Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.41
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 6.41
4. Devatāvagga
4. Deities
Dārukkhandhasutta
A Tree Trunk
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.
At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasa aññatarasmiṁ padese mahantaṁ dārukkhandhaṁ.
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,
Disvā bhikkhū āmantesi:
and he addressed the mendicants,
“passatha no, āvuso, tumhe amuṁ mahantaṁ dārukkhandhan”ti?
“Reverends, do you see this large tree trunk?”
“Evamāvuso”ti.
“Yes, reverend.”
“Ākaṅkhamāno, āvuso, bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ pathavītveva adhimucceyya.
“If they wanted to, a mendicant with psychic powers who has mastered their mind could determine this tree trunk to be nothing but earth.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Atthi, āvuso, amumhi dārukkhandhe pathavīdhātu, yaṁ nissāya bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ pathavītveva adhimucceyya.
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.
Ākaṅkhamāno, āvuso, bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ āpotveva adhimucceyya …pe…
If they wanted to, a mendicant with psychic powers who has mastered their mind could determine this tree trunk to be nothing but water. …
tejotveva adhimucceyya …
Or they could determine it to be nothing but fire …
vāyotveva adhimucceyya …
Or they could determine it to be nothing but air …
subhantveva adhimucceyya …
Or they could determine it to be nothing but beautiful …
asubhantveva adhimucceyya.
Or they could determine it to be nothing but ugly.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Atthi, āvuso, amumhi dārukkhandhe asubhadhātu, yaṁ nissāya bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ asubhantveva adhimucceyyā”ti.
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.”
Ekādasamaṁ.