The Fire Sermon
Adittapariyaya
Sutta
(The Fire Discourse)
A sermon delivered by Phramongkolthepmuni
(Sodh Candasaro)
on 24 August 1953
Translated by Pittaya
Wong
“Namotassabhagavato
Arahatosammasambuddhassa
(3 times)
Evam-me
sutam, EkamsamayamBhagava, Gayayamviharatigayasise,
Saddhimbhikkhu-sahassena, TatrakhoBhagavabhikkhuamantesi.
Sabbambhikkhaveadittam,
Kincabhikkhavesabbamadittam. Cakkhumbhikkhaveadittam,
Rupaaditta,
Cakkhu-vinnanamadittam, Cakkhu-samphassoaditto, Yamp'idamcakkhu-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam,
Sukhamvadukkhamvaadukkham-asukhamva, Tampiadittam.
Kenaadittam. Adittamrag'agginados'agginamoh'aggina,
Adittamjatiyajara-maranena,
Sokehiparidevehidukkhehidomanassehiupayasehiadittantivadami.
Sotamadittam, Saddaaditta, Sota-vinnanamadittam,
Sota-samphassoaditto, Yamp'idamsota-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam,
Sukhamvadukkhamvaadukkham-asukhamva,
Tampiadittam. Kenaadittam…pe…
Imasmincapanaveyya-karanasmimbhannamane,
Tassabhikkhu-sahassassaanupadaya, Asavehicittanivimuccimsuti…”
From now on, I would like to deliver a sermon on ‘Adittapariyaya Sutta’, a discourse which
the Lord Buddha taught to one thousand fire worshipper ascetics who were led by
Puranakassappa, Nadhikassappa, and Gayakassappa. The Lord Buddha had tried to preclude the ascetics’
ego by showing various miracle powers.
However, despite of the vital miracle powers that the Lord Buddha showed
to them, Puranakassappa still believed that he was superior to the Lord
Buddha. However, the ascetics finally lost
their ego completely and turned to have faith in the Lord Buddha. After the ascetics believed in the Lord
Buddha, the Lord delivered the Adittapariyaya
Sutta discourse to them. Adittapariyaya
Sutta is about fire [desire] as the Lord knew that the ascetics were
experienced in worshipping fire.
Referring to the Pali verse given earlier, “Evam-me sutam”, I (Venerable Ananda) had listened [to the
Lord Buddha]. “Ekamsamayam”, once, “Bhagava”,
the Lord Buddha stayed at Gayasisa District nearby Gaya river, altogether with
one thousand Buddhist monks. He
mentioned to the Buddhist monks that “Sabbambhikkhaveadittam”,
Look! Monks… Various things are on fire. “Kincabhikkhavesabbamadittam”,
Monks! What are the things being on fire?
“Cakkhumbhikkhaveadittam”, the eye is on fire. “Rupaaditta”,
forms are on fire. “Cakkhu-vinnanamadittam”, vision perception
is on fire. “Cakkhu-samphassoaditto”, vision sensation is on fire. “Yamp'idamcakkhu-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam”,
the emotional feelings gained from vision sensation which are either pleased,
displeased, or neither pleased nor displeased are on fire. “Kenaadittam?”, why are they on fire?
“Adittamjatiya”, they are on fire
because of birth, sensual pleasure, anger and ill-will, and delusion. “Adittamjara-maranena”,
they are on fire because of
birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering due to physical discomfort,
grief, and despair. So, I said that they
are on fire.
“Sotamadittam”, the ear is on fire. “Saddaaditta”,
sounds are on fire. “Sota-vinnanamadittam”,
sound perception is on fire. “Sota-samphassoaditto”,
sound sensation is on fire. “Yamp'idamsota-samphassa-paccayauppajjati”, the
emotional feelings gained from sound sensation which are either pleased,
displeased, or neither pleased nor displeased are on fire. “Kenaadittam?”,
why are they on fire? “Adittam”, They
are on fire because of sensual pleasure, anger and ill-will, and delusion. “Adittam”, They are on fire because of birth, aging,
death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering due to physical discomfort, grief, and
despair. So, I said that they are on
fire.
