyzing and admiring is buddhānussati. To prove his standpoint, it is quoted from the Visuddhimagga but it says that buddhānussati is synonymous for buddhguṇārammaṇāya satiya (Senadheera 2009, p.197-227). However, it seems that Buddhaghosa’s interpretation of mindfulness which rouses repeatedly is called recollection, anu+sati - anussati is more meaningful. Therefore, this research considers maraṇasati and maraṇānussati in a similar meaning. Mindfulness is the second foremost fact in the 37 Partaking of Enlightenment which represents nine times in all factors. They are; all the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna), the third among the five faculties, the third of the five powers, the first of the seven enlightenment factors (bojjhaṁga), and second of the . Therefore, here let’s pay attention only on mindfulness of death or recollection of death for efficacious being. If this elephant mind is bound on all sides by the rope of mindfulness, all fear disappears and complete happiness comes (Baddhaśceccitta mātaṁgah smṛiti rajjvā samantatah; Bhayamastaṁgataṁ sarvaṁ kṛtsnaṁ kalyāņamāgataṁ. Bodhicaryāvatāra, 2001, p. 113). Controlling the mind is not an easy task but it should be seen as a fish drawn away from its water and thrown on land this mind quivers all over. Further, neither mother nor father nor other relatives do so much; as a well- directed mind does a man greater service (Dhammapada 1985, p. 35, 41). This is a subject of five which has to be recalled without concerning woman, man, householder or one gone forth. For the sake of what benefit should beings often reflect thus, ‘I am subject to death; I am not exempt from death’? During their lives beings are intoxicated with life, and when they are intoxicated with life they engage in misconduct through body, speech, and mind. But when one often reflects upon this theme, the intoxication with life is either completely abandoned or diminished. The rest four points are subject to old age but not exempt, subject to illness but not exempt, must be parted and separated from everyone and everything, and owner of kamma (Bodhi 2012, p. 686, 687). Mindfulness is nothing but one of the ways which guides to see the real nature of the world. Insight becomes fully purified when one understands the fact that whatever is of the nature of coming into being is also of the nature of ceasing to be. This is the initial stage of insight.

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3. EFFICACIOUS BEING AND MINDFULNESS OF DEATH

Since truth is not the same for different fields even within the same field according to their vision, interpretation of an efficacious being also should be differed. In modern sense, he who has a life economically successful, politically stable, environmental friendly, socially respectful and healthy is an efficacious being. In brief such life can be regarded as healthy life physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. Principally at the time of the Buddha there were two theoretical streams; nihilism and eternalism with two practical paths called self-indulgence and self- mortification respectively. The first materialistic group recommended the lifestyle with sensual pleasure as much as one can amuse and the eternalism recommended the lifestyle with mortification as much as one can strain. Amusing with sensual pleasure and straining with mortification are the core characteristics of e extremists. While refuting those practices of unhealthy and unbalanced lifestyles based on wrong theories Buddhism recommends the Middle Path for healthy and balanced lifestyles based on theory named Dependent Origination. One who follows the Three Trainings; virtue, concentration and wisdom in brief and Noble Eightfold Path exhaustively may achieve efficacious life. Recollection of death or mindfulness of death comes under concentration but it does not mean that there is no relationship with the other two. Similarly, in brief it is clear that the Dependent Origination which refutes determinism, indeterminism, eternalism, materialism, nihilism, fatalism, accidentalism etc. facilitates to be aware of theoretical misreading regarding about self and world while the Middle Path guides to refrain from wrong behaviors such as consumption and lower consumption. In other words, one who understands the Dependent origination and follows the Middle Path is an efficacious being. Therefore, we have to consider how mindfulness of death helps to understand this theory and the way of guidance to practice its path. Mindfulness of death cherishes to change adherents’ immortal (sassata) attitudes not only towards themselves but also towards society, and it guides us not to be slaves of material benefits. If we are with immortal feeling regarding the process of circle of birth and death and on this very life, we are happy and ready to collect much material things and control all those things as we wish. At the same time, materialists enjoy as they can achieve during this very life. Mindfulness of death through shortness and non-granted nature of life prevail over this ego centric view and practice which is connected to this very life and life of circle of birth and death. In general, we think our life expectancy is about 65-100 or little more but there is no guarantee even for the next day or the next moment. In the Discourse of Second Mindfulness of Death of the Numerical Discourses (Aṅguttaranikāya) depicted in both nipātas; six and eight expresses six causes of death which should be mindful namely; 1. Snake bite, or scorpion or centipede sting, 2. Stumble and fall down, 3. Food allergy, 4. Bile agitation, 5. Phlegm agitation, and 6. Winds agitation (Aṅguttaranikāya Part III & IV 1994, 1999, p. 306-308, 320-322; Bodhi 2012, p. 878, 880). Adherents should recollect death twice per day; day and night but it is not essential to follow the very famous cross legged meditation posture. In this explanation it is much emphasized non-granted nature of life. There is no life guarantee who lives at the day time for night and to who lives at night for day time. Therefore, adherents should not harbour in him any evil, unwholesome qualities, which are still unabandoned and which would be a hindrance to him if he was to die tonight or during the day (Aṅguttaranikāya Part III & IV 1994, 1999, p. 306-308, 320-322; Bodhi 2012, p. 878-879). Many reasons of death are stated in the early period of Buddhist monks who most probably lived in the forest. Hunger and poverty, war and terrorism, infectious

