When the Buddha offers Mahākassapa household robes and invitations, Kassapa explains that he has long lived in the wilderness on almsfood and rag robes for his own happiness and so future disciples may follow his example.

SN 16.5 Old Age

Evaṁ me sutaṁrājagahe veḷuvane. Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ mahākassapaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“jiṇṇosi dāni tvaṁ, kassapa, garukāni ca te imāni sāṇāni paṁsukūlāni nibbasanāni. Tasmātiha tvaṁ, kassapa, gahapatāni ceva cīvarāni dhārehi, nimantanāni ca bhuñjāhi, mama ca santike viharāhī”ti.

“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.

“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, kassapa, atthavasaṁ sampassamāno dīgharattaṁ āraññiko ceva āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, piṇḍapātiko ceva …pe… paṁsukūliko cevatecīvariko cevaappiccho cevasantuṭṭho cevapavivitto cevaasaṁsaṭṭho cevaāraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī”ti?

“Dve khvāhaṁ, bhante, atthavase sampassamāno dīgharattaṁ āraññiko ceva āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, piṇḍapātiko ceva …pe… paṁsukūliko cevatecīvariko cevaappiccho cevasantuṭṭho cevapavivitto cevaasaṁsaṭṭho cevaāraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī.

Attano ca diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāraṁ sampassamāno, pacchimañca janataṁ anukampamāno: ‘appeva nāma pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjeyyuṁ. Ye kira te ahesuṁ buddhānubuddhasāvakā te dīgharattaṁ āraññikā ceva ahesuṁ āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādino …pe… piṇḍapātikā ceva ahesuṁ …pe… paṁsukūlikā ceva ahesuṁtecīvarikā ceva ahesuṁappicchā ceva ahesuṁsantuṭṭhā ceva ahesuṁpavivittā ceva ahesuṁasaṁsaṭṭhā ceva ahesuṁāraddhavīriyā ceva ahesuṁ vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādino’ti. Te tathattāya paṭipajjissanti, tesaṁ taṁ bhavissati dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāya.

Ime khvāhaṁ, bhante, dve atthavase sampassamāno dīgharattaṁ āraññiko ceva āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, piṇḍapātiko ceva …pe… paṁsukūliko cevatecīvariko cevaappiccho cevasantuṭṭho cevapavivitto cevaasaṁsaṭṭho cevaāraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī”ti.

“Sādhu sādhu, kassapa. Bahujanahitāya kira tvaṁ, kassapa, paṭipanno bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ. Tasmātiha tvaṁ, kassapa, sāṇāni ceva paṁsukūlāni dhārehi nibbasanāni, piṇḍāya ca carāhi, araññe ca viharāhī”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

rājagahe veḷuvane.

Near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove.

Atha 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:

“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.

Tasmātiha 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.”

“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.”

“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?”

paṁsukūliko ceva

tecīvariko ceva

appiccho ceva

santuṭṭho ceva

pavivitto ceva

asaṁsaṭṭho ceva

āraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī”ti?

“Dve khvāhaṁ, bhante, atthavase sampassamāno dīgharattaṁ āraññiko ceva āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, piṇḍapātiko ceva …pe…

“Sir, seeing two benefits I have long practiced these things.

paṁsukūliko ceva

tecīvariko ceva

appiccho ceva

santuṭṭho ceva

pavivitto ceva

asaṁsaṭṭho ceva

āraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī.

Attano ca diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāraṁ sampassamāno, pacchimañca janataṁ anukampamāno:

I see happiness for myself in this life. And I have sympathy for future generations, thinking:

‘appeva nāma pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjeyyuṁ.

‘Hopefully those who come after might follow my example.’

Ye 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.’

piṇḍapātikā ceva ahesuṁ …pe…

paṁsukūlikā ceva ahesuṁ

tecīvarikā ceva ahesuṁ

appicchā ceva ahesuṁ

santuṭṭhā ceva ahesuṁ

pavivittā ceva ahesuṁ

asaṁsaṭṭhā ceva ahesuṁ

āraddhavīriyā ceva ahesuṁ vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādino’ti.

Te tathattāya paṭipajjissanti, tesaṁ taṁ bhavissati dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāya.

They’ll practice accordingly, which will be for their lasting welfare and happiness.

Ime khvāhaṁ, bhante, dve atthavase sampassamāno dīgharattaṁ āraññiko ceva āraññikattassa ca vaṇṇavādī, piṇḍapātiko ceva …pe…

Seeing these two benefits I have long practiced these things.”

paṁsukūliko ceva

tecīvariko ceva

appiccho ceva

santuṭṭho ceva

pavivitto ceva

asaṁsaṭṭho ceva

āraddhavīriyo ceva vīriyārambhassa ca vaṇṇavādī”ti.

“Sādhu sādhu, kassapa.

“Good, good, Kassapa!

Bahujanahitāya 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.

Tasmātiha 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.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Qualities:

Compassion

Compassion

A mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty.

Also known as: benevolence, concern, sympathy, kindness towards those who are suffering
Pāli: karuṇā, anukampa
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Happiness

Happiness

Bodily ease and comfort; a pleasant feeling experienced with the body. In the third jhāna, one dwells experiencing this pleasure with the body. It is abandoned, along with bodily pain, for the fourth jhāna to arise.

Also known as: pleasant abiding, positive state of mind, sense of ease
Pāli: sukha
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026