23. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Āḷavi at the Aggāḷava-cetiya. Then the Blessed One said to the monks: “Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with seven wonderful and marvellous qualities. What seven? Monks, Hatthaka of Āḷavi has confidence (saddho), he is virtuous (sīlavā), he has shame (hirīmā),¹ he is scrupulous (ottappī),² he is learned (bahussuto), he is generous (cāgavā), he is wise (paññavā). Remember that Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with these seven wonderful and marvellous qualities.”

Thus spoke the Blessed One. Having said this, the Fortunate One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Then a certain monk, have dressed in the morning and taking the bowl and double-robe, approached the residence of Hatthaka of Āḷavi, and having approached sat down on a seat that had been made ready. The Hatthaka of Āḷavi approached the monk, and having approached, paid homage and sat down at one side. As he sat there, the monk said this to Hatthaka of Āḷavi:–

“The Blessed One said, friend, that you are endowed with seven wonderful and marvellous qualities. What seven? Hatthaka of Āḷavi has confidence, he is virtuous, he has shame, he is scrupulous he is learned, he is generous, he is wise.”

“I hope, venerable sir, that no white-robed ³ householders were present?”

“Indeed not, friend, there were no white-robed householders present.”

“It is good, venerable sir, that no white-robed householders were present.”

Then that monk have obtained almsfood at the residence of Hatthaka of Āḷavi, got up from his seat and departed. Then that monk, having returned from almsround after the meal, approached the Blessed One, having approached the Blessed One and having paid homage he sat down at one side. Sitting at one side that monk said to the Blessed One:–

“Venerable sir, in the morning I went for alms to the residence of Hatthaka of Āḷavi [and repeated what you said]. When I had said that, venerable sir, Hatthaka said to me: ‘I hope, venerable sir, that no white-robed householders were present?’”

“Well said, it is good, monk! Of few desires, monk, is that son of a good family who does not wish others to know about his wholesome qualities. Then, monk, remember that Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with this eighth wonderful and marvellous quality. Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with fewness of wishes ⁴ (appicchatāyā).”

Hatthaka Sutta (2)

A Discourse to Hatthaka on the Four Bases of Harmony

(A.iv.219)

24. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Āḷavi at the Aggāḷava-cetiya. Then Hatthaka of Āḷavi approached the Blessed One together with five hundred lay disciples. Having approached, he paid homage and sat down at one side. As he was sitting at one side the Blessed One said to Hatthaka of Āḷavi:–

“Your following is large, Hatthaka. How did you gather this large following?”

“As taught by the Blessed One, venerable sir, it is with the four bases of harmony ⁵ (saṅgahavatthūni) that I gathered this large following. When I know, venerable sir, ‘This person is won over by generosity,’ I win him or her over by generosity. When I know, ‘This person is won over by kind speech,’ I win him or her over by kind speech. When I know, ‘This person is won over by benevolence,’ I win him or her over by benevolence. When I know, ‘This person is won over by impartiality,’ I win him or her over by impartiality. There is wealth in my family, venerable sir. They do not think that should listen to me as if I were poor.”

“Well said, Hatthaka, well said! That is the way, Hatthaka, that one can gather a large following. All those in the past, Hatthaka, who gathered a large following, all of them did so by these four bases of harmony. All those in the future, Hatthaka, who will gather a large following, all of them will do so by these four bases of harmony. All those in the present, Hatthaka, who have gathered a large following, have done so by these four bases of harmony.”

Then, Hatthaka of Āḷavi, instructed (sandessito), roused (samādapito), inspired (samuttejito), and gladdened (sampahaṃsito) with talk on Dhamma by the Blessed One, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, and departed keeping his right side towards the Blessed One.

Then not long after Hatthaka of Āḷavi had left, the Blessed One said to the monks: “Remember, monks, Hatthaka of Āḷavi as one endowed with eight wonderful and marvellous qualities. What eight? Hatthaka of Āḷavi has confidence, he is virtuous, he has shame, he is scrupulous, he is learned, he is generous, he is wise, and he is endowed with fewness of wishes. Monks, remember that Hatthaka of Āḷavi is endowed with these eight wonderful and marvellous qualities.”

Hatthaka Suttaṃ (3)

A Discourse to Hatthaka Devaputta

(A.i.278)

127. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in the Jeta grove at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, late at night the young deity (devaputta) Hatthaka,⁶ illuminating the entire Jeta grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, thinking, “I will stand in front of the Blessed One,” only sank down into the ground and was not able to stand on it. It is like ghee or oil when poured onto sand just sinks into it and cannot remain on top of it, in the same way Hatthaka the young deity thinking, ‘I will stand in front of the Blessed One,’ only sank into the ground and could not stand on it.

Then the Blessed One said to Hatthaka the young deity: “Make a gross body, Hatthaka.”

“Yes, venerable sir,” Hatthaka the young deity replied, and having made a gross body, paid homage to the Blessed One and stood at one side. As he was standing at one side, the Blessed One said to him:–

“Those Dhamma teachings, Hatthaka, which you thoroughly mastered when you were a human being, can you remember them thoroughly now?”

“Those Dhamma teachings, venerable sir, that I thoroughly mastered when I was a human being, I can remember them thoroughly now, and those Dhamma teachings that I had not thorough mastered when I was a human being, I can remember them thoroughly now. It is like, venerable sir, the Blessed One dwells surrounded by monks, nuns, male and female disciples, by kings and king’s ministers, by adherents of other beliefs and their followers, even so, venerable sir, I dwell surrounded by young deities. venerable sir, the young deities come to my presence thinking, ‘Let us hear the Dhamma’ from the young deity Hatthaka.

“There are three things, venerable sir, that I could not get enough of before I died, and remained unsatiated. What three? I could not get enough of seeing the Blessed One before I died. I could not get enough of listening to the Dhamma before I died. I could not get enough of waiting on the community before I died. These three things, venerable sir, I could not get enough of before I died, and remained unsatiated.”

“I could never get enough of seeing the Blessed One,
Attending on the Saṅgha or listening to the Dhamma.”

“Training in higher morality, delighting in hearing the Dhamma;
Unsatisfied in three things, Hatthaka has gone to Aviha.” ⁷

Notes

1. Doing no evil deeds for fear of blame.

2. Doing no evil even in private for fear of karmic retribution.

3. On Uposatha days, householders put on white clothes and observe the eight precepts while staying at the vihāra.

4. Modest, not wishing others to know about one’s good qualities.

5. The four bases (vatthūni) of harmony (saṅgaha): generosity (dāna), kind speech (pīyavācā), benevolence (atthacariya), and impartiality (samānattā). In the Book of Ones, Hatthaka of Āḷavi is praised as the foremost in gathering a following by these four bases of harmony. The Pāḷi verb “Saṅgaṇhāti,” has several meanings: to comprise, to collect, to include, to compile, to sympathise with.

6. The newly reborn deity was apparently Hatthaka of Āḷavi.

7. Avihā is the lowest of the five Pure Abodes (Suddhāvāsa), so Hatthaka gained the stage of Non-returning before his demise. The life-span in Avihā is 1,000 great aeons.