佛本行集經

Chapter 44: THE THREE KASYAPA BROTHERS

(Part 3)

At that time, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the forest and practiced walking meditation.

The following day, Uruvilva Kasyapa went to the Buddha. Upon arriving, he said:

“Venerable Sramana, if You deem the time appropriate, the food and drink have been prepared.”

The Buddha told Kasyapa:

“Worthy one, go on ahead. I shall come afterward.”

After the Blessed One had told Kasyapa to go ahead, He immediately ascended to the Trayastrimsa Heaven. Upon arriving there, the Blessed One took a branch of the Parijataka flower—the Sui translators render its name as “Born on the Other Shore.” Having taken it, He returned first to the fire shrine. Kasyapa arrived afterward and, seeing the Buddha already seated, said:

“Venerable Sramana, by what road did You return to the fire shrine before me?”

The Buddha told Kasyapa:

“I told you, worthy one, to go on ahead. Afterward, I ascended to the Trayastrimsa Heaven, took a branch of the Parijataka flower, and brought it back to this fire shrine. This Parijataka branch has an exceedingly beautiful color and a delightful fragrance. If you like, you may take this flower and enjoy its scent.”

Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“Great Sramana, the fragrance of this flower is subtle and exquisite. Keep it for Yourself; I am not permitted to smell it.”

Kasyapa then thought to himself, “This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. He was able to tell me to go on ahead, then ascend to the Trayastrimsa Heaven, take a branch of the Parijataka flower, and return to sit in the fire shrine before me. Nevertheless, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

At that time, the spiral-haired Brahmins dwelling with Kasyapa wished to split a piece of firewood, but could not. If they set it upright, it would not stand; if they laid it down, it would not lie straight; and if they struck it with an axe, it would not split. The spiral-haired Brahmins thought, “Without doubt, this is caused by the Great Sramana’s spiritual power. Today He has made us unable to split this piece of firewood, causing us great hardship.”

The Blessed One said to all the Brahmins of Uruvilva Kasyapa:

“Young men, do you now wish to split this piece of firewood?”

Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“Venerable Sramana, we truly wish to split this piece of firewood, but there is no way we can do so.”

As soon as the Blessed One had asked this, the Brahmins were able to split it with ease. Uruvilva Kasyapa then thought to himself, “This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. Nevertheless, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The following day, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the forest and practiced walking meditation. At that time, the Brahmins dwelling with Uruvilva Kasyapa wished to kindle fires, but the fires would not ignite. The spiral-haired Brahmins thought, “Without doubt, this is caused by the Great Sramana’s spiritual power, making us labor in vain, unable to kindle the fires.”

The Blessed One said to the spiral-haired Brahmins of Uruvilva Kasyapa:

“Do you wish to kindle the fires?”

Kasyapa’s young disciples replied:

“Venerable Sramana, we wish to kindle the fires.”

When the Buddha had asked them this, five hundred fires immediately sprang into flame.

Uruvilva Kasyapa then thought to himself, “This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. He can prevent combustible things from burning, and if He wishes them to burn, they burst into flame. Nevertheless, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The following day, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the forest and practiced walking meditation. When the spiral-haired Brahmins wished to extinguish the fires, they could not do so. They all thought, “This is caused by the Great Sramana’s spiritual power, which prevents us from extinguishing the fires.”

The Blessed One then said to Kasyapa’s young disciples:

“Young men, do you wish to extinguish these flames?”

Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“Venerable Sramana, we now wish to extinguish these flames, but cannot do so.”

When the Buddha had asked this, the five hundred flames were immediately extinguished. Kasyapa thought to himself, “This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. By His power, if He wishes the fires extinguished, they are extinguished; if He wishes them to burn, they immediately burn. Even so, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The next day, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the forest, practiced walking meditation, and remained there. It was then winter, and the weather was bitterly cold; at midnight and during the latter part of the night, the air was piercingly cold. The spiral-haired Brahmins entered the Nairanjana River and immersed themselves to bathe.

The Blessed One then used His spiritual power to conjure five hundred blazing fires upon the riverbank. When the spiral-haired Brahmins came out of the river, shivering violently from the cold, they all went to the fires on the bank to warm themselves. They each thought, “These five hundred fires have suddenly appeared through a transformation wrought by the Great Sramana’s spiritual power.

