[646] S. All conditioned things (saṅkhārā), without qualification, are hot embers (kukkuḷa)?
P. Yes.
S. Giving (dāna) has undesirable fruit, unlovely fruit, disagreeable fruit, adulterated fruit; it yields suffering (dukkha), it ripens in suffering?
P. It should not be said thus. …
S. Virtue (sīla) … the Uposatha observance (uposatha) … mental development (bhāvanā) … the holy life (brahmacariya) has undesirable fruit, unlovely fruit, disagreeable fruit, adulterated fruit; it yields suffering, it ripens in suffering?
P. It should not be said thus. …
S. Is it not so that giving has desirable fruit, lovely fruit, agreeable fruit, unadulterated fruit; that it yields happiness, that it ripens in happiness?
P. Yes.
S. If giving has desirable fruit, lovely fruit, agreeable fruit, unadulterated fruit, yields happiness, and ripens in happiness, then indeed you should not say: "All conditioned things, without qualification, are hot embers."
S. Is it not so that virtue … the Uposatha observance … mental development … the holy life has desirable fruit, lovely fruit, agreeable fruit, unadulterated fruit; that it yields happiness, that it ripens in happiness?
P. Yes.
S. If the holy life has desirable fruit, lovely fruit, agreeable fruit, unadulterated fruit, yields happiness, and ripens in happiness, then indeed you should not say: "All conditioned things, without qualification, are hot embers."
¹ [Siam edition footnote] SN, Saḷāyatanavagga, 159.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.