The Buddha praises Venerable Mahākassapa's contentment with robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicines—using them unattached and seeing the escape—and exhorts mendicants to train in the same way.

SN 16.1 Content

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Santuṭṭhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kassapo itarītarena cīvarena, itarītaracīvarasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī; na ca cīvarahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjati; aladdhā ca cīvaraṁ na paritassati; laddhā ca cīvaraṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

Santuṭṭhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kassapo itarītarena piṇḍapātena, itarītarapiṇḍapātasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī; na ca piṇḍapātahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjati; aladdhā ca piṇḍapātaṁ na paritassati; laddhā ca piṇḍapātaṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

Santuṭṭhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kassapo itarītarena senāsanena, itarītarasenāsanasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī; na ca senāsanahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjati; aladdhā ca senāsanaṁ na paritassati; laddhā ca senāsanaṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

Santuṭṭhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kassapo itarītarena gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena, itarītaragilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī; na ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjati; aladdhā ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ na paritassati; laddhā ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘santuṭṭhā bhavissāma itarītarena cīvarena, itarītaracīvarasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādino; na ca cīvarahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjissāma; aladdhā ca cīvaraṁ na ca paritassissāma; laddhā ca cīvaraṁ agadhitā amucchitā anajjhāpannā ādīnavadassāvino nissaraṇapaññā paribhuñjissāma’.

(Evaṁ sabbaṁ kātabbaṁ.)

‘Santuṭṭhā bhavissāma itarītarena piṇḍapātena …pe… santuṭṭhā bhavissāma itarītarena senāsanena …pe… santuṭṭhā bhavissāma itarītarena gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena, itarītaragilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādino; na ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjissāma aladdhā ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ na paritassissāma; laddhā ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ agadhitā amucchitā anajjhāpannā ādīnavadassāvino nissaraṇapaññā paribhuñjissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbaṁ. Kassapena hi vo, bhikkhave, ovadissāmi yo panassa kassapasadiso, ovaditehi ca pana vo tathattāya paṭipajjitabban”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

“Santuṭṭhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kassapo itarītarena cīvarena, itarītaracīvarasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī;

“Mendicants, Kassapa is content with any kind of robe, and praises such contentment.

na ca cīvarahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjati; aladdhā ca cīvaraṁ na paritassati; laddhā ca cīvaraṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

He doesn’t employ improper solicitation for the sake of a robe. He doesn’t worry if he doesn’t get a robe. And if he does get a robe, he uses it untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawback, and understanding the escape.

Santuṭṭhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kassapo itarītarena piṇḍapātena, itarītarapiṇḍapātasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī; na ca piṇḍapātahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjati; aladdhā ca piṇḍapātaṁ na paritassati; laddhā ca piṇḍapātaṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

Kassapa is content with any kind of almsfood …

Santuṭṭhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kassapo itarītarena senāsanena, itarītarasenāsanasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī; na ca senāsanahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjati; aladdhā ca senāsanaṁ na paritassati; laddhā ca senāsanaṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

Kassapa is content with any kind of lodging …

Santuṭṭhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kassapo itarītarena gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena, itarītaragilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī; na ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjati; aladdhā ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ na paritassati; laddhā ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati.

Kassapa is content with any kind of medicines and supplies for the sick …

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘santuṭṭhā bhavissāma itarītarena cīvarena, itarītaracīvarasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādino; na ca cīvarahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjissāma;

So you should train like this: ‘We will be content with any kind of robe, and praise such contentment. We won’t employ improper solicitation for the sake of a robe.

aladdhā ca cīvaraṁ na ca paritassissāma; laddhā ca cīvaraṁ agadhitā amucchitā anajjhāpannā ādīnavadassāvino nissaraṇapaññā paribhuñjissāma’.

We won’t worry if we don’t get a robe. And if we do get a robe, we’ll use it untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawback, and understanding the escape.’

(Evaṁ sabbaṁ kātabbaṁ.)

(All should be told in full the same way.)

‘Santuṭṭhā bhavissāma itarītarena piṇḍapātena …pe…

‘We will be content with any kind of almsfood …’

santuṭṭhā bhavissāma itarītarena senāsanena …pe…

‘We will be content with any kind of lodging …’

santuṭṭhā bhavissāma itarītarena gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena, itarītaragilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādino; na ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjissāma aladdhā ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ na paritassissāma; laddhā ca gilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ agadhitā amucchitā anajjhāpannā ādīnavadassāvino nissaraṇapaññā paribhuñjissāmā’ti.

‘We will be content with any kind of medicines and supplies for the sick …’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbaṁ.

That’s how you should train.

Kassapena hi vo, bhikkhave, ovadissāmi yo panassa kassapasadiso, ovaditehi ca pana vo tathattāya paṭipajjitabban”ti.

I will exhort you with the example of Kassapa or someone like him. You should practice accordingly.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Anxiety

Anxiety

A fluttering, unsettled state of mind, worried about past or future and unsure what is right to do. It keeps the mind circling around concerns without resolution, weakening confidence and obscuring calm discernment.

Also known as: agitation, confusion about what is right and wrong, distress, fickleness, fidgetiness, edginess, restlessness, wavering, worry
Pāli: kukkucca, uddhacca, darathaja
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Contentment

Contentment

The quality of being satisfied with the requisites one has and with the present conditions, resulting in having few desires and being free from agitation.

Also known as: fewness of wishes, having few desires, satisfaction, sense of ease
Pāli: santutthi, appicchatā, tuṭṭha, tosana
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Last updated on July 27, 2026