AN5.57 — Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhānasutta
These five things should be frequently reflected upon by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth. What five?
I am of the nature to age, I have not gone beyond aging. This should be frequently reflected upon by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
I am of the nature to sicken, I have not gone beyond sickness. This should be frequently reflected upon by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
I am of the nature to die, I have not gone beyond death. This should be frequently reflected upon by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
All that is dear and appealing to me will become otherwise, will become separated from me. This should be frequently reflected upon by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir. This should be frequently reflected upon by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
Why should it be frequently reflected, I am of the nature to age, I have not gone beyond aging by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth? There are beings intoxicated with their youth, and due to that intoxication, they conduct themselves wrongly in body, speech, and mind. Reflecting frequently on this, that intoxication with youth is either completely abandoned or becomes less.
This is why it should be frequently reflected, I am of the nature to age, I have not gone beyond aging by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
And why should it be frequently reflected, I am of the nature to sicken, I have not gone beyond sickness? There are beings intoxicated with their health, and due to that intoxication, they conduct themselves wrongly in body, speech, and mind. Reflecting frequently on this, that intoxication with health is either completely abandoned or becomes less.
This is why it should be frequently reflected, I am of the nature to sicken, I have not gone beyond sickness by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
And why should it be frequently reflected, I am of the nature to die, I have not gone beyond death? There are beings intoxicated with their life, and due to that intoxication, they conduct themselves wrongly in body, speech, and mind. Reflecting frequently on this, that intoxication with life is either completely abandoned or becomes less.
This is why it should be frequently reflected, I am of the nature to die, I have not gone beyond death by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
And why should it be frequently reflected, All that is dear and appealing to me will become otherwise, will become separated from me? There are beings attached and infatuated with what is dear and appealing, and due to that attachment, they conduct themselves wrongly in body, speech, and mind. Reflecting frequently on this, that attachment and infatuation with what is dear and appealing is either completely abandoned or becomes less.
This is why it should be frequently reflected, All that is dear and appealing to me will become otherwise, will become separated from me by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
And why should it be frequently reflected, I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir? There are beings conducting themselves wrongly in body, speech, and mind. Reflecting frequently on this, that wrong conduct in body, speech, and mind is either completely abandoned or becomes less.
This is why it should be frequently reflected, I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir by a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth.
Thus a noble disciple reflects: I am not the only one who is of the nature to age, not gone beyond aging. All that are dear and appealing to me will also become otherwise, will become separated from me.
All beings are subject to birth, aging, sickness, death, and rebirth; all beings are not beyond aging. For one who frequently reflects on this fact, a path arises. He practices, develops, and cultivates this path.
For one practicing, developing, and cultivating this path, all fetters are completely abandoned, and underlying tendencies are eradicated. I am not the only one subject to sickness, not beyond sickness; indeed, all beings subject to birth, aging, sickness, death, and rebirth are subject to sickness, not beyond sickness.
For one who frequently reflects on this fact, a path arises. He practices, develops, and cultivates this path. For one practicing, developing, and cultivating this path, all fetters are completely abandoned, and underlying tendencies are eradicated. I am not the only one subject to death, not beyond death; indeed, all beings subject to birth, aging, sickness, death, and rebirth are subject to death, not beyond death.
For one who frequently reflects on this fact, a path arises. He practices, develops, and cultivates this path. For one practicing, developing, and cultivating this path, all fetters are completely abandoned, and underlying tendencies are eradicated. It is not only I who am subject to separation from all that is dear and appealing, but all beings subject to birth, aging, sickness, death, and rebirth are subject to separation from all that is dear and appealing.
For one who frequently reflects on this fact, a path arises. He practices, develops, and cultivates this path. For one practicing, developing, and cultivating this path, all fetters are completely abandoned, and underlying tendencies are eradicated. I am not the only one who is the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my refuge.
Whatever actions I shall do, whether good or evil, of those I will be the heir; indeed, all beings subject to birth, aging, sickness, death, and rebirth are the owners of their actions, heirs to their actions. Whatever actions they shall do, whether good or evil, of those they will be the heirs. For one who frequently reflects on this fact, a path arises. He practices, develops, and cultivates this path.
For one practicing, developing, and cultivating this path, all fetters are completely abandoned, and underlying tendencies are eradicated. Subject to disease, aging, and death are beings; as are the laws, so are the beings, despised by the ordinary. If I were to despise them in such conditions among beings, it would not be fitting for me, living thus.
Living thus, knowing the law as one without acquisitions, in health, youth, and life, where pride may be found. I have overcome all pride, seeing renunciation as security.
For me, there arose enthusiasm, seeing Nibbana.
I am now unable to indulge in sensual pleasures; I will not turn back, devoted to the holy life.