8.
The Discourse on the Simile of the Mass of Fire
72.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on a journey among the Kosalans together with a large Community of monks.
The Blessed One, travelling on the highway, saw in a certain region a great mass of fire, blazing, in flames, aglow.
Having seen, turning aside from the road, he sat down on the prepared seat at the foot of a certain tree.
Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the monks:
"Do you see, monks, that great mass of fire, blazing, in flames, aglow?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"What do you think, monks, which is better - that one should embrace that great mass of fire, blazing, in flames, aglow, and sit close to it or lie down close to it, or that one should embrace a maiden of the warrior caste or a maiden of the brahmin caste or a maiden of the householder caste, with soft and tender hands and feet, and sit close to her or lie down close to her?" "This indeed, venerable sir, is better - that one should embrace a maiden of the warrior caste or a maiden of the brahmin caste or a maiden of the householder caste, with soft and tender hands and feet, and sit close to her or lie down close to her; for it is painful, venerable sir, to embrace that great mass of fire, blazing, in flames, aglow, and sit close to it or lie down close to it."
"I inform you, monks, I announce to you, monks, that this indeed is better for one who is immoral, of bad character, of impure and suspicious conduct, of concealed actions, not a recluse though claiming to be a recluse, not a practitioner of the holy life though claiming to be a practitioner of the holy life, rotten inside, filled with desire, rubbish-born - that he should embrace that great mass of fire, blazing, in flames, aglow, and sit close to it or lie down close to it. What is the reason for this? On that account, monks, he might undergo death or suffering like death, but not on that condition, upon the body's collapse at death, would he be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"But when, monks, one who is immoral, of bad character, of impure and suspicious conduct, etc. rubbish-born, embraces a maiden of the warrior caste or a maiden of the brahmin caste or a maiden of the householder caste, with soft and tender hands and feet, and sits close to her or lies down close to her, that indeed, monks, is for his harm and suffering for a long time; upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"What do you think, monks, which is better - that a powerful man, having wrapped both calves of the legs with a strong horse-hair rope, should rub them - it would cut the skin, having cut the skin it would cut the hide, having cut the hide it would cut the flesh, having cut the flesh it would cut the sinews, having cut the sinews it would cut the bones, having cut the bones it would remain having reached the bone marrow - or that one should receive respect from wealthy warriors or wealthy brahmins or wealthy householders?" "This indeed, venerable sir, is better - that one should receive respect from wealthy warriors or wealthy brahmins or wealthy householders; for it is painful, venerable sir, that a powerful man, having wrapped with a strong horse-hair rope, etc. should remain having reached the bone marrow."
"I inform you, monks, I announce to you, monks, that this indeed is better for one who is immoral, etc. rubbish-born - that a powerful man, having wrapped both calves of the legs with a strong horse-hair rope, etc. should remain having reached the bone marrow. What is the reason for this? On that account, monks, he might undergo death or suffering like death, but not on that condition, upon the body's collapse at death, would he be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. But when, monks, one who is immoral, etc. rubbish-born, receives respect from wealthy warriors or wealthy brahmins or wealthy householders, that indeed, monks, is for his harm and suffering for a long time; upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"What do you think, monks, which is better - that a powerful man should strike one in the chest with a sharp spear washed in oil, or that one should consent to salutation with joined palms from wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders?" "This indeed, venerable sir, is better - that one should consent to salutation with joined palms from wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders, for this is painful, venerable sir, that a powerful man should strike one in the chest with a sharp spear washed in oil."
"I inform you, monks, I announce to you, monks, that this indeed is better for one who is immoral, etc. rubbish-born, that a powerful man should strike him in the chest with a sharp spear washed in oil. What is the reason for this? On that account, monks, he might undergo death or suffering like death, but not on that condition, upon the body's collapse at death, would he be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. But when, monks, one who is immoral, of bad character, etc. rubbish-born, consents to salutation with joined palms from wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders, that indeed, monks, is for his harm and suffering for a long time; upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"What do you think, monks, which is better - that a powerful man should wrap the body with a red-hot iron sheet, blazing, in flames, aglow, or that one should use a robe given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders?" "This indeed, venerable sir, is better - that one should use from wealthy warriors, or etc. a robe given in faith, for this is painful, venerable sir, that a powerful man should wrap the body with a red-hot iron sheet, blazing, in flames, aglow."
