MN23 — The Anthill
So I have heard:
at one time the Tathāgata was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Now at that time Venerable Kumārakassapa was staying in the Blind Men’s Grove.
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Blind Men’s Grove, went up to Venerable Kumārakassapa, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, the deity said to him:
Disciple this anthill smolders by night and flares up by day.
The brahmin said:
‘Take the sword, wise one, and dig.
Digging with the sword, the wise one saw a door-bolt.
‘A door-bolt, sir.
The brahmin said:
‘Throw out the door-bolt;
take the sword, wise one, and dig.
Digging with the sword, the wise one saw a toad.
‘A toad, sir.
The brahmin said:
‘Throw out the toad;
take the sword, wise one, and dig.
Digging with the sword, the wise one saw a fork in the path.
‘A fork in the path, sir.
The brahmin said:
‘Throw out the fork in the path;
take the sword, wise one, and dig.
Digging with the sword, the wise one saw a strainer.
‘A strainer, sir.
The brahmin said:
‘Throw out the strainer;
take the sword, wise one, and dig.
Digging with the sword, the wise one saw a tortoise.
‘A tortoise, sir.
The brahmin said:
‘Throw out the tortoise;
take the sword, wise one, and dig.
Digging with the sword, the wise one saw a butcher’s block.
‘A butcher’s block, sir.
The brahmin said:
‘Throw out the butcher’s block;
take the sword, wise one, and dig.
Digging with the sword, the wise one saw a piece of meat.
‘A piece of meat, sir.
The brahmin said:
‘Throw out the piece of meat;
take the sword, wise one, and dig.
Digging with the sword, the wise one saw a dragon.
‘A dragon, sir.
The brahmin said:
‘Leave the dragon be, do not disturb the dragon; pay homage to the dragon.
You should go to the Tathāgata and ask him about these questions, and you should remember it as the Tathāgata answers.
Disciple, in this world:with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans:I see no one who could satisfy the mind with their answers to these questions except for the Realized One, a disciple of the Realized One, or someone who has heard it from them.
That is what the deity said.
Having spoken, they vanished right there.
Then, when the night had passed, Venerable Kumārakassapa went to the Tathāgata, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
Sir, late last night a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Blind Men’s Grove, came to me and stood to one side. Standing to one side, the deity said to me:
‘Disciple this anthill smolders by night and flares up by day.
The brahmin said:
Take the sword, wise one, and dig.
Digging with the sword, the wise one …
or someone who has heard it from them.
This is what that deity said, sir.
Having spoken, they vanished right there.
Sir, what is the anthill? What is smoldering by night? What is flaring up by day? Who is the brahmin? Who is the wise one? What is the sword? What is the digging? What is the door-bolt? What is the toad? What is the fork in the path? What is the strainer? What is the tortoise? What is the butcher’s block? What is the piece of meat? What is the dragon?
Disciple, ‘anthill is a term for this body, made of the four primary elements, born of mother and father, built up on rice and porridge, subject to impermanence, rubbing, pressing, breaking, and destruction.
The actions you undertake during the day that you reflect and ponder upon at night:
this is smoldering by night.
The actions you reflect and ponder upon at night that you engage in during the day through body, speech, and mind:
this is flaring up by day.
‘The brahmin is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Tathāgata.
‘The wise one is a term for a disciple who is a trainee.
‘The sword is a term for noble wisdom.
‘The digging is a term for the arousal of energy.
‘The door-bolt is a term for ignorance.
‘Throw out the door-bolt, give up ignorance;
take the sword, wise one, and dig. This is what it means.
‘The toad is a term for anger and distress.
‘Throw out the toad, give up anger and distress;
take the sword, wise one, and dig. This is what it means.
‘The fork in the path is a term for doubt.
‘Throw out the fork in the path, give up doubt;
take the sword, wise one, and dig. This is what it means.
‘The strainer is a term for the five hindrances, namely:
the hindrances of sense satisfaction, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.
‘Throw out the strainer, give up the five hindrances;
take the sword, wise one, and dig. This is what it means.
‘The tortoise is a term for the five aggregates subject to clinging, namely:
the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitional processes, and consciousness.
‘Throw out the tortoise, give up the five grasping aggregates;
take the sword, wise one, and dig. This is what it means.
‘The butcher’s block is a term for the five kinds of sensual stimulation:
forms known by the eye that are agreeable, pleasant, desirable, endearing, linked with sense satisfaction, and provoking greed;
sounds known by the ear …
smells known by the nose …
tastes known by the tongue …
touches known by the body that are agreeable, pleasant, desirable, endearing, linked with sense satisfaction, and provoking greed.
‘Throw out the butcher’s block, give up the five kinds of sensual stimulation;
take the sword, wise one, and dig. This is what it means.
‘The piece of meat is a term for relishing and greed.
‘Throw out the piece of meat, give up relishing and greed;
take the sword, wise one, and dig. This is what it means.
‘The dragon is a term for a disciple whose defilements are destroyed.
‘Leave the dragon be, do not disturb the dragon; pay homage to the dragon. This is what it means.
That is what the Tathāgata said.
Satisfied, Venerable Kumārakassapa delighted in the Tathāgata’s words.
The Anthill is finished.