MN23: Vammika Sutta — The Ant-hill
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Kassapa the Prince was staying in the Dark Forest.
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Dark Forest, went up to Kassapa the Prince, stood to one side, and said:
2“Monk, monk! This ant-hill fumes by night and flames by day.
The brahmin said, ‘Take up the sword and dig, O sage!’. Taking up the sword and digging, the sage saw a bar: ‘A bar, sir!’
The brahmin said, ‘Throw out the bar! Take up the sword and dig, O sage!’. Taking up the sword and digging, the sage saw a bullfrog: ‘A bullfrog, sir!’
The brahmin said, ‘Throw out the bullfrog! Take up the sword and dig, O sage!’. Taking up the sword and digging, the sage saw a forked path: ‘A forked path, sir!’
The brahmin said, ‘Throw out the forked path! Take up the sword and dig, O sage!’. Taking up the sword and digging, the sage saw a box: ‘A box, sir!’
The brahmin said, ‘Throw out the box! Take up the sword and dig, O sage!’. Taking up the sword and digging, the sage saw a tortoise: ‘A tortoise, sir!’
The brahmin said, ‘Throw out the tortoise! Take up the sword and dig, O sage!’. Taking up the sword and digging, the sage saw an axe and block: ‘An axe and block, sir!’
The brahmin said, ‘Throw out the axe and block! Take up the sword and dig, O sage!’. Taking up the sword and digging, the sage saw a lump of meat: ‘A lump of meat, sir!’
The brahmin said, ‘Throw out the lump of meat! Take up the sword and dig, O sage!’. Taking up the sword and digging, the sage saw a dragon: ‘A dragon, sir!’ The brahmin said, ‘Leave the dragon! Do not disturb the dragon! Worship the dragon!’
3Mendicant, go to the Buddha and ask him about this riddle. You should remember it in line with his answer. I don’t see anyone in this world — with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans — who could provide a satisfying answer to this riddle except for the Realized One or his disciple or someone who has heard it from them.”
That is what that deity said before vanishing right there.
4Then, when the night had passed, Kassapa the Prince went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Then he asked:
“Sir, what is the ant-hill? What is the fuming by night and flaming by day? Who is the brahmin, and who the sage? What are the sword, the digging, the bar, the bullfrog, the forked path, the box, the tortoise, the axe and block, and the lump of meat? And what is the dragon?”
5“Mendicant, ‘ant-hill’ is a term for this body made up of the four primary elements, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to impermanence, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction.
6Thinking and considering all night about what you did during the day — this is the fuming at night.
The work you apply yourself to during the day by body, speech, and mind after thinking about it all night — this is the flaming by day.
7‘Brahmin’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. ‘Sage’ is a term for the trainee mendicant.
8‘Sword’ is a term for noble wisdom. ‘Digging’ is a term for being energetic.
9‘Bar’ is a term for ignorance. ‘Throw out the bar’ means ‘give up ignorance, take up the sword, sage, and dig.’
10‘Bullfrog’ is a term for anger and distress. ‘Throw out the bullfrog’ means ‘give up anger and distress’ …
11‘A forked path’ is a term for doubt. ‘Throw out the forked path’ means ‘give up doubt’ …
12‘Box’ is a term for the five hindrances, that is: the hindrances of sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. ‘Throw out the box’ means ‘give up the five hindrances’ …
13‘Tortoise’ is a term for the five grasping aggregates, that is: form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. ‘Throw out the tortoise’ means ‘give up the five grasping aggregates’ …
14‘Axe and block’ is a term for the five kinds of sensual stimulation. Sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Sounds known by the ear … Smells known by the nose … Tastes known by the tongue … Touches known by the body that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. ‘Throw out the axe and block’ means ‘give up the five kinds of sensual stimulation’ …
15‘Lump of meat’ is a term for desire with relishing. ‘Throw out the lump of meat’ means ‘give up desire with relishing’ …
16‘Dragon’ is a term for a mendicant who has ended the defilements. This is the meaning of: ‘Leave the dragon! Do not disturb the dragon! Worship the dragon.’”
17That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Kassapa the Prince was happy with what the Buddha said.
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā kumārakassapo andhavane viharati.
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ andhavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāyasmā kumārakassapo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā āyasmantaṁ kumārakassapaṁ etadavoca:
2"Bhikkhu bhikkhu, ayaṁ vammiko rattiṁ dhūmāyati, divā pajjalati.
Brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti. Abhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa laṅgiṁ ‘laṅgī, bhadante’ti.
Brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘ukkhipa laṅgiṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti. Abhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa uddhumāyikaṁ. ‘Uddhumāyikā, bhadante’ti.
Brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘ukkhipa uddhumāyikaṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti. Abhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa dvidhāpathaṁ. ‘Dvidhāpatho, bhadante’ti.
Brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘ukkhipa dvidhāpathaṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti. Abhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa caṅgavāraṁ. ‘Caṅgavāro, bhadante’ti.
Brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘ukkhipa caṅgavāraṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti. Abhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa kummaṁ. ‘Kummo, bhadante’ti.
Brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘ukkhipa kummaṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti. Abhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa asisūnaṁ. ‘Asisūnā, bhadante’ti.
Brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘ukkhipa asisūnaṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti. Abhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa maṁsapesiṁ. ‘Maṁsapesi, bhadante’ti.
Brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘ukkhipa maṁsapesiṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti. Abhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa nāgaṁ. ‘Nāgo, bhadante’ti. Brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘tiṭṭhatu nāgo, mā nāgaṁ ghaṭṭesi; namo karohi nāgassā’ti.
3Ime kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, pañhe bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā puccheyyāsi, yathā ca te bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāsi. Nāhaṁ taṁ, bhikkhu, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya, yo imesaṁ pañhānaṁ veyyākaraṇena cittaṁ ārādheyya aññatra tathāgatena vā, tathāgatasāvakena vā, ito vā pana sutvā"ti —
idamavoca sā devatā. Idaṁ vatvā tatthevantaradhāyi.
4Atha kho āyasmā kumārakassapo tassā rattiyā accayena yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā kumārakassapo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
"imaṁ, bhante, rattiṁ aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ andhavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhante, sā devatā maṁ etadavoca: ‘bhikkhu bhikkhu, ayaṁ vammiko rattiṁ dhūmāyati, divā pajjalati. Brāhmaṇo evamāha: "abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā"ti. Abhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya … pe … ito vā pana sutvā’ti. Idamavoca, bhante, sā devatā. Idaṁ vatvā tatthevantaradhāyi. Ko nu kho, bhante, vammiko, kā rattiṁ dhūmāyanā, kā divā pajjalanā, ko brāhmaṇo, ko sumedho, kiṁ satthaṁ, kiṁ abhikkhaṇaṁ, kā laṅgī, kā uddhumāyikā, ko dvidhāpatho, kiṁ caṅgavāraṁ, ko kummo, kā asisūnā, kā maṁsapesi, ko nāgo"ti?
5"‘Vammiko’ti kho, bhikkhu, imassetaṁ cātumahābhūtikassa kāyassa adhivacanaṁ, mātāpettikasambhavassa odanakummāsūpacayassa aniccucchādanaparimaddanabhedanaviddhaṁsanadhammassa. (1)
6Yaṁ kho, bhikkhu, divā kammante ārabbha rattiṁ anuvitakketi anuvicāreti — ayaṁ rattiṁ dhūmāyanā.
Yaṁ kho, bhikkhu, rattiṁ anuvitakketvā anuvicāretvā divā kammante payojeti kāyena vācāya ‘manasā’ — ayaṁ divā pajjalanā. (2–3.)
7‘Brāhmaṇo’ti kho, bhikkhu, tathāgatassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. ‘Sumedho’ti kho, bhikkhu, sekkhassetaṁ bhikkhuno adhivacanaṁ. (4–5.)
8‘Satthan’ti kho, bhikkhu, ariyāyetaṁ paññāya adhivacanaṁ. ‘Abhikkhaṇan’ti kho, bhikkhu, vīriyārambhassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ. (6–7.)
9‘Laṅgī’ti kho, bhikkhu, avijjāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Ukkhipa laṅgiṁ, pajaha avijjaṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho. (8)
10‘Uddhumāyikā’ti kho, bhikkhu, kodhūpāyāsassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Ukkhipa uddhumāyikaṁ, pajaha kodhūpāyāsaṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho. (9)
11‘Dvidhāpatho’ti kho, bhikkhu, vicikicchāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Ukkhipa dvidhāpathaṁ, pajaha vicikicchaṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho. (10)
12‘Caṅgavāran’ti kho, bhikkhu, pañcannetaṁ nīvaraṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ — kāmacchandanīvaraṇassa, byāpādanīvaraṇassa, thinamiddhanīvaraṇassa, uddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇassa, vicikicchānīvaraṇassa. Ukkhipa caṅgavāraṁ, pajaha pañca nīvaraṇe; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho. (11)
13‘Kummo’ti kho, bhikkhu, pañcannetaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ — rūpupādānakkhandhassa, vedanupādānakkhandhassa, saññupādānakkhandhassa, saṅkhārupādānakkhandhassa, viññāṇupādānakkhandhassa. Ukkhipa kummaṁ, pajaha pañcupādānakkhandhe; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho. (12)
14‘Asisūnā’ti kho, bhikkhu, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ — cakkhuviññeyyānaṁ rūpānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ piyarūpānaṁ kāmūpasaṁhitānaṁ rajanīyānaṁ, sotaviññeyyānaṁ saddānaṁ … pe … ghānaviññeyyānaṁ gandhānaṁ … pe … jivhāviññeyyānaṁ rasānaṁ … pe … kāyaviññeyyānaṁ phoṭṭhabbānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ piyarūpānaṁ kāmūpasaṁhitānaṁ rajanīyānaṁ. Ukkhipa asisūnaṁ, pajaha pañca kāmaguṇe; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho. (13)
15‘Maṁsapesī’ti kho, bhikkhu, nandīrāgassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Ukkhipa maṁsapesiṁ, pajaha nandīrāgaṁ; abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho. (14)
16‘Nāgo’ti kho, bhikkhu, khīṇāsavassetaṁ bhikkhuno adhivacanaṁ. Tiṭṭhatu nāgo, mā nāgaṁ ghaṭṭesi; namo karohi nāgassāti ayametassa attho"ti. (15)
17Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā kumārakassapo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Vammikasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.