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he approached Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. Having approached, and having saluted Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, he sat down to one side. To Kikī, the king of Kāsī, who was sitting to one side, Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, instructed, incited, inspired, and gladdened with a Dhamma talk. Then, O Ānanda, Kikī, the king of Kāsī, having been instructed, incited, inspired, and gladdened with a Dhamma talk by Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, said this to Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One: "May the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, accept tomorrow's meal from me, together with the community of bhikkhus." Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, accepted by silence, O Ānanda. Then, O Ānanda, Kikī, the king of Kāsī, knowing Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One's acceptance, rose from his seat, saluted Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, circumambulated him respectfully, and departed. Then, O Ānanda, Kikī, the king of Kāsī, when that night had passed, had excellent hard and soft food prepared in his own residence, white rice, free from black grains, with many curries, many sauces, and had the time announced to Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One: "It is time, Venerable Sir, the meal is ready." 288. Then, O Ānanda, Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, in the forenoon, having dressed in the morning, taking his bowl and robe, he approached the dwelling of King Kikī of Kāsī; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared, together with the community of monks. Then, Ananda, King Kikī of Kāsī personally served and satisfied the community of monks headed by the Buddha with exquisite hard and soft food. Then, Ananda, King Kikī of Kāsī, when Kassapa the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, had finished eating and had removed his hand from the bowl, took a certain low seat and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Ananda, King Kikī of Kāsī said this to Kassapa the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One: “May the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, spend the rainy season retreat in Bārāṇasī; such will be the support for the Sangha.” “Enough, great king. My rainy season retreat has already been spent.” A second time, Ananda… A third time, Ananda, King Kikī of Kāsī said this to Kassapa the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One: “May the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, spend the rainy season retreat in Bārāṇasī; such will be the support for the Sangha.” “Enough, great king. My rainy season retreat has already been spent.” Then, Ananda, for King Kikī of Kāsī, because Kassapa the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, would not spend the rainy season retreat in Bārāṇasī for him, there was a change of mind, there was displeasure. Then, Ananda, King Kikī of Kāsī said this to Kassapa the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One: “Is there, Venerable Sir, anyone else who is a better supporter than I?” “There is, great king, a village-town called Vegaḷiṅga. There, a potter named Ghaṭikāra; he is my supporter, my foremost supporter. But for you, great king, because Kassapa the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, would not spend the rainy season retreat in Bārāṇasī for you, there is a change of mind, there is displeasure. This, for Ghaṭikāra the potter, there is not, nor will there be. Ghaṭikāra, O great king, the potter, has gone for refuge to the Buddha, has gone for refuge to the Dhamma, has gone for refuge to the Saṅgha. Ghaṭikāra, O great king, the potter, abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from fermented and distilled intoxicants which are the basis of heedlessness. Ghaṭikāra, O great king, the potter, is endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha, is endowed with unwavering faith in the Dhamma, is endowed with unwavering faith in the Saṅgha, is endowed with the virtues dear to the noble ones. Ghaṭikāra, O great king, the potter, is free from doubt about suffering, is free from doubt about the origin of suffering, is free from doubt about the cessation of suffering, is free from doubt about the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Ghaṭikāra, O great king, the potter, eats but one meal, is celibate, virtuous, of good conduct. Ghaṭikāra, O great king, the potter, has renounced gems and gold, is free from gold and silver. Ghaṭikāra, O great king, the potter, has laid down his pestle, and does not dig the earth with his own hand. Whatever earth is washed down from the bank, or dug up by mice, that he brings with a carrying pole, makes into pots, and then says: "Here, whoever wishes, may deposit a measure of rice, or a measure of mung beans, or a measure of chickpeas, and take away what they wish." Ghaṭikāra, O great king, the potter, supports his blind, aged parents. Ghaṭikāra, O great king, the potter, through the destruction of the five lower fetters, is an apparitional rebirth, there attaining final Nibbāna, not liable to return from that world. 