[415] "Then, Aggivessana, a second simile occurred to me, spontaneous (anacchariyā), never heard before. Suppose, Aggivessana, there were a wet, sappy piece of wood placed on dry land, far from water. Then a man might come along bringing an upper fire-stick, thinking: 'I shall kindle a fire, I shall produce heat.' What do you think, Aggivessana? Could that man, taking the upper fire-stick and rubbing it against that wet, sappy piece of wood placed on dry land, far from water, kindle a fire and produce heat?"
"No indeed, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because, worthy Gotama, that piece of wood is wet and sappy, even though it is placed on dry land, far from water; that man would only reap weariness and vexation."
"So too, Aggivessana, whatever ascetics or brahmins dwell withdrawn in body from sensual pleasures, yet whose sensual desire (kāmacchanda), sensual affection, sensual infatuation, sensual thirst, and sensual fever regarding sensual pleasures is not well abandoned within, not well stilled—even if those worthy ascetics and brahmins feel painful, racking, sharp, bitter feelings (vedanā) due to exertion, they are incapable of knowledge (ñāṇa), of vision, of the supreme awakening; and even if those worthy ascetics and brahmins do not feel painful, racking, sharp, bitter feelings due to exertion, they are still incapable of knowledge, of vision, of the supreme awakening. This, Aggivessana, was the second simile that occurred to me, spontaneous, never heard before."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.