Dighanikaya 9.422

9.422

Citto ca hatthisāriputtoti so kira sāvatthiyaṃ hatthiācariyassa putto bhagavato santike pabbajitvā tīṇi piṭakāni uggahetvā sukhumesu atthantaresu kusalo ahosi, pubbe katapāpakammavasena pana sattavāre vibbhamitvā gihi jāto. Kassapasammāsambuddhassa kira sāsane dve sahāyakā ahesuṃ, aññamaññaṃ samaggā ekatova sajjhāyanti. Tesu eko anabhirato gihibhāve cittaṃ uppādetvā itarassa ārocesi. So gihibhāve ādīnavaṃ pabbajjāya ānisaṃsaṃ dassetvā taṃ ovadi. So taṃ sutvā abhiramitvā punekadivasaṃ tādise citte uppanne taṃ etadavoca ‘‘mayhaṃ āvuso evarūpaṃ cittaṃ uppajjati – ‘imāhaṃ pattacīvaraṃ tuyhaṃ dassāmī’ti’’. So pattacīvaralobhena tassa gihibhāve ānisaṃsaṃ dassetvā pabbajjāya ādīnavaṃ kathesi. Athassa taṃ sutvāva gihibhāvato cittaṃ virajjitvā pabbajjāyameva abhirami. Evamesa tadā sīlavantassa bhikkhuno gihibhāve ānisaṃsakathāya kathitattā idāni cha vāre vibbhamitvā sattame vāre pabbajito. Mahāmoggallānassa, mahākoṭṭhikattherassa ca abhidhammakathaṃ kathentānaṃ antarantarā kathaṃ opāteti. Atha naṃ mahākoṭṭhikatthero apasādeti. So mahāsāvakassa kathite patiṭṭhātuṃ asakkonto vibbhamitvā gihi jāto. Poṭṭhapādassa panāyaṃ gihisahāyako hoti. Tasmā vibbhamitvā dvīhatīhaccayena poṭṭhapādassa santikaṃ gato. Atha naṃ so disvā ‘‘samma kiṃ tayā kataṃ, evarūpassa nāma satthu sāsanā apasakkantosi, ehi pabbajituṃ idāni te vaṭṭatī’’ti taṃ gahetvā bhagavato santikaṃ agamāsi. Tena vuttaṃ ‘‘citto ca hatthisāriputto poṭṭhapādo ca paribbājako’’ti.

"And Citta Hatthisāriputta": he, it is said, was the son of an elephant trainer in Sāvatthī. Having gone forth in the presence of the Blessed One, he mastered the three Piṭakas and became skilled in subtle differentiations of meaning; yet, because of an evil kamma committed in the past, he disrobed and became a householder seven times. In the Dispensation of the fully awakened Buddha Kassapa, it is said, there were two companions; being in harmony with each other, they would recite together. Among them, one became discontented, generated a desire for household life, and informed the other. The other exhorted him by pointing out the dangers of household life and the benefits of going forth. Having heard that, he took delight [in the monkhood]. But on another day, when a similar thought arose, he said this to him: "Friend, such a thought arises in me: 'I will give these bowls and robes to you.'" Out of greed for the bowls and robes, the other pointed out to him the benefits of household life and told of the dangers of going forth. Then, as soon as he heard that, the first monk turned his mind away from household life and took delight only in going forth. Because he had thus spoken in praise of household life to a virtuous bhikkhu, he now disrobed six times, going forth [again each time, and was presently in monkhood] for the seventh time. While Mahāmoggallāna and Mahākoṭṭhika Thera were discussing Abhidhamma, he interrupted their conversation. Then Mahākoṭṭhika Thera rebuked him. Being unable to endure the great disciple's speech, he disrobed and became a householder. Now, he was a lay friend of Poṭṭhapāda. Therefore, having disrobed, he went to Poṭṭhapāda after two or three days. Then, seeing him, [Poṭṭhapāda said:] "Friend, what have you done? You have fallen away from the Dispensation of such a Teacher; come, it is fitting for you to go forth now!" Taking him, he went into the presence of the Blessed One. Hence it was said: "And Citta Hatthisāriputta and Poṭṭhapāda the wanderer."