The venerable Mogharāja asks the Buddha how to look upon the world so that the King of Death does not see one. The Buddha advises to look upon the world as empty, being ever mindful, and to uproot the sense of self.

Mogharājamāṇavapucchā - Mogharāja’s Question

“Twice I have asked |Sakka::man of the Sakyan race, referring to the Buddha here [sakka]|,”
(said the venerable Mogharāja),
“but the One with Vision did not answer me;
Yet I have heard that the divine sage,
answers upon the third request.

As to this world, the other world,
the Brahma world together with the gods,
I do not know your |view::belief, an opinion, a concept, a theory [diṭṭhi]|,
O renowned |Gotama::family name of the Buddha [gotama]|.

Thus, (to) one of excellent vision,
I have come in need with a question;
How does one |look upon::regard, view [avekkhanta]| the world,
so that the King of Death does not see one?”

“Look upon the world as |empty::non-subjective [suññata]|,
Mogharāja, being ever |mindful::remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body in and of itself, feelings in and of itself, mind in and of itself, mental qualities in and of itself [sata]|;
Having uprooted the |sense of self::concept of identity, speculation about self, view that the self exists [attānudiṭṭhi]|,
one might thus cross over death;
The King of Death does not see,
one who looks upon the world in this way.”

Last updated on April 29, 2025

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