IX. The Fire Discourse

Buddhist Scriptures, by E.J. Thomas, [1913], at sacred-texts.com

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IX

THE FIRE DISCOURSE

Gotama, when intending to carry out his great Renunciation, says, "When the fire of lust, the fire of hate, the fire of delusion, are extinguished, Nirvana is won." This metaphor of the individual and world being on fire often recurs. When these passions cease to exist, the state of "coolness" of the Arahat is brought about. The fire of samsāra goes out, as Buddha expounds to Vacchagotta, through want of fuel to feed on.

The Lord having stayed at Uruvelā as long as he wished, went forward to Gayāsīsa with a great assembly of brethren, with a thousand brethren, who had all previously been ascetics. There the Lord addressed the brethren: "Everything, brethren, is on fire. How, brethren, is everything on fire? The eye, brethren, is on fire, visible objects are on fire, the faculty of the eye is on fire, the sense of the eye is on fire, and also the sensation, whether pleasant or unpleasant or both, which arises from the sense of sight, is on fire. With what is it on fire? With the fire of passion, of hate, of illusion is it

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on fire, with birth, old age, death, grief, lamentation, suffering, sorrow, and despair. Thus I declare. The ear is on fire, sounds are on fire [etc.]. . . . The nose is on fire, scents are on fire, the tongue is on fire, tastes are on fire, the body is on fire, objects of touch are on fire, the mind is on fire, mental objects are on fire, the faculty of the mind is on fire, the perception of the mind is on fire, the sensation, whether pleasant or unpleasant or both, which arises from the inner sense is on fire. With what is it on fire? With the fire of passion, of hate, of illusion is it on fire, with birth, old age, death, grief, lamentation, suffering, sorrow, and despair. Thus I declare.

"The wise and noble disciple, brethren, perceiving this, is indifferent to the eyes, indifferent to visible objects, indifferent to the faculty of the eye, indifferent to sensation, whether pleasant or unpleasant or both, which arises from the sense of sight. He is indifferent to the ear, indifferent to sounds, indifferent to the nose, indifferent to scents, indifferent to the tongue, indifferent to tastes, indifferent to the body, indifferent to objects of touch, indifferent to the mind, indifferent to mental objects, indifferent to the faculty of the mind, indifferent to the perception of the mind, indifferent to the sensation, whether pleasant or unpleasant or both, which arises from the inner sense. And being indifferent he becomes free from passion, by absence of passion is he

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liberated, and when he is liberated the knowledge 'I am liberated' arises. Re-birth is destroyed, a religious life is lived, duty is done, and he knows there is nothing more for him in this state." And when this exposition was spoken the minds of the thousand brethren were freed from the passions and liberated. (Vin. Mahāv. I. 21.)