Fire Aggisutta

Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pavisiṁsu.

(The same as the previous discourse.) (Pariyāyasuttasadisaṁ.)

“Mendicants, when wanderers of other religions say this, you should say to them: “Evaṁvādino, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evamassu vacanīyā: ‘Reverends, which awakening factors should not be developed when the mind is sluggish? And which awakening factors should be developed at that time? ‘yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ akālo bhāvanāya, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ kālo bhāvanāya? Which awakening factors should not be developed when the mind is restless? And which awakening factors should be developed at that time?’ Yasmiṁ panāvuso, samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ akālo bhāvanāya, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ kālo bhāvanāyā’ti? Questioned like this, the wanderers of other religions would be stumped, and, in addition, would get frustrated. Evaṁ puṭṭhā, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā na ceva sampāyissanti, uttariñca vighātaṁ āpajjissanti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because they’re out of their element. Yathā taṁ, bhikkhave, avisayasmiṁ.

I don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who could provide a satisfying answer to these questions except for the Realized One or his disciple or someone who has heard it from them. Nāhaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo imesaṁ pañhānaṁ veyyākaraṇena cittaṁ ārādheyya, aññatra tathāgatena vā tathāgatasāvakena vā ito vā pana sutvā.

When the mind is sluggish, it’s the wrong time to develop the awakening factors of tranquility, immersion, and equanimity. Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because it’s hard to stimulate a sluggish mind with these things. Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi dussamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.

Suppose someone wanted to make a small fire flare up. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletukāmo assa. If they toss wet grass, cow-dung, and timber on it, spray it with water, and scatter dirt on it, So tattha allāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, udakavātañca dadeyya, paṁsukena ca okireyya; could they make it flare up?” bhabbo nu kho so puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletun”ti?

“No, sir.” “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“In the same way, when the mind is sluggish, it’s the wrong time to develop the awakening factors of tranquility, immersion, and equanimity. “Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because it’s hard to stimulate a sluggish mind with these things. Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi dussamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.

When the mind is sluggish, it’s the right time to develop the awakening factors of investigation of principles, energy, and rapture. Yasmiñca kho, bhikkhave, samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because it’s easy to stimulate a sluggish mind with these things. Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi susamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.

Suppose someone wanted to make a small fire flare up. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletukāmo assa. If they toss dry grass, cow-dung, and timber on it, blow on it, and don’t scatter dirt on it, So tattha sukkhāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni gomayāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, mukhavātañca dadeyya, na ca paṁsukena okireyya; could they make it flare up?” bhabbo nu kho so puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletun”ti?

“Yes, sir.” “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“In the same way, when the mind is sluggish, it’s the right time to develop the awakening factors of investigation of principles, energy, and rapture. “Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because it’s easy to stimulate a sluggish mind with these things. Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi susamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.

When the mind is restless, it’s the wrong time to develop the awakening factors of investigation of principles, energy, and rapture. Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because it’s hard to settle a restless mind with these things. Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi duvūpasamayaṁ hoti.

Suppose someone wanted to extinguish a great mass of fire. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetukāmo assa. If they toss dry grass, cow-dung, and timber on it, blow on it, and don’t scatter dirt on it, So tattha sukkhāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, mukhavātañca dadeyya, na ca paṁsukena okireyya; could they extinguish it?” bhabbo nu kho so puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetun”ti?

“No, sir.” “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“In the same way, when the mind is restless, it’s the wrong time to develop the awakening factors of investigation of principles, energy, and rapture. “Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because it’s hard to settle a restless mind with these things. Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi duvūpasamayaṁ hoti.

When the mind is restless, it’s the right time to develop the awakening factors of tranquility, immersion, and equanimity. Yasmiñca kho, bhikkhave, samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because it’s easy to settle a restless mind with these things. Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi suvūpasamayaṁ hoti.

Suppose someone wanted to extinguish a great mass of fire. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetukāmo assa. If they toss wet grass, cow-dung, and timber on it, spray it with water, and scatter dirt on it, So tattha allāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, udakavātañca dadeyya, paṁsukena ca okireyya; could they extinguish it?” bhabbo nu kho so puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetun”ti?

“Yes, sir.” “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“In the same way, when the mind is restless, it’s the right time to develop the awakening factors of tranquility, immersion, and equanimity. “Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because it’s easy to settle a restless mind with these things. Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi suvūpasamayaṁ hoti. But mindfulness is always useful, I say.” Satiñca khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sabbatthikaṁ vadāmī”ti.