The Second Isidatta Sutta

On another occasion, when Citta the householder was making an offering of food to the Sangha in his residence, before serving the food he put this question to the Venerable Thera: “Is the world permanent or is it impermanent?” The question is characteristic of wrong views, and implies the arising or otherwise of such view. As in the previous case, the Venerable Thera did not answer although he knew it. When he kept his silence for three repeated questionings by Citta, the Venerable Isidatta obtained the elder Thera’s permission to answer and replied to him: “When there is the erroneous concept regarding the present body or the five aggregates, sakkāya diṭṭhi (wrong views) arises; when there is no erroneous concept regarding the five aggregates, wrong views do not arise.”

Citta pursued the problem with questions as to how the erroneous concept regarding the present body of five aggregates arises, and how that concept does not arise. The Venerable Isidatta gave analytical answers to the satisfaction of him. (For the complete set of questions and answers the reader may read The Second Isidatta Sutta, 1- Citta Saṃyutta, Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta.)

After that a conversation between Citta and the Venerable Isidatta took place as follows:

Citta: “From which place do you come, Venerable Sir?”

Isidatta: “I come from Avanti country.”

Citta: “Venerable Sir, in Avanti country there is a friend of mine, whom I have never met, by the name of Isidatta who had become a bhikkhu. Have you met him, Venerable Sir?”

Isidatta: “Yes, I have, householder.”

Citta: “Venerable Sir, where is that bhikkhu now?”

The Venerable Isidatta did not give a reply

Citta: “Venerable Sir, are you my friend whom I had never seen?”

Isidatta: “Yes, householder.”

Citta: “Venerable Sir, may the Venerable Isidatta be pleased to stay in Macchikāsaṇḍa. The Ambāṭaka monastery is pleasant to live in. I will see to all the four requisites (robes, alms-food, dwelling, medicines).”

Isidatta: “Householder, you speak well. (You say what is good.)”

(The Venerable Isidatta said so merely to express his appreciation of the donation, but he did not say so with the intention of accepting the donation of any of the four requisites.)

Citta was delighted with the answer given by Venerable Isidatta and personally attended on the Venerable in making offering of alms-food. When the bhikkhus returned to the monastery, the Venerable Thera said to Venerable Isidatta in the same words as he did previously (on the occasion of the First Isidatta Sutta.)

Then the Venerable Isidatta considered that after revealing his identity as an unseen friend of Citta, before becoming a bhikkhu, it would not be proper for him to stay in the monastery donated by Citta. So after tidying up his living quarters and the monastery, he took his alms-bowl and great robe and left the monastery for good, never to return to the town of Macchikāsaṇḍa.