The Buddha teaches mendicants in the infirmary to await death mindful and aware, contemplating pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings as impermanent and dependent on the body until all feeling becomes cool at life's end.

SN 36.8 The Infirmary (2nd)

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena gilānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṁ āgameyya. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharaticitte cittānupassī viharatidhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu abhikkante paṭikkante sampajānakārī hoti …pe… bhāsite tuṇhībhāve sampajānakārī hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno hoti.

Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṁ āgameyya. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī.

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati sukhā vedanā. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ sukhā vedanā; ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca. Kiṁ paṭicca? Imameva phassaṁ paṭicca. Ayaṁ kho pana phasso anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno. Aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā sukhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti. So phasse ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati. Tassa phasse ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato, vayānupassino viharato, virāgānupassino viharato, nirodhānupassino viharato, paṭinissaggānupassino viharato yo phasse ca sukhāya ca vedanāya rāgānusayo, so pahīyati.

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa …pe… viharato uppajjati dukkhā vedanā …pe… uppajjati adukkhamasukhā vedanā. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ adukkhamasukhā vedanā; ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca. Kiṁ paṭicca? Imameva phassaṁ paṭicca.

(Yathā purimasutte, tathā vitthāretabbo.)

Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānāti.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, telañca paṭicca vaṭṭiñca paṭicca telappadīpo jhāyeyya, tasseva telassa ca vaṭṭiyā ca pariyādānā anāhāro nibbāyeyya;

evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. Jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. ‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānātī”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena gilānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the infirmary, where he sat down on the seat spread out,

Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

and addressed the mendicants:

“Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṁ āgameyya.

“Mendicants, a mendicant should await their time mindful and aware.

Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī.

This is my instruction to you.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti?

And how is a mendicant mindful?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;

It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati

They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

citte cittānupassī viharati

They meditate observing an aspect of the mind …

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti.

That’s how a mendicant is mindful.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno hoti?

And how is a mendicant aware?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu abhikkante paṭikkante sampajānakārī hoti …pe… bhāsite tuṇhībhāve sampajānakārī hoti.

It’s when a mendicant acts with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno hoti.

That’s how a mendicant is aware.

Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṁ āgameyya.

A mendicant should await their time mindful and aware.

Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī.

This is my instruction to you.

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati sukhā vedanā.

While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if pleasant feelings arise, they understand:

So evaṁ pajānāti:

‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ sukhā vedanā;

‘A pleasant feeling has arisen in me.

ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca.

That’s dependent, not independent.

Kiṁ paṭicca?

Dependent on what?

Imameva phassaṁ paṭicca.

Dependent on this very contact.

Ayaṁ kho pana phasso anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno.

But this contact is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated.

Aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā sukhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti.

So how could a pleasant feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on contact that is impermanent, conditioned, and dependently originated?’

So phasse ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.

They meditate observing impermanence, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in contact and pleasant feeling.

Tassa phasse ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato, vayānupassino viharato, virāgānupassino viharato, nirodhānupassino viharato, paṭinissaggānupassino viharato yo phasse ca sukhāya ca vedanāya rāgānusayo, so pahīyati.

As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency for greed for contact and pleasant feeling.

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ satassa …pe…

While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if painful feelings arise …

viharato uppajjati dukkhā vedanā …pe…

uppajjati adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

if neutral feelings arise, they understand:

So evaṁ pajānāti:

‘uppannā kho myāyaṁ adukkhamasukhā vedanā;

‘A neutral feeling has arisen in me.

ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca.

That’s dependent, not independent.

Kiṁ paṭicca?

Dependent on what?

Imameva phassaṁ paṭicca.

Dependent on this very contact.’

(Yathā purimasutte, tathā vitthāretabbo.)

(Tell in full as in the previous discourse.)

Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānāti.

They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, telañca paṭicca vaṭṭiñca paṭicca telappadīpo jhāyeyya,

Suppose an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn.

tasseva telassa ca vaṭṭiyā ca pariyādānā anāhāro nibbāyeyya;

As the oil and the wick are used up, it would be extinguished due to not being fed.

evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. Jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti.

In the same way, feeling the end of the body draw close, a mendicant understands: ‘I feel the end of the body draw close.’ Feeling the end of life draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life draw close.’

‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānātī”ti.

They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Dispassion

Dispassion

The fading of desire and attraction toward conditioned things. It arises through seeing the impermanent and unsatisfactory nature of experience. It is the natural fragrance of understanding and the forerunner of release.

Also known as: detachment, disinterest, fading of desire, disentanglement
Pāli: virāga, visaṁyutta
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Displeasure

Displeasure

A feeling of mental pain or a disagreeable feeling or unease born of mental contact.

Also known as: mental pain, mental distress, melancholy, sadness
Pāli: domanassa
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Giving up

Giving up

The mental quality of renunciation and release from attachment. It delights in simplicity and freedom rather than in sensual pleasure. Giving up is not loss but the joyful abandoning of burden, opening the way to peace and insight.

Also known as: renunciation, relinquishment, letting go, abandonment
Pāli: nekkhamma
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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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Jealousy

Jealousy

A painful mental state that arises when seeing the good fortune or qualities of others. It begrudges what others have and resents their happiness, closing the heart to appreciative joy.

Also known as: covetousness, envy, possessiveness, protective of, unwilling to part with
Pāli: issā
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Last updated on July 27, 2026