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 41.4 Mahaka’s Demonstration

Linked Discourses 41.4 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 41.4

1. With Citta – 1. Cittavagga

SN 41.4 Mahaka’s Demonstration – Mahakapāṭihāriyasutta

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 in my barn.”

“adhivāsentu me, bhante therā, svātanāya gokule 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 barn, and sat down on the seats spread out.

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

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

Atha kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū paṇītena sappipāyāsena 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.

Citta instructed that the remainder of the food be distributed, then followed behind the senior bhikkhū.

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

Now at that time the heat was sweltering.

Tena kho pana samayena uṇhaṁ hoti kuthitaṁ;

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

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

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

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahako tasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe sabbanavako hoti.

Then Venerable Mahaka said to the senior venerable,

Atha kho āyasmā mahako āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

“Wouldn’t it be nice, sir, if a cool wind blew, a cloud canopy formed, and a gentle rain drizzled down?”

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

“It would indeed be nice, Reverend Mahaka.”

“Sādhu khvassa, āvuso mahaka, yaṁ sītako ca vāto vāyeyya, abbhasampilāpo ca assa, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyeyyā”ti.

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

Then Citta thought,

Atha kho cittassa gahapatino etadahosi:

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

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

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

Atha kho āyasmā mahako ārāmaṁ sampāpuṇitvā āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, is that sufficient?”

“alamettāvatā, bhante therā”ti?

“That’s sufficient, Reverend Mahaka,

“Alamettāvatā, āvuso mahaka.

you’ve done enough

Katamettāvatā, āvuso mahaka.

and offered enough.”

Pūjitamettāvatā, āvuso mahakā”ti.

Then the senior bhikkhū entered their dwellings,

Atha kho therā bhikkhū yathāvihāraṁ agamaṁsu.

and Mahaka entered his own dwelling.

Āyasmāpi mahako sakaṁ vihāraṁ agamāsi.

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

Atha kho citto gahapati yenāyasmā mahako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahakaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ mahakaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, please show me a superhuman demonstration of psychic power.”

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

“Well, then, householder, place your upper robe on the porch and spread a handful of grass on it.”

“Tena hi tvaṁ, gahapati, ālinde uttarāsaṅgaṁ paññapetvā tiṇakalāpaṁ okāsehī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” replied Citta, and did as he was asked.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati āyasmato mahakassa paṭissutvā ālinde uttarāsaṅgaṁ paññapetvā tiṇakalāpaṁ okāsesi.

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

Atha kho āyasmā mahako vihāraṁ pavisitvā sūcighaṭikaṁ datvā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhari yathā tālacchiggaḷena ca aggaḷantarikāya ca acci nikkhamitvā tiṇāni jhāpesi, uttarāsaṅgaṁ na jhāpesi.

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

Atha kho citto gahapati uttarāsaṅgaṁ papphoṭetvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

Mahaka left his dwelling and said to Citta,

Atha kho āyasmā mahako vihārā nikkhamitvā cittaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca:

“Is that sufficient, householder?”

“alamettāvatā, gahapatī”ti?

“That’s sufficient, sir,

“Alamettāvatā, bhante mahaka.

you’ve done enough

Katamettāvatā, bhante, mahaka.

and offered enough.

Pūjitamettāvatā, bhante mahaka.

I hope Venerable Mahaka is happy here in Macchikāsaṇḍa,

Abhiramatu, bhante, ayyo mahako macchikāsaṇḍe.

for the Wild Mango Grove is lovely.

Ramaṇīyaṁ ambāṭakavanaṁ.

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

Ahaṁ ayyassa mahakassa ussukkaṁ karissāmi cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan”ti.

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

“Kalyāṇaṁ vuccati, gahapatī”ti.

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

Atha kho āyasmā mahako senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya macchikāsaṇḍamhā pakkāmi.

never to return.

Yaṁ macchikāsaṇḍamhā pakkāmi, tathā pakkantova ahosi;

na puna paccāgacchīti.