One day, the Buddha, while staying at the Garden of Solitude, explained the truth of life (the suffering of birth and death) to King Prasenajit.
There was a person traveling in the wilderness who, being chased by a fierce elephant, ran in fear and stumbled upon a dry well.
Seeing a tree root hanging into the well, the person hastily climbed down and sought refuge in the well.
Unexpectedly, two mice, one black and one white, appeared and started gnawing on the tree root.
Upon closer inspection of the well's walls, four poisonous snakes were ready to bite the person.
To make matters worse, there was a poisonous dragon at the bottom of the well.
Fearful of the dragon, snakes, and the possibility of the tree root breaking, the person found themselves in a desperate situation.
At that critical moment, the traveler noticed honey on the tree root.
Temporarily forgetting the imminent dangers, the person tasted five drops of honey, only to be awakened by bees attacking.
Unfortunately, a wildfire broke out, burning the tree root.
King Prasenajit inquired, "Why did this person endure so much suffering and still crave the taste of that bit of honey?"
The Buddha explained to King Victorious Light:
"The wilderness symbolizes one's own ignorance, with darkness having no end.
The traveler represents sentient beings trapped in the cycle of rebirth.
The elephant signifies impermanence, pressing upon sentient beings incessantly.
The well symbolizes birth and death, where sentient beings struggle for survival in the confines of life and death.
The tree root represents life, as sentient beings cling tightly to it, unwilling to let go under the constant threat of impermanence and death.
The black and white mice symbolize day and night, time ceaselessly devouring the tree root, which is the essence of life; sooner or later, it will be bitten through.
The four poisonous snakes represent the four elements (earth, water, fire, and air).
The honey represents the pleasures of the five senses (wealth, beauty, fame, food, and sleep).
The bees represent evil thoughts, as craving for pleasure attracts various unwholesome thoughts, similar to the craving for sensory pleasures.
The wildfire symbolizes aging and illness; before the mice (time) could gnaw through the tree root (life), the fire burnt it, severing life.
The poisonous dragon represents death; the tree root will inevitably break, and people will eventually die.
Therefore, understanding the fearsome nature of birth, aging, illness, and death, one should remain vigilant and not succumb to the pressures of sensory desires.
Postscript:
This story has various versions, and many might have heard different renditions. The original source is this scripture, and its original text presents below in references.
References:
佛說譬喻經
https://cbetaonline.dila.edu.tw/zh/T0217
《眾經撰雜譬喻》第八則
https://cbetaonline.dila.edu.tw/zh/T0208
《賓頭盧突羅闍為優陀延王說法經》
https://cbetaonline.dila.edu.tw/zh/T1690
https://purelanders.com/2022/11/29/the-sutra-in-which-the-buddha-speaks-of-analogies/
http://read.goodweb.net.cn/NEWS/news_view.asp?newsid=14867
https://kydong77.tistory.com/20952
