Dhammapada Verse 303
Cittagahapati Vatthu
Saddho silena sampanno
yaso bhogasamappito
yam yam padesam bhajati
tattha tattheva pujito.
Verse 303: He who is full of faith and virtue, who also possesses fame and
fortune, is held in reverence wherever he goes.
The Story of Citta, the Householder
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (303) of
this book, with reference to Citta, a householder of Macchikasanda town.
Citta, after hearing the Dhamma expounded by the Venerable Sariputta,
attained Anagami Magga and Phala. One day, Citta loaded five hundred carts with
food and other offerings for the Buddha and his disciples, and left for
Savatthi, accompanied by three thousand followers. They travelled at the rate of
one yojana a day and reached Savatthi at the end of a month. Then Citta went
ahead with five hundred of his companions to the Jetavana monastery. While he
was paying obeisance to the Buddha, masses of flowers dropped miraculously from
above like showers of rain. Citta stayed at the monastery for one whole month,
offering alms-food to the Buddha and the bhikkhus and also feeding his own party
of three thousand. All this time, the devas were replenishing his stock of food
and other offerings.
On the eve of his return journey, Citta put all the things he had brought
with him in the rooms of the monastery as offerings to the Buddha. The devas
then filled up the empty carts with various items of priceless things. The
Venerable Ananda, seeing how Citta's riches were being replenished, asked the
Buddha, "Venerable Sir! is it only when Citta approached you that he is
blessed with all these riches? Is he similarly blessed when he goes somewhere
else?" To him the Buddha replied, "Ananda, this disciple is fully
endowed with faith and generosity; he is also virtuous and his reputation
spreads far and wide. Such a one is sure to be revered and showered with riches
wherever he goes."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 303: He who is full of faith and virtue, who
also possesses fame and fortune, is held in reverence wherever he
goes.
|