Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.235

The Related Suttas Collection 35.235

18. Samuddavagga

18. The Ocean

Ādittapariyāyasutta

The Exposition on Burning

“Ādittapariyāyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha.

“Bhikkhus, I will teach you an exposition of the teaching on burning. Listen …

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ādittapariyāyo, dhammapariyāyo?

And what is the exposition of the teaching on burning?

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tattāya ayosalākāya ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya¹ cakkhundriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho. Nimittassādagathitaṁ² vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya—nirayaṁ vā, tiracchānayoniṁ vā. Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

You’d be better off mutilating your eye faculty with a red-hot iron nail, burning, blazing and glowing, than getting caught up in the features by way of the details in sights known by the eye. For if you die at a time when your consciousness is still tied to gratification in the features or details, it’s possible you’ll go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. I speak having seen this drawback.

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tiṇhena ayosaṅkunā ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena sotindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva sotaviññeyyesu saddesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho. Nimittassādagathitaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya—nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā. Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

You’d be better off mutilating your ear faculty with a sharp iron spike …

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tiṇhena nakhacchedanena ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena ghānindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva ghānaviññeyyesu gandhesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho. Nimittassādagathitaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya—nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā. Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

You’d be better off mutilating your nose faculty with a sharp nail cutter …

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tiṇhena khurena ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena jivhindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho. Nimittassādagathitaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya—nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā. Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

You’d be better off mutilating your tongue faculty with a sharp razor …

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tiṇhāya sattiyā ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya kāyindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva kāyaviññeyyesu phoṭṭhabbesu anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho. Nimittassādagathitaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, anubyañjanassādagathitaṁ vā tasmiñce samaye kālaṁ kareyya. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati, yaṁ dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ gaccheyya—nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā. Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

You’d be better off mutilating your body faculty with a sharp spear, burning, blazing and glowing, than getting caught up in the features by way of the details in touches known by the body. For if you die at a time when your consciousness is still tied to gratification in the features or details, it’s possible you’ll go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. I speak having seen this drawback.

Varaṁ, bhikkhave, sottaṁ. Sottaṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, vañjhaṁ jīvitānaṁ vadāmi, aphalaṁ jīvitānaṁ vadāmi, momūhaṁ jīvitānaṁ vadāmi, na tveva tathārūpe vitakke vitakkeyya yathārūpānaṁ vitakkānaṁ vasaṁ gato saṅghaṁ bhindeyya. Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, vañjhaṁ jīvitānaṁ ādīnavaṁ disvā evaṁ vadāmi.

You’d be better off sleeping. For I say that sleep is useless, fruitless, and unconsciousness for the living. But while you’re asleep you won’t fall under the sway of such thoughts that would make you create a schism in the Saṅgha. I speak having seen this drawback.

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

A learned noble disciple reflects on this: ‘Forget mutilating the eye faculty with a red-hot iron nail, burning, blazing and glowing! I’d better focus on the fact that the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact are impermanent. And the painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by eye contact is also impermanent.

Tiṭṭhatu tāva tiṇhena ayosaṅkunā ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena sotindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ. 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.

Forget mutilating the ear faculty with a sharp iron spike, burning, blazing and glowing! I’d better focus on the fact that the ear, sounds, ear consciousness, and ear contact are impermanent. And the painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by ear contact is also impermanent.

Tiṭṭhatu tāva tiṇhena nakhacchedanena ādittena sampajjalitena sajotibhūtena ghānindriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ. Handāhaṁ idameva manasi karomi—iti ghānaṁ aniccaṁ, gandhā aniccā, ghānaviññāṇaṁ aniccaṁ, ghānasamphasso anicco, yampidaṁ ghānasamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ …pe… tampi aniccaṁ.

Forget mutilating the nose faculty with a sharp nail cutter, burning, blazing and glowing! I’d better focus on the fact that the nose, smells, nose consciousness, and nose contact are impermanent. And the painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by nose contact is also impermanent.

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… tampi aniccaṁ.

Forget mutilating the tongue faculty with a sharp razor, burning, blazing and glowing! I’d better focus on the fact that the tongue, tastes, tongue consciousness, and tongue contact are impermanent. And the painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by tongue contact is also impermanent.

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.

Forget mutilating the body faculty with a sharp spear, burning, blazing and glowing! I’d better focus on the fact that the body, touches, body consciousness, and body contact are impermanent. And the painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by body contact is also impermanent.

Tiṭṭhatu tāva sottaṁ. 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”.

Forget sleeping! I’d better focus on the fact that the mind, thoughts, mind consciousness, and mind contact are impermanent. And the painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact is also impermanent.’

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati, rūpesupi nibbindati, cakkhuviññāṇepi nibbindati, cakkhusamphassepi nibbindati …pe… yampidaṁ manosamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṁ sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā tasmimpi nibbindati.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact. And they become disillusioned with the painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by eye contact. They grow disillusioned with the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind … painful, pleasant, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact.

Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

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

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, ādittapariyāyo, dhammapariyāyo”ti.

This is the exposition of the teaching on burning.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.