CITTA VAGGA (Mind)
 

Contents

1 Meghiya who could not control his mind
2 The lady mind reader - Matika Mata
3 A wise man should guard his thoughts
4 The mind can wander afar - Sangha Rakkhita
5 The fickle-minded monk - Citta Hatta
6 The spirits which disturbed the monks
7 The monk with a stinking body - Putigatta Tissa
8 Nanda,the herdsman
9 A mother of two and a father of two - Soreyya
 

III:1 STRAIGHTEN YOUR FICKLE MIND

Varijo'va thale khitto - okamokata ubbhato
Pariphandati idam cittam - Mara dheyyarrc pahatave.

The flickering, fickle mind¹, difficult to guard, difficult to control - the wise person straightens it as a fletcher straightens an arrow. Like a fish that is drawn from its watery abode and thrown upon land, even so does this mind flutter. Hence should the realm of the passions be shunned².
 

III:1 Meghiya who could not control his mind

Thus, Meghiya set out for the mango grove, sat at the foot of a tree and practised meditation. He stayed there the whole day, but his mind kept wandering and he made no progress. He returned in the evening and reported to the Buddha how all the time he was assailed by thoughts associated with all sorts of mental defilements and disturbances.

The Buddha admonished him that as the mind is easily excitable and fickle, one should control one’s mind in a proper manner wherever one is.  Reflecting mindfully on the admonition given by the Buddha, Meghiya attained the first stage of Sainthood.
 

Notes:

1.Citta is derived from the root cit, to think. The traditional  interpretation of the term is 'that which is aware of an object' (cinteti = vijanati). Actually it is not that which thinks of an object as the term implies. If it could be said 'it thinks' as one says in English 'it rains', it would be more in consonance with the Buddha's teaching.

From an ultimate standpoint citta may be defined as the awareness of an object, since Buddhism denies; subjective agent like a soul. According to Buddhism no distinction is made between mind and consciousness, terms which are used as equivalents for citta.

2.Pahatave is used in the sense of pahatabba = should be shunned.
 

III:2 CONTROL YOUR MIND

The mind is difficult to control; swiftly and lightly, it moves and lands wherever it pleases. It is good to tame the mind, for a well-tamed mind brings happiness.
 

III:2 The lady mind reader (Matika Mata)

With the Divine Power of Sight (Dibbacakkhu) she saw that the bhikkhus had not attained Insight. She also learned that these bhikkhus had enough potential for the attainment of Arahanthood but that they needed proper food because a weak body will not allow the mind to function at its best. So, she prepared nutritious food for them. With nutritious food and right effort, the bhikkhus developed right concentration and eventually attained Arahanthood.  At the end of the rainy season, the bhikkhus returned to the Jetavana monastery, where the Buddha was in residence.

They reported to the Buddha that all of them were in good health and in comfortable circumstances and that they did not have to worry about food. They also mentioned Matika Mata who had been aware of their thoughts and had offered them the very good food that was necessary to keep them in good health which is important for proper concentration.

A certain bhikkhu, hearing them talking about Matika Mata, decided that he too would go to the village. So, taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha he arrived at the village monastery. There, he found that everything he wished for was sent to him by Matika Mata. When he wishes for some food she personally came to the monastery, bringing along choice food with her. After taking the food, he asked her if she really could read the thoughts of others, but she evaded his question and replied, ‘People who can read thoughts of others behave in such and such a way.’

Then, the bhikkhu thought, ‘If I, like an ordinary worldling, should entertain any impure thoughts, and if she can really read thoughts, she is sure to think ill of me.’ He, therefore became afraid of the lay devotee and decided to return to the Jetavana monastery. He told the Buddha that he could not stay in Matika’s village because he was afraid that the lay devotee might detect impure thoughts in him.

