{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an6.41/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an6.41","id":"suttacentral_an6.41","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an6.41/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time Venerable S\u0101riputta was staying near R\u0101jagaha, on the Vulture\u2019s Peak Mountain. Then Venerable S\u0101riputta robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, descended the Vulture\u2019s Peak together with several mendicants. At a certain spot he saw a large tree trunk, and he addressed the mendicants, \u201cReverends, do you see this large tree trunk?\u201d \u201cYes, reverend.\u201d \u201cIf they wanted to, a mendicant with psychic powers who has mastered their mind could determine this tree trunk to be nothing but earth. Why is that? Because the earth element exists in the tree trunk. Relying on that a mendicant with psychic powers could determine it to be nothing but earth. If they wanted to, a mendicant with psychic powers who has mastered their mind could determine this tree trunk to be nothing but water. \u2026 Or they could determine it to be nothing but fire \u2026 Or they could determine it to be nothing but air \u2026 Or they could determine it to be nothing but beautiful \u2026 Or they could determine it to be nothing but ugly. Why is that? Because the element of ugliness exists in the tree trunk. Relying on that a mendicant with psychic powers could determine it to be nothing but ugly.\u201d","title":"A Tree Trunk","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":214}