The Buddha describes the fires of passion, hatred, and illusion which consume beings who cling to a self. The wise cool these flames with wisdom, loving-kindness, and perceiving unattractiveness.

Aggi sutta - Fires

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:

“There are, bhikkhus, these three fires. What three? 1) The |fire of passion::fire of lust, craving [rāgaggi]|, 2) the |fire of hatred::fire of ill will, hatred [dosaggi]|, and 3) the |fire of illusion::fire of delusion [mohaggi]|—these, bhikkhus, are the three fires.”

The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:

“The fire of passion burns the mortal ones,
those enamoured and |infatuated with::greedy for, fixated on [mucchita]| sensual pleasures;
But the fire of hatred scorches those malevolent ones,
the people bent on killing living beings.

The fire of illusion torments the |bewildered::confused, disoriented by delusion [sammūḷha]|,
those unskilled in the noble Dhamma;
Beings delighting in |personal existence::individual identity, embodied being, view that one is the owner of the body and mind [sakkāya]|,
ignorant of these [consuming] fires—

They augment |hell::a place of intense suffering, lit. no good fortune [niraya]|,
and the wombs of animals;
The domain of |titans::asuras, those who are anti-god [asura]| and ghosts,
not freed from Māra’s bonds.

But those who day and night devote themselves,
to the teaching of the perfectly Awakened One;
They extinguish the fire of passion,
ever perceiving |unattractiveness::disagreeable, not aesthetically pleasing [asubha]|.

They extinguish the fire of hatred with |loving-kindness::goodwill, friendliness, benevolence [mettā]|,
the noblest of humans;
And the fire of illusion with |wisdom::distinctive knowledge, discernment [paññā]|,
which leads to |breakthrough insight::penetrating insight [nibbedha]|.

Having extinguished, the |discerning::astute, wise [nipaka]| ones,
tireless by day and night;
Without remainder, they |die their final death::attain final Nibbāna, is completely quenched [parinibbāti]|,
having fully transcended |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|.

Seers of the noble truths, accomplished in wisdom,
the wise who possess perfect knowledge;
Having directly known the |wearing away of rebirth::extinction of rebirth [jātikkhaya]|,
they no longer return to renewed |existence::continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|.”

This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.

Last updated on June 16, 2025

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