Index of the Suttas of the
Saṃyutta Nikāya
Nidana Vagga
Kassapa Saṃyutta
II. Nidāna Vagga
PTS: Saṃyutta Nikāya Volume 2, Nidāna Vagga ed. by M. Léon Feer, London: Pāḷi Text Society 1888. The html formatted Pāḷi Text Society edition of the Pāḷi text.
BJT: Saṃyutta Nikāya Volume 2, Nidāna-Vagga The Sri Lanka Buddha Jayanti Tripitaka Series Pāḷi text.
The Pāḷi text for individual suttas listed below is adapted from the Sri Lanka Buddha Jayanti Tripitaka Series [BJT], not from the PTS version.
Each translation is linked to its Pāḷi version and to the PTS, Sister Upalavanna, Olds and where available to the ATI Bhk. Thanissaro translation, and each of these is in turn linked back to each of the others. Many, but not all have been checked against the Pāḷi Text Society edition, and many have been reformatted to include the original Pāḷi (and/or organizational) phrase and sentence breaks.
PTS: The Kindred Sayings on Cause, translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids assisted by F.L. Woodward,
WP: The Book of Causation, translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
ATI: The translations of Bhikkhu Thanissaro and others originally located on Access to Insight.
BD: The translations of M. Olds
MNL: The translations of Sister Upalavanna.
Kassapa Saṃyutta, II.194
PTS: Kindred Sayings on Kassapa, II.131
WP: Connected Discourses with Kassapa, I.662
1. Saṇtuṭṭha Suttaṃ, II.194
The Buddha exhorts the bhikkhus by extolling the satisfaction Mahā Kassapa obtains through his contentment with whatever he gets.
PTS: Contented, II.131
WP: Content, I.662
2. Anottāpi Suttaṃ, II.195
Mahā Kassapa explains the Four Consummate Efforts in detail.
PTS: Careless, II.132
WP: Unafraid of Wrongdoing, I.663
ATI: Without Compunction, Bhk. Thanissaro, trans.
3. Cand'upama Suttaṃ, II.197
The Buddha admonishes the bhikkhus with the example of Kassapa, who approaches the world with an alert mind and extreme caution.
BIT: Warren, Buddhism in Translations, The Mendicant Ideal
PTS: Comparable to the Moon, II.133
WP: Like the Moon, I.664
4. Kulūpaga Suttaṃ, II.200
The Buddha councils the bhikkhus on the thoughts to eliminate and those to keep in mind when they go on their begging rounds. He cites Kassapa as one who is a good example in this practice.
PTS: Visiting the Families, II.135
WP: A Visitor of Families, I.665
5. Jiṇṇa Suttaṃ, II.202
Mahā Kassapa extols the virtues of living the austere life.
PTS: Grown Old, II.136
WP: Old, I.666
ATI: Old
6. Paṭhama Ovāda Suttaṃ, II.203
The Buddha rebukes two bhikkhus who have been one-upping each other.
PTS: Exhortation (1), II.137
WP: Exhortation 1, I.667
7. Dutiya Ovāda Suttaṃ, II.205
Mahā Kassapa describes the states which amount to decline in the bhikkhus and which make the bhikkhus hard to exhort and the states which amount to advancement and which make them easy to exhort. The Buddha confirms his analysis.
PTS: Exhortation 2, II.139
WP: Exhortation 2, I.669
8. Tatiya Ovāda Suttaṃ, II.208
Gotama laments with Mahā Kassapa about the lax state of practice of the bhikkhus compared to the early days. Imagine what he would think about the state of affairs today!
PTS: Exhorting 3, II.140
WP: Exhortation 3, I.670
9. Jhānābhiññā Suttaṃ, II.210
The Buddha extols the accomplishments of Mahā Kassapa by comparing him with his own accomplishments.
In every case Mahā Kassapa is said to be able to do whatever the Buddha claims he himself is able to do. What, then, is the difference between the two? And why does the Buddha make this declaration? The difference between a Buddha and a very powerful Arahant such as Mahā Kassapa is described as being is in the fact that the Buddha was the first and has a greater scope (for example in the number of past lives he can perceive). This sutta was given apparently towards the end of Gotama's life and after the deaths of Sariputta and Moggallāna. It is possible that what we see here is Gotama's attempt to make it clear to the bhikkhus that Mahā Kassapa was worthy to lead the Saṇgha after Gotama's death. It is likely, because of his forest-dwelling and austere habits, that Mahā Kassapa was not well known and it might be questioned as to why he thought himself worthy to assume this leadership role. So a discourse such as this would serve to praise Kassapa and protect him from the discomfort of doubts of the younger bhikkhus and to protect the younger bhikkhus from making the mistake of questioning his authority.
PTS: Jhāna and Super-knowledge, II.141
WP: Jhānas and Direct Knowledges, I.671
10. Bhikkhun'ūpassaya Suttaṃ, II.214
Was Mahā Kassapa the needle peddler and Ānanda the needle maker? or was it the other way around. Mahā Kassapa sets the matter straight.
PTS: The Sisters' Quarters, II.145
WP: The Bhikkhunis' Quarters, I.674
11. Cīvara Suttaṃ, II.217
Mahā Kassapa criticizes Ānanda for going around with a great crowd of novices and relates the story of his first encounter with the Buddha, his exchanging robes with the Buddha and the Buddha's high praise of him.
PTS: The Robe, II.146
WP: The Robe, I.676
ATI/DTO: The Robe, Bhk. Thanissaro trans.
12. Tathāgata Param-Māraṇa Suttaṃ, II.222
Mahā Kassapa and Sariputta discuss why the Buddha did not state an opinion concerning whether or not an awakened one lives again after death.
PTS: After Death, II.150
WP: After Death, I.679
13. Saddhamma-Patirūpaka Suttaṃ, II.223
The Buddha enumerates five things which lead to the disappearance of the authentic teaching.
PTS: A counterfeit Norm, 151
WP: The Counterfeit of the True Dhamma, I.680
ATI: A Counterfeit of the True Dhamma
MNL: An Image of the True Teaching
