With Isidatta (1st)Paṭhamaisidattasutta

At one time several senior mendicants were staying near Macchikāsaṇḍa in the Wild Mango Grove.Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharanti ambāṭakavane.

Then Citta the householder went up to them, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to them,Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū etadavoca: “Sirs, would the senior monks please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?”“adhivāsentu me, bhante, therā svātanāya bhattan”ti.

They consented with silence.Adhivāsesuṁ kho therā bhikkhū tuṇhībhāvena. Knowing that the senior mendicants had consented, Citta rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled them, keeping them on his right, before leaving.Atha kho citto gahapati therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Then when the night had passed, the senior mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, went to Citta’s home, and sat down on the seats spread out.Atha kho therā bhikkhū tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena cittassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdiṁsu.

Then Citta went up to them, bowed, sat down to one side, and asked the senior venerable,Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: “Honorable Senior, they speak of ‘the diversity of elements’.“‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattan’ti, bhante thera, vuccati. In what way did the Buddha speak of the diversity of elements?”Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti?

When he said this, the senior venerable kept silent.Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.

For a second time …Dutiyampi kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca:

And for a third time, Citta asked him,Tatiyampi kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: “Honorable Senior, they speak of ‘the diversity of elements’.“‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattan’ti, bhante thera, vuccati. In what way did the Buddha speak of the diversity of elements?”Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti?

And a second time and a third time the senior venerable kept silent.Tatiyampi kho āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.

Now at that time Venerable Isidatta was the most junior mendicant in that Saṅgha.Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā isidatto tasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe sabbanavako hoti. He said to the senior venerable,Atha kho āyasmā isidatto āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: “Honorable Senior, may I answer Citta’s question?”“byākaromahaṁ, bhante thera, cittassa gahapatino etaṁ pañhan”ti?

“Answer it, Reverend Isidatta.”“Byākarohi tvaṁ, āvuso isidatta, cittassa gahapatino etaṁ pañhan”ti.

“Householder, is this your question:“Evañhi tvaṁ, gahapati, pucchasi: ‘They speak of “the diversity of elements”.‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattanti, bhante thera, vuccati. In what way did the Buddha speak of the diversity of elements?’”Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ, vuttaṁ bhagavatā’”ti?

“Yes, sir.”“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“This is the diversity of elements spoken of by the Buddha.“Idaṁ kho, gahapati, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā—

The eye element, the sights element, the eye consciousness element …cakkhudhātu, rūpadhātu, cakkhuviññāṇadhātu …pe…

The mind element, the idea element, the mind consciousness element.manodhātu, dhammadhātu, manoviññāṇadhātu.

This is how the Buddha spoke of the diversity of elements.”Ettāvatā kho, gahapati, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti.

Then Citta, having approved and agreed with what Isidatta said, served and satisfied the senior mendicants with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.Atha kho citto gahapati āyasmato isidattassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā there bhikkhū paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi. When the senior mendicants had eaten and washed their hands and bowls, they rose from their seats and left.Atha kho therā bhikkhū bhuttāvino onītapattapāṇino uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.

Then the senior venerable said to Venerable Isidatta,Atha kho āyasmā thero āyasmantaṁ isidattaṁ etadavoca: “Isidatta, it’s good that you felt inspired to answer that question, because I didn’t.“sādhu kho taṁ, āvuso isidatta, eso pañho paṭibhāsi, neso pañho maṁ paṭibhāsi. So when a similar question comes up, you should also answer it as you feel inspired.”Tenahāvuso isidatta, yadā aññathāpi evarūpo pañho āgaccheyya, taññevettha paṭibhāseyyā”ti.