4.10 The Story about Giving Alms to the Elder Mahā Kassapa
Mahākassapattherassa Piṇḍapātadinnavatthu

“Pinwheel and sandalwood fragrance,” [29.86] {1.423} this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veḷuvana with reference to alms given to Elder Mahā Kassapa.

For one day the Elder Mahā Kassapa arose from cessation which had lasted seven days and started out with the intention of making an unbroken round for alms in Rājagaha. At the same time five hundred pink-footed Accharās who were the wives of Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, roused themselves and prepared five hundred portions of alms, intending to give those alms to the elder. Taking their alms, they halted on the road and said to the elder: “Venerable Sir, accept these alms; do us a favor.” The elder replied: “Begone, all of you. I intend to bestow my favor on the poor.” – “Venerable Sir, do not destroy us; do us a favor.” But the elder knew them and refused them again. {1.424} When they still showed unwillingness to depart and renewed their request, he said: “You do not know your place. Begone!” So saying, he snapped his fingers at them.

When the Accharās heard the elder snap his fingers, they were unable to retain their composure, and not daring to remain where they were, took flight and returned once more to the Deva Realm. Said Sakka: “Where have you been?” – “Sire, we went out, saying to ourselves: ‘We will give alms to this elder who has just arisen from the attainment of cessation.’” – “But did you succeed in giving your alms or not?” – “He refused to accept our alms.” – “What did he say?” – “He said: ‘I intend to bestow my favor on the poor.’” – “In what way did you go?” – “In this way, Sire.” – “Why should the likes of you seek to bestow alms on the elder?” asked Sakka.

Sakka himself desired to give alms to the elder. So he disguised himself as an old weaver worn out by old age, an old man with broken teeth, gray hair, and a bent and broken body. And transforming the Devadhītā Sujā into just such an old woman, and creating by supernatural power a weavers’ lane, he sat spinning out thread.

The elder went towards the city, thinking to himself: “I will bestow favor on poor folk.” And seeing this street outside of the city, he looked all about and noticed those two persons. At that moment Sakka was spinning out the thread and Sujā was feeding a [29.87] shuttle. The elder thought to himself: “These two persons are doing manual labor in old age; there are doubtless no persons in this city poorer than these two. {1.425} If they will give me but a ladleful, I will accept it and bestow my favor upon them.” Accordingly he went towards them.

When Sakka saw them approaching, he said to Sujā: “My lady, a noble elder approaches here. Pretend not to see him; be silent; sit down. In an instant we shall deceive him and give him alms.” The elder approached and stood at the door of the house. But they pretended not to see him, continued their work as if nothing had happened, and bided their time. Then said Sakka: “I think an elder stands at the door of the house. Just go and find out.” Said Sujā: “My lord, you go find out yourself.”

Sakka went out of the house, worshipped the elder with the five limbs, placed both hands on his knees, and wept. Then, straightening himself up, he said: “Which elder are you?” Then, drawing back a little, he said: “My eyes are grown dim.” Then, placing his hand on his forehead, he looked up and said: “Alas! Alas! It is a long, long time since our Elder Mahā Kassapa has come to the door of my hut. Is there anything in the house?”

Sujā pretended to be somewhat embarrassed, but immediately answered: “Yes, husband, there is.” Sakka took the elder’s bowl, saying: “Venerable Sir, consider not whether the food be coarse or fine, but be gracious to us.” The elder gave the bowl, thinking: “It matters not whether they give me pot-herb or a fistful of rice-dust, I will accept it and bestow my favor upon them.” {1.426} Sakka went into the house, took boiled rice from the rice-jar, filled the bowl, and placed it in the elder’s hand.

Straightaway that portion of alms, richly flavored with all manner of sauces and curries, filled the whole city of Rājagaha with its fragrance. The elder thought to himself: “This man is weak, but his alms are as powerful as the food of Sakka. Who can he be?”

Perceiving that it was indeed Sakka, he said: “You have done a grievous wrong in depriving poor folk of the opportunity to acquire merit. By bestowing alms on me today, any poor man whomsoever might obtain the post of commander-in-chief or the post of rich man.” – “Is there any man poorer than I, venerable Sir?” – “How do you come to be poor, enjoying as you do splendor of dominion in the Deva Realm?”