“Ghanamadittam”, the nose is on fire. “Gandhaaditta”,
the odors sensed by the nose are on fire.
“Ghana-vinnanamadittam”, smell
perception is on fire. “Ghana-samphassoaditto”, smell sensation is on
fire. “Yamp'idamghana-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam,
Sukhamvadukkhamvaadukkham-asukhamva”,
the emotional feelings gained from smell sensation which are either
pleased, displeased, or neither pleased nor displeased are on fire. Why are
they on fire? They are on fire because of sensual pleasure, anger and ill-will,
and delusion. They are on fire because of birth, aging, death, sorrow,
lamentation, suffering due to physical discomfort, grief, and despair. So, I said that they are on fire.
“Jivhaaditta”, the tongue is on fire. “Rasa
aditta”, tastes sensed by the tongue is on fire. “Jivha-vinnanamadittam”,
taste perception is on fire. “Jivha-samphassoaditto”, taste sensation is on
fire. The emotional feelings gained from
taste sensation which are either pleased, displeased, or neither pleased nor
displeased are on fire. “Kenaadittam?”, why are they on
fire? They are on fire because of
sensual pleasure, anger and ill-will, and delusion. They are on fire because of birth, aging, death, sorrow,
lamentation, suffering due to physical discomfort, grief, and despair. So, I said that they are on fire.
“Kayo aditto”, the body is on fire. “Potthabbaaditta”,
the bodily touch and the objects being touched are on fire. The perception through bodily touch is on
fire. The bodily touch is on fire. The emotional feelings gained from bodily
sensation which are either pleased, displeased, or neither pleased nor
displeased are on fire. “Kenaadittam?”,
why are they on fire? They are on fire because of sensual pleasure, anger
and ill-will, and delusion. They are on fire because of birth,
aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering due to physical discomfort, grief,
and despair. “adittantivadami”, so,
I said that they are on fire.
“Mano aditto”, the mind is on fire. “Dhammaaditta”,
all ideas are on fire. “Mano-vinnanamadittam”, the perception
through our mind is on fire. “Mano-samphassoaditto”,
the mental sensory is on fire.
The emotional feelings gained from mental sensory which are either
pleased, displeased, or neither pleased nor displeased are on fire. Why are they on fire? They are on fire because of sensual pleasure,
anger and ill-will, and delusion. They
are on fire because of birth, aging,
death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering due to physical discomfort, grief, and
despair.
“adittantivadami”, so, I said that they are on fire.
“Evampassambhikkhavesutavaariya-savako”, Look! Monks… Ones who have heard and learned about this… “Cakkhusmim
pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with their eyes. “Rupesu pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted
with forms. “Cakkhu-vinnane pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with consciousness
of their eyes. “Cakkhu-samphasse pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with the vision sensory. “Yamp'idamcakkhu-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam”,
the emotional feelings gained from vision sensory which cause either pleasure,
displeasure, or neither pleasure nor displeasure, they become disenchanted with
such perception. “Sotasmim pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with their ears. “Saddesu pi
nibbindati”, become disenchanted
with the sounds. “Sota-vinnane pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with the perception through
their ears. “Sota-samphasse pi nibbindati”, become
disenchanted with the sound sensation. “Yamp'idamsota-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam”,
the emotional feelings gained from sound sensation which cause
either pleasure, displeasure, or neither pleasure nor displeasure, they become disenchanted
with such perception. “Ghanasmim pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted
with their noses. “Gandhesu pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted
with the various odors. “Ghana-vinnane pi nibbindati”, become
disenchanted with the perception through the nose. “Ghana-samphasse
pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with the smell sensation. “Yamp'idamghana-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam”,
the emotional feelings gained from smell sensation which cause
either pleasure, displeasure, or neither pleasure nor displeasure, they become disenchanted
with such perception. “Jivhaya pi nibbindati”,
they become disenchanted with their tongues. “Rasesu pi
nibbindati”, become disenchanted with all kinds of taste. “Jivha-vinnane
pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with the perception through their
tongues. “Jivha-samphasse pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with
taste sensation. “Yamp'idamjivha-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam”,
the results of taste sensation which cause either pleasure, displeasure, or
neither pleasure nor displeasure, they become disenchanted with such feelings. “Kayasmim
pi nibbindati”, they become disenchanted
with their bodies. “Potthabbesu pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted
with the things beings touched by their bodies.
