Simile of A Man Were Wounded by An Arrow Thickly Smeared with Poison

Suppose, Mālunkyaputta, a man were wounded by an arrow thickly smeared with poison, and his friends and companions, his kinsmen and relatives, brought a surgeon to treat him. The man would say: ‘I will not let the surgeon pull out this arrow until I know whether the man who wounded me was a noble or a Brāhmin or a merchant or a worker.’ And he would say: ‘I will not let the surgeon pull out this arrow until I know the name and clan of the man who wounded me;…until I know whether the man who wounded me was tall or short or of middle height;…until I know whether the man who wounded me was dark or brown or golden-skinned;…until I know whether the bowstring that wounded me was fibre or reed or sinew or hemp or bark;… until I know whether the shaft that wounded me was wild or cultivated;…until I know with what kind of feathers the shaft that wounded me was fitted — whether those of a vulture or a heron or a hawk or a peacock or a stork;… until I know with what kind of sinew the shaft that wounded me was bound — whether that of an ox or a buffalo or a deer or a monkey;…until I know what kind of arrowhead it was that wounded me —whether spiked or razor-tipped or curved or barbed or calf-toothed or lancet-shaped.’

All this would still not be known to that man and meanwhile he would die. So too, Mālunkyaputta, if anyone should say thus: ‘I will not lead the holy life under the [Enlightened] One until the [Enlightened] One declares to me: ‘The world is eternal’ and ‘the world is not eternal’; ‘the world is finite’; and ‘the world is infinite’; ‘the soul is the same as the body’ and ‘the soul is one thing and the body another’; and ‘after death a Tathāgata exists’ and ‘after death a Tathāgata does not exist’ and ‘after death a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist’ and ‘after death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist,’ that would still remain undeclared by The Tathāgata and meanwhile that person would die.

Therefore, Mālunkyaputta, remember what I have left undeclared as undeclared, and remember what I have declared as declared.

And what have I left undeclared? ‘The world is eternal’ and ‘the world is not eternal’; ‘the world is finite; and ‘the world is infinite’; ‘the soul is the same as the body’ and ‘the soul is one thing and the body another’; and ‘after death a Tathāgata exists’ and ‘after death a Tathāgata does not exist’ and ‘after death a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist’ and ‘after death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist,’ — I have left undeclared.

And what have I declared? ‘This is discontentedness’, 'This is the cause of discontentedness’, ‘This is the elimination of discontentedness, ‘This is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness’ — I have declared.

Why have I declared that? Because it is beneficial, it belongs to the fundamentals of the holy life, it leads to liberation, to freedom from strong feelings, to elimination, to peace, to direct knowledge (experience), to Enlightenment, to Nibbāna. That is why I have declared it.

(Reference: MN 63)

The Three Poisons of the mind are craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality). These are the high-level descriptions of the pollution of the mind or defilements that keep the mind trapped in the unEnlightened state. These are also referred to as The Three Unwholesome Roots or The Three Fires. You may even see them represented as greed, hatred, and delusion or desire, ill will, and confusion.

The unEnlightened mind is experiencing these Three Poisons and if one does not eliminate these poisons from the mind, a being will remain unEnlightened experiencing discontentedness and the being will be reborn into a lower realm of existence.

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares this simile using the “poisonous arrow” to represent “The Three Poisons” that we are all affected by “craving (greed/desire), anger (hatred/ill will), and ignorance (delusion/confusion)”. The Teachings of Gotama Buddha are represented by the surgeon. His Teachings are the medicine to remove “The Three Poisons”. But, if we expect to know all the answers that lead to the removal of “The Three Poisons” prior to practicing these Teachings, which would remove these poisons, then surely we will die before the poisons are removed.

There is no way for you to know all the answers prior to learning and practicing these Teachings as you need to create a “life practice” to clearly see many of the answers. Each day you build more and more wisdom in your life practice to gradually attain Enlightenment. If you expect to know all the answers prior to practicing these Teachings, surely you will die before the poisons are removed and, thus, have continued discontentedness and be reborn to once again experience life in a new realm - most likely not the human realm.

Gotama Buddha left certain questions undeclared because they do not lead to liberation of the mind. But The Teachings he did declare do lead to complete liberation of the mind, namely starting with “The Four Noble Truths” as mentioned in this simile.

A Practitioner should not expect to have all the answers prior to deciding to learn, reflect and practice these Teachings as it would be impossible to discover “all the answers” prior to deciding to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings. During the course of establishing your life practice, there will be many questions that arise and require answers for you to progress on The Path to Enlightenment. Guidance from a Teacher is required for you to attain Enlightenment as only a true Buddha would be able to attain Enlightenment through their own independent pursuit to Enlightenment. Likewise, many of the answers to the questions you do not even realize you have at this moment will be discovered by you through practice of The Teachings. If you did not practice The Teachings until you had all the answers to your questions, you would never actually practice The Teachings, thus, you would not discover the answers.

Direct knowledge is acquired wisdom through experience. Wisdom is acquired through experience or practice of The Teachings. The mind is liberated to Enlightenment through wisdom.

Without practicing The Teachings, one would never acquire wisdom and, thus, would never liberate the mind. Intellectual learning, merely reciting texts, or conducting scholarly/historic research will not lead to wisdom developed through practice of The Teachings. Therefore, while intellectual learning is required to be able to practice The Teachings, with only intellectual learning, merely reciting texts, or conducting scholarly/ historic research one would not improve the condition of the mind to attain Enlightenment. It is when a Practitioner is guided to practice The Teachings through independent verification of The Teachings that the mind will acquire wisdom and be liberated from discontent feelings.