Mahakapāṭihāriyasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 41.4

Linked Discourses 41.4

1. Cittavagga

1. With Citta

Mahakapāṭihāriyasutta

Mahaka’s Demonstration

Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharanti ambāṭakavane.

At one time several senior mendicants 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:

Then Citta the householder went up to them, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to them,

“adhivāsentu me, bhante, therā svātanāya gokule bhattan”ti.

“Sirs, would the senior monks please accept tomorrow’s meal from me in my milkshed?”

Adhivāsesuṁ kho therā bhikkhū tuṇhībhāvena.

They consented with silence.

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

Then, knowing that the senior mendicants had consented, Citta rose 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 mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, went to Citta’s milkshed, and sat down on the seats spread out.

Atha kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū paṇītena sappipāyāsena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.

Then Citta served and satisfied the senior mendicants with his own hands with delicious milk-rice made with ghee.

Atha kho therā bhikkhū bhuttāvino onītapattapāṇino uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.

When the senior mendicants had eaten and washed their hands and bowls, they rose from their seats and left.

Cittopi kho gahapati “sesakaṁ vissajjethā”ti vatvā there bhikkhū piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhi.

Citta instructed that the leftovers of the food be distributed, then followed behind the senior mendicants.

Tena kho pana samayena uṇhaṁ hoti kuthitaṁ;

Now at that time it was boiling hot.

te ca therā bhikkhū paveliyamānena maññe kāyena gacchanti, yathā taṁ bhojanaṁ bhuttāvino.

And those senior mendicants walked along as if their bodies were melting, as happens after a meal.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahako tasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe sabbanavako hoti.

Now at that time Venerable Mahaka was the most junior mendicant in that Saṅgha.

Atha kho āyasmā mahako āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Mahaka said to the senior venerable,

“sādhu khvassa, bhante thera, sītako ca vāto vāyeyya, abbhasampilāpo ca assa, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyeyyā”ti.

“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.

“It would indeed be nice, Reverend Mahaka.”

Atha kho āyasmā mahako tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhari yathā sītako ca vāto vāyi, abbhasampilāpo ca assa, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusi.

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:

Then Citta thought,

“yo kho imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe sabbanavako bhikkhu tassāyaṁ evarūpo iddhānubhāvo”ti.

“The most junior mendicant in this Saṅgha has such psychic power!”

Atha kho āyasmā mahako ārāmaṁ sampāpuṇitvā āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

When they reached the monastery, Mahaka said to the senior venerable,

“alamettāvatā, bhante therā”ti?

“Honorable Senior, is that sufficient?”

“Alamettāvatā, āvuso mahaka.

“That’s sufficient, Reverend Mahaka,

Katamettāvatā, āvuso mahaka.

you’ve done enough

Pūjitamettāvatā, āvuso mahakā”ti.

and offered enough.”

Atha kho therā bhikkhū yathāvihāraṁ agamaṁsu.

Then the senior mendicants entered their dwellings,

Āyasmāpi mahako sakaṁ vihāraṁ agamāsi.

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:

Then Citta went up to Mahaka, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“sādhu me, bhante, ayyo mahako uttari manussadhammaṁ iddhipāṭihāriyaṁ dassetū”ti.

“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.

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-panel, and it burned up the grass but not the upper robe.

Atha kho citto gahapati uttarāsaṅgaṁ papphoṭetvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

Then Citta shook out his upper robe and stood to one side, shocked and awestruck.

Atha kho āyasmā mahako vihārā nikkhamitvā cittaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca:

Mahaka left his dwelling and said to Citta,

“alamettāvatā, gahapatī”ti?

“Is that sufficient, householder?”

“Alamettāvatā, bhante mahaka.

“That’s sufficient, sir,

Katamettāvatā, bhante, mahaka.

you’ve done enough

Pūjitamettāvatā, bhante mahaka.

and offered enough.

Abhiramatu, bhante, ayyo mahako macchikāsaṇḍe.

I hope Master Mahaka is happy here in Macchikāsaṇḍa,

Ramaṇīyaṁ ambāṭakavanaṁ.

for the Wild Mango Grove is lovely.

Ahaṁ ayyassa mahakassa ussukkaṁ karissāmi cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan”ti.

I’ll make sure that Master 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.

But Mahaka set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, left Macchikāsaṇḍa,

Yaṁ macchikāsaṇḍamhā pakkāmi, tathā pakkantova ahosi;

never to return.

na puna paccāgacchīti.

Catutthaṁ.