“Kaya-vinnane pi nibbindati”,
become disenchanted with their bodily perception. “Kaya-samphasse
pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with touching. “Yamp'idam
kaya-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam” the feelings gained from bodily
touch which cause either pleasure, displeasure, or neither pleasure nor
displeasure, they become disenchanted with such feelings. “Manasmim
pi nibbindati”, they become disenchanted with their minds. “Dhammesu
pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with the mental feelings. “Mano-vinnane
pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with mental perception. “Mano-samphasse
pi nibbindati”, become disenchanted with the mental sensory. “Yamp'idammano-samphassa-paccayauppajjativedayitam”, the
emotional feelings gained from mental sensory cause either pleasure,
displeasure, or neither pleasure nor displeasure, they become disenchanted with
such feelings. “Nibbindamvirajjati”, once they become disenchanted,
their passion ceases. “Viragavimuccati”, once their passion
ceases, their minds are liberated. “Vimuttasmimvimuttam-iti”,
once their minds are liberated, they have the intuition that they
are freed. The noble disciples, thus,
know that their births have come to an end, and their monastic practice has
reached the highest level. The duty to
be performed by them is completed. There
is no other duty [superior attainment] for them. “Idam-avocaBhagava”,
the Lord Buddha delivered this discourse. “Attamanatebhikkhu”,
the Buddhist monks had become delightful.
“Bhagavatobhasitamabhinandum”,
they were pleased by the Lord Buddha’s words.
“Imasmincapanaveyya-karanasmimbhannamane”,
upon this explanation, the mind of one thousand ascetics were freed from mental
impurity and no longer cling. This is the end of Adittapariyaya Sutta. From
now on, I will explain according to the Pali verse and clarify into Thai
language as follows:
For Adittapariyaya Sutta, the
Lord Buddha was aware that the fire worshipper ascetics, led by Puranakassappa,
had enjoyed worshipping fire, and they were well respected teachers of the
people of Magadha Kingdom including King Bimbisara, who provided them
offerings. After the Lord Buddha
attained enlightenment, He wished to teach King Bimbisara. After investigating with His insight, He
found that He had to teach the fire worshipper ascetics to become faithful in
His religion first. After they became
faithful in Buddhism, the Lord Buddha would have an audience upon King Bimbisara
altogether with the ascetics. He would
have those ascetics vow to become His disciples; otherwise, the people of
Rajagaha City would be amazed and doubt whether Lord Gotama Buddha or the fire
worshipper ascetics was superior. If the
people were to be puzzled, it would be wise to have the ascetics vow to be
disciples of the Lord Buddha first. So,
the Lord Buddha had Puranakassappa fly into the sky and return to the ground to
prostrate upon Him three times and vow to be a disciple of Him. After the vow was made by the ascetic, King Bimbisara
altogether with his retinues became confident and believed in Lord Gotama
Buddha. Then, the Lord Buddha delivered
a discourse to the assembly of people totaling 120,000. By the end of the discourse, 110,000 of them
attained [various levels of] enlightenment while the rest took faithful refuge
in the Triple Gem. King Bimbisara had
offered Veruvana Bamboo Grove to the Lord Buddha as a Buddhist temple. Thus, Buddhism became firmly established in
the city of Rajagaha.
After we listened to the Adittapariyaya Sutta
which is about things being on fire today, we realize that the Lord
Buddha’s Dhamma can be used to extinguish the fire. To make it right, the things being on fire need
to be extinguished. How can we
extinguish the things being on fire? The
things being on fire are lust, anger, and delusion which result in birth,
aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, sadness, grief, and despair.
