534 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



Book III. Story 5. Cittahattha, Elder. 34 



ILLUSTRATING STANZAS 6-7 = 3S-39. 



A noble youth of Savatthi once became a monk for no other reason 

 than to obtain an easy livelihood. After a few days he tired of the 

 monastic life and returned to the world. Six times he became a monk, 

 and as many times returned to the life of a householder ; wherefore his 

 brethren called him Cittahattha (Thought-controlled). In the mean- 

 time his wife became great with child. Once more he decided to 

 become a monk, and entered the inner chamber of his house to pro- 

 cure his yellow robe. There on the bed lay his wife asleep. Her 

 garments were in disarray, saliva was flowing from her mouth, she was 

 snoring, her mouth was wide open. Her appearance reminded him of 

 a bloated corpse. At that moment he obtained a sense of imperma- 

 nence, and taking the yellow robe, left the house and went to the 

 monastery. A short time after this, his seventh reception into the 

 Order, he attained Arahatship. The Teacher, contrasting Cittahattha's 

 former and latter states, pronounced Stanzas 38-39. The monks said, 

 " How could a youth destined to Arahatship abandon the monastic 

 life six times 1 " " Easily enough," said the Teacher ; " I did the same 

 thing myself." Then he told the following story of the past : (305-311). 



Kuddala and his Spade. Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta 

 reigned at Benares, a Pandit named Kuddala was admitted to a cer- 

 tain heretical Order, but after a few months renounced the monastic 

 life, all because of his attachment for a blunt spade with which he used 

 to till the ground. This happened six times. Finally Kuddala made 

 up his mind to put temptation out of his way ; so he took the spade to 

 the bank of the Ganges, closed his eyes, and threw it into the water. 

 As he did so he shouted as loud as he could, " I have conquered ! " 

 At that moment along came the King of Benares, returning from a 

 successful expedition. When the King heard Kuddala's exclamation 

 of victory, he went up to him and asked him what he meant by it. 

 Kuddala replied, " Those whom you have conquered will have to be 

 conquered again; but I have conquered myself for good and all." At 

 that moment Kuddala attained Specific Attainment by gazing on the 

 water ; whereupon he sat cross-legged in the air and instructed the 

 king in the Law. The King of Benares then and there retired from 

 the world with all his followers, and shortly afterwards his royal enemy 

 followed his example. (311-313) 



"At that time," said the Teacher, "I was the Pandit Kuddala." 

 (313) 



34 Cf. Ja. i. 311-313. 