“Venerable Sir, this is the explanation. Before the Buddha appeared in the world I performed works of merit. When the Buddha [29.88] appeared in the world, three Devaputtas of equal rank were reborn who, by the performance of works of merit, possessed greater glory than I. When these Devaputtas say in my presence: ‘Let us make holiday,’ and take maidservants {1.427} and go down into the street, I take to my heels and enter my house. The glory from their persons overspreads my person, but the glory from my person does not overspread their persons. Who, venerable Sir, is poorer than I?” – “If this be true, henceforth do not attempt to deceive me by giving alms to me.” – “Have I acquired merit, or have I not acquired merit, by giving alms to you through deception?” – “You have acquired merit, friend.” – “If this be true, venerable Sir, it is my bounden duty to perform works of merit.” So saying, Sakka worshipped the elder, and accompanied by Sujā, walked clockwise about the elder. Then, flying up into the air, he breathed forth the following exalted utterance: Ah giving! The best gift is well established on Kassapa! Moreover, it is said in the Udāna: AJ: Ud 3.7.

Once upon a time the Fortunate One was in residence in the city of Rājagaha, at Veḷuvana monastery in Kalandakanivāpa.

Now at this time venerable Mahā Kassapa was in residence at Pipphali Cave. For the space of seven days he sat in unbroken posture, absorbed in one of the forms of absorption. Now on the expiration of those seven days venerable Mahā Kassapa arose from that absorption, and straightaway the thought occurred to him: “Suppose I were to go about Rājagaha for alms.” Now at that time five hundred Devatās greatly desired that venerable Mahā Kassapa should receive alms from them. But venerable Mahā Kassapa refused those five hundred {1.428} Devatās. And early in the morning he put on his undergarment, and taking bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms.

Now at that time Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, desired to give alms to venerable Mahā Kassapa. Therefore, taking the form of a weaver, he sat weaving thread, with the Asurakaññā Sujā filling a shuttle.

Venerable Mahā Kassapa approached the place where sat Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, and Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, seeing venerable Mahā Kassapa approaching, came forth from his place of abode, advanced to meet him, took his bowl, escorted him within the house, took boiled rice from a pot, filled his bowl, and gave it to venerable Mahā Kassapa. The portion of rice was flavored with all manner [29.89] of sauces and with all manner of curries, with an abundance of the choicest sauces and curries.

Thereupon the following thought occurred to venerable Mahā Kassapa: “Who is this being the supernatural power of whose psychic power is so great?” Then the following thought occurred to venerable Mahā Kassapa: “This is Sakka, the Lord of the Devas.” When he perceived this, he spoke thus to Sakka, the Lord of the Devas: “How {1.429} came you to do this, Kosiya? Do nothing of the sort again.” – “Reverend Kassapa, we also have need of merit; we also must perform works of merit.” Then Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, took leave of venerable Mahā Kassapa, walked clockwise about him, and flying up into the air, thrice breathed forth the following exalted utterance: “Ah giving! The best gift is well established on Kassapa!”

The Fortunate One, even as he stood in the monastery, heard the sound of his voice and straightaway addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, behold Sakka, the Lord of the Devas. Having uttered an exalted utterance, he is flying through the air.” – “What has he done, venerable Sir?” – “He has given alms to my son Kassapa through deception. Having so done, he is proceeding through the air uttering an exalted utterance.” – “Venerable Sir, how did he know that he ought to give alms to the elder?” – “Bhikkhus, both Devas and humans love him who gives alms as did my son.” So saying, he himself also uttered the same exalted utterance. Moreover, the following passage occurs in the Discourse:

The Fortunate One heard with his divine ear-element, which is purified, and surpasses that of normal men, Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, after going up into the sky, while in the air, in the firmament, three times uttering an exalted utterance: “Ah giving! The best gift is well established on Kassapa!” {1.430}

Now the Fortunate One, seeing this thing, breathed forth at that time the following exalted utterance:

The alms-gathering monk, self-supporting,
not nourishing another, such a one,
the Devas envy, one at peace,
one who is all the time mindful.

Having breathed forth this exalted utterance, he said: “Bhikkhus, Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, approaching my son with the perfume of virtue, gave alms to him.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

56. Appamatto ayaṁ gandho yāyaṁ tagaracandanī,
yo ca sīlavataṁ gandho vāti devesu uttamo.

Pinwheel and sandalwood fragrance
are insignificant, but the
fragrance of one who has virtue
flutters supreme amongst the gods.

At the end of the teaching many attained the fruition of Stream-entry and so on, and there was benefit for many people from the teaching.

last updated: August 2024