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Having gone, he sat on the seat prepared. Then many nuns went to Venerable Mahākassapa; having gone, they bowed to Venerable Mahākassapa and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Mahākassapa instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened those nuns with a talk on the Dhamma. Then Venerable Mahākassapa, having instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened those nuns with a talk on the Dhamma, rose from his seat and departed. Then the nun Thullatissā, displeased, uttered displeased words: ‘‘Does Venerable Mahākassapa think it proper to teach the Dhamma in the presence of Venerable Ānanda, the wise one of Videha? Just as a needle-seller might think it proper to sell needles in the presence of a needle-maker; even so, Venerable Mahākassapa thinks it proper to teach the Dhamma in the presence of Venerable Ānanda, the wise one of Videha.’’ Venerable Mahākassapa heard the nun Thullatissā speaking these words. Then Venerable Mahākassapa said to Venerable Ānanda: ‘‘Am I, friend Ānanda, a needle-seller, and you a needle-maker; or am I a needle-maker, and you a needle-seller?’’ ‘‘Forgive, Venerable Kassapa, the foolish woman.’’ ‘‘Wait, friend Ānanda, lest the Saṅgha examine you further.’’ ‘‘What do you think, friend Ānanda, do you before the Blessed One, in the assembly of bhikkhus, presented as: ‘Monks, as much as I wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I enter and dwell in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and pleasure. And Ānanda, monks, as much as he wishes, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and pleasure.’?” “No, venerable sir.” “I, friend, before the Blessed One, in the assembly of bhikkhus, was presented as: ‘Monks, as much as I wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I enter and dwell in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and pleasure. And Kassapa, monks, as much as he wishes, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states… enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and pleasure.’… (Thus should the expansion of the nine successive attainments and the five supernormal powers be understood.) “What do you think, friend Ānanda, were you presented before the Blessed One, in the assembly of bhikkhus, as: ‘Monks, by the destruction of the taints, I enter and dwell in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realized it for myself with direct knowledge in this very life. And Ānanda, monks, by the destruction of the taints, enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life.’?” “No, venerable sir.” “I, friend, before the Blessed One, in the assembly of bhikkhus, was presented as: ‘Monks, by the destruction of the taints, I enter and dwell in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realized it for myself with direct knowledge in this very life. And Kassapa, monks, by the destruction of the taints, enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life.’ “Friend, a seven-jeweled elephant, or a half-jeweled One might think to cover a jewel with a palm-leaf, who would think to cover my six supernormal powers. And the nun Thullatissā fell from the holy life. The Tenth. 11. The Discourse on Robes 154. At one time, the venerable Mahākassapa was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels' Feeding Place. Now at that time, the venerable Ānanda was wandering in the Southern Mountains with a large community of bhikkhus. Now at that time, about thirty of the venerable Ānanda's co-residents, bhikkhus, had renounced the training and returned to a lower state, mostly being young. Then the venerable Ānanda, having wandered in the Southern Mountains for as long as he wished, approached Rājagaha, the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Place, where the venerable Mahākassapa was. Having approached, he saluted the venerable Mahākassapa and sat down to one side. To the venerable Ānanda, seated to one side, the venerable Mahākassapa said this: "For how many reasons, friend Ānanda, has the Blessed One prescribed the three meals in families?" "For three reasons, venerable Kassapa, has the Blessed One prescribed the three meals in families: for the suppression of unruly individuals, for the comfortable living of conscientious bhikkhus, so that those with evil desires might not, relying on a faction, break up the Saṅgha, and out of compassion for families. These, venerable Kassapa, are the three reasons for which the Blessed One has prescribed the three meals in families." "Then why, friend Ānanda, do you wander with these new bhikkhus, whose sense-doors are unguarded, who are immoderate in food, and who