He has made these smokeless flames so that, after emerging from the cold water, we may warm ourselves.”

Uruvilva Kasyapa then thought to himself, “This Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. He has conjured these five hundred smokeless fires so that the five hundred spiral-haired disciples may emerge from the cold river and sit beside them to warm themselves. Even so, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The following day, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the forest, practiced walking meditation, and remained there. At that time, each of the spiral-haired Brahmins wished to take up his water jar and kundika to fetch water, but none could lift them. They all thought, “This is caused by the Great Sramana, who has made us unable to lift our water jars and kundikas.” The Blessed One then said to Uruvilva Kasyapa and the five hundred spiral-haired Brahmins:

“Kasyapa, do you wish to take up your water jars and kundikas to fetch water?”

Kasyapa replied:

“Indeed, Sramana. The five hundred spiral-haired Brahmins wish to take up their water jars and kundikas to fetch water.”

When the Buddha had asked them this, all five hundred spiral-haired Brahmins were able to take up their water jars and kundikas and fetch water. Uruvilva Kasyapa then thought to himself, “Rare indeed! Rare indeed! This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. He can allow the five hundred spiral-haired Brahmins to draw water, whereupon they can do so; if He does not allow it, they cannot. Nevertheless, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The next day, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the forest, practiced walking meditation, and remained there. According to his usual custom, before making an offering to the fire god, Uruvilva Kasyapa would climb and sit in a Saptatala tree and only afterward perform the sacrifice. On this occasion, however, when he wished to climb the Saptatala tree, he could not do so. Uruvilva Kasyapa thought to himself, “Without doubt, this is certainly caused by the Great Sramana’s spiritual power. He is preventing me from climbing the tala tree to sacrifice to the fire god.”

Kasyapa further thought, “This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. He can prevent us from climbing the tree, whereupon we cannot climb it. Nevertheless, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The following day, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the forest, practiced walking meditation, and remained there. Uruvilva Kasyapa then climbed the Saptatala tree to perform the sacrifice. Although he reached the top, he could not sit securely in his customary place. Uruvilva Kasyapa thought to himself, “Without doubt, this is certainly caused by the Great Sramana’s spiritual power, making me unable to sit securely today in my customary place in the Saptatala tree.” He said to the Blessed One:

“Very well, Sramana! Please allow us to sit in our customary places in this Saptatala tree to sacrifice to the fire god.”

The Buddha then said:

“So be it!”

Kasyapa and the Brahmins were immediately able to sit securely in the Saptatala tree.

At that time, Uruvilva Kasyapa thought to himself, “This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. Only when He permits me to remain in the tree can I do so; if He does not permit it, I cannot. Even so, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The following day, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the forest, practiced walking meditation, and remained there.

After Uruvilva Kasyapa had completed his sacrifice to the fire god, he wished to cover and smother the flames but could not do so. Uruvilva Kasyapa thought to himself, “This is caused by the spiritual power of the Sramana Gautama, who has made us unable to smother the flames.” Kasyapa then said to the Buddha:

“Very well, Sramana! Please allow us to smother these flames.”

As soon as he had spoken these words, he was able to extinguish the flames. Kasyapa then thought to himself, “This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. If He permits it, I can extinguish the flames; if He does not permit it, I cannot. Nevertheless, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The next day, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the same forest, practiced walking meditation, and remained there. While Uruvilva Kasyapa was sacrificing to the fire god, all the ritual implements moved about here and there and would not remain in one place. Kasyapa then thought to himself, “Without doubt, this is certainly caused by the Sramana Gautama. He has made the implements for sacrificing to the fire god dart here and there as though pursued, unable to remain still.” He then said to the Buddha:

“Very well, Sramana! May the Blessed One cause our ritual implements to remain still in one place.”

The Buddha told Kasyapa:

“Let it be as you wish.”

The implements for sacrificing to the fire god immediately remained still in one place. Because of this, Kasyapa thought to himself, “This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. Only when He allows the implements for sacrificing to the fire god to remain still do they remain still; when He does not allow it, they do not. Nevertheless, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The following day, after the Blessed One had finished His meal, He returned to the forest, practiced walking meditation, and rested there.

