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or with their beaks, break open the eggshell and emerge safely!' Then indeed, those chick-embryos are capable of breaking open the eggshell with the tips of their claws or with their beaks, and emerging safely. For what reason? Because, monks, the hen's eggs have been properly sat upon, properly warmed, properly developed. Even so, monks, for a monk dwelling devoted to development, even if such a wish does not arise: 'Oh, may my mind be liberated from the defilements without clinging!' Yet his mind is liberated from the defilements without clinging. For what reason? 'Because it has been developed,' it should be said. Developed of what? Of the four foundations of mindfulness... ...of the Noble Eightfold Path. Just as, monks, for a carpenter or a carpenter's apprentice, the marks of the fingers and the mark of the thumb are visible on the axe handle. But he does not have this knowledge: 'So much of my axe handle was worn away today, so much yesterday, so much the day before.' Rather, when it is worn away, he has the knowledge: 'It is worn away.' Even so, monks, for a monk dwelling devoted to development, even if he does not have this knowledge: 'So many of my defilements were eliminated today, so many yesterday, so many the day before.' Rather, when they are eliminated, he has the knowledge: 'They are eliminated.' Just as, monks, a seagoing ship, bound with rope lashings, having spent six months in the water, and then hauled onto land in the winter, its lashings are worn by wind and sun. When they are drenched by a rain cloud in the rainy season, they easily... do not subside, they become rotten. Even so, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu dwelling devoted to development, the fetters subside and become rotten with little difficulty.’’ The seventh. 8. The Discourse on the Simile of the Mass of Fire 72. Thus have I heard – On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus. The Blessed One, while on a journey, saw in a certain place a great mass of fire, blazing, flaming, and glowing. Having seen it, he left the road and sat down on a seat prepared at the root of a certain tree. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: ‘‘Do you see, bhikkhus, that great mass of fire, blazing, flaming, and glowing?’’ ‘‘Yes, venerable sir.’’ ‘‘What do you think, bhikkhus, which would be better – to embrace or lie down with that great mass of fire, blazing, flaming, and glowing, or to embrace or lie down with a Khattiya maiden, or a Brahmana maiden, or a householder maiden, with soft, tender hands and feet?’’ ‘‘This, venerable sir, would be better – to embrace or lie down with a Khattiya maiden, or a Brahmana maiden, or a householder maiden, with soft, tender hands and feet. That, venerable sir, would be painful – to embrace or lie down with that great mass of fire, blazing, flaming, and glowing.’’ ‘‘I declare to you, bhikkhus, I make known to you, bhikkhus, that this would be better for that immoral person, of evil nature, of impure and suspicious conduct, whose actions are hidden, who is no recluse but claims to be a recluse, who is no celibate but claims to be a celibate, who is inwardly rotten, leaking, and born of refuse – to embrace that great mass of fire, blazing, flaming, and glowing. would embrace and sit down or lie down with a blazing, fiery mass. For what reason? Because of that, monks, he would meet with death or suffering as much as death, but not because of that, with the breaking up of the body, after death, would he be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell. But that, monks, when an immoral, evil-natured person, of impure, suspicious conduct, ... a heap of filth, embraces and sits down or lies down with a soft, tender-limbed Khattiya maiden, or a Brahmana maiden, or a householder maiden, that, monks, would be for his harm and suffering for a long time, with the breaking up of the body, after death, he would be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell. What do you think, monks? Which is better? That a strong man would wrap both thighs with a strong rope of hair and rub them, which would cut the skin, having cut the skin, would cut the hide, having cut the hide, would cut the flesh, having cut the flesh, would cut the sinews, having cut the sinews, would cut the bones, having cut the bones, would reach the bone marrow and remain there. Or that he would accept the salutations of great Khattiya families, or great Brahmana families, or great householder families? "This, venerable sir, is better: that he would accept the salutations of great Khattiya families, or great Brahmana families, or great householder families. That, venerable sir, is suffering: that a strong man would wrap both thighs with a strong rope of hair... and reach the bone marrow and remain there." I declare to you, monks, I make known to you, monks, that this is better for that immoral person... a