Paṭhamaisidattasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 41.2

Linked Discourses 41.2

1. Cittavagga

1. With Citta

Paṭhamaisidattasutta

With Isidatta (1st)

Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharanti ambāṭakavane.

At one time several senior mendicants were staying near Macchikāsaṇḍa in the Wild Mango Grove.

Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū etadavoca:

Then Citta the householder went up to them, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to them,

“adhivāsentu me, bhante, therā svātanāya bhattan”ti.

“Sirs, would the senior monks please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?”

Adhivāsesuṁ kho therā bhikkhū tuṇhībhāvena.

They consented with silence.

Atha kho citto gahapati therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Knowing that the senior mendicants had consented, Citta rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled them, keeping them on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho therā bhikkhū tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena cittassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdiṁsu.

Then when the night had passed, the senior mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, went to Citta’s home, and sat down on the seats spread out.

Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

Then Citta went up to them, bowed, sat down to one side, and asked the senior venerable,

“‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattan’ti, bhante thera, vuccati.

“Honorable Senior, they speak of ‘the diversity of elements’.

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti?

In what way did the Buddha speak of the diversity of elements?”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.

When he said this, the senior venerable kept silent.

Dutiyampi kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

For a second time …

“‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattan’ti, bhante thera, vuccati.

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti?

Dutiyampi kho āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.

Tatiyampi kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

And for a third time, Citta asked him,

“‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattan’ti, bhante thera, vuccati.

“Honorable Senior, they speak of ‘the diversity of elements’.

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti?

In what way did the Buddha speak of the diversity of elements?”

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.

And a second time and a third time the senior venerable kept silent.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā isidatto tasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe sabbanavako hoti.

Now at that time Venerable Isidatta was the most junior mendicant in that Saṅgha.

Atha kho āyasmā isidatto āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

He said to the senior venerable,

“byākaromahaṁ, bhante thera, cittassa gahapatino etaṁ pañhan”ti?

“Honorable Senior, may I answer Citta’s question?”

“Byākarohi tvaṁ, āvuso isidatta, cittassa gahapatino etaṁ pañhan”ti.

“Answer it, Reverend Isidatta.”

“Evañhi tvaṁ, gahapati, pucchasi:

“Householder, is this your question:

‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattanti, bhante thera, vuccati.

‘They speak of “the diversity of elements”.

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ, vuttaṁ bhagavatā’”ti?

In what way did the Buddha speak of the diversity of elements?’”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Idaṁ kho, gahapati, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā—

“This is the diversity of elements spoken of by the Buddha.

cakkhudhātu, rūpadhātu, cakkhuviññāṇadhātu …pe…

The eye element, the sights element, the eye consciousness element …

manodhātu, dhammadhātu, manoviññāṇadhātu.

The mind element, the idea element, the mind consciousness element.

Ettāvatā kho, gahapati, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti.

This is how the Buddha spoke of the diversity of elements.”

Atha kho citto gahapati āyasmato isidattassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā there bhikkhū paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.

Then Citta, having approved and agreed with what Isidatta said, served and satisfied the senior mendicants with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.

Atha kho therā bhikkhū bhuttāvino onītapattapāṇino uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.

When the senior mendicants had eaten and washed their hands and bowls, they rose from their seats and left.

Atha kho āyasmā thero āyasmantaṁ isidattaṁ etadavoca:

Then the senior venerable said to Venerable Isidatta,

“sādhu kho taṁ, āvuso isidatta, eso pañho paṭibhāsi, neso pañho maṁ paṭibhāsi.

“Isidatta, it’s good that you felt inspired to answer that question, because I didn’t.

Tenahāvuso isidatta, yadā aññathāpi evarūpo pañho āgaccheyya, taññevettha paṭibhāseyyā”ti.

So when a similar question comes up, you should also answer it as you feel inspired.”

Dutiyaṁ.