Saṁyutta Nikāya 41.4

The Related Suttas Collection 41.4

1. Cittavagga

1. With Citta

Mahakapāṭihāriyasutta

Mahaka’s Demonstration

Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharanti ambāṭakavane.

At one time several senior bhikkhus 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: “adhivāsentu me, bhante therā, svātanāya gokule bhattan”ti.

Then Citta the householder went up to them, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to them, “Honorable Seniors, please accept my offering of tomorrow’s meal in my barn.”

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

They consented with silence. Then, knowing that the senior bhikkhus had consented, Citta got up 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 gahapatino gokulaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdiṁsu.

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

Atha kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū paṇītena sappipāyāsena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi. Atha kho therā bhikkhū bhuttāvino onītapattapāṇino uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu. Cittopi kho gahapati “sesakaṁ vissajjethā”ti vatvā there bhikkhū piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhi.

Then Citta served and satisfied the senior bhikkhus with his own hands with delicious milk-rice made with ghee. When the senior bhikkhus had eaten and washed their hands and bowls, they got up from their seats and left. Citta instructed that the remainder of the food be distributed, then followed behind the senior bhikkhus.

Tena kho pana samayena uṇhaṁ hoti kuthitaṁ; te ca therā bhikkhū paveliyamānena maññe kāyena gacchanti, yathā taṁ bhojanaṁ bhuttāvino.

Now at that time the heat was sweltering. And those senior bhikkhus walked along as if their bodies were melting, as happens after a meal.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahako tasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe sabbanavako hoti. Atha kho āyasmā mahako āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: “sādhu khvassa, bhante thera, sītako ca vāto vāyeyya, abbhasampilāpo¹ ca assa, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyeyyā”ti.

Now at that time Venerable Mahaka was the most junior bhikkhu in that Saṅgha. Then Venerable Mahaka said to the senior venerable, “Wouldn’t it be nice, Honorable Senior, if a cool wind blew, a cloud canopy formed, and a gentle rain drizzled down?”

“Sādhu khvassa, āvuso mahaka, yaṁ sītako ca vāto vāyeyya, abbhasampilāpo ca assa, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyeyyā”ti. Atha kho āyasmā mahako tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhari² yathā sītako ca vāto vāyi, abbhasampilāpo ca assa, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusi.

“It would indeed be nice, Friend Mahaka.” Then Mahaka used his psychic power to will that a cool wind would blow, a cloud canopy would form, and a gentle rain would drizzle down.

Atha kho cittassa gahapatino etadahosi: “yo kho imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe sabbanavako bhikkhu tassāyaṁ evarūpo iddhānubhāvo”ti.

Then Citta thought, “The most junior bhikkhu in this Saṅgha has such psychic power!”

Atha kho āyasmā mahako ārāmaṁ sampāpuṇitvā āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: “alamettāvatā, bhante therā”ti?

When they reached the monastery, Mahaka said to the senior venerable, “Honorable Senior, is that sufficient?”

“Alamettāvatā, āvuso mahaka. Katamettāvatā, āvuso mahaka. Pūjitamettāvatā, āvuso mahakā”ti. Atha kho therā bhikkhū yathāvihāraṁ agamaṁsu. Āyasmāpi mahako sakaṁ vihāraṁ agamāsi.

“That’s sufficient, Friend Mahaka, you’ve done enough and offered enough.” Then the senior bhikkhus entered their dwellings, and Mahaka entered his own dwelling.

Atha kho citto gahapati yenāyasmā mahako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahakaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ mahakaṁ etadavoca: “sādhu me, bhante, ayyo mahako uttari manussadhammaṁ iddhipāṭihāriyaṁ dassetū”ti.

Then Citta went up to Mahaka, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, please show me a superhuman demonstration of psychic power.”

“Tena hi tvaṁ, gahapati, ālinde uttarāsaṅgaṁ paññapetvā tiṇakalāpaṁ okāsehī”ti.

“Well, then, householder, place your upper robe on the porch and spread a handful of grass on it.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati āyasmato mahakassa paṭissutvā ālinde uttarāsaṅgaṁ paññapetvā tiṇakalāpaṁ okāsesi.

“Yes, sir,” replied Citta, and did as he was asked.

Atha kho āyasmā mahako vihāraṁ pavisitvā sūcighaṭikaṁ datvā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhari yathā tālacchiggaḷena ca aggaḷantarikāya ca acci nikkhamitvā tiṇāni jhāpesi, uttarāsaṅgaṁ na jhāpesi. Atha kho citto gahapati uttarāsaṅgaṁ papphoṭetvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

Mahaka entered his dwelling and latched the door. Then he used his psychic power to will that a flame shoot out through the keyhole and the chink in the door, and it burned up the grass but not the upper robe. Then Citta shook out his upper robe and stood to one side, shocked and awestruck.

Atha kho āyasmā mahako vihārā nikkhamitvā cittaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca: “alamettāvatā, gahapatī”ti?

Mahaka left his dwelling and said to Citta, “Is that sufficient, householder?”

“Alamettāvatā, bhante mahaka. Katamettāvatā, bhante, mahaka. Pūjitamettāvatā, bhante mahaka. Abhiramatu, bhante, ayyo mahako macchikāsaṇḍe. Ramaṇīyaṁ ambāṭakavanaṁ. Ahaṁ ayyassa mahakassa ussukkaṁ karissāmi cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan”ti.

“That’s sufficient, sir, you’ve done enough and offered enough. I hope Venerable Mahaka is happy here in Macchikāsaṇḍa, for the Wild Mango Grove is lovely. I’ll make sure that Venerable Mahaka is provided with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.”

“Kalyāṇaṁ vuccati, gahapatī”ti.

“That’s nice of you to say, householder.”

Atha kho āyasmā mahako senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya macchikāsaṇḍamhā pakkāmi. Yaṁ macchikāsaṇḍamhā pakkāmi, tathā pakkantova ahosi; na puna paccāgacchīti.

But Mahaka set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, left Macchikāsaṇḍa, never to return.

Catutthaṁ.