With Ghaṭīkāra

So I have heard.*This lively story is one of the most developed of the early canonical Jātakas. The popularity of the story is attested by the many parallels, which include a retelling of the story by the deity who had been Ghaṭīkāra (SN 1.50). Ghaṭīkāra’s virtues as an ideal lay follower are extolled; his kindness, faith, and contentment, and especially his practice of economic harmlessness through rejection of the contractual market economy. At one time the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large SaṅghaSaṅghaEste término denota tanto: la «comunidad monástica» (comunidades de monjes y monjas budistas) en quienes los seguidores laicos toman refugio; como aquellos seguidores del Buddha, laicos u ordenados, que han alcanzado al menos la entrada en la corriente (ver sotāpanna), el primero de los senderos transcendentes (ver magga) que culmina en nibbāna. Recientemente en EE.UU., el término «sangha» se ha transformado para significar el sentido más amplio de «comunidad de seguidores en el sendero budista», aunque este uso no tiene base en el canon pali. El término parisā se usa en este sentido más amplio en los textos tempranos.Ver en el glosario of mendicants. Then the Buddha left the road, and at a certain spot he smiled.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ. Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma aññatarasmiṁ padese sitaṁ pātvākāsi.

So I have heard.*This lively story is one of the most developed of the early canonical Jātakas. The popularity of the story is attested by the many parallels, which include a retelling of the story by the deity who had been Ghaṭīkāra (SN 1.50). Ghaṭīkāra’s virtues as an ideal lay follower are extolled; his kindness, faith, and contentment, and especially his practice of economic harmlessness through rejection of the contractual market economy.Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large SaṅghaSaṅghaEste término denota tanto: la «comunidad monástica» (comunidades de monjes y monjas budistas) en quienes los seguidores laicos toman refugio; como aquellos seguidores del Buddha, laicos u ordenados, que han alcanzado al menos la entrada en la corriente (ver sotāpanna), el primero de los senderos transcendentes (ver magga) que culmina en nibbāna. Recientemente en EE.UU., el término «sangha» se ha transformado para significar el sentido más amplio de «comunidad de seguidores en el sendero budista», aunque este uso no tiene base en el canon pali. El término parisā se usa en este sentido más amplio en los textos tempranos.Ver en el glosario of mendicants. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ. Then the Buddha left the road, and at a certain spot he smiled. Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma aññatarasmiṁ padese sitaṁ pātvākāsi.

Then Venerable Ānanda thought, “What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled? Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”

Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi: “ko nu kho hetu, ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya? Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.*Na akāraṇena → na akāraṇe (bj)

Then Venerable Ānanda thought, Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi: “What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled? “ko nu kho hetu, ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya? Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.” Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.*Na akāraṇena → na akāraṇe (bj)

So Ānanda arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said, “What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled? Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”

Atha kho āyasmā ānando ekaṁsaṁ cīvaraṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:*cīvaraṁ → uttarāsaṅgaṁ (sya-all, km) “ko nu kho, bhantebhanteEn los textos pali, se usa como vocativo para dirigirse al Buddha o a un monje budista. En el uso moderno a menudo se emplea también como título.Ver en el glosario, hetu, ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya? Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.

So Ānanda arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said, Atha kho āyasmā ānando ekaṁsaṁ cīvaraṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:*cīvaraṁ → uttarāsaṅgaṁ (sya-all, km)“What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled? “ko nu kho, bhantebhanteEn los textos pali, se usa como vocativo para dirigirse al Buddha o a un monje budista. En el uso moderno a menudo se emplea también como título.Ver en el glosario, hetu, ko paccayo bhagavato sitassa pātukammāya? Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.” Na akāraṇena tathāgatā sitaṁ pātukarontī”ti.

“Once upon a time, Ānanda, there was a market town in this spot named Vebhaliṅga. It was successful and prosperous, populous, full of humans.*Each of the occasions when the Buddha smiled in this way served as an introduction to an uplifting story of the past. In MN 83, the Buddha tells of the fabled king Maghadeva of Mithilā, who went forth and practice the divine meditations. AN 5.180, like the current sutta, tells the story of a virtuous layperson in the time of Kassapa Buddha. Both the Kassapa stories are set in Kosala. | Vebhaliṅga is known only from this context and there are many variant readings. | Here the compound gāmanigama, elsewhere “village or town” clearly means “market town”. The same idiom is found in Sanskrit versions of this text (vaibhiḍiṅgī nāma grāmanigamo, Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya 17.390). And Kassapa, a blessed one, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, lived supported by Vebhaliṅga. It was here, in fact, that he had his monastery, where he advised the mendicant Saṅgha while seated.”

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, ānanda, imasmiṁ padese vegaḷiṅgaṁ nāmanāmaOriginalmente se refería a la función psicológica central de conceptualizar y nombrar cosas. Gradualmente evolucionó para abarcar todos los fenómenos mentales. En los suttas a veces se define como vedanā (sensación), saññā (percepción), cetanā (intención, volición), phassa (contacto sensorial), y manasikāra (atención, advertencia). Comparar con rūpa. En el Abhidhamma, nāma pasó a referirse a los componentes mentales de los cinco khandhas.Ver en el glosario gāmanigamo ahosi iddho ceva phīto ca bahujano ākiṇṇamanusso.*vegaḷiṅgaṁ → vehaliṅgaṁ (bj); vebhaḷigaṁ (sya-all, km); vebhaḷiṅgaṁ (pts1ed) Vegaḷiṅgaṁ kho, ānanda, gāmanigamaṁ kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho upanissāya vihāsi. Idha sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa ārāmo ahosi. Idha sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho nisinnako bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ovadatī”ti.

“Once upon a time, Ānanda, there was a market town in this spot named Vebhaliṅga. It was successful and prosperous, populous, full of humans.*Each of the occasions when the Buddha smiled in this way served as an introduction to an uplifting story of the past. In MN 83, the Buddha tells of the fabled king Maghadeva of Mithilā, who went forth and practice the divine meditations. AN 5.180, like the current sutta, tells the story of a virtuous layperson in the time of Kassapa Buddha. Both the Kassapa stories are set in Kosala. | Vebhaliṅga is known only from this context and there are many variant readings. | Here the compound gāmanigama, elsewhere “village or town” clearly means “market town”. The same idiom is found in Sanskrit versions of this text (vaibhiḍiṅgī nāma grāmanigamo, Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya 17.390).“Bhūtapubbaṁ, ānanda, imasmiṁ padese vegaḷiṅgaṁ nāmanāmaOriginalmente se refería a la función psicológica central de conceptualizar y nombrar cosas. Gradualmente evolucionó para abarcar todos los fenómenos mentales. En los suttas a veces se define como vedanā (sensación), saññā (percepción), cetanā (intención, volición), phassa (contacto sensorial), y manasikāra (atención, advertencia). Comparar con rūpa. En el Abhidhamma, nāma pasó a referirse a los componentes mentales de los cinco khandhas.Ver en el glosario gāmanigamo ahosi iddho ceva phīto ca bahujano ākiṇṇamanusso.*vegaḷiṅgaṁ → vehaliṅgaṁ (bj); vebhaḷigaṁ (sya-all, km); vebhaḷiṅgaṁ (pts1ed)And Kassapa, a blessed one, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, lived supported by Vebhaliṅga. Vegaḷiṅgaṁ kho, ānanda, gāmanigamaṁ kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho upanissāya vihāsi. It was here, in fact, that he had his monastery, Idha sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa ārāmo ahosi. where he advised the mendicant Saṅgha while seated.” Idha sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho nisinnako bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ovadatī”ti.

