Saṃyuttanikāyo Mahāvaggo Bojjhaṅgasaṃyuttaṃ Aggisuttaṃ

The Aggisutta ("The Fire Discourse"), found within the Bojjhaṅgasaṃyutta of the Saṃyutta Nikāya, serves as a practical guide to balancing the mind during meditation. In this discourse, the Buddha uses the vivid metaphor of tending a fire to illustrate how to skillfully apply the Seven Factors of Enlightenment (Bojjhaṅga).

When the mind is sluggish or demotivated, attempting to quiet it further through tranquility (passaddhi), concentration (samādhi), or equanimity (upekkha) is like throwing wet wood on a small flame, it smothers the mind. Instead, one should active-charge the mind with investigation (dhammavicaya), energy (vīriya), and joy (pīti). 

Conversely, when the mind is agitated or restless, adding energetic factors is like pouring dry fuel on a blazing fire; during agitation, calming factors must be applied. Central to this practice is mindfulness (sati), which the Buddha highlights as universally necessary (sabbatthika) to discern the mind's current state and choose the appropriate practice.


‘‘Yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye līnaṃ cittaṃ hoti, akālo tasmiṃ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṃ kissa hetu? Līnaṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ taṃ etehi dhammehi dussamuṭṭhāpayaṃ hoti.

‘‘Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso parittaṃ aggiṃ ujjāletukāmo assa. So tattha allāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya , udakavātañca dadeyya, paṃsukena ca okireyya; bhabbo nu kho so puriso parittaṃ aggiṃ ujjālitu’’nti? ‘‘No hetaṃ, bhante’’.

‘‘Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṃ samaye līnaṃ cittaṃ hoti, akālo tasmiṃ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṃ kissa hetu? Līnaṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ taṃ etehi dhammehi dussamuṭṭhāpayaṃ hoti.

Bhikkhus, when the mind is sluggish, 

and equanimity. 

Why is that? Because a sluggish mind is difficult to arouse with these factors.

"Suppose a man wanted to blow up a small fire. If he threw wet grass, wet cow dung, and wet wood onto it, blew water-laden wind over it, and sprinkled dust on it, could he light that small fire?" — "No, Venerable Sir."

"So too, bhikkhus, when the mind is sluggish, it is the wrong time to develop tranquility, concentration, and equanimity. Why is that? Because a sluggish mind is difficult to arouse with these factors.

‘‘Yasmiñca kho, bhikkhave, samaye līnaṃ cittaṃ hoti, kālo tasmiṃ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṃ kissa hetu? Līnaṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ taṃ etehi dhammehi susamuṭṭhāpayaṃ hoti.

‘‘Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso parittaṃ aggiṃ ujjāletukāmo assa. So tattha sukkhāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni gomayāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, mukhavātañca dadeyya, na ca paṃsukena okireyya; bhabbo nu kho so puriso parittaṃ aggiṃ ujjālitu’’nti? ‘‘Evaṃ, bhante’’.

‘‘Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṃ samaye līnaṃ cittaṃ hoti, kālo tasmiṃ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṃ kissa hetu? Līnaṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ taṃ etehi dhammehi susamuṭṭhāpayaṃ hoti.

"When the mind is sluggish, 

Why is that? Because a sluggish mind is easy to arouse with these factors.

"Suppose a man wanted to blow up a small fire. If he threw dry grass, dry cow dung, and dry wood onto it, blew air from his mouth on it, and did not sprinkle dust on it, could he light that small fire?" — "Yes, Venerable Sir."

"So too, bhikkhus, when the mind is sluggish, it is the right time to develop investigation-of-states, energy, and rapture. Why is that? Because a sluggish mind is easy to arouse with these factors.

‘‘Yasmiṃ , bhikkhave, samaye uddhattaṃ cittaṃ hoti, akālo tasmiṃ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṃ kissa hetu? Uddhataṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ taṃ etehi dhammehi duvūpasamayaṃ hoti.

‘‘Seyyathāpi , bhikkhave, puriso mahantaṃ aggikkhandhaṃ nibbāpetukāmo assa. So tattha sukkhāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, sukkhāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, mukhavātañca dadeyya, na ca paṃsukena okireyya; bhabbo nu kho so puriso mahantaṃ aggikkhandhaṃ nibbāpetu’’nti? ‘‘No hetaṃ, bhante’’.

‘‘Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṃ samaye uddhataṃ cittaṃ hoti, akālo tasmiṃ samaye dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, akālo pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṃ kissa hetu? Uddhataṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ taṃ etehi dhammehi duvūpasamayaṃ hoti.

"When the mind is agitated, 

"Suppose a man wanted to extinguish a great mass of fire. If he threw dry grass, dry cow dung, and dry wood onto it, blew air from his mouth on it, and did not sprinkle dust on it, could he extinguish that great mass of fire?" — "No, Venerable Sir."

"So too, bhikkhus, when the mind is agitated, it is the wrong time to develop investigation-of-states, energy, and rapture. Why is that? Because an agitated mind is difficult to calm with these factors.

‘‘Yasmiñca kho, bhikkhave, samaye uddhataṃ cittaṃ hoti, kālo tasmiṃ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṃ kissa hetu? Uddhataṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ taṃ etehi dhammehi suvūpasamayaṃ hoti.

‘‘Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso mahantaṃ aggikkhandhaṃ nibbāpetukāmo assa. So tattha allāni ceva tiṇāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca gomayāni pakkhipeyya, allāni ca kaṭṭhāni pakkhipeyya, udakavātañca dadeyya, paṃsukena ca okireyya; bhabbo nu kho so puriso mahantaṃ aggikkhandhaṃ nibbāpetu’’nti? ‘‘Evaṃ, bhante’’.

‘‘Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṃ samaye uddhataṃ cittaṃ hoti, kālo tasmiṃ samaye passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya, kālo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya. Taṃ kissa hetu? Uddhataṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ taṃ etehi dhammehi suvūpasamayaṃ hoti. 

Satiñca khvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sabbatthikaṃ vadāmī’’ti. Tatiyaṃ.

"When the mind is agitated, 

"Suppose a man wanted to extinguish a great mass of fire. If he threw wet grass, wet cow dung, and wet wood onto it, blew water-laden wind over it, and sprinkled dust on it, could he extinguish that great mass of fire?" — "Yes, Venerable Sir."

"So too, bhikkhus, when the mind is agitated, it is the right time to develop tranquility, concentration, and equanimity. Why is that? Because an agitated mind is easy to calm with these factors. 

Mindfulness, bhikkhus, I declare to be useful everywhere."

Commentary on the Aggisutta (Aggisuttavaṇṇanā)

In the third discourse, regarding the phrase: "Mindfulness, bhikkhus, I declare to be useful everywhere" (satiñca khvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sabbatthikaṃ vadāmīti): 

the meaning is that I declare mindfulness to be desirable in all situations, just like salt and seasoning,
or like a minister of all work. 

For just as salt and seasoning are applied to all curry dishes, and just as a minister of all work handles military duties, advisory council duties, and gatekeeping duties—thereby accomplishing all tasks—similarly, restraining an agitated mind and uplifting a sluggish mind are all accomplished through mindfulness. It is impossible to achieve this without mindfulness; therefore, the Buddha spoke thus. In this discourse, it is specifically the preliminary phase of insight (pubbabhāga-vipassanā) factors of enlightenment that have been discussed.