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How does the study of knowledge (**parijñāadhyayanam**) lead to the destruction of many other bodies (**kāya**)? The one who ignites the fire body (**agnikāya**) is the cause of the destruction of many other bodies. The **āgama** says: "O Gautama! Two men engage in the activity of the fire body, one ignites it and the other extinguishes it. Of these two men, which one commits a greater offense and which one commits a lesser offense? O Gautama! The one who ignites the fire body commits a greater offense towards the earth body (**pṛthvīkāya**), water body (**āpkāya**), air body (**vāyukāya**), plant body (**vanaśpattikāya**), and the body of the small creatures (**traskāya**). He commits a lesser offense towards the fire body. The one who extinguishes the fire body commits a lesser offense towards the earth body, water body, air body, plant body, and the body of the small creatures. He commits a greater offense towards the fire body. This is how it is said." It is also said: "There is no doubt that this is the destruction of beings, the burning of beings." (**bhūyāṇam esamādhāo, havvavāo ṇ sansao**)
Since this is the case, the wise (**medhāvī**) who knows the difference between right and wrong (**sadasadvīvekagña**), who has heard the scriptures (**saśruti**), who has examined the Dharma and the sins (**samiksya dharma pāpāḍḍīna**), and who is a learned person (**paṇḍita**) does not engage in the activity of the fire body. The one who truly is a learned person is the one who refrains from the sin that arises from the activity of the fire body.
How does the activity of the fire body lead to the killing of other beings? The author of the sutra explains this with an example:
"The beings of the earth, the beings of the water, the beings that are found in wood, they are all destroyed when the fire is ignited." (**puḍhvīvī jīvā āūvī jīvā, pāṇā ya sampāim sampयंति. sanseya ya kaṭṭhasamassiya .ya, ete dahe agani samārabhamte**)