​MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Simile of the Snake 

Thus have i heard. 

Arittha's wrong view

On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. Now on that occasion a wrong view had arisen in a bhikkhu named Arittha, formerly of the vulture killers, he thought: "From what I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, those things called obstructions (hindrances) by the Blessed One are not able to obstruct one who engages in them." Several bhikkhus having heard  this, went to the bhikkhu Arittha and asked him: "Friend Arittha, is it true that such a view has arisen in you?" Arittha responded:"Exactly so, friends. "

Then these bhikkhus, desiring to detach him from that wrong view, pressed and questioned and cross-questioned him thus: "Friend Arittha, do not say so. Do not misrepresent the Blessed One; it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not speak like that. In many discourses the Blessed One has stated how obstructive filings are obstructions (hindrances), and how they are able to obstruct one who engages in them. The Blessed One has stated many times how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering and despair, and how the great danger in them. With the simile of the skeleton...with the simile of the piece of meat...with the simile of the grass torch.. .with the simile of the pit of coals.. .with the simile of the dream.. .with the simile of the borrowed goods.. .with the simile of the tree laden with fruit...with the simile of the slaughterhouse...with the simile of the sword stake...with the simile of the snake's head, the Blessed One has stated how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the danger in them."

Yet although pressed and questioned and cross-questioned by them in this way, the bhikkhu Arittha still obstinately adhered to that wrong view and continued to insist upon it. Since the bhikkhus were unable to detach him from that wrong view, they went to the Blessed One and told him all that had occurred. Then the Blessed One summoned for bhikkhu Arittha. 

Bhikkhu Arittha went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, sat down at one side. The Blessed One then asked him: "Arittha, is it true that the following wrong view has arisen in you: 'As I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, those things called obstructions (hindrances) by the Blessed One are not able to obstruct one who engages in them'?"
Arittha replied: "Exactly so, venerable sir. As I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, those things called obstructions by the Blessed One are not able to obstruct one who engages in them."
Buddha said: "Misguided man, to whom have you ever known me to teach the Dhamma in that way? Misguided man, in many discourses have I not stated how obstructive things are obstructions (hindrances) and how they are able to obstruct one who engages in them? I have stated many times how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the danger in them. With the simile of the skeleton.-.with the simile of the piece of meat.. .with the simile of the grass torch.. .with the simile of the pit of coals.. .with the simile of the dream.. .with the simile of the borrowed goods...with the simile of the tree laden with fruit.. .with the simile of the slaughterhouse.. .with the simile of the sword stake...with the simile of the snake's head, I have stated how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the danger in them. But you, misguided man, have misrepresented us by your wrong grasp and injured yourself and stored up much demerit; for this will lead to your harm and suffering for a long time."

Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus, what do you think? Has this bhikkhu Arittha, formerly of the vulture killers, kindled even a spark of wisdom in this Dhamma and Discipline?"
Bhikkhus replied: "How could he, venerable sir? No, venerable sir."
When this was said, the bhikkhu Arittha sat silently, dismayed, with shoulders drooping and head down, glum, and without response. Knowing this, the Blessed One told him: "Misguided man, you will be recognized by your own pernicious view. I shall question the bhikkhus on this matter."

Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus, do you understand the Dhamma taught by me as this bhikkhu Arittha does when he misrepresents us by his wrong grasp and injures himself and stores up much demerit?"
Bhikkhus replied: "No, venerable sir. For in many discourses the Blessed One has stated how obstructive things are obstructions (hindrances), and how they are able to obstruct one who engages in them. The Blessed One has stated how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the danger in them. With the simile of the skeleton...with the simile of the snake's head, the blessed One has stated...how great is the danger in them."
Buddha: "Good, bhikkhus. It is good that you understand the Dhamma taught by me thus. For in many discourses I have stated how obstructive things are obstructions (hindrances), and how they are able to obstruct one who engages in them. I have stated how sensual pleasures provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the danger in them. With the simile of the skeleton...with the simile of the snake's head, I have stated...how great is the danger in them. But this bhikkhu Arittha, formerly of the vulture killers, misrepresents us by his wrong grasp and injures himself and stores up much demerit; for this will lead to this misguided man's harm and suffering for a long time.  Bhikkhus, that one can engage in sensual pleasures without sensual desires, without perceptions of sensual desire, without thoughts of sensual desire - that is impossible."

