So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Now at that time Venerable Mahākassapa was staying in the Pipphali cave. Having entered a certain state of immersion, he sat cross-legged for seven days without moving. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahākassapo pippaliguhāyaṁ viharati, sattāhaṁ ekapallaṅkena nisinno hoti aññataraṁ samādhiṁ samāpajjitvā. When seven days had passed, Mahākassapa emerged from that state of immersion. Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo tassa sattāhassa accayena tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhāsi. It occurred to him, Atha kho āyasmato mahākassapassa tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhitassa etadahosi: “Why not enter Rājagaha for almsfood?” “yannūnāhaṁ rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya paviseyyan”ti.

Now at that time five hundred deities were ready and eager for the chance to offer alms to Mahākassapa. Tena kho pana samayena pañcamattāni devatāsatāni ussukkaṁ āpannāni honti āyasmato mahākassapassa piṇḍapātapaṭilābhāya. But Mahākasspa turned down those deities. In the morning, he robed up, took his bowl and robe, and entered Rājagaha for alms. Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo tāni pañcamattāni devatāsatāni paṭikkhipitvā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

Now at that time Sakka, lord of gods, wished to give alms to Mahākassapa. Tena kho pana samayena sakko devānamindo āyasmato mahākassapassa piṇḍapātaṁ dātukāmo hoti. Having manifested in the appearance of an embroiderer, he worked the loom while the titan maiden Sujā fed the shuttle. Pesakāravaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā tantaṁ vināti. Sujā asurakaññā tasaraṁ pūreti. Then, as Mahākassapa wandered indiscriminately for almsfood in Rājagaha, he approached Sakka’s house. Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo rājagahe sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caramāno yena sakkassa devānamindassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami. Seeing Mahākassapa coming off in the distance, Addasā kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ mahākassapaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Sakka came out of his house, greeted him, and took the bowl from his hand. He re-entered the house and filled the bowl with rice from the pot. Disvāna gharā nikkhamitvā paccuggantvā hatthato pattaṁ gahetvā gharaṁ pavisitvā ghaṭiyā odanaṁ uddharitvā pattaṁ pūretvā āyasmato mahākassapassa adāsi. That almsfood had many tasty soups and sauces. So ahosi piṇḍapāto anekasūpo anekabyañjano anekarasabyañjano. Then it occurred to Mahākassapa, Atha kho āyasmato mahākassapassa etadahosi: “Now, what being is this who has such psychic power?” “ko nu kho ayaṁ satto yassāyaṁ evarūpo iddhānubhāvo”ti? It occurred to him, Atha kho āyasmato mahākassapassa etadahosi: “This is Sakka, lord of gods.” “sakko kho ayaṁ devānamindo”ti. Knowing this, he said to Sakka, Iti viditvā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca: “This is your doing, Kosiya; “kataṁ kho te idaṁ, kosiya; don’t do such a thing again.” mā punapi evarūpamakāsī”ti. “But Honorable Kassapa, we too need merit! “Amhākampi, bhante kassapa, puññena attho; We too ought to make merit.” amhākampi puññena karaṇīyan”ti.

Then Sakka bowed and respectfully circled Mahākassapa, keeping him on his right. Then he rose into the air and, sitting cross-legged in midair, expressed this heartfelt sentiment three times: Atha kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ mahākassapaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā vehāsaṁ abbhuggantvā ākāse antalikkhe tikkhattuṁ udānaṁ udānesi: “Oh the gift, the best gift is well established in Kassapa! “aho dānaṁ paramadānaṁ kassape suppatiṭṭhitaṁ. Oh the gift, the best gift is well established in Kassapa! Aho dānaṁ paramadānaṁ kassape suppatiṭṭhitaṁ. Oh the gift, the best gift is well established in Kassapa!” Aho dānaṁ paramadānaṁ kassape suppatiṭṭhitan”ti. With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, the Buddha heard Sakka express this heartfelt sentiment while sitting in the sky. 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.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“A mendicant who relies on alms, “Piṇḍapātikassa bhikkhuno, self-supported, providing for no other; Attabharassa anaññaposino; the unaffected one is envied by even the gods, Devā pihayanti tādino, calm and ever mindful.” Upasantassa sadā satīmato”ti.

Sattamaṁ.