9: Translation: The Fire Sermon (Ādittapariyāyasutta)

Ādittapariyāyasutta

The text is the World Tipiṭaka Edition’s Ādittapariyāyasutta, Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.28, paragraphs 75–77. The edition gives the sermon as a single paragraph with the ear, nose and body sections and most of the closing passage abbreviated (…pe…); here every section is written out in full, so the paragraphs 1–9 are the sermon’s own divisions and all link to that one paragraph, 10 is the edition’s closing paragraph and 11 its colophon. The discourse was given at Gayāsīsa to the thousand bhikkhū who had been fire-worshipping ascetics under the three Kassapa brothers; the Vinaya tells it in the Mahākhandhaka, and the translation line of each sentence follows my translation of that telling at tidipa.github.io. Read it after chapter 8: the sermon is one sentence pattern repeated for six senses, so its verbs, ādittaṁ, uppajjati, nibbindati, virajjati, vimuccati, pajānāti, and its compounds can be read off by the second round.

The analysis line gives, for every word, its gender, number and ending (or voice, number, person and tense for a verb) and the lemma to look up; the gloss line gives one gloss per word; the fourth line is the translation.

1. All is burning

1.1 Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati gayāsīse saddhiṁ bhikkhusahassena.
*️⃣🤟🚹⨀②(eka) 🚹⨀②(samaya) 🚹⨀①(bhagavant) 🚺⨀⑦(gayā) 🟢⨀🤟▶️(viharati) 🚻⨀⑦(gayāsīsa) ⏏️(saddhiṁ) 🚻⨀③🆎(bhikkhu+sahassa)
one | time | the Bhagavā | at Gayā | dwells | at Gayāsīsa | together | with a thousand bhikkhū
At one time the Bhagavā was dwelling at Gayā, at Gayāsīsa, with a thousand bhikkhū.

1.2 Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi—
⏏️(tatra) ⏏️(kho) 🚹⨀①(bhagavant) 🚹⨂②(bhikkhu) 🟢⨀🤟⏮(āmanteti)
there | indeed | the Bhagavā | bhikkhū | addressed
There the Bhagavā addressed the bhikkhū:

2.1 “sabbaṁ, bhikkhave, ādittaṁ.
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀①(sabba) 🚹⨂⓪(bhikkhu) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
all | bhikkhave | burning
“All, bhikkhave, is ādittaṁ (burning).

2.2 Kiñca, bhikkhave, sabbaṁ ādittaṁ?
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀①(kiṁ) ⏏️(ca) 🚹⨂⓪(bhikkhu) *️⃣🤟🚻⨀①(sabba) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
what | and | bhikkhave | all | burning
And what, bhikkhave, is the all that is burning?

2.3 Cakkhu, bhikkhave, ādittaṁ, rūpā ādittā, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ ādittaṁ, cakkhusamphasso āditto.
🚻⨀①(cakkhu) 🚹⨂⓪(bhikkhu) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚻⨂①(rūpa) 🚻⨂①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚻⨀①🆎(cakkhu+viññāṇa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨀①🆎(cakkhu+samphassa) 🚹⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
the eye | bhikkhave | burning | forms | burning | eye-consciousness | burning | eye-contact | burning
The cakkhu (eye) is burning, rūpā (things) are burning, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ (eye-consciousness) is burning, cakkhusamphasso (eye-contact) is burning.

2.5 Kena ādittaṁ?
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀③(kiṁ) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
with what | burning
Burning with what?

2.6 ‘Rāgagginā, dosagginā, mohagginā ādittaṁ, jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi ādittan’ti vadāmi.
🚹⨀③🆎(rāga+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(dosa+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(moha+aggi) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚺⨀③(jāti) 🚺⨀③(jarā) 🚻⨀③(maraṇa) 🚹⨂③(soka) 🚹⨂③(parideva) 🚻⨂③(dukkha) 🚻⨂③(domanassa) 🚹⨂③(upāyāsa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) ⏏️(iti) 🟢⨀👆▶️(vadati)
with the fire of passion | with the fire of hatred | with the fire of delusion | burning | with birth | with aging | with death | with sorrows | with lamentations | with pains | with griefs | with despairs | burning | (end quote) | I say
Burning with the fire of passion (rāgaggi), with the fire of hatred (dosaggi), with the fire of delusion (mohaggi); burning with birth, aging, death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, griefs, and despairs, I say.

2. The other five senses

3.1 Sotaṁ ādittaṁ, saddā ādittā, sotaviññāṇaṁ ādittaṁ, sotasamphasso āditto.
🚻⨀①(sota) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨂①(sadda) 🚹⨂①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚻⨀①🆎(sota+viññāṇa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨀①🆎(sota+samphassa) 🚹⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
the ear | burning | sounds | burning | ear-consciousness | burning | ear-contact | burning
The ear is burning, sounds are burning, ear-consciousness is burning, ear-contact is burning.

3.3 Kena ādittaṁ?
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀③(kiṁ) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
with what | burning
Burning with what?

