MARANASATI

Aniccā vata sankhārā

Uppāda-vaya-dhamminō

Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti

Tesam vūpasamō sukhō

•

All conditioned things are impermanent

Their nature is to arise and pass away.

To live in harmony with this truth

Brings the highest happiness.

At the time of The Buddha’s death (Paranibbana) these verses were uttered. For over 2500 years to this day, they continue to be recited by monks at funerals as an offering for reflection to the living.

In Maranasati, this chant echoes, together with a photograph of a man who died while sitting in meditation. It is not known who this is, when this was taken, or where his body was found. It is believed to be a solitary monk whose corpse was discovered in this very condition, just as we see it. During artist Andrew Binkley’s time as a Theravadan Buddhist monk in Thailand, copies of this image were passed around between the monks. This small photograph acted as an image they could carry with them or place on an altar for reflection, and for cultivating the practice of “Maranasati” (mindfulness of death).