34. Kāṇamātusikkhāpada
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena kāṇamātā upāsikā saddhā hoti pasannā. Kāṇā gāmake aññatarassa purisassa dinnā hoti. Atha kho kāṇā mātugharaṁ agamāsi kenacideva karaṇīyena. Atha kho kāṇāya sāmiko kāṇāya santike dūtaṁ pāhesi—“āgacchatu kāṇā, icchāmi kāṇāya āgatan”ti. Atha kho kāṇamātā upāsikā “kismiṁ viya rittahatthaṁ gantun”ti pūvaṁ paci. Pakke pūve aññataro piṇḍacāriko bhikkhu kāṇamātāya upāsikāya nivesanaṁ pāvisi. Atha kho kāṇamātā upāsikā tassa bhikkhuno pūvaṁ dāpesi. So nikkhamitvā aññassa ācikkhi. Tassapi pūvaṁ dāpesi. So nikkhamitvā aññassa ācikkhi. Tassapi pūvaṁ dāpesi. Yathāpaṭiyattaṁ pūvaṁ parikkhayaṁ agamāsi. Dutiyampi kho kāṇāya sāmiko kāṇāya santike dūtaṁ pāhesi—“āgacchatu kāṇā, icchāmi kāṇāya āgatan”ti. Dutiyampi kho kāṇamātā upāsikā “kismiṁ viya rittahatthaṁ gantun”ti pūvaṁ paci. Pakke pūve aññataro piṇḍacāriko bhikkhu kāṇamātāya upāsikāya nivesanaṁ pāvisi. Atha kho kāṇamātā upāsikā tassa bhikkhuno pūvaṁ dāpesi. So nikkhamitvā aññassa ācikkhi. Tassapi pūvaṁ dāpesi. So nikkhamitvā aññassa ācikkhi. Tassapi pūvaṁ dāpesi. Yathāpaṭiyattaṁ pūvaṁ parikkhayaṁ agamāsi. Tatiyampi kho kāṇāya sāmiko kāṇāya santike dūtaṁ pāhesi—“āgacchatu kāṇā, icchāmi kāṇāya āgataṁ. Sace kāṇā nāgacchissati, ahaṁ aññaṁ pajāpatiṁ ānessāmī”ti. Tatiyampi kho kāṇamātā upāsikā kismiṁ viya rittahatthaṁ gantunti pūvaṁ paci. Pakke pūve aññataro piṇḍacāriko bhikkhu kāṇamātāya upāsikāya nivesanaṁ pāvisi. Atha kho kāṇamātā upāsikā tassa bhikkhuno pūvaṁ dāpesi. So nikkhamitvā aññassa ācikkhi. Tassapi pūvaṁ dāpesi. So nikkhamitvā aññassa ācikkhi. Tassapi pūvaṁ dāpesi. Yathāpaṭiyattaṁ pūvaṁ parikkhayaṁ agamāsi. Atha kho kāṇāya sāmiko aññaṁ pajāpatiṁ ānesi. Assosi kho kāṇā—“tena kira purisena aññā pajāpati ānītā”ti. Sā rodantī aṭṭhāsi. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena kāṇamātāya upāsikāya nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Atha kho kāṇamātā upāsikā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho kāṇamātaraṁ upāsikaṁ bhagavā etadavoca—“kissāyaṁ kāṇā rodatī”ti? Atha kho kāṇamātā upāsikā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesi. Atha kho bhagavā kāṇamātaraṁ upāsikaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.
Accepting more than three bowlfuls Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time there was a female lay follower Kāṇamātā who had faith and confidence. She had a daughter, Kāṇā, who had been given in marriage to a man in a certain village. On one occasion Kāṇā went to her mother’s house on some business. Kāṇā’s husband sent her a message: “Please come, Kāṇā, I want you back.” Kāṇamātā thought, “It’s shameful to go empty-handed,” and she baked some cookies. Just when the cookies were finished, an alms-collecting monk entered Kāṇamātā’s house, and she gave him some. After leaving, he told another monk, and he too was given cookies. And the same happened a third time. At that, all the cookies were gone. A second time Kāṇā’s husband sent her the same message, and everything unfolded as before. A third time he sent the same message, adding, “If Kāṇā doesn’t come, I’ll find another wife.” But once again all the cookies were given to monks. Kāṇā’s husband found another wife, and when Kāṇā heard what had happened, she cried. Soon afterwards, after robing up in the morning, the Buddha took his bowl and robe and went to Kāṇamātā’s house where he sat down on the prepared seat. Kāṇamātā approached the Buddha, bowed, and sat down. The Buddha asked her why Kāṇā was crying, and she told him what had happened. After instructing, inspiring, and gladdening her with a teaching, the Buddha got up from his seat and left.