1On one occasion the Venerable Mahākassapa was dwelling in Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Now on that occasion the Venerable Ānanda was wandering on tour in Dakkhiṇāgiri together with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhus. [n.293] A BHS parallel of this sutta is at Mvu III 47–56. Spk: Dakkhiṇāgiri was a country in the southern region of the hills surrounding Rājagaha. After the Buddha’s parinibbāna Ānanda had gone to Sāvatthī to inform the multitude; then he left for Rājagaha and along the way was walking on tour in Dakkhiṇāgiri.

2Now on that occasion thirty bhikkhus—pupils of the Venerable Ānanda—most of them youngsters, had given up the training and had returned to the lower life. sn.ii.218

When the Venerable Ānanda had wandered on tour in Dakkhiṇāgiri as long as he wanted, he came back to Rājagaha, to the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. He approached the Venerable Mahākassapa, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side, and the Venerable Mahākassapa said to him: "Friend Ānanda, for how many reasons did the Blessed One lay down the rule that bhikkhus should not take meals among families in groups of more than three?" [n.294] This is said with reference to Pacittiya 32. See Vin IV 71–75.

3"The Blessed One laid down this rule for three reasons, Venerable Kassapa: for restraining ill-behaved persons and for the comfort of well-behaved bhikkhus, with the intention, ‘May those of evil wishes, by forming a faction, not create a schism in the Saṅgha!’; and out of sympathy towards families. [n.295] See Vin II 196, which relates the original background story to the rule, namely, Devadatta's attempt to create a schism in the Saṅgha (also at Vin IV 71). Spk alludes to this in its gloss of the expression mā pāpicchā pakkhaṁ nissāya saṅghaṁ bhindeyyuṁ: "It was laid down for this reason: ‘As Devadatta along with his retinue ate after informing families and, by relying on those of evil wishes, divided the Saṅgha, so let it not come to pass that others of evil wishes—by collecting a group, eating among families after informing them, and enlarging their group—divide the Saṅgha in reliance on their faction.’"
Spk seems to interpret dummaṅkūnaṁ puggalānaṁ niggahāya and pesalanaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ phasuvihāraya as complementary sides of a single reason, a view explicitly endorsed by Spk-pṭ: dummaṅkūnaṁ niggaho eva pesālanaṁ phāsuvihāro ti idaṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ. Thus on this interpretation "ma papiccha … " would become a second, independent reason. But I follow Horner (at BD 5:275) and C.Rh.D (at KS 2:147), both of whom take the restraint of ill-behaved persons and the comforting of well-behaved bhikkhus as two distinct reasons, to which "mā papicchā … " is subordinate. This seems to be corroborated by the list of ten reasons for the laying down of the training rules (at Vin III 21, etc.), where these two factors are counted as separate reasons. As to the third reason, "out of sympathy for families" (kulānuddayatāya), Spk says: "When the Bhikkhu Saṅgha is living in harmony and performing the Uposatha and Pavaraṇa, people who give ticket-meals, etc., become destined for heaven." A more plausible explanation is that families are spared the burden of having to support too many bhikkhus at one time. In the Mvu version (at III 48) only two reasons are mentioned, "the protection, safeguarding, and comfort of families" and "the breaking up of cliques of wicked men." It is for these three reasons, Venerable Kassapa, that the Blessed One laid down this rule."

4"Then why, friend Ānanda, are you wandering about with these young bhikkhus who are unguarded in their sense faculties, immoderate in eating, and not devoted to wakefulness? One would think you were wandering about trampling on crops; one would think you were wandering about destroying families. Your retinue is breaking apart, friend Ānanda, your young followers are slipping away. But still this youngster does not know his measure!"

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5"Grey hairs are growing on my head, Venerable Kassapa. Can’t we escape being called a youngster by the Venerable Mahākassapa?" [n.296] Kumārakavādā na muccāma. Commentarial tradition holds that Ānanda was born on the same day as the Bodhisatta (see Sv II 425, Ap-a 58, 358, Ja I 63 (Be, but not in the Se or Ee versions)). If this were true, however, he would now be over eighty years of age and thus would hardly have to point to a few grey hairs to prove he is no longer a youngster. Other facts recorded in the canon suggest that Ānanda must have been considerably younger than the Buddha, perhaps by as much as thirty years. On the different opinions about his age held by the early Buddhist schools, see C. Witanachchi's article "Ānanda," in the Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, Vol. I, fasc. 4, p. 529.
Spk paraphrases in a way that supports the traditional view: "Since you wander around with newly ordained bhikkhus devoid of sense restraint, you wander around with youngsters and thus you yourself deserve to be called a youngster." sn.ii.219

"Friend Ānanda, it is just because you wander around with these young bhikkhus who are unguarded in their sense faculties … . But still this youngster does not know his measure!"

