SA 1142（一一四二） 极老

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, the Venerable Mahākāśyapa had been staying for a long time in a secluded place in Śrāvastī, with long beard and hair, wearing a tattered hempen robe. He came to where the Buddha was, and at that time the World-Honored One was surrounded by countless great assemblies, expounding the Dharma.

At that time, the bhikṣus saw Mahākāśyapa coming from afar. Having seen him, they gave rise to a disrespectful mind towards the Venerable Mahākāśyapa, saying: "What kind of bhikṣu is this? His robes are coarse and shabby, without any dignity. He comes here, his robes tattered and worn out."

At that time, the World-Honored One knew the thoughts in the minds of the bhikṣus. He said to Mahākāśyapa: "Welcome, Kāśyapa! On this half seat, I now know who left home first, you or me?"

Those bhikṣus were terrified, their body hairs standing on end. They said to each other: "How amazing! Venerable One! That Venerable Mahākāśyapa is a great virtuous one with great power, a disciple of the Great Teacher. He invites you to share the seat with him."

At that time, Venerable Mahākāśyapa joined his palms and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! The Buddha is my teacher, and I am his disciple."

The Buddha told Kāśyapa: "So it is! So it is! I am the great teacher, and you are the disciple. Now please sit down, as you are comfortable."

Venerable Mahākāśyapa bowed at the Buddha's feet and sat to one side.

At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to awaken the bhikṣus again, and also to show the assembly the same extraordinary and vast merits and virtues attained by Venerable Mahākāśyapa, said to the bhikṣus: "I, having abandoned sensual desires and unwholesome states, with initial and sustained thought, dwell in the first dhyāna, either during the day or night or both day and night; Mahākāśyapa is also like me, having abandoned sensual desires and unwholesome states, up to dwelling in the first dhyāna, either during the day or night or both day and night. I dwell in the second, third, and fourth dhyānas, either during the day or night or both day and night; Mahākāśyapa is also like that. Up to dwelling in the fourth dhyāna, either during the day or night or both day and night. I dwell in loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, as much as I wish, in the sphere of the base of infinite space, the base of infinite consciousness, the base of nothingness, and the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, in the sphere of the supernormal powers, in the knowledge of the divine ear, the knowledge of others' minds, the knowledge of past lives, the knowledge of death and rebirth, and the knowledge of the exhaustion of taints, either during the day or night or both day and night; Mahākāśyapa is also like that. Up to dwelling in the knowledge of the exhaustion of taints, either during the day or night or both day and night."

At that time, the World-Honored One, having praised Mahākāśyapa's same vast and wonderful merits and virtues in the midst of an immeasurable great assembly, the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and received them with respect.