​THE SIMILE OF THE SNAKE

"Here, bhikkhus, some misguided men learn the Dhamma discourses, stanzas, expositions, verses, exclamations, sayings and answers to questions - but having learned the Dhamma, they do not examine the meaning of those teachings with wisdom. Not examining the meaning of those teachings with wisdom, they do not gain a reflective acceptance of them. Instead they learn the Dhamma only for the sake of criticizing others and for winning in debates, and they do not experience the good for the sake of which they learned the Dhamma. Those teachings, being wrongly grasped by them, conduce to their harm and suffering for a long time." 

"Suppose a man needing a snake, seeking a snake, saw a large snake and grasped its coils or its tail. It would turn back on him and bite him and because of that he would come to death or deadly suffering. Why is that? Because of his wrong grasp of the snake. Similarly some misguided men learn the Dhamma...Those teachings, being wrongly grasped by them, conduce to their harm and suffering for a long time. "

"Here, bhikkhus, some clansmen learn the Dhamma discourses...answers to questions - and having learned the Dhamma, they examine the meaning of those teachings with wisdom, thus they gain a reflective acceptance of them. They do not learn the Dhamma for the sake of criticizing others and for winning in debates and so they experience the good for the sake of which they learned the Dhamma. Those teachings, being rightly grasped by them, conduce to their welfare and happiness for a long time. "

"Suppose a man needing a snake, seeking a snake, saw a large snake and caught it rightly with a cleft stick, and having done so, grasped it rightly by the neck. Then although the snake might wrap its coils round his hand or his arm or his limbs, still he would not come to death or deadly suffering because of that. Why is that? Because of his right grasp of the snake.Similarly some clansmen learn the Dhamma... Those teachings, being rightly grasped by them, conduce to their welfare and happiness for a long time. "

"Therefore, bhikkhus, when you understand the meaning of my statements, remember it accordingly but when you do not understand the meaning of my statements, then ask either me about it or those bhikkhus who are wise. "

THE SIMILE OF THE RAFT

"Bhikkhus, I shall show you how the Dhamma is similar to a raft, being for the purpose of crossing over a river, not for the purpose of grasping. Listen and attend closely to what I shall say. Bhikkhus, suppose a man in the course of a journey saw a great expanse of water, whose near shore was dangerous and whose further shore was safe and free from fear, but there was no ferryboat or bridge going to the far shore.  Then he thought: 'Suppose I collect grass, twigs, branches, and leaves and bind them together into a raft, and supported by the raft and making an effort with my hands and feet, I got safely across to the far shore.' So the man collected grass, twigs, branches, and leaves and bound them together into a raft and he got safely across to the far shore. Upon reaching the other shore, he might think thus: 'This raft has been very helpful to me, since supported by it, I got safely across to the far shore. Suppose I were to hoist it on my head or load it on my shoulder, and then go wherever I want.'

Buddha: "Now, bhikkhus, what do you think? By doing so, would that man be doing what should be done with that raft?"
Bhikkhus: "No, venerable sir."
Buddha:"By doing what would that man be doing what should be done with that raft? Here, bhikkhus, when that man got across and had arrived at the far shore, he might think: 'This raft has been very helpful to me, since supported by it, I got safely across to the far shore. Suppose I were to haul it onto the dry land or set it adrift in the water, and then go wherever I want.' Now, bhikkhus, this should be the way that man should be done with that raft. So I have shown you how the Dhamma is similar to a raft, being for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of grasping.  Bhikkhus, when you know the Dhamma to be similar to a raft, you should abandon even good states, how much more so bad states. (Grasping properly and know when to let go wisely)

