5.14 The Story about the Edler Sudhamma
Sudhammattheravatthu

“The bad man may wish for respect,” {2.74} this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to the Elder Sudhamma. The story begins at Macchikāsaṇḍa and ends at Sāvatthī.

For a householder named Citta, residing in the city of Macchikāsaṇḍa, observed the Elder Mahānāma, one of the group of five, making his rounds for alms; and pleased with his deportment, took his bowl, invited him into his house, provided him with food, and at the conclusion of the meal listened to the Dhamma and obtained the fruition of Stream-entry.

Now Citta, possessed of immovable faith, desiring to make his own pleasure-garden Ambāṭaka Grove AJ: Ambāṭaka is Amberalla, a wild mango. a place of residence for the Saṅgha, poured water over the right hand of the elder and made the grove over to the Saṅgha. The moment he uttered the words: “The dispensation of the Buddha is firmly established,” the great earth shook to its ocean boundary. The rich man caused a splendid monastery to be erected in the grove, and thereafter the door stood open to bhikkhus who came from all four quarters.

At Macchikāsaṇḍa also resided the Elder Sudhamma.

Some time afterwards, the two Chief Disciples, hearing the rumor of Citta’s good qualities, decided to pay their respects to him and therefore went to Macchikāsaṇḍa. Citta the householder, hearing that they were coming, proceeded forth half a league to meet them, escorted them to the monastery, invited them within, performed the usual duties for visitors, and then made the following request of the Captain of the Dhamma: “Venerable Sir, we desire to listen to a short discourse on the Dhamma.” The elder replied: “Lay disciple, we are weary with the journey; nevertheless listen for a short while.”

Citta, merely by listening to the elder’s discourse on the Dhamma, reached the [29.145] fruition of Non-returning. Then he bowed to the two Chief Disciples and invited them to be his guests, saying: “Venerable Sirs, pray take a meal in my house tomorrow with your thousand bhikkhus.” {2.75} Then he turned to the resident bhikkhu, the Elder Sudhamma, and invited him, saying to him: “Venerable Sir, you also come tomorrow with the elders.” Angry at the thought: “He invited me last,” Sudhamma refused the invitation; and although Citta repeated the invitation again and again, he still refused. The lay disciple said: “Pray be present, venerable Sir,” and went out.

On the following day he prepared splendid offerings in his own residence. Very early in the morning the Elder Sudhamma thought to himself: “What manner of food has the householder prepared for the Chief Disciples? I will go and see.” So very early in the morning he took bowl and robe and went to his house.

“Pray sit down, venerable Sir,” said the householder. “I will not sit down,” replied Sudhamma, “I am about to set out on my rounds for alms.” The elder surveyed the offerings prepared for the Chief Disciples, and seeking to annoy the householder about the varieties of food provided, said: “Householder, your food is most excellent, but there is one thing you have omitted.” – “What is that, venerable Sir?” – “Sesame cake, householder.” Thereupon the householder rebuked him, comparing him to a crow. Angered at this, the elder said: “This is your residence, householder; I will depart.” Three times the householder strove to prevail upon the elder to remain, but each time the latter refused. Finally he left the house, went to the Teacher, and related the words that had passed between Citta and himself.

The Teacher said: “You, an inferior, have insulted a faithful, believing disciple.” Having thus put the blame solely on the elder, the Teacher sent him back to beg pardon of the disciple, saying: “Go beg pardon of Citta the householder.” The elder went to Citta and said: “Householder, it was all my fault; pardon me.” {2.76} But the householder refused to pardon him and said: “I will not pardon you.”

Provoked at his failure to obtain pardon, he returned to the Teacher. The Teacher, although he knew that the householder would pardon Sudhamma, thought: “This elder is stubborn in his pride; now let him go thirty leagues and come back.” And so, without telling him how he might gain pardon, he just dismissed him. The elder returned with pride humbled.

