"He is not an Arahant like me" - on conceit

 The Blessed One journeyed on by stages till he at length arrived at Uruvelā. Now at that time three matted-hair ascetics were living at Uruvelā called Kassapa of Uruvelā, Kassapa of the River, and Kassapa of Gayā. Kassapa of Uruvelā was the leader, guide, chief, head and principal of five hundred matted-hair ascetics, Kassapa of   the River of three hundred, and Kassapa of Gayā of two hundred.

The Blessed One went to the hermitage of Kassapa of Uruvelā, and he said: “Kassapa, if you have no objection, I should like to spend one night in your fire chamber.”

“I have no objection, Great Monk. But there is a savage royal nāga serpent there. He has supernormal powers. He is venomous, fearfully poisonous, and capable of killing you.”

The Blessed One asked a second time and a third time and received the same reply. He said: “Perhaps he will not destroy me, Kassapa. So grant me the fire chamber.”

“Then stay there as long as you like, Great Monk.”

So the Blessed One went into the fire chamber. He spread out a rush mat and sat down, folding his legs crosswise, setting his body erect and establishing mindfulness in front of him. When the nāga saw the Blessed One come in, he was angry, and he produced smoke. Then the Blessed One thought: “Suppose I counter his fire by fire without injuring his outer skin or inner skin or flesh or sinews or bones or marrow?” He did so, and he produced smoke. Then the nāga, no longer restraining his fury, produced flames. The Blessed One entered upon the fire element and produced flames too. The fire chamber seemed to burn and blaze and glow with their flames. The matted-hair ascetics gathered round, and they said: “The Great Monk who is so beautiful is being destroyed by the nāga.”

When the night was over and the Blessed One had countered the nāga’s fire by fire without injuring him, he put him into his bowl and showed him to Uruvelā Kassapa: “This is your nāga, Kassapa. His fire has been countered by fire.” Then Uruvelā Kassapa thought: “The Great Monk is very mighty and powerful since he is able to counter by fire the fire of the savage royal nāga serpent with supernormal powers who is venomous, fearfully poisonous. But he is not an Arahant like me.”

The Blessed One then went to live in a wood not far from Kassapa’s hermitage. When the night was well advanced the Four Divine Kings, marvellous to see and illuminating the whole wood, went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him they stood at the four quarters, like pillars of fire. When the night was over, the matted-hair ascetic Uruvelā Kassapa went to the Blessed One and said: “It is time, Great Monk, the meal is ready. Who were those that came to you in the night?”

 

“They were the Divine Kings of the Four Quarters, Kassapa. They came to me to hear the Dhamma.”

Then Kassapa thought: “The Great Monk is very mighty and powerful since the Divine Kings come to him to hear the Dhamma. But he is not an Arahant like me.”

On subsequent nights Sakka, Ruler of Gods, and Brahmā Sahampati came to the Blessed One. They were seen by Kassapa, and the sequel was the same.

It was at this time that Uruvelā Kassapa’s great sacrificial ceremony fell due, and people from all Anga and Magadha came eagerly bringing large quantities of various kinds of food. Then Kassapa thought: “Now my great sacrificial ceremony falls due, and people from all Anga and Magadha are coming eagerly bringing large quantities of various kinds of food. If the Great Monk works a marvel before all these people, his gain and renown will increase and mine will diminish. If only the Great Monk were not to come tomorrow.”

The Blessed One became aware in his mind of the thought in Kassapa’s mind. So he went to the northern continent of Uttarakuru and gathered almsfood there. Then he took the almsfood to the Himalayan lake of Anotatta where he ate it and passed the day. When the night was over, Kassapa went to the Blessed One and said; “It is time, Great Monk, the meal is ready. Why did the Great Monk not come yesterday? We wondered why you did not come. Your portion of food was laid out.” The Blessed One told him. Then Kassapa thought: “The Great Monk is very mighty and powerful since he was aware in his mind of the thought in my mind. But he is not an Arahant like me.”

When the Blessed One had eaten Uruvelā Kassapa’s meal, he went back to live in the same wood. Now at that time a refuse rag came into the Blessed One’s possession. He thought: “Where shall I wash the refuse rag?” Then Sakka, Ruler of Gods, became aware in his mind of the thought in the Blessed One’s mind. He scooped out a pond with his hand, and he told the Blessed One: “Lord, let the Blessed One wash the refuse rag here.”

Next the Blessed One thought: “What shall I beat the refuse rag on?” Then Sakka, Ruler of Gods, aware in his mind of the thought in the Blessed One’s mind, set down a large stone: “Lord, let the Blessed One beat the refuse rag here.”

 

Next the Blessed One thought: “What shall I hang the refuse rag on?” Then a deity living in a kakudha tree bent down a branch: “Lord, let the Blessed One hang the refuse rag here.”

Next the Blessed One thought: “What shall I smooth the refuse rag on?” Then Sakka, Ruler of Gods, set down a large stone: “Lord, let the Blessed One smooth the refuse rag here.”