Although it was not the rainy season in that region, a vast black cloud suddenly arose in the sky and released a violent downpour. Yet not a single drop of water fell upon the place where the Buddha sat. The Blessed One then thought, “I can now transform this vast expanse of water so that I may be seen walking back and forth within it upon dry, dusty ground.” Having thought thus, the Buddha manifested dry, dusty ground as described, and He walked back and forth upon it.

Kasyapa thought, “This is not the rainy season. Why have clouds suddenly arisen in the sky and released such a great downpour? The Buddha’s dwelling place must likewise be completely inundated.” Having thought thus, he instructed the spiral-haired Brahmins to take a boat and search everywhere until they reached the Buddha. Upon arriving, they stopped there. Kasyapa saw that the Buddha’s surroundings were filled with water, while only the ground upon which the Buddha was practicing walking meditation remained dry and dusty. Seeing this, Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“Venerable Sramana, are You now amid the floodwaters?”

The Buddha replied:

“I am now standing here.”

After saying this, He immediately flew into the air and descended to stand in Kasyapa’s boat. Because of this, Kasyapa thought to himself, “This Sramana possesses great spiritual abilities and great awesome power. He can manifest such a path upon the water. Nevertheless, He has still not attained arhatship as I have today.”

The Mahasamghika tradition says: “For Uruvilva Kasyapa and the Brahmins, the Tathagata manifested five hundred spiritual transformations. Yet after every display of spiritual power, Uruvilva Kasyapa thought, ‘This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. Although He can manifest such transformations, He has certainly not attained arhatship as I have today.’”

The Blessed One then thought, “On countless occasions, this foolish man has entertained the thought, ‘This Great Sramana possesses great awesome power and great spiritual abilities. Nevertheless, He has not attained arhatship as I have today.’ I shall now open the eye of wisdom in Kasyapa and his disciples and cause them to develop a mind that abandons false attachments.” The Blessed One then said to Kasyapa:

“Kasyapa, you are not an arhat, nor have you ever entered the path leading to arhatship. You do not truly possess the characteristics of an arhat, much less abide in the fruit of arhatship.”

Because of these words, Uruvilva Kasyapa became ashamed, and the hairs over his entire body stood on end. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet and said:

“Excellent, Blessed One! Please permit me to go forth and receive full ordination.”

The Blessed One told Uruvilva Kasyapa:

“Great Kasyapa, five hundred spiral-haired Brahmins live dependent upon you and follow your religious practice. You should discuss the matter with them and inform them of this. If their hearts are likewise joyful at the prospect of going forth, only then should you go forth.”

Having heard the Buddha’s instruction, Uruvilva Kasyapa immediately went to the five hundred spiral-haired Brahmins. Upon arriving, he told them:

“You five hundred young Brahmins, from former times until now you have depended upon me and lived here. You may now divide the fire shrine and all the ritual implements among yourselves and use them as you please. As for me, I now intend to practice the holy life under the Great Sramana.”

The five hundred spiral-haired Brahmin disciples said together to Uruvilva Kasyapa:

“Preceptor, ever since you encountered the Sramana Gautama, we too have repeatedly wished in our hearts to practice the holy life under the Great Sramana. Yet because we still revered and loved our preceptor, we did not express it in words. If our preceptor now wishes to practice the holy life under the Great Sramana, we also ask to follow you, go together to the Sramana, and rely upon His teaching.”

Uruvilva Kasyapa and his disciples then went together to the Buddha. Upon arriving, they stood to one side. The Buddha said to Kasyapa and his disciples:

“Brahmins, cast aside your deerskin garments, kundikas, staffs, the various objects in your hair-knots, and the basins used for sacrificing to the fire god. Gather them all, carry them to the bank of the Nairanjana River, and throw them into the water.”

The Brahmins said to the Buddha:

“We shall follow the Venerable Sramana’s instruction and dare not disobey.”

The Brahmins immediately gathered their deerskins and all the other objects, went to the riverbank, and threw everything into the water. When the objects were cast into the current, they made various sounds, such as “si, si,” as they were swept downstream. Seeing these wondrous events, the spiral-haired Brahmins became even more joyful. Together they bowed at the Buddha’s feet and said:

“We humbly beseech the Blessed One to permit us to go forth and receive full ordination.”

