The Buddha explains the urgency of understanding the Four Noble Truths to end suffering with a simile of extinguishing a fire on one’s clothes or head.
“Āditte, bhikkhave, cele vā sīse vā kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?
“Bhikkhus, if one’s clothes or head were |burning::on fire, ablaze|, what should be done?
“Āditte, bhante, cele vā sīse vā, tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyan”ti.
“Venerable sir, if one’s clothes or head were burning, then one should arouse the utmost |desire::wish, intention, interest [chanda]|, make an extraordinary effort, stir up perseverance, kindle enthusiasm, maintain |tireless determination::indefatigably, with resolute intention [appaṭivānī]|, and apply |mindfulness::recollection of the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly with sustained attention, free from craving and distress [sati]| and |full awareness::clear comprehension [sampajañña]| to extinguish the burning of one’s clothes or head.”
“Ādittaṁ, bhikkhave, celaṁ vā sīsaṁ vā ajjhupekkhitvā amanasikaritvā anabhisametānaṁ catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamayāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ.
Bhikkhus, even though one’s clothes or head were burning, one might look on equanimously, |paying no attention to it::disregarding it [amanasikaritvā]|. But as long as one has not made the breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths as they really are, then in order to make the breakthrough, one should arouse the utmost desire, make an extraordinary effort, stir up perseverance, kindle enthusiasm, maintain tireless determination, and apply mindfulness and full awareness.
Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhasamudayassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhanirodhassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.
And what are these four? The Noble Truth of |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, the Noble Truth of the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|, the Noble Truth of the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|, the Noble Truth of the |way of practice leading to the end of suffering::i.e. the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness [dukkhanirodhagāmī]|.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.
Therefore, bhikkhus, effort should be made to |fully understand::understand in principle, then discern in each moment and then experientially penetrate|: ‘This is suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the arising of suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the end of suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the way of practice leading to the end of suffering.’”
“Bhikkhus, if one’s clothes or head were |burning::on fire, ablaze|, what should be done?
“Venerable sir, if one’s clothes or head were burning, then one should arouse the utmost |desire::wish, intention, interest [chanda]|, make an extraordinary effort, stir up perseverance, kindle enthusiasm, maintain |tireless determination::indefatigably, with resolute intention [appaṭivānī]|, and apply |mindfulness::recollection of the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly with sustained attention, free from craving and distress [sati]| and |full awareness::clear comprehension [sampajañña]| to extinguish the burning of one’s clothes or head.”
Bhikkhus, even though one’s clothes or head were burning, one might look on equanimously, |paying no attention to it::disregarding it [amanasikaritvā]|. But as long as one has not made the breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths as they really are, then in order to make the breakthrough, one should arouse the utmost desire, make an extraordinary effort, stir up perseverance, kindle enthusiasm, maintain tireless determination, and apply mindfulness and full awareness.
And what are these four? The Noble Truth of |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, the Noble Truth of the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|, the Noble Truth of the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|, the Noble Truth of the |way of practice leading to the end of suffering::i.e. the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness [dukkhanirodhagāmī]|.
Therefore, bhikkhus, effort should be made to |fully understand::understand in principle, then discern in each moment and then experientially penetrate|: ‘This is suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the arising of suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the end of suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the way of practice leading to the end of suffering.’”
“Āditte, bhikkhave, cele vā sīse vā kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?
“Āditte, bhante, cele vā sīse vā, tasseva celassa vā sīsassa vā nibbāpanāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyan”ti.
“Ādittaṁ, bhikkhave, celaṁ vā sīsaṁ vā ajjhupekkhitvā amanasikaritvā anabhisametānaṁ catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamayāya adhimatto chando ca vāyāmo ca ussāho ca ussoḷhī ca appaṭivānī ca sati ca sampajaññañca karaṇīyaṁ.
Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhasamudayassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhanirodhassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.