The Buddha then advised him to observe just one thing, that is, to control his mind. He also advised him to return to the village and not to think of anything else but the object of his meditation. The bhikkhu returned and Matika Mata offered him nutritious food as she had done to the others before, so that he might be able to practise meditation without worry. Within a short time, he too purified his mind and attained Arahanthood.
 

III:3 GUARD YOUR THOUGHTS

The mind is very difficult to perceive; very delicate and subtle; it moves and lands wherever it pleases. The wise one should guard his mind, for a guarded mind brings happiness.
 

III:3 A wise man should guard his thoughts

As a bhikkhu, he was taught the Abhidhamma (Buddhist psychology) by one teacher and the Vinaya (rules of conduct) by another. Being taught in this way, he felt that there was too much to be learnt, that the disciplinary rules were too strict and too many, so much so that there was not enough freedom in the way of life of a bhikkhu. He thought that it might be better to return to the lay life. As a result of doubt and discontentment, he became unhappy and neglected his duties. He also became thin and weak. When the Buddha came to know about this, he admonished the young bhikkhu, ‘If you can only control your mind, you will have nothing more to control; so guard your mind.’
 

III:4 FREE ARE THEY WHO HAVE CONTROLLED THEIR MINDS

Faring far, wandering alone¹, bodiless², lying in a cave³, is the mind. Those who subdue it are freed from the bond of Mara.
 

III:4 The mind can wander afar (Sangha Rakkhita)

At the end of the vassa, he went to pay respects to his uncle and he offered the robe to him. But the uncle declined to accept the robe saying that he had enough. Although he repeated his request, the Elder would not accept. The young bhikkhu felt disheartened thinking that his uncle did not like him. Since his uncle was so unwilling to share the requisites with him, he thought it would be better for him to leave the Order and live the life of a layman.

From that point, his mind wandered and a distracting stream of thoughts followed. He thought that after leaving the Order he would sell the robe and buy a she-goat, that she-goat would breed quickly and soon he would make enough money to enable him to marry, his wife would give birth to a son. He would take his wife and child in a small cart to visit his uncle at the monastery. On the way, he would say that he would carry the child, she would tell him to drive the cart and not to bother about the child. He would insist and grab the child from her, between them the child would drop on the cart-track and the wheel would pass over the child. He would get so furious with his wife that he would strike her with the goading-stick.

At that time he was fanning his uncle monk with a fan and he absent-mindedly struck the head of the monk with the fan. The monk knowing the thoughts of the young bhikkhu said, ‘You were unable to beat your wife.   Why have you beaten an old bhikkhu?’ Young Sangha Rakkhita was very much surprised and embarrassed at the words of his uncle. He also became extremely frightened, and wanted to leave the monastery there and then.

However the elder monk managed to take him to the presence of the Buddha.  When told about the whole episode, the Buddha spoke kindly to the young monk and said that the mind has the ability to think of an object even though it might be far away. This would naturally cause much distraction. Therefore one should strive hard for liberation from the bondage of passion, ill-will and ignorance.
 

Notes:

1.Because no two thought moments arise at a particular time.

2.The imperceptible mind is immaterial and colourless.

3.Guhasayam - i.e., the seat of consciousness.

It is clear that the Buddha had not definitely assigned a specific basis of consciousness as He had done with the other senses. It was the cardiac theory (the theory that the heart is the seat of consciousness) that prevailed in His time, and this was evidently supported by the Upanishads. The Buddha could have adopted this popular theory, but He did not commit himself.

In the Patthana, the Book of Relations, the Buddha refers to the basis of consciousness in such indirect terms as yam rupam nissaya, dependent on that material thing. What the material thing was the Buddha did not positively assert. According to the views of commentators like the Venerables Buddhaghosa and Anuruddha the seat of consciousness is the heart (hadayavatthu).

One wonders whether one is justified in presenting the cardiac theory as Buddhistic when the Buddha Himself neither rejected nor accepted this popular theory.
 

III:5 TO THE VIGILANT THERE IS NO FEAR

He whose mind is not steadfast, he who knows not the true doctrine, he whose confidence wavers - the wisdom1 of such a one will never be perfect.

