6: The Book of the Sixes
VI. The Great Chapter — AN 6.60: With Hatthisāriputta
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Benares, in the deer park at Isipatana.
Now at that time several senior mendicants, after the meal, on their return from alms-round, sat together in the pavilion talking about the teachings. Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta interrupted them while they were talking.
Then Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita said to Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta:
“Venerable, please don’t interrupt the senior mendicants while they’re talking about the teachings. Wait until the end of the discussion.”
When he said this, Citta Hatthisāriputta’s companions said to Mahākoṭṭhita: “Venerable, please don’t rebuke Citta Hatthisāriputta. He is astute, and quite capable of talking about the teachings with the senior mendicants.”
2“It’s not easy to know this, reverends, for those who don’t comprehend another’s mind.
Take a person who is the sweetest of the sweet, the most unruffled of the unruffled, the calmest of the calm, so long as they live relying on the Teacher or a spiritual companion in a teacher’s role. But when they’re separated from the Teacher or a spiritual companion in a teacher’s role, they mix closely with monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; with rulers and their ministers, and with teachers of other paths and their followers. As they mix closely, they become intimate and loose, spending time chatting, and so lust infects their mind. They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
3Suppose an ox fond of crops was tied up or shut in a pen. Would it be right to say that that ox will never again invade the crops?”
“No it would not, reverend. For it’s quite possible that that ox will snap the ropes or break out of the pen, and then invade the crops.”
“In the same way, take a person who is the sweetest of the sweet … As they mix closely, they become intimate and loose, spending time chatting, and so lust infects their mind. They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
4Take the case of a person who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and remains in the first absorption. Thinking, ‘I get the first absorption!’ they mix closely with monks … They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
Suppose it was raining heavily at the crossroads so that the dust vanished and mud appeared. Would it be right to say that now dust will never appear at this crossroad again?”
“No it would not, reverend. For it is quite possible that people or cattle and so on will cross over the crossroad, or that the wind and sun will evaporate the moisture so that the dust appears again.”
“In the same way, take the case of a person who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and remains in the first absorption. Thinking, ‘I get the first absorption!’ they mix closely with monks … They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
5Take another case of a mendicant who, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled … enters and remains in the second absorption. Thinking, ‘I get the second absorption!’ they mix closely with monks … They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
Suppose there was a large pond not far from a town or village. After it rained heavily there the clams and mussels, and pebbles and gravel would vanish. Would it be right to say that now the clams and mussels, and pebbles and gravel will never appear here again?”
“No it would not, reverend. For it’s quite possible that people or cattle and so on will drink from the pond, or that the wind and sun will evaporate it so that the clams and mussels, and pebbles and gravel appear again.”
“In the same way, take another case of a mendicant who, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled … enters and remains in the second absorption. Thinking, ‘I get the second absorption!’ they mix closely with monks … They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
6Take the case of another person who, with the fading away of rapture … enters and remains in the third absorption. Thinking, ‘I get the third absorption!’ they mix closely with monks … They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
Suppose a person had finished a delicious meal. They’d have no appetite for leftovers. Would it be right to say that now food will never appeal to this person again?”
“No it would not, reverend. For it’s quite possible that other food won’t appeal to that person as long as the nourishment is still present. But when the nourishment vanishes food will appeal again.”
“In the same way, take the case of a person who, with the fading away of rapture … enters and remains in the third absorption. Thinking, ‘I get the third absorption!’ they mix closely with monks … They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
7Take the case of another person who, giving up pleasure and pain … enters and remains in the fourth absorption. Thinking, ‘I get the fourth absorption!’ they mix closely with monks … They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
Suppose that in a mountain glen there was a lake, unruffled and free of waves. Would it be right to say that now waves will never appear in this lake again?”
“No it would not, reverend. For it is quite possible that a violent storm could blow up out of the east, west, north, or south, and stir up waves in that lake.”
“In the same way, take the case of a person who, giving up pleasure and pain … enters and remains in the fourth absorption. Thinking, ‘I get the fourth absorption!’ they mix closely with monks … They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
8Take the case of another person who, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart. Thinking, ‘I get the signless immersion of the heart!’ they mix closely with monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; with rulers and their ministers, and with teachers of other paths and their followers. As they mix closely, they become intimate and loose, spending time chatting, and so lust infects their mind. They reject the training and return to a lesser life.
Suppose a ruler or their minister, while walking along the road with an army of four divisions, was to arrive at a forest grove where they set up camp for the night. There, because of the noise of the elephants, horses, chariots, soldiers, and the drums, kettledrums, horns, and cymbals, the chirping of crickets would vanish. Would it be right to say that now the chirping of crickets will never be heard in this woodland grove again?”
“No it would not, reverend. For it is quite possible that the ruler or their minister will depart from that woodland grove so that the chirping of crickets will be heard there again.”
“In the same way, take the case of a person who, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart … They reject the training and return to a lesser life.”
