Ud 8.10 - Dabba Sutta: About Dabba Mallaputta (2)
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Source: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.10.than.html
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Copyright: ©2012 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
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Attribution: ©2012 Thanissaro Bhikkhu. The text of this page ("Dabba Sutta: About Dabba Mallaputta (2)", by Thanissaro Bhikkhu) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of the license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions. Transcribed from a file provided by the translator. Last revised for Access to Insight on 3 September 2012. How to cite this document (a suggested style): "Dabba Sutta: About Dabba Mallaputta (2)" (Ud 8.10), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 3 September 2012, https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.10.than.html . Alternate format:
Changes: Presentation only: original HTML markup reflowed into plain text; wording, numbering and source repetitions retained. No repetitions expanded.
Completeness: ABBREVIATED. Every source-unit character is preserved, including introductions, notes and verse structure. Thanissaro's collection-level note explicitly states that repetitions were cut: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/about.html. This is evidence about the translation method, not an assertion that every individual unit contains an omission; no repetitions reconstructed.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. There he addressed the monks, "Monks!"

"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.

The Blessed One said, "When Dabba Mallaputta rose up into the air and, sitting cross-legged in the sky, in space, entered & emerged from the fire property and was totally unbound, his body burned and was consumed so that neither ashes nor soot could be discerned. Just as when ghee or oil is burned and consumed, neither ashes nor soot can be discerned, in the same way, when Dabba Mallaputta rose up into the air and, sitting cross-legged in the sky, in space, entered & emerged from the fire property and was totally unbound, his body burned and was consumed so that neither ashes nor soot could be discerned."

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

 Just as the destination of a glowing fire struck with a [blacksmith's] iron hammer, gradually growing calm, isn't known:[1] Even so, there's no destination to describe for those rightly released — having crossed over the flood of sensuality's bond — for those who've attained unwavering bliss. 

Note

1.

For a discussion of the ancient Buddhist view of what happened to an extinguished fire, see The Mind Like Fire Unbound, Chapters 1 and 2.

 See also: MN 72; SN 6.15; SN 22.86; AN 4.174; Thig 5.10.