metaphor for brahmacariya
b. metaphor for brahmacariya, only one arrow, can not shoot it, but needs to keep it cocked to ward off threats.
mountain refers to
☂️🌄 samādhi and
Ek'agga (mountain peak allusion). Without brahmacariya, samadhi becomes weak, mind becomes sluggish, dull, stupid, body weakens as well (compared to a yogi who keeps brahmacariya).
The mountainside has many tigers (metaphor for the opposite sex) tempting you.
So this life threatening puzzle, how do you hold off many tigers with one arrow, has a paradoxical solution, somewhat reminiscent of
SN 1.1. If you shoot one tiger with the arrow, you are devoured by the other tigers. If you don’t even threaten to shoot, then you are also devoured.
You only have one arrow, so you have to constantly use the power of that arrow to point it at the tigers to ward them off, without actually shooting it. If you shoot your arrow (semen at a coarse level, any thought of lust at a refined level), you lose your brahmacariya and then all the tigers come in and devour you. You protect the arrow and conserve it, representing your spiritual vitality and capital, the source of power of samadhi, then you can keep the tigers at bay and by means of the spiritual power and vigor
3🏹 conserved, have the means to transcend lust.
Lust is transcended gradually in
4👑☸ and
👑8☸, with
kāma 💘💃 supressed in
j1🌘, sublimated even further through higher jhanas, and completely destroyed with the attainment of a nonreturner and arahant.