Several months after his Awakening, the Buddha delivers this sermon to an audience of 1,000 fire-worshipping ascetics. In his characteristically brilliant teaching style, the Buddha uses a metaphor that quickly penetrates to the heart of the audience — in this case, the metaphor of fire. Upon hearing this sermon, the entire audience attains full Awakening (arahatta).

Listen to this sutta read by Bhante H. Gunaratana (08'37" 2.9 MB)

Recorded in October 2005 at the Bhavana Society, High View, West Virginia, USA. Translated from the Pali by Bhante H. Gunaratana. From Bhavana Vandana: Book of Devotion (High View, WV: »Bhavana Society, 1990). Text is copyright © 1990 Bhavana Society. Courtesy of, and with permission from, Bhavana Society, Rt. 1, Box 218-3, Back Creek Road, High View, WV 26808 USA, »www.bhavanasociety.org.