The Blessed One told the Brahmins:

“Come, bhiksus! Enter My Dharma, practice the holy life, and completely end all suffering!”

In accordance with the Buddha’s words, the five hundred elders immediately became renunciants fully ordained as bhiksus.

At that time, the spiral-haired Brahmin Nadi Kasyapa was practicing on the riverbank downstream along the Nairanjana. He saw the deerskin garments and implements for sacrificing to the fire god floating near the bank. Seeing them, he became greatly alarmed, distressed, and afraid, and cried out:

“Alas, what a strange occurrence! Has my elder brother’s dwelling been plundered by bandits? Have all his followers been killed by bandits? I must go there now and see what strange calamity has suddenly occurred!”

Having thought thus, Nadi Kasyapa instructed the spiral-haired Brahmins:

“Go upstream ahead of me and determine whether good or ill has occurred. Investigate whether anything strange has happened. Find out what has taken place, then return and report it to me.”

The Brahmin disciples obeyed his command, went there to investigate, and returned to report:

“Everyone is safe and is now following Gautama.”

Nadi Kasyapa then took his three hundred disciples, who attended him on both sides, and went together with them to the elder Uruvilva Kasyapa. Upon arriving, he saw that Uruvilva Kasyapa and his disciples had shaved their beards and hair and donned kasaya robes. Seeing this, he became extremely displeased. He addressed his elder brother Kasyapa in verse:

You have abandoned the fire god and no longer serve him;

The practice of austerities you have also cast aside.

Today you have abandoned these ascetic practices,

Like a serpent that has shed its skin.

The spiral-haired Brahmin Nadi Kasyapa then asked his elder brother, the elder Uruvilva Kasyapa:

“Is this Dharma supreme?”

Uruvilva Kasyapa replied:

“This Dharma is indeed supreme. This practice should be cultivated, for it is most sublime.”

The spiral-haired Brahmin Nadi Kasyapa told his three hundred spiral-haired Brahmin disciples:

“You young spiral-haired Brahmins, you may divide among yourselves as you please all the springs, ponds, and possessions at my dwelling. I now wish to practice the holy life under the Great Sramana.”

The three hundred spiral-haired Brahmin disciples said to their original teacher, Nadi Kasyapa:

“Preceptor, if you now wish to follow the Great Sramana and practice the holy life, we also ask to follow you and go together to the Great Sramana to practice the holy life.”

Nadi Kasyapa and his disciples went together to the Buddha. Upon arriving, they stood to one side. The Buddha said to the Brahmins:

“Brahmins, can you now cast the deerskin garments you wear and your basins and implements for sacrificing to the fire god into the current of the Nairanjana River?”

The Brahmins immediately said to the Buddha:

“We shall follow the Sramana’s instruction and dare not disobey.”

Like the Brahmins before them, they cast all their implements into the water. The objects made “si, si” sounds as they were swept downstream. Seeing such a rare event, the spiral-haired Brahmins became even more elated... In accordance with the Buddha’s words, these elder bhiksus immediately became renunciants fully ordained as bhiksus.

At that time, the spiral-haired Brahmin Gaya Kasyapa lived downstream along the Nairanjana River. He suddenly saw deerskin garments, basins, and all the implements for sacrificing to the fire god being swept downstream. Seeing this, he became greatly alarmed and cried out, “Alas, what a strange occurrence! Could my elder brothers’ dwelling have been plundered and destroyed by bandits? Could they have been killed? I must go there now and see what calamity has occurred.”

Having said this, he immediately told some of his spiral-haired Brahmin disciples to go upstream and look ahead of him:

“You should investigate whether anything strange has happened, what has taken place, and whether it is good or ill. Then return here and report it to me.”

The disciples obeyed and departed, then returned and reported just as before. The spiral-haired Brahmin Gaya Kasyapa then took his two hundred disciples, who attended him on both sides, and went together with them to the elders Uruvilva Kasyapa and Nadi Kasyapa. Upon arriving, he saw that his two elder brothers had shaved their beards and hair and wore kasaya robes. Seeing this, he became extremely displeased and addressed his elder brothers Uruvilva Kasyapa and Nadi Kasyapa in verse:

The fire god you served before, you serve no more;

The practice of austerities you have also cast aside.

Today, my two brothers have abandoned that teaching,

Like serpents that have shed their skins.

