Monks, these four persons are found existing in the world. What four?

He who is in darkness and bound for darkness; he who is in darkness but bound for light; he who is in light but bound for darkness; he who is in light and bound for light.

And how, monks, is a person in darkness bound for darkness?

In this case a certain person is born in a low family, the family of a scavenger or a hunter or a basket-weaver or wheelwright or sweeper, or in the family of some wretched man hard put to it to find a meal or earn a living, where food and clothes are hard to get. Moreover, he is ill-favoured, ugly, dwarfish, sickly, purblind, crooked, lame or paralysed, with never a bite or sup, without clothes, vehicle, without perfumes or flower-garlands, bed, dwelling or lights. He lives in the practice of evil with body, speech and thought; and so doing, when body breaks up, after death, he is reborn in the waste, the way of woe, the downfall, in hell. Thus, monks, is the person who is in darkness and bound for darkness.

And how, monks, is a person in darkness but bound for light?

In this case a certain person is born in a low family ...without bed, dwelling or lights. He lives in the practice of good with body, speech and thought ...and so doing, when body breaks up, after death he is reborn in the happy bourn, in the heaven-world.

And how, monks, is a person in light but bound for darkness?

In this case a certain person is born in a high family...

And that man is well-built, comely and charming, possessed of supreme beauty of form. He is one able to get clothes, vehicle, perfumes and flower-garlands, bed, dwelling and lights. But he lives in the practice of evil with body, speech and thought. So doing, when body breaks up, after death he is reborn in the waste, the way of woe, the downfall, in hell. Thus, monks, is the person who is in light but bound for darkness.

And how, monks, is a person who is in light and bound for light?

In this case a person is born in a high family ...able to get clothes... bed, dwelling and lights. He lives in the practice of good with body, speech and thought. So doing, when body breaks up after death, he is reborn in the happy bourn, in the heaven-world. Thus, monks, is one who is in light and bound for light.

These, monks, are the four persons found existing in the world.

Monks, if beings knew, as I know, the ripening of sharing gifts they would not enjoy their use without sharing them, nor would the taint of stinginess obsess the heart and stay there. Even if it were their last bit, their last morsel of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it...

Mindfulness of death, monks, when made become, when developed is very fruitful, of great advantage, merging and ending in the deathless.

And how, monks, is it so...?

Take the case of a monk, who, when the day declines and night sets in, reflects thus: “Many indeed are the chances of death for me. A snake or scorpion or a centipede might bite me and might cause my death; that would be a hindrance to me. I might stumble and fall; the food I have eaten might make me ill; bile might convulse me; phlegm choke me; winds (within me) with their scissor-like cuts give me ache; or men or non-humans might attack me and might cause my death. That would be a hindrance to me.”

Monks, that monk must reflect thus: “Are there any evil and wrong states within me that have not been put away and that would be a hindrance to me were I to die tonight?” If, monks, on consideration he realize that there are such states ...then to put away just those evil and wrong states, an intense resolution, effort, endeavour, exertion, struggle, mindfulness and self-possession must be made by that monk.

Monks, just as a man whose turban is on fire, or whose hair is burning, would make an intense resolution, effort, endeavour, exertion, struggle, mindfulness and self-possession to put out his (burning) turban or hair; even so, monks, an intense resolution, effort, endeavour, exertion, struggle, mindfulness and self-possession must be made by that monk to put away just those evil and wrong states.

But if that monk, on review, realize that there are no such states within him that have not been put away which would be a hindrance to him, were he to die that night - then let that monk live verily in joy and gladness, training himself day and night in the ways of righteousness.

Take the case, monks, of a monk who reflects likewise ...when the night is spent and day breaks. He must reflect in the same way...

Monks, mindfulness of death when so made become, so developed is very fruitful, of great advantage, merging and ending in the deathless.