Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
16. Kassapa Saṃyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
II. The Book Called the Nidāna-Vagga
Containing Kindred sayings on Cause
and Other Subjects
16. Kindred Sayings on Kassapa
Sutta 5
Jiṇṇa Suttaṃ
Grown Old
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One was at Rājagaha
at the Bamboo Grove:
Now the venerable Mahā-Kassapa came into the presence of the Exalted One,
saluted him,
and sat down at his side.
To him so seated
the Exalted One said this:
"Thou art old, Kassapa,
and these coarse cast-off rags
are past wearing
and irksome to thee.
Wherefore do thou, Kassapa,
wear the raiment [given] by householders
and enjoy their invitations
and abide near me."
"I, lord, for many a day
have been a forest dweller
and have commended forest life;
have been an almsman
and have commended alms-living;
have been a rag-robe wearer
and have commended rag-robe wearing;
have been a three-garment man
and have commended the triple-raiment;
have wanted little
and have commended few wants;
have been contented
and have commended contentment;
have dwelt in seclusion
and have commended seclusion;
have held aloof from society
and have commended such aloofness;
have lived in strenuous energy
and have commended strenuous energy."
"But what advantage dost thou, Kassapa,
discern in this
that for many a day
thou hast been a forest dweller
and have commended forest life;
have been an almsman
and have commended alms-living;
have been a rag-robe wearer
and have commended rag-robe wearing;
have been a three-garment man
and have commended the triple-raiment;
have wanted little
and have commended few wants;
have been contented
and have commended contentment;
have dwelt in seclusion
and have commended seclusion;
have held aloof from society
and have commended such aloofness;
have lived in strenuous energy
and have commended strenuous energy?"
"Discerning two advantages, lord,
have I for many a day
been a forest dweller
and have commended forest life;
have been an almsman
and have commended alms-living;
have been a rag-robe wearer
and have commended rag-robe wearing;
have been a three-garment man
and have commended the triple-raiment;
have wanted little
and have commended few wants;
have been contented
and have commended contentment;
have dwelt in seclusion
and have commended seclusion;
have held aloof from society
and have commended such aloofness;
have lived in strenuous energy
and have commended strenuous energy:
Discerning mine own present happiness
and being filled with compassion
for them who will come after us.
For surely these may fall into error.
But let them say:
'They who were disciples of the Buddha
and of the followers of the Buddha[1]
were for many a day
forest dwellers
and commended forest life;
they were almsmen
and commended alms-living;
they were rag-robe wearers
and commended rag-robe wearing;
they were three-garment men
and commended the triple-raiment;
they were of few wants
and commended few wants;
they were contented
and commended contentment;
they dwelt in seclusion
and commended seclusion;
they held aloof from society
and commended such aloofness;
they lived in strenuous energy,
and they commended strenuous energy,'|| ||
So saying they will practise that
so they [137] may attain this end.
This for many a day
will be for their good
and for their happiness.
These are the two advantages, lord,
the which discerning
I have for many a day
lived on this wise."
"Well said, well said, Kassapa.
For the good of many,
truly, hast thou thus practised,
for the happiness of many folk,
out of compassion for the world,
for the salvation,
the good,
the happiness
of devas and of men.
Wherefore, Kassapa,
wear thou thy coarse rag-robes
that are past wearing,
go thy rounds for alms
and dwell in the forest."[2]
[1] Buddhānubuddhasāvakā. B. is silent, though extremely wordy on the former advantage.
[2] Buddhaghosa judges that the Master intentionally afforded his great follower opportunity here to 'roar his lion's roar.'