The Teacher then gave the elder a companion and said to the elder: “Go with this companion [29.146] and ask pardon of the householder.” The Teacher said: “An ascetic ought not to give way to pride or ill-will, thinking: ‘This dwelling is mine, this residence is mine, this male disciple is mine, this female disciple is mine.’ For if he so do, ill-will and pride and the other pollutants increase.” And joining the connection and teaching the Dhamma, he pronounced the following verses:

73. Asataṁ bhāvanam-iccheyya, purekkhārañ-ca bhikkhusu,
āvāsesu ca issariyaṁ, pūjā parakulesu ca:

The bad man may wish for respect,
and status amongst monastics,
control in the living quarters,
worship amongst good families:

74. “Mameva kata’ maññantu gihī pabbajitā ubho,
mameva ativasā assu, kiccākiccesu kismici”,
iti bālassa saṅkappo, icchā māno ca vaḍḍhati.

“Householders and renunciants
should both think this was done by me,
let them all be under my sway,
in all to be done and not done,”
so does the fool think, meanwhile
his desires and conceit increase. {2.78}

At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.

After listening to this admonition Elder Sudhamma bowed to the Teacher, rose from his seat, walked clockwise about the Teacher, and then, accompanied by his companion bhikkhu, went within sight of the lay disciple, atoned for his fault, and begged the disciple’s pardon. The lay disciple both pardoned him and in turn asked his pardon, saying: “I pardon you, venerable Sir; if I am to blame, pray pardon me also.” The elder abode steadfast in the admonition given by the Teacher, and in but a few days attained Arahatship together with the analytic knowledges. {2.79}

The lay disciple thought to himself: “Even without seeing the Teacher I have attained the fruition of Stream-entry; even without seeing him I have attained the fruition of Non-returning. I ought to see the Teacher.” So he ordered yoked five hundred carts full of sesame, rice, ghee, sugar, garments, coverlets, and other offerings, and sent word to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, to the Saṅgha of bhikkhunīs, and to the lay disciples both male and female: “Let those who wish to see the Teacher come; they will lack nothing for offerings, whether of food or aught else.”

With him went forth, of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs and lay disciples both male and female, five hundred each. That neither they nor his own retinue, three thousand souls in all, might lack broth or rice or aught else on the thirty-league journey, the householder Citta made ample provision. The Devatās, knowing that he had set out, posted themselves at intervals of a league along the way, and served that great multitude with rice-porridge, hard food, drink, and other necessities; there was no lack of aught for any. Proceeding at the rate of a league a day, waited upon in this manner by Devatās, the householder Citta and his retinue reached Sāvatthī in [29.147] a month. There were five hundred carts filled as described above; and as the householder proceeded, Devatās and men brought presents, which he gave away.

The Teacher addressed Elder Ānanda: “Ānanda, as the shadows of evening draw on, the householder Citta will arrive with five hundred carts and will worship me.” – “Venerable Sir, {2.80} when he pays obeisance to you, will any miracle take place?” – “Yes, Ānanda, a miracle will take place.” – “What miracle, venerable Sir?” – “When he arrives and pays obeisance to me, a rain of celestial flowers will begin and will continue without interruption until a space eight acres in extent is covered with a glistening mass of flowers knee-deep.”

Hearing rumor of this, the residents of the city said: “So great, they say, is the merit of the householder Citta who will today come and worship the Teacher. Such, they say, is the miracle that will take place. We must without fail obtain the privilege of seeing this person of great merit.” So they took presents and stood on both sides of the way.

As the procession approached the monastery, five hundred bhikkhus led the way. The householder Citta said to the eminent female lay disciples: “Mothers, you follow in the rear.” So saying, accompanied by five hundred male lay disciples, he went into the presence of the Teacher. Now those that stand or sit in the presence of the Buddhas move not here and there, but stand on both sides immovable on the path of the Buddhas.

The householder Citta, a Noble Disciple who had attained the three fruitions, entered the path trod by the Buddhas; whereupon every place he looked at trembled. “That must be the householder Citta,” said the multitude and gazed at him. The householder Citta, penetrating the six-colored rays of light of the Buddha, approached the Teacher, and grasping the Teacher’s feet by the two ankles, worshipped him. At that very moment a rain of flowers fell precisely as the Teacher had predicted, and thousands of cries of applause went up.

For one month the householder Citta abode with the Teacher. While he there abode, {2.81} he provided seats for the Saṅgha of bhikkhus presided over by the Buddha within the monastery and bestowed rich offerings upon them. He also housed and cared for within the monastery those that came with him. Not for a single day was it necessary for him to use what he had in his own carts; he performed all his duties of almsgiving solely with the presents brought by Devas and humans.