are not devoted to wakefulness? You wander, I think, bringing ruin to the harvest; you wander, I think, bringing ruin to families. Your retinue, friend Ānanda, is falling apart; they are crumbling, friend... o, new arrivals. This young man does not know moderation.” “Indeed, venerable Kassapa, white hairs have appeared on my head. Yet, even today, we are not freed from being called a young man by the venerable Mahākassapa.” “That is so, friend Ānanda, because you wander with these new monks, whose sense-doors are unguarded, who are immoderate in food, who are not devoted to wakefulness. You wander, as it were, destroying the harvest; you wander, as it were, destroying families. Your retinue, friend Ānanda, is falling apart; your new arrivals, friend, are crumbling. This young man does not know moderation.” The nun Thullanandā heard: “Indeed, the venerable Mahākassapa has disparaged the venerable Ānanda, the sage of the Videhas, by calling him a young man.” Then the nun Thullanandā, displeased, uttered displeasing words: “Does the venerable Mahākassapa, who was formerly of another sect, think that the venerable Ānanda, the sage of the Videhas, should be disparaged by calling him a young man?” The venerable Mahākassapa heard the nun Thullanandā speaking these words. Then the venerable Mahākassapa said to the venerable Ānanda: “Indeed, friend Ānanda, the nun Thullanandā has spoken a rash and ill-considered word. Since I, friend, shaved off my hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and went forth from home to homelessness, I do not recall having pointed to any other teacher, except that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. Formerly, friend, when I was a householder, this thought occurred to me: ‘The household life is confined, a path of dust; going forth is open. It is not easy, living in a home, to lead the holy life perfectly complete, perfectly pure, polished like a conch shell. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and go forth from home to homelessness?” So it was. Then I, friends, at a later time, having made a robe of rags, dedicating it to the Arahants in the world, having shaved off my hair and beard, having put on saffron robes, went forth from home into homelessness. Having thus gone forth, while on a journey, I saw the Blessed One, between Rājagaha and Nāḷandā, seated at the Bahuputta shrine. Having seen him, this thought occurred to me: 'Oh, if only I could see the Teacher, if only I could see the Blessed One! Oh, if only I could see the Fortunate One, if only I could see the Blessed One! Oh, if only I could see the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, if only I could see the Blessed One!' So then I, friends, right there, prostrated my head at the feet of the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One: 'My Teacher, Venerable Sir, is the Blessed One; I am a disciple. My Teacher, Venerable Sir, is the Blessed One; I am a disciple.' When this was said, friends, the Blessed One said to me: 'Whoever, Kassapa, would say "I know" concerning a disciple who is thus endowed with all his heart, while not knowing, or "I see" while not seeing, his head would split open. But I, Kassapa, knowing, say "I know," and seeing, say "I see."' Therefore, Kassapa, you should train thus: 'My strong sense of shame and dread will be present among the elders, the new monks, and those in between.' For thus, Kassapa, you should train. Therefore, Kassapa, you should train thus: 'Whatever Dhamma I hear that is conducive to skillfulness, all of that I will take to heart, pay attention to, apply my whole mind to, and with an attentive ear, I will listen to the Dhamma.' For thus, Kassapa, you should train. Therefore, Kassapa, you should train thus: 'My mindfulness of the body, accompanied by pleasure, will not leave me.' For thus, Kassapa, you should train. Then, friends, the Blessed One, having exhorted me with this exhortation, rose from his seat and departed. For seven days, I, friend, as a wanderer, ate the country's alms-food. On the eighth day, knowledge arose. Then, friend, the Blessed One, having left the path, approached a certain tree root. Then I, friend, having spread out my patched-rag robe, folded fourfold, spoke to the Blessed One thus: "Here, Venerable Sir, let the Blessed One sit, for my long-term welfare and happiness." The Blessed One, friend, sat on the seat prepared. Having sat down, friend, the Blessed One said to me: "Soft indeed, Kassapa, is this patched-rag robe of yours." "May the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, accept my patched-rag robe, out of compassion." "Will you, Kassapa, wear for me coarse rag-robes?" "I will wear, Venerable Sir,