6: The Book of the Sixes
60. Hatthi
- fdg sc © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Bārāṇasī in the deer park at Isipatana. Now on that occasion, after their meal, on returning from their alms round, a number of elder bhikkhus assembled and were sitting together in the pavilion hall engaged in a discussion pertaining to the Dhamma.[n.1387] Abhidhammakathaṁ kathenti. Mp explains this as "a talk involved with the Abhidhamma" (abhidhammamissakaṁ kathaṁ), but I take abhidhammakathaṁ here as a mere referential term. On this use of the expression, see AN5.79, n.1086. While they were engaged in their discussion, the Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta repeatedly interrupted their talk.[n.1388] Kathaṁ opāteti (as in Ce and Be; Ee has the aorist opātesi). Mp: "He interrupted their discussion and gave his own explanation" (tesaṁ kathaṁ vicchinditvā attano kathaṁ katheti). The Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita then told the Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta: |
"When elder bhikkhus are engaged in a discussion pertaining to the Dhamma, don’t repeatedly interrupt their talk but wait until their discussion is finished." |
When this was said, the Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta's bhikkhu friends said to the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita: "Don’t disparage the Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta. The Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta is wise and capable of engaging with the elder bhikkhus in a discussion pertaining to the Dhamma." |
2The Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita said: "It's difficult, friends, for those who don’t know the course of another's mind to know this. |
(1) "Here, friends, some person appears to be extremely mild, humble, and calm so long as he is staying near the Teacher or a fellow monk in the position of a teacher. But when he leaves the Teacher and fellow monks in the position of a teacher, he bonds with other bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male and female lay followers, kings and royal ministers, sectarian teachers and the disciples of sectarian teachers. As he bonds with them and becomes intimate with them, as he loosens up and talks with them, lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
3"Suppose a crop-eating bull was bound by a rope or shut up in a pen. Could one rightly say: ‘Now this crop-eating bull will never again enter among the crops’?" |
"Certainly not, friend. For it is possible that this crop-eating bull will break the rope or burst out of the pen and again enter among the crops." |
"So too, some person here is extremely mild …. But when he leaves the Teacher and fellow monks in the position of a teacher, he bonds with other bhikkhus … he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
4(2) "Then, friends, secluded from sensual pleasures … some person enters and dwells in the first jhāna. Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the first jhāna,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male and female lay followers, kings and royal ministers, sectarian teachers and their disciples. As he bonds with them and becomes intimate with them, as he loosens up and talks with them, lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
"Suppose that on the crossroads the rain, falling in thick droplets, would make the dust disappear and cause mud to appear. Could one rightly say: ‘Now dust will never reappear at this crossroads’?" |
"Certainly not, friend. For it is possible that people will pass through this crossroads, or that cattle and goats[n.1389] Gopāsū. I translate following Mp: gāvo ca ajikā ca. will pass through, or that wind and the sun's heat will dry up the moisture, and then dust will reappear." |
"So too, secluded from sensual pleasures … some person enters and dwells in the first jhāna. Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the first jhāna,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus … he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
5(3) "Then, friends, with the subsiding of thought and examination, some person enters and dwells in the second jhāna …. Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the second jhāna,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male and female lay followers, kings and royal ministers, sectarian teachers and their disciples. As he bonds with them and becomes intimate with them, as he loosens up and talks with them, lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
"Suppose that not far from a village or town there was a large pond. The rain, falling in thick droplets, would make the various kinds of shells,[n.1390] Sippisambuka. PED suggests "oyster" for sippi, but oysters are marine animals. My rendering is intended to escape the difficulty. the gravel and pebbles, disappear. Could one rightly say: ‘Now the various kinds of shells, the gravel and pebbles, will never reappear in this pond’?" |
"Certainly not, friend. For it is possible that people will drink from this pond, or that cattle and goats will drink from it, or that wind and the sun's heat will dry up the moisture. Then the various kinds of shells, the gravel and pebbles, will reappear." |
"So too, with the subsiding of thought and examination, some person enters and dwells in the second jhāna …. Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the second jhāna,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus … he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
6(4) "Then, friends, with the fading away as well of rapture, some person … enters and dwells in the third jhāna …. Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the third jhāna,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male and female lay followers, kings and royal ministers, sectarian teachers and their disciples. As he bonds with them and becomes intimate with them, as he loosens up and engages in talk with them, lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