Then Ānanda spread out his outer robe folded in four and said to the Buddha, “Well then, sir, may the Blessed One sit here! Then this piece of land will have been occupied by two perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas.” The Buddha sat on the seat spread out. When he was seated he said to Venerable Ānanda:

Atha kho āyasmā ānando catugguṇaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ paññapetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “tena hi, bhante, bhagavā nisīdatu ettha. Ayaṁ bhūmipadeso dvīhi arahantehi sammāsambuddhehi paribhutto bhavissatī”ti. Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:

Then Ānanda spread out his outer robe folded in four and said to the Buddha, Atha kho āyasmā ānando catugguṇaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ paññapetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Well then, sir, may the Blessed One sit here! “tena hi, bhante, bhagavā nisīdatu ettha. Then this piece of land will have been occupied by two perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas.” Ayaṁ bhūmipadeso dvīhi arahantehi sammāsambuddhehi paribhutto bhavissatī”ti. The Buddha sat on the seat spread out. Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. When he was seated he said to Venerable Ānanda: Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:

“Once upon a time, Ānanda, there was a market town in this spot named Vebhaliṅga. It was successful and prosperous, populous, full of humans. And Kassapa, a blessed one, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, lived supported by Vebhaliṅga. It was here, in fact, that he had his monastery, where he advised the mendicant Saṅgha while seated.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, ānanda, imasmiṁ padese vegaḷiṅgaṁ nāma gāmanigamo ahosi iddho ceva phīto ca bahujano ākiṇṇamanusso. Vegaḷiṅgaṁ kho, ānanda, gāmanigamaṁ kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho upanissāya vihāsi. Idha sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa ārāmo ahosi. Idha sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho nisinnako bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ovadati.

“Once upon a time, Ānanda, there was a market town in this spot named Vebhaliṅga. It was successful and prosperous, populous, full of humans. “Bhūtapubbaṁ, ānanda, imasmiṁ padese vegaḷiṅgaṁ nāma gāmanigamo ahosi iddho ceva phīto ca bahujano ākiṇṇamanusso. And Kassapa, a blessed one, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, lived supported by Vebhaliṅga. Vegaḷiṅgaṁ kho, ānanda, gāmanigamaṁ kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho upanissāya vihāsi. It was here, in fact, that he had his monastery, Idha sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa ārāmo ahosi. where he advised the mendicant Saṅgha while seated. Idha sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho nisinnako bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ovadati.

The Buddha Kassapa had as chief supporter in Vebhaliṅga a potter named Ghaṭīkāra. Ghaṭīkāra had a dear friend named Jotipāla, a student.*Various texts of the northern Sarvāstivāda movement, including the Madhyama-āgama and the Saṅghabhedavastu, speak instead of the potter Nandīpāla and the Brahmin youth Uttara. | Ghaṭīkāra (“potter”) Nandīpāla is also referred to by his clan name Bhaggava. | Jotipāla means “guardian of the sacred flame”, i.e. someone who maintains the Vedic fire ritual, as attested by another Jotipāla of the past (DN 19:47.26). Yet another Jotipāla was a religious founder of the past (AN 6.54:18.1, AN 7.73:2.5). The name seems to appear only in Buddhist sources. Given that it is always in legendary contexts, it is probably a vocational epithet like Ghaṭīkāra. Then Ghaṭīkāra addressed Jotipāla, ‘Come, dear Jotipāla, let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.*Kassapa (Sanskrit Kaśyapa) means “tortoise”. It is a common Brahmanical clan name, stemming from an ancient figure reckoned as the eldest of the “seven sages”, to whom some Vedic verses are attributed. Further details of the Buddha Kassapa’s time are found at DN 14:1.4.6, SN 15.20:4.1, and SN 48.57:3.1. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’*Sādhusammata is normally an epithet of (real or supposed) saints. Here it is the “sight” (dassana) of the saint that is deemed holy. This is an early example of the belief known in Hinduism as darshana, that the sight of a holy person, place, or object was auspicious and conveyed blessings on the seer. This topic is also treated at Snp 4.4 and AN 6.30.

Vegaḷiṅge kho, ānanda, gāmanigame ghaṭikāro nāma kumbhakāro kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa upaṭṭhāko ahosi aggupaṭṭhāko.*ghaṭikāro → ghaṭīkāro (bj, cck, pts1ed) Ghaṭikārassa kho, ānanda, kumbhakārassa jotipālo nāma māṇavo sahāyo ahosi piyasahāyo. Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ āmantesi: ‘āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

The Buddha Kassapa had as chief supporter in Vebhaliṅga a potter named Ghaṭīkāra. Vegaḷiṅge kho, ānanda, gāmanigame ghaṭikāro nāma kumbhakāro kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa upaṭṭhāko ahosi aggupaṭṭhāko.*ghaṭikāro → ghaṭīkāro (bj, cck, pts1ed)Ghaṭīkāra had a dear friend named Jotipāla, a student.*Various texts of the northern Sarvāstivāda movement, including the Madhyama-āgama and the Saṅghabhedavastu, speak instead of the potter Nandīpāla and the Brahmin youth Uttara. | Ghaṭīkāra (“potter”) Nandīpāla is also referred to by his clan name Bhaggava. | Jotipāla means “guardian of the sacred flame”, i.e. someone who maintains the Vedic fire ritual, as attested by another Jotipāla of the past (DN 19:47.26). Yet another Jotipāla was a religious founder of the past (AN 6.54:18.1, AN 7.73:2.5). The name seems to appear only in Buddhist sources. Given that it is always in legendary contexts, it is probably a vocational epithet like Ghaṭīkāra.Ghaṭikārassa kho, ānanda, kumbhakārassa jotipālo nāma māṇavo sahāyo ahosi piyasahāyo. Then Ghaṭīkāra addressed Jotipāla, Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ āmantesi: ‘Come, dear Jotipāla, let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.*Kassapa (Sanskrit Kaśyapa) means “tortoise”. It is a common Brahmanical clan name, stemming from an ancient figure reckoned as the eldest of the “seven sages”, to whom some Vedic verses are attributed. Further details of the Buddha Kassapa’s time are found at DN 14:1.4.6, SN 15.20:4.1, and SN 48.57:3.1.‘āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’*Sādhusammata is normally an epithet of (real or supposed) saints. Here it is the “sight” (dassana) of the saint that is deemed holy. This is an early example of the belief known in Hinduism as darshana, that the sight of a holy person, place, or object was auspicious and conveyed blessings on the seer. This topic is also treated at Snp 4.4 and AN 6.30.Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

When he said this, Jotipāla said to him, ‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’

Evaṁ vutte, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

When he said this, Jotipāla said to him, Evaṁ vutte, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’ Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

For a second time … and a third time, Ghaṭīkāra addressed Jotipāla, ‘Come, dear Jotipāla, let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’

Dutiyampi kho, ānanda …pe… tatiyampi kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca: ‘āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

For a second time … Dutiyampi kho, ānanda …pe… and a third time, Ghaṭīkāra addressed Jotipāla, tatiyampi kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca: ‘Come, dear Jotipāla, let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. ‘āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’ Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

For a third time, Jotipāla said to him, ‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’

Tatiyampi kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

For a third time, Jotipāla said to him, Tatiyampi kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’ Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

‘Yes, dear,’ replied Jotipāla. So that’s what they did.

‘Evaṁ, sammāsammāDe forma correcta, adecuada o bien orientada. En el Noble Sendero Óctuple indica que cada factor está alineado con el camino que conduce al cese de dukkha.Ver en el glosario’ti kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa paccassosi. Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro ca kumbhakāro jotipālo ca māṇavo sottisināniṁ ādāya nadiṁ agamaṁsu sināyituṁ.

‘Yes, dear,’ replied Jotipāla. ‘Evaṁ, sammāsammāDe forma correcta, adecuada o bien orientada. En el Noble Sendero Óctuple indica que cada factor está alineado con el camino que conduce al cese de dukkha.Ver en el glosario’ti kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa paccassosi. So that’s what they did. Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro ca kumbhakāro jotipālo ca māṇavo sottisināniṁ ādāya nadiṁ agamaṁsu sināyituṁ.