The two elders Uruvilva Kasyapa and Nadi Kasyapa replied to their younger brother in verse:

The fire god we served before, we serve no more;

The practice of austerities we have also cast aside.

Today we have abandoned that teaching,

Indeed, like serpents that have shed their skins.

The spiral-haired Brahmin Gaya Kasyapa then asked Uruvilva Kasyapa and Nadi Kasyapa:

“My two elder brothers, is this Dharma supreme?”

The two elder Kasyapas replied together:

“This Dharma is indeed supreme! This Dharma should be cultivated. It is most sublime.”

The spiral-haired Brahmin Gaya Kasyapa told his two hundred Brahmin disciples:

“You young Brahmins, you may divide among yourselves and use as you please all the springs, ponds, and possessions at my dwelling. I now wish to practice the holy life under the Great Sramana.”

The two hundred spiral-haired Brahmin disciples said together to their original teacher, the spiral-haired Brahmin Gaya Kasyapa:

“Preceptor, if you now wish to follow the Great Sramana and practice the holy life, we also ask to follow you and go together to the Great Sramana to practice the holy life.”

The spiral-haired Brahmin Gaya Kasyapa and his disciples went together to the Buddha. Upon arriving, they stood to one side and said to the Buddha:

“Great Sramana, we, teacher and disciples, now wish to enter the Sramana’s teaching. We shall follow and uphold all Your teachings.”

The Blessed One told the spiral-haired Brahmins:

“You should take all your deerskin garments, basins, and implements for sacrificing to the fire god and cast every one of them into the Nairanjana River.”

The spiral-haired Brahmins replied:

“We shall follow the Sramana’s instruction and dare not disobey.”

All the spiral-haired Brahmins immediately cast their deerskin garments and every implement for sacrificing to the fire god into the river. When the deerskins, kundikas, washing-water jars, and other objects were thrown into the river and swept away by the current, they made sounds of “si, si” and “chang hu.” Seeing such a rare event, the Brahmins became even more elated and said to the Buddha:

“Excellent, Blessed One! Please permit us to go forth and receive full ordination.”

The Buddha immediately said:

“Come, bhiksus! Enter My Dharma and practice the holy life to end all suffering.”

In accordance with the Buddha’s words, those elders immediately became renunciants endowed with full ordination.

After some time had passed, the Blessed One no longer wished to remain in Uruvilva Kasyapa’s village, so He gradually journeyed toward the city of Gaya. The Tathagata took a thousand bhiksus with Him and ascended Mount Gayasiras, where He taught them to cultivate three kinds of spiritual power: spiritual power of the body, spiritual power of speech, and spiritual power of mind.

The Tathagata then wished to manifest spiritual power of the body, namely: from one body He manifested many bodies, and the many bodies became one body again; disappearing above, He appeared below; disappearing below, He appeared above; disappearing in the east, He appeared in the west; disappearing in the west, He appeared in the east; disappearing in the south, He appeared in the north; and disappearing in the north, He appeared in the south.

He passed unobstructed through mountains and rock walls; entered the earth as though entering water; and walked upon water as though walking on land. Seated cross-legged upon the ground, He flew straight into the sky like a bird. His body emitted smoke and flame like a great mass of fire.

After emitting fire, He poured forth water; after pouring forth water, He emitted fire. Although the sun and moon possess such power, He touched or grasped them with His hand, and He exercised mastery even as far as the Brahma Heaven. This was the Tathagata’s miraculous spiritual power of the body.

The Buddha taught:

“Bhiksus, you should now know that you ought to discern in this way and ought not to discern in that way; you ought to contemplate and reflect in this way and ought not to contemplate and reflect in that way. Bhiksus, you should act in this way and should not act in that way. This is the Tathagata’s manifestation of the spiritual power of speech.

“Bhiksus, you should now understand the Tathagata’s manifestation of the spiritual power of mind: all dharmas are burning. When I say that they are burning, I mean that the eye faculty is burning, forms are burning, and eye-consciousness is burning. The contact of the eye faculty with forms is burning. Because the eye faculty contacts forms, feelings arise that may be pleasant, painful, or neither painful nor pleasant. These feelings are also burning. Why are they burning in this way? They are burning because of the fire of the affliction of desire, the fire of the affliction of anger, and the fire of the affliction of delusion. Thus do I speak of the suffering associated with the eye faculty.