9Then after some time Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta rejected the training and returned to a lesser life. Then the mendicants who were his companions went up to Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita and said: “Did Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita comprehend Citta Hatthisāriputta’s mind and know that he had gained such and such meditative attainments, yet he would still reject the training and return to a lesser life? Or did deities tell you about it?”
“Reverends, I comprehended his mind and knew this. And deities also told me.”
10Then the mendicants who were Citta Hatthisāriputta’s companions went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, Citta Hatthisāriputta, who had gained such and such meditative attainments, has still rejected the training and returned to a lesser life.”
“Mendicants, soon Citta will remember renunciation.”
11And not long after Citta Hatthisāriputta shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and went forth from the lay life to homelessness. Then Citta Hatthisāriputta, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.” And Venerable Citta Hatthisāriputta became one of the perfected.
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye.
Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā therā bhikkhū pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnā sannipatitā abhidhammakathaṁ kathenti. Tatra sudaṁ āyasmā citto hatthisāriputto therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ abhidhammakathaṁ kathentānaṁ antarantarā kathaṁ opāteti.
Atha kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko āyasmantaṁ cittaṁ hatthisāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
"māyasmā citto hatthisāriputto therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ abhidhammakathaṁ kathentānaṁ antarantarā kathaṁ opātesi, yāva kathāpariyosānaṁ āyasmā citto āgametū"ti.
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmato cittassa hatthisāriputtassa sahāyakā bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ mahākoṭṭhikaṁ etadavocuṁ: "māyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko āyasmantaṁ cittaṁ hatthisāriputtaṁ apasādesi, paṇḍito āyasmā citto hatthisāriputto. Pahoti cāyasmā citto hatthisāriputto therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ abhidhammakathaṁ kathetun"ti.
2"Dujjānaṁ kho etaṁ, āvuso, parassa cetopariyāyaṁ ajānantehi.
Idhāvuso, ekacco puggalo tāvadeva soratasorato hoti, nivātanivāto hoti, upasantupasanto hoti, yāva satthāraṁ upanissāya viharati aññataraṁ vā garuṭṭhāniyaṁ sabrahmacāriṁ. Yato ca kho so vapakassateva satthārā, vapakassati garuṭṭhāniyehi sabrahmacārīhi, so saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi raññā rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Tassa saṁsaṭṭhassa vissatthassa pākatassa bhassamanuyuttassa viharato rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.
3Seyyathāpi, āvuso, goṇo kiṭṭhādo dāmena vā baddho vaje vā oruddho. Yo nu kho, āvuso, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Na dānāyaṁ goṇo kiṭṭhādo punadeva kiṭṭhaṁ otarissatī’ti, sammā nu kho so, āvuso, vadamāno vadeyyā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, āvuso". "Ṭhānañhetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati, yaṁ so goṇo kiṭṭhādo dāmaṁ vā chetvā vajaṁ vā bhinditvā, atha punadeva kiṭṭhaṁ otareyyāti.
Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, idhekacco puggalo tāvadeva soratasorato hoti, nivātanivāto hoti, upasantupasanto hoti yāva satthāraṁ upanissāya viharati aññataraṁ vā garuṭṭhāniyaṁ sabrahmacāriṁ. Yato ca kho so vapakassateva satthārā, vapakassati garuṭṭhāniyehi sabrahmacārīhi, so saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi raññā rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Tassa saṁsaṭṭhassa vissatthassa pākatassa bhassamanuyuttassa viharato rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. (1)
4Idha panāvuso, ekacco puggalo vivicceva kāmehi … pe … paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi paṭhamassa jhānassā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi … pe … sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, cātumahāpathe thullaphusitako devo vassanto rajaṁ antaradhāpeyya, cikkhallaṁ pātukareyya. Yo nu kho, āvuso, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Na dāni amusmiṁ cātumahāpathe punadeva rajo pātubhavissatī’ti, sammā nu kho so, āvuso, vadamāno vadeyyā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, āvuso". "Ṭhānañhetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati, yaṁ amusmiṁ cātumahāpathe manussā vā atikkameyyuṁ, gopasū vā atikkameyyuṁ, vātātapo vā snehagataṁ pariyādiyeyya, atha punadeva rajo pātubhaveyyāti.
Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, idhekacco puggalo vivicceva kāmehi … pe … paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi paṭhamassa jhānassā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi … pe … sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. (2)
5Idha panāvuso, ekacco puggalo vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā … pe … dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi dutiyassa jhānassā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi … pe … sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahantaṁ taḷākaṁ. Tattha thullaphusitako devo vuṭṭho sippisambukampi sakkharakaṭhalampi antaradhāpeyya. Yo nu kho, āvuso, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Na dāni amusmiṁ taḷāke punadeva sippisambukā vā sakkharakaṭhalā vā pātubhavissantī’ti, sammā nu kho so, āvuso, vadamāno vadeyyā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, āvuso". "Ṭhānañhetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati, yaṁ amusmiṁ taḷāke manussā vā piveyyuṁ, gopasū vā piveyyuṁ, vātātapo vā snehagataṁ pariyādiyeyya, atha punadeva sippisambukāpi sakkharakaṭhalāpi pātubhaveyyunti.
Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, idhekacco puggalo vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā … pe … dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi dutiyassa jhānassā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi … pe … sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. (3)
6Idha panāvuso, ekacco puggalo pītiyā ca virāgā … pe … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi tatiyassa jhānassā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi … pe … sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, purisaṁ paṇītabhojanaṁ bhuttāviṁ ābhidosikaṁ bhojanaṁ nacchādeyya. Yo nu kho, āvuso, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Na dāni amuṁ purisaṁ punadeva bhojanaṁ chādessatī’ti, sammā nu kho so, āvuso, vadamāno vadeyyā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, āvuso". "Ṭhānañhetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati, amuṁ purisaṁ paṇītabhojanaṁ bhuttāviṁ yāvassa sā ojā kāye ṭhassati tāva na aññaṁ bhojanaṁ chādessati. Yato ca khvassa sā ojā antaradhāyissati, atha punadeva taṁ bhojanaṁ chādeyyāti.
Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, idhekacco puggalo pītiyā ca virāgā … pe … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi tatiyassa jhānassā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi … pe … sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. (4)
7Idha, panāvuso, ekacco puggalo sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā … pe … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi catutthassa jhānassā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi … pe … sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, pabbatasaṅkhepe udakarahado nivāto vigataūmiko. Yo nu kho, āvuso, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Na dāni amusmiṁ udakarahade punadeva ūmi pātubhavissatī’ti, sammā nu kho so, āvuso, vadamāno vadeyyā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, āvuso". "Ṭhānañhetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati, yā puratthimāya disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi. Sā tasmiṁ udakarahade ūmiṁ janeyya. Yā pacchimāya disāya āgaccheyya … pe … yā uttarāya disāya āgaccheyya … yā dakkhiṇāya disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi. Sā tasmiṁ udakarahade ūmiṁ janeyyāti.
Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, idhekacco puggalo sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā … pe … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi catutthassa jhānassā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi … pe … sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. (5)
8Idha, panāvuso, ekacco puggalo sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi animittassa cetosamādhissā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi raññā rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Tassa saṁsaṭṭhassa vissatthassa pākatassa bhassamanuyuttassa viharato rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, rājā vā rājamahāmatto vā caturaṅginiyā senāya addhānamaggappaṭipanno aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe ekarattiṁ vāsaṁ upagaccheyya. Tatra hatthisaddena assasaddena rathasaddena pattisaddena bheripaṇavasaṅkhatiṇavaninnādasaddena cīrikasaddo antaradhāyeyya. Yo nu kho, āvuso, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Na dāni amusmiṁ vanasaṇḍe punadeva cīrikasaddo pātubhavissatī’ti, sammā nu kho so, āvuso, vadamāno vadeyyā"ti?
"No hidaṁ, āvuso". "Ṭhānañhetaṁ, āvuso, vijjati, yaṁ so rājā vā rājamahāmatto vā tamhā vanasaṇḍā pakkameyya, atha punadeva cīrikasaddo pātubhaveyyāti.
Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, idhekacco puggalo sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati. So ‘lābhimhi animittassa cetosamādhissā’ti saṁsaṭṭho viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi raññā rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Tassa saṁsaṭṭhassa vissatthassa pākatassa bhassamanuyuttassa viharato rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattatī"ti. (6)
9Atha kho āyasmā citto hatthisāriputto aparena samayena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. Atha kho cittassa hatthisāriputtassa sahāyakā bhikkhū yenāyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākoṭṭhikaṁ etadavocuṁ: "Kiṁ nu kho āyasmatā mahākoṭṭhikena citto hatthisāriputto cetasā ceto paricca vidito: ‘imāsañca imāsañca vihārasamāpattīnaṁ citto hatthisāriputto lābhī, atha ca pana sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatī’ti; udāhu devatā etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ: ‘citto, bhante, hatthisāriputto imāsañca imāsañca vihārasamāpattīnaṁ lābhī, atha ca pana sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatī’"ti?
"Cetasā ceto paricca vidito me, āvuso: ‘citto hatthisāriputto imāsañca imāsañca vihārasamāpattīnaṁ lābhī, atha ca pana sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatī’ti. Devatāpi me etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ: ‘citto, bhante, hatthisāriputto imāsañca imāsañca vihārasamāpattīnaṁ lābhī, atha ca pana sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatī’"ti.
10Atha kho cittassa hatthisāriputtassa sahāyakā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "citto, bhante, hatthisāriputto imāsañca imāsañca vihārasamāpattīnaṁ lābhī, atha ca pana sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattatī"ti.
"Na, bhikkhave, citto ciraṁ sarissati nekkhammassā"ti.
11Atha kho citto hatthisāriputto nacirasseva kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbaji. Atha kho āyasmā citto hatthisāriputto eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva – yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ – brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.
"Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro ca panāyasmā citto hatthisāriputto arahataṁ ahosīti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.