[290] Then, when that night had passed, the venerable Kumārakassapa approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down at one side. Seated at one side, the venerable Kumārakassapa said this to the Blessed One:
"Venerable sir, this night, when the night was far advanced, a certain deity of surpassing beauty, illuminating the entire Andhavana grove, approached me; having approached, it stood at one side. Standing at one side, venerable sir, that deity said this to me: 'Bhikkhu, bhikkhu, this anthill smokes by night and blazes by day. The brahmin said thus: "Dig, clever one (sumedha), taking up the sword." Digging with the sword, the clever one saw a bolt: "A bolt, venerable sir." The brahmin said thus: "Lift out the bolt; dig, clever one, taking up the sword." Digging with the sword, the clever one saw a bullfrog: "A bullfrog, venerable sir." … he saw a nāga: "A nāga, venerable sir." The brahmin said thus: "Let the nāga remain; do not harass the nāga; pay homage to the nāga." Bhikkhu, you should approach the Blessed One and ask him these fifteen questions; as the Blessed One answers them for you, so should you bear it in mind. Bhikkhu, I do not see anyone in the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, who could satisfy the mind with the answering of these questions, except the Tathāgata, or a disciple of the Tathāgata, or one who has heard it from here.' That deity, venerable sir, said this; having said this, it vanished right there.
"What now, venerable sir, is the anthill? What is the smoking by night? What is the blazing by day? Who is the brahmin? Who is the clever one? What is the sword? What is the digging? What is the bolt? What is the bullfrog? What is the forked path? What is the lye-strainer? What is the tortoise? What is the butcher's knife and block? What is the piece of meat? What is the nāga?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.