Then Ghaṭīkāra addressed Jotipāla, ‘Dear Jotipāla, the Buddha Kassapa’s monastery is not far away. Let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’

Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ āmantesi: ‘ayaṁ, samma jotipāla, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa avidūre ārāmo. Āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

Then Ghaṭīkāra addressed Jotipāla, Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ āmantesi: ‘Dear Jotipāla, the Buddha Kassapa’s monastery is not far away. ‘ayaṁ, samma jotipāla, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa avidūre ārāmo. Let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. Āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’ Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

When he said this, Jotipāla said to him, ‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’

Evaṁ vutte, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

When he said this, Jotipāla said to him, Evaṁ vutte, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’ Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

For a second time … and a third time, Ghaṭīkāra addressed Jotipāla, ‘Dear Jotipāla, the Buddha Kassapa’s monastery is not far away. Let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’

Dutiyampi kho, ānanda …pe… tatiyampi kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca: ‘ayaṁ, samma jotipāla, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa avidūre ārāmo. Āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

For a second time … Dutiyampi kho, ānanda …pe… and a third time, Ghaṭīkāra addressed Jotipāla, tatiyampi kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca: ‘Dear Jotipāla, the Buddha Kassapa’s monastery is not far away. ‘ayaṁ, samma jotipāla, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa avidūre ārāmo. Let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. Āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’ Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

For a third time, Jotipāla said to him, ‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’

Tatiyampi kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

For a third time, Jotipāla said to him, Tatiyampi kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’ Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra grabbed Jotipāla by the skirt-hem and said,*The ovaṭṭikā is the turned-over hem of a skirt or sarong that holds it up (see Bu NP 10:1.2.7). ‘Dear Jotipāla, the Buddha Kassapa’s monastery is not far away. Let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’

Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ ovaṭṭikāyaṁ parāmasitvā etadavoca: ‘ayaṁ, samma jotipāla, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa avidūre ārāmo. Āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

Then Ghaṭīkāra grabbed Jotipāla by the skirt-hem and said,*The ovaṭṭikā is the turned-over hem of a skirt or sarong that holds it up (see Bu NP 10:1.2.7).Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ ovaṭṭikāyaṁ parāmasitvā etadavoca: ‘Dear Jotipāla, the Buddha Kassapa’s monastery is not far away. ‘ayaṁ, samma jotipāla, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa avidūre ārāmo. Let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. Āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’ Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

So Jotipāla undid his skirt-hem and said to Ghaṭīkāra,*Leaving him, apparently, naked standing in the water. ‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’

Atha kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ovaṭṭikaṁ vinivaṭṭetvā ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca:*vinivaṭṭetvā → viniveṭhetvā (bj, sya1ed, sya2ed, km, pts1ed); vinivedhetvā (cck) ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

So Jotipāla undid his skirt-hem and said to Ghaṭīkāra,*Leaving him, apparently, naked standing in the water.Atha kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ovaṭṭikaṁ vinivaṭṭetvā ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca:*vinivaṭṭetvā → viniveṭhetvā (bj, sya1ed, sya2ed, km, pts1ed); vinivedhetvā (cck)‘Enough, dear Ghaṭīkāra. ‘alaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra. What’s the use of seeing that shaveling, that fake ascetic?’ Kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra grabbed Jotipāla by the hair of his freshly-washed head and said,*Manusmṛti 4.83 forbids grabbing hair (keśagraha), which was an act of dominance in wrestling. It is forbidden in anger, notes Medhātithi’s commentary, but permitted in sex. Mahābhārata 5.91.11a beautifully explains how such rules are meant to be understood in context: “The learned regard him to be a wretch who does not by his solicitation seek to save a friend who is about to sink in calamity. Striving to the best of his might, even to the extent of seizing him by the hair, one should seek to dissuade a friend from an improper act. In that case, he that acts so, instead of incurring blame, reaps praise” (Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s translation, Section 93, Bhagavat-yāna Parva). ‘Dear Jotipāla, the Buddha Kassapa’s monastery is not far away. Let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’

Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ sīsaṁnhātaṁ kesesu parāmasitvā etadavoca:*sīsaṁnhātaṁ → sasīsaṁ nahātaṁ (bj); sīsanhātaṁ (sya-all, km); sīsanahātaṁ (pts1ed) ‘ayaṁ, samma jotipāla, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa avidūre ārāmo. Āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

Then Ghaṭīkāra grabbed Jotipāla by the hair of his freshly-washed head and said,*Manusmṛti 4.83 forbids grabbing hair (keśagraha), which was an act of dominance in wrestling. It is forbidden in anger, notes Medhātithi’s commentary, but permitted in sex. Mahābhārata 5.91.11a beautifully explains how such rules are meant to be understood in context: “The learned regard him to be a wretch who does not by his solicitation seek to save a friend who is about to sink in calamity. Striving to the best of his might, even to the extent of seizing him by the hair, one should seek to dissuade a friend from an improper act. In that case, he that acts so, instead of incurring blame, reaps praise” (Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s translation, Section 93, Bhagavat-yāna Parva).Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro jotipālaṁ māṇavaṁ sīsaṁnhātaṁ kesesu parāmasitvā etadavoca:*sīsaṁnhātaṁ → sasīsaṁ nahātaṁ (bj); sīsanhātaṁ (sya-all, km); sīsanahātaṁ (pts1ed)‘Dear Jotipāla, the Buddha Kassapa’s monastery is not far away. ‘ayaṁ, samma jotipāla, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa avidūre ārāmo. Let’s go to see the Blessed One Kassapa, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. Āyāma, samma jotipāla, kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamissāma. For I deem it holy to see that Blessed One.’ Sādhusammatañhi me tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

Then Jotipāla thought, ‘Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing, how this potter Ghaṭīkāra, though of lowly birth, should presume to grab me by the hair of my freshly-washed head!*Pottery is said to be a low craft at Bu Pc 2:2.1.30. This must be no ordinary matter.’ He said to Ghaṭīkāra, ‘You’d even milk it to this extent, dear Ghaṭīkāra?’*Dohī is “milking”, as in anavasesadohī “milk dry”, an idiom which is used in the sense of “pushing things too far” (MN 33:13.1, AN 11.17:12.1).

Atha kho, ānanda, jotipālassa māṇavassa etadahosi: ‘acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho. Yatra hi nāmāyaṁ ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro ittarajacco samāno amhākaṁ sīsaṁnhātānaṁ kesesu parāmasitabbaṁ maññissati; na vatidaṁ kira orakaṁ maññe bhavissatī’ti; ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘yāvatādohipi, samma ghaṭikārā’ti?*yāvatādohipi → yāvetadohipi (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)

Then Jotipāla thought, Atha kho, ānanda, jotipālassa māṇavassa etadahosi: ‘Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing, ‘acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho. how this potter Ghaṭīkāra, though of lowly birth, should presume to grab me by the hair of my freshly-washed head!*Pottery is said to be a low craft at Bu Pc 2:2.1.30.Yatra hi nāmāyaṁ ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro ittarajacco samāno amhākaṁ sīsaṁnhātānaṁ kesesu parāmasitabbaṁ maññissati; This must be no ordinary matter.’ na vatidaṁ kira orakaṁ maññe bhavissatī’ti; He said to Ghaṭīkāra, ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘You’d even milk it to this extent, dear Ghaṭīkāra?’*Dohī is “milking”, as in anavasesadohī “milk dry”, an idiom which is used in the sense of “pushing things too far” (MN 33:13.1, AN 11.17:12.1).‘yāvatādohipi, samma ghaṭikārā’ti?*yāvatādohipi → yāvetadohipi (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)

‘I even milk it to this extent, dear Jotipāla. For that is how holy I deem it to see that Blessed One.’

‘Yāvatādohipi, samma jotipāla. Tathā hi pana me sādhusammataṁ tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

‘I even milk it to this extent, dear Jotipāla. ‘Yāvatādohipi, samma jotipāla. For that is how holy I deem it to see that Blessed One.’ Tathā hi pana me sādhusammataṁ tassa bhagavato dassanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā’ti.