He whose mind is not soaked (by lust), he who is not affected (by hatred), he who has transcended both good and evil - for such a vigilant one there is no fear.
 

III:5 The fickle-minded monk (Citta Hatta)

So he asked the bhikkhus to admit him into the Order. At the monastery, he performed the duties of a bhikkhu and as there was plenty of food he soon gained weight. After some time, he got weary of going round for alms food and returned to the life of a layman.

A few days later, he felt that life at home was too strenuous and he went back to the monastery to be admitted as a bhikkhu for a second time. For a second time, he left the Order and returned to home-life. Again, he went back to the monastery for a third time and left it. This shuttling process went on for six times, and because he acted only according to his whims, he was known as Citta Hatta. While he was going back and forth between his home and the monastery, his wife became pregnant.  He was actually not ready for renunciation but he joined the Order for his convenience. As a result he was not happy either as a monk or as a layman.

One day, during his last stay at home, he happened to enter the bedroom while his wife was asleep. She was fast asleep snoring loudly and saliva was trickling down her mouth. Seeing her with her mouth open, he realised the unpleasant nature of the body, and he reflected, ‘I have been a bhikkhu for several times but I have not been able to remain in the robe because of my attraction for this woman.’ Hence, taking the yellow robe with him he left his home for the monastery for the seventh time. As he went along he repeated the words ‘impermanence’ and ‘unsatisfactoriness’ and thus attained the first stage of Sainthood on the way to the monastery.

On arrival at the monastery, he requested the bhikkhus to admit him into the Order. They refused and said, ‘We cannot admit you anymore. You have been shaving your head so often that your head is like a whetting stone.’ Since he persisted with his request, the bhikkhus relented, and he was readmitted into the Order. Within a few days, Citta Hattha attained Arahanthood. Other bhikkhus, seeing him staying on for a long time in the monastery, were surprised and they asked him the reason. He replied, ‘I went home when I still had attachment in me, but now the attachment has been cut off.’ The bhikkhus reported the matter to the Buddha who replied, ‘Cittha Hattha’s mind was not steadfast at that time and he did not understand the Dhamma.

But now he is already an Arahant. He has discarded all his attachments.’*

It might be asked whether Citta Hatta was wrong in having abandoned his wife. We must understand this story from a historical viewpoint. In India, at the time of the Buddha, it was considered quite honourable for a man to give up the worldly life and take to the monastic life at anytime. The social structure was such that other members of the family would willingly care for the wife and the child because the husband had made a big sacrifice in becoming a holy man.
 

Notes:

1. Namely, spiritual wisdom or insight.
 

III:6 FORTIFY YOUR MIND AND BE NON-ATTACHED

Realizing that this body is (as fragile) as a jar, establishing this mind (as firm) as a (fortified) city, he should attack Mara¹ with the weapon of wisdom. He should guard his conquest² and be without attachment³.
 

III:6 The spirits which disturbed the monks

But the bhikkhus were still there at the end of a fortnight and it occurred to them that the bhikkhus might be staying there till the end of the rainy season. They realised that if that was so they and their families would have to live on the ground for a long time. So, they decided to frighten away the bhikkhus by making ghostly sounds and frightful visions. They showed up with bodies without heads, and with heads without bodies, etc.

The bhikkhus were very upset and left the place and returned to the Buddha, and related everything to him. The Buddha told them that this had happened because previously they went without any weapon and that they should go back there armed with a suitable weapon. So saying, the Buddha taught them the entire Metta sutta, the discourse on Loving-Kindness, as their weapon.

The bhikkhus were instructed to radiate their loving-kindness to all beings that inhabit the earth while reciting the Metta Sutta. They should harbour no ill-will or fear towards any being. Thus the bhikkhus returned to the forest grove and did exactly as they were told. The guardian spirits of the trees, on receiving loving-kindness from the bhikkhus, reciprocated by readily welcoming and not harming them. They willingly stayed on the ground and so much harmony and peace was generated. There were no more ghostly sounds and ungainly sights. Thus left in peace, the bhikkhus meditated on the body and came to realise its fragile and impermanent nature.
 

