So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Then as Venerable Upasena son of Vaṅgantā was in private retreat this thought came to his mind: Atha kho āyasmato upasenassa vaṅgantaputtassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate! “lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, My Teacher is the Blessed One, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha. satthā ca me bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho; Well explained is the teaching and training in which I have gone forth from the lay life to homelessness. svākkhāte camhi dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito; My spiritual companions are ethical and of good character. sabrahmacārino ca me sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā; I have fulfilled the precepts. sīlesu camhi paripūrakārī; My mind is unified and serene. susamāhito camhi ekaggacitto; I am a perfected one who has ended the defilements. arahā camhi khīṇāsavo; I am of great might and power. mahiddhiko camhi mahānubhāvo. My life has been good, and my death will be good.” Bhaddakaṁ me jīvitaṁ, bhaddakaṁ maraṇan”ti.

Then, knowing that Venerable Upasena’s train of thought, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Atha kho bhagavā āyasmato upasenassa vaṅgantaputtassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“One who has no guilt in life, “Yaṁ jīvitaṁ na tapati, nor grief at facing death: maraṇante na socati; that attentive one who has seen the truth, Sa ve diṭṭhapado dhīro, grieves not among the grieving. sokamajjhe na socati.

For the mendicant with peaceful mind, Ucchinnabhavataṇhassa, who has cut off craving for continued existence, santacittassa bhikkhuno; transmigration through births is finished, Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro, there’ll be no more future lives for them.” natthi tassa punabbhavo”ti.