Visuddhimagga VIII-41

Imañca pana maraṇassatiṃ anuyutto bhikkhu satataṃ appamatto hoti,

（念死的功德）勤修念死的比丘，是常不放逸的，

Ñ(VIII,41): A bhikkhu devoted to mindfulness of death is constantly diligent.

sabbabhavesu anabhiratisaññaṃ paṭilabhati,

对一切有得不爱乐想，

Ñ: He acquires perception of disenchantment with all kinds of becoming (existence).

jīvitanikantiṃ jahāti,

舍弃命的爱者，

Ñ: He conquers attachment to life.

pāpagarahī hoti,

是呵斥罪恶者，

Ñ: He condemns evil.

asannidhibahulo parikkhāresu vigatamalamacchero,

不多贮藏，对于资具离诸悭垢，

Ñ: He avoids much storing. He has no stain of avarice about requisites.

aniccasaññā cassa paricayaṃ gacchati,

得至熟练于他的无常之想，

Ñ: Perception of impermanence grows in him,

tadanusāreneva dukkhasaññā anattasaññā ca upaṭṭhāti.

随着亦得现起苦想及无我想。

Ñ: following upon which there appear the perceptions of pain and not-self.

Yathā abhāvitamaraṇā sattā sahasā vāḷamigayakkhasappacoravadhakābhibhūtā viya maraṇasamaye bhayaṃ santāsaṃ sammohaṃ āpajjanti,

不修习念死的有情，死的时候未免陷于恐怖昏昧，

Ñ: But while beings who have not developed [mindfulness of] death fall victims to fear, horror and confusion at the time of death

evaṃ anāpajjitvā abhayo asammūḷho kālaṃ karoti.

如突然地遭遇猛兽、夜叉、蟒蛇、盗贼，及杀戮者相似，

Ñ: as though suddenly seized by wild beasts, spirits, snakes, robbers, or murderers,

Sace diṭṭheva dhamme amataṃ nārādheti, kāyassa bhedā sugatiparāyano hoti.

如是（修习）则不陷于（恐怖昏昧）而得无畏无昏昧而命终。他于现世纵使不证不死（的涅盘），来世亦得到达善趣。

Ñ: he dies undeluded and fearless without falling into any such state. And if he does not attain the deathless here and now, he is at least headed for a happy destiny on the breakup of the body.

Tasmā have appamādaṃ, kayirātha sumedhaso;

Evaṃ mahānubhāvāya, maraṇassatiyā sadāti.

真实的善慧者，

应对于如是，

有大威力的念死，

常作不放逸之行。

Ñ: Now when a man is truly wise,

His constant task will surely be

This recollection about death

Blessed with such mighty potency.

Idaṃ maraṇassatiyaṃ vitthārakathāmukhaṃ.

这是详论念死一门。

Ñ: This is the section dealing with the recollection of death in the detailed explanation.