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Majjhima Nikāya 23

Vammikasutta

The Ant-Hill · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heard—sutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ apart·dwellviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa monastery.ārāme.
thenTena indeedkho nowpana at that timesamayena Venerableāyasmā prince·Kassapakumārakassapo in the Dark Forestandhavane apart·dwellviharati.
thenAtha indeedkho a certainaññatarā deitydevatā lateabhikkantāya nightrattiyā advanced·gone·complexionabhikkantavaṇṇā whole·entirekevalakappaṁ dark·forestandhavanaṁ lighting upobhāsetvā up to Venerableyenāyasmā prince·Kassapakumārakassapo approached;tenupasaṅkami; near·goupasaṅkamitvā to one sideekamantaṁ stood.aṭṭhāsi. to one sideEkamantaṁ standingṭhitā indeedkho thatsā deitydevatā to Venerableāyasmantaṁ prince·Kassapakumārakassapaṁ this·sayetadavoca:

"monk“Bhikkhu monk,"bhikkhu, thisayaṁ termite moundvammiko by nightrattiṁ fumesdhūmāyati, by daydivā flames.pajjalati.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo said thus:evamāha:
'dig,‘abhikkhaṇa, clever one,sumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having picked up'ādāyā’ti.
diggingAbhikkhaṇanto the clever onesumedho the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāya sawaddasa a sticking pointlaṅgiṁ
'a sticking point,‘laṅgī, sir!'bhadante’ti.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo said thus:evamāha:
'throw out‘ukkhipa the sticking point;laṅgiṁ;
dig,abhikkhaṇa, clever one,sumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having picked up'ādāyā’ti.
diggingAbhikkhaṇanto the clever onesumedho the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāya sawaddasa a bullfrog.uddhumāyikaṁ.
'a bullfrog,‘Uddhumāyikā, sir!'bhadante’ti.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo said thus:evamāha:
'throw out‘ukkhipa the bullfrog;uddhumāyikaṁ;
dig,abhikkhaṇa, clever one,sumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having picked up'ādāyā’ti.
diggingAbhikkhaṇanto the clever onesumedho the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāya sawaddasa a forked path.dvidhāpathaṁ.
'a forked path,‘Dvidhāpatho, sir!'bhadante’ti.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo said thus:evamāha:
'throw out‘ukkhipa the forked path;dvidhāpathaṁ;
dig,abhikkhaṇa, clever one,sumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having picked up'ādāyā’ti.
diggingAbhikkhaṇanto the clever onesumedho the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāya sawaddasa a filter of ash.caṅgavāraṁ.
'a filter of ash,‘Caṅgavāro, sir!'bhadante’ti.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo said thus:evamāha:
'throw out‘ukkhipa the filter of ash;caṅgavāraṁ;
dig,abhikkhaṇa, clever one,sumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having picked up'ādāyā’ti.
diggingAbhikkhaṇanto the clever onesumedho the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāya sawaddasa a tortoise.kummaṁ.
'a tortoise,‘Kummo, sir!'bhadante’ti.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo said thus:evamāha:
'throw out‘ukkhipa the tortoise;kummaṁ;
dig,abhikkhaṇa, clever one,sumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having taken up'ādāyā’ti.
diggingAbhikkhaṇanto the clever onesumedho the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāya sawaddasa a butcher's knife and chopping board:asisūnaṁ.

a butcher's knife and chopping board, sir‘Asisūnā, sirbhadante’ti.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo thus + spokeevamāha:
throw out‘ukkhipa the butcher's knife and chopping boardasisūnaṁ;
digabhikkhaṇa, clever onesumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāyā’ti.
diggingAbhikkhaṇanto the clever onesumedho the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāya sawaddasa a scrap of meatmaṁsapesiṁ.
a scrap of meat, sir‘Maṁsapesi, sirbhadante’ti.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo thus + spokeevamāha:
throw out‘ukkhipa the scrap of meatmaṁsapesiṁ;
digabhikkhaṇa, clever onesumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāyā’ti.
diggingAbhikkhaṇanto the clever onesumedho the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāya sawaddasa a king cobranāgaṁ.
a king cobra, sir‘Nāgo, sirbhadante’ti.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo thus + spokeevamāha:
let remain‘tiṭṭhatu the king cobranāgo, do notmā the cobranāgaṁ disturbghaṭṭesi; honournamo makekarohi to the cobranāgassā’ti.
theseIme indeedkho youtvaṁ, mendicantbhikkhu, the riddlepañhe the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having approachedupasaṅkamitvā you should askpuccheyyāsi, asyathā andca to youte the Blessed Onebhagavā answersbyākaroti sotathā itnaṁ you should rememberdhāreyyāsi.
not·INāhaṁ himtaṁ, mendicantbhikkhu, I seepassāmi with its godssadevake in the worldloke with its Mārassamārake with its divinitiessabrahmake with its ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā populationpajāya with its gods and humanssadevamanussāya, whoyo of theseimesaṁ of the riddlespañhānaṁ with an answerveyyākaraṇena the mindcittaṁ could satisfyārādheyya exceptaññatra by the Realized Onetathāgatena orvā, by a disciple of the Realized Onetathāgatasāvakena orvā, from themito orvā thenpana having heardsutvā”ti—
this + spokeIdamavoca thatsā deitydevatā.
thisIdaṁ having saidvatvā vanished right theretatthevantaradhāyi.

thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā prince·Kassapakumārakassapo of thattassā nightrattiyā after the passingaccayena whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā there + approachedtenupasaṅkami; up to·goupasaṅkamitvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ towards·speakabhivādetvā one·sideekamantaṁ down·sitnisīdi. one·sideEkamantaṁ down·seatednisinno indeedkho venerableāyasmā prince·Kassapakumārakassapo the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ this·saidetadavoca:
this“imaṁ, reverend sirbhante, nightrattiṁ a certainaññatarā deitydevatā far advancedabhikkantāya nightrattiyā of dazzling beautyabhikkantavaṇṇā whole·extentkevalakappaṁ blind·forestandhavanaṁ having illuminatedobhāsetvā where + Iyenāhaṁ there + approachedtenupasaṅkami; up to·goupasaṅkamitvā one·sideekamantaṁ stoodaṭṭhāsi. one·sideEkamantaṁ standingṭhitā indeedkho, reverend sirbhante, thatsā deitydevatā to memaṁ this·saidetadavoca:
monk‘bhikkhu monkbhikkhu, thisayaṁ ant-hillvammiko at nightrattiṁ smokesdhūmāyati, by daydivā forth·blazepajjalati.
the brahminBrāhmaṇo thus·spokeevamāha:
dig“abhikkhaṇa, wise onesumedha, a knifesatthaṁ having takenādāyā”ti.
towards·digAbhikkhaṇanto the wise onesumedho a knifesatthaṁ having takenādāya elision…pe…
from hereito orvā furtherpana having heardsutvā’ti.
this·saidIdamavoca, reverend sirbhante, thatsā deitydevatā.
thisIdaṁ having spokenvatvā there + indeed + disappearedtatthevantaradhāyi.

who?Ko indeednu indeed,kho, sir,bhante, the termite mound?vammiko, what?kā by nightrattiṁ fuming,dhūmāyanā, what?kā by daydivā flaming,pajjalanā, who?ko the brahmin?brāhmaṇo, who?ko the clever one?sumedho, what?kiṁ the sword?satthaṁ, what?kiṁ the digging?abhikkhaṇaṁ, what?kā the sticking point?laṅgī, what?kā the bullfrog?uddhumāyikā, what?ko the forked path?dvidhāpatho, what?kiṁ the filter of ash?caṅgavāraṁ, what?ko the tortoise?kummo, what?kā the butcher’s knife and chopping board?asisūnā, what?kā the scrap of meat?maṁsapesi, what?ko the king cobra?”nāgo”ti?

'termite mound' is“‘Vammiko’ti indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, this is a term forimassetaṁ four·great·element-madecātumahābhūtikassa of the bodykāyassa a termadhivacanaṁ, mother·father-related·producedmātāpettikasambhavassa built up from rice and porridgeodanakummāsūpacayassa liable to impermanence and decayaniccucchādanaparimaddanabhedanaviddhaṁsanadhammassa.
thatYaṁ indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, by daydivā about workkammante to·undertakeārabbha at nightrattiṁ upon·thinkanuvitakketi considers uponanuvicāreti—
thisayaṁ at nightrattiṁ fumingdhūmāyanā.
thatYaṁ indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, at nightrattiṁ about·thinkanuvitakketvā about·consideranuvicāretvā by daydivā in workkammante forth·applypayojeti by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā—
thisayaṁ by daydivā flamingpajjalanā.
Brahmin + quotation marker‘Brāhmaṇo’ti indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, that is a term for the Realized Onetathāgatassetaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ of the perfected onearahato of the fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhassa.
clever-one + quotation marker‘Sumedho’ti indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, this is a term for the traineesekkhassetaṁ mendicantbhikkhuno a termadhivacanaṁ.
sword + quotation marker‘Satthan’ti indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, this is a term for nobleariyāyetaṁ wisdompaññāya a termadhivacanaṁ.
digging + quotation marker‘Abhikkhaṇan’ti indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, this is a term for rousing energyvīriyārambhassetaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ.
sticking-point + quotation marker‘Laṅgī’ti indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, this is a term for ignoranceavijjāyetaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ.
throw outUkkhipa the sticking pointlaṅgiṁ, forth·give-uppajaha ignoranceavijjaṁ;
digabhikkhaṇa, clever onesumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāyāti this + thisayametassa of thatattho.
bullfrog + quotation marker‘Uddhumāyikā’ti indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, this is a term for anger and distresskodhūpāyāsassetaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ.
throw outUkkhipa the bullfroguddhumāyikaṁ, give uppajaha anger and distresskodhūpāyāsaṁ;
digabhikkhaṇa, clever onesumedha, the swordsatthaṁ having picked upādāyāti this is the meaningayametassa of thatattho.
forked-path + quotation marker‘Dvidhāpatho’ti indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, this is a term for doubtvicikicchāyetaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ.
throw outUkkhipa the forked pathdvidhāpathaṁ, give uppajaha doubtvicikicchaṁ;