Ghaṭīkāra said to the Buddha Kassapa, ‘Sir, this is the student Jotipāla, my dear friend. Please teach him the DhammaDhamma1. Fenómeno; cualquier cosa que ocurre y es cognoscible. 2. Fenómeno mental, «pensamiento». 3. Principio, especialmente los principios de causalidad. 4. Doctrina, enseñanza. También, principios de comportamiento que los seres humanos deben seguir para armonizar con el orden natural correcto de las cosas; cualidades mentales que deben desarrollar para realizar la cualidad inherente de la mente en sí misma. Por extensión, «Dhamma» (usualmente en mayúscula) se usa también para denotar cualquier doctrina que enseña tales cosas. Así, el Dhamma del Buddha denota tanto sus enseñanzas como las realidades descritas por esa enseñanza. (Sánscrito: dharma)Ver en el glosario.’ Then the Buddha Kassapa educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired Ghaṭīkāra and Jotipāla with a Dhamma talk. Then they rose from their seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha Kassapa, keeping him on their right, before leaving.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘ayaṁ me, bhante, jotipālo māṇavo sahāyo piyasahāyo. Imassa bhagavā dhammaṁ desetū’ti. Atha kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho ghaṭikārañca kumbhakāraṁ jotipālañca māṇavaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro ca kumbhakāro jotipālo ca māṇavo kassapena bhagavatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena dhammiyā kathāya sandassitā samādapitā samuttejitā sampahaṁsitā kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkamiṁsu.

Ghaṭīkāra said to the Buddha Kassapa, Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘Sir, this is the student Jotipāla, my dear friend. ‘ayaṁ me, bhante, jotipālo māṇavo sahāyo piyasahāyo. Please teach him the DhammaDhamma1. Fenómeno; cualquier cosa que ocurre y es cognoscible. 2. Fenómeno mental, «pensamiento». 3. Principio, especialmente los principios de causalidad. 4. Doctrina, enseñanza. También, principios de comportamiento que los seres humanos deben seguir para armonizar con el orden natural correcto de las cosas; cualidades mentales que deben desarrollar para realizar la cualidad inherente de la mente en sí misma. Por extensión, «Dhamma» (usualmente en mayúscula) se usa también para denotar cualquier doctrina que enseña tales cosas. Así, el Dhamma del Buddha denota tanto sus enseñanzas como las realidades descritas por esa enseñanza. (Sánscrito: dharma)Ver en el glosario.’ Imassa bhagavā dhammaṁ desetū’ti. Then the Buddha Kassapa educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired Ghaṭīkāra and Jotipāla with a Dhamma talk. Atha kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho ghaṭikārañca kumbhakāraṁ jotipālañca māṇavaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. Then they rose from their seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha Kassapa, keeping him on their right, before leaving. Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro ca kumbhakāro jotipālo ca māṇavo kassapena bhagavatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena dhammiyā kathāya sandassitā samādapitā samuttejitā sampahaṁsitā kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkamiṁsu.

Then Jotipāla said to Ghatīkāra, ‘Dear Ghaṭīkāra, you have heard this teaching, so why don’t you go forth from the lay life to homelessness?’

Atha kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘imaṁ nu tvaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra, dhammaṁ suṇanto atha ca pana agārasmā anagāriyaṁ na pabbajissasī’ti?

Then Jotipāla said to Ghatīkāra, Atha kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ etadavoca: ‘Dear Ghaṭīkāra, you have heard this teaching, so why don’t you go forth from the lay life to homelessness?’ ‘imaṁ nu tvaṁ, samma ghaṭikāra, dhammaṁ suṇanto atha ca pana agārasmā anagāriyaṁ na pabbajissasī’ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra and Jotipāla went to the Buddha Kassapa, bowed and sat down to one side. Ghaṭīkāra said to the Buddha Kassapa, ‘Sir, this is the student Jotipāla, my dear friend. Please give him the going forth.’ And Jotipāla the student received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.

Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro ca kumbhakāro jotipālo ca māṇavo yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘ayaṁ me, bhante, jotipālo māṇavo sahāyo piyasahāyo. Imaṁ bhagavā pabbājetū’ti. Alattha kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.

Then Ghaṭīkāra and Jotipāla went to the Buddha Kassapa, bowed and sat down to one side. Ghaṭīkāra said to the Buddha Kassapa, Atha kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro ca kumbhakāro jotipālo ca māṇavo yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho, ānanda, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘Sir, this is the student Jotipāla, my dear friend. ‘ayaṁ me, bhante, jotipālo māṇavo sahāyo piyasahāyo. Please give him the going forth.’ Imaṁ bhagavā pabbājetū’ti. And Jotipāla the student received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence. Alattha kho, ānanda, jotipālo māṇavo kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.

Not long after Jotipāla’s ordination, a fortnight later, the Buddha Kassapa—having stayed in Vebhaliṅga as long as he pleased—set out for Varanasi.*Varanasi, one of the oldest cities in the world, was the capital of the Kāsī kingdom. It lost its status as an independent kingdom shortly before the Buddha, when it was taken over by Kosala. It appears in countless Buddhist stories of the past as the dominant city of the region in what appears to be a timeless and ageless past. However, despite its great antiquity, it is a historical settlement, of which the discovered remains date back to perhaps 1200 BCE; it was a capital city from perhaps 800 BCE. It would have enjoyed its status as a major city for a period of a few hundred years before the Buddha, during which time all these stories were set. Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Varanasi, where he stayed near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana. King Kikī of Kāsi heard that he had arrived.*Kikī (“blue jay”) is also the king in the time of Kassapa at DN 14:1.12.20. No king of this name appears to be attested in Puranic lineages. By the time of the Buddha, the much-conquered city of Varanasi was subject to first Kosala and then Magadha. This sutta establishes, however, that the true ancient king of the city was in fact a disciple of the past Buddha. | The suttas of this chapter all deal with kings in one way or another. Leaving aside the final five, all of which which Pasenadi of Kosala, we encounter royalty of of Kuru, Kāsī, Videha, Sūrasena, Bhaggā, and indirectly of Avanti and Kosambī. Thus the chapter serves to show that not just the well-known cases of Pasenadi and Bimbisāra, as well as the republican nations such as Vajjī and Sakya, were devoted to the Buddha, but the overwhelming majority of the kings of the time. Many, perhaps all, of these kings belong to what the Puranas later called the “lunar” dynasty, in contrast with the Buddha’s “solar” lineage. He had the finest carriages harnessed. He then mounted a fine carriage and, along with other fine carriages, set out in full royal pomp from Varanasi to see the Buddha Kassapa. He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and approached the Buddha Kassapa on foot. He bowed and sat down to one side. The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk.

Atha kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho acirūpasampanne jotipāle māṇave aḍḍhamāsupasampanne vegaḷiṅge yathābhirantaṁ viharitvā yena bārāṇasī tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena bārāṇasī tadavasari. Tatra sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye. Assosi kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā: ‘kassapo kira bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho bārāṇasiṁ anuppatto bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye’ti. Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā bhadrāni bhadrāni yānāni yojāpetvā bhadraṁ yānaṁ abhiruhitvā bhadrehi bhadrehi yānehi bārāṇasiyā niyyāsi mahaccarājānubhāvena kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya.*bhadrāni yānāni yojāpetvā bhadraṁ → bhadraṁ bhadraṁ (mr) Yāvatikā yānassa bhūmi yānena gantvā yānā paccorohitvā pattikova yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho, ānanda, kikiṁ kāsirājānaṁ kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.

