MN 23 · Khotbah tentang Gundukan Tanah

Tokoh, tempat, dan gagasan utamanya

Seorang dewata memberi teka-teki simbolis tentang gundukan rayap kepada Yang Mulia Kassapa Sang Pangeran di malam hari. Buddha kemudian menjelaskan bahwa gundukan itu adalah perumpamaan tubuh dan proses batin manusia.

TOKOH

Kassapa Sang Pangeran

Bhikkhu yang menerima teka-teki simbolis dari seorang dewata tentang gundukan rayap, lalu membawanya kepada Buddha untuk dijelaskan.

TOKOH

Dewata

Makhluk bercahaya yang memberi teka-teki tentang gundukan rayap kepada Kassapa Sang Pangeran di tengah malam.

TEMPAT

Hutan Gelap

Hutan tempat Kassapa Sang Pangeran menginap dan menerima teka-teki dari dewata.

KONSEP

Gundukan rayap sebagai perumpamaan

Setiap bagian gundukan rayap — asap, api, lumpur, dan seterusnya — melambangkan unsur dalam tubuh dan batin yang perlu digali dan dipahami maknanya.

Visual pengantar Tiga Keranjang · bukan bagian dari teks kanonik.

Sinopsis singkat

Kumāra Kassapa sedang tinggal di Hutan Gelap ketika sesosok dewa menemuinya pada malam hari dan menyampaikan sebuah teka-teki tentang gundukan rayap yang berasap pada malam hari dan menyala pada siang hari. Dalam teka-teki itu seorang brahmana menyuruh orang bijaksana menggali dan menemukan berbagai benda aneh—palang, katak, persimpangan jalan, saringan, kura-kura, pisau dan bongkahan daging—sebelum akhirnya menemukan seekor nāga. Karena tidak memahami maknanya, Kassapa menemui Buddha. Buddha lalu menguraikan simbol-simbol tersebut satu demi satu sebagai gambaran tubuh, aktivitas batin, keraguan, lima rintangan, lima kelompok kemelekatan, kenikmatan indria dan latihan, sampai teka-teki itu berubah menjadi peta perjalanan batin.

BAGIAN 2

mn23:2.1 “Monk, monk! This termite mound fumes by night and flames by day.

mn23:2.2 The brahmin said,

mn23:2.3 ‘Dig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’

mn23:2.4 Picking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a sticking point:

mn23:2.5 ‘A sticking point, sir!’

mn23:2.6 The brahmin said,

mn23:2.7 ‘Throw out the sticking point!

mn23:2.8 Dig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’

mn23:2.9 Picking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a bullfrog:

mn23:2.10 ‘A bullfrog, sir!’

mn23:2.11 The brahmin said,

mn23:2.12 ‘Throw out the bullfrog!

mn23:2.13 Dig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’

mn23:2.14 Picking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a forked path:

mn23:2.15 ‘A forked path, sir!’

mn23:2.16 The brahmin said,

mn23:2.17 ‘Throw out the forked path!

mn23:2.18 Dig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’

mn23:2.19 Picking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a filter of ash:

mn23:2.20 ‘A filter of ash, sir!’

mn23:2.21 The brahmin said,

mn23:2.22 ‘Throw out the filter of ash!

mn23:2.23 Dig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’

mn23:2.24 Picking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a tortoise:

mn23:2.25 ‘A tortoise, sir!’

mn23:2.26 The brahmin said,

mn23:2.27 ‘Throw out the tortoise!

mn23:2.28 Dig, clever one, having taken up the sword!’

mn23:2.29 Picking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a butcher’s knife and chopping board:

mn23:2.30 ‘A butcher’s knife and chopping board, sir!’

mn23:2.31 The brahmin said,

mn23:2.32 ‘Throw out the butcher’s knife and chopping board!

mn23:2.33 Dig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’

mn23:2.34 Picking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a scrap of meat:

mn23:2.35 ‘A scrap of meat, sir!’

mn23:2.36 The brahmin said,

mn23:2.37 ‘Throw out the scrap of meat!

mn23:2.38 Dig, clever one, having picked up the sword!’

mn23:2.39 Picking up the sword and digging, the clever one saw a king cobra:

mn23:2.40 ‘A king cobra, sir!’

mn23:2.41 The brahmin said,

mn23:2.42 ‘Leave the king cobra! Do not disturb the cobra! Worship the cobra!’

mn23:2.43 Mendicant, go to the Buddha and ask him about this riddle. You should remember it in line with his answer.

mn23:2.44 I 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.”

mn23:2.45 That is what that deity said

mn23:2.46 before vanishing right there.