"Suppose that the food left over from the previous evening would not appeal to a man who had finished a delicious meal. Could one rightly say: ‘Now food will never again appeal to this man’?" |
"Certainly not, friend. For more food will not appeal to that man so long as the nutritive essence remains in his body, but when the nutritive essence disappears, it is possible that such food will again appeal to him." |
"So too, with the fading away as well of rapture, some person … enters and dwells in the third jhāna …. Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the third jhāna,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus … he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
7(5) "Then, friends, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain … some person enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna …. Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the fourth jhāna,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male and female lay followers, kings and royal ministers, sectarian teachers and their disciples. As he bonds with them and becomes intimate with them, as he loosens up and talks with them, lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
"Suppose that in a mountain glen there was a lake sheltered from the wind and devoid of waves. Could one rightly say: ‘Now waves will never reappear on this lake’?" |
"Certainly not, friend. For it is possible that a violent rainstorm might come from the east, the west, the north, or the south and stir up waves on the lake." |
"So too, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain … some person here enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna …. Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the fourth jhāna,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus … he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
8(6) "Then, friends, through non-attention to all marks, some person enters and dwells in the markless mental concentration.[n.1391] Animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ. Mp: "All marks are all such marks as permanence and so forth. The markless mental concentration is the concentration of strong insight (balavavipassanāsamādhiṁ)." Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the markless mental concentration,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male and female lay followers, kings and royal ministers, sectarian teachers and their disciples. As he bonds with them and becomes intimate with them, as he loosens up and talks with them, lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. |
"Suppose that a king or royal minister had been traveling along a highway with a four-factored army and set up camp for the night in a forest thicket. Because of the sounds of the elephants, horses, charioteers, and infantry, and the sound and uproar of drums, kettledrums, conches, and tom-toms, the sound of the crickets would disappear. Could one rightly say: ‘Now the sound of the crickets will never reappear in this forest thicket’?" |
"Certainly not, friend. For it is possible that the king or royal minister will leave that forest thicket, and then the sound of the crickets will reappear." |
"So too, through non-attention to all marks, some person here enters and dwells in the markless mental concentration. Thinking, ‘I am one who gains the markless mental concentration,’ he bonds with other bhikkhus … he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life." |
9On a later occasion the Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta gave up the training and returned to the lower life. His bhikkhu friends then approached the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita and said to him: "Did the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita encompass Citta Hatthisāriputta's mind with his own mind and understand: ‘Citta Hatthisāriputta gains such and such meditative dwellings and attainments, yet he will give up the training and return to the lower life’? Or did deities report this matter to him?" |
"Friends, I encompassed Citta Hatthisāriputta's mind with my own mind and understood: ‘Citta Hatthisāriputta gains such and such meditative dwellings and attainments, yet he will give up the training and return to the lower life.’ And also deities reported this matter to me." |
10Then those bhikkhu friends of Citta Hatthisāriputta approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said: "Bhante, Citta Hatthisāriputta gained such and such meditative dwellings and attainments, yet he gave up the training and returned to the lower life." |
"Before long, bhikkhus, Citta will think of renouncing."[n.1392] Sarissati nekkhammassa. Mp: "He will remember the virtues of going forth." |
11Not long afterward, Citta Hatthisāriputta shaved off his hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and went forth from the household life into homelessness. Then, dwelling alone, withdrawn, heedful, ardent, and resolute, in no long time the Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the spiritual life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, he dwelled in it.[n.1393] Mp explains that Citta returned to lay life seven times and went forth seven times. The reason for his instability was that during the time of the Buddha Kassapa he had persuaded a bhikkhu to return to lay life. Therefore, even though he had the supporting conditions for arahantship, because of that kamma he had to move back and forth seven times between lay life and monastic life before attaining arahantship. He directly knew: "Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being." And the Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta became one of the arahants. |