The Story of Venerable Mahā-Mitta

The Venerable Mahā-Mitta’s mother was sick with a breast tumour. She told her daughter, who also had gone forth as a bhikkhunī: “Go to your brother. Tell him my trouble and bring back some medicine.” She went and told him, but he said: “I do not know how to gather herbs and concoct a medicine from them. But I will rather tell you a kind of medicine: ‘Since I became a recluse, I have not broken my Indriyasamvara-sīla by looking at the bodily form of the opposite sex with lustful thoughts.’ By this declaration of truth, may my mother get well. Go back and repeat the words of truth I have just uttered and rub her body.” She went back and reported to her mother what her brother had told her and did as she has been instructed. At that very moment, the mother’s tumour vanished like a lump of froth breaking into pieces. She got up and uttered with joy: “If the Fully Enlightened One were still alive, why should he not stroke with His net-adorned hand^[1] the head of a bhikkhu like my son!”

The Venerable Mahā Mitta’s way of restraint of the faculties is somewhat different from that of the former Venerable Cittagutta. Venerable Cittagutta restrained his faculties with down-cast eyes so as not to look at any of the objects even by chance, whereas Venerable Mahā Mitta did not restrain with down-cast eyes, he looked at things as they presented themselves. Even when he caught the sight of the opposite sex, he restrained his faculty of eye to prevent lust from arising.

The Venerable Cittagutta’s way of restraint of the faculties is like the closing of the door of the house completely, not letting any robbers to come in. The Venerable Mahā Mitta’s way of restraint is not closing the door, but keeping the robbers from entering the house even once. Both types of restraint are marvellous and worthy of emulation.

While restraint of the faculties is to be undertaken with mindfulness (sati), purification of livelihood is to be practised with energy (vīriya). This is because one is able to abandon wrong livelihood only by applying right energy. Therefore, avoiding unbefitting, improper means, purification of livelihood should be undertaken with the right kind of search like going on alms round with energy.

No hint, roundabout talk, indication or intimation is allowable to acquire such requisites as robes and alms food. But, as regards acquiring a dwelling place, only intimation is not allowable.

‘Hint’: when a bhikkhu, who is preparing the ground, etc. as if to build a dwelling place, is asked: “What is being done, Venerable Sir? Who is having it done?” and he replies: “No one.”;such a reply of his is a ‘hint’ (implying that there is no donor yet for the dwelling place). All other actions which communicate his need for a residence also constitute a hint.

‘Roundabout talk’: a bhikkhu asks a lay devotee: “What kind of a house do you live in?” “In a mansion. Venerable Sir.” “But, dāyaka, is a mansion not allowed for bhikkhus?” This and any such expressions constitute a ‘roundabout talk’.

‘Indication’: “The dwelling place is too small for the community of bhikkhus” or any other such suggestive talks constitute an ‘Indication’.

All four forms of talk, such as hint, etc., are allowed in the case of medicine. But when the disease is cured, is it or is it not allowed to use the medicine obtained in this way? Herein, the Vinaya specialists say that since the Buddha has opened the way for its use, it is allowable. But the Suttanta specialists maintain that though there is no offence, nevertheless the purity of livelihood is sullied; therefore, it is not allowable. But one who wishes to live a completely pure noble life should not use hint, roundabout talk, indication or intimation, even though these are permitted by the Blessed One. Endowed as he is with special qualities such as having few wants, etc. he should make use only of requisites obtained by means other than hint, etc. even when he is to risk his life. Such a one is called a person of extremely noble, austere practice like the Venerable Sāriputta.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

It is one of the 32 distinctive marks of a Grest Being (Mahāpurisa Lakkhana.) For details, refer to Digha Nikāya, Vol II & III.