In short: the Buddha asked everyone to remember death often, not to frighten them but to wake them up: "I am liable to die, I am not exempt from death" (AN 5.57). Here are seven genuine quotes on death, each with its source.
1. AN 5.57
"I am liable to die, I am not exempt from death."
The third of the Five Remembrances, which the Buddha said everyone should often review.
2. AN 5.57
"I am the owner of my deeds and heir to my deeds."
The fifth remembrance: what we carry is what we do.
3. Snp 3.8
"As ripe fruit are always in danger of falling, so mortals once born are always in danger of death."
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4. AN 6.19
"Oh, if I'd only live as long as it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, I'd focus on the Buddha's instructions and I could really achieve a lot."
The reflection the Buddha praised most.
5. Dhammapada 21
"Heedfulness is the state free of death; heedlessness is the state of death."
6. Dhammapada 47
"As a mighty flood sweeps off a sleeping village, death steals away a man even as he gathers flowers, his mind caught up in them."
7. DN 16, the Buddha's last words
"Conditions fall apart. Persist with diligence."
If you are grieving, please be gentle with yourself. Buddhist teachings on grief may help.
All quotes are from the early Buddhist texts in Bhikkhu Sujato's translation on SuttaCentral, copied exactly. Last checked: 17 October 2026.
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What did the Buddha say about death?
That we should remember it often, without fear: 'I am liable to die, I am not exempt from death' is one of the Five Remembrances (AN 5.57).