Finally he worshipped the Teacher [29.148] and said: “Venerable Sir, when I said to myself: ‘I will give alms to you,’ and set out on my journey, I was a month on the way. Here I have spent a month, and I find it impossible to present to you anything which I have myself brought. All this time I have presented to you alms solely of presents brought to me by Devas and humans. Even were I to remain here a year, I should not receive the privilege of bestowing alms of my own upon you. I desire to empty my carts and go; tell me where I can put away the offerings which I have brought.”

The Teacher said to Elder Ānanda: “Ānanda, empty some place for the lay disciple and assign it to him.” The elder did so and is said to have assigned a suitable place to Citta the householder. Then the lay disciple, accompanied by the three thousand persons who had come with him, set out with empty carts on the return journey. Devas and humans arose, saying: “Noble sir, your journey is made with empty carts,” and so saying, filled the carts with the seven kinds of jewels. As Citta the householder returned, he ministered to the needs of the multitude solely with the presents brought to himself.

Elder Ānanda bowed to the Teacher and said: “Venerable Sir, when Citta the householder came here, he occupied a month traveling, spent just a month here, and all that time gave alms solely of presents brought him by Devas and humans. Now, having emptied five hundred carts, he will be an entire month going; but Devas and humans have arisen, {2.82} saying: ‘Noble sir, your journey is made with empty carts,’ and so saying, have filled his carts with the seven kinds of jewels. On the return journey, they say, he will minister to the multitude solely with the presents which have thus been brought to him. Now, venerable Sir, was it solely because he came to visit you, that he received all this honor? Or would he also have received it, had he gone elsewhere?” – “Ānanda, he would have received it just the same, no matter whether he had come to visit me or had gone elsewhere. For this lay disciple is faithful and believing and virtuous. No matter what place such a man resorts to, there, wherever it is, he receives gain and honor.” So saying, the Teacher pronounced the following verse in the Miscellaneous Chapter: AJ: Dhp 21.

Dhp 303. The faithful one who is endowed
with virtue, and has wealth and fame,
whatever place he resorts to,
right there and then he is worshipped. [29.149]

When the Teacher had thus spoken, Elder Ānanda asked about Citta’s deed in a former birth.

14a Story of the Past: Citta’s Deed in a Former Birth

In reply the Teacher said: “Ānanda, Citta the householder made his aspiration at the feet of the Fortunate Padumuttara, and after passing through the round of existences among Devas and humans for 100,000 aeons of time, was reborn in the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa as a hunter.

One rainy day, after he had grown to be a man, he went to hunt in the forest with spear in hand. As he looked this way and that in search of quarry, he saw a certain bhikkhu seated in a natural cave with his upper robe drawn over his head. “This must be some noble one who is seated engaged in meditation,” he thought, “I will bring him food.” So he went home quickly and caused flesh brought the day before to be cooked on one brazier, and rice on another. Then, seeing some bhikkhus going their rounds for alms, he took their bowls also, seated them on seats prepared for the purpose, procured food for them, and invited them in, saying: “Help yourselves, noble sirs.”

Then he ordered additional food to be brought, placed it in a basket, {2.83} and taking it with him, set out. On the way he plucked various kinds of flowers, placed them in a leaf-basket, and went on to the place where the elder sat. “Venerable Sir,” he said, “bestow your favor upon me.” So saying, he took the elder’s bowl, filled it, and placed it in his hand.

Then honoring the elder with those flowers, he made the following aspiration: “Even as this portion of choice food, together with the gift of flowers, has pleased my heart, even so, in the various places where I shall be reborn, may my heart rejoice over the thousands of presents which I shall receive, and may rain of the five kinds of flowers rain upon my head.”

During the term of life allotted to him he performed works of merit, and after his death he was reborn in the Deva Realm. In the place where he was reborn celestial flowers rained upon him knee-deep. In his present existence, both on the day of his birth and on the day when he came here, a rain of flowers rained upon him and presents were offered to him and his carts were filled with the seven kinds of jewels. This was the result solely of his deed in a former birth.