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6The bhikkhunī Thullananda heard : [n.297] The name means "Fat Nanda." She is frequently mentioned in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga as a troublemaker in the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha; see e.g. Vin IV 216, 218, 223–24, etc. KS 2:148 mistakenly calls this nun "Fat Tissa," confusing her with the petulant nun of the preceding sutta. "Master Mahākassapa has disparaged Master Ānanda, the Videhan sage, by calling him a youngster."

7Then, being displeased at this, she expressed her displeasure thus: "How can Master Mahākassapa, who was formerly a member of another sect, [n.298] Aññatitthiyapubbo samāno. Spk: Since the elder was not known to have any teacher or preceptor in this Dispensation, and he had put on the saffron robes himself when he renounced the world, out of indignation she depicts him as having been formerly a member of another sect. On Ānanda as the "Videhan sage" see above n. 288. think to disparage Master Ānanda, the Videhan sage, by calling him a youngster?"

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8The Venerable Mahākassapa overheard the bhikkhunī Thullananda making this statement and said to the Venerable Ānanda: "Surely, friend Ānanda, the bhikkhunī Thullananda made that statement rashly, without consideration. For since I shaved off my hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and went forth from the home life into homelessness, I do not recall ever having acknowledged any other teacher except the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One.

"In the past, friend, when I was still a householder, it occurred to me: ‘Household life is confinement, a path of dust, going forth is like the open air. It is not easy for one living at home to lead the perfectly complete, perfectly purified holy life, which is like polished conch. Let me then shave off my hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness. ’ Some time later sn.ii.220 I had an outer robe made from patches of cloth; [n.299] Paṭapilotikānaṁ. See n. 60 above. then, acknowledging those who were arahants in the world (as models), I shaved off my hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and went forth from the household life into homelessness.

9"When I had thus gone forth, I was travelling along a road when I saw the Blessed One sitting by the Bahuputta Shrine between Rājagaha and Nalanda. [n.300] Spk relates here the entire biographical background of Mahākassapa, including several past lives, culminating in his meeting with the Buddha. For a paraphrase, see Hecker, "Mahākassapa: Father of the Saṅgha," in Nyanaponika and Hecker, Great Disciples of the Buddha, pp. 109–19. Having seen him, I thought: ‘If I should ever see the Teacher, it is the Blessed One himself that I would see. If I should ever see the Fortunate One, it is the Blessed One himself that I would see. If I should ever see the Perfectly Enlightened One, it is the Blessed One himself that I would see.’ Then I prostrated myself right there at the Blessed One's feet and said to him: ‘Venerable sir, the Blessed One is my teacher, I am his disciple. Venerable sir, the Blessed One is my teacher, I am his disciple.’ [n.301] I translate Kassapa's thought just above following Spk, which paraphrases each sentence as a conditional: "‘If I should see the Teacher, it is just the Blessed One that I would see; there cannot be any other Teacher than him. If I should see the Fortunate One—called sugata because he has gone well by the right practice—it is just this Blessed One that I would see; there cannot be any other Fortunate One than him. If I should see the Perfectly Enlightened One—so called because he awakened fully to the truths by himself—it is just the Blessed One that I would see; there cannot be any other Perfectly Enlightened One than him.’ By this he shows, ‘Merely by seeing him, I had no doubt that this is the Teacher, this is the Fortunate One, this is the Perfectly Enlightened One.’"
The repetition of Kassapa's declaration of discipleship is in Be and Se though not in Ee. Spk confirms the repetition, explaining that although the utterance is recorded twice we should understand that it was actually spoken three times.