"I inform you, monks, I announce to you, monks, that this indeed is better for one who is immoral, etc. rubbish-born, that a powerful man should wrap his body with a red-hot iron sheet, blazing, in flames, aglow. What is the reason for this? On that account, monks, he might undergo death or suffering like death, but not on that condition, upon the body's collapse at death, would he be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. But when, monks, one who is immoral, etc. rubbish-born, uses a robe given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders, that indeed, monks, is for his harm and suffering for a long time; upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"What do you think, monks, which is better - that a powerful man, having opened one's mouth with a red-hot iron spike, should throw into the mouth a red-hot metal ball, blazing, in flames, aglow - that would burn his lips, burn his mouth, burn his tongue, burn his throat, burn his chest, and taking along his intestines and mesentery, would pass out below, or that one should use almsfood given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders?" "This indeed, venerable sir, is better - that one should use almsfood given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders, for this is painful, venerable sir, that a powerful man, having opened one's mouth with a red-hot iron spike, should throw into the mouth a red-hot metal ball, blazing, in flames, aglow - that would burn his lips, burn his mouth, burn his tongue, burn his throat, burn his chest, and taking along his intestines and mesentery, would pass out below."
"I inform you, monks, I announce to you, monks, that this indeed is better for one who is immoral, etc. rubbish-born, that a powerful man, having opened his mouth with a red-hot iron spike, should throw into his mouth a red-hot metal ball, blazing, in flames, aglow - that would burn his lips, burn his mouth, burn his tongue, burn his throat, burn his chest, and taking along his intestines and mesentery, would pass out below. What is the reason for this? On that account, monks, he might undergo death or suffering like death, but not on that condition, upon the body's collapse at death, would he be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. But when, monks, one who is immoral, of bad character, etc. rubbish-born, uses almsfood given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders, that indeed is for his harm and suffering for a long time; upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"What do you think, monks, which is better - that a strong man, having seized one by the head or by the shoulders, should cause one to sit down or lie down on a red-hot iron bed or iron chair, or that one should use the bed and chair given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders?" "This indeed, venerable sir, is better - that one should use the bed and chair given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders; for this is painful, venerable sir, that a strong man, having seized one by the head or by the shoulders, should cause one to sit down or lie down on a red-hot iron bed or iron chair."
"I inform you, monks, I announce to you, monks, that this indeed is better for one who is immoral, etc. rubbish-born, that a strong man, having seized one by the head or by the shoulders, should cause one to sit down or lie down on a red-hot iron bed or iron chair. What is the reason for this? On that account, monks, he might undergo death or suffering like death, but not on that condition, upon the body's collapse at death, would he be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. But when, monks, one who is immoral, of bad character, etc. rubbish-born, uses the bed and chair given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders, that indeed, monks, is for his harm and suffering for a long time; upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"What do you think, monks, which is better - that a strong man, having seized one feet up and head down, should throw one into a red-hot copper cauldron, blazing, in flames, aglow - there, being cooked, throwing up foam, he might go up once, might go down once, might go across once - or that one should use the dwelling given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders?" "This indeed, venerable sir, is better - that one should use the dwelling given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders; for this is painful, venerable sir, that a strong man, having seized one feet up and head down, should throw one into a red-hot copper cauldron, blazing, in flames, aglow - there, being cooked, throwing up foam, he might go up once, might go down once, might go across once."
"I inform you, monks, I announce to you, monks, that this indeed is better for one who is immoral, of bad character, etc. rubbish-born, that a strong man, having seized one feet up and head down, etc. might go across once. What is the reason for this? On that account, monks, he might undergo death or suffering like death, but not on that condition, upon the body's collapse at death, would he be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. But when, monks, one who is immoral, of bad character, etc. rubbish-born, uses the dwelling given in faith by wealthy warriors, or wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders, that indeed, monks, is for his harm and suffering for a long time; upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"Therefore, monks, you should train thus - 'The services of those whose requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick we use will be of great fruit and great benefit to them, and this going forth of ours will not be barren but fruitful and yielding growth.' Thus indeed, monks, should you train - 'For indeed, monks, one seeing one's own benefit should strive with diligence; for indeed, monks, one seeing the benefit of others should strive with diligence; for indeed, monks, one seeing the benefit of both should strive with diligence.'"
This is what the Blessed One said. And while this explanation was being spoken, hot blood gushed from the mouths of about sixty monks. About sixty monks, having rejected the training, returned to the lower life - "Very difficult to do, Blessed One, very difficult to do, Blessed One." The minds of about sixty monks were liberated from the mental corruptions by non-clinging. The eighth.