Not long after Jotipāla’s ordination, a fortnight later, the Buddha Kassapa—having stayed in Vebhaliṅga as long as he pleased—set out for Varanasi.*Varanasi, one of the oldest cities in the world, was the capital of the Kāsī kingdom. It lost its status as an independent kingdom shortly before the Buddha, when it was taken over by Kosala. It appears in countless Buddhist stories of the past as the dominant city of the region in what appears to be a timeless and ageless past. However, despite its great antiquity, it is a historical settlement, of which the discovered remains date back to perhaps 1200 BCE; it was a capital city from perhaps 800 BCE. It would have enjoyed its status as a major city for a period of a few hundred years before the Buddha, during which time all these stories were set.Atha kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho acirūpasampanne jotipāle māṇave aḍḍhamāsupasampanne vegaḷiṅge yathābhirantaṁ viharitvā yena bārāṇasī tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Varanasi, Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena bārāṇasī tadavasari. where he stayed near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana. Tatra sudaṁ, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye. King Kikī of Kāsi heard that he had arrived.*Kikī (“blue jay”) is also the king in the time of Kassapa at DN 14:1.12.20. No king of this name appears to be attested in Puranic lineages. By the time of the Buddha, the much-conquered city of Varanasi was subject to first Kosala and then Magadha. This sutta establishes, however, that the true ancient king of the city was in fact a disciple of the past Buddha. | The suttas of this chapter all deal with kings in one way or another. Leaving aside the final five, all of which which Pasenadi of Kosala, we encounter royalty of of Kuru, Kāsī, Videha, Sūrasena, Bhaggā, and indirectly of Avanti and Kosambī. Thus the chapter serves to show that not just the well-known cases of Pasenadi and Bimbisāra, as well as the republican nations such as Vajjī and Sakya, were devoted to the Buddha, but the overwhelming majority of the kings of the time. Many, perhaps all, of these kings belong to what the Puranas later called the “lunar” dynasty, in contrast with the Buddha’s “solar” lineage.Assosi kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā: ‘kassapo kira bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho bārāṇasiṁ anuppatto bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye’ti. He had the finest carriages harnessed. He then mounted a fine carriage and, along with other fine carriages, set out in full royal pomp from Varanasi to see the Buddha Kassapa. Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā bhadrāni bhadrāni yānāni yojāpetvā bhadraṁ yānaṁ abhiruhitvā bhadrehi bhadrehi yānehi bārāṇasiyā niyyāsi mahaccarājānubhāvena kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dassanāya.*bhadrāni yānāni yojāpetvā bhadraṁ → bhadraṁ bhadraṁ (mr)He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and approached the Buddha Kassapa on foot. He bowed and sat down to one side. Yāvatikā yānassa bhūmi yānena gantvā yānā paccorohitvā pattikova yena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho, ānanda, kikiṁ kāsirājānaṁ kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.

Then King Kikī said to the Buddha, ‘Sir, would the Buddha together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?’ The Buddha Kassapa consented with silence.

Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapena bhagavatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā’ti. Adhivāsesi kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tuṇhībhāvena.

Then King Kikī said to the Buddha, Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapena bhagavatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘Sir, would the Buddha together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?’ ‘adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā’ti. The Buddha Kassapa consented with silence. Adhivāsesi kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho tuṇhībhāvena.

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, King Kikī rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. And when the night had passed, King Kikī had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in his own home—soft saffron rice with the dark grains picked out, served with many soups and sauces. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying,*For “soft saffron rice” prefer the reading paṇḍumudikassa. ‘Sir, it’s time. The meal is ready.’

Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapassa bhagavato sammāsambuddhassa adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā paṇḍupuṭakassa sālino vigatakāḷakaṁ anekasūpaṁ anekabyañjanaṁ, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa kālaṁ ārocāpesi:*paṇḍupuṭakassa → paṇḍumuṭikassa (bj, pts1ed); paṇḍumudikassa (sya-all, km) ‘kālo, bhante, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan’ti.

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, King Kikī rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapassa bhagavato sammāsambuddhassa adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. And when the night had passed, King Kikī had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in his own home—soft saffron rice with the dark grains picked out, served with many soups and sauces. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying,*For “soft saffron rice” prefer the reading paṇḍumudikassa.Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā paṇḍupuṭakassa sālino vigatakāḷakaṁ anekasūpaṁ anekabyañjanaṁ, kassapassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa kālaṁ ārocāpesi:*paṇḍupuṭakassa → paṇḍumuṭikassa (bj, pts1ed); paṇḍumudikassa (sya-all, km)‘Sir, it’s time. The meal is ready.’ ‘kālo, bhante, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan’ti.

Then Kassapa Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of King Kikī, where he sat on the seat spread out, together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. Then King Kikī served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.

Atha kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena kikissa kāsirañño nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena. Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.

Then Kassapa Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of King Kikī, where he sat on the seat spread out, together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. Atha kho, ānanda, kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena kikissa kāsirañño nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena. Then King Kikī served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods. Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.

When the Buddha Kassapa had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, King Kikī took a low seat and sat to one side. There he said to the Buddha Kassapa, ‘Sir, would the Buddha please accept my invitation to reside in Varanasi for the rainy season? The Saṅgha will be looked after in the same style.’*The king is promising that the offerings for the whole Sangha will be as luxurious as the ones just offered.

Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ; evarūpaṁ saṅghassa upaṭṭhānaṁ bhavissatī’ti.

When the Buddha Kassapa had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, King Kikī took a low seat and sat to one side. Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. There he said to the Buddha Kassapa, Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘Sir, would the Buddha please accept my invitation to reside in Varanasi for the rainy season? ‘adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ; The Saṅgha will be looked after in the same style.’*The king is promising that the offerings for the whole Sangha will be as luxurious as the ones just offered.evarūpaṁ saṅghassa upaṭṭhānaṁ bhavissatī’ti.

‘Enough, great king. I have already accepted an invitation for the rains residence.’

‘Alaṁ, mahārāja. Adhivuttho me vassāvāso’ti.

‘Enough, great king. ‘Alaṁ, mahārāja. I have already accepted an invitation for the rains residence.’ Adhivuttho me vassāvāso’ti.

For a second time … and a third time King Kikī said to the Buddha Kassapa, ‘Sir, would the Buddha please accept my invitation to reside in Varanasi for the rainy season? The Saṅgha will be looked after in the same style.’

Dutiyampi kho, ānanda … tatiyampi kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ; evarūpaṁ saṅghassa upaṭṭhānaṁ bhavissatī’ti.

For a second time … Dutiyampi kho, ānanda … and a third time King Kikī said to the Buddha Kassapa, tatiyampi kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘Sir, would the Buddha please accept my invitation to reside in Varanasi for the rainy season? ‘adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsaṁ; The Saṅgha will be looked after in the same style.’ evarūpaṁ saṅghassa upaṭṭhānaṁ bhavissatī’ti.

‘Enough, Great King. I have already accepted an invitation for the rains residence.’

‘Alaṁ, mahārāja. Adhivuttho me vassāvāso’ti.

‘Enough, Great King. ‘Alaṁ, mahārāja. I have already accepted an invitation for the rains residence.’ Adhivuttho me vassāvāso’ti.

Then King Kikī, thinking, ‘The Buddha does not accept my invitation to reside for the rains in Varanasi,’ became sad and upset. Then King Kikī said to the Buddha Kassapa, ‘Sir, do you have another supporter better than me?’*The Buddha does not take the bait of describing someone as “better”; rather, he describes Ghaṭīkāra’s qualities.

Atha kho, ānanda, kikissa kāsirañño ‘na me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho adhivāseti bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsan’ti ahudeva aññathattaṁ, ahu domanassaṁ. Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘atthi nu kho, bhante, añño koci mayā upaṭṭhākataro’ti?

Then King Kikī, thinking, ‘The Buddha does not accept my invitation to reside for the rains in Varanasi,’ became sad and upset. Atha kho, ānanda, kikissa kāsirañño ‘na me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho adhivāseti bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsan’ti ahudeva aññathattaṁ, ahu domanassaṁ. Then King Kikī said to the Buddha Kassapa, Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘Sir, do you have another supporter better than me?’*The Buddha does not take the bait of describing someone as “better”; rather, he describes Ghaṭīkāra’s qualities.‘atthi nu kho, bhante, añño koci mayā upaṭṭhākataro’ti?