The heat from lust, anger, and delusion is critical. Today, I will explain to you where they are
from. Lust, anger, and delusion occur
from vision, the forms, the perception through the eye, and the vision
sensation. They occur from these ways,
and we have to solve these ways. We
cannot solve them the other ways. We
have to solve our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. So, we do not become influenced by what we
see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and think through the six sensations. We have to still our mind as stillness of
mind alone can cease all of them. Once our
mind becomes still, we become disenchanted with what we see, hear, smell,
taste, touch, and think. We will be disenchanted
with the perception through our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. We will be disenchanted with the sensation of
our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
We will be disenchanted with all of these. Keep our mind still at the center of our bodies,
in the middle of our body… clear like the moon or the sun. Be still… once our mind becomes still, our mind
will proceed into the middle of the middle… by keeping our mind still only… in
the middle of the middle of the middle without retreating.. enter the middle of
the middle furthermore. Once our mind
becomes still, the mind enters the middle of the middle, not to the left,
right, front, back, above, or below. We
enter the middle of the middle more and more without retreating, further and
further into the middle of the middle.
At the right mental unification, we will see a clear sphere about the
size of the [full] moon or the [midday] sun.
This is the patthamamagga [the primary path sphere] which is the
primary path toward the paths and fruitions of Nirvana. Keep entering the middle of the middle
without quitting… Remain in the middle
of the sphere… it occurs by way of mental stillness… remain still in the middle
of the sphere. Once the mind becomes
more firmly still, we will attain Sila sphere which is about the size of the
[full] moon or the [midday] sun. Remain
in the middle of the middle. At the
right mental unification, we will attain Samadhi sphere. Remain still in the middle of the Samadhi
sphere, at the right mental unification, we will see Panna sphere. Remain still in the middle of the Panna
sphere, at the right mental unification, we will see Vimutti sphere. Still our minds further in the middle of the
Vimutti sphere. At the right mental
unification, we will attain Vimuttinanadassana sphere. Keep our mind still in the middle of the Vimuttinanadassana
sphere, at the right mental unification, we will see our refined human body
(astral body). Then, covetousness (abhijja),
malevolence (vyapada), and wrong view (micchaditthi) of the human
body will be ceased. But they remain
inside the refined human body.
Keep the mind still like that in the middle of the refined human body, we
will see the same way until we attain the celestial body. Then, covetousness (abhijja), malevolence
(vyapada), and wrong view (micchaditthi) will be completely ceased. Once we attain the celestial body, keep our
mind still in the middle of the celestial body, and we will attain the refined
celestial body. Keep our mind still in
the middle of the refined celestial body, and we will attain the Rupa Brahma
body. Thus, greed (lobha), hatred
(dosa), and delusion (moha) will be ceased. There remain only lust (raga), hatred
(dosa), and delusion (moha).
Keep stilling our mind the same way in the middle of the Rupa Brahma
body and also the refined Rupa Brahma body [respectively], we will attained the
Arupa Brahma body. As a result, lust (raga),
hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha) will be ceased.
Keep stilling the mind the same way in the middle of the Arupa Brahma body
and refined Arupa Brahma body [respectively], we will attain the [Gotrabhu] Dhamma
body. Once we attain the [Gotrabhu] Dhamma
body, pleasures of the senses (kamaraganusaya), ignorance (avijjanusaya),
and resistance (patighanusaya) will be ceased. The [Gotrabhu] Dhamma body is Viragadhatu
and Viragadhamma. This body is
the Viragadhatu and Viragadhamma which is still blended with the
coarse part. This body is not a complete
Viragadhatu and Viragadhamma yet, but we enter the boundary of
the Viragadhatu and Viragadhamma already. Simply still our mind in the middle of the [Gotrabhu]
Dhamma body and refined [Gotrabhu] Dhamma body [respectively], we will attain
Sotapanna Dhamma body, both coarse and refined level [respectively]. Then, self identification views (sakkayaditthi),
doubt (vicikiccha), and grasping at precepts and practices (silabbataparamasa)
will be ceased. Next, still our mind in
the middle of the Sotapanna Dhamma body, at the right mental unification, we
will reach Sakadagami Dhamma body, both coarse and refined level [respectively]. Then, sensual passion (kama raga) and ill
will (vyapada) of the coarse level will be ceased. Still our mind further in the middle of Sakadagami
Dhamma body, both coarse and refined level [respectively]. At the right mental unification, we will attain
Anagami Dhamma body. Then, sensual
passion (kama raga) and ill will (vyapada) at the refined level
will be ceased. There remain only passion
for form (ruparaga), immaterial rebirth lust (aruparaga), conceit
(mana), restlessness (uddhacca), andignorance (avijja). Still our mind further in the middle of the Anagami
body, we will attain the Arahant Dhamma body, both coarse and refined level
[respectively]. Hence, passion for form
(rupa raga), immaterial rebirth lust (arupa raga), conceit (mana),
restlessness (uddhacca), and ignorance (avijja) will be
eliminated. Once we attain the Arahant
Dhamma body, both coarse and refined level, this is the true Viragadhatu
and Viragadhamma. This is the end
of our duty in Buddhism. We have to know
this principle which is the true path of Buddhism.
