Verses on Dhamma 5.11.p2

5.11.p2

Atīte kira kassapasammāsambuddhakāle gāmavāsī eko kuṭumbiko ekassa therassa vihāraṃ katvā taṃ tattha viharantaṃ catūhi paccayehi upaṭṭhahi. Thero tassa gehe nibaddhaṃ bhuñjati. Atheko khīṇāsavo bhikkhu divā piṇḍāya caranto tassa gehadvāraṃ pāpuṇi. Kuṭumbiko taṃ disvā tassa iriyāpathe pasanno gehaṃ pavesetvā sakkaccaṃ paṇītena bhojanena parivisitvā, ‘‘bhante, imaṃ sāṭakaṃ rajitvā nivāseyyāthā’’ti mahantaṃ sāṭakaṃ datvā, ‘‘bhante, kesā vo dīghā, tumhākaṃ kesoropanatthāya nhāpitaṃ ānessāmi, sayanatthāya ca vo mañcakaṃ gāhāpetvā āgamissāmī’’ti āha. Nibaddhaṃ gehe bhuñjanto kulūpako bhikkhu taṃ tassa sakkāraṃ disvā cittaṃ pasādetuṃ nāsakkhi, ‘‘ayaṃ taṃ muhuttaṃ diṭṭhakassa evarūpaṃ sakkāraṃ karoti, nibaddhaṃ gehe bhuñjantassa pana mayhaṃ na karotī’’ti cintetvā vihāraṃ agamāsi. Itaropi teneva saddhiṃ gantvā kuṭumbikena dinnasāṭakaṃ rajitvā nivāsesi. Kuṭambikopi nhāpitaṃ ādāya gantvā therassa kese ohārāpetvā mañcakaṃ attharāpetvā, ‘‘bhante, imasmiṃyeva mañcake sayathā’’ti vatvā dvepi there svātanāya nimantetvā pakkāmi.

The story goes that in times long past, in the dispensation of the Supremely Enlightened Kassapa, a certain layman dwelling in a village erected a residence for a certain Elder, and supplied him with the four requisites during his term of residence there, the Elder taking his meals regularly in the layman’s house. Now a certain monk freed from the Depravities, making his round for alms by day, stopped at the door of the layman’s house. When the layman saw him, pleased with his deportment, he invited him into his house, and reverently served him with the choicest viands. And he presented him with a large robe, saying, “Reverend Sir, dye this robe and wear it as an undergarment.” And he said further to him, “Reverend Sir, your hair has grown long; I will go fetch a barber to cut your hair. And on my return I will procure you a bed for you to lie on.”

When the monk who was the layman’s guest, and who took his meals regularly in the layman’s house, saw the attentions bestowed on the visiting monk by the layman, he became very jealous. And as he went to his residence, he thought to himself, “This moment this layman is devoting all his attentions to this visiting monk. But to me, who take my meals in his house regularly, he pays no attention at all.” The visiting monk, who was his sole companion, dyed the robe which the layman had given him, and put it on and wore it as an undergarment. The layman brought the barber back with him and had him cut the Elder’s hair. Having so done, he caused a bed to be spread for the Elder and said to him, “Reverend Sir, lie on this very bed.” Then, after inviting the two Elders to be his guests on the morrow, he departed.