Dhammapada 8.2.p2

8.2.p2

Ekasmiñhi kāle bahū manussā nāvāya mahāsamuddaṃ pakkhanditvā antomahāsamudde bhinnāya nāvāya macchakacchapabhakkhā ahesuṃ. Ekovettha ekaṃ phalakaṃ gahetvā vāyamanto suppārakapaṭṭanatīraṃ okkami, tassa nivāsanapārupanaṃ natthi. So aññaṃ kiñci apassanto sukkhakaṭṭhadaṇḍake vākehi paliveṭhetvā nivāsanapārupanaṃ katvā devakulato kapālaṃ gahetvā suppārakapaṭṭanaṃ agamāsi, manussā taṃ disvā yāgubhattādīni datvā ‘‘ayaṃ eko arahā’’ti sambhāvesuṃ. So vatthesu upanītesu ‘‘sacāhaṃ nivāsessāmi vā pārupissāmi vā, lābhasakkāro me parihāyissatī’’ti tāni vatthāni paṭikkhipitvā dārucīrāneva paridahi. Athassa bahūhi ‘‘arahā arahā’’ti vuccamānassa evaṃ cetaso parivitakko udapādi ‘‘ye kho keci loke arahanto vā arahattamaggaṃ vā samāpannā, ahaṃ tesaṃ aññataro’’ti. Athassa purāṇasālohitā devatā evaṃ cintesi.

For once upon a time a party of men put to sea in a boat. When they were well out to sea, the boat sprang a leak. Thereupon all of the men, with a single exception, became food for fishes and tortoises. Only one man, who seized a plank and struggled with all his might, succeeded in reaching land near Suppāraka Port. When he came to land, he lacked both under and upper garments. So for lack of anything better, he wrapped himself with dry twigs and sticks and bark, and obtaining a potsherd from the royal household, went to Suppāraka Port. All who saw him gave him broth, rice-porridge and other kinds of food, and did reverence to him, saying, “This is some Arahat.”

Thought he, “If I clothe myself in under and upper garments of fine texture, I shall no longer receive gain and honor.” Therefore he avoided such garments, using only the bark of trees to clothe himself withal. As many persons greeted him with the salutation “Arahat! Arahat!” the following consideration presented itself to his mind, “Am I perhaps one of those who are Arahats in this world, or who have entered the Path leading to Arahatship?” Thereupon a certain thought occurred to a deity who was a former blood-relative of his.