Once we know the right principle like this, we have to follow. Do not make it wrong as you will take the
wrong way toward the paths and fruitions of Nirvana. What are the paths (magga)? What are the fruitions (phala)? What
is the Nirvana. The coarse levels of
Dhamma bodies comprising of Gotrahu Dhamma body, Sotapanna Dhamma body, Sakadagami
Dhamma body, Anagami Dhamma body, and Arahant Dhamma body are the paths (magga)
whereas the refined levels of Dhamma bodies comprising of Refined Gotrahu Dhamma
body, Refined Sotapanna Dhamma body, Refined Sakadagami Dhamma body, Refined
Anagami Dhamma body, and Refined Arahant Dhamma body are the fruitions (phala). These are the paths (magga) and
fruitions (phala). What about
Nirvana (Nibbana)? The Dhamma(s)
that form Gotrabhu body, Sotapanna body, Sakadagami body, Anagami body, and Arahant
body… When we reach the Dhamma that forms
the Arahant body, we reach Nirvana. The
Nirvana is like that. Without the Dhamma
that forms the Arahant body, we cannot reach Nirvana. The Dhamma that forms the Arahant body is Viragadhatu
and Viragadhamma. Thus, the
Nirvana itself is Viragadhatu and Viragadhamma. It draws and pulls at the right
unification. Similar to humans on earth,
the rich is drawn to join the rich while the poor is drawn to join the poor. The drunkard is drawn to join the
drunkard. The one who is addicted to
opium is drawn to join the ones who are addicted to opium. The Buddhist monks are drawn to join the
Buddhist monks. Novice monks are drawn
to join the novice monks. Laymen are
drawn to join the laymen. Laywomen are
drawn to join the laywomen. The ones who
share something in common are drawn to each other like this. Indeed, it is the working of ayatana
[the place where subjects dwell]. The
drawing or pulling [force] is driven by ayatana such as the ayatana
of the world and the sensual world which draws beings to cling to the sensual
desire of the sensual realm. In Rupa realm,
the ayatana of the Rupa Brahma draws/pulls because it is under the
governing of Rupa jana [meditative absorption]. The ayatana draws [beings] to join
together. For Arupa realm, the ayatana
of Arupa Brahma draws those who attain Arupa jana to join each
other. “Atthibhikhavesalayatanam”,
the Nirvana (Nibbana) is an ayatana. When one is freed from mental
impurity and passes away, he or she will be drawn/pulled into the Nirvana. Once we know the right principle like this,
we can play smart.
As I have explained to you according to the Pali verse of Adittapariyaya Sutta, it is now an
appropriate time [to end this sermon]. By
the power of the truthful words on Dhamma practice which I have given from the
very beginning toward the very end, may happiness and well being occur to all
of you who assemble here. That is all.
Translated by Pittaya Wong on 18
January 2014
* The non-diacritic Romanized Pali of Adittapariyaya
Sutta in this document is obtained from "A Chanting Guide", by
The Dhammayut Order in the United States of America. Access to Insight, 22 July 2012
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting.html
.
Retrieved on 26 December 2012.
*
Translations of Buddhist terms are partially obtained from www.wisdomlib.org
