1Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Rājagaha, in Bamboo Wood, at the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. Then at that time venerable Mahākassapa was dwelling in the Pepper Cave, and was sitting in one cross-legged posture for seven days, having attained a certain concentration.

Then venerable Mahākassapa, with the passing of those seven days arose from that concentration. Then it occured to venerable Mahākassapa after arising from that concentration: "Well now, I should enter Rājagaha for alms."

2Then at that time five hundred devatās were ready and eager to offer almsfood to venerable Mahākassapa. But venerable Mahākassapa, after refusing those five hundred devatās, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms.

3Then at that time the lord of the devas Sakka, having a desire to give almsfood to venerable Mahākassapa, having created the appearance of a weaver for himself, was weaving thread while the Asura maiden Sujā was filling the shuttle. Then venerable Mahākassapa, while walking systematically for alms in Rājagaha, went to the residence of the lord of the devas Sakka.

The lord of the devas Sakka saw venerable Mahākassapa coming while still far away. After seeing him, leaving the house, going to meet him, taking the bowl from his hand, entering the house, taking up the rice from the pot, and filling the bowl, he gave it to venerable Mahākassapa, and that almsfood had many sauces, many curries, many sauces and tasty curries.

Then this occured to venerable Mahākassapa: "Now who is this being, who has such power and majesty?"

Then it occured to venerable Mahākassapa: "This is the lord of the devas Sakka."

Having understood it was so, he said this to the lord of the devas Sakka: "This is your doing, Kosiya, you must not do such a thing again."

"We also have a need for merit, reverend Kassapa, we also have a duty to make merit."

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4Then the lord of the devas Sakka after worshipping and circumambulating venerable Mahākassapa, after going up into the sky, while in the air, in the firmament, three times uttered an exalted utterance:

11"Ah giving! The best gift is well established on Kassapa, Ah giving! The best gift is well established on Kassapa."

The Gracious One heard with his divine ear-element, which is purified, and surpasses that of normal men, the lord of the devas Sakka, after going up into the sky, while in the air, in the firmament, three times uttering an exalted utterance:

"Ah giving! The best gift is well established on Kassapa, Ah giving! The best gift is well established on Kassapa."

5Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​   ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahākassapo pippaliguhāyaṁ viharati, sattāhaṁ ekapallaṅkena nisinno hoti aññataraṁ samādhiṁ samāpajjitvā.

Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo tassa sattāhassa accayena tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhāsi. Atha kho āyasmato mahākassapassa tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhitassa etadahosi:  "yannūnāhaṁ rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya paviseyyan"ti.

2Tena kho pana samayena pañcamattāni devatāsatāni ussukkaṁ āpannāni honti āyasmato mahākassapassa piṇḍapātapaṭilābhāya. Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo tāni pañcamattāni devatāsatāni paṭikkhipitvā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

3Tena kho pana samayena sakko devānamindo āyasmato mahākassapassa piṇḍapātaṁ dātukāmo hoti. Pesakāravaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā tantaṁ vināti. Sujā asurakaññā tasaraṁ pūreti. Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo rājagahe sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caramāno yena sakkassa devānamindassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami.

Addasā kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ mahākassapaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna gharā nikkhamitvā paccuggantvā hatthato pattaṁ gahetvā gharaṁ pavisitvā ghaṭiyā odanaṁ uddharitvā pattaṁ pūretvā āyasmato mahākassapassa adāsi. So ahosi piṇḍapāto anekasūpo anekabyañjano anekarasabyañjano.

Atha kho āyasmato mahākassapassa etadahosi:  "ko nu kho ayaṁ satto yassāyaṁ evarūpo iddhānubhāvo"ti?

Atha kho āyasmato mahākassapassa etadahosi:  "sakko kho ayaṁ devānamindo"ti.

Iti viditvā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:  "kataṁ kho te idaṁ, kosiya; mā punapi evarūpamakāsī"ti.

"Amhākampi, bhante kassapa, puññena attho; amhākampi puññena karaṇīyan"ti.

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4Atha kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ mahākassapaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā vehāsaṁ abbhuggantvā ākāse antalikkhe tikkhattuṁ udānaṁ udānesi: 

"Aho dānaṁ paramadānaṁ kassape suppatiṭṭhitaṁ. Aho dānaṁ paramadānaṁ kassape suppatiṭṭhitaṁ. Aho dānaṁ paramadānaṁ kassape suppatiṭṭhitan"ti.

Assosi kho bhagavā dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya sakkassa devānamindassa vehāsaṁ abbhuggantvā ākāse antalikkhe tikkhattuṁ udānaṁ udānentassa: 

"Aho dānaṁ paramadānaṁ kassape suppatiṭṭhitaṁ. Aho dānaṁ paramadānaṁ kassape suppatiṭṭhitaṁ. Aho dānaṁ paramadānaṁ kassape suppatiṭṭhitan"ti.

5Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: 

Sattamaṁ.