Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Connected Discourses

SN35: Connected Discourses on the Six Sense Bases

SN35:235 The Exposition on Burning

1"Bhikkhus, I will teach you a Dhamma exposition on the theme of burning. Listen to that …

"And what, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma exposition on the theme of burning? It would be better, bhikkhus, for the eye faculty to be lacerated by a red-hot iron pin burning, blazing, and glowing, than for one to grasp the sign through the features in a form cognizable by the eye. [n.170] This passage is quoted at Vism 36,24–27 (Ppn 1:100). Spk: One "grasps the sign through the features" (anubyañjanaso nimittaggāho) thinking: "The hands are beautiful, so too the feet, etc." The grasp of the sign is the composite grasping, the grasp of the features occurs by separation. The grasp of the sign grasps everything at once, like a crocodile; the grasp of the features takes up the individual aspects like the hands and feet separately, like a leech. These two grasps are found even in a single javana process, not to speak of different javana processes. For if consciousness should stand tied to gratification in the sign or in the features, and if one should die on that occasion, it is possible that one will go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, I speak thus.

2"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the ear faculty to be lacerated by a sharp iron stake burning, blazing, and glowing, than for one to grasp the sign through the features in a sound cognizable by the ear. For if consciousness should stand tied to gratification in the sign or in the features, and if one should die on that occasion, it is possible that one will go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, I speak thus. sn.iv.169

3"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the nose faculty to be lacerated by a sharp nail cutter burning, blazing, and glowing, than for one to grasp the sign through the features in an odour cognizable by the nose. For if consciousness should stand tied to gratification in the sign or in the features, and if one should die on that occasion, it is possible that one will go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, I speak thus.

4"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the tongue faculty to be lacerated by a sharp razor burning, blazing, and glowing, than for one to grasp the sign through the features in a taste cognizable by the tongue. For if consciousness should stand tied to gratification in the sign or in the features, and if one should die on that occasion, it is possible that one will go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, I speak thus.

5"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the body faculty to be lacerated by a sharp spear burning, blazing, and glowing, than for one to grasp the sign through the features in a tactile object cognizable by the body. For if consciousness should stand tied to gratification in the sign or in the features, and if one should die on that occasion, it is possible that one will go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, I speak thus.

6"It would be better, bhikkhus, to sleep—for sleep, I say, is barren for the living, fruitless for the living, insensibility for the living—than to think such thoughts as would induce one who has come under their control to bring about a schism in the Saṅgha. sn.iv.170 Having seen this danger, I speak thus. [n.171] Maliciously creating a schism in the Saṅgha is one of the five crimes with immediate retribution (ānantarikakamma) said to bring about rebirth in hell in the next existence; see It 18-19 and Khandaka 17 (Vin II 198, 204–5).
I read the last sentence with Se: imaṁ khvahaṁ bhikkhave ādı̄navaṃ disvā evaṃ vadāmi. Be and Ee (following a Burmese ms) read imaṃ khvāhaṃ bhikkhave vañjaṃ jı̄vitānaṃ ādı̄navaṃ disvā, which seems unintelligible.

7"In regard to this, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple reflects thus: ‘Leave off lacerating the eye faculty with a red-hot iron pin burning, blazing, and glowing. Let me attend only to this: So the eye is impermanent, forms are impermanent, eye-consciousness is impermanent, eye-contact is impermanent, whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition—whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—that too is impermanent.

8"‘Leave off lacerating the ear faculty with a sharp iron stake burning, blazing, and glowing. Let me attend only to this: So the ear is impermanent, sounds are impermanent, ear-consciousness is impermanent, ear-contact is impermanent, whatever feeling arises with ear-contact as condition … that too is impermanent.

9"‘Leave off lacerating the nose faculty with a sharp nail cutter burning, blazing, and glowing. Let me attend only to this: So the nose is impermanent, odours are impermanent, nose-consciousness is impermanent, nose-contact is impermanent, whatever feeling arises with nose-contact as condition … that too is impermanent.

10"‘Leave off lacerating the tongue faculty with a sharp razor burning, blazing, and glowing. Let me attend only to this: So the tongue is impermanent, tastes are impermanent, tongue-consciousness is impermanent, tongue-contact is impermanent, whatever feeling arises with tongue-contact as condition … that too is impermanent.

11"‘Leave off lacerating the body faculty with a sharp spear burning, blazing, and glowing. Let me attend only to this: So the body is impermanent, sn.iv.171 tactile objects are impermanent, body-consciousness is impermanent, body-contact is impermanent, whatever feeling arises with body-contact as condition … that too is impermanent.

12"‘Leave off sleeping. Let me attend only to this: So the mind is impermanent, mental phenomena are impermanent, mind-consciousness is impermanent, mind-contact is impermanent, whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition … that too is impermanent.’

13"Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards the eye, forms, eye-consciousness, eye-contact, and whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition—whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant … towards the mind, mental phenomena, mind-consciousness, mind-contact, and whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition … . Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It's liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’

"This, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma exposition on the theme of burning."

1"Ādittapariyāyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ādittapariyāyo, dhammapariyāyo? Varaṁ, bhikkhave, tattāya ayosalākāya ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya cakkhundriyaṁ sampalimaṭṭhaṁ, na tveva cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu 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.

2Varaṁ, 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.

3Varaṁ, 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.

4Varaṁ, 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.

5Varaṁ, 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.

6Varaṁ, 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.

7Tattha, 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’.

8Tiṭṭhatu 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.

9Tiṭṭhatu 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.

10Tiṭṭhatu 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.

11Tiṭṭhatu 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.

12Tiṭṭhatu 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".

13Evaṁ 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. Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti. ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, ādittapariyāyo, dhammapariyāyo"ti.


Aṭṭhamaṁ.

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