SN 48.39 — The Simile of the Fire Sticks

Reading guide

Each faculty tied to its own corresponding contact

Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse teaches that each of the five feeling faculties arises dependent on a SPECIFIC, matching type of contact — the faculty of pleasure arises dependent on “contact to be experienced as pleasant” (sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ), and likewise for pain, happiness, sadness, and equanimity — each faculty paired one-to-one with its own condition, not a general undifferentiated contact.

Recognized while present, understood to cease with its condition

Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse's own pattern for each faculty is threefold: recognizing oneself as being in that state while it lasts (“I'm in a state of pleasure”), and understanding directly that the faculty ceases and stops precisely when its own corresponding contact ceases — a close, first-person watching of dependent arising and passing as it happens.

The fire-stick simile: no independent existence apart from its condition

Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse's own simile — rubbing two sticks together generates heat and fire, but the heat ceases entirely once the sticks are parted and laid aside — makes vivid that a feeling faculty has no independent existence apart from its own generating contact, exactly as heat has none apart from the friction that produces it.

Key terms

Kaṭṭhopamasutta — “the fire-stick simile discourse” — this discourse's own title, naming its central teaching image

sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca — “dependent on contact to be experienced as pleasant” — the specific, matching condition for the pleasure faculty's own arising

‘sukhitosmī’ti pajānāti — “one understands, ‘I'm in a state of pleasure’” — the first-person recognition while the faculty is present

dvinnaṁ kaṭṭhānaṁ saṅghaṭṭanasamodhānā usmā jāyati — the simile's own opening image: “when you rub two sticks together, heat is generated”, ceasing entirely once the sticks are parted

Navamaṁ — “the ninth” — the closing colophon marker, confirming this as the vagga's ninth discourse, still without a vagga-closing formula

The text

The complete discourse. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).

§1-5 — each faculty's own dependent arising and cessation“Mendicants, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculties of pleasure, pain, happiness, sadness, and equanimity. The faculty of pleasure arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as pleasant. When in a state of pleasure, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of pleasure.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, you understand that the corresponding faculty of pleasure that had arisen ceases and stops. The faculty of pain arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as painful. When in a state of pain, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of pain.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as painful, you understand that the corresponding faculty of pain that had arisen ceases and stops. The faculty of happiness arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as happiness. When in a state of happiness, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of happiness.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as happiness, you understand that the corresponding faculty of happiness that had arisen ceases and stops. The faculty of sadness arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as sadness. When in a state of sadness, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of sadness.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as sadness, you understand that the corresponding faculty of sadness that had arisen ceases and stops. The faculty of equanimity arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as equanimous. When in a state of equanimity, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of equanimity.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as equanimous, you understand that the corresponding faculty of equanimity that had arisen ceases and stops.

§6-7 — the fire-stick simileWhen you rub two sticks together, heat is generated and fire is produced. But when you part the sticks and lay them aside, any corresponding heat ceases and stops. In the same way, the faculty of pleasure arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as pleasant. When in a state of pleasure, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of pleasure.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, you understand that the corresponding faculty of pleasure that arises ceases and stops. The faculty of pain … happiness … sadness … equanimity arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as equanimous. When in a state of equanimity, you understand: ‘I’m in a state of equanimity.’ With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as equanimous, you understand that the corresponding faculty of equanimity that arises ceases and stops.”

· · ·

Self-check quiz

3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.

Question 1 of 3

What does this discourse say each feeling faculty arises dependent on?

Correct: A. Each faculty paired one-to-one with its own generating contact.

Question 2 of 3

What does the fire-stick simile illustrate?

Correct: A. Heat exists only as long as the sticks are rubbed together; the faculty exists only as long as its own contact continues.

Question 3 of 3

What threefold pattern does this discourse trace for each faculty?

Correct: A. A close, first-person watching of dependent arising and passing as it happens.

Answered 0 of 3 · Correct 0

The Simile of the Fire Sticks

Why this discourse