Hiding the Six in a Turtle’s Shell and Protect the Minds Behind a Fortress

The Dharmapada Sutra, Vol. 1, Citta Chapter 11

     During the Buddha’s time, a practitioner sat under a tree on the banks of a river for twelve years to cultivate the path. However, he failed to eliminate his desirous mind that wandered and was distracted by the six desires. He was experiencing a relentless stream of the sensory perception via body and mind, specifically in the sense of vision, hearing, smell, taste, and the physical contacts of the body, as well as the dharmas or rather the consciousness of the mind. His mind-wandering resulted in his inability to focus, although he was physically still or in a resting-state. He could not attain the path during his twelve years of practice.

  Nonetheless, the Buddha knew this practitioner’s time to liberation had ripened, so He manifested Himself as a sramana to join him under the tree. Soon after the clear moon emerged, a turtle came out of the river and appeared near the tree. Thereupon, it came across its predator, a hungry otter searching high and low for food. Just as the otter was about to catch its prey, the turtle quickly withdrew all its limbs as well as its head and tail into its shield-hard shell. As such, it was impossible for the otter to eat the turtle. Feeling disappointed and having no choice, the otter just left. After a while, the turtle stretched out its limbs and head, began moving and treading around slowly just like before. The otter’s attack was to no avail, and the turtle was saved by its hard protective shell, which provides a defense from attack.

  The practitioner then said to the sramana:

  “The turtle possesses a life-saving armor, and the otter was deprived of the chance to attack the turtle.” The sramana replied:

  “I reckon people to be inferior to this turtle. They do not understand impermanence and indulge in the six desires, giving away their lives and spirits for demonic ruin. As a result, they are trapped in the five paths of rebirth for no reason at all. These afflictions are originated from their minds. Hence all beings should encourage themselves to seek the tranquility of nirvana.”

  The sramana then says the verses as follows:

 “The body is mortal and will always return into ashes. The physical form will deteriorate, and the spirit will be gone. How can greed remain to be desired? Hide the six in the turtle’s shell and protect the minds behind the fortress. Let the wisdom fight the demon, and there will be faultless after winning.”

  Consequently, upon hearing these verses, the practitioner became a bhikshu and managed to free himself from his desirous mind, thereby he attained the path of arhathood. He realized that the manifested sramana was the Buddha. Without any delay, he adjusted his clothing before he prostrated respectfully to the Buddha. The gods, dragons, and spirits were all very delighted. 

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