Mahāpariḷāhasutta

“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.

“Mendicants, there is a hell called ‘The Great Scorching’. There, whatever sight you see with your eye is unlikable, not likable; undesirable, not desirable; unpleasant, not pleasant. Whatever sound you hear … Whatever odor you smell … Whatever flavor you taste … Whatever touch you feel … Whatever idea you know with your mind is unlikable, not likable; undesirable, not desirable; unpleasant, not pleasant.”

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.

When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha, “Sir, that scorching really is mighty, so very mighty. Is there any other scorching more mighty and terrifying than this one?” “There is, mendicant.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, etamhā pariḷāhā añño pariḷāho mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti? “Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘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.

“But sir, what is it?” “Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. They take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth … They continue to make such choices … Having made such choices, they burn with the scorching of rebirth, old age, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘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.

There are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. They don’t take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth … They stop making such choices … 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. They’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re freed from suffering, I say.

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

That’s why you should practice meditation …”