3.4 ‘Rāgagginā, dosagginā, mohagginā ādittaṁ, jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi ādittan’ti vadāmi.
🚹⨀③🆎(rāga+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(dosa+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(moha+aggi) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚺⨀③(jāti) 🚺⨀③(jarā) 🚻⨀③(maraṇa) 🚹⨂③(soka) 🚹⨂③(parideva) 🚻⨂③(dukkha) 🚻⨂③(domanassa) 🚹⨂③(upāyāsa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) ⏏️(iti) 🟢⨀👆▶️(vadati)
with the fire of passion | with the fire of hatred | with the fire of delusion | burning | with birth | with aging | with death | with sorrows | with lamentations | with pains | with griefs | with despairs | burning | (end quote) | I say
Burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of delusion; burning with birth, aging, death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, griefs, and despairs, I say.

4.1 Ghānaṁ ādittaṁ, gandhā ādittā, ghānaviññāṇaṁ ādittaṁ, ghānasamphasso āditto.
🚻⨀①(ghāna) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨂①(gandha) 🚹⨂①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚻⨀①🆎(ghāna+viññāṇa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨀①🆎(ghāna+samphassa) 🚹⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
the nose | burning | odors | burning | nose-consciousness | burning | nose-contact | burning
The nose is burning, odors are burning, nose-consciousness is burning, nose-contact is burning.

4.3 Kena ādittaṁ?
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀③(kiṁ) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
with what | burning
Burning with what?

4.4 ‘Rāgagginā, dosagginā, mohagginā ādittaṁ, jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi ādittan’ti vadāmi.
🚹⨀③🆎(rāga+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(dosa+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(moha+aggi) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚺⨀③(jāti) 🚺⨀③(jarā) 🚻⨀③(maraṇa) 🚹⨂③(soka) 🚹⨂③(parideva) 🚻⨂③(dukkha) 🚻⨂③(domanassa) 🚹⨂③(upāyāsa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) ⏏️(iti) 🟢⨀👆▶️(vadati)
with the fire of passion | with the fire of hatred | with the fire of delusion | burning | with birth | with aging | with death | with sorrows | with lamentations | with pains | with griefs | with despairs | burning | (end quote) | I say
Burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of delusion; burning with birth, aging, death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, griefs, and despairs, I say.

5.1 Jivhā ādittā, rasā ādittā, jivhāviññāṇaṁ ādittaṁ, jivhāsamphasso āditto.
🚺⨀①(jivhā) 🚺⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨂①(rasa) 🚹⨂①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚻⨀①🆎(jivhā+viññāṇa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨀①🆎(jivhā+samphassa) 🚹⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
the tongue | burning | tastes | burning | tongue-consciousness | burning | tongue-contact | burning
The tongue is burning, tastes are burning, tongue-consciousness is burning, tongue-contact is burning.

5.3 Kena ādittaṁ?
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀③(kiṁ) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
with what | burning
Burning with what?

5.4 ‘Rāgagginā, dosagginā, mohagginā ādittaṁ, jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi ādittan’ti vadāmi.
🚹⨀③🆎(rāga+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(dosa+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(moha+aggi) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚺⨀③(jāti) 🚺⨀③(jarā) 🚻⨀③(maraṇa) 🚹⨂③(soka) 🚹⨂③(parideva) 🚻⨂③(dukkha) 🚻⨂③(domanassa) 🚹⨂③(upāyāsa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) ⏏️(iti) 🟢⨀👆▶️(vadati)
with the fire of passion | with the fire of hatred | with the fire of delusion | burning | with birth | with aging | with death | with sorrows | with lamentations | with pains | with griefs | with despairs | burning | (end quote) | I say
Burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of delusion; burning with birth, aging, death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, griefs, and despairs, I say.

6.1 Kāyo āditto, phoṭṭhabbā ādittā, kāyaviññāṇaṁ ādittaṁ, kāyasamphasso āditto.
🚹⨀①(kāya) 🚹⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚻⨂①(phoṭṭhabba) 🚻⨂①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚻⨀①🆎(kāya+viññāṇa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨀①🆎(kāya+samphassa) 🚹⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
the body | burning | tangibles | burning | body-consciousness | burning | body-contact | burning
The body is burning, tangibles are burning, body-consciousness is burning, body-contact is burning.

6.3 Kena ādittaṁ?
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀③(kiṁ) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
with what | burning
Burning with what?

6.4 ‘Rāgagginā, dosagginā, mohagginā ādittaṁ, jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi ādittan’ti vadāmi.
🚹⨀③🆎(rāga+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(dosa+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(moha+aggi) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚺⨀③(jāti) 🚺⨀③(jarā) 🚻⨀③(maraṇa) 🚹⨂③(soka) 🚹⨂③(parideva) 🚻⨂③(dukkha) 🚻⨂③(domanassa) 🚹⨂③(upāyāsa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) ⏏️(iti) 🟢⨀👆▶️(vadati)
with the fire of passion | with the fire of hatred | with the fire of delusion | burning | with birth | with aging | with death | with sorrows | with lamentations | with pains | with griefs | with despairs | burning | (end quote) | I say
Burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of delusion; burning with birth, aging, death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, griefs, and despairs, I say.