Notes:

1. The passions.

2. By conquest is here meant the newly developed insight (vipassana ).

3. For the Jhanas (absorptions or ecstasies) which the aspirant has developed. The Jhanas are highly developed mental states obtained by intensified concentration.
 

III:7 BE DETACHED FROM YOUR BODY

Before long, alas! This body, deprived of consciousness, will lie on the earth, discarded like a useless log¹.
 

III:7 The monk with a stinking body (Putigatta Tissa)

The Buddha happened to see the sorrowful state of the monk, who had been abandoned by his fellow monks on account of his stinking body. At the same time, he also knew that Tissa would soon attain Arahanthood. So, the Buddha proceeded to the fire-shed, close to the place where the monk was staying.

There, he personally boiled some water, went to the place where the monk was lying down, and took hold of the edge of the couch. It was then only that the other monks also gathered round him, and as instructed by the Buddha, they carried him out where he was washed and bathed. While he was being bathed his robes were washed and dried. After the bath, the monk became fresh in body and mind and soon developed one-pointedness of concentration. Standing at the head of the couch, the Buddha told him that this body when devoid of life would be as useless as a log and would be laid on the earth.

At the conclusion of the sermon, Tissa attained Arahanthood.  Soon after, he passed away into Parinibbana. The Buddha then directed some bhikkhus to cremate his body and enshrine his relics in a stupa.  On being questioned why Tissa had a stinking body, the Buddha revealed that Tissa, in one of his past existences was a cruel fowler. He used to trap and catch birds. After catching the birds he would break their leg-bones and wing-bones to prevent them from escaping. For those evil deeds, Tissa was born with a stinking body.

Then the Buddha said, ‘Bhikkhus! You do not have your mother or father here who can tend to you. If you do not tend to one another, who will be there to tend to you? Remember that whoever tends a sick person tends to me, as it were.’
 

Notes:

1.Kalingaram, a rotten log which cannot be used for any purpose.
 

III:8 AN ILL-DISPOSED MIND IS THE GREATEST ENEMY

Whatever (harm) a foe may do to a foe, or a hater to a hater, yet an ill-directed mind¹ can do oneself far greater (harm).
 

III:8 Nanda, the herdsman

But the Buddha did not go to Nanda’s house immediately, saying that it was not yet time.  After some time, while travelling with his bhikkhus, the Buddha made a detour to visit Nanda, knowing that the time was ripe for him to comprehend his Teaching properly. Nanda respectfully received the Buddha and his bhikkhus and he served them food for several days.

On the last day, after hearing the discourse given by the Buddha, Nanda attained the first stage of Sainthood. As the Buddha was leaving that day, he followed him for some distance, carrying the bowl of the Buddha. Then he paid homage to the Blessed One and turned back to go home.

At that instant, a hunter, who was an old enemy of Nanda, shot him dead. The bhikkhus, who were following after the Buddha, came upon the body of the dead Nanda. They reported the matter to the Buddha, saying, ‘Venerable Sir, because you came here, Nanda who made great offerings to you and accompanied you on your return was killed as he was turning back to go home.

The Buddha replied, Bhikkhus, whether I came here or not, there would have been no escape from death for him, because of his previous kamma. Therefore you must reflect that a wrongly directed mind can do oneself much greater harm than an enemy or a thief can. A well directed mind is the only security one can have against danger.’
 

Notes:

1.That is, the mind directed towards the ten kinds of evil-deeds -  namely,

1. killing
2. stealing
3. sexual misconduct
4. lying
5. slandering
6. harsh speech
7. vain talk
8. covetousness
9. ill-will and
10. false belief.
 