"When I had said this, the Blessed One said to me: ‘Kassapa, if one who does not know and see should say to a disciple so single-minded as yourself: "I know, I see," his head would split. But knowing, Kassapa, I say, "I know"; seeing, I say, "I see." [n.302] Spk: If a disciple so single-minded (evaṁ sabbacetasā samannāgato)—so confident in mind (pasannacitto)—should perform such an act of supreme humility towards an outside teacher who, without knowing, claims to know (i.e., to be enlightened), that teacher's head would fall off from the neck like a palm fruit broken at the stalk; the meaning is, it would split into seven pieces. But when such an act of humility is done at the Master's golden feet, it cannot stir even a hair on his body. The following "Therefore" implies: "Since knowing, I say ‘I know,’ therefore you should train thus." "

10‘Therefore, Kassapa, you should train yourself thus: "I will arouse a keen sense of shame and fear of wrongdoing towards elders, the newly ordained, and those of middle status." Thus should you train yourself.

11"‘Therefore, Kassapa, you should train yourself thus: "Whenever I listen to any Dhamma connected with the wholesome, I will listen to it with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, applying my whole mind to it." [n.303] Here Spk explains sabbacetasā differently than above: "attending with a completely attentive mind (sabbena samannāhāracittena), without allowing the mind to stray even a little." Thus should you train yourself.

12"‘Therefore, Kassapa, you should train yourself thus: "I will never relinquish mindfulness directed to the body associated with joy." Thus should you train yourself.’ [n.304] Sātasahagatā ca me kāyagatā sati. Spk: This is mindfulness of the body associated with pleasure by way of the first jhāna in the foulness meditation and mindfulness of breathing. This threefold exhortation was itself the elder's going forth and higher ordination.

13"Then, having given me this exhortation, the Blessed One rose from his seat and departed. sn.ii.221 For seven days, friend, I ate the country's almsfood as a debtor, but on the eighth day final knowledge arose. [n.305] Spk (Se): āṇo ti sakileso sa-iṇo hutvā. Be (text and Spk) reads saraṇo instead of sāṇo, which is less satisfactory. The line is also at MN III 127, 7–8, with sāṇo.
Spk: There are four modes of using the requisites: (i) by theft (theyyaparibhoga), the use made by a morally depraved monk; (ii) as a debtor (iṇaparibhoga), the unreflective use made by a virtuous monk; (iii) as an heir (dayajjaparibhoga), the use made by the seven trainees; (iv) as an owner (samiparibhoga), the use made by an arahant. Thus only an arahant uses the requisites as an owner, without debt. The elder speaks of his use of the requisites when he was still a worldling as use by a debtor.

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14"Then, friend, the Blessed One descended from the road and went to the foot of a tree. [n.306] Spk: This took place on the day of their first meeting. The attainment of arahantship was mentioned beforehand because of the sequence of the teaching, but it actually took place afterwards. The Buddha descended from the road with the intention of making Kassapa a forest dweller, a rag-robe wearer, and a one-meal eater from his very birth (as a monk). I folded in four my outer robe of patches and said to him: ‘Venerable sir, let the Blessed One sit down here. This will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time.’ The Blessed One sat down on the appointed seat and said to me: ‘Your outer robe of patches is soft, Kassapa.’ –‘Venerable sir, let the Blessed One accept my outer robe of patches, out of compassion.’ –‘Then will you wear my worn-out hempen rag-robes? ’ –‘I will, venerable sir.’ Thus I offered the Blessed One my outer robe of patches and received from him his worn-out hempen rag-robes. [n.307] Spk: The Blessed One wanted to exchange robes with Kassapa because he wished to appoint the elder to his own position (theraṁ attano ṭhāne ṭhapetukāmatāya). When he asked whether the elder could wear his rag-robes he was not referring to his bodily strength but to the fulfilment of the practice (paṭipattipūraṇa). The Buddha had made this robe from a shroud that had covered a slave woman named Puṇṇa, which had been cast away in a cremation ground. When he picked it up, brushed away the creatures crawling over it, and established himself in the great lineage of the nobles ones, the earth quaked and sounded a roar and the devas applauded. In offering the robe, the Buddha implied: "This robe should be worn by a bhikkhu who is from birth an observer of the ascetic practices. Will you be able to make proper use of it?" And Kassapa's assent signifies, "I will fulfil this practice." At the moment they exchanged robes the great earth resounded and shook to its ocean boundaries.

