[303] "Bhikkhus, I will teach you a Dhamma exposition (dhammapariyāya) on the theme of burning (ādittapariyāya). Listen to it. And what, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma exposition on the theme of burning?
"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the eye faculty (cakkhundriya) to be lacerated by a red-hot iron pin — burning, blazing, all aglow — than to grasp the sign (nimitta) by way of its features (anubyañjana) in forms cognizable by the eye. For if consciousness (viññāṇa) should persist tied to gratification in the sign, bhikkhus, or tied to gratification in the features, and if at that time one should die, this is possible: that one would go to one of two destinations — hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger (ādīnava), bhikkhus, I speak thus.
"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the ear faculty to be lacerated by a sharp iron spike — burning, blazing, all aglow — than to grasp the sign by way of its features in sounds cognizable by the ear. For if consciousness should persist tied to gratification in the sign, bhikkhus, or tied to gratification in the features, and if at that time one should die, this is possible: that one would go to one of two destinations — hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, bhikkhus, I speak thus.
"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the nose faculty to be lacerated by a sharp nail-cutter — burning, blazing, all aglow — than to grasp the sign by way of its features in odours cognizable by the nose. For if consciousness should persist tied to gratification in the sign, bhikkhus, or tied to gratification in the features, and if at that time one should die, this is possible: that one would go to one of two destinations — hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, bhikkhus, I speak thus.
"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the tongue faculty to be lacerated by a sharp razor — burning, blazing, all aglow — than to grasp the sign by way of its features in tastes cognizable by the tongue. For if consciousness should persist tied to gratification in the sign, bhikkhus, or tied to gratification in the features, and if at that time one should die, this is possible: that one would go to one of two destinations — hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, bhikkhus, I speak thus.
"It would be better, bhikkhus, for the body faculty to be lacerated by a sharp spear — burning, blazing, all aglow — than to grasp the sign by way of its features in tangibles cognizable by the body. For if consciousness should persist tied to gratification in the sign, bhikkhus, or tied to gratification in the features, and if at that time one should die, this is possible: that one would go to one of two destinations — hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, bhikkhus, I speak thus.
"It would be better, bhikkhus, to sleep. Yet sleep, bhikkhus, I declare to be barren for the living; fruitless for the living, I declare it; stupefying for the living, I declare it. But still, one should not think such thoughts that, having come under the sway of such thoughts, one might split the Saṅgha. Having seen this danger — barrenness for the living — bhikkhus, I speak thus."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.