STANDPOINTS FOR VIEWS 

"Bhikkhus, there are these six standpoints for views, what are the six? Here, bhikkhus, an untaught ordinary person, who has no regard for noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who has no regard for true men and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, regards material form,feeling, perception, formations thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' He regards what is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, encountered, sought, mentally pondered thus: "This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' And this standpoint for views, namely, 'This is self, this the world; after death I shall be permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change;  I shall endure as long as eternity' - this too he regards thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' (Grasping to the five aggregates as self is wrong view)

"Bhikkhus, a well-taught noble disciple who has regard for noble ones and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, who has regard for true men and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, regards material form, feelings,perception, formations thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' He regards what is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, encountered, sought, mentally pondered thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' And this standpoint for views, namely, 'This is self, this the world; after death I shall be permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change; I shall endure as long as eternity' - this too he regards thus: "This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Since he regards them thus, he is not agitated about what is non-existent."

AGITATION & NON AGITATION

When this was said, a certain bhikkhu asked the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, can there be agitation about what is nonexistent externally?" "There can be, bhikkhu," the Blessed One said.
"Here, bhikkhu, someone thinks thus: 'Alas, I had it! Alas, I have it no longer! Alas, may I have it! Alas, I do not get it!' Then he sorrows, grieves, laments and becomes distraught. That is how there is agitation about what is non-existent externally." (one frets over the loss or non-possession of an illusory object)

Bhikkus: "Venerable sir, can there be no agitation about what is non-existent externally?"
"There can be, bhikkhu," the Blessed One said. "Here, bhikkhu, someone does not think thus: 'Alas I had it! Alas, I have it no longer! Alas, may I have it! Alas, I do not get it!' Then he does not sorrow, grieve, lament and does not become distraught. That is how there is no agitation about what is non-existent externally."

Bhikkus: "Venerable sir, can there be agitation about what is nonexistent internally?"
"There can be, bhikkhu," the Blessed One said. "Here, bhikkhu, someone has the view: 'This is self, this the world; after death I shall be permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change; I shall endure as long as eternity.' He hears the Tathagata or a disciple of the Tathagata teaching the Dhamma for the elimination of all standpoints, decisions, obsessions, adherences, and underlying tendencies, for the stilling of all formations, for the relinquishing of all attachments, for the destruction of craving, for dispassion, for cessation, for Nibbana. He thinks thus: 'So I shall be annihilated! So I shall perish! So I shall be no more!' Then he sorrows, grieves, laments and becomes distraught. That is how there is agitation about what is non-existent internally." (he frets over the possibility of personal annihilation which is wrong view)

"Venerable sir, can there be no agitation about what is non-existent internally?"
"There can be, bhikkhu," the Blessed One said. "Here, bhikkhu, someone does not have the view: 'This is self...I shall endure as long as eternity.' He hears the Tathagata or a disciple of the Tathagata teaching the Dhamma for the elimination of all standpoints, decisions, obsessions, adherences, and underlying tendencies, for the stilling of all formations, for the relinquishing of all attachments, for the destruction of craving, for dispassion, for cessation, for Nibbana. He does not think thus: 'So I shall be annihilated! So. I shall perish! So I shall be no more!' Then he does not sorrow, grieve, and lament, he does not weep beating his breast and become distraught. That is how there is no agitation about what is non-existent internally. 

IMPERMANENCE AND NOT SELF

"Bhikkhus, have you seen any possession that is permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and that might endure as long as eternity."
Bhikkhus: "No, venerable sir."
Buddha: "Good, bhikkhus. I too do not see any possession that is permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and that might endure as long as eternity.You may well cling to that doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it. But do you see any such doctrine of self, bhikkhus?"
Bhikkhus: "No, venerable sir."
Buddha: "Good, bhikkhus. I too do not see any doctrine of self that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who clings to it. You may well take as a support that view that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who takes it as a support. But do you see any such support of views, bhikkhus?"
Buddha: "No, venerable sir."

