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Caturàrakkhà Bhàvanà
Four Protective Meditations

    Buddhànussati, mettà ca, ~ asubhaü, maraõassati
Recollection of the Buddha, friendliness, ~ unattractiveness, and mindfulness of death -

    iti imà caturàrakkhà ~ bhikkhu bhàveyya sãlavà.
these are the four protective meditations ~ that a virtuous monk should develop.

    Anantavitthàraguõaü ~ guõatonussaraü Muniü,
Recollecting the Sage's virtue, and his endless, extensive, good qualities,

    bhàveyya buddhimà bhikkhu ~ Buddhànussati-m-àdito.
the wise monk should develop ~ the recollection of the Buddha first.

Buddhànussati
Recollection of the Buddha
(ârakkhà Bhàvanà 1)

1.    Savàsane kilese so ~ eko sabbe nighàtiya,
Alone he destroyed all the corruptions, and (bad) predispositions,

       ahå susuddhasantàno ~ påjànaü ca sadàraho.
and being continually and fully pure ~ he is worthy of worship at all times.

2.    Sabbakàlagate dhamme ~ sabbe sammà sayaü Muni
 The Sage by himself has, in every way, completely awakened to all things

       sabbàkàrena bujjhitvà, ~ eko sabba¤¤utaü gato.
throughout the whole of time, ~ and alone he has arrived at omniscience.

3.    Vipassanàdi vijjàhi ~ sãlàdi caraõehi ca,
 Being endowed with great psychic power, good conduct, virtue, and so on,

      susamiddhehi sampanno, ~ gaganàbhehi nàyako.
true understanding, insight, and so on, ~ the leader was like the shining sky.

4.    Sammàgato subhaü ñhànaü ~ amoghavacano ca so,
He who never spoke foolish words, has arrived at that glorious state (Nibbàna),

       tividhassàpi lokassa ~ ¤àtà niravasesato.
he knew the threefold world system (completely) without leaving anything out.

5.    Anekehi guõoghehi ~ sabbasattuttamo ahå,
Overflowing with countless good qualities ~ he is supreme among all beings,

       anekehi upàyehi ~ naradamme damesi ca.
with countless skilful means ~ he tamed those men who could be tamed.

6.    Eko sabbassa lokassa ~ sabbamatthànusàsako,
He alone, to the whole world ~ was the teacher of everything good,

       bhàgyaissariyàdãnaü ~ guõànaü paramo nidhã.
he is the highest treasure, having qualities such as good fortune, mastery, and so on.

7.    Pa¤¤àssa sabbadhammesu ~ karuõà sabbajantusu,
Being wise in regard to all things ~ compassionate to everybody,

       attatthànaü paratthànaü ~ sàdhikà guõajeññhikà.
he exceeded (others) in the best qualities, (knowing) what was for his own and others' good.

8.    Dayàya pàramã citvà ~ pa¤¤àyattànam-uddharã,
Through sympathy he set his mind on the perfections ~ through wisdom he raised himself up,

       uddharã sabbadhamme ca, ~ dayàya¤¤e ca uddharã.
he raised himself above all things, ~ through sympathy he raised others too.

9.    Dissamàno pi tàvassa ~ råpakàyo acintayo,
Even his visible form-body was beyond thought,

       asàdhàraõa¤àõaóóhe ~ dhammakàye kathà vakàti?
what can be said of his spiritual body, which was unique, having powerful knowledge?

Mettà Bhàvanà
The Development of Friendliness Meditation
(ârakkhà Bhàvanà 2)

1.    Attåpamàya sabbesaü ~ sattànaü sukhakàmataü,
In a similar way to oneself, all ~ beings desire happiness,

       passitvà kamato mettaü ~ sabbasattesu bhàvaye.
having seen that one should gradually develop friendliness towards all beings.

2.    Sukhã bhaveyyaü niddukkho, ~ ahaü niccaü, aham viya
May I constantly be happy, free from suffering, and like myself

       hità ca me sukhã hontu, ~ majjhattà càtha verino.
may my benefactors be happy, ~ neutral persons, and foes also.

3.    Imamhi gàmakkhettamhi, ~ sattà hontu sukhã sadà,
In this village, and its surrounding fields, ~ may beings always be happy,

       tato para¤-ca rajjesu, ~ cakkavàlesu jantuno.
and those in other countries, ~ and people throughout the universe.

4.    Samantà cakkavàlesu ~ sattànantesu pàõino,
 Throughout the entire universe ~ may the countless beings, creatures,

       sukhino puggalà bhåtà ~ attabhàvagatà siyuü,
persons, and bhåtas, who have attained individuality, be happy,

5.    tathà itthã pumà ceva ~ ariyà anariyà pi ca,
and so too (all) women, men, ~ noble ones, and also ignoble ones,

       devà narà apàyaññhà, ~ tathà dasadisàsu càti.
gods, humans, and fallen creatures, ~ and likewise (all beings) in the ten directions.

