3.
The Discourse on the Great Fever
1113.
"There is, monks, a hell named 'Great Fever'.
There, whatever visible form one sees with the eye, one sees only an undesirable visible form, not a desirable one;
one sees only an unpleasant visible form, not a pleasant one;
one sees only a disagreeable visible form, not an agreeable one.
Whatever sound one hears with the ear, etc.
whatever tangible object one touches with the body, etc.
whatever mental phenomenon one cognises with the mind, one cognises only an undesirable form, not a desirable one;
one cognises only an unpleasant form, not a pleasant one;
one cognises only a disagreeable form, not an agreeable one."
When this was said, a certain monk said this to the Blessed One: "That is indeed a great fever, venerable sir, that is indeed a very great fever, venerable sir! Is there indeed, venerable sir, another fever greater and more frightful than this fever?" "There is indeed, monk, another fever greater and more frightful than this fever."
"But what, venerable sir, is that other fever greater and more frightful than this fever?" "Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, who do not understand as it really is 'This is suffering', etc. who do not understand as it really is 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering', they delight in activities conducive to birth, etc. delighting, etc. they generate, etc. having generated, they are burnt by the fever of birth, they are burnt by the fever of ageing, they are burnt by the fever of death, they are burnt by the fever of sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure, and anguish. They are not released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes. 'They are not released from suffering', I say."
"But whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, who understand as it really is 'This is suffering', etc. who understand as it really is 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering'. They do not delight in activities conducive to birth, etc. not delighting, etc. they do not generate, etc. not having generated, they are not burnt by the fever of birth, they are not burnt by the fever of ageing, they are not burnt by the fever of death, they are not burnt by the fever of sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure, and anguish. They are released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes. 'They are released from suffering', I say."
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The third.