Buddha: "Good, bhikkhus. I too do not see any support of views  that would not arouse sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who takes it as a support. 

"Bhikkhus, where there is a self, would there be the thought of 'belonging to my self'?"
Bhikkhus: "Yes, venerable sir."
Buddha: "Or, where there is what belongs to self, would there be the thought of 'my self'?"
Bhikkhus: "Yes, venerable sir."
Buddha: "Bhikkhus, since a self and what belongs to a self are not apprehended as true and established, then this standpoint for views of self, namely, 'This is self, this the world; after death I shall be permanent, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change; I shall endure as long as eternity' - would it not be an utterly and completely foolish teaching?"
Bhikkhus: "Yes, such teaching of permanence and self would be an utterly and completely foolish teaching." 

Buddha: "Bhikkhus, what do you think? Is material form permanent or impermanent?"
Bhikkhus: "Impermanent, venerable sir."
Buddha: "Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
Bhikkhus: "Suffering, venerable sir."
Buddha: "Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self?"
Bhikkhus: "No, venerable sir. It is non-self"

Buddha: "Bhikkhus, what do you think? Is form.... is feeling...Is perception...  formations... consciousness permanent or impermanent?" (5 aggregates)
Bhikkhus: "Impermanent, venerable sir."
Buddha: "Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
Bhikkhus: "Suffering, venerable sir."
Buddha: "Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?"
Bhikkhus: "No, venerable sir. It is non-self"

"Therefore, bhikkhus, any kind of material form whatever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all material form, feelings, perceptions, formations, consciousness should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: "This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Seeing thus, bhikkhus, a well-taught noble disciple becomes disenchanted with material form, with feeling, with perception, with formations, with consciousness. "

"Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate and his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: 'It is liberated.' He understands: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.' 

THE ARAHANT

"Bhikkhus, an arahant is called one whose shaft has been lifted, whose trench has been filled in, whose pillar has been uprooted, one who has no bar, a noble one whose banner is lowered, whose burden is lowered, who is unfettered. "

"How is the bhikkhu one whose shaft has been lifted? Here the bhikkhu has abandoned ignorance, has cut it off at the root,  done away with it, so that it is no longer subject to future arising.
How is the bhikkhu one whose trench has been filled in? Here the bhikkhu has abandoned the round of births that brings renewed being, has cut it off at the root...so that it is no longer subject to future arising.
How is the bhikkhu one whose pillar has been uprooted? Here the bhikkhu has abandoned craving, has cut it off at the root...so that it is no longer subject to future arising.
How is the bhikkhu one who has no bar? Here the bhikkhu has abandoned the five lower fetters, has cut them off at the root...so that they are no longer subject to future arising.
How is the bhikkhu a noble one whose banner is lowered, whose burden is lowered, who is unfettered? Here a bhikkhu has abandoned the conceit 'I am,' has cut it off at the root  ...so that it is no longer subject to future arising. "

"Bhikkhus, when the gods with Indra, with Brahma and with Pajapati seek a bhikkhu who is thus liberated in mind, they do not find [anything of which they could say]: "The consciousness of one thus gone is supported by this.' Why is that? One thus gone, I say, is untraceable here and now. 

MISREPRESENTATION OF THE TATHAGATA

"So saying, bhikkhus, so proclaiming, I have been baselessly, falsely and wrongly misrepresented by some recluses and brahmins thus: 'The recluse Gotama is one who leads astray; he teaches the annihilation, the destruction, the extermination of an existing being.'
But as I am not, as I do not proclaim, so have I been baselessly, falsely, and wrongly misrepresented by some recluses and brahmins thus. (misrepresentation of the Buddha by others)

