I. Great the Fruit and Great the Profit
Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
“Monks.”
“Yes, lord,” replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
“Monks, the idea of the discoloured corpse, if cultivated and made much of, is of great fruit and great profit.
And how cultivated and made much of is the idea of the discoloured corpse of great fruit and great profit?
Herein a monk cultivates the limb of wisdom that is mindfulness, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is investigation of the Norm, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is energy, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is zest, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is tranquillity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is concentration, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is equanimity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
Thus cultivated, monks, thus made much of, the idea of the discoloured corpse is of great fruit and great profit.”
II. Realization or No Return
Monks, from the cultivation and making much of the idea of the discoloured corpse, of two fruits one may be looked for even in this very life, to wit: realization, or, if there be any substrate left, the state of non-return.
How should it be cultivated, monks, how should it be made much of that of two fruits one may be looked for even in this very life, to wit: realization, or, if there be any substrate left, the state of non-return?
Herein a monk cultivates the limb of wisdom that is mindfulness, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is investigation of the Norm, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is energy, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is zest, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is tranquillity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is concentration, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is equanimity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
If the idea of the discoloured corpse be thus cultivated, thus made much of, one may look for one of two fruits even in this very life, to wit: realization, or, if there be any substrate left, at any rate the state of non-return.
III. Great Benefit
Monks, the idea of the discoloured corpse, if cultivated and made much of, conduces to great benefit.
From the cultivation and making much of the idea of the discoloured corpse, of two fruits one may be looked for even in this very life, to wit: realization, or, if there be any substrate left, the state of non-return.
How should the idea of the discoloured corpse, be cultivated, monks, how should it be made much of that of two fruits one may be looked for even in this very life, to wit: realization, or, if there be any substrate left, the state of non-return?
Herein a monk cultivates the limb of wisdom that is mindfulness, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is investigation of the Norm, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is energy, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is zest, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is tranquillity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is concentration, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is equanimity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
If the idea of the discoloured corpse be thus cultivated, thus made much of, one may look for one of two fruits even in this very life, to wit: realization, or, if there be any substrate left, at any rate the state of non-return.
IV. Great Peace from Bondage
“Monks, the idea of the discoloured corpse, if cultivated and made much of, conduces to great peace from bondage.
And how cultivated and made much of does the idea of the discoloured corpse conduce to great peace from bondage?
Herein a monk cultivates the limb of wisdom that is mindfulness, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is investigation of the Norm, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is energy, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is zest, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is tranquillity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is concentration, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is equanimity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
Thus cultivated, monks, thus made much of, the idea of the discoloured corpse conduces to great peace from bondage.”
V. A Great Thrill
Monks, the idea of the discoloured corpse, if cultivated and made much of, conduces to a great thrill.
And how cultivated and made much of does the idea of the discoloured corpse conduce to a great thrill?
Herein a monk cultivates the limb of wisdom that is mindfulness, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is investigation of the Norm, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is energy, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is zest, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is tranquillity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is concentration, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is equanimity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
Thus cultivated, monks, thus made much of, the idea of the discoloured corpse conduces to a great thrill.”
VI. Great Pleasantness of Living
Monks, the idea of the discoloured corpse, if cultivated and made much of, conduces to great pleasantness of living.
And how cultivated and made much of does the idea of the discoloured corpse conduce to great pleasantness of living?
Herein a monk cultivates the limb of wisdom that is mindfulness, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is investigation of the Norm, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is energy, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is zest, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is tranquillity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is concentration, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom that is equanimity, accompanied by the idea of the discoloured corpse, which is based on seclusion, on dispassion, on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
Thus cultivated, monks, thus made much of, the idea of the discoloured corpse conduces great pleasantness of living.”