III:9 A WELL-DIRECTED MIND IS FAR GREATER
THAN EVEN A MOTHER OR A FATHER

What neither mother, nor father, nor any other relative can do, a well-directed mind¹ does and thereby elevates one.
 

III:9 A mother of two and a father of two (Soreyya)

Later he realised that his sex had mysteriously begun to change. He was very much ashamed of what had happened and so he decided to leave the country. Soreyya, now a woman, offered her signet ring to some people going to Taxila, to allow her to go along with them in their carriage. Meanwhile his friends and relatives looked for Soreyya everywhere, but could not find him.

On arrival at Taxila, her companions told a young rich man of Taxila about the lady who came along with them. The young rich man, finding her to be very beautiful and of a suitable age for him, married her. As a result of this marriage two sons were born. There were also two sons from the previous marriage of Soreyya as a man.

One day, a rich man’s son from the city where Soreyya had lived previously came to Taxila. Lady Soreyya, recognising him to be an old friend, sent for him. The man was surprised that he was invited, because he did not know her, and asked her whether she knew him. She answered that she knew him and also enquired after the health of her family and other people in the city she had left behind.

The man next told her about the rich young man who had disappeared mysteriously. Then the lady Soreyya revealed her identity and related all that had happened about the wrongful thoughts, the change of sex, and her marriage to the young rich man of Taxila. The man then advised the lady Soreyya to ask the pardon of Venerable Maha Kaccayana.

The monk was accordingly invited to the home of Soreyya and alms food was offered to him. After the meal, the lady Soreyya was brought to the presence of the monk and he was told that the lady was at one time a man. It was explained to the monk how Soreyya was turned into a female on account of his wrongful thoughts towards a holy man. Lady Soreyya then respectfully asked for the pardon of Kaccayana.

As soon as Venerable Maha Kaccayana uttered the words, ‘Soreyya, get up, I forgive you,’ she changed to a male again. Thereupon, her husband said to Soreyya, ‘Good friend, since you are the mother of these two boys and I am their father, they are truly sons of us both. Therefore, you can continue to live here. Don’t be depressed.’ Soreyya replied, ‘Good friend, first I was a man, then I was a woman, and now I have again become a man.

First I became the father of two sons, and recently, I became the mother of two sons. After having gone through two transformations in one existence, I have no more desires for the household life. I will become a bhikkhu and lead the holy life under my noble Elder.  Now it is your duty to care for these two boys.

Don’t neglect them.’ So saying, Soreyya kissed the two boys and embraced them, and handing them over to their father, departed from the house. Soreyya also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his friend for helping him to meet and seek the pardon of Kaccayana and the opportunity to work for his ultimate goal in life-to put an end to all sufferings.

Accordingly, Kaccayana ordained Soreyya as a bhikkhu. Soreyya strove diligently for his spiritual development. In the course of time, he accompanied Kaccayana to pay his respects to the Buddha at Jetavana monastery.  After that, he was often asked, ‘Whom do you love more, the two sons you had as a father or the other two you had as a mother?’ To them, he would answer that his love for those born of the womb was greater.

This question was put to him so often that he felt very much annoyed and ashamed. So he stayed by himself and with diligence, contemplated on the decay and dissolution of the body. He soon attained Arahanthood together with extra-ordinary knowledge and mental powers. When the old question was next put to him, he replied that he had no personal attachment for anybody.

The bhikkhus who heard his reply were doubtful and consulted the Buddha. Upon being told about Soreyya’s different answers, the Buddha said, ‘His answer now is different because he has now realised Arahanthood and so has no more attachment. His well-directed mind has brought about in himself a well-being which neither father nor mother can bestow on him.’
 

Notes:

1.That is, the mind directed towards the ten kinds of meritorious deed (kusala) — namely,

1. generosity
2. morality
3. meditation
4. reverence
5. service
6. transference of merit
7. rejoicing in others' merit
8. hearing the doctrine
9. expounding the doctrine and
10. straightening one's views.