"Bhikkhus, both formerly and now what I teach is suffering and the cessation of suffering. If others abuse, revile, scold, and harass the Tathagata for that, the Tathagata on that account feels no annoyance, bitterness, or dejection of the heart. And if others honor, respect, revere, and venerate the Tathagata for that, the Tathagata on that account feels no delight, joy, or elation of the heart. If others honour, respect, revere, and venerate the Tathagata for that, the Tathagata on that account thinks thus: 'They perform such services as these for the sake of what had earlier come to be fully understood.' (Monastics should feel neither annoyance nor delight because of others)

"Therefore, bhikkhus, if others abuse, revile, scold, and harass you, on that account you should not entertain any annoyance, bitterness, or dejection of the heart. And if others honour, respect, revere, and venerate you, on that account you should not entertain any delight, joy, or elation of the heart. If others honour, respect, revere, and venerate you, on that account you should think thus: 'They perform such services as these for the sake of what had earlier come to be fully understood.' 
​
NOT YOURS

"Therefore, bhikkhus, whatever is not yours, abandon it; when you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time. What is it that is not yours? Material form, feeling, perception, formations and consciousness (five aggregates) are not yours. Abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time. 

"Bhikkhus, what do you think? If people carried off the grass, sticks, branches, and leaves in this Jeta Grove, or burned them, or did what they liked with them, would you think: 'People are carrying us off or burning us or doing what they like with us'?"
Bhikkhus: "No, venerable sir. Why not? Because that is neither our self nor what belongs to our self."
Buddha: "So too, bhikkhus, whatever is not yours, abandon it; when you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time. Material form, feelings, perceptions, formations and consciousness are not yours.. Abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time. 

The well-proclaimed dhamma

"Bhikkhus, the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus is clear, open, evident, and free of patchwork. In the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is clear, open, evident, and free of patchwork, there is no future round for manifestation in the case of those bhikkhus who are arahants with taints destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached the true goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and are completely liberated through final knowledge" 

"Bhikkhus, the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus is clear...free of patchwork. In the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is clear.. .free of patchwork, those bhikkhus who have abandoned the five lower fetters are all due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes and there attain final Nibbana, without ever returning from that world.  (Non-returners)"

"Bhikkhus, the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus is clear...free of patchwork. In the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is clear...free of patchwork, those bhikkhus who have abandoned the three lower fetters and attenuated lust, hate, and delusion are all once-returners, returning once to this world to make an end of suffering. "

"Bhikkhus, the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus is clear...free of patchwork. In the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is clear.. .free of patchwork, those bhikkhus who have abandoned three fetters are all stream-enterers, no longer subject to perdition,  bound for deliverance and headed for enlightenment."

"Bhikkhus, the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus is clear...free of patchwork. In the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is clear...free of patchwork, those bhikkhus who are Dhamma-followers or faith-followers are all headed for enlightenment"

"Bhikkhus, the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus is clear, open, evident, and free of patchwork. In the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is clear, open, evident, and free of patchwork, those bhikkhus who have sufficient faith in me, sufficient love for me, are all headed for heaven."

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words. 

Buddha taught this discourse which is about clinging to views (ditthi), triggered by Bhikkhu Arittha who had the wrong view of the five hindrances and how these hindrances will not obstruct one. Then Buddha talked about his wrong view using two similes: the simile of the water-snake and the simile of the raft. 

The simile of the water-snake focuses on the danger of misapprehending the Dhamma in general, and particularly the teachings on sensuality. The simile of the raft mentions that one has to hold onto the raft properly in order to cross the river. Then only when one has reached the safety of the further shore can one let go. Taken together, these similes focus on the skill needed to grasp right view properly as a means of leading to the cessation of suffering, rather than an object of clinging and then letting it go when it has done its job.

​The similes then set off the teachings of non-self and impermanence in the rest of the discourse. Buddha also mentioned about the four stages of enlightenment and how some has misinterpreted him at the end . 

​By WHH

References: 
1. www.accesstoinsight.org
2. https://suttacentral.net/
3. The middle length discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)