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and noninfectious diseases, accidents, and murder are also very serious causes for death today although they were not given in above list. Even though we would like to say that we are living in the scientific and well developed world some records show that man-made problems in the modern world are rapidly escalating. There are 10 modern problems recognized as follows. 1. Poverty, hunger and water crisis, 2. Population growth, 3. High unemployment or underemployment, 4. Unequal distribution of financial resources, 5. War and terrorism, 6. Climatic change, 7. Spread of infectious diseases, 8. Political and social instability, 9. Refugee problems, and 10. Drug abuse (www.amawheisaac.wordpress.com-serious-problems-in-the-world-today/). These problems indicate that the present world is completely embroiled with socio-economic problems, political instability and spiritual crumble. If this world is centered on benefiting all beings how does poverty, hunger and water crisis play key roles? According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. Ten leading causes of death all are made by human beings. Per World Health Organization statistics from 2012, the top 10 killers are mentioned below in descending order.148 One who has immortal vision his ego increases as “this is mine, this I am, this is my soul” and it is developed with defilements. There are three types of defilements; gross (oḷārika), medium (majjhimaka) and subtle (sukhuma), and they should be destroyed by developing higher mind. Misconducts with regard to body, speech and mind are the gross defilements; thoughts of sensuous, thought of ill-will and thoughts of cruelty are medium defilements; and attachment to race, country, egoism and arrogance are subtle defilements. It seems that individual and collective violence run under the name of religion, socio economics and politics. This collective violence is more dangerous than individual because it has collective attempts for justification of what they are doing. Killing or any other harmful behaviors on behalf of religions, nations, countries or political visions are admired and therefore, the fifth social problem in the modern world is war and terrorism according to some statistics. Though they kill thousands or millions or more there is no guarantee for their own life even for the next moment. This can be justified as love of country or nation but love and hate are not so different from our own likes and dislikes. Buddhism is not a science for economics nevertheless it discloses key areas called production, distribution, and consumption of wealth. There are the five types of business that a lay follower should not engage in; business in weapons, business in human beings, business in meat, business in intoxicants and business in poison. For example, since business in weapons is more profitable today manufacturers are fond of war and unstable government. Backhanded peace makers who gain funds from these businessmen play an enormous role in the third world countries. According to Buddhist understanding poverty is an ordeal for a person living a household life but it appreciates careful acting as a bee without harming the flower, its colour or scent, flies away, collecting only the honey, even so should the sage wander in the village. This way is precisely for sages but it reveals the tolerant path for production. We think, if we have more materials we can achieve efficacious life but Buddhism states the necessity of vision and attitude management. Because, not by a shower of gold coins can sensual desires be satisfied; sensual desires give little

148 10. Hypertensive Heart Disease (1.1 million deaths; 2% of all deaths), 9. Vehicular Accidents (1.3 million deaths; 2.2% of all deaths), 8. Diabetes (1.5 million deaths; 2.7% of all deaths), 7. Diarrhea (1.5 million deaths; 2.7% of all deaths), 6. HIV & AIDS (1.5 million deaths; 2.7% of all deaths), 5. Lung, Tracheal, & Bronchial Cancers (1.6 million deaths; 2.9% of all deaths), 4. Lower Respiratory Infections (3.1 million deaths; 5.5% of all deaths), 3. COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (3.15 million deaths; 5.6% of all deaths), 2. Stroke (6.7 million deaths; 11.9% of all deaths) and 1. Ischaemic Heart Disease (7.4 million deaths; 13.2% of all deaths) (www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-ten-leading-causes-of-death-in-the-world.html).

