Upāsaka Citta (Sanskrit: Citra) was one of the chief male lay disciples of the Buddha, along with Hatthaka of Alavi. He is considered the lay disciple of the Buddha who was foremost in teaching the Dharma.[1] He was a wealthy merchant from Savatthi. It is said his life and character were so pure that near his death, if he had wished to be a Chakravarti, or universal monarch, it would've been granted. However, he turned down this wish as it was temporal. He had become an Anāgāmi or Non-Returner.
In an Early Buddhist Texts (SN IV.297-300), Citta is asked by Jain leader Nigantha Nataputta (Mahavira) if he believes the Buddha who says that there is a concentration free from deliberation and thought. He initially gives an ambiguous answer, but then turns out not to believe, but to know these things from his own experience obtained while practicing the jhanas.[2]
The Buddha considered Upāsaka Citta to be the most learned and lucid of all the lay Dhamma teachers. After becoming the Buddha's lay disciple, he shared and explained the Buddha's teaching to the other citizens of the town, and converted five hundred of them, and on one occasion took all of the new converts to Savatthi to visit the Buddha. The discourses in the Tipitaka preached to and by Citta indicate his profound grasp of the most subtle aspects of the Buddha Dhamma and indeed later he became enlightened as an Anāgāmi or Non-Returner.[3]
Model for Lay Disciplesedit
In the Early Buddhist Texts (SN 17:23), the Buddha said that a devoted lay disciple should foster the wish to become like Citta and Hatthaka, while devoted bhikkhus should aspire to equal Sāriputta and Mahāmoggallāna. They are the model standards are set for lay people and monks. Of the ten instructive discourses contained in the Citta Saṃyutta, three of the discourses deal with the questions posed by Citta to the bhikkhus, three of them are queries put to Citta by the bhikkhus, and four refer to personal events.[4]
Notesedit
^Dhammika, Shravasti (1 December 2005). The Buddha and His Disciples. Buddhist Publication Society. p. 82. ISBN978-955-24-0280-7.
^Johannes Bronkhorst, The Two Traditions of Meditation in Ancient India. Franz Steiner Verlag, 1986, page 83.
^"The Buddha and His Disciples by Ven S. Dhammika". Buddhanet.net. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
citta, disciple, upāsaka, citta, sanskrit, citra, chief, male, disciples, buddha, along, with, hatthaka, alavi, considered, disciple, buddha, foremost, teaching, dharma, wealthy, merchant, from, savatthi, said, life, character, were, pure, that, near, death, w. Upasaka Citta Sanskrit Citra was one of the chief male lay disciples of the Buddha along with Hatthaka of Alavi He is considered the lay disciple of the Buddha who was foremost in teaching the Dharma 1 He was a wealthy merchant from Savatthi It is said his life and character were so pure that near his death if he had wished to be a Chakravarti or universal monarch it would ve been granted However he turned down this wish as it was temporal He had become an Anagami or Non Returner CittaPersonalReligionBuddhismOccupationUpasakaSenior postingTeacherBuddha In an Early Buddhist Texts SN IV 297 300 Citta is asked by Jain leader Nigantha Nataputta Mahavira if he believes the Buddha who says that there is a concentration free from deliberation and thought He initially gives an ambiguous answer but then turns out not to believe but to know these things from his own experience obtained while practicing the jhanas 2 Contents 1 Lay Dhamma Teacher 2 Model for Lay Disciples 3 Notes 4 External linksLay Dhamma Teacher editThe Buddha considered Upasaka Citta to be the most learned and lucid of all the lay Dhamma teachers After becoming the Buddha s lay disciple he shared and explained the Buddha s teaching to the other citizens of the town and converted five hundred of them and on one occasion took all of the new converts to Savatthi to visit the Buddha The discourses in the Tipitaka preached to and by Citta indicate his profound grasp of the most subtle aspects of the Buddha Dhamma and indeed later he became enlightened as an Anagami or Non Returner 3 Model for Lay Disciples editIn the Early Buddhist Texts SN 17 23 the Buddha said that a devoted lay disciple should foster the wish to become like Citta and Hatthaka while devoted bhikkhus should aspire to equal Sariputta and Mahamoggallana They are the model standards are set for lay people and monks Of the ten instructive discourses contained in the Citta Saṃyutta three of the discourses deal with the questions posed by Citta to the bhikkhus three of them are queries put to Citta by the bhikkhus and four refer to personal events 4 Notes edit Dhammika Shravasti 1 December 2005 The Buddha and His Disciples Buddhist Publication Society p 82 ISBN 978 955 24 0280 7 Johannes Bronkhorst The Two Traditions of Meditation in Ancient India Franz Steiner Verlag 1986 page 83 The Buddha and His Disciples by Ven S Dhammika Buddhanet net Retrieved 20 June 2020 dhammatalks net Books13 Hellmuth Hecker Lives of the Disciples 1 pdfExternal links edithttp www buddhanet net e learning buddhism disciples14 htm Citta in the Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names nbsp This Buddhist biography related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Citta disciple amp oldid 1102791669, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