289. "Once, O great king, I was dwelling in a village-town named Vegaḷiṅga. Then, O great king, in the forenoon, having dressed, and taking my bowl and robe, I approached the parents of Ghaṭikāra the potter. Having approached, the parents of Ghaṭikāra the potter said this: “Come, who is this venerable one who has gone?” “Your attendant, venerable sir, has gone out. Take the rice from inside the pot, take the curry from the bowl, and eat.” Then, great king, I took the rice from the pot, took the curry from the bowl, and having eaten, I rose from my seat and departed. Then, great king, Ghaṭikāra the potter approached his parents. Having approached, he said this to his parents: “Who has taken the rice from the pot, taken the curry from the bowl, eaten, risen from his seat, and departed?” “Kassapa, my dear, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, has taken the rice from the pot, taken the curry from the bowl, eaten, risen from his seat, and departed.” Then, great king, this thought occurred to Ghaṭikāra the potter: “Indeed, I am fortunate! Indeed, I have gained well! For Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, is so intimate with me!” Then, great king, the joy and happiness did not leave Ghaṭikāra the potter for half a month, and for his parents, for seven days. 290. “Once, great king, I was dwelling right there in a village-town called Vegaḷiṅga. Then, great king, in the forenoon, having dressed, and taking my bowl and robe, I approached the parents of Ghaṭikāra the potter. Having approached, the parents of Ghaṭikāra the potter said this: “Come, who is this venerable one who has gone?” “Your attendant, venerable sir, has gone out. Take the groats from inside the basket, take the curry from the bowl, and eat.” Then, great king, I took the groats from the basket, took the curry from the bowl, and having eaten, I rose from my seat and departed. where he went. Then, great king, Ghatikara the potter approached his parents; having approached, he said to his parents: "Who took the rice gruel from the pot, took the curry from the bowl, ate it, and then rose from the seat and departed?" "Kassapa, my dear, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, took the rice gruel from the pot, took the curry from the bowl, ate it, and then rose from the seat and departed." Then, great king, this thought occurred to Ghatikara the potter: "Indeed, it is a gain for me, indeed, it is well-obtained for me, that Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, was so trusting of me." Then, great king, the joy and happiness did not leave Ghatikara the potter for half a month, and for his parents, for seven days. 291. "Once, great king, I was dwelling right there in the village-town called Vegalingga. Now at that time, my hut was leaking. Then, great king, I addressed the bhikkhus: "Go, bhikkhus, and get grass from the dwelling of Ghatikara the potter." When this was said, great king, those bhikkhus said to me: "There is no grass, venerable sir, in the dwelling of Ghatikara the potter, but there is grass roofing in his workshop." "Go, bhikkhus, and strip the grass from Ghatikara the potter's workshop." Then, great king, those bhikkhus stripped the grass from Ghatikara the potter's workshop. Then, great king, Ghatikara the potter's parents said to those bhikkhus: "Who are stripping the grass from the workshop?" "The bhikkhus, sister, because the hut of Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, is leaking." "Take it, venerable sirs, take it, good sirs!" Then, great king, Ghatikara the potter approached his parents; having approached, he said to his He said – "Who has cleared the dwelling?" "Monks, dear one, the hut of Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, is leaking." Then, great king, it occurred to Ghaṭikāra the potter: "Indeed, it is a gain for me, indeed, it is well-obtained for me, that Kassapa, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, trusts me so much." Then, great king, for half a month, joy and happiness did not leave Ghaṭikāra the potter, and for seven days, his parents. Then, great king, the entire dwelling remained open to the sky for three months, and it did not rain. Such, great king, was Ghaṭikāra the potter. "It is a gain, venerable sir, for Ghaṭikāra the potter, it is well-obtained, venerable sir, for Ghaṭikāra the potter, that the Blessed One trusts him so much." 292. Then, Ānanda, Kikī, the king of Kāsī, sent five hundred cartloads of rice,