3.
The Discourse on the Anthill
249. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Now at that time the Venerable Kumārakassapa was dwelling in the Blind Men's Grove. Then a certain deity, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated the entire Blind Men's Grove, approached the Venerable Kumārakassapa; having approached, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, that deity said this to the Venerable Kumārakassapa -
"Monk, monk, this ant-hill smokes by night, blazes by day. The brahmin said thus - 'Dig, wise one, having taken a knife.' The wise one, digging, having taken a knife, saw a bar. 'A bar, venerable sir.' The brahmin said thus - 'Throw out the bar; dig, wise one, having taken a knife.' The wise one, digging, having taken a knife, saw a toad. 'A toad, venerable sir.' The brahmin said thus - 'Throw out the toad; dig, wise one, having taken a knife.' The wise one, digging, having taken a knife, saw a crossing of roads. 'A crossing of roads, venerable sir.' The brahmin said thus - 'Throw out the crossing of roads; dig, wise one, having taken a knife.' The wise one, digging, having taken a knife, saw a sieve. 'A sieve, venerable sir.' The brahmin said thus - 'Throw out the sieve; dig, wise one, having taken a knife.' The wise one, digging, having taken a knife, saw a tortoise. 'A tortoise, venerable sir.' The brahmin said thus - 'Throw out the tortoise; dig, wise one, having taken a knife.' The wise one, digging, having taken a knife, saw a butcher's block. 'A butcher's block, venerable sir.' The brahmin said thus - 'Throw out the butcher's block; dig, wise one, having taken a knife.' The wise one, digging, having taken a knife, saw a slice of flesh. 'A slice of flesh, venerable sir.' The brahmin said thus - 'Throw out the slice of flesh; dig, wise one, having taken a knife.' The wise one, digging, having taken a knife, saw a serpent. 'A serpent, venerable sir.' The brahmin said thus - 'Let the serpent remain, do not disturb the serpent; pay homage to the serpent.'"
"These questions indeed, monk, having approached the Blessed One, you should ask, and as the Blessed One answers you, so you should remember it. I do not see anyone, monk, in the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, among the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, who could satisfy the mind with an explanation of these questions, except for the Truth-finder or a disciple of the Truth-finder, or else having heard it from here" - this that deity said. Having said this, she disappeared right there.
250. Then the Venerable Kumārakassapa, after that night had passed, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Kumārakassapa said this to the Blessed One - "This night, venerable sir, a certain deity, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated the entire Blind Men's Grove, approached me; having approached, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, venerable sir, that deity said this to me - 'Monk, monk, this ant-hill smokes by night, blazes by day. The brahmin said thus - 'Dig, wise one, having taken a knife.' The wise one, digging, having taken a knife, etc. or else having heard it from here. This, venerable sir, that deity said. Having said this, she disappeared right there. 'What now, venerable sir, is the ant-hill, what is the smoking by night, what is the blazing by day, who is the brahmin, who is the wise one, what is the knife, what is the digging, what is the bar, what is the toad, what is the crossing of roads, what is the sieve, what is the tortoise, what is the butcher's block, what is the slice of flesh, who is the serpent?'"
251. "'Ant-hill', monk, this is a designation for this body made of the four primary elements, originating from mother and father, built up from cooked rice and food made with flour, subject to impermanence, to rubbing, massaging, breaking up and destruction.
"Whatever, monk, referring to work by day, one reflects upon and examines by night - this is the smoking by night. Whatever, monk, having reflected upon and examined by night, one engages in work by day by body, speech and mind - this is the blazing by day.
"'Brahmin', monk, this is a designation for the Truth-finder, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself. 'Wise one', monk, this is a designation for a monk who is a trainee.
"'Knife', monk, this is a designation for noble wisdom. 'Digging', monk, this is a designation for the arousal of energy.
"'Bar', monk, this is a designation for ignorance. Remove the bar, abandon ignorance; dig, wise one, having taken a knife - this is the meaning of that.
"'Toad', monk, this is a designation for wrath and anguish. Remove the toad, abandon wrath and anguish; dig, wise one, having taken a knife - this is the meaning of that.
"'Crossing of roads', monk, this is a designation for sceptical doubt. Remove the crossing of roads, abandon sceptical doubt; dig, wise one, having taken a knife - this is the meaning of that.
"'Sieve', monk, this is a designation for these five mental hindrances, as follows - the mental hindrance of sensual desire, the mental hindrance of ill-will, the mental hindrance of sloth and torpor, the mental hindrance of restlessness and remorse, the mental hindrance of sceptical doubt. Remove the sieve, abandon the five mental hindrances; dig, wise one, having taken a knife - this is the meaning of that.
"'Tortoise', monk, this is a designation for these five aggregates of clinging, as follows - the aggregate of clinging to matter, the aggregate of clinging to feeling, the aggregate of clinging to perception, the aggregate of clinging to activities, the aggregate of clinging to consciousness. Remove the tortoise, abandon the five aggregates of clinging; dig, wise one, having taken a knife - this is the meaning of that.
"'Butcher's block', monk, this is a designation for these five types of sensual pleasure - forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, dear, connected with sensual pleasure, enticing; sounds cognizable by the ear... etc. odours cognizable by the nose... etc. flavours cognizable by the tongue... etc. tangible objects cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, dear, connected with sensual pleasure, enticing. Remove the butcher's block, abandon the five types of sensual pleasure; dig, wise one, having taken a knife - this is the meaning of that.
"'Slice of flesh', monk, this is a designation for delight and lust. Remove the slice of flesh, abandon delight and lust; dig, wise one, having taken a knife - this is the meaning of that.
"'Serpent', monk, this is a designation for a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions. Let the serpent remain, do not disturb the serpent; pay homage to the serpent - this is the meaning of that."
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the Venerable Kumārakassapa rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on the Ant-Hill is concluded as third.