9.
The Discourse on the Naked Ascetic Kassapa
351.
Now at that time the naked ascetic Kassapa had arrived at Macchikāsaṇḍa, a former lay companion of the householder Citta.
The householder Citta heard -
"The naked ascetic Kassapa, it seems, has arrived at Macchikāsaṇḍa, our former lay companion."
Then the householder Citta approached the naked ascetic Kassapa;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the naked ascetic Kassapa.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the householder Citta said this to the naked ascetic Kassapa -
"How long have you been gone forth, venerable sir Kassapa?"
"Thirty years have I been gone forth, householder."
"But during these thirty years, venerable sir, have you attained any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?"
"During these thirty years that I have been gone forth, householder, I have not attained any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, except for nakedness, shaving the head, and brushing off dust."
When this was said, the householder Citta said this to the naked ascetic Kassapa -
"Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend!
How well proclaimed is the Teaching, when indeed in thirty years no superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding would have been attained, except for nakedness, shaving the head, and brushing off dust!"
"But how long have you been a lay follower, householder?" "For me too indeed, venerable sir, thirty years have I been a lay follower." "But during these thirty years, householder, have you attained any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?" "Even as a householder it would be possible, venerable sir. For I, venerable sir, whenever I wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enter and dwell in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. For I, venerable sir, whenever I wish, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, etc. enter and dwell in the second meditative absorption. For I, venerable sir, whenever I wish, with the fading away of rapture, etc. enter and dwell in the third meditative absorption. For I, venerable sir, whenever I wish, with the abandoning of pleasure, etc. enter and dwell in the fourth meditative absorption. And if I, venerable sir, were to die before the Blessed One, it would not be wonderful if the Blessed One were to declare thus of me - 'There is no mental fetter by which the householder Citta, being fettered, would come back again to this world.'" When this was said, the naked ascetic Kassapa said this to the householder Citta - "Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! How well proclaimed is the Teaching, when indeed a householder clad in white will attain such a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding. May I, householder, receive the going forth in this Teaching and discipline, may I receive the full ordination."
Then the householder Citta, having taken the naked ascetic Kassapa, approached the elder monks; having approached, he said this to the elder monks - "This, venerable sir, is the naked ascetic Kassapa, our former lay companion. Let the elders give him the going forth and give him full ordination. I will make effort for him regarding the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick." Then the naked ascetic Kassapa received the going forth in this Teaching and discipline, he received the full ordination. And not long after being fully ordained, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, the Venerable Kassapa soon realised for himself, with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness; and, having entered upon it, he dwelt in it. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being." And the Venerable Kassapa became one of the Worthy Ones. The ninth.