heap of filth: that a strong man would wrap both thighs with a strong rope of hair... and reach the bone marrow and remain there. For what reason? Because of that, monks, he would meet with death or suffering as much as death, but not because of that, with the breaking up of the body, after death, in a state of woe. to a bad destination, to a state of woe, to hell he might arise. And that, monks, which that immoral one, ...full of defilement, of great wealthy khattiyas, or great wealthy brahmins, or great wealthy householders, accepts the salutation, that indeed, monks, is for his long-term harm, for suffering, after the breaking up of the body, after death, he arises in a state of woe, a bad destination, hell. "What do you think, monks, which is better – that a strong man with a sharp, oil-cleaned spear should strike him in the chest, or that he should accept the reverential salutation of great wealthy khattiyas, or great wealthy brahmins, or great wealthy householders?" "This indeed, venerable sir, is better – that he should accept the reverential salutation of great wealthy khattiyas, or great wealthy brahmins, or great wealthy householders. It is suffering, venerable sir, that a strong man with a sharp, oil-cleaned spear should strike him in the chest." "I declare to you, monks, I make known to you, monks, that this indeed is better for that immoral one, ...full of defilement, that a strong man with a sharp, oil-cleaned spear should strike him in the chest. For what reason? Because of that, monks, he might meet death or suffering unto death, but not because of that, after the breaking up of the body, after death, would he arise in a state of woe, a bad destination, hell. And that, monks, which that immoral one, of evil conduct, ...full of defilement, accepts the reverential salutation of great wealthy khattiyas, or great wealthy brahmins, or great wealthy householders, that indeed, monks, is for his long-term harm, for suffering, after the breaking up of the body, after death, he arises in a state of woe, a bad destination, hell. "What do you think, monks, which is better – that a strong man should wrap his body with a heated, blazing, burning, glowing iron plate, or that of great wealthy khattiyas, or brahmins of great wealthy householders, or the robe given in faith by great wealthy householders?’’ “This, venerable sir, is better: that one should use the robe given in faith by great wealthy householders. It is suffering, venerable sir, that a strong man should wrap his body with that heated, blazing, glowing iron plate.” “I declare to you, monks, I make known to you, monks, that this is better for that immoral one, that one of evil nature, that one who is like a heap of rubbish, that a strong man should wrap his body with that heated, blazing, glowing iron plate. Why is that? Because of that, monks, he would meet death or suffering like death, but he would not, because of that, after the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell. But when that immoral one, monks, that one of evil nature, that one who is like a heap of rubbish, uses the robe given in faith by great wealthy warriors, or great wealthy brahmins, or great wealthy householders, that, monks, will be for his long-term harm and suffering; after the breaking up of the body, after death, he will be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell. “What do you think, monks, which is better: that a strong man, having opened his mouth with a heated iron stake, should put a heated, blazing, glowing iron ball into his mouth— that would burn his lips, burn his mouth, burn his tongue, burn his throat, burn his chest, and carrying his intestines and mesentery, come out from below; or that one should use the almsfood given in faith by great wealthy warriors, or great wealthy brahmins, or great wealthy householders?” “This, venerable sir, is better: that one should use the almsfood given in faith by great wealthy warriors, or great wealthy brahmins, or great wealthy householders.” or of wealthy householders, he consumes almsfood given in faith. That is suffering, venerable sir, when a strong man, having opened his mouth with a heated iron spike, would place into his mouth a heated iron ball, blazing, flaming, glowing. That would burn his lips, burn his mouth, burn his tongue, burn his throat, burn his chest, and carrying his intestines and mesentery, it would exit from below.” “I declare to you, monks, I make known to you, monks, that this indeed is better for that immoral one, … (etc.) … for that refuse-like one, that a strong man, having opened his mouth with a heated iron spike, would place into his mouth a heated iron ball, blazing, flaming, glowing. That would burn his lips, burn his mouth, burn his tongue, burn his throat, burn his chest, and carrying his intestines and mesentery, it would exit from below. For what reason? Because of that, monks, he would meet death or suffering like death,