{"id":"mn23","title":"The Termite Mound","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"mn23","title":"The Termite Mound","units":[{"id":"mn23:0","sourceIds":["mn23:0.1","mn23:0.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Majjhima Nikāya 23\nVammikasutta","en":"Middle Discourses 23\nThe Termite Mound"}},{"id":"mn23:1","sourceIds":["mn23:1.1","mn23:1.2","mn23:1.3","mn23:1.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ me sutaṁ—\nekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.\nTena kho pana samayena āyasmā kumārakassapo andhavane viharati.\nAtha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ andhavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāyasmā kumārakassapo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā āyasmantaṁ kumārakassapaṁ etadavoca:","en":"So I have heard.\nAt one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.\nNow at that time Venerable Kassapa the Prince was staying in the Dark Forest.\nThen, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Dark Forest, went up to Kassapa the Prince, stood to one side, and said:"}},{"id":"mn23:2","sourceIds":["mn23:2.1","mn23:2.2","mn23:2.3","mn23:2.4","mn23:2.5","mn23:2.6","mn23:2.7","mn23:2.8","mn23:2.9","mn23:2.10","mn23:2.11","mn23:2.12","mn23:2.13","mn23:2.14","mn23:2.15","mn23:2.16","mn23:2.17","mn23:2.18","mn23:2.19","mn23:2.20","mn23:2.21","mn23:2.22","mn23:2.23","mn23:2.24","mn23:2.25","mn23:2.26","mn23:2.27","mn23:2.28","mn23:2.29","mn23:2.30","mn23:2.31","mn23:2.32","mn23:2.33","mn23:2.34","mn23:2.35","mn23:2.36","mn23:2.37","mn23:2.38","mn23:2.39","mn23:2.40","mn23:2.41","mn23:2.42","mn23:2.43","mn23:2.44","mn23:2.45","mn23:2.46"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Bhikkhu bhikkhu, ayaṁ vammiko rattiṁ dhūmāyati, divā pajjalati.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n‘abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti.\nAbhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa laṅgiṁ\n‘laṅgī, bhadante’ti.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n‘ukkhipa laṅgiṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti.\nAbhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa uddhumāyikaṁ.\n‘Uddhumāyikā, bhadante’ti.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n‘ukkhipa uddhumāyikaṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti.\nAbhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa dvidhāpathaṁ.\n‘Dvidhāpatho, bhadante’ti.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n‘ukkhipa dvidhāpathaṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti.\nAbhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa caṅgavāraṁ.\n‘Caṅgavāro, bhadante’ti.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n‘ukkhipa caṅgavāraṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti.\nAbhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa kummaṁ.\n‘Kummo, bhadante’ti.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n‘ukkhipa kummaṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti.\nAbhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa asisūnaṁ.\n‘Asisūnā, bhadante’ti.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n‘ukkhipa asisūnaṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti.\nAbhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa maṁsapesiṁ.\n‘Maṁsapesi, bhadante’ti.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n‘ukkhipa maṁsapesiṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā’ti.\nAbhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya addasa nāgaṁ.\n‘Nāgo, bhadante’ti.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n‘tiṭṭhatu nāgo, mā nāgaṁ ghaṭṭesi; namo karohi nāgassā’ti.\nIme kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, pañhe bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā puccheyyāsi, yathā ca te bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāsi.\nNāhaṁ 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—\nIdamavoca sā devatā.\nIdaṁ vatvā tatthevantaradhāyi.","en":"“Monk, monk! This termite mound fumes by night and flames by day.\nThe brahmin said,\n‘Dig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’\nPicking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a sticking point:\n‘A sticking point, sir!’\nThe brahmin said,\n‘Throw out the sticking point!\nDig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’\nPicking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a bullfrog:\n‘A bullfrog, sir!’