Kumāra Kassapa untranslated

Kumāra Kassapa 01. A Thera He was foremost among those who had the gift of varied and versatile discourse (cittakathikānaṁ) (AN.i.24). His mother was the daughter of a banker of Rājagaha, and she, having failed to obtain her parent’s consent to become a nun, married and, with her husband’s consent, joined the Saṅgha, not knowing that she was with child. When her condition was discovered her colleagues consulted Devadatta, who declared that she was no true nun. Gotama Buddha, on being consulted, entrusted the matter to Upāli, who had it fully investigated by Visākhā and other residents of Sāvatthī, and he gave his finding in the assembly, in the presence of the king, that the nun was innocent. (For details see Ja.i.148; Upāli’s handling of the case won the Buddha’s special commendation, see, e.g., AN­a.i.172). When the boy was born the king reared him, and the boy was ordained at the age of seven. The boy came to be called Kumāra, because he joined the Saṅgha so young and was of royal upbringing, and also because the Buddha, when sending him little delicacies such as fruit, referred to him as Kumāra Kassapa. Once when Kumāra Kassapa was meditating in Andhavana, an Anāgāmī Brahma, who had been his companion in the time of Kassapa Buddha, appeared before him, and asked him fifteen questions which only the Buddha could answer. This led to the preaching of the Vammikasutta (MN.i.143ff), and after dwelling on its teachings Kassapa became an Arahant. (For Kumāra Kassapa’s story see Ja.i.147ff; AN­a.i.158f; Thag­a.i.322f; MN­a.i.335f). His mother, too, developed insight and attained to Arahant-ship. It is said that she wept for twelve years because she could not be with Kassapa, and one day, seeing him in the street, as she ran towards him and fell, milk flowed from her breasts and wet her robe. Kassapa, realising that her great love was standing in the way of her attainments, spoke harshly to her that she might love him the less. The ruse succeeded and she became an Arahant that very day (Dhp­a.iii.147).

In the time of Padumuttara Buddha Kassapa was a learned Brahmin, and having heard a monk ranked foremost in eloquence, he wished for a similar distinction and did many acts of piety towards that end. When the teachings of Kassapa Buddha were being forgotten, he, together with six others, entered the Saṅgha and lived a life of rigorous asceticism on the summit of a mountain. (Ap.ii.473f; the details of this story are given in Dhp­a.ii.210-12; among Kassapa’s companions were also Pukkusāti, Dārucīriya, Dabba Mallaputta and Sabhiya; see also Ud­a.80f).

Two verses of deep significance ascribed to Kumāra Kassapa are found in the Theragāthā (vv.201.202). Although it is said that he was a very eloquent speaker, the examples given of his preaching are extremely scanty. The Aṅguttara Commentary (i.159) states that the Buddha gave him his title from the skilful way in which he argued with Pāyāsi, as related in the Pāyāsisutta; but this cannot be correct for, according to Dhammapāla (Vv-a.297), the events of the Pāyāsisutta took place after the Buddha’s death. The Sutta, however, does justify Kassapa’s reputation. (For his praises see also MN­a.i.500f).

Kassapa’s upasampadā took place in his twentieth year. A doubt arose as to whether this was valid because, according to the rule, twenty years must be completed for upasampadā. The Buddha held that in reckoning the age the time spent in the mother’s womb could also be included. Vin.i.93; Vin-a.iv.867.

Kumāra Kassapa 02. A Thera in Ceylon, at whose request was written the Dhammapada Commentary Dhp­a.i.1; Gv.68.