The Simile of the Fire Sticks

Kaṭṭhopamasutta

The Simile of the Fire Sticks

Kaṭṭhopamasutta

EN
“Mendicants, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculties of pleasure, pain, happiness, sadness, and equanimity. The faculty of pleasure arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as pleasant.
PL
“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni. Katamāni pañca? Sukhindriyaṁ, dukkhindriyaṁ, somanassindriyaṁ, domanassindriyaṁ, upekkhindriyaṁ. Sukhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhindriyaṁ.
EN
When in a state of pleasure, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of pleasure.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, you understand that the corresponding faculty of pleasure that had arisen ceases and stops. The faculty of pain arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as painful. When in a state of pain, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of pain.’
PL
So sukhitova samāno ‘sukhitosmī’ti pajānāti. Tasseva sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā ‘yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ sukhindriyaṁ taṁ nirujjhati, taṁ vūpasammatī’ti pajānāti. Dukkhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati dukkhindriyaṁ. So dukkhitova samāno ‘dukkhitosmī’ti pajānāti.
EN
With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as painful, you understand that the corresponding faculty of pain that had arisen ceases and stops. The faculty of happiness arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as happiness. When in a state of happiness, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of happiness.’
PL
Tasseva dukkhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā ‘yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ dukkhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ dukkhindriyaṁ taṁ nirujjhati, taṁ vūpasammatī’ti pajānāti. Somanassavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati somanassindriyaṁ. So sumanova samāno ‘sumanosmī’ti pajānāti.
EN
With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as happiness, you understand that the corresponding faculty of happiness that had arisen ceases and stops. The faculty of sadness arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as sadness. When in a state of sadness, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of sadness.’
PL
Tasseva somanassavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā ‘yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ somanassavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ somanassindriyaṁ taṁ nirujjhati, taṁ vūpasammatī’ti pajānāti. Domanassavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati domanassindriyaṁ. So dummanova samāno ‘dummanosmī’ti pajānāti.
EN
With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as sadness, you understand that the corresponding faculty of sadness that had arisen ceases and stops. The faculty of equanimity arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as equanimous. When in a state of equanimity, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of equanimity.’
PL
Tasseva domanassavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā ‘yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ domanassavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ domanassindriyaṁ taṁ nirujjhati, taṁ vūpasammatī’ti pajānāti. Upekkhāvedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati upekkhindriyaṁ. So upekkhakova samāno ‘upekkhakosmī’ti pajānāti.
EN
With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as equanimous, you understand that the corresponding faculty of equanimity that had arisen ceases and stops. When you rub two sticks together, heat is generated and fire is produced. But when you part the sticks and lay them aside, any corresponding heat ceases and stops.
PL
Tasseva upekkhāvedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā ‘yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ upekkhāvedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ upekkhindriyaṁ taṁ nirujjhati, taṁ vūpasammatī’ti pajānāti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dvinnaṁ kaṭṭhānaṁ saṅghaṭṭanasamodhānā usmā jāyati, tejo abhinibbattati; tesaṁyeva kaṭṭhānaṁ nānābhāvāvinikkhepā yā tajjā usmā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati;
EN
In the same way, the faculty of pleasure arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as pleasant. When in a state of pleasure, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of pleasure.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, you understand that the corresponding faculty of pleasure that arises ceases and stops.
PL
evameva kho, bhikkhave, sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhindriyaṁ. So sukhitova samāno ‘sukhitosmī’ti pajānāti. Tasseva sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā ‘yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhindriyaṁ taṁ nirujjhati, taṁ vūpasammatī’ti pajānāti.
EN
The faculty of pain … happiness … sadness … equanimity arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as equanimous.
PL
Dukkhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca …pe… somanassavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca …pe… domanassavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca …pe… upekkhāvedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati upekkhindriyaṁ.
EN
When in a state of equanimity, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of equanimity.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as equanimous, you understand that the corresponding faculty of equanimity that arises ceases and stops.”
PL
So upekkhakova samāno ‘upekkhakosmī’ti pajānāti. Tasseva upekkhāvedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā ‘yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ upekkhāvedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati upekkhindriyaṁ taṁ nirujjhati, taṁ vūpasammatī’ti pajānāti”. Navamaṁ.

Pāli root text and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato from SuttaCentral (https://suttacentral.net), CC0.

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