7.1 Mano āditto, dhammā ādittā, manoviññāṇaṁ ādittaṁ, manosamphasso āditto.
🚹⨀①(mano) 🚹⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨂①(dhamma) 🚹⨂①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚻⨀①🆎(mano+viññāṇa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚹⨀①🆎(mano+samphassa) 🚹⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
the mind | burning | mental phenomena | burning | mind-consciousness | burning | mind-contact | burning
The mind is burning, mental phenomena (dhammā) are burning, mind-consciousness is burning, mind-contact is burning.

7.3 Kena ādittaṁ?
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀③(kiṁ) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta)
with what | burning
Burning with what?

7.4 ‘Rāgagginā, dosagginā, mohagginā ādittaṁ, jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi ādittan’ti vadāmi.
🚹⨀③🆎(rāga+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(dosa+aggi) 🚹⨀③🆎(moha+aggi) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) 🚺⨀③(jāti) 🚺⨀③(jarā) 🚻⨀③(maraṇa) 🚹⨂③(soka) 🚹⨂③(parideva) 🚻⨂③(dukkha) 🚻⨂③(domanassa) 🚹⨂③(upāyāsa) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(āditta) ⏏️(iti) 🟢⨀👆▶️(vadati)
with the fire of passion | with the fire of hatred | with the fire of delusion | burning | with birth | with aging | with death | with sorrows | with lamentations | with pains | with griefs | with despairs | burning | (end quote) | I say
Burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of delusion; burning with birth, aging, death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, griefs, and despairs, I say.

3. Disenchantment, and liberation

9.1 Nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
🚹⨀①🔽(anta)(nibbindanta) 🟢⨀🤟▶️(virajjati) 🚹⨀⑤(virāga) 🔵⨀🤟▶️(vimuccati) 🚻⨀⑦🔽(ta)(vimutta) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(vimutta) ⏏️(iti) 🚻⨀①(ñāṇa) 🟢⨀🤟▶️(hoti)
giving up | becomes detached | from detachment | is liberated | in liberation | liberated | (end quote) | knowledge | there is
Giving up, he virajjati (becomes detached); from detachment he vimuccati (becomes liberated); in liberation there is the ñāṇa (knowledge): ‘liberated’.

9.2 ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.
🚺⨀①🔽(ta)(khīṇa) 🚺⨀①(jāti) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(vusita) 🚻⨀①🆎(brahma+cariya) 🚻⨀①🔽(ta)(kata) 🚻⨀①🔽(anīya)(karaṇīya) ⏏️(na) 🚻⨀①(apara) 🚻⨀④(itthatta) ⏏️(iti) 🟢⨀🤟▶️(pajānāti) ⏏️(iti)
finished | birth | lived | pure life | done | what had to be done | not | further | for this state of existence | (end quote) | knows clearly | (end quote)
He pajānāti (knows clearly): ‘Birth is finished, the pure life is lived, what had to be done is done, there is nothing further for this present state of existence.’

10.1 Idamavoca bhagavā.
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀②(ima) 🟢⨀🤟⏮(vadati) 🚹⨀①(bhagavant)
this | said | the Bhagavā
This the Bhagavā said.

10.2 Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanduṁ.
🚹⨂①🆎(atta+mana) *️⃣🤟🚹⨂①(ta) 🚹⨂①(bhikkhu) 🚹⨀⑥(bhagavant) 🚻⨀②🔽(ta)(bhāsita) 🟢⨂🤟⏮(abhinandati)
delighted | those | bhikkhū | of the Bhagavā | what was spoken | rejoiced in
Those bhikkhū, delighted, rejoiced in the Bhagavā’s words.

10.3 Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne tassa bhikkhusahassassa anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucciṁsūti.
*️⃣🤟🚻⨀⑦(ima) ⏏️(ca) ⏏️(pana) 🚻⨀⑦(veyyākaraṇa) 🚻⨀⑦🔽(māna)(bhaññamāna) *️⃣🤟🚻⨀⑥(ta) 🚻⨀⑥🆎(bhikkhu+sahassa) 🔽(ya)(anupādiyati) 🚹⨂⑤(āsava) 🚻⨂①(citta) 🔵⨂🤟⏮(vimuccati) ⏏️(iti)
in this | and | moreover | detailed exposition | being spoken | of that | thousand bhikkhū | not grasping | from the defilements | minds | were liberated | (end quote)
And while this detailed exposition was being spoken, the cittāni (minds) of that thousand bhikkhū, anupādāya (not grasping), were liberated from the āsavā (defilements).

The colophon

11.1 Chaṭṭhaṁ. 🚻⨀①(chaṭṭha) the sixth The sixth [discourse of the chapter].