Aṅguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
IV. Devatā Vagga

The Book of the Sixes

IV. The Devas

Sutta 41

Dāru-k-Khandha Suttaṃ

The Log of Wood

 

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[240]

Thus have I heard:

Once, when the venerable Sāriputta
dwelt on Mount vulture Peak near Rājagaha,
he robed early and, taking bowl and cloak,
descended the hill
with many monks in company.

Now at a certain spot
the venerable Sāriputta saw a large log of wood;
and there he addressed the monks and said:

'See you, reverend sirs,
that large log of wood?'

'Yes, sir,' they replied.

'An adept¹ monk, reverend sirs,
won to mind-control,
can, if he wish,
view² it as earth.

Wherefore?

There is, sirs,
[241] in that log of wood
the earth element;
hence an adept can view it as earth.

■

An adept monk, reverend sirs,
won to mind-control,
can, if he wish, view it as water.

Wherefore?

There is, sirs,
in that log of wood
the water element;
hence an adept can view it as water.

■

An adept monk, reverend sirs,
won to mind-control,
can, if he wish, view it as fire.

Wherefore?

There is, sirs,
in that log of wood
the fire element;
hence an adept can view it as fire.

■

An adept monk, reverend sirs,
won to mind-control,
can, if he wish, view it as air.

Wherefore?

There is, sirs,
in that log of wood
the air element;
hence an adept can view it as air.

■

An adept monk, reverend sirs,
won to mind-control,
can, if he wish, view it as beautiful.

Wherefore?

There is, sirs,
in that log of wood
the element of beauty;
hence an adept can view it as beautiful.

■

An adept monk, reverend sirs,
won to mind-control,
can, if he wish, view it as ugly.

Wherefore?

There is, sirs,
in that log of wood
the element of beauty;
hence an adept can view it as beautiful.

 

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¹ Iddhimā.

² Adhimucceyya. Comy. sallakkheyya, ? trace therein.