‘Great king, there is a market town named Vebhaliṅga, where there is a potter named Ghaṭīkāra. He is my chief supporter. Now, great king, when you thought, “The Buddha does not accept my invitation to reside for the rains in Varanasi,” you became sad and upset. But Ghaṭīkāra doesn’t get upset, nor will he.

‘Atthi, mahārāja, vegaḷiṅgaṁ nāma gāmanigamo. Tattha ghaṭikāro nāma kumbhakāro; so me upaṭṭhāko aggupaṭṭhāko. Tuyhaṁ kho pana, mahārāja, na me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho adhivāseti bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsanti attheva aññathattaṁ, atthi domanassaṁ.*attheva → atthi (bj, pts1ed) Tayidaṁ ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa natthi ca na ca bhavissati.*ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa → ghaṭikāre kumbhakāre (bj, sya1ed, sya2ed, km); ghaṭīkāre kumbhakāre (cck, pts1ed)

‘Great king, there is a market town named Vebhaliṅga, ‘Atthi, mahārāja, vegaḷiṅgaṁ nāma gāmanigamo. where there is a potter named Ghaṭīkāra. Tattha ghaṭikāro nāma kumbhakāro; He is my chief supporter. so me upaṭṭhāko aggupaṭṭhāko. Now, great king, when you thought, “The Buddha does not accept my invitation to reside for the rains in Varanasi,” you became sad and upset. Tuyhaṁ kho pana, mahārāja, na me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho adhivāseti bārāṇasiyaṁ vassāvāsanti attheva aññathattaṁ, atthi domanassaṁ.*attheva → atthi (bj, pts1ed)But Ghaṭīkāra doesn’t get upset, nor will he. Tayidaṁ ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa natthi ca na ca bhavissati.*ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa → ghaṭikāre kumbhakāre (bj, sya1ed, sya2ed, km); ghaṭīkāre kumbhakāre (cck, pts1ed)

Ghaṭīkāra has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. He doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. He has experiential confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and possesses the ethics loved by the noble ones. He is free of doubt regarding suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.*This shows him to be one of the noble ones. He eats in one part of the day; he’s chaste, ethical, and of good character.*This is equivalent to the eight precepts. He has set aside gems and gold, and quit using gold and currency.*The same is said of Buddhist mendicants at SN 42.10:2.4. This parallels the ten precepts of the sāmaṇera, which forbid using money (Kd 1:56.1.14). He has put down the shovel and doesn’t dig the earth with his own hands.*Also said of ancient Brahmanical hermits at DN 27:22.6. Digging the earth is an offense for mendicants (Bu Pc 10). He takes what has crumbled off by a riverbank or been dug up by mice, and brings it back in a carrier. When he has made a pot, he says, “Anyone may leave bagged sesame, mung beans, or chickpeas here and take what they wish.”*He made a living by purely voluntary exchange rather than contractual obligations. He provided for his blind old parents. And since he has ended the five lower fetters, Ghaṭīkāra will be reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.*He is a non-returner.

Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, adinnādānā paṭivirato, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato, musāvādā paṭivirato, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato, ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro dukkhe nikkaṅkho, dukkhasamudaye nikkaṅkho, dukkhanirodhe nikkaṅkho, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya nikkaṅkho. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro ekabhattiko brahmacārī sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro nikkhittamaṇisuvaṇṇo apetajātarūparajato. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pannamusalo na sahatthā pathaviṁ khaṇati.*kumbhakāro pannamusalo na sahatthā pathaviṁ khaṇati → kumbhakāro na musalena na sahatthā paṭhaviñca khanati (sya-all, km); kumbhakāro na musalena na sahatthā paṭhaviṁ khaṇati (pts1ed); kumbhakāro na musalena sahatthā pathaviñca khaṇati (mr) Yaṁ hoti kūlapaluggaṁ vā mūsikukkaro vā taṁ kājena āharitvā bhājanaṁ karitvā evamāha:*mūsikukkaro → mūsikukkāro (bj); mūsikukkuro (si, sya-all, km, pts1ed) “ettha yo icchati taṇḍulapaṭibhastāni vā muggapaṭibhastāni vā kaḷāyapaṭibhastāni vā nikkhipitvā yaṁ icchati taṁ haratū”ti. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro andhe jiṇṇe mātāpitaro poseti. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

Ghaṭīkāra has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato. He doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pāṇātipātā paṭivirato, adinnādānā paṭivirato, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato, musāvādā paṭivirato, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato. He has experiential confidence in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and possesses the ethics loved by the noble ones. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato, dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato, saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato, ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato. He is free of doubt regarding suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.*This shows him to be one of the noble ones.Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro dukkhe nikkaṅkho, dukkhasamudaye nikkaṅkho, dukkhanirodhe nikkaṅkho, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya nikkaṅkho. He eats in one part of the day; he’s chaste, ethical, and of good character.*This is equivalent to the eight precepts.Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro ekabhattiko brahmacārī sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo. He has set aside gems and gold, and quit using gold and currency.*The same is said of Buddhist mendicants at SN 42.10:2.4. This parallels the ten precepts of the sāmaṇera, which forbid using money (Kd 1:56.1.14).Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro nikkhittamaṇisuvaṇṇo apetajātarūparajato. He has put down the shovel and doesn’t dig the earth with his own hands.*Also said of ancient Brahmanical hermits at DN 27:22.6. Digging the earth is an offense for mendicants (Bu Pc 10).Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pannamusalo na sahatthā pathaviṁ khaṇati.*kumbhakāro pannamusalo na sahatthā pathaviṁ khaṇati → kumbhakāro na musalena na sahatthā paṭhaviñca khanati (sya-all, km); kumbhakāro na musalena na sahatthā paṭhaviṁ khaṇati (pts1ed); kumbhakāro na musalena sahatthā pathaviñca khaṇati (mr)He takes what has crumbled off by a riverbank or been dug up by mice, and brings it back in a carrier. When he has made a pot, he says, Yaṁ hoti kūlapaluggaṁ vā mūsikukkaro vā taṁ kājena āharitvā bhājanaṁ karitvā evamāha:*mūsikukkaro → mūsikukkāro (bj); mūsikukkuro (si, sya-all, km, pts1ed)“Anyone may leave bagged sesame, mung beans, or chickpeas here and take what they wish.”*He made a living by purely voluntary exchange rather than contractual obligations.“ettha yo icchati taṇḍulapaṭibhastāni vā muggapaṭibhastāni vā kaḷāyapaṭibhastāni vā nikkhipitvā yaṁ icchati taṁ haratū”ti. He provided for his blind old parents. Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro andhe jiṇṇe mātāpitaro poseti. And since he has ended the five lower fetters, Ghaṭīkāra will be reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.*He is a non-returner.Ghaṭikāro kho, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

This one time, great king, I was staying near the market town of Vebhaliṅga. Then I robed up in the morning and, taking my bowl and robe, went to the home of Ghaṭīkāra’s parents, where I said to them, “Excuse me, where has Bhaggava gone?”*The Buddha uses Ghaṭīkāra’s clan name, as he does at SN 1.50:11.2.

Ekamidāhaṁ, mahārāja, samayaṁ vegaḷiṅge nāma gāmanigame viharāmi. Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro etadavocaṁ: “handa ko nu kho ayaṁ bhaggavo gato”ti?

This one time, great king, I was staying near the market town of Vebhaliṅga. Ekamidāhaṁ, mahārāja, samayaṁ vegaḷiṅge nāma gāmanigame viharāmi. Then I robed up in the morning and, taking my bowl and robe, went to the home of Ghaṭīkāra’s parents, where I said to them, Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro etadavocaṁ: “Excuse me, where has Bhaggava gone?”*The Buddha uses Ghaṭīkāra’s clan name, as he does at SN 1.50:11.2.“handa ko nu kho ayaṁ bhaggavo gato”ti?

