Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.235 18.

The Fire Sermon

Samuddavagga Ādittapariyāyasutta “Ādittapariyāyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi.

Disciples, I will teach you the Fire Sermon, a discourse on the Dhamma.

Taṁ suṇātha.

Listen to it.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ādittapariyāyo, dhammapariyāyo?

And what is the Fire Sermon, the discourse on the Dhamma?

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tattāya ayosalākāya ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya cakkhundriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho.

Disciples, it is better for the eye faculty to be pierced by a red-hot iron spike, blazing and glowing, than for one to grasp the signs and features in forms cognizable by the eye.

Nimittassādagathitaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya— nirayaṁ vā, tiracchānayoniṁ vā.

If consciousness were to remain attached to the enjoyment of signs, and if at that time one were to die, there is the possibility of going to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm.

Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

Seeing this danger I speak thus.

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tiṇhena ayosaṅkunā ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena sotindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva sotaviññeyyesu saddesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho.

Disciples, it is better for the ear faculty to be pierced by a sharp, red-hot iron stake, blazing and glowing, than for one to grasp the signs and features in sounds cognizable by the ear.

Nimittassādagathitaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya— nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā.

If consciousness were to remain attached to the enjoyment of signs, and if at that time one were to die, there is the possibility of going to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm.

Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

Seeing this danger I speak thus.

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tiṇhena nakhacchedanena ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena ghānindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva ghānaviññeyyesu gandhesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho.

Disciples, it is better for the nose faculty to be pierced by a sharp, red-hot nail, blazing and glowing, than for one to grasp the signs and features in smells cognizable by the nose.

Nimittassādagathitaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya— nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā.

If consciousness were to remain attached to the enjoyment of signs, and if at that time one were to die, there is the possibility of going to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm.

Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

Seeing this danger I speak thus.

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tiṇhena khurena ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena jivhindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho.

Disciples, it is better for the tongue faculty to be pierced by a sharp, red-hot knife, blazing and glowing, than for one to grasp the signs and features in tastes cognizable by the tongue.

Nimittassādagathitaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya— nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā.

If consciousness were to remain attached to the enjoyment of signs, and if at that time one were to die, there is the possibility of going to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm.

Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

Seeing this danger I speak thus.

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tiṇhāya sattiyā ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya kāyindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva kāyaviññeyyesu phoṭṭhabbesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho.

Disciples, it is better for the body faculty to be pierced by a sharp, red-hot spear, blazing and glowing, than for one to grasp the signs and features in tangibles cognizable by the body.

Nimittassādagathitaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya— nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā.

If consciousness were to remain attached to a sign or to a feature, and at that time one were to pass away, there is the possibility that one would go to one of two destinations: either to hell or to the animal realm.

Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

Seeing this danger I say thus.

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, sottaṁ.

Better is the ear.

Sottaṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, vañjhaṁ jīvitānaṁ vadāmi, aphalaṁ jīvitānaṁ vadāmi, momūhaṁ jīvitānaṁ vadāmi, na tveva tathārūpe vitakke vitakkeyya yathārūpānaṁ vitakkānaṁ vasaṁ gato saṅghaṁ bhindeyya.

However, I declare the ear to be barren of life, fruitless of life, deluded of life, but not to engage in such thoughts that, being led by them, one would break the community.

Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, vañjhaṁ jīvitānaṁ ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

Seeing this danger in the barren life I say thus.

Tattha, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘tiṭṭhatu tāva tattāya ayosalākāya ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya cakkhundriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ.

There a learned noble disciple reflects thus: Let the eye faculty be scorched by a heated iron rod, burning, blazing, and glowing.

Handāhaṁ idameva manasi karomi— iti cakkhu aniccaṁ, rūpā aniccā, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ, cakkhusamphasso anicco, yampidaṁ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi aniccaṁ’.

I will focus my mind on this: the eye is impermanent, forms are impermanent, eye-consciousness is impermanent, eye-contact is impermanent, and whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition: be it pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant: that too is impermanent.

Tiṭṭhatu tāva tiṇhena ayosaṅkunā ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena sotindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ.

Let the ear faculty be scorched by a sharp, heated, burning, blazing, and glowing iron spike.

Handāhaṁ idameva manasi karomi— iti sotaṁ aniccaṁ, saddā aniccā, sotaviññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ, sotasamphasso anicco, yampidaṁ sotasamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi aniccaṁ.

I will focus my mind on this: the ear is impermanent, sounds are impermanent, ear-consciousness is impermanent, ear-contact is impermanent, and whatever feeling arises with ear-contact as condition: be it pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant: that too is impermanent.

Tiṭṭhatu tāva tiṇhena nakhacchedanena ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena ghānindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ.

Let the nose faculty be scorched by a sharp, heated, burning, blazing, and glowing nail cutter.

I will focus my mind on this: the nose is impermanent, odors are impermanent, nose-consciousness is impermanent, nose-contact is impermanent, and whatever feeling arises with nose-contact as condition: be it pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant: that too is impermanent.

Handāhaṁ idameva manasi karomi— iti ghānaṁ aniccaṁ, gandhā aniccā, ghānaviññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ, ghānasamphasso anicco, yampidaṁ ghānasamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ …pe… tampi aniccaṁ. Tiṭṭhatu tāva tiṇhena khurena ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena jivhindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ. Handāhaṁ idameva manasi karomi— iti jivhā aniccā, rasā aniccā, jivhāviññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ, jivhāsamphasso anicco, yampidaṁ jivhāsamphassapaccayā uppajjati …pe…

Let the tongue faculty be scorched by a sharp, heated, burning, blazing, and glowing razor. I will focus my mind on this: the tongue is impermanent, tastes are impermanent, tongue-consciousness is impermanent, tongue-contact is impermanent, and whatever feeling arises with tongue-contact as condition: be it pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant: that too is impermanent.

Let the body faculty be scorched by a sharp, heated, burning, blazing, and glowing spear.

tampi aniccaṁ. Tiṭṭhatu tāva tiṇhāya sattiyā ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya kāyindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ. Handāhaṁ idameva manasi karomi— iti kāyo anicco, phoṭṭhabbā aniccā, kāyaviññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ, kāyasamphasso anicco, yampidaṁ kāyasamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ …pe… tampi aniccaṁ.

I will focus my mind on this: the body is impermanent, tangibles are impermanent, body-consciousness is impermanent, body-contact is impermanent, and whatever feeling arises with body-contact as condition: be it pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant: that too is impermanent.

Tiṭṭhatu tāva sottaṁ.

Let the ear be for now.

Handāhaṁ idameva manasi karomi— iti mano anicco, dhammā aniccā, manoviññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ, manosamphasso anicco, yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tampi aniccaṁ”.

I will focus on this: the mind is impermanent, phenomena are impermanent, mental consciousness is impermanent, mental contact is impermanent, and whatever feeling arises dependent on mental contact: whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant: that too is impermanent.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati, rūpesupi nibbindati, cakkhuviññāṇepi nibbindati, cakkhusamphassepi nibbindati …pe…

Seeing thus a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted with the eye, disenchanted with forms, disenchanted with eye-consciousness, disenchanted with eye-contact...

yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tasmimpi nibbindati.

and whatever feeling arises dependent on mental contact: whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant: he becomes disenchanted with that too.

Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

Becoming disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate; through dispassion, he is liberated; with liberation, there is the knowing: Liberated.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.

He knows: Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, ādittapariyāyo, dhammapariyāyo”ti. Aṭṭhamaṁ.

This is the discourse on the fire, the discourse on the Dhamma.