Verses on Dhamma 5.14.74_8

5.14.74_8

Satthā ānandattheraṃ āha – ‘‘ānanda, upāsakassa ekaṃ padesaṃ tucchaṃ kāretvā dehī’’ti. Thero tathā akāsi. Kappiyabhūmi (mahāva. 295) kira cittassa gahapatino anuññātā. Upāsakopi attanā saddhiṃ āgatehi tīhi janasahassehi saddhiṃ tucchasakaṭehi puna maggaṃ paṭipajji. Devamanussā uṭṭhāya, ‘‘ayya, tayā tucchasakaṭehi gamanakammaṃ kata’’nti sattahi ratanehi sakaṭāni pūrayiṃsu. So attano ābhatapaṇṇākāreneva mahājanaṃ paṭijagganto agamāsi. Ānandatthero satthāraṃ vanditvā āha – ‘‘bhante, tumhākaṃ santikaṃ āgacchantopi māsena āgato, idhāpi māsameva vuṭṭho, ettakaṃ kālaṃ devamanussehi abhihaṭapaṇṇākāreneva mahāvadānaṃ adāsi, idāni pañca sakaṭasatāni tucchāni katvā māseneva kira gamissati, devamanussā panassa uṭṭhāya, ‘ayya, tayā tucchasakaṭehi gamanakammaṃ kata’nti pañca sakaṭasatāni sattaratanehi pūrayiṃsu. So puna attano ābhatapaṇṇākāreneva kira mahājanaṃ paṭijagganto gamissatī’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ pana, bhante, etassa tumhākaṃ santikaṃ āgacchantassevāyaṃ sakkāro uppajjati, udāhu aññattha gacchantassāpi uppajjatī’’ti? ‘‘Ānanda, mama santikaṃ āgacchantassāpi aññattha gacchantassāpi etassa uppajjateva. Ayañhi upāsako saddho pasanno sampannasīlo, evarūpo puggalo yaṃ yaṃ padesaṃ bhajati, tattha tatthevassa lābhasakkāro nibbattatī’’ti vatvā satthā imaṃ pakiṇṇakavagge gāthamāha –

Said the Teacher 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. Gods and men 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, “Reverend Sir, when Citta the householder came hither, he occupied a month traveling, spent just a month here, and all that time gave alms solely of presents brought him by gods and men. Now, having emptied five hundred carts, he will be an entire month going; but gods and men have arisen, 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, Reverend 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 Stanza in the Pakiṇṇaka Vagga,