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 8
Tatiya Ovāda Suttaṃ
Exhortation (3)
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
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:
"Exhort the brethren, Kassapa.
Give them discourse on doctrine, Kassapa.
Either I, Kassapa, or thou
must exhort the brethren.
Either I or thou
must give them discourse on doctrine."
"Just now, lord,
it is difficult to speak to the brethren.
They are in a state that makes it difficult to speak to them.
They are intractable; they pay no deference to instruction."
"Yea, Kassapa, there was a time
when the senior brethren were forest dwellers
and commenders of the forest life,
almsmen were they
and they commended going for alms,
rag-robe wearers were they
and they commended rag-robe wearing,
three-garment men were they
and they commended the triple-raiment;
of little wants were they,
and they commended few wants;
contented were they,
and they commended contentment;
secluded were they,
and they commended seclusion;
aloof from society were they,
and they commended such aloofness;
strenuous in energy were they,
and they commended such strenuous energy.
Then the brother who was a forest dweller
and commender of the forest life,
almsman
and commendeder of going for alms,
rag-robe wearer
and commendeder of rag-robe wearing,
three-garment man
and commendeder of the triple-raiment;
of little wants,
and commendeder of few wants;
contented,
and commendeder of contentment;
secluded,
and commendeder of seclusion;
aloof from society,
and commendeder of such aloofness;
strenuous in energy,
and commendeder of such strenuous energy,
the senior brethren would invite to a seat,
saying:
'Come brother!
Who may this brother be?
Welcome indeed is this brother!
Anxious to learn truly is this brother!
Come, brother, take this seat.'
■
Then, Kassapa, the novice [141] who was a forest dweller
and commender of the forest life,
almsman
and commendeder of going for alms,
rag-robe wearer
and commendeder of rag-robe wearing,
three-garment man
and commendeder of the triple-raiment;
of little wants,
and commendeder of few wants;
contented,
and commendeder of contentment;
secluded,
and commendeder of seclusion;
aloof from society,
and commendeder of such aloofness;
strenuous in energy,
and commendeder of such strenuous energy,
the senior brethren would invite to a seat,
saying:
'Come brother!
Who may this brother be?
Welcome indeed is this brother!
Anxious to learn truly is this brother!
Come, brother, take this seat.'
They practised that they might so attain;
that made for many a day
for their good,
for their happiness.
But now, Kassapa, the senior brethren
are neither forest dwellers,
nor do they commend forest life;
they are neither almsmen,
nor do they commend going for alms;
they are neither rag-robe men,
nor do they commend rag-robe wearing;
they are neither three-garment men,
nor do they commend the triple-raiment;
they are neither of little wants,
nor do they commend few wants;
they are neither contented,
nor do they commend contentment;
they are neither secluded,
nor do they commend seclusion;
they are neither aloof from society,
nor do they commend such aloofness;
they are neither strenuous in energy,
nor do they commend such strenuous energy.
So it is that the brother who is known,
is of repute,
one who gets presents of raiment,
alms,
lodging
and medical requisites -
him it is that the senior brethren invite to a seat,
saying:
'Come brother!
Who may this brother be?
Welcome indeed is this brother!
Anxious to learn truly is this brother!
Come, brother, take this seat.'
So it is, Kassapa, the novice who is known,
is of repute,
one who gets presents of raiment,
alms,
lodging
and medical requisites -
him it is that the senior brethren invite to a seat,
saying:
'Come brother!
Who may this brother be?
Welcome indeed is this brother!
Anxious to learn truly is this brother!
Come, brother, take this seat.'
They practise that they may so attain.
That makes for many a day
for their hurt
and for their sorrow.
If anyone, Kassapa, were to say,
'They who lead the religious life
are harassed by its own dangers;
they who lead the religious life
are fighters of that which assails it,'[1]
he would thereby be saying that which is right.
[1] See *brahmacārī. The dangers 'within the fold,' B. explains, are excessive desire for material comforts.
*brahmacārī. The inflexions in this sentence are puzzling. One would think the text should read 'upaddutā brahmacārino ... abhibhūta brahmacārino. The printed S. text of the Comy. says, that Burmese texts read abhitthanā for abhibhavanā. This does not help. p. 141. [Ed.: from Index II]