“In the same way, the ear faculty is burning and sounds are burning. In brief, the nose faculty and odors are burning; the tongue faculty and flavors are burning; the body faculty and tangible objects are burning; and the mind faculty and mental objects are burning. Because the mind faculty contacts mental objects, feelings arise that may be painful, pleasant, or neither painful nor pleasant... These feelings are also burning. Why are they burning? They are burning because of the fire of the affliction of desire, the fire of the affliction of anger, and the fire of the affliction of delusion. Thus do I speak of the suffering associated with the faculties of the ear, nose, tongue, and body and with their respective objects.

“Furthermore, a person of broad learning may contemplate profoundly in this way: that person can become disenchanted with the eye faculty, disenchanted with eye-consciousness, and disenchanted with the activity of the eye faculty. If, because the eye faculty contacts forms, feelings arise that are painful, pleasant, or neither painful nor pleasant, one should also become disenchanted with those feelings. This is called becoming disenchanted with the eye faculty.

“Furthermore, one becomes disenchanted with the ear faculty and sounds. In brief, one becomes disenchanted with the nose faculty and odors, with the tongue faculty and flavors, with the body faculty and tangible objects, and with the mind faculty and mental objects. If, because the mind faculty contacts mental objects, feelings arise that are painful, pleasant, or neither painful nor pleasant, one must also become disenchanted with these feelings. Having become disenchanted, one is no longer attached. Being no longer attached, one attains liberation. Having attained liberation, pure wisdom arises within. One knows for oneself: ‘I have now ended birth and death; the task has been accomplished; I shall assume no further existence.’ This is the Tathagata’s spiritual power of mind.”

When the Blessed One thus taught the three kinds of spiritual power to guide the bhiksus, all defilements of this assembly of one thousand bhiksus were completely exhausted. They realized the unconditioned Dharma and their minds were liberated from all dharmas. There was this verse:

The current of craving has dried up; birth and death are ended.

The holy life has been fulfilled, and one’s own benefit attained.

The task to be done has been fully accomplished;

Never again shall another body be assumed.

When the one thousand bhiksus had heard the Blessed One speak thus, they no longer produced conditioned activity with regard to the tainted dharmas, and their minds immediately attained complete liberation. They abandoned the Brahmins’ teachings and came to be called the Sangha of sravakas.

Chapter 45: UPASENA

(Part 1)

At that time, the three Kasyapa brothers had a sister’s son, a spiral-haired Brahmin named Upasena—the Sui translators render his name as “Supreme Auspicious Sign.” He lived on a mountain named Asura and regularly cultivated the path of the seers with two hundred and fifty spiral-haired Brahmin disciples. Upasena heard that his three maternal uncles and their disciples had gone to the Great Sramana and had all shaved their beards and hair and gone forth. Hearing this, he was utterly astonished and extremely displeased, and cried out:

“How strange my uncles are! For so many years they sacrificed to the fire god, yet now they have suddenly become disciples of a Sramana. I must go there and rebuke them. Why have they done such an unwholesome thing?”

He then went to his three uncles, his heart seething with resentment and his throat so choked that he could not speak. Upon arriving, he saw that his three uncles had shaved their beards and hair and wore kasaya robes. Seeing this, he addressed them in verse:

My uncles did not serve the fire throughout their lives,

Nor do they now practice the path of austerities.

Today, together, they have abandoned this practice,

Like serpents that have shed their skins.

The three Kasyapa uncles replied to their nephew Upasena in verse:

The fire god we served before, we serve no more;

The practice of austerities we have also cast aside.

Today we have abandoned that teaching,

Indeed, like serpents that have shed their skins.

After hearing the verse, the spiral-haired Brahmin Upasena again asked his three uncles:

“Is this Dharma truly supreme?”

His three uncles replied:

“This Dharma is indeed supreme. This Dharma should be cultivated, for it is sublime.”

The spiral-haired Brahmin Upasena then told his two hundred and fifty spiral-haired Brahmin disciples:

“You young Brahmins, you may divide among yourselves as you please all the possessions at my dwelling, including its springs, ponds, and other articles. I now wish to follow the Great Sramana and practice the holy life.”

