SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 41 Connected Discourses with Citta the Householder – Cittasaṁyutta > SN 41.3 With Isidatta (2nd)

Linked Discourses 41.3 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 41.3

1. With Citta – 1. Cittavagga

SN 41.3 With Isidatta (2nd) – Dutiyaisidattasutta

At one time several senior bhikkhū were staying near Macchikāsaṇḍa in the Wild Mango Grove.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharanti ambāṭakavane.

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

Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū etadavoca:

“Sirs, may the senior bhikkhū please accept my offering of tomorrow’s meal.”

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

They consented in silence.

Adhivāsesuṁ kho therā bhikkhū tuṇhībhāvena.

Then, knowing that the senior bhikkhū had consented, Citta got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled them, keeping them on his right, before leaving.

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

Then when the night had passed, the senior bhikkhū robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, went to Citta’s home, and sat down on the seats spread out.

Atha kho therā bhikkhū tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena cittassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdiṁsu.

So he went up to them, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the senior venerable:

Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, there are many different views that arise in the world. For example:

“yā imā, bhante thera, anekavihitā diṭṭhiyo loke uppajjanti:

the cosmos is eternal, or not eternal, or finite, or infinite; the soul and the body are the same thing, or they are different things; after death, a Realized One exists, or doesn’t exist, or both exists and doesn’t exist, or neither exists nor doesn’t exist.

‘sassato lokoti vā, asassato lokoti vā, antavā lokoti vā, anantavā lokoti vā, taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīranti vā, aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīranti vā, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā.

And also the sixty-two misconceptions spoken of in the Prime Net Discourse.

Yāni cimāni dvāsaṭṭhi diṭṭhigatāni brahmajāle bhaṇitāni;

When what exists do these views come to be? When what doesn’t exist do these views not come to be?”

imā nu kho, bhante, diṭṭhiyo kismiṁ sati honti, kismiṁ asati na hontī”ti?

When he said this, the senior venerable kept silent.

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.

For a second time …

Dutiyampi kho citto gahapati …pe…

And for a third time, Citta said to him:

tatiyampi kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, there are many different views that arise in the world. …

“yā imā, bhante thera, anekavihitā diṭṭhiyo loke uppajjanti—

sassato lokoti vā, asassato lokoti vā, antavā lokoti vā, anantavā lokoti vā, taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīranti vā, aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīranti vā, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā.

Yāni cimāni dvāsaṭṭhi diṭṭhigatāni brahmajāle bhaṇitāni;

When what exists do these views come to be? When what doesn’t exist do these views not come to be?”

imā nu kho, bhante, diṭṭhiyo kismiṁ sati honti, kismiṁ asati na hontī”ti?

And a second time and a third time the senior venerable kept silent.

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.

Now at that time Venerable Isidatta was the most junior bhikkhu in that Saṅgha.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā isidatto tasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe sabbanavako hoti.

He said to the senior venerable,

Atha kho āyasmā isidatto āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, may I answer Citta’s question?”

“byākaromahaṁ, bhante thera, cittassa gahapatino etaṁ pañhan”ti?

“Answer it, Reverend Isidatta.”

“Byākarohi tvaṁ, āvuso isidatta, cittassa gahapatino etaṁ pañhan”ti.

“Householder, is this your question:

“Evañhi tvaṁ, gahapati, pucchasi:

‘There are many different views that arise in the world …

‘yā imā, bhante thera, anekavihitā diṭṭhiyo loke uppajjanti—

sassato lokoti vā …pe…;

When what exists do these views come to be? When what doesn’t exist do these views not come to be?’’

imā nu kho, bhante, diṭṭhiyo kismiṁ sati honti, kismiṁ asati na hontī’”ti?

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Householder, there are many different views that arise in the world. For example:

“Yā imā, gahapati, anekavihitā diṭṭhiyo loke uppajjanti:

‘sassato lokoti vā, asassato lokoti vā, antavā lokoti vā anantavā lokoti vā, taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīranti vā, aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīranti vā, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā.

And also the sixty-two misconceptions spoken of in the Prime Net Discourse.