15"If, friend, one speaking rightly could say of anyone: ‘He is a son of the Blessed One, born of his breast, born of his mouth, born of the Dhamma, created by the Dhamma, an heir to the Dhamma, a receiver of worn-out hempen rag-robes,’ it is of me that one could rightly say this. [n.308] Cp. the Buddha’s praise of Sāriputta at MN III 29,8–13. Spk: By this statement the elder has absolved his going forth from the charge of Thullananda. This is the purport: "Does one without teacher or preceptor, who takes the saffron robe himself, and who leaves another sect, receive the honour of having the Buddha go out to welcome him, or take ordination by a triple exhortation, or get to exchange robes with the Buddha in person? See how offensive the bhikkhuni Thullananda's utterance was!"

16"Friend, to whatever extent I wish, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I enter and dwell in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, sn.ii.222 with rapture and happiness born of seclusion … . As in §9, down to:

17"Friend, by the destruction of the taints, in this very life I enter and dwell in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, realizing it for myself with direct knowledge.

"Friend, one might just as well think that a bull elephant seven or seven and a half cubits high could be concealed by a palm leaf as think that my six direct knowledges could be concealed." [n.309] As at SN16.10.

18But the bhikkhunī Thullananda fell away from the holy life.

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahākassapo rājagahe vihārati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ānando dakkhiṇagirismiṁ cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ.

2Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato ānandassa tiṁsamattā saddhivihārino bhikkhū sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattā bhavanti yebhuyyena kumārabhūtā.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando dakkhiṇagirismiṁ yathābhirantaṁ cārikaṁ caritvā yena rājagahaṁ veḷuvanaṁ kalandakanivāpo yenāyasmā mahākassapo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākassapaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ āyasmā mahākassapo etadavoca: "kati nu kho, āvuso Ānanda, atthavase paṭicca bhagavatā kulesu tikabhojanaṁ paññattan"ti?

3"Tayo kho, bhante kassapa, atthavase paṭicca bhagavatā kulesu tikabhojanaṁ paññattaṁ – dummaṅkūnaṁ puggalānaṁ niggahāya pesalānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ phāsuvihārāya, mā pāpicchā pakkhaṁ nissāya saṅghaṁ bhindeyyuṁ, kulānuddayatāya ca. Ime kho, bhante kassapa, tayo atthavase paṭicca bhagavatā kulesu tikabhojanaṁ paññattan"ti.

4"Atha kiñcarahi tvaṁ, āvuso Ānanda, imehi navehi bhikkhūhi indriyesu aguttadvārehi bhojane amattaññūhi jāgariyaṁ ananuyuttehi saddhiṁ cārikaṁ carasi? Sassaghātaṁ maññe carasi, kulūpaghātaṁ maññe carasi. Olujjati kho te, āvuso Ānanda, parisā; palujjanti kho te, āvuso, navappāyā. Na vāyaṁ kumārako mattamaññāsī"ti.

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5"Api me, bhante kassapa, sirasmiṁ palitāni jātāni. Atha ca pana mayaṁ ajjāpi āyasmato mahākassapassa kumārakavādā na muccāmā"ti.

"Tathā hi pana tvaṁ, āvuso Ānanda, imehi navehi bhikkhūhi indriyesu aguttadvārehi bhojane amattaññūhi jāgariyaṁ ananuyuttehi saddhiṁ cārikaṁ carasi, sassaghātaṁ maññe carasi, kulūpaghātaṁ maññe carasi. Olujjati kho te, āvuso Ānanda, parisā; palujjanti kho te, āvuso, navappāyā. Na vāyaṁ kumārako mattamaññāsī"ti.

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6Assosi kho thullanandā bhikkhunī: "ayyena kira mahākassapena ayyo ānando vedehamuni kumārakavādena apasādito"ti.

7Atha kho thullanandā bhikkhunī anattamanā anattamanavācaṁ nicchāresi: "Kiṁ pana ayyo mahākassapo aññatitthiyapubbo samāno ayyaṁ Ānandaṁ vedehamuniṁ kumārakavādena apasādetabbaṁ maññatī"ti. Assosi kho āyasmā mahākassapo thullanandāya bhikkhuniyā imaṁ vācaṁ bhāsamānāya.

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8Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ etadavoca: "tagghāvuso Ānanda, thullanandāya bhikkhuniyā sahasā appaṭisaṅkhā vācā bhāsitā. Yatvāhaṁ, āvuso, kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito, nābhijānāmi aññaṁ satthāraṁ uddisitā, aññatra tena bhagavatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena.

