Indra and the Ants

The ancient story of Indra and the Ants offers a profound reflection on the nature of pride, impermanence, and the transience of worldly power. In this Hindu tale, Indra — the king of the gods — becomes intoxicated with his own grandeur, constructing ever more elaborate palaces and indulging in displays of divine power. Seeing this, a wise sage visits Indra, silently watching ants marching across the floor of his palace.

When questioned, the sage explains: “These ants were once Indras themselves, each having ruled, fallen, and returned to the cycle of birth and death.” The countless lives, each marked by temporary ascendancy, reveal the endless wheel of becoming (*samsara*) driven by pride, attachment, and ignorance.

Though rooted in Hindu cosmology, the tale resonates deeply with Buddhist teachings on impermanence, non-self, and the futility of clinging to status or identity. Worldly attainments — whether power, fame, or even spiritual accomplishments — are all subject to decay. Pride blinds beings to this truth, binding them further to the cycles of becoming.

The story invites reflection not merely on external hierarchies, but on the subtle forms of self-importance that inhabit the mind. Even spiritual pride — the belief in personal advancement or special attainment — can quietly sustain samsaric bondage.

True liberation arises not from achieving higher stations within the wheel, but from stepping off the wheel entirely — releasing attachment to identity, recognizing the emptiness of self, and resting in the unconditioned peace that needs no elevation.

“All conditioned things are impermanent. Strive diligently for your liberation.”
— The Buddha’s final words, Mahāparinibbāna Sutta, Dīgha Nikāya 16