At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in Gaya, at Gaya’s head, together with a thousand bhikkhus. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus:
“All is burning, bhikkhus. And what, bhikkhus, is all that is burning?
The eye, bhikkhus, is burning; |forms::visible objects such as beautiful sights, faces, expressions, art, ornaments, possessions, status symbols, admired appearances, enticing scenery, or objects of desire and attachment [rūpe]| are burning; |eye-consciousness::awareness of visible forms; it does not interpret or recognize meaning—only cognizes and distinguishes [cakkhuviññāṇa]| is burning; |eye-contact::the meeting of eye, form, and eye-consciousness, giving rise to a visual impression/impingement/intrusion [cakkhusamphassa]| is burning. Whatever |feeling::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, the felt experience, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| arises with eye-contact as condition—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that too is burning. With what is it burning? ‘It is burning with the fire of |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]|, with the fire of |aversion::ill will, hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]|, with the fire of |illusion::delusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view; that which fuels further confusion and doubt [moha]|; it is burning with birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair, I say.
The ear is burning; |sounds::auditory experiences such as speech, music, praise, blame, ambient noise, verbal expression, or melodic tones—any sound that can stir emotion, craving for praise, aesthetic delight, or attachment to communication and identity [saddā]| are burning; |ear-consciousness::auditory awareness; it does not interpret or recognize meaning—only cognizes and distinguishes [sotaviññāṇa]| is burning; |ear-contact::the meeting of ear, sound, and ear-consciousness, giving rise to an auditory impression/impingement/intrusion [sotasamphassa]| is burning. Whatever feeling arises with ear-contact as condition—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that too is burning. With what is it burning? ‘It is burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of aversion, with the fire of delusion; it is burning with birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair, I say.
The nose is burning; |odors::smells and fragrances experienced through the nose, including perfumes, flowers, food aromas, earth after rain, incense, or even stench—any olfactory experience that may evoke craving, aversion, nostalgia, comfort, or sensual pleasure [gandhā]| are burning; |nose-consciousness::olfactory awareness; it does not interpret or recognize meaning—only cognizes and distinguishes [ghānaviññāṇa]| is burning; |nose-contact::the meeting of nose, odor, and nose-consciousness, giving rise to an olfactory impression/impingement/intrusion [ghānasamphassa]| is burning. Whatever feeling arises with nose-contact as condition—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that too is burning. With what is it burning? ‘It is burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of aversion, with the fire of delusion; it is burning with birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair, I say.
The tongue is burning; |tastes::flavors experienced through the tongue such as sweetness, bitterness, sourness, saltiness, spiciness, richness, or subtle tastes like umami or astringency—any gustatory experience that can become an object of craving, indulgence, comfort, or sensory delight [rasā]| are burning; |tongue-consciousness::gustatory awareness; it does not interpret or recognize meaning—only cognizes and distinguishes [jivhāviññāṇa]| is burning; |tongue-contact::the meeting of tongue, taste, and tongue-consciousness, giving rise to a taste impression/impingement/intrusion [jivhāsamphassa]| is burning. Whatever feeling arises with tongue-contact as condition—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that too is burning. With what is it burning? ‘It is burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of aversion, with the fire of delusion; it is burning with birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair, I say.
The body is burning;|tangible objects::tangible contact such as the feel of skin, warmth, softness, intimacy, physical affection, or sensations like massage, breath, water, air, pressure—anything felt through the body that can become an object of desire, arousal, comfort, or emotional attachment [phoṭṭhabba]| is burning; |body-consciousness::tactile awareness; it does not interpret or recognize meaning—only cognizes and distinguishes [kāyaviññāṇa]| is burning; |body-contact::the meeting of body, touch, and body-consciousness, giving rise to a tactile impression/impingement/intrusion [kāyasamphassa]| is burning. Whatever feeling arises with body-contact as condition—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that too is burning. With what is it burning? ‘It is burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of aversion, with the fire of delusion; it is burning with birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair, I say.
The mind is burning; |mental objects::thoughts, ideas, memories, emotions, intentions, perceptions, concepts, beliefs, mental images, or constructions—any mental phenomena that arises internally and can become an object of clinging, identity, projection, craving, or aversion [dhammā]| are burning; |mind-consciousness::mental awareness; it does not interpret or recognize meaning—only cognizes and distinguishes [manoviññāṇa]| is burning; |mind-contact::the meeting of mind, mental object, and mind-consciousness, giving rise to a mental impression/impingement/intrusion [manosamphassa]| is burning. Whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that too is burning. With what is it burning? ‘It is burning with the fire of passion, with the fire of aversion, with the fire of delusion; it is burning with birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair, I say.
Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple becomes |disenchanted with::disinterested in, disillusioned with [nibbindati]| the eye, with forms, with eye-consciousness, with eye-contact, and with whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant; with that too, he becomes disenchanted.
With that too, he becomes disenchanted regarding whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant.
Becoming disenchanted, he becomes |detached from::dispassionate towards [virajjati]| it; through |fading of desire::dispassion, detachment [virāga]|, he is |released from::freed from [vimuccati]| it; when released, there is the insight: ‘Released.’
He understands: ‘Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.’”
This was said by the Blessed One. Delighted, those bhikkhus rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. And while this discourse was being given, the minds of the thousand bhikkhus were liberated from the |mental defilements::mental outflows, discharges, taints [āsava]| through non-clinging.