SN 41.9

Acelakassapasutta

Tena kho pana samayena acelo kassapo macchikāsaṇḍaṁ anuppatto hoti cittassa gahapatino purāṇagihisahāyo. Assosi kho citto gahapati: “acelo kira kassapo macchikāsaṇḍaṁ anuppatto amhākaṁ purāṇagihisahāyo”ti. Atha kho citto gahapati yena acelo kassapo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā acelena kassapena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati acelaṁ kassapaṁ etadavoca: “kīvaciraṁ pabbajitassa, bhante kassapā”ti? “Tiṁsamattāni kho me, gahapati, vassāni pabbajitassā”ti. “Imehi pana te, bhante, tiṁsamattehi vassehi atthi koci uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato phāsuvihāro”ti? “Imehi kho me, gahapati, tiṁsamattehi vassehi pabbajitassa natthi koci uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato phāsuvihāro, aññatra naggeyyā ca muṇḍeyyā ca pāvaḷanipphoṭanāya cā”ti. Evaṁ vutte, citto gahapati acelaṁ kassapaṁ etadavoca: “acchariyaṁ vata, bho, abbhutaṁ vata, bho. Dhammassa svākkhātatā yatra hi nāma tiṁsamattehi vassehi na koci uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato abhavissa phāsuvihāro, aññatra naggeyyā ca muṇḍeyyā ca pāvaḷanipphoṭanāya cā”ti.

With Kassapa, the Naked Ascetic

Now at that time the naked ascetic Kassapa, an old friend of Citta in the lay life, had arrived at Macchikāsaṇḍa. Citta the householder heard that he had arrived. So he went up to him, and they exchanged greetings. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the naked ascetic Kassapa, “Honorable Kassapa, how long has it been since you went forth?” “It’s been thirty years, householder.” “But sir, in these thirty years have you achieved any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable meditation?” “I have no such achievement, householder, only nudity, baldness, and pokes in the buttocks.” Citta said to him, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing, how well explained the teaching is. For in thirty years you have achieved no superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, no comfortable meditation, only nudity, baldness, and pokes in the buttocks.”

“Tuyhaṁ pana, gahapati, kīvaciraṁ upāsakattaṁ upagatassā”ti? “Mayhampi kho pana, bhante, tiṁsamattāni vassāni upāsakattaṁ upagatassā”ti. “Imehi pana te, gahapati, tiṁsamattehi vassehi atthi koci uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso adhigato phāsuvihāro”ti? “Gihinopi siyā, bhante. Ahañhi, bhante, yāvadeva ākaṅkhāmi, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Ahañhi, bhante, yāvadeva ākaṅkhāmi, vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā … dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Ahañhi, bhante, yāvadeva ākaṅkhāmi, pītiyā ca virāgā …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Ahañhi, bhante, yāvadeva ākaṅkhāmi, sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Sace kho panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato paṭhamataraṁ kālaṁ kareyyaṁ, anacchariyaṁ kho panetaṁ yaṁ maṁ bhagavā evaṁ byākareyya: ‘natthi taṁ saṁyojanaṁ yena saṁyojanena saṁyutto citto gahapati puna imaṁ lokaṁ āgaccheyyā’”ti. Evaṁ vutte, acelo kassapo cittaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca: “acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho. Dhammassa svākkhātatā, yatra hi nāma gihī odātavasano evarūpaṁ uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ adhigamissati phāsuvihāraṁ. Labheyyāhaṁ, gahapati, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.

“But householder, how long have you been a lay follower?” “It’s been thirty years, sir.” “But householder, in these thirty years have you achieved any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable meditation?” “How, sir, could I not? For whenever I want, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. And whenever I want, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled … I enter and remain in the second absorption. And whenever I want, with the fading away of rapture … I enter and remain in the third absorption. And whenever I want, giving up pleasure and pain … I enter and remain in the fourth absorption. If I pass away before the Buddha, it would be no wonder if the Buddha declares of me: ‘The householder Citta is bound by no fetter that might return him to this world.’” When this was said, Kassapa said to Citta, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing, how well explained the teaching is. For a white-clothed layperson can achieve such a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable meditation. Householder, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training?”

Atha kho citto gahapati acelaṁ kassapaṁ ādāya yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū etadavoca: “ayaṁ, bhante, acelo kassapo amhākaṁ purāṇagihisahāyo. Imaṁ therā pabbājentu upasampādentu. Ahamassa ussukkaṁ karissāmi cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan”ti. Alattha kho acelo kassapo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ. Acirūpasampanno ca panāyasmā kassapo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi. “Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro ca panāyasmā kassapo arahataṁ ahosīti.

Then Citta the householder took the naked ascetic Kassapa to see the senior mendicants, and said to them: “Sirs, this is the naked ascetic Kassapa, who in lay life was an old friend of mine. May the senior monks give him the going forth, the ordination. I’ll make sure that he’s provided with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.” And the naked ascetic Kassapa received the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training. Not long after his ordination, Venerable Kassapa, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.” And Venerable Kassapa became one of the perfected.