Dighanikaya 23.406

23.406

Evaṃ me sutanti pāyāsirājaññasuttaṃ. Tatrāyamapubbapadavaṇṇanā – āyasmāti piyavacanametaṃ. Kumārakassapoti tassa nāmaṃ. Kumārakāle pabbajitattā pana bhagavatā ‘‘kassapaṃ pakkosatha, idaṃ phalaṃ vā khādanīyaṃ vā kassapassa dethā’’ti vutte ‘‘katarakassapassā’’ti. ‘‘Kumārakassapassā’’ti evaṃ gahitanāmattā tato paṭṭhāya vuḍḍhakālepi ‘‘kumārakassapo’’ tveva vuccati. Apica rañño posāvanikaputtattāpi taṃ kumārakassapoti sañjāniṃsu.

“Thus have I heard” is the Pāyāsirājaññasutta. Herein, this is the explanation of the unfamiliar terms: “Venerable” is an affectionate term of address. “Kumārakassapa” was his name. Because he went forth while a boy, when the Blessed One said, “Call Kassapa; give this fruit or this food to Kassapa,” and it was asked, “Which Kassapa?”, [the answer was,] “Kumārakassapa.” Because he received this name in this manner, from then on, even in his old age, he was called simply “Kumārakassapa.” Moreover, they also recognized him as “Kumārakassapa” because he was the king’s foster-son.