\nThe brahmin said,\n‘Throw out the bullfrog!\nDig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’\nPicking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a forked path:\n‘A forked path, sir!’\nThe brahmin said,\n‘Throw out the forked path!\nDig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’\nPicking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a filter of ash:\n‘A filter of ash, sir!’\nThe brahmin said,\n‘Throw out the filter of ash!\nDig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’\nPicking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a tortoise:\n‘A tortoise, sir!’\nThe brahmin said,\n‘Throw out the tortoise!\nDig, clever one, having taken up the sword!’\nPicking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a butcher’s knife and chopping board:\n‘A butcher’s knife and chopping board, sir!’\nThe brahmin said,\n‘Throw out the butcher’s knife and chopping board!\nDig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’\nPicking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a scrap of meat:\n‘A scrap of meat, sir!’\nThe brahmin said,\n‘Throw out the scrap of meat!\nDig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’\nPicking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a king cobra:\n‘A king cobra, sir!’\nThe brahmin said,\n‘Leave the king cobra! Do not disturb the cobra! Worship the cobra!’\nMendicant, go to the Buddha and ask him about this riddle. You should remember it in line with his answer.\nI don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who could provide a satisfying answer to this riddle except the Realized One or his disciple or someone who has heard it from them.”\nThat is what that deity said\nbefore vanishing right there."}},{"id":"mn23:3","sourceIds":["mn23:3.1","mn23:3.2","mn23:3.3","mn23:3.4","mn23:3.5","mn23:3.6","mn23:3.7","mn23:3.8","mn23:3.9","mn23:3.10"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho āyasmā kumārakassapo tassā rattiyā accayena yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā kumārakassapo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:\n“imaṁ, bhante, rattiṁ aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ andhavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhante, sā devatā maṁ etadavoca:\n‘bhikkhu bhikkhu, ayaṁ vammiko rattiṁ dhūmāyati, divā pajjalati.\nBrāhmaṇo evamāha:\n“abhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyā”ti.\nAbhikkhaṇanto sumedho satthaṁ ādāya …pe…\nito vā pana sutvā’ti.\nIdamavoca, bhante, sā devatā.\nIdaṁ vatvā tatthevantaradhāyi.\nKo 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?","en":"Then, 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:\n“Sir, what is the termite mound? What is the fuming by night and flaming by day? Who is the brahmin, and who the clever one? What are the sword, the digging, the sticking point, the bullfrog, the forked path, the filter of ash, the tortoise, the butcher’s knife and chopping board, and the scrap of meat? And what is the king cobra?”"}},{"id":"mn23:4","sourceIds":["mn23:4.1","mn23:4.2","mn23:4.3","mn23:4.4","mn23:4.5","mn23:4.6","mn23:4.7","mn23:4.8","mn23:4.9","mn23:4.10","mn23:4.11","mn23:4.12","mn23:4.13","mn23:4.14","mn23:4.15","mn23:4.16","mn23:4.17","mn23:4.18","mn23:4.19","mn23:4.20","mn23:4.21","mn23:4.22","mn23:4.23","mn23:4.24","mn23:4.25","mn23:4.26","mn23:4.27","mn23:4.28","mn23:4.29","mn23:4.30","mn23:4.31","mn23:4.32","mn23:4.33","mn23:4.34","mn23:4.35","mn23:4.36","mn23:4.37","mn23:4.38","mn23:4.39","mn23:4.40","mn23:4.41","mn23:4.42"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“‘Vammiko’ti kho, bhikkhu, imassetaṁ cātumahābhūtikassa kāyassa adhivacanaṁ, mātāpettikasambhavassa odanakummāsūpacayassa aniccucchādanaparimaddanabhedanaviddhaṁsanadhammassa.\nYaṁ kho, bhikkhu, divā kammante ārabbha rattiṁ anuvitakketi anuvicāreti—\nayaṁ rattiṁ dhūmāyanā.\nYaṁ kho, bhikkhu, rattiṁ anuvitakketvā anuvicāretvā divā kammante payojeti kāyena vācāya manasā—\nayaṁ divā pajjalanā.\n‘Brāhmaṇo’ti kho, bhikkhu, tathāgatassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.\n‘Sumedho’ti kho, bhikkhu, sekkhassetaṁ bhikkhuno adhivacanaṁ.\n‘Satthan’ti kho, bhikkhu, ariyāyetaṁ paññāya adhivacanaṁ.\n‘Abhikkhaṇan’ti kho, bhikkhu, vīriyārambhassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.\n‘Laṅgī’ti kho, bhikkhu, avijjāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.\nUkkhipa laṅgiṁ, pajaha avijjaṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho.