分別功德論 2.27

2.27

念死者，行人念：「命逝不停，諸根散壞如腐敗木，命根斷絕。」當念非常以自覺悟。昔有比丘名婆吉梨，坐禪行道經歷年歲而有漏不除，自患己身以為大累。每思自害：「人所以不得至道者，正坐此身纏綿流轉何時可息？」即以手執刀將欲自刎，復重思惟：「世尊有教誡，諸弟子不得自殘。雖爾，我今欲求涅槃。涅槃中無身，是故先除身取無為。」正爾便舉刀自刎，頭亦墮心亦徹，即得阿羅漢。佛知已得道，勅諸比丘闍維其屍。是故念死亦得涅槃也。

"Mindfulness of death" means that the practitioner contemplates: "Life passes away without stopping; the sense-faculties scatter and decay like rotten wood, and the life-faculty is cut off." One should contemplate impermanence to awaken oneself. In the past, there was a monk named Vakkali. Sitting in dhyāna and practicing the Way, years passed by and his defilements were not eradicated; he loathed his own body, considering it a great burden. He often thought of harming himself: "The reason one cannot attain the Way is precisely because of being entangled and transmigrating through this body; when will it ever cease?" Thereupon, holding a knife in his hand, he was about to slit his own throat, but then reflected again: "The World-Honoured One gave an admonition that his disciples must not mutilate themselves. Even so, I now seek nirvāṇa; in nirvāṇa there is no body, therefore I will first remove the body to take the unconditioned." Just then, he raised the knife and slit his own throat; as his head fell, his mind penetrated through, and he immediately attained the status of an arhat. The Buddha knew that he had already attained the Way, and commanded the monks to cremate his corpse. Therefore, mindfulness of death also leads to nirvāṇa.