The two hundred and fifty spiral-haired Brahmins said together to the spiral-haired Brahmin Upasena:

“If our preceptor now wishes to follow the Great Sramana and practice the holy life, we too shall follow our preceptor, go together to the Great Sramana, and practice the holy life.”

The Brahmin Upasena and his assembly went together to the Buddha. Upon arriving, the Brahmin said to the Buddha:

“Venerable Sramana, my followers and I now ask to enter the Sramana’s Dharma. We shall follow and uphold all Your teachings.”

The Blessed One said to the spiral-haired Brahmins:

“If you can do this, then you must cast away entirely all your deerskin garments and implements for sacrificing to the fire god.”

The Brahmins replied:

“We shall do exactly as the Sramana has instructed and dare not disobey Your will.”

The Brahmins then returned to their dwelling and discarded all the implements used for worshiping the fire god. After they had discarded those implements, they immediately returned to the Buddha, bowed at the Blessed One’s feet, and said:

“Blessed One, excellent! May the Blessed One permit us to go forth and receive full ordination.”

The Buddha told the Brahmins:

“Come, bhiksus! Enter My Dharma and practice the holy life to extinguish all suffering.”

In accordance with the Buddha’s words, they immediately became two hundred and fifty elders who had gone forth and received full ordination. For these elders, the Blessed One further taught the Dharma. As above, He instructed them by means of the three kinds of spiritual power, bringing them benefit and peace. The bhiksus then completely destroyed all defilements, and their minds were liberated in the unconditioned Dharma.

At that time, the Blessed One first assembled a community of exactly one thousand two hundred and fifty bhiksus. All had gone forth from the Brahmin class, all had attained their own benefit and realized arhatship, and all constantly attended upon the Buddha and were present at the assemblies where He taught the Dharma.

Later, some bhiksus said to the Buddha:

“Excellent, Blessed One! What roots of goodness did the spiral-haired Brahmin teachers and disciples plant in past lives that today enabled them to go forth, receive full ordination, and all attain arhatship? What karma did they create in the past that today brought them such blessed recompense?

Furthermore, why was the elder Uruvilva Kasyapa alone the foremost, most sublime, most excellent, highest, and most honored among the five hundred spiral-haired Brahmins? Why was Nadi Kasyapa the most sublime and excellent leader among his three hundred disciples? Why was Gaya Kasyapa the most sublime and excellent leader among his two hundred disciples?

Furthermore, what karma did the elder Uruvilva Kasyapa create in the past that today the Blessed One had such difficulty revealing the Dharma to him and guiding him, whereas the other Brahmins were easily guided?”

Having said this, the bhiksus remained silent and awaited the Buddha’s instruction. The Blessed One then told the bhiksus:

“Bhiksus, listen attentively. I recall that in the past, also in this Jambudvipa, there were one thousand merchants. Among them were three brothers, all leaders of merchant caravans. The first caravan leader was also named Uruvilva Kasyapa and commanded five hundred merchants. The second caravan leader was also named Nadi Kasyapa and commanded three hundred merchants. The third caravan leader was also named Gaya Kasyapa and commanded two hundred merchants.

“At that time, the three great caravan leaders and the merchants journeyed together toward the sea. To ensure the safety of their voyage, they had to prepare provisions and equipment. The cost of the journey amounted to three hundred thousand myriads of gold coins: one hundred thousand myriads for provisions; one hundred thousand myriads for the merchants, to pay the wages of skilled workers; and one hundred thousand myriads to purchase equipment for the sailing vessel.

“After making full preparations, they gradually traveled to the seashore. Upon arriving, they held a ceremony and made offerings to the god of the great ocean. In addition to outfitting the sailing vessel, they paid double wages to hire five men for these tasks: one man skilled in repairing ships, one man to observe the four directions, one man who specialized in diving underwater, one man who specialized in swimming on the surface, and one man to manage the sails.

“After hiring these five men, the three caravan leaders cried out together in loud voices, ‘Who is able to enter the sea?’ They proclaimed this three times. After making this proclamation three times, they boarded the ship and sailed out together. Seeking precious treasures, the company traveled far into the great ocean. Suddenly they encountered a violent gale. The wind drove their vessel toward an island, where the ship nevertheless remained secure...”