Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharanti ambāṭakavane.
At one time, many elder bhikkhus were dwelling at |Fisherman‘s Grove::name of a forest in Kāsi; lit. Macchikā‘s Grove [macchikāsaṇḍa]| in the |Ambāṭaka::lit. wild mango [ambāṭaka]| forest.
Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū etadavoca: “adhivāsentu me, bhante, therā svātanāya bhattan”ti.
Then Citta the householder approached the elder bhikkhus. Having drawn near, he bowed down to them and sat down to one side. As he was sitting there, Citta the householder said to the elder bhikkhus: “Venerable sirs, may the elders accept my meal for tomorrow.”
Adhivāsesuṁ kho therā bhikkhū tuṇhībhāvena. Atha kho citto gahapati therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.
The elder bhikkhus consented by silence. Then Citta the householder, having understood the elder bhikkhus’ consent, rose from his seat, and after paying homage to the elder bhikkhus, keeping them on his right, he departed.
Atha kho therā bhikkhū tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena cittassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdiṁsu.
After the night had passed, early in the morning, the elder bhikkhus dressed, took their alms bowls and outer robes, and went to Citta the householder’s residence. Having approached, they sat down on the prepared seats.
Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: “‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattan’ti, bhante thera, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti?
Then Citta the householder approached the elder bhikkhus. Having drawn near, he bowed down to them and sat down to one side. As he was sitting there, Citta the householder said to the venerable elder: “Venerable elder, it is said, ‘diversity of elements, diversity of elements.’ To what extent, venerable sir, has the diversity of elements been spoken of by the Blessed One?”
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.
When this was said, the venerable elder remained silent.
Dutiyampi kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: “‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattan’ti, bhante thera, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti? Dutiyampi kho āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.
For a second time, Citta the householder said to the venerable elder: “Venerable elder, it is said, ‘diversity of elements, diversity of elements.’ To what extent, venerable sir, has the diversity of elements been spoken of by the Blessed One?” For a second time, the venerable elder remained silent.
Tatiyampi kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: “‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattan’ti, bhante thera, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti?
For a third time, Citta the householder said to the venerable elder: “Venerable elder, it is said, ‘diversity of elements, diversity of elements.’ To what extent, venerable sir, has the diversity of elements been spoken of by the Blessed One?”
Tatiyampi kho āyasmā thero tuṇhī ahosi.
For a third time, the venerable elder remained silent.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā isidatto tasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe sabbanavako hoti. Atha kho āyasmā isidatto āyasmantaṁ theraṁ etadavoca: “byākaromahaṁ, bhante thera, cittassa gahapatino etaṁ pañhan”ti?
Now at that time, venerable Isidatta was the most junior in that Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Then venerable Isidatta said to the venerable elder: “Venerable elder, may I answer this question for Citta the householder?”
“Byākarohi tvaṁ, āvuso isidatta, cittassa gahapatino etaṁ pañhan”ti.
“Answer this question for Citta the householder, friend Isidatta.”
“Evañhi tvaṁ, gahapati, pucchasi: ‘dhātunānattaṁ, dhātunānattanti, bhante thera, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ, vuttaṁ bhagavatā’”ti?
“Is this what you are asking, householder: ‘Venerable elder, it is said, “diversity of elements, diversity of elements.” To what extent, venerable sir, has the diversity of elements been spoken of by the Blessed One?’”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Idaṁ kho, gahapati, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā—
“This, householder, is the diversity of elements spoken of by the Blessed One:
cakkhudhātu, rūpadhātu, cakkhuviññāṇadhātu …pe…
the |eye element::faculty of vision [cakkhudhātu]|, the |form element::objects of vision, materials, including the realm and objects of subtle materiality [rūpadhātu]|, the |eye-consciousness element::visual awareness [cakkhuviññāṇadhātu]| ...
manodhātu, dhammadhātu, manoviññāṇadhātu.
the |mind element::mentality [manodhātu]|, the |mental object element::the elemental basis for mental phenomena—such as thoughts, emotions, perceptions, volitions, conceptual constructs, and internal representations—that arise within the mind and form the condition for knowing, imagining, interpreting, or craving [dhammadhātu]|, and the |mind-consciousness element::knowing, mental awareness [manoviññāṇadhātu]|.
Ettāvatā kho, gahapati, dhātunānattaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti.
This, householder, is the diversity of elements spoken of by the Blessed One.”
Atha kho citto gahapati āyasmato isidattassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā there bhikkhū paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi. Atha kho therā bhikkhū bhuttāvino onītapattapāṇino uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.
Then Citta the householder, having rejoiced in and welcomed venerable Isidatta’s words, with his own hands served and satisfied the elder bhikkhus with various kinds of excellent food. Then the elder bhikkhus, when they had eaten and washed their hands and bowls, rose from their seats and departed.
Atha kho āyasmā thero āyasmantaṁ isidattaṁ etadavoca: “sādhu kho taṁ, āvuso isidatta, eso pañho paṭibhāsi, neso pañho maṁ paṭibhāsi. Tenahāvuso isidatta, yadā aññathāpi evarūpo pañho āgaccheyya, taññevettha paṭibhāseyyā”ti.
Then the venerable elder said to venerable Isidatta: “It is good, friend Isidatta, that the answer to this question occurred to you. The answer did not occur to me. Therefore, friend Isidatta, whenever such a question comes up at some other time, you should clear it up.”