Yāni cimāni dvāsaṭṭhi diṭṭhigatāni brahmajāle bhaṇitāni;

These views come to be when identity view exists. When identity view does not exist they do not come to be.”

imā kho, gahapati, diṭṭhiyo sakkāyadiṭṭhiyā sati honti, sakkāyadiṭṭhiyā asati na hontī’”ti.

“But sir, how does identity view come about?”

“Kathaṁ pana, bhante, sakkāyadiṭṭhi hotī”ti?

“It’s when an uneducated ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen good persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the good persons.

“Idha, gahapati, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto

They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.

rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ;

They regard feeling …

vedanaṁ attato samanupassati …pe…

perception …

saññaṁ …

saṅkhāra …

saṅkhāre …

consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.

viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.

That’s how identity view comes about.”

Evaṁ kho, gahapati, sakkāyadiṭṭhi hotī”ti.

“But sir, how does identity view not come about?”

“Kathaṁ pana, bhante, sakkāyadiṭṭhi na hotī”ti?

“It’s when an educated noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen good persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the good persons.

“Idha, gahapati, sutavā ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto

They don’t regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.

na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā rūpaṁ, na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ;

They don’t regard feeling …

na vedanaṁ …

perception …

na saññaṁ …

saṅkhāra …

na saṅkhāre …

consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.

na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā viññāṇaṁ, na viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.

That’s how identity view does not come about.”

Evaṁ kho, gahapati, sakkāyadiṭṭhi na hotī”ti.

“Sir, where has Venerable Isidatta come from?”

“Kuto, bhante, ayyo isidatto āgacchatī”ti?

“I come from Avanti, householder.”

“Avantiyā kho, gahapati, āgacchāmī”ti.

“Sir, there’s a friend of mine called Isidatta who I’ve never met. He’s gone forth from a good family in Avanti.

“Atthi, bhante, avantiyā isidatto nāma kulaputto amhākaṁ adiṭṭhasahāyo pabbajito?

Have you met him?”

Diṭṭho so āyasmatā”ti?

“Yes, householder.”

“Evaṁ, gahapatī”ti.

“Sir, where is that venerable now staying?”

“Kahaṁ nu kho so, bhante, āyasmā etarahi viharatī”ti?

When he said this, Isidatta kept silent.

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā isidatto tuṇhī ahosi.

“Sir, are you that Isidatta?”

“Ayyo no, bhante, isidatto”ti?

“Yes, householder.”

“Evaṁ, gahapatī”ti.

“Sir, I hope Venerable Isidatta is happy here in Macchikāsaṇḍa,

“Abhiramatu, bhante, ayyo isidatto macchikāsaṇḍe.

for the Wild Mango Grove is lovely.

Ramaṇīyaṁ ambāṭakavanaṁ.

I’ll make sure that Venerable Isidatta is provided with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.”

Ahaṁ ayyassa isidattassa ussukkaṁ karissāmi cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan”ti.

“That’s nice of you to say, householder.”

“Kalyāṇaṁ vuccati, gahapatī”ti.

Then Citta, having approved and agreed with what Isidatta said, served and satisfied the senior bhikkhū with his own hands with a variety of delicious foods.

Atha kho citto gahapati āyasmato isidattassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā there bhikkhū paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.

When the senior bhikkhū had eaten and washed their hands and bowls, they got up from their seats and left.

Atha kho therā bhikkhū bhuttāvino onītapattapāṇino uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.

Then the senior venerable said to Venerable Isidatta,

Atha kho āyasmā thero āyasmantaṁ isidattaṁ etadavoca:

“Isidatta, it’s good that you felt inspired to answer that question, because I didn’t.

“sādhu kho taṁ, āvuso isidatta, eso pañho paṭibhāsi.

Neso pañho maṁ paṭibhāsi.

So when a similar question comes up, you should also answer it as you feel inspired.”

Tenahāvuso isidatta, yadā aññathāpi evarūpo pañho āgaccheyya, taññevettha paṭibhāseyyā”ti.

But Isidatta set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, left Macchikasaṇḍa,

Atha kho āyasmā isidatto senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya macchikāsaṇḍamhā pakkāmi.

never to return.

Yaṁ macchikāsaṇḍamhā pakkāmi, tathā pakkantova ahosi, na puna paccāgacchīti.