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SN 16.5PTS SN 2.2021 min read

Old Age

Jiṇṇasutta

The Buddha points out that Kassapa has grown old, and urges him to give up his ascetic life and stay in a comfortable monastery.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 16.5Linked Discourses 16.5
  • 0.21. Kassapavagga1. Kassapa

0.3JiṇṇasuttaOld Age

1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ …So I have heard.1.2rājagahe veḷuvane.Near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove.1.3Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ mahākassapaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:Then Venerable Mahākassapa went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

1.4“jiṇṇosi dāni tvaṁ, kassapa, garukāni ca te imāni sāṇāni paṁsukūlāni nibbasanāni.“You’re old now, Kassapa. Those worn-out hempen rag robes must be a burden for you.1.5Tasmātiha tvaṁ, kassapa, gahapatāni ceva cīvarāni dhārehi, nimantanāni ca bhuñjāhi, mama ca santike viharāhī”ti.So Kassapa, you should wear clothes given by householders, accept invitations for the meal, and stay in my presence.”1

2.1“Ahaṁ kho, bhante, dīgharattaṁ āraññiko ceva āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, piṇḍapātiko ceva piṇḍapātikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, paṁsukūliko ceva paṁsukūlikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, tecīvariko ceva tecīvarikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, appiccho ceva appicchatāya ca vaṇṇavādī, santuṭṭho ceva santuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī, pavivitto ceva pavivekassa ca vaṇṇavādī, asaṁsaṭṭho ceva asaṁsaggassa ca vaṇṇavādī, āraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī”ti.“For a long time, sir, I’ve lived in the wilderness, eaten only almsfood, worn rag robes, and owned just three robes; and I’ve praised these things. I’ve been one of few wishes, content, secluded, aloof, and energetic; and I’ve praised these things.”2

3.1“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, kassapa, atthavasaṁ sampassamāno dīgharattaṁ āraññiko ceva āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, piṇḍapātiko ceva …pe…“But seeing what benefit, Kassapa, have you long practiced these things?”3.2paṁsukūliko ceva …3.3tecīvariko ceva …3.4appiccho ceva …3.5santuṭṭho ceva …3.6pavivitto ceva …3.7asaṁsaṭṭho ceva …3.8āraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī”ti?

4.1PTS 2.203“Dve khvāhaṁ, bhante, atthavase sampassamāno dīgharattaṁ āraññiko ceva āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, piṇḍapātiko ceva …pe…“Sir, seeing two benefits I have long practiced these things.4.2paṁsukūliko ceva …4.3tecīvariko ceva …4.4appiccho ceva …4.5santuṭṭho ceva …4.6pavivitto ceva …4.7asaṁsaṭṭho ceva …4.8āraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī.

5.1Attano ca diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāraṁ sampassamāno, pacchimañca janataṁ anukampamāno:I see happiness for myself in this life. And I have sympathy for future generations, thinking:5.2‘appeva nāma pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjeyyuṁ.‘Hopefully those who come after might follow my example.’5.3Ye kira te ahesuṁ buddhānubuddhasāvakā te dīgharattaṁ āraññikā ceva ahesuṁ āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādino …pe…For they may think: ‘It seems that the disciples awakened after the Buddha for a long time lived in the wilderness, ate only almsfood, wore rag robes, and owned just three robes; and they praised these things. They were of few wishes, content, secluded, aloof, and energetic; and they praised these things.’5.4piṇḍapātikā ceva ahesuṁ …pe…5.5paṁsukūlikā ceva ahesuṁ …5.6tecīvarikā ceva ahesuṁ …5.7appicchā ceva ahesuṁ …5.8santuṭṭhā ceva ahesuṁ …5.9pavivittā ceva ahesuṁ …5.10asaṁsaṭṭhā ceva ahesuṁ …5.11āraddhavīriyā ceva ahesuṁ vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādino’ti.5.12Te tathattāya paṭipajjissanti, tesaṁ taṁ bhavissati dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāya.They’ll practice accordingly, which will be for their lasting welfare and happiness.

6.1Ime khvāhaṁ, bhante, dve atthavase sampassamāno dīgharattaṁ āraññiko ceva āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, piṇḍapātiko ceva …pe…Seeing these two benefits I have long practiced these things.”6.2paṁsukūliko ceva …6.3tecīvariko ceva …6.4appiccho ceva …6.5santuṭṭho ceva …6.6pavivitto ceva …6.7asaṁsaṭṭho ceva …6.8āraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī”ti.

7.1“Sādhu sādhu, kassapa.“Good, good, Kassapa!7.2Bahujanahitāya kira tvaṁ, kassapa, paṭipanno bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ.You’re acting for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.7.3Tasmātiha tvaṁ, kassapa, sāṇāni ceva paṁsukūlāni dhārehi nibbasanāni, piṇḍāya ca carāhi, araññe ca viharāhī”ti.So Kassapa, wear worn-out hempen rag robes, walk for alms, and stay in the wilderness.”

7.4Pañcamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The Buddha is urging Kassapa to relax some of his strict observances, although this may have simply been a pretext to highlight Kassapa’s dedication.

    ↩ sn16.5:1.5

  2. “Living in the wilderness”: rejecting life in settled monasteries.

    “Eating only almsfood”: rejecting invitations for meals in people’s houses, or organized meals served in the monastery, taking only what is received in the village.

    “Wearing rag robes”: rejecting robes made from new cloth, and making robes only from discarded cloth, cleaned and patched together.

    “Owning just three robes”: rejecting extra robes such as a bathing cloth, and wearing only the three main robes of a mendicant: the “lower robe” or “sarong” (antarāvāsaka); the “upper robe” (uttarasaṅga); and the double-layered “outer robe” or “cloak” (saṅghāṭi).

    ↩ sn16.5:2.1