Pubbe me, āvuso, agārikabhūtassa sato etadahosi: ‘sambādho gharāvāso rajāpatho, abbhokāso pabbajjā. Nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti. So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, aparena samayena paṭapilotikānaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ kāretvā ye loke arahanto te uddissa kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajiṁ.

9So evaṁ pabbajito samāno addhānamaggappaṭipanno addasaṁ bhagavantaṁ antarā ca rājagahaṁ antarā ca nāḷandaṁ bahuputte cetiye nisinnaṁ. Disvāna me etadahosi: ‘satthārañca vatāhaṁ passeyyaṁ, bhagavantameva passeyyaṁ; sugatañca vatāhaṁ passeyyaṁ, bhagavantameva passeyyaṁ; sammāsambuddhañca vatāhaṁ passeyyaṁ; bhagavantameva passeyyan’ti. So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, tattheva bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘satthā me, bhante, bhagavā, sāvakohamasmi; satthā me, bhante, bhagavā, sāvakohamasmī’ti.

Evaṁ vutte, maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā etadavoca: ‘yo kho, kassapa, evaṁ sabbacetasā samannāgataṁ sāvakaṁ ajānaññeva vadeyya jānāmīti, apassaññeva vadeyya passāmīti, muddhāpi tassa vipateyya. Ahaṁ kho pana, kassapa, jānaññeva vadāmi jānāmīti, passaññeva vadāmi passāmīti.

10Tasmātiha te, kassapa, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: "tibbaṁ me hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ bhavissati theresu navesu majjhimesū"ti. Evañhi te, kassapa, sikkhitabbaṁ.

11Tasmātiha te, kassapa, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: "yaṁ kiñci dhammaṁ suṇissāmi kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi karitvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇissāmī"ti. Evañhi te, kassapa, sikkhitabbaṁ.

12Tasmātiha te, kassapa, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: "sātasahagatā ca me kāyagatāsati na vijahissatī"ti. Evañhi te, kassapa, sikkhitabbanti’.

13Atha kho maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā iminā ovādena ovaditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi. Sattāhameva khvāhaṁ, āvuso, saraṇo raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñjiṁ aṭṭhamiyā aññā udapādi.

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14Atha kho, āvuso, bhagavā maggā okkamma yena aññataraṁ rukkhamūlaṁ tenupasaṅkami. Atha khvāhaṁ, āvuso, paṭapilotikānaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ catugguṇaṁ paññapetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘idha, bhante, bhagavā nisīdatu, yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā’ti. Nisīdi kho, āvuso, bhagavā paññatte āsane. Nisajja kho maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā etadavoca: ‘mudukā kho tyāyaṁ, kassapa, paṭapilotikānaṁ saṅghāṭī’ti. ‘Paṭiggaṇhātu me, bhante, bhagavā paṭapilotikānaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ anukampāṁ upādāyā’ti. ‘Dhāressasi pana me tvaṁ, kassapa, sāṇāni paṁsukūlāni nibbasanānī’ti. ‘Dhāressāmahaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sāṇāni paṁsukūlāni nibbasanānī’ti. So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, paṭapilotikānaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ bhagavato pādāsiṁ. Ahaṁ pana bhagavato sāṇāni paṁsukūlāni nibbasanāni paṭipajjiṁ.

15Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘bhagavato putto oraso mukhato jāto dhammajo dhammanimmito dhammadāyādo, paṭiggahitāni sāṇāni paṁsukūlāni nibbasanānī’ti, mamaṁ taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘bhagavato putto oraso mukhato jāto dhammajo dhammanimmito dhammadāyādo, paṭiggahitāni sāṇāni paṁsukūlāni nibbasanānī’ti.

16Ahaṁ kho, āvuso, yāvade ākaṅkhāmi vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Ahaṁ kho, āvuso, yāvade ākaṅkhāmi … pe … (navannaṁ anupubbavihārasamāpattīnaṁ pañcannañca abhiññānaṁ evaṁ vitthāro veditabbo.)

17Ahaṁ kho, āvuso, āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmi;

sattaratanaṁ vā, āvuso, nāgaṁ aḍḍhaṭṭhamaratanaṁ vā tālapattikāya chādetabbaṁ maññeyya, yo me cha abhiññā chādetabbaṁ maññeyyā"ti.

18Cavittha ca pana thullanandā bhikkhunī brahmacariyamhāti.

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Ekādasamaṁ.