English
This rose-apple fruit, Kassapa, is endowed with color, endowed with fragrance, endowed with taste. If you wish, partake of it." "Enough, Great Ascetic, you alone are worthy of it, you alone should partake of it." Then it occurred to Uruvelakassapa the ascetic: "Indeed, the Great Ascetic has great psychic power, great might, in that he sent me forth earlier, and from that rose-apple tree by which 'Jambudīpa' is known, having taken a fruit from there, he came earlier and is seated in the fire-house, yet he is not an Arahant as I am." Then the Blessed One, having eaten the meal of Uruvelakassapa the ascetic, dwelled in that very forest grove. 45. Then Uruvelakassapa the ascetic, when that night had passed, approached the Blessed One, and having approached, he announced the time to the Blessed One: "It is time, Great Ascetic, the meal is ready." "Go, Kassapa, we are coming," having sent Uruvelakassapa the ascetic forth, from that rose-apple tree by which 'Jambudīpa' is known, not far from it, a mango tree... not far from it, an emblic myrobalan tree... not far from it, a chebulic myrobalan tree... having gone to Tāvatiṃsa and taken a Pāricchattaka flower, he came earlier and sat in the fire-house. Then Uruvelakassapa the ascetic saw the Blessed One seated in the fire-house, and having seen the Blessed One, he said this: "By what path, Great Ascetic, have you come? I departed earlier than you, yet you came earlier and are seated in the fire-house." "Here, Kassapa, having sent you forth, having gone to Tāvatiṃsa and (taken) a Pāricchattaka Having taken a flower, he came first, and sat in the fire-house. "This, Kassapa, is a Pāricchattaka flower, rich in color, rich in fragrance." (If you wish, take it.) ("Enough, Great Ascetic, you alone are worthy of it, you alone should take it.") Then it occurred to Urūvelakassapa the ascetic: "Great indeed is the power of the Great Ascetic, great his might, that having sent me away first, he went to Tāvatiṃsa, took a Pāricchattaka flower, came back first, and sat in the fire-house. But he is not an Arahant as I am." 46. Now at that time, those ascetics, wishing to tend the fire, could not split the firewood. Then it occurred to those ascetics: "Undoubtedly, it is the psychic power of the Great Ascetic, that we cannot split the firewood." Then the Blessed One said to Urūvelakassapa the ascetic: "Let the firewood be split, Kassapa." "Let it be split, Great Ascetic." At once, five hundred pieces of firewood split themselves. Then it occurred to Urūvelakassapa the ascetic: "Great indeed is the power of the Great Ascetic, great his might, that even the firewood splits itself. But he is not an Arahant as I am." 47. Now at that time, those ascetics, wishing to tend the fire, could not light the fire. Then it occurred to those ascetics: "Undoubtedly, it is the psychic power of the Great Ascetic, that we cannot light the fire." Then the Blessed One said to Urūvelakassapa the ascetic: "Let the fires be lit, Kassapa." "Let them be lit, Great Ascetic." At once, five hundred fires lit themselves. Then it occurred to Urūvelakassapa the ascetic: "Great indeed is the power of the Great Ascetic, great his might, that even the fires lit themselves... they will go out, but he is not an Arahant as I am.” 48. Now at that time, those ascetics, having served the fire, could not extinguish the fire. Then it occurred to those ascetics: “Surely, the Great Ascetic has psychic power, since we cannot extinguish the fire.” Then the Blessed One said to Uruvelakassapa the ascetic: “Let the fires go out, Kassapa.” “Let them go out, Great Ascetic.” Immediately, five hundred fires went out. Then it occurred to Uruvelakassapa the ascetic: “Great is the psychic power and might of the Great Ascetic, since even the fires will go out, but he is not an Arahant as I am.” 49. Now at that time, those ascetics, on cold winter nights, during the mid-period, at the time of frost, were emerging and submerging, and doing emerging and submerging in the Nerañjarā River. Then the Blessed One created about five hundred small fire-pits, where those ascetics could come up and warm themselves. Then it occurred to those ascetics: “Surely, the Great Ascetic has psychic power, since these small fire-pits have been created.” Then it occurred to Uruvelakassapa the ascetic: “Great is the psychic power and might of the Great Ascetic, since he will even create so many small fire-pits, but he is not an Arahant as I am.” 50. Now at that time, a great unseasonal cloud rained, a great flood of water arose. The place where the Blessed One was dwelling was not covered by water. Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “What if I were to push the water aside all around and walk in the middle on dry ground?” Then the Blessed One pushed the water aside all around and walked in the middle on dry ground. Then Uruvelakassapa the ascetic thought: “Lest the Great Ascetic be carried away by the water…” He went by boat with many ascetics to the place where the Blessed One was dwelling. Uruvelakassapa the ascetic saw the Blessed One walking in the middle on the dust-free ground, having made the water recede all around. Having seen the Blessed One, he said this: "Is this you, great recluse?" "Yes, I am, Kassapa," the Blessed One, having risen into the air, stood up in the boat. Then it occurred to Uruvelakassapa the ascetic: "Great indeed is the power of this great recluse, great is his might, since even the water does not flow over him. But he is certainly not an Arahant like me." 51. Then it occurred to the Blessed One: "For a long time this deluded man will think thus: 'Great indeed is the power of this great recluse, great is his might, but he is certainly not an Arahant like me.' What if I were to stir this ascetic?" Then the Blessed One said this to Uruvelakassapa the ascetic: "Indeed, Kassapa, you are not an Arahant, nor are you on the path to Arahantship. And you do not have that practice, by which you would be an Arahant or on the path to Arahantship." Then Uruvelakassapa the ascetic, having fallen with his head at the feet of the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One: "May I receive, venerable sir, the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, may I receive the full ordination." "Indeed, Kassapa, you are the leader, the guide, the chief, the head, the foremost of five hundred ascetics. You should first inform them, and they will do as they think fit." Then Uruvelakassapa the ascetic went to where those ascetics were, and having approached them, he said this to those ascetics: "Friends, I wish to lead the holy life under the great recluse. May you do as you think fit." "For a long time, friends, we have been deeply devoted to the great recluse. If you, sir, will lead the holy life under the great recluse, all of us will [follow] the great recluse." we will lead the holy life." Then those ascetics, having cast their matted hair, their hair-locks, their fire-sticks, their fire-offerings into the water, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they prostrated with their heads at the Blessed One's feet, and said to the Blessed One: "May we, Venerable Sir, receive ordination in the Blessed One's presence, may we receive full admission." "Come, monks," the Blessed One said, "the Dhamma is well-proclaimed. Lead the holy life for the complete ending of suffering." That was the full admission for those venerable ones. 52. Now Nadīkassapa the ascetic saw the matted hair, the hair-locks, the fire-sticks, the fire-offerings being carried away in the water. Having seen this, it occurred to him: "Surely no misfortune has befallen my brother!" He sent ascetics: "Go and find out about my brother." And he himself, with three hundred ascetics, approached the Venerable Uruvelakassapa. Having approached, he said to the Venerable Uruvelakassapa: "Is this, Kassapa, better?" "Yes, friend, this is better." Then those ascetics, having cast their matted hair, their hair-locks, their fire-sticks, their fire-offerings into the water, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they prostrated with their heads at the Blessed One's feet, and said to the Blessed One: "May we, Venerable Sir, receive ordination in the Blessed One's presence, may we receive full admission." "Come, monks," the Blessed One said, "the Dhamma is well-proclaimed. Lead the holy life for the complete ending of suffering." That was the full admission for those venerable ones. 53. Now Gayākassapa the ascetic saw the matted hair, the hair-locks, the fire-sticks, the fire-offerings being carried away in the water. Having seen this, it occurred to him: "Surely no misfortune has befallen my brothers!" He sent ascetics: "Go and find out about my brothers." And he himself, with two hundred ascetics, approached Addressed the venerable Uruvelakassapa, and said to him: "Is this, Kassapa, better?" "Yes, friend, this is better." Then those ascetics, having cast their matted hair, their tangled locks, their carrying poles, their fire-offerings into the water, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they prostrated their heads at the feet of the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One: "May we, Venerable Sir, receive the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, may we receive the full ordination." "Come, monks!" the Blessed One said. "The Dhamma is well-proclaimed. Lead the holy life for the complete ending of suffering." That was the full ordination for those venerable ones. By the Blessed One's determination, five hundred pieces of wood did not split, then split; fires did not blaze, then blazed; did not die out, then died out; five hundred fire-mouths were created. In this way, one and a half thousand miracles occurred. Then the Blessed One, having stayed in Uruvela as long as he wished, departed for Gayasīsa, together with a great community of monks, a thousand monks, all of them former ascetics. There, indeed, the Blessed One dwelled in Gayā, at Gayasīsa,