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《禪與人類文明研究》第 7 期（2020） International Journal for the Study of Chan Buddhism and Human Civilization Issue 7 (2020) pleasure and are fraught with evil consequences (dukkha). Since he who recollects death day and night his egoism will reduce and will not attempt to earn money through wrong business because of deep awareness of non-granted life. As we know, so called contemporary development is not a real development further because it makes the world worse day by day with increasing poverty and hunger, war and terrorism, environmental problems, unstable governments, spreading of infectious and noninfectious diseases etc. An estimated 12.6 million people died as a result of living or working in an unhealthy environment in 2012 – nearly 1 in 4 of total global deaths, according to the latest estimates from WHO. Environmental risk factors, such as air, water and soil pollution, chemical exposures, climate change, and ultraviolet radiation, contribute to more than 100 diseases and injuries (http, //www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/deaths-attributable-to-unhealthy- environments/en/). Mindfulness of death will help for sustainable and eco-friendly development which is a very famous topic at present. It seems that we attempt to discover collective answers for these problems but current rates of high unemployment or underemployment and unequal distribution of financial resources do not support to completely agree with the above statement. Native American earth prophet Sun Bear in his imperative book, Black Dawn Bright Day points out we are destroying per minute at least 51 acres of tropical forests, consumption almost 35,000 barrels of oil, adding 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Per hour 1,800 children die of malnutrition and hunger, 120 million dollars are spent on military expenditures, 55 people are poisoned by the pesticides they use and 5 die, 60 new cases of cancer are diagnosed in the United States alone (500,000 each year with 20,000 leading to death) (Bear & Wabun 1992, p. 70). However these statistics are not completely right, it reveals manmade disasters against environment. Environment is destroyed by commercialized vice without concerning its sustainability. If people can comprehend existent nature of their life through mindfulness of death they will not harm to the environment due to sole gratification of gross desires. Since beings are unwise-reflection (ayonisomanasikāra) their sight gets clouded by ignorance. This unwise- reflection is the cause of increase of the five impediments which weaken knowledge (Majjhimanikāya Vol. I 1979, 181, 207, 276, 521; Nanayakkara 2016, p. 4). Seven metaphors concerning the shortness of life has been expressed by one of the former spiritual teachers called Araka. Life is as a drop of dew on the tip of a blade of grass which quickly vanish at sunrise and will not last long. It is limited and fleeting, much suffering and misery. He who understands this does what is wholesome and leads a spiritual life. The rest of the six metaphors are; as when the thick drops of rain are pouring down, as a line drawn on water with a stick, as a river falling down from a mountain, as a strong man might form a lump of spittle at the tip of his tongue, as a piece of meat thrown into an iron pan heated all day, as a cow, taken for slaughter, with each and every step it takes, draws it closer to the slaughter (Bodhi 2012, p. 1097). There are six methods for recollection of death which were practiced by six disciples of the Buddha’s time. These disciples recalled mindfulness of death precisely concerning shortness and non-granted nature of life as “May I live just a night and a day, May I live just a day, May I live just the length of time it takes to eat a single alms meal, May I live just the length of time it takes to chew and swallow four five mouthfuls of food, May I live just the length of time it takes to chew and swallow single mouthful of food, and May I live just the length of time it takes to breath out after breathing in, or to breath in after breathing out” (Aṅguttaranikāya Part III & V 1996, p. 303-306; Bodhi 2012, p. 876, 877) This meditation subject can be seen gradually sharpening from one day willingness of life to a breath in or out.

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Buddhaghosa’s further expressions on recollecting of death in eight ways support to pay our keen attention on the same subject. They are, 1. as a murderer, standing in front of him because death comes together with birth and deprives us of life as a budding mushroom shoots upwards carrying soil on its head, 2. from the inevitable loss of all achievement like all health ends in sickness, all youth in old age, all life in death, 3. by inference for oneself from other means to recall the death of people who were great in fame, merit, power, wisdom, etc. 4. because one’s body is shared with many others, 5. from the weakness of the stuff of life like breathing in and out, heat and cold etc., 6. from the absence of signs because one cannot determine the time of death etc., 7. because the life-span is limited, and 8. from the shortness of the moment means life of beings lasts for one single moment (Visuddhimagga 1975, p. 230-239; Ñānamoli 2012, p. 226- 234; Conze 1972, 87-94). Mindfulness of death will help for the efficacious social life as well. Since ego centric idea increases conceit he does not think about his social status and other matters as impermanent. Misusing professional power is increasing because of egocentric immortal desires. Political agenda focused power and resource has developed terrorism, poverty, insecurity all over the world. One who recalls mindfulness of death understands shortness of life and provides his great contribution to the world. As Buddhaghosa states, “A devoted to mindfulness of death is constantly diligent. He acquires perception of disenchantment with all kinds of becoming (existence). He conquers attachment to life. He condemns evil. He avoids much storing. He has no stain of avarice about requisites. Perception of impermanence grows in him, following upon whom there appear the perceptions of pain and not-self. But while beings who have not developed [mindfulness of] death fall victims to fear, horror and confusion at the time of death as though suddenly seized by wild beasts, spirits, snakes, robbers, or murderers, he dies undiluded and fearless without falling into any such state. And if he does not attain the deathless here and now, he is at least headed for a happy destiny on the breakup of the body.” (Ñānamoli 2012, p. 236).

