• Numbered Discourses 6.41 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 6.41
  • 4. Deities 4. Devatāvagga

A Tree Trunk Dārukkhandhasutta

So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.

Then Venerable Sāriputta robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, descended the Vulture’s Peak together with several mendicants. At a certain spot he saw a large tree trunk, Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacÄ«varamādāya sambahulehi bhikkhÅ«hi saddhiṁ gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasa aƱƱatarasmiṁ padese mahantaṁ dārukkhandhaṁ. and he addressed the mendicants, Disvā bhikkhÅ« āmantesi: ā€œReverends, do you see this large tree trunk?ā€ ā€œpassatha no, āvuso, tumhe amuṁ mahantaṁ dārukkhandhanā€ti?

ā€œYes, reverend.ā€ ā€œEvamāvusoā€ti.

ā€œIf they wanted to, a mendicant with psychic powers who has mastered their mind could determine this tree trunk to be nothing but earth. ā€œÄ€kaį¹…khamāno, āvuso, bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ pathavÄ«tveva adhimucceyya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because the earth element exists in the tree trunk. Relying on that a mendicant with psychic powers could determine it to be nothing but earth. Atthi, āvuso, amumhi dārukkhandhe pathavÄ«dhātu, yaṁ nissāya bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ pathavÄ«tveva adhimucceyya. If they wanted to, a mendicant with psychic powers who has mastered their mind could determine this tree trunk to be nothing but water. … Ākaį¹…khamāno, āvuso, bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ āpotveva adhimucceyya …pe… Or they could determine it to be nothing but fire … tejotveva adhimucceyya … Or they could determine it to be nothing but air … vāyotveva adhimucceyya … Or they could determine it to be nothing but beautiful … subhantveva adhimucceyya … Or they could determine it to be nothing but ugly. asubhantveva adhimucceyya. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because the element of ugliness exists in the tree trunk. Relying on that a mendicant with psychic powers could determine it to be nothing but ugly.ā€ Atthi, āvuso, amumhi dārukkhandhe asubhadhātu, yaṁ nissāya bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ asubhantveva adhimucceyyÄā€ti.

Ekādasamaṁ.