Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
41. Citta Saṃyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
41. Kindred Sayings about Citta
Sutta 2
Paṭhama Isidatta Suttaṃ
Isidatta (i)
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once a number of elder[1] brethren were staying at Macchikasaṇḍa
in Wild Mango Grove.
Then Citta, the housefather, went to visit those elder Brethren,
and on coming to them
saluted them
and sat down at one side.
So seated Citta, the housefather, said to those elder brethren:
"Let my lords the elders accept of me tomorrow's meal."
And those elder brethren accepted by silence.
Thereupon Citta, the housefather,
understanding the acceptance of those elder Brethren,
rose from his seat,
saluted the elder brethren by the right
and went away.
Now the elder Brethren, when the night was gone,
robed themselves at early dawn,
and taking bowl and outer robe
went to the dwelling of Citta, the housefather,
and on reaching it
sat down on seats prepared.
Then Citta, the housefather, came to those elder Brethren,
and saluting them
sat down at one side.
So seated, Citta, the housefather,
said to the venerable (chief) elder: -[2]
"They say, lord:
'Diversity of elements,
diversity of elements.'[3]
Pray, lord, how far was diversity of elements
spoken of by the Exalted One?"
At these words
the venerable chief elder was silent.
■
Then a second time did Citta, the housefather,
say to the venerable (chief) elder: -
"They say, lord:
'Diversity of elements,
diversity of elements.'
Pray, lord, how far was diversity of elements
spoken of by the Exalted One?"
And a second time,
at these words
the venerable chief elder was silent.
■
Then a third time did Citta, the housefather,
say to the venerable (chief) elder: -
"They say, lord:
'Diversity of elements,
diversity of elements.'
Pray, lord, how far was diversity of elements
spoken of by the Exalted One?"
And a third time,
at these words
the venerable chief elder was silent.
§
Now on that occasion the venerable Isidatta
was the junior of all[4] that order of brethren.
Then the venerable Isidatta
said to the venerable chief elder: -
[193] "My lord, may I reply
to this question of Citta, the housefather?"
"Do you reply, Isidatta,
to the question of Citta, the housefather."
[Then said the venerable Isidatta]:
"You question thus, do you not, housefather:
'Diversity of elements,
diversity of elements'
is the saying';
and you ask:
'How far was diversity of elements
spoken of by the Exalted One?'"
"I do, lord."
"Well, housefather, this was said
of diversity of elements
by the Exalted One:
'The element of eye,
the element of body,[ed1]
the element of eye-consciousness,
■
'The element of ear,
the element of sounds,
the element of ear-consciousness,
■
The element of nose,
the element of scents,
the element of nose-consciousness,
■
The element of tongue,
the element of savours,
the element of tongue-consciousness,
■
The element of body,
the element of tangibles,
the element of body-consciousness,
■
The element of mind,
the element of mind-states,
the element of mind-consciousness.'
■
Thus far, housefather,
did the Exalted One speak
of the diversity of elements."
§
Thereupon Citta, the housefather, was glad
of what was said by the venerable Isidatta
and welcomed it.
Then with his own hand
he served and satisfied those elder brethren
with food both hard and soft.
And those elder Brethren,
having eaten their fill,
withdrew their hands from their bowls,[5]
rose up
and went away.
Then the venerable chief elder
said to the venerable Isidatta: -
"Well for you, friend,
that this question arose.
This question did not occur to me.
Therefore, friend Isidatta,
if on another occasion such a question arises,
do you reply in like manner."
[1] Thero (sthavira) a term usually applied to a bhikkhu of ten years' standing.
[2] Text prints thera with, a capital, but it is unlikely that a bhikkhu would have or assume such a name. Comy. says 'the eldest mahā-thera.' The title, in Ceylon, is applied to the incumbent of a vihāra, while mahā-nāyaka-thera is the name of a head of a sect. Cf. A.A. 387.
[3] Cf. S. ii, 140 and supra. xxxv, 129.
[4] Sabba-navaka, 'novice of all.'
[5] Onīta-patta-pāṇiṇo. The phrase is usually explained by Comy. as here translated. (See Pāli Dict.) But on this passage Comy. remarks, 'withdrawing the hand from the bowl, washing hand and bowl, putting the bowl in its sling' Cf. DA. 277; SnA. 456; VdA. 242.
[ed1] Rūpa-dhātu. 'Form' or 'Shape' - data = visible object; usually translated by Woodward as 'object'. Thranslating here as 'body' is specially 'unfortunate' in this list where 'kāya' 'body' is one of the sense data.