\n‘Uddhumāyikā’ti kho, bhikkhu, kodhūpāyāsassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.\nUkkhipa uddhumāyikaṁ, pajaha kodhūpāyāsaṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho.\n‘Dvidhāpatho’ti kho, bhikkhu, vicikicchāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.\nUkkhipa dvidhāpathaṁ, pajaha vicikicchaṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho.\n‘Caṅgavāran’ti kho, bhikkhu, pañcannetaṁ nīvaraṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—\nkāmacchandanīvaraṇassa, byāpādanīvaraṇassa, thinamiddhanīvaraṇassa, uddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇassa, vicikicchānīvaraṇassa.\nUkkhipa caṅgavāraṁ, pajaha pañca nīvaraṇe;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho.\n‘Kummo’ti kho, bhikkhu, pañcannetaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—\nrūpupādānakkhandhassa, vedanupādānakkhandhassa, saññupādānakkhandhassa, saṅkhārupādānakkhandhassa, viññāṇupādānakkhandhassa.\nUkkhipa kummaṁ, pajaha pañcupādānakkhandhe;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho.\n‘Asisūnā’ti kho, bhikkhu, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ—\ncakkhuviññeyyānaṁ rūpānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ piyarūpānaṁ kāmūpasaṁhitānaṁ rajanīyānaṁ,\nsotaviññeyyānaṁ saddānaṁ …pe…\nghānaviññeyyānaṁ gandhānaṁ …pe…\njivhāviññeyyānaṁ rasānaṁ …pe…\nkāyaviññeyyānaṁ phoṭṭhabbānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ piyarūpānaṁ kāmūpasaṁhitānaṁ rajanīyānaṁ.\nUkkhipa asisūnaṁ, pajaha pañca kāmaguṇe;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho.\n‘Maṁsapesī’ti kho, bhikkhu, nandīrāgassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.\nUkkhipa maṁsapesiṁ, pajaha nandīrāgaṁ;\nabhikkhaṇa, sumedha, satthaṁ ādāyāti ayametassa attho.\n‘Nāgo’ti kho, bhikkhu, khīṇāsavassetaṁ bhikkhuno adhivacanaṁ.\nTiṭṭhatu nāgo, mā nāgaṁ ghaṭṭesi; namo karohi nāgassāti ayametassa attho”ti.\nIdamavoca bhagavā.\nAttamano āyasmā kumārakassapo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.\nVammikasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.","en":"“Mendicant, ‘termite mound’ is a term for this body made up of the four principal states, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to impermanence, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction.\nThinking and considering all night about what you did during the day—\nthis is the fuming at night.\nThe work you apply yourself to during the day by body, speech, and mind after thinking about it all night—\nthis is the flaming by day.\n‘Brahmin’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.\n‘Clever one’ is a term for the trainee mendicant.\n‘Sword’ is a term for noble wisdom.\n‘Digging’ is a term for rousing energy.\n‘Sticking point’ is a term for ignorance.\n‘Throw out the sticking point’ means ‘give up ignorance,\ndig, clever one, having picked up the sword.’\n‘Bullfrog’ is a term for anger and distress.\n‘Throw out the bullfrog’ means ‘give up anger and distress’ …\n‘A forked path’ is a term for doubt.\n‘Throw out the forked path’ means ‘give up doubt’ …\n‘A filter of ash’ is a term for the five hindrances, that is:\nthe hindrances of sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.\n‘Throw out the filter of ash’ means ‘give up the five hindrances’ …\n‘Tortoise’ is a term for the five grasping aggregates, that is:\nform, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.\n‘Throw out the tortoise’ means ‘give up the five grasping aggregates’ …\n‘Butcher’s knife and chopping board’ is a term for the five kinds of sensual stimulation.\nSights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.\nSounds known by the ear …\nSmells known by the nose …\nTastes known by the tongue …\nTouches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.\n‘Throw out the butcher’s knife and chopping board’ means ‘give up the five kinds of sensual stimulation’ …\n‘Scrap of meat’ is a term for greed and relishing.\n‘Throw out the scrap of meat’ means ‘give up greed and relishing’ …\n‘King cobra’ is a term for a mendicant who has ended the defilements.\nThis is the meaning of: ‘Leave the king cobra! Do not disturb the cobra! Worship the cobra!’”\nThat is what the Buddha said.\nSatisfied, Venerable Kassapa the Prince approved what the Buddha said."}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/mn23/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}