23
The Ant-hill
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was liv-
ing at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. Now on
that occasion the venerable Kumara Kassapa was living in the
Blind Men's Grove.275
Then, when the night was well advanced, a certain deity of
beautiful appearance who illuminated the whole of the Blind
Men's Grove approached the venerable Kumara Kassapa and
stood at one side.276 So standing, the deity said to him:
2. "Bhikkhu, bhikkhu^, this ant-hill fumes by night and flames
by day.277
"Thus spoke the brahmin: 'Delve with the knife, thou wise
one.' Delving with the knife, the wise one saw a bar: 'A bar, O
venerable sir.'
"Thus spoke the brahmin: 'Throw out the bar; delve with the
knife, thou wise one.' Delving with the knife, the wise one saw a
toad: 'A toad, O venerable sir.'
"Thus spoke the brahmin: "Throw out the toad; delve with the
knife, thou wise one.' Delving with the knife, the wise one saw a
fork: 'A fork, O venerable sir.'
"Those spoke the brahmin: 'Throw out the fork; delve with
the knife, thou wise one.' Delving with the knife, the wise one
saw a sieve: 'A sieve, O venerable sir.'
"Thus spoke the brahmin: [143] 'Throw out the sieve; delve
with the knife, thou wise one.' Delving with the knife, the wise
one saw a tortoise: 'A tortoise, O venerable sir.'
"Thus spoke the brahmin: 'Throw out the tortoise; delve with
the knife, thou wise one.' Delving with the knife, the wise one
saw an axe and block: 'An axe and block, O venerable sir.'
"Thus spoke the brahmin: 'Throw out the axe and block; delve
with the knife, thou wise one.' Delving with the knife, the wise
one saw a piece of meat: 'A piece of meat, O venerable sir.'
"Thus spoke the brahmin: 'Throw out the piece of meat; delve
with the knife, thou wise one/ Delving with the knife, the wise
one saw a Naga serpent: 'A Naga serpent, O venerable sir.'
"Thus spoke the brahmin: 'Leave the Naga serpent; do not
harm the Naga serpent; honour the Naga serpent.'
"Bhikkhu, you should go to the Blessed One and ask him
about this riddle. As the Blessed One tells you, so should you
remember it. Bhikkhu, other than the Tathagata or a disciple of
the Tathagata or one who has learned it from them, I see no one
in this world with its gods, its Maras, and its Brahmas, in this
generation with its recluses and brahmins, its princes and its
people, whose explanation of this riddle might satisfy the mind."
That is what was said by the deity, who thereupon vanished
at once.
3. Then, when the night was over, the venerable Kumara
Kassapa went to the Blessed One. After paying homage to him,
he sat down at one side and told the Blessed One what had
occurred. Then he asked: "Venerable sir, what is the ant-hill,
what the fuming by night, what the flaming by day? Who is the
brahmin, who the wise one? What is the knife, what the delving,
what the bar, what the toad, what the fork, what the sieve, what
the tortoise, what the axe and block, what the piece of meat,
what the Naga serpent?" [144]
4. "Bhikkhu, the ant- hill is a symbol for this body, made of
material form, consisting of the four great elements, procreated
by a mother and father, built up out of boiled rice and por-
ridge, 2 7 8 and subject to impermanence, to being worn and
rubbed away, to dissolution and disintegration.
"What one thinks and ponders by night based upon one's
actions during the day is the 'fuming by night.'
"The actions one undertakes during the day by body, speech,
and mind after thinking and pondering by night is the 'flaming
by day.'
"The brahmin is a symbol for the Tathagata, accomplished
and fully enlightened. The wise one is a symbol for a bhikkhu in
higher training. The knife is a symbol for noble wisdom. The
delving is a symbol for the arousing of energy.
"The bar is a symbol for ignorance.279 'Throw out the bar:
abandon ignorance. Delve with the knife, thou wise one.' This is
the meaning.
"The toad is a symbol for the despair due to anger. "Throw out
the toad: abandon despair due to anger. Delve with the knife,
thou wise one.' This is the meaning.
"The fork is a symbol for doubt280 'Throw out the fork: abandon
doubt. Delve with the knife, thou wise one.' This is the meaning.
"The sieve is a symbol for the five hindrances, namely, the
hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill will, the hin-
drance of sloth and torpor, the hindrance of restlessness and
remorse, and the hindrance of doubt. 'Throw out the sieve:
abandon the five hindrances. Delve with the knife, thou wise
one.' This is the meaning.
"The tortoise is a symbol for the five aggregates affected by
clinging,281 namely, the material form aggregate affected by cling-
ing, the feeling aggregate affected by clinging, the perception
aggregate affected by clinging, the formations aggregate affected
by clinging, and the consciousness aggregate affected by clinging.
"Throw out the tortoise: abandon the five aggregates affected by
clinging. Delve with the knife, thou wise one.' This is the meaning.
"The axe and block is a symbol for the five cords of sensual
pleasure282 - forms cognizable by the eye that are wished for,
desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire,
and provocative of lust; sounds cognizable by the ear...odours
cognizable by the nose...flavours cognizable by the tongue...
tangibles cognizable by the body that are wished for, desired,
agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire, [145] and
provocative of lust. 'Throw out the axe and block: abandon the
five cords of sensual pleasure. Delve with the knife, thou wise
one.' This is the meaning.
"The piece of meat is a symbol for delight and lust.283 'Throw
out the piece of meat: abandon delight and lust. Delve with the
knife, thou wise one.' This is the meaning.
"The Naga serpent is a symbol for a bhikkhu who has
destroyed the taints.284 'Leave the Naga serpent; do not harm the
Naga serpent; honour the Naga serpent.' This is the meaning."
That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Kumara
Kassapa was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.
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