“Your supporter has gone out, sir. But take rice from the pot and sauce from the pan and eat.” So that’s what I did. And after eating I rose from my seat and left.*This appears to technically violate Bu Pc 40, which requires that food be given with the hands, not simply by speech. However, not all Buddhas lay down the exact same Vinaya rules. Several parallels explain this by saying that Kassapa was following the customs of the mystical land of Uttarakuru (MA 63 at T i 502a19; T i 502b8; Saṅghabhedavastu 17:391 at Gnoli 1978a:27,14 and D (1) ’dul ba, ga 8a3), where no-one had any possessions (DN 32:7.4).

“Nikkhanto kho te, bhante, upaṭṭhāko antokumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjā”ti. Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, kumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁ.*pakkamiṁ → pakkāmiṁ (sya-all, km, pts1ed)

“Your supporter has gone out, sir. But take rice from the pot and sauce from the pan and eat.” “Nikkhanto kho te, bhante, upaṭṭhāko antokumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjā”ti. So that’s what I did. And after eating I rose from my seat and left.*This appears to technically violate Bu Pc 40, which requires that food be given with the hands, not simply by speech. However, not all Buddhas lay down the exact same Vinaya rules. Several parallels explain this by saying that Kassapa was following the customs of the mystical land of Uttarakuru (MA 63 at T i 502a19; T i 502b8; Saṅghabhedavastu 17:391 at Gnoli 1978a:27,14 and D (1) ’dul ba, ga 8a3), where no-one had any possessions (DN 32:7.4).Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, kumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁ.*pakkamiṁ → pakkāmiṁ (sya-all, km, pts1ed)

Then Ghaṭīkāra went up to his parents and said, “Who took rice from the pot and sauce from the pan, ate it, and left?”

Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro yena mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā mātāpitaro etadavoca: “ko kumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkanto”ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra went up to his parents and said, Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro yena mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā mātāpitaro etadavoca: “Who took rice from the pot and sauce from the pan, ate it, and left?” “ko kumbhiyā odanaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkanto”ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra thought, “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate, in that the Buddha Kassapa trusts me so much!” Then joy and happiness did not leave him for a fortnight, or his parents for a week.

Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa etadahosi: “lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, yassa me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho evaṁ abhivissattho”ti. Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ aḍḍhamāsaṁ pītisukhaṁ na vijahati, sattāhaṁ mātāpitūnaṁ.*na vijahati → na vijahi (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)

Then Ghaṭīkāra thought, Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa etadahosi: “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate, “lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, in that the Buddha Kassapa trusts me so much!” yassa me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho evaṁ abhivissattho”ti. Then joy and happiness did not leave him for a fortnight, or his parents for a week. Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ aḍḍhamāsaṁ pītisukhaṁ na vijahati, sattāhaṁ mātāpitūnaṁ.*na vijahati → na vijahi (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)

Another time, great king, I was staying near that same market town of Vebhaliṅga. Then I robed up in the morning and, taking my bowl and robe, went to the home of Ghaṭīkāra’s parents, where I said to them, “Excuse me, where has Bhaggava gone?”

Ekamidāhaṁ, mahārāja, samayaṁ tattheva vegaḷiṅge nāma gāmanigame viharāmi. Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro etadavocaṁ: “handa ko nu kho ayaṁ bhaggavo gato”ti?

Another time, great king, I was staying near that same market town of Vebhaliṅga. Ekamidāhaṁ, mahārāja, samayaṁ tattheva vegaḷiṅge nāma gāmanigame viharāmi. Then I robed up in the morning and, taking my bowl and robe, went to the home of Ghaṭīkāra’s parents, where I said to them, Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro etadavocaṁ: “Excuse me, where has Bhaggava gone?” “handa ko nu kho ayaṁ bhaggavo gato”ti?

“Your supporter has gone out, sir. But take porridge from the pot and sauce from the pan and eat.” So that’s what I did. And after eating I rose from my seat and left.

“Nikkhanto kho te, bhante, upaṭṭhāko anto kaḷopiyā kummāsaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjā”ti. Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, kaḷopiyā kummāsaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁ.

“Your supporter has gone out, sir. But take porridge from the pot and sauce from the pan and eat.” “Nikkhanto kho te, bhante, upaṭṭhāko anto kaḷopiyā kummāsaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjā”ti. So that’s what I did. And after eating I rose from my seat and left. Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, kaḷopiyā kummāsaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁ.

Then Ghaṭīkāra went up to his parents and said, “Who took porridge from the pot and sauce from the pan, ate it, and left?”

Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro yena mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā mātāpitaro etadavoca: “ko kaḷopiyā kummāsaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkanto”ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra went up to his parents and said, Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro yena mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā mātāpitaro etadavoca: “Who took porridge from the pot and sauce from the pan, ate it, and left?” “ko kaḷopiyā kummāsaṁ gahetvā pariyogā sūpaṁ gahetvā paribhuñjitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkanto”ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra thought, “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate, to be trusted so much by the Buddha Kassapa!” Then joy and happiness did not leave him for a fortnight, or his parents for a week.

Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa etadahosi: “lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, yassa me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho evaṁ abhivissattho”ti. Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ aḍḍhamāsaṁ pītisukhaṁ na vijahati, sattāhaṁ mātāpitūnaṁ.

Then Ghaṭīkāra thought, Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa etadahosi: “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate, “lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, to be trusted so much by the Buddha Kassapa!” yassa me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho evaṁ abhivissattho”ti. Then joy and happiness did not leave him for a fortnight, or his parents for a week. Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ aḍḍhamāsaṁ pītisukhaṁ na vijahati, sattāhaṁ mātāpitūnaṁ.

Another time, great king, I was staying near that same market town of Vebhaliṅga. Now at that time my hut leaked. So I addressed the mendicants,

Ekamidāhaṁ, mahārāja, samayaṁ tattheva vegaḷiṅge nāma gāmanigame viharāmi. Tena kho pana samayena kuṭi ovassati.*kuṭi → gandhakuṭi (bj); kuṭī (pts1ed) Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, bhikkhū āmantesiṁ:

Another time, great king, I was staying near that same market town of Vebhaliṅga. Ekamidāhaṁ, mahārāja, samayaṁ tattheva vegaḷiṅge nāma gāmanigame viharāmi. Now at that time my hut leaked. Tena kho pana samayena kuṭi ovassati.*kuṭi → gandhakuṭi (bj); kuṭī (pts1ed)So I addressed the mendicants, Atha khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, bhikkhū āmantesiṁ:

When I said this, those mendicants said to me, “Sir, there’s no grass there, but his workshop has a grass roof.”*Āvesana is found here and at MN 140:2.1 of a potter’s workshop, at Kd 15:11.5.15 of a sewing hut, and is mentioned at Manu 9.264 as an “artisan’s workshop” (kārukāveśana).

Evaṁ vutte, mahārāja, te bhikkhū maṁ etadavocuṁ: “natthi kho, bhante, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa nivesane tiṇaṁ, atthi ca khvāssa āvesane tiṇacchadanan”ti.*āvesane → āvesanaṁ (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)

When I said this, those mendicants said to me, Evaṁ vutte, mahārāja, te bhikkhū maṁ etadavocuṁ: “Sir, there’s no grass there, but his workshop has a grass roof.”*Āvesana is found here and at MN 140:2.1 of a potter’s workshop, at Kd 15:11.5.15 of a sewing hut, and is mentioned at Manu 9.264 as an “artisan’s workshop” (kārukāveśana).“natthi kho, bhante, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa nivesane tiṇaṁ, atthi ca khvāssa āvesane tiṇacchadanan”ti.*āvesane → āvesanaṁ (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)

“Then go to the workshop and strip the grass.” So that’s what they did.

