Desire For Pre-Eminence & The Ignorant Are Ego-Centred
The Story of Citta the Householder
Chapter 5: Fools • Verse 15
The Story of Citta the Householder
Chapter 5: Fools • Verse 15
"Let both laymen and monks think that it was done by me. In every work, great and small, let them follow me" — such is the ambition of the fool; thus his desire and pride increase.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke these verses with reference to Venerable Sudhamma and Citta the householder.
In the city of Macchikasanda, a householder named Citta saw Venerable Mahanama, one of the band of five, on his alms-round. Pleased with his bearing, Citta took his bowl, invited him home, served him food, and after the meal listened to the Dhamma and attained stream-entry.
With unshakable faith, Citta wished to give his pleasure garden, the Ambatthaka Grove, as a dwelling for the Sangha. He poured water over the Venerable's right hand to dedicate it, and the moment he declared that the Buddha's teaching was firmly established, the earth shook to its ocean boundary.
Citta then had a splendid monastery built in the grove, and from then on its doors were open to monks from all four quarters. Venerable Sudhamma also lived at Macchikasanda.
Some time later, hearing of Citta's virtues, the two Chief Disciples came to Macchikasanda to visit him. Citta went half a league to meet them, escorted them to the monastery, attended to them as guests, and asked for a short discourse on the Dhamma.
Although weary from the journey, the Venerable agreed to speak briefly, and merely by listening, Citta attained the fruit of the second path.
Citta then invited the two Chief Disciples and their thousand monks to a meal at his house the next day. Turning to the resident monk, Venerable Sudhamma, he invited him to come along too.
Angry at being invited last, Sudhamma refused, and kept refusing no matter how often Citta repeated the invitation. Citta simply asked him to be present anyway, and left.
The next day Citta prepared splendid offerings. Very early that morning, Sudhamma, curious to see what food had been prepared for the Chief Disciples, took his bowl and robe and went to the house.
Citta invited him to sit, but Sudhamma refused, saying he was about to go on his alms-round. Surveying the offerings, and wanting to annoy his host, he said that the food was excellent but one thing was missing: sesame-cake.
Citta rebuked him, comparing him to a crow. Angered, Sudhamma declared that since this was Citta's house, he would leave. Three times Citta urged him to stay, but each time he refused, and finally he left and went to the Buddha, recounting all that had passed between them.
The Buddha told Sudhamma that he, the inferior one, had insulted a faithful disciple, and placing the blame entirely on the monk, sent him back to ask Citta's forgiveness.
Sudhamma went and admitted it was all his fault, but Citta refused to forgive him. Frustrated, Sudhamma returned to the Buddha.
The Buddha knew that Citta would in the end forgive him, but seeing that this monk was stubborn in his pride, he dismissed him without saying how he might gain pardon, letting him travel thirty leagues and back. Sudhamma returned with his pride humbled.
The Buddha then gave him a companion monk and told him to go with him and ask Citta's pardon. He admonished him that a monk should never give way to pride or ill-will by thinking 'This residence is mine, this lay disciple is mine,' for such thoughts only make ill-will, pride, and the other defilements grow.
Taking this admonition to heart, Sudhamma bowed to the Buddha, circled him respectfully, and went with his companion to Citta. There he confessed his fault and asked for forgiveness.
Citta forgave him, and in turn asked Sudhamma to pardon him if he too had been at fault. Holding firmly to the Buddha's admonition, Sudhamma attained Arahatship with supernormal powers within a few days.
Citta then reflected that he had attained stream-entry, and even the fruit of the second path, without ever having seen the Buddha, and that he ought now to see him.
He set out with five hundred carts loaded with sesame, rice, ghee, sugar, garments, coverlets, and other offerings, and spent a month giving alms to the Buddha and the monks.
At the end of the month, Venerable Ananda asked the Buddha whether Citta had received all these honours because he had come to see him. The Buddha replied that such a man receives gain and honour wherever he goes.
The Story of Citta the Householder
Chapter 5: Fools • Verse 15
"Let both laymen and monks think that it was done by me. In every work, great and small, let them follow me" — such is the ambition of the fool; thus his desire and pride increase.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke these verses with reference to Venerable Sudhamma and Citta the householder.
In the city of Macchikasanda, a householder named Citta saw Venerable Mahanama, one of the band of five, on his alms-round. Pleased with his bearing, Citta took his bowl, invited him home, served him food, and after the meal listened to the Dhamma and attained stream-entry.
With unshakable faith, Citta wished to give his pleasure garden, the Ambatthaka Grove, as a dwelling for the Sangha. He poured water over the Venerable's right hand to dedicate it, and the moment he declared that the Buddha's teaching was firmly established, the earth shook to its ocean boundary.
Citta then had a splendid monastery built in the grove, and from then on its doors were open to monks from all four quarters. Venerable Sudhamma also lived at Macchikasanda.
Some time later, hearing of Citta's virtues, the two Chief Disciples came to Macchikasanda to visit him. Citta went half a league to meet them, escorted them to the monastery, attended to them as guests, and asked for a short discourse on the Dhamma.
Although weary from the journey, the Venerable agreed to speak briefly, and merely by listening, Citta attained the fruit of the second path.
Citta then invited the two Chief Disciples and their thousand monks to a meal at his house the next day. Turning to the resident monk, Venerable Sudhamma, he invited him to come along too.
Angry at being invited last, Sudhamma refused, and kept refusing no matter how often Citta repeated the invitation. Citta simply asked him to be present anyway, and left.
The next day Citta prepared splendid offerings. Very early that morning, Sudhamma, curious to see what food had been prepared for the Chief Disciples, took his bowl and robe and went to the house.
Citta invited him to sit, but Sudhamma refused, saying he was about to go on his alms-round. Surveying the offerings, and wanting to annoy his host, he said that the food was excellent but one thing was missing: sesame-cake.
Citta rebuked him, comparing him to a crow. Angered, Sudhamma declared that since this was Citta's house, he would leave. Three times Citta urged him to stay, but each time he refused, and finally he left and went to the Buddha, recounting all that had passed between them.
The Buddha told Sudhamma that he, the inferior one, had insulted a faithful disciple, and placing the blame entirely on the monk, sent him back to ask Citta's forgiveness.
Sudhamma went and admitted it was all his fault, but Citta refused to forgive him. Frustrated, Sudhamma returned to the Buddha.
The Buddha knew that Citta would in the end forgive him, but seeing that this monk was stubborn in his pride, he dismissed him without saying how he might gain pardon, letting him travel thirty leagues and back. Sudhamma returned with his pride humbled.
The Buddha then gave him a companion monk and told him to go with him and ask Citta's pardon. He admonished him that a monk should never give way to pride or ill-will by thinking 'This residence is mine, this lay disciple is mine,' for such thoughts only make ill-will, pride, and the other defilements grow.
Taking this admonition to heart, Sudhamma bowed to the Buddha, circled him respectfully, and went with his companion to Citta. There he confessed his fault and asked for forgiveness.
Citta forgave him, and in turn asked Sudhamma to pardon him if he too had been at fault. Holding firmly to the Buddha's admonition, Sudhamma attained Arahatship with supernormal powers within a few days.
Citta then reflected that he had attained stream-entry, and even the fruit of the second path, without ever having seen the Buddha, and that he ought now to see him.
He set out with five hundred carts loaded with sesame, rice, ghee, sugar, garments, coverlets, and other offerings, and spent a month giving alms to the Buddha and the monks.
At the end of the month, Venerable Ananda asked the Buddha whether Citta had received all these honours because he had come to see him. The Buddha replied that such a man receives gain and honour wherever he goes.