釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 9.79

9.79

六、死想者，行者若修上來諸想，多少懈怠心生，不能疾斷漏，是時應須深修死想。如佛說死想義：有一比丘偏袒白佛：「我能修死想。」佛言：「汝云何修？」比丘言：「我不望一歲活。」佛言：「汝為放逸修死想者。」復有比丘言：「我不望七月活。」有比丘言七日、六日、五日、四日、三日、二日活。佛言：「汝等皆是放逸修死想者。」有比丘言：「從旦至食。」有一比丘言：「一食頃。」佛言：「汝等皆是放逸修死想者。」有一比丘偏袒白佛言：「我於出息不保入息，入息不保出息。」佛言：「善哉！善哉！是真修死想者，是真不放逸行。」若能如是修死想者，當知是人破懈怠賊，一切善法恒得現前，是名修死想也。

Sixth, the notion of death: If the practitioner, while cultivating the preceding notions, generates some slackness and indolence and cannot quickly sever outflows, at that time they must deeply cultivate the notion of death. As the Buddha explained the meaning of the notion of death: A monk bared his shoulder and addressed the Buddha, 'I am able to cultivate the notion of death.' The Buddha asked, 'How do you cultivate it?' The monk said, 'I do not expect to live for a year.' The Buddha said, 'You are one who cultivates the notion of death heedlessly.' Another monk said, 'I do not expect to live for seven months.' Monks said seven days, six days, five days, four days, three days, or two days. The Buddha said, 'You are all cultivating the notion of death heedlessly.' A monk said, 'From dawn until a meal.' A monk said, 'For the duration of a single meal.' The Buddha said, 'You are all cultivating the notion of death heedlessly.' A monk bared his shoulder and addressed the Buddha, saying, 'With an out-breath I cannot guarantee an in-breath; with an in-breath I cannot guarantee an out-breath.' The Buddha said, 'Excellent! Excellent! This is one who truly cultivates the notion of death; this is truly heedful practice.' If one can cultivate the notion of death like this, one should know that this person destroys the thief of indolence, and all wholesome dharmas will constantly manifest. This is called cultivating the notion of death.