The Buddha teaches the four noble truths regarding the great scorching, urging mendicants to practice for direct knowledge of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

SN 56.43 The Great Scorching

“Atthi, bhikkhave, mahāpariḷāho nāma nirayo. Tattha yaṁ kiñci cakkhunā rūpaṁ passati, aniṭṭharūpaññeva passati no iṭṭharūpaṁ; akantarūpaññeva passati no kantarūpaṁ; amanāparūpaññeva passati no manāparūpaṁ. Yaṁ kiñci sotena saddaṁ suṇāti …pe… yaṁ kiñci kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusati …pe… yaṁ kiñci manasā dhammaṁ vijānāti, aniṭṭharūpaññeva vijānāti no iṭṭharūpaṁ; akantarūpaññeva vijānāti no kantarūpaṁ; amanāparūpaññeva vijānāti no manāparūpan”ti.

Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “mahā vata so, bhante, pariḷāho, sumahā vata so, bhante, pariḷāho. Atthi nu kho, bhante, etamhā pariḷāhā añño pariḷāho mahantataro ceva bhayānakataro cā”ti?

“Atthi kho, bhikkhu, etamhā pariḷāhā añño pariḷāho mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti.

“Katamo pana, bhante, etamhā pariḷāhā añño pariḷāho mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti?

“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu abhiramanti …pe… abhiratā …pe… abhisaṅkharonti …pe… abhisaṅkharitvā jātipariḷāhenapi pariḍayhanti, jarāpariḷāhenapi pariḍayhanti, maraṇapariḷāhenapi pariḍayhanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsapariḷāhenapi pariḍayhanti. Te na parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. ‘Na parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti. Te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu nābhiramanti …pe… anabhiratā …pe… nābhisaṅkharonti …pe… anabhisaṅkharitvā jātipariḷāhenapi na pariḍayhanti, jarāpariḷāhenapi na pariḍayhanti, maraṇapariḷāhenapi na pariḍayhanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsapariḷāhenapi na pariḍayhanti. Te parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. ‘Parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Atthi, bhikkhave, mahāpariḷāho nāma nirayo.

“Mendicants, there is a hell called ‘The Great Scorching’.

Tattha yaṁ kiñci cakkhunā rūpaṁ passati, aniṭṭharūpaññeva passati no iṭṭharūpaṁ; akantarūpaññeva passati no kantarūpaṁ; amanāparūpaññeva passati no manāparūpaṁ.

There, whatever sight you see with your eye is unlikable, not likable; undesirable, not desirable; unpleasant, not pleasant.

Yaṁ kiñci sotena saddaṁ suṇāti …pe…

Whatever sound you hear … Whatever odor you smell … Whatever flavor you taste …

yaṁ kiñci kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusati …pe…

Whatever touch you feel …

yaṁ kiñci manasā dhammaṁ vijānāti, aniṭṭharūpaññeva vijānāti no iṭṭharūpaṁ; akantarūpaññeva vijānāti no kantarūpaṁ; amanāparūpaññeva vijānāti no manāparūpan”ti.

Whatever idea you know with your mind is unlikable, not likable; undesirable, not desirable; unpleasant, not pleasant.”

Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha,

“mahā vata so, bhante, pariḷāho, sumahā vata so, bhante, pariḷāho.

“Sir, that scorching really is mighty, so very mighty.

Atthi nu kho, bhante, etamhā pariḷāhā añño pariḷāho mahantataro ceva bhayānakataro cā”ti?

Is there any other scorching more mighty and terrifying than this one?”

“Atthi kho, bhikkhu, etamhā pariḷāhā añño pariḷāho mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti.

“There is, mendicant.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, etamhā pariḷāhā añño pariḷāho mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti?

“But sir, what is it?”

“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe…

“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu abhiramanti …pe…

They take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth …

abhiratā …pe… abhisaṅkharonti …pe…

They continue to make such choices …

abhisaṅkharitvā jātipariḷāhenapi pariḍayhanti, jarāpariḷāhenapi pariḍayhanti, maraṇapariḷāhenapi pariḍayhanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsapariḷāhenapi pariḍayhanti.

Having made such choices, they burn with the scorching of rebirth, old age, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

Te na parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi.

They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

‘Na parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti.

There are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

Te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu nābhiramanti …pe…

They don’t take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth …

anabhiratā …pe… nābhisaṅkharonti …pe…

They stop making such choices …

anabhisaṅkharitvā jātipariḷāhenapi na pariḍayhanti, jarāpariḷāhenapi na pariḍayhanti, maraṇapariḷāhenapi na pariḍayhanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsapariḷāhenapi na pariḍayhanti.

Having stopped making such choices, they don’t burn with the scorching of rebirth, old age, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

Te parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi.

They’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

‘Parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

They’re freed from suffering, I say.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.

That’s why you should practice meditation …”

Tatiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Anxiety

Anxiety

A fluttering, unsettled state of mind, worried about past or future and unsure what is right to do. It keeps the mind circling around concerns without resolution, weakening confidence and obscuring calm discernment.

Also known as: agitation, confusion about what is right and wrong, distress, fickleness, fidgetiness, edginess, restlessness, wavering, worry
Pāli: kukkucca, uddhacca, darathaja
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Displeasure

Displeasure

A feeling of mental pain or a disagreeable feeling or unease born of mental contact.

Also known as: mental pain, mental distress, melancholy, sadness
Pāli: domanassa
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Lamentation

Lamentation

The verbal and bodily expression of grief—crying, wailing, and mourning—that arises from loss or separation from what is held dear. It gives voice to sorrow and can deepen the mind's entanglement with pain.

Also known as: crying, wailing, mourning
Pāli: parideva
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Sorrow

Sorrow

Grief or sadness that follows loss or disappointment, dimming the mind’s natural brightness. It clouds clear perception.

Also known as: grief, sadness
Pāli: soka, socati
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026