Saṁyutta Nikāya 46.53
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 46.53
6. Sākacchavagga
6. Discussion
Aggisutta
Fire
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pavisiṁsu.
Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms.
(Pariyāyasuttasadisaṁ.)
(The same as the previous discourse.)
“Evaṁvādino, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evamassu vacanīyā:
“Mendicants, when wanderers of other religions say this, you should say to them:
‘yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ akālo bhāvanāya, katamesaṁ tasmiṁ samaye bojjhaṅgānaṁ kālo bhāvanāya?
‘Reverends, which awakening factors should not be developed when the mind is sluggish? 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?
Which awakening factors should not be developed when the mind is restless? And which awakening factors should be developed at that time?’
Evaṁ puṭṭhā, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā na ceva sampāyissanti, uttariñca vighātaṁ āpajjissanti.
Questioned like this, the wanderers of other religions would be stumped, and, in addition, would get frustrated.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Yathā taṁ, bhikkhave, avisayasmiṁ.
Because they’re out of their element.
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.
I don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, 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.
Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya.
When the mind is sluggish, it’s the wrong time to develop the awakening factors of tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi dussamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.
Because it’s hard to stimulate a sluggish mind with these things.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletukāmo assa.
Suppose someone wanted to make a small fire flare up.
So tattha allāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, udakavātañca dadeyya, paṁsukena ca okireyya;
If they toss wet grass, cow-dung, and timber on it, spray it with water, and scatter dirt on it,
bhabbo nu kho so puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletun”ti?
could they make it flare up?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya.
“In the same way, when the mind is sluggish, it’s the wrong time to develop the awakening factors of tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi dussamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.
Because it’s hard to stimulate a sluggish mind with these things.
Yasmiñca kho, bhikkhave, samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya.
When the mind is sluggish, it’s the right time to develop the awakening factors of investigation of principles, energy, and rapture.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi susamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.
Because it’s easy to stimulate a sluggish mind with these things.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletukāmo assa.
Suppose someone wanted to make a small fire flare up.
So tattha sukkhāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni gomayāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, mukhavātañca dadeyya, na ca paṁsukena okireyya;
If they toss dry grass, cow-dung, and timber on it, blow on it, and don’t scatter dirt on it,
bhabbo nu kho so puriso parittaṁ aggiṁ ujjāletun”ti?
could they make it flare up?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye līnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya.
“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.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Līnaṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi susamuṭṭhāpayaṁ hoti.
Because it’s easy to stimulate a sluggish mind with these things.
Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya.
When the mind is restless, it’s the wrong time to develop the awakening factors of investigation of principles, energy, and rapture.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi duvūpasamayaṁ hoti.
Because it’s hard to settle a restless mind with these things.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetukāmo assa.
Suppose someone wanted to extinguish a bonfire.
So tattha sukkhāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, mukhavātañca dadeyya, na ca paṁsukena okireyya;
If they toss dry grass, cow-dung, and timber on it, blow on it, and don’t scatter dirt on it,
bhabbo nu kho so puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetun”ti?
could they extinguish it?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, akālo tasmiṁ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya.
“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.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi duvūpasamayaṁ hoti.
Because it’s hard to settle a restless mind with these things.
Yasmiñca kho, bhikkhave, samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya.
When the mind is restless, it’s the right time to develop the awakening factors of tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi suvūpasamayaṁ hoti.
Because it’s easy to settle a restless mind with these things.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetukāmo assa.
Suppose someone wanted to extinguish a bonfire.
So tattha allāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, udakavātañca dadeyya, paṁsukena ca okireyya;
If they toss wet grass, cow-dung, and timber on it, spray it with water, and scatter dirt on it,
bhabbo nu kho so puriso mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpetun”ti?
could they extinguish it?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye uddhataṁ cittaṁ hoti, kālo tasmiṁ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya.
“In the same way, when the mind is restless, it’s the right time to develop the awakening factors of tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Uddhataṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ taṁ etehi dhammehi suvūpasamayaṁ hoti.
Because it’s easy to settle a restless mind with these things.
Satiñca khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sabbatthikaṁ vadāmī”ti.
But mindfulness is always useful, I say.”
Tatiyaṁ.