Asubhasa¤¤à
Perception of the Unattractive
(ârakkhà Bhàvanà 3)

1.    Avi¤¤àõasubhanibhaü ~ savi¤¤àõasubhaü imaü,
With consciousness it is unattractive, just as it is without (i.e. dead),

       kàyaü asubhato passaü, ~ asubhaü bhàvaye yati.
seeing this body as unattractive, ~ a monk should develop (the recollection) of the unattractive.

2.    Vaõõasaõñhànagandhehi ~ àsayokàsato tathà,
Thus by way of colour, shape, smell, location, and appearance,

       pañikkålàni kàye me ~ kuõapàni dvisoëasa.
the thirty-two (parts) in my body (are like) repulsive corpses.

3.    Patitamhà pi kuõapà, ~ jegucchaü kàyanissitaü,
The (parts) that depend on this body are contemptible, as is what falls from a corpse,

       àdhàro hi 'suci tassa, ~ kàye tu kuõape ñhitaü.
for their recepticle is impure, ~ they are situated in this corpse of a body.

4.    Mãlhe kimi va kàyoyaü ~ asucimhi samuññhito,
Like a worm in excrement this body ~ arose in what is impure (i.e. the womb),

        anto asucisampuõõo ~ puõõavaccakuñã viya.
inside it is full of impurities ~ just like a full lavatory.

5.    Asucisandate niccaü ~ yathà medakathàlikà,
Always the impurities overflow ~ like fat (overflows) from a frying pan,

       nànàkimikulàvàso, ~ pakkhacandanikà viya.
various kinds of worms dwell in it, ~ the same as in a cesspool.

6.    Gaõóabhåto, rogabhåto, ~ vaõabhåto, samussayo,
This bodily heap is like a boil, like a disease, or like a sore,

       atekiccho ti jeguccho ~ pabhinnakuõapåpamo ti.
it is incurable, contemptible, ~ just like a rotting corpse.

Maraõànussati
Recollection of Death
(ârakkhà Bhàvanà 4)

1.    Pavàtadãpatulyàya, ~ sàyusantatiyà khayaü,
By comparing a lamp in a breeze, ~ with the destruction of the life continuum,

       paråpamàya sampassaü, ~ bhàvaye maraõassatiü.
through seeing oneself as similar to others, ~ one should develop mindfulness of death.

2.    Mahàsampattisampattà ~ yathà sattà matà idha,
Just as people who have attained great good fortune here have died,

       tathà ahaü marissàmi ~ maranaü mama hessati.
in the same way will I die ~ death is (surely) coming to me.

3.    Uppattiyà sahevedaü ~ maraõaü àgataü sadà,
Indeed death always comes along with that which has arisen,

       maraõatthàya okàsaü ~ vadhako viya esati.
it is like a murderer who is seeking an opportunity to kill.

4.    äsakaü anivattaü taü ~ satataü gamanussukaü,
 This life is slowly, without turning back, continually, eagerly,

       jãvitaü udayà atthaü ~ suriyo viya dhàvati.
going its way, it rises and falls ~ just as the sun runs its course (and sets).

5.    Vijjububbulaussàva, ~ jalaràjã parikkhayaü,
(Like) lightning, a bubble, dew, ~ a line drawn on water, life (quickly goes to) destruction,

       ghàtako varipåtassa ~ sabbatthà pi avàriyo.
like an executioner in regard to his rival ~ (death) can never be constrained.

6.    Suyasatthàmapu¤¤iddhã ~ buddhivuddhã Jinadvayaü,
Even the two kinds of Victors, who are famous, strong, meritorious, powerful, and of great intelligence,

       ghàtesi maraõaü khippaü, ~ kà tu màdisake kathà?
were quickly slaughtered by death, ~ so what to say about one like me?

7.    Paccayàna¤-ca vekalyà ~ bàhirajjhattupaddavà,
When conditions fail ~ there are internal and external adversities,

       maràmoraü nimesà pi ~ maramàno anukkhaõan-ti.
dying at each and every moment I will die in less (time) than a blink of an eye.

Aññhasaüvegavatthåni
The Eight Bases for Urgency

1.    Bhàvetvà caturàrakkhà ~ àvajjeyya anantaraü
Having developed these four protections ~ one should consider next

       mahàsaüvegavatthåni, ~ aññha aññhitavãriyo.
the eight great bases for urgency, having non-stop energy.

2.    Jàtijaràvyàdhicutã apàyà,
Birth, old age, sickness, death, the lower realms,

       atãta-appattakavaññadukkhaü,
the past and future suffering in the round,

       idàni àhàragaveññhidukkhaü
the suffering in having to seek food in the present -

       saüvegavatthåni imàni aññha.
these are the eight bases for urgency.

3.    Pàto ca sàyamapi ceva imaü vidhi¤¤o,
If, in the morning and in the evening, one who knows the way,

       àsevate satatamatta hitàbhilàsi,
who desires his own benefit, practises (these meditations) continually,

       pappoti so ti vipulaü hata pàripantho,
 then after destroying (even) extensive obstacles, that sage

       seññhaü sukhaü muni visiññhamataü sukhena càti.
easily attains great happiness, and the distinction of the deathless.