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 4
Mahaka Suttaṃ
Mahaka
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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Once a number of elder brethren were staying at Macchikasaṇḍa
in Wild Mango Grove.
Then Citta, the housefather, went to visit those elder [197] 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,
with his own hand
served the elder brethren
with choice butter and milk-rice
till they had eaten enough.
Now when the elder brethren had eaten their fill
and withdrawn hand from bowl
they rose from their seats
and went away.
And Citta, the housefather,
saying:
"Gather up the remains,"[1]
followed in the steps of the elder brethren.
Now on that occasion
there was a sweltering[2] heat,
and the elder brethren walked
with bodies melting away,[3] methinks,
since they had eaten well of the meal.
And at that time
the venerable Mahaka was the junior
of that company of brethren.
Then said the venerable Mahaka
to the venerable Chief Elder: -
"It were well, my lord Chief,
if a cool wind should blow
and there were a thunderstorm
and the sky should rain down drop by drop."[4]
"It were indeed well, friend Mahaka,
if a cool wind should blow
and there were a thunderstorm
and the sky should rain down drop by drop."
Thereupon the venerable Mahaka so wrought by magic [198] power that a cool wind blew
and there was a thunderstorm
and the sky rained down drop by drop.
Now Citta, the housefather, had this thought:
"Why, even the junior of this company of brethren
has such magic power!"
Now when the venerable Mahaka reached the Pleasance
he said to the venerable chief elder:
"Enough of this, lord!"
"Yes, friend Mahaka,
enough of this!
You have done enough.
Service enough[5] has heen done, friend Mahaka."
So the elder brethren went to the residence,
but the venerable Mahaka went to his own lodging.
Then Citta, the housefather, came to see the venerable Mahaka,
saluted him
and sat down at one side.
So seated, Citta, the housefather,
said to the venerable Mahaka: -
"Well for me, sir,
if the worthy Mahaka would show me something superhuman,
some miracle of magic."
"Then, housefather,
do you put a cloak on the verandah
and scatter[6] a bundle of grass."
"Very well, sir,"
said Citta, the housefather,
and did as he was bidden.
Then the venerable Mahaka went into his lodging
and shot the bolt of the door,
and so wrought by magic power
that a flame came through the keyhole
and the parts about the door-bar
and set the grass on fire
but not the cloak.
Then Citta, the housefather,
in alarm,
with hair on end,
beat out the cloak
and stood aside.
Then the venerable Mahaka came out of his lodging
and said to Citta, the housefather:
"Enough of this, housefather!"
"Yes, my lord Mahaka,
enough of this!
Enough has been done, my lord Mahaka.
Enough service has been done, my lord Mahaka.
Let my lord, the worthy Mahaka,
take his pleasure in Macchikasaṇḍa.
Delightful is Wild Mango Grove.
I will do my best to supply the worthy Mahaka
with the requisites of robes
and alms,
and lodging,
comforts
and medicines in time of sickness."
"That is kindly said, housefather."
Then the venerable Mahaka,
having set his lodging in order, [199]
took bowl and outer robe
and left Macchikasaṇḍa, and in thus departing from Macchikasaṇḍa
he was gone for good
and came not back again.[7]
[1] Vissajjetha. Comy. reads vissajjetvā.
[2] Text kuṭṭhita, wrongly, I think, for Sinh. MSS of text and Comy. on text read kikiṭa and kīkiṭa (see Dict.), which Comy. explains as kuṭhita, heṭṭhā santatta-vālikāya, upari ātāpena carati, tikhiṇan ti atthoo ('hot sand below and burning heat above'), adding: 'anyhow, this word (pada) is in the ungarbled Tipiṭaka-teaching of the Buddha.'
[3] Paveliyamānena. Comy. says apavilīyamānena.
[4] Cf. K.S. i, 129 n.
[5] Pūjitam ettāvatā.
[6] Okāsehi = vippakiri. Comy.
[7] Such iddhi, purely to impress, is strongly censured. Vinaya Texts, iii, 80.
