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Mv II 03
PTS: Mv II 5.3 | CS: vin.mv.02.03
Mahākappinavatthu
'Line by Line'
The Story of Mahā Kappina
by
Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu
Alternate translations/layout: 'read-friendly' layout

70. mahākappinavatthu (Mv.II.5.3)
The Story of Mahā Kappina [BMC]

[153] tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahākappino rājagahe viharati maddakucchismiṁ migadāye.

Now on that occasion Ven. Mahā Kappina was staying near Rājagaha, in the Maddakucchi Game Reserve.

athakho āyasmato mahākappinassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi gaccheyyaṁ vāhaṁ uposathaṁ na vā gaccheyyaṁ gaccheyyaṁ vā saṅghakammaṁ na vā gaccheyyaṁ athakhvāhaṁ visuddho paramāya visuddhiyāti.

Then, as Ven. Mahā Kappina was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in his awareness: “Whether I go or don’t go to the Uposatha, whether I go or don’t go to the Saṅgha transaction, I’m still pure with the foremost purity.”

(Mv.II.5.4) athakho bhagavā āyasmato mahākappinassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso sammiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ sammiñjeyya evameva gijjhakūṭe pabbate antarahito maddakucchismiṁ migadāye āyasmato mahākappinassa pamukhe pāturahosi.

Then the Blessed One, realizing with his awareness the line of thinking in Ven. Mahā Kappina’s awareness — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from Vulture Peak Mountain and re-appeared in the Maddakucchi Game Reserve, right in front of Ven. Mahā Kappina.

nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane.

The Blessed One sat down on a seat laid out.

āyasmāpi kho mahākappino bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Ven. Mahā Kappina, having bowed down to the Blessed One, also sat down to one side.

(Mv.II.5.5) ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ mahākappinaṁ bhagavā etadavoca nanu te kappina rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi gaccheyyaṁ vāhaṁ uposathaṁ na vā gaccheyyaṁ gaccheyyaṁ vā saṅghakammaṁ na vā gaccheyyaṁ athakhvāhaṁ visuddho paramāya visuddhiyāti.

As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Kappina, didn’t this train of thought arise in your awareness as you were alone in seclusion: ‘Should I go to the Uposatha or not? Should I go to the Saṅgha transaction or not? Because I am pure with the foremost purity.’”

evaṁ bhante.

“Yes, lord.”

tumhe ce brāhmaṇā uposathaṁ na sakkarissatha na garukarissatha na mānessatha na pūjessatha atha ko carahi uposathaṁ sakkarissati garukarissati mānessati pūjessati gaccha tvaṁ brāhmaṇa uposathaṁ mā no agamāsi gacchevaṁ saṅghakammaṁ mā no agamāsīti.

“If you brahmans don’t honor, respect, venerate, and do homage to the Uposatha, then who would honor, respect, venerate, and do homage to the Uposatha? Come, brahman, go to the Uposatha, don’t not go. Go to the Saṅgha transaction, don’t not go.”

evaṁ bhanteti kho āyasmā mahākappino bhagavato paccassosi.

“As you say, lord,” Ven. Mahā Kappina responded to the Blessed One.

(Mv.II.5.6) athakho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ mahākappinaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso sammiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ sammiñjeyya evameva maddakucchismiṁ migadāye āyasmato mahākappinassa pamukhe antarahito gijjhakūṭe pabbate pāturahosi.

Then the Blessed One, having instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged Ven. Mahā Kappina with Dhamma talk — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from the Maddakucchi Game Reserve, right in front of Ven. Mahā Kappina, and re-appeared on Vulture Peak Mountain.

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