“Gacchatha, bhikkhave, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa āvesanaṁ uttiṇaṁ karothā”ti. Atha kho te, mahārāja, bhikkhū ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa āvesanaṁ uttiṇamakaṁsu.

“Then go to the workshop and strip the grass.” “Gacchatha, bhikkhave, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa āvesanaṁ uttiṇaṁ karothā”ti. So that’s what they did. Atha kho te, mahārāja, bhikkhū ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa āvesanaṁ uttiṇamakaṁsu.

Then Ghaṭīkāra’s parents said to those mendicants, “Who’s stripping the grass from the workshop?”

Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro te bhikkhū etadavocuṁ: “ke āvesanaṁ uttiṇaṁ karontī”ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra’s parents said to those mendicants, Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa mātāpitaro te bhikkhū etadavocuṁ: “Who’s stripping the grass from the workshop?” “ke āvesanaṁ uttiṇaṁ karontī”ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra went up to his parents and said, “Who stripped the grass from the workshop?”

Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro yena mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā mātāpitaro etadavoca: “ke āvesanaṁ uttiṇamakaṁsū”ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra went up to his parents and said, Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro yena mātāpitaro tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā mātāpitaro etadavoca: “Who stripped the grass from the workshop?” “ke āvesanaṁ uttiṇamakaṁsū”ti?

Then Ghaṭīkāra thought, “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate, to be trusted so much by the Buddha Kassapa!” Then joy and happiness did not leave him for a fortnight, or his parents for a week.

Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa etadahosi: “lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, yassa me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho evaṁ abhivissattho”ti. Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ aḍḍhamāsaṁ pītisukhaṁ na vijahati, sattāhaṁ mātāpitūnaṁ.

Then Ghaṭīkāra thought, Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa etadahosi: “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate, “lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, to be trusted so much by the Buddha Kassapa!” yassa me kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho evaṁ abhivissattho”ti. Then joy and happiness did not leave him for a fortnight, or his parents for a week. Atha kho, mahārāja, ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ aḍḍhamāsaṁ pītisukhaṁ na vijahati, sattāhaṁ mātāpitūnaṁ.

Then the workshop remained with the atmosphere for a roof for the whole three months, but the heavens did not rain on it. And that, great king, is what Ghaṭīkāra the potter is like.’

Atha kho, mahārāja, āvesanaṁ sabbantaṁ temāsaṁ ākāsacchadanaṁ aṭṭhāsi, na devotivassi.*na devotivassi → na cātivassi (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed) Evarūpo ca, mahārāja, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro’ti.

Then the workshop remained with the atmosphere for a roof for the whole three months, but the heavens did not rain on it. Atha kho, mahārāja, āvesanaṁ sabbantaṁ temāsaṁ ākāsacchadanaṁ aṭṭhāsi, na devotivassi.*na devotivassi → na cātivassi (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)And that, great king, is what Ghaṭīkāra the potter is like.’ Evarūpo ca, mahārāja, ghaṭikāro kumbhakāro’ti.

‘Ghaṭīkāra the potter is fortunate, very fortunate, to be so trusted by the Buddha Kassapa.’

‘Lābhā, bhante, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa, suladdhā, bhante, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa yassa bhagavā evaṁ abhivissattho’ti.

‘Ghaṭīkāra the potter is fortunate, very fortunate, ‘Lābhā, bhante, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa, suladdhā, bhante, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa to be so trusted by the Buddha Kassapa.’ yassa bhagavā evaṁ abhivissattho’ti.

Then King Kikī sent around five hundred loads of rice, soft saffron rice, and suitable sauce to Ghaṭīkāra.*“Suitable sauce” (tadupiyañca sūpeyyaṁ) is also at DN 17:2.15.10 and SN 22.96:4.10, where it describes a similarly luxurious meal. | A secondary theme of this parable is to highlight the different attitudes to offering. Kikī is generous, but his offering is extravagant and indulgent, and ultimately serves his desires, whereas Ghaṭīkāra is concerned only to help with what is needed at the time. Then one of the king’s men approached Ghaṭīkāra and said, ‘Sir, these five hundred loads of rice, soft saffron rice, and suitable sauce have been sent to you by King Kikī of Kāsi. Please accept them.’

Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa pañcamattāni taṇḍulavāhasatāni pāhesi paṇḍupuṭakassa sālino tadupiyañca sūpeyyaṁ. Atha kho te, ānanda, rājapurisā ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ: ‘imāni kho, bhante, pañcamattāni taṇḍulavāhasatāni kikinā kāsirājena pahitāni paṇḍupuṭakassa sālino tadupiyañca sūpeyyaṁ. Tāni, bhante, paṭiggaṇhathā’ti.*paṭiggaṇhathā’ti → patigaṇhātūti (bj, pts1ed); paṭiggaṇhātūti (sya-all, km)

Then King Kikī sent around five hundred loads of rice, soft saffron rice, and suitable sauce to Ghaṭīkāra.*“Suitable sauce” (tadupiyañca sūpeyyaṁ) is also at DN 17:2.15.10 and SN 22.96:4.10, where it describes a similarly luxurious meal. | A secondary theme of this parable is to highlight the different attitudes to offering. Kikī is generous, but his offering is extravagant and indulgent, and ultimately serves his desires, whereas Ghaṭīkāra is concerned only to help with what is needed at the time.Atha kho, ānanda, kikī kāsirājā ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa pañcamattāni taṇḍulavāhasatāni pāhesi paṇḍupuṭakassa sālino tadupiyañca sūpeyyaṁ. Then one of the king’s men approached Ghaṭīkāra and said, Atha kho te, ānanda, rājapurisā ghaṭikāraṁ kumbhakāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ: ‘Sir, these five hundred loads of rice, soft saffron rice, and suitable sauce have been sent to you by King Kikī of Kāsi. ‘imāni kho, bhante, pañcamattāni taṇḍulavāhasatāni kikinā kāsirājena pahitāni paṇḍupuṭakassa sālino tadupiyañca sūpeyyaṁ. Please accept them.’ Tāni, bhante, paṭiggaṇhathā’ti.*paṭiggaṇhathā’ti → patigaṇhātūti (bj, pts1ed); paṭiggaṇhātūti (sya-all, km)

‘The king has many duties, and much to do. I have enough.*The two words alaṁ me encapsulate the radical basis of a Buddhist economy. Let this be for the king himself.’

‘Rājā kho bahukicco bahukaraṇīyo. Alaṁ me. Raññova hotū’ti.

‘The king has many duties, and much to do. ‘Rājā kho bahukicco bahukaraṇīyo. I have enough.*The two words alaṁ me encapsulate the radical basis of a Buddhist economy.Alaṁ me. Let this be for the king himself.’ Raññova hotū’ti.

Ānanda, you might think: ‘Surely the student Jotipāla must have been someone else at that time?’*This phrase marks canonical Jātaka stories at DN 17:2.14.2, MN 83:21.2, AN 3.15:5.2, and AN 9.20:5.2. But you should not see it like this. I myself was the student Jotipāla at that time.”

Siyā kho pana te, ānanda, evamassa: ‘añño nūna tena samayena jotipālo māṇavo ahosī’ti. Na kho panetaṁ, ānanda, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Ahaṁ tena samayena jotipālo māṇavo ahosin”ti.

Ānanda, you might think: Siyā kho pana te, ānanda, evamassa: ‘Surely the student Jotipāla must have been someone else at that time?’*This phrase marks canonical Jātaka stories at DN 17:2.14.2, MN 83:21.2, AN 3.15:5.2, and AN 9.20:5.2.‘añño nūna tena samayena jotipālo māṇavo ahosī’ti. But you should not see it like this. Na kho panetaṁ, ānanda, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. I myself was the student Jotipāla at that time.” Ahaṁ tena samayena jotipālo māṇavo ahosin”ti.

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

That is what the Buddha said. Idamavoca bhagavā. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.