四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.114

3.114

Precept 57: On lighting a fire in the open without a reason. The intention behind the enactment is: the nature of fire is blazing, and its changes are constant; it may burn and destroy things beyond restraint. Furthermore, when lighting a fire and gathering in groups, one mostly engages in worldly talk, neglecting the cultivation of proper practice. Therefore, the Holy One enacted this precept. There are four specific conditions: 1. there is no cause or condition—distinguishing this excludes conditions under which it is not an offense; 2. although there is no condition, if it is in a covered or screened place, the occurrence of trouble is slight and it is also not an offense, hence the second [condition] must be that it is in the open; 3. burning grass, wood, and the like—distinguishing this excludes burning charcoal, where the arising of fault is slight and only a minor offense is committed; 4. burning it immediately commits the offense. Here, only the offense of lighting a fire without a reason is enacted; it does not speak of the offense of damaging the earth and harming the five classes of living seeds, because these have already been enacted above. This precept arose because the group of six lit dry branches in the open; a snake inside caught the heat of the fire and came out, whereupon they took fright, threw the fire, and burned down the Buddha's lecture hall. The bhikṣus reported this fault, and the Buddha enacted this precept.