1On one occasion the Venerable Mahākaccāna was dwelling at Madhurā in Gundā's Grove. Then the brahmin Kaṇḍarāyana approached the Venerable Mahākaccāna and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to him:

"I have heard, Master Kaccāna: ‘The ascetic Kaccāna does not pay homage to brahmins who are old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, come to the last stage; nor does he stand up for them or offer them a seat.’

This is indeed true, for Master Kaccāna does not pay homage to brahmins who are old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, come to the last stage; nor does he stand up for them or offer them a seat. This is not proper, Master Kaccāna." [n.269] The same charge is leveled against the Buddha himself in AN4.22 and AN8.11.

2"Brahmin, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, knowing and seeing, has proclaimed the stage of an elder and the stage of a youth.

Even though someone is old—eighty, ninety, or a hundred years from birth—if he enjoys sensual pleasures, dwells in sensual pleasures, [n.270] I follow Ce and Be kāmamajjhāvasati (= kāmaṁ ajjhāvasati), as against Ee kāmamajjhe vasati. burns with a fever for sensual pleasures, is consumed with thoughts of sensual pleasures, is eager in the quest for sensual pleasures, then he is reckoned as a foolish childish elder.

But even though someone is young, a youth with dark black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life, if he does not enjoy sensual pleasures, does not dwell in sensual pleasures, does not burn with a fever for sensual pleasures, is not consumed with thoughts of sensual pleasures, is not eager in the quest for sensual pleasures, then he is reckoned as a wise elder."

3When this was said, the brahmin Kaṇḍarāyana rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and bowed down with his head at the feet of the young bhikkhus, saying: "You elders stand at the stage of an elder; we youths stand at the stage of a youth.

4"Excellent, Master Kaccāna! Excellent, Master Kaccāna! Master Kaccāna has made the Dhamma clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overthrown, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the darkness so those with good eyesight can see forms. Master Kaccāna, I now go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Let Master Kaccāna consider me a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahākaccāno madhurāyaṁ viharati gundāvane. Atha kho kandarāyano brāhmaṇo yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā mahākaccānena saddhiṁ … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho kandarāyano brāhmaṇo āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca: 

"Sutaṁ metaṁ, bho kaccāna, ‘Na samaṇo kaccāno brāhmaṇe jiṇṇe vuddhe mahallake addhagate vayoanuppatte abhivādeti vā paccuṭṭheti vā āsanena vā nimantetī’ti.

Tayidaṁ, bho kaccāna, tatheva. Na hi bhavaṁ kaccāno brāhmaṇe jiṇṇe vuddhe mahallake addhagate vayoanuppatte abhivādeti vā paccuṭṭheti vā āsanena vā nimanteti. Tayidaṁ, bho kaccāna, na sampannamevā"ti.

2"Atthi, brāhmaṇa, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena vuddhabhūmi ca akkhātā dāhārabhūmi ca.

Vuddho cepi, brāhmaṇa, hoti āsītiko vā nāvutiko vā vassasatiko vā jātiyā, so ca kāme paribhuñjati kāmamajjhāvasati kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhati kāmavitakkehi khajjati kāmapariyesanāya ussuko. Atha kho so bālo na therotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchati.

Daharo cepi, brāhmaṇa, hoti yuvā susukāḷakeso bhadrena yobbanena samannāgato paṭhamena vayasā. So ca na kāme paribhuñjati na kāmamajjhāvasati, na kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhati, na kāmavitakkehi khajjati, na kāmapariyesanāya ussuko. Atha kho so paṇḍito therotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchatī"ti.

3Evaṁ vutte, kandarāyano brāhmaṇo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā daharānaṁ sataṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pāde sirasā vandati:  "Vuddhā bhavanto, vuddhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhitā. Daharā mayaṁ, dāhārabhūmiyaṁ ṭhitā"ti.

4"Abhikkantaṁ, bho kaccāna, abhikkantaṁ, bho kaccāna. Seyyathāpi, bho kaccāna, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya; andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā kaccānena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bho kaccāna, taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ kaccāno dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.