The Discourse about Kassapa (UD1.6)

Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Rājagaha, in Bamboo Wood, at the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. Then at that time venerable Mahākassapa was dwelling in the Pepper Cave, and was afflicted, suffering, and very sick.

Then venerable Mahākassapa at another time arose from that affliction. Then this occured to venerable Mahākassapa when he arose from that affliction: “Well now, I should enter Rājagaha for alms.”

Then at that time five hundred devatās were ready and eager to offer almsfood to venerable Mahākassapa. But venerable Mahākassapa, after refusing those five hundred devatās, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms, going to the poor streets, to the wretched streets, to the weaver’s streets.

The Gracious One saw venerable Mahākassapa walking for alms in Rājagaha, going to the poor streets, to the wretched streets, to the weaver’s streets. Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“Not nourishing another, well-known, controlled, established in the essential,
With pollutants destroyed, rid of faults: him I call a brāhmaṇa.”

Translated by Bhikkhu Ānandajoti from the Buddha Jayanthi Tripitaka text. Version 2.2, revised February 2008.

The text and translation, together with detailed notes and discussions, may be found in multiple formats on the translator’s website, Ancient Buddhist Texts.

Used by kind permission of Bhikkhu Ānandajoti.

The original translation was released under the following licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.