4. MINDFULNESS OF DEATH AND PESSIMISM

One more key point we have to understand here that mindfulness of death and its relevance to pessimism because some modern scholars identify Buddhism as pessimistic. There are directly mentioned ten meditation subjects as repulsive things (dasa asubha) but mindfulness of death comes under 10 recollections. However, it’s better to consider its relevance with mindfulness of death. Under Buddhist guidance people always lead to seeing things in their true nature; understanding them as being impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory (dukkha) and without enduring entity or no-self (anatta). It interprets five aggregates as follows; form is like a lump of froth, feeling is like a water bubble, perception too is like a mirage, formations like a banana trunk, and consciousness seems nothing but a conjuring trick (Bodhi 2000, p. 952). But having not understood this real nature we are attached to these as permanent, satisfactory and enduring entity. This is not the problem of the world but the problem of our inversions (viphallāsa) of perception, inversions of mind and inversions of view. There are four inversions namely impermanent to be impermanent, suffering to be suffering, non-self to be non-self, unattractive to be unattractive (Bodhi 2012, p. 437, 438). Male and female interaction is the foremost among attraction. There is no other form, sound, odor, taste and touch that so obsessed the mind of a man as the form, sound, odor, taste and touch of a woman. In the self-same manner, there is no other form, sound, odor, taste and touch

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《禪與人類文明研究》第 7 期（2020） International Journal for the Study of Chan Buddhism and Human Civilization Issue 7 (2020) that so obsessed the mind of a woman as the form, sound, odor, taste and touch of a man. Ambapali was very famous because of her beautiful figure and when she was young many monarchic princes needed to take her hand. Since there were many, finally, she was selected as a courtesan and was very famous. At the end she entered the Bhikkhuni Order and attained arahanthhood then she appreciated Buddha’s words comparing her former beautiful figure and its current nature. Her black hair changed to fragrant, teeth like the colour of the bud of the plantain changed to broken and yellow, swelling and round breasts changed to empty strainer, thighs like an elephant’s trunk changed to stalks of bamboo etc. (Norman 2017, p. 32-35). This is a great example made by a very beautiful lady regarding her own beauty and its reality. Therefore, mindfulness of death is also not a pessimistic but realistic. Regarding this theme mere arguments, discussions, readings or writings are not much useful. “You can read about mediation in many books and you can hear about it from well- respected teachers, but you will not know meditation until you try it first-hand. You cannot know the taste of a mango until you eat one yourself. Taste is a personal matter which cannot be fully described by one individual to another. There is no substitute for direct, personal experience. So it is with meditation. Meditation is something that must be experienced” (Vajiragnana 1995, p. 6). Thus, mindfulness of death has to be practiced in our daily life to achieve its profits towards individual and communal. Recollection of death will guide us for taking actions against individual or collective violence in many fields. We have to hurry for that as mentioned bellow.

“He should discard all the fetters, and make a for himself Let him fire as with head ablaze, yearning for the imperishable state” (Saṁyuttanikāya Vol. III 1975, p. 142-143; Bodhi 2000, p. 952, 953).

5. CONCLUSION

If we are born in lower state like animals, ghosts etc. there is no chance to realize this shortness of life. Further, birth in human state as human beings with full faculties is a great opportunity to understand this sorrowful nature through Dhamma and look after other beings and living creatures. Reflection of death is not a pessimistic subject but it is the real nature of the world. This meditation will support to see the shortness and non-granted nature of life. Being mindful on the subject adherents will follow right socio-economic, political and professional practices which are against egocentric immortal behaviors. Since this wisdom elicits the realistic nature it removes the clouds of ignorance which guide us to more active lifestyle free from harmful behaviors. Eternal and nihilistic views and relevant behaviours are managed and overcome through proper use of recollection of death. The attachment towards one’s own religion, nationality, country, culture etc. is natural phenomena but realistically it facilitates immortal feelings within this life or samsaric life. Misusing political and social power based on profession is also a problem in the contemporary society. One who believes in after life has to take the responsibility for all wholesome and unwholesome deeds that we have done and our kinsmen, friends and all others accompany us until the grave. One who believes in an afterlife recalls mindfulness of death and enjoys happiness and health during this very life as mind cultured and ideal efficacious being. Thus, mindfulness of death is one of the great paths to create an efficacious human being who is successful in secular life and circle of rebirths.

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BIOGRAPHY

Hewamanage is a Senior Lecturer in Pali and Buddhist Studies, attached to the Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Colombo and he obtained his PhD from Wuhan University and MPhil, MA and BA from University of Kelaniya.

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