dig upabhikkhaṇa, wise onesumedha, the knifesatthaṁ having taken, is the meaningādāyāti this·of-thisayametassa the meaningattho.
'filter of ash,'‘Caṅgavāran’ti indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, this is a term for the fivepañcannetaṁ of the hindrancesnīvaraṇānaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ, that isseyyathidaṁ—
hindrance of sensual desirekāmacchandanīvaraṇassa, hindrance of ill willbyāpādanīvaraṇassa, hindrance of dullness and drowsinessthinamiddhanīvaraṇassa, hindrance of restlessness and remorseuddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇassa, hindrance of doubtvicikicchānīvaraṇassa.
throw outUkkhipa the filter of ashcaṅgavāraṁ, give uppajaha the fivepañca hindrancesnīvaraṇe;
dig upabhikkhaṇa, wise onesumedha, the knifesatthaṁ having taken, is the meaningādāyāti this·of-thisayametassa the meaningattho.
'tortoise,'‘Kummo’ti indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, this is a term for the fivepañcannetaṁ of the grasping aggregatesupādānakkhandhānaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ, that isseyyathidaṁ—
grasping aggregate of formrūpupādānakkhandhassa, grasping aggregate of feelingvedanupādānakkhandhassa, grasping aggregate of perceptionsaññupādānakkhandhassa, grasping aggregate of choicessaṅkhārupādānakkhandhassa, grasping aggregate of consciousnessviññāṇupādānakkhandhassa.
throw outUkkhipa the tortoisekummaṁ, give uppajaha the five grasping aggregatespañcupādānakkhandhe;
dig upabhikkhaṇa, wise onesumedha, the knifesatthaṁ having taken, is the meaningādāyāti this·of-thisayametassa the meaningattho.
'butcher's knife and chopping board,'‘Asisūnā’ti indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, this is a term for the fivepañcannetaṁ of the kinds of sensual stimulationkāmaguṇānaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ—
knowable by the eyecakkhuviññeyyānaṁ of sightsrūpānaṁ likableiṭṭhānaṁ desirablekantānaṁ agreeablemanāpānaṁ pleasantpiyarūpānaṁ connected with sensualitykāmūpasaṁhitānaṁ arousingrajanīyānaṁ,
knowable by the earsotaviññeyyānaṁ of soundssaddānaṁ ……pe…
knowable by the noseghānaviññeyyānaṁ of smellsgandhānaṁ ……pe…
knowable by the tonguejivhāviññeyyānaṁ of tastesrasānaṁ ……pe…
knowable by the bodykāyaviññeyyānaṁ of touchesphoṭṭhabbānaṁ likableiṭṭhānaṁ desirablekantānaṁ agreeablemanāpānaṁ pleasantpiyarūpānaṁ connected with sensualitykāmūpasaṁhitānaṁ arousingrajanīyānaṁ.
throw outUkkhipa the butcher's knife and chopping boardasisūnaṁ, give uppajaha the fivepañca kinds of sensual stimulationkāmaguṇe;
dig upabhikkhaṇa, wise onesumedha, the knifesatthaṁ having taken, is the meaningādāyāti this·of-thisayametassa the meaningattho.
'scrap of meat,'‘Maṁsapesī’ti indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, this is a term for greed and relishingnandīrāgassetaṁ a termadhivacanaṁ.

throw outUkkhipa the scrap of meat,maṁsapesiṁ, forth·abandonpajaha greed and relishing;nandīrāgaṁ;
toward·digabhikkhaṇa, well·wisesumedha, knifesatthaṁ to·takeādāyāti this + this one'sayametassa meaning.attho.
'King cobra,'‘Nāgo’ti indeed,kho, monk,bhikkhu, this is a term for one who has ended the defilementskhīṇāsavassetaṁ of a monkbhikkhuno over·wordadhivacanaṁ.
let standTiṭṭhatu the king cobra,nāgo, do notmā the cobranāgaṁ disturb;ghaṭṭesi; homagenamo makekarohi to the cobra': thisnāgassāti this + this one'sayametassa meaning."attho”ti.
this + saidIdamavoca the Blessed One.bhagavā.
satisfiedAttamano Venerableāyasmā Kassapa the Princekumārakassapo of the Blessed Onebhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ toward·rejoiceabhinandīti.
ant-hill·discourseVammikasuttaṁ is finished,niṭṭhitaṁ third.tatiyaṁ.

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