When the night was over, Kassapa went to the Blessed One and said: “It is time, Great Monk, the meal is ready. But, Great Monk, how does this pond come to be here that was not here before? Who set down this stone that was not here before? How is this kakudha branch bent down that was not bent down before?”

The Blessed One told him what had occurred. Then Kassapa thought: “The Great Monk is very mighty and powerful since Sakka, Ruler of Gods, waits on him. But he is not an Arahant like me.”

Again when the night was over, Kassapa went to the Blessed One and told him: “It is time, Great Monk, the meal is ready.” The Blessed One dismissed him, saying: “Go, Kassapa; I shall follow.” He went to the rose-apple tree, after which the Rose-apple Continent of India is called, and he secured a fruit. Then he arrived first and sat down in the fire chamber. Kassapa saw him sitting there, and he asked: “Great Monk, what road did you come by? I left before you, but you have arrived before me and are here sitting in the fire chamber.” The Blessed One told him where he had been, and he added: “Here is a rose-apple. It is coloured and has scent and taste. Eat it if you like.”

“No, Great Monk, you brought it. You should eat it.”

Then Kassapa thought: “The Great Monk is very mighty and powerful since he sends me off first and then goes to the rose-apple tree, secures a fruit, arrives here before me and is here sitting in the fire chamber. But he is not an Arahant like me.” Afterwards the Blessed One returned to the wood.

Again on like occasions the Blessed One went to the rose-apple tree and secured a mango from a tree nearby … secured a gall-nut from a tree nearby … secured a yellow gall-nut from a tree nearby … went to the Heaven of the Thirty-three and secured a flower from the Pāricchattaka Tree. Each time Kassapa had the same thoughts as before.

It was at this time that the matted-hair ascetics, wanting to   maintain their fires, found themselves unable to split logs. Then they thought: “It must be because of the Great Monk’s supernormal power that we cannot split the logs.”

The Blessed One asked Kassapa: “Should the logs be split, Kassapa? …. They should be split, Great Monk.”

At once the five hundred logs were split. Then Kassapa thought: “The Great Monk is very mighty and powerful since the logs could not be split. But he is not an Arahant like me.”

And again on like occasions the matted-hair ascetics, wanting to maintain their fire, could likewise not light their fires … could likewise not put out their fires. And each time Kassapa had the same thoughts as before.

At that time too on those cold wintry nights during the “eight days of frost” the matted-hair ascetics were immersing themselves in the River Nerañjarā and emerging from it, constantly immersing and emerging. Then the Blessed One created five hundred braziers for the matted-hair ascetics to warm themselves at when they came up out of the water. They thought: “These braziers must have been created by the Great Monk’s supernormal power.” Then Kassapa thought: “The Great Monk is very mighty and powerful since he has created so many braziers. But he is not an Arahant like me.”

About that time too a great rainstorm burst out of season and produced a huge inundation. The place where the Blessed One was living was all under water. Then he thought: “Suppose I made the waters stand back all round so that I could walk in between on dry ground?” And he did so.

Kassapa thought: “I hope the Great Monk has not been carried away by the water.” And he went by boat with a number of matted-hair ascetics to the place where the Blessed One was living. He saw that the Blessed One had made the waters stand back all round and was walking in between on dry ground. When he saw, he said:

“Is that you, Great Monk?”

“It is I, Kassapa.”

The Blessed One rose up into the air and came to rest on the boat. Then Kassapa thought: “The Great Monk is very mighty and powerful since even the water has not overcome him. But he is not an Arahant like me.”

Then the Blessed One thought: “This misguided man will go on forever thinking ‘But he is not an Arahant like me.’ Suppose I give   him a shock?” He told Uruvelā Kassapa: “Kassapa, you are neither an Arahant nor are you on the way to becoming one. There is nothing that you do by which you might become an Arahant or enter into the way to becoming one.”

Thereupon the matted-hair ascetic prostrated himself with his head at the Blessed One’s feet, and he said to him: “Lord, I wish to receive the going forth and the admission from the Blessed One.”

“But, Kassapa, you are the leader, guide, chief, head and principal of five hundred matted-hair ascetics. You must consult them first so that they may do as they think fit.”

So Uruvelā Kassapa went to the other matted-hair ascetics and told them: “I want to lead the holy life under the Great Monk. You may do as you think fit.”

“We have long had faith in the Great Monk. If you lead the holy life under him, all of us will do likewise.”

Then the matted hair ascetics took their hair, their matted locks, and their belongings and the furniture of the fire sacrifice, and they dropped them into the water to be carried away. They then went to the Blessed One, and prostrating themselves with their heads at his feet, they said: “Lord we wish to receive the going forth and the admission from the Blessed One.”

“Come, bhikkhus,” the Blessed One said, “The Dhamma is well proclaimed; lead the holy life for the complete ending of suffering.” And that was those venerable ones’ full admission.

The matted-hair ascetic Kassapa of the River saw the hair, the matted locks, and the belongings and the furniture of the fire sacrifice being carried along by the water. He thought: “I hope no disaster has befallen my brother.” He sent matted-hair ascetics: “Go and find out about my brother,” and he went himself with his three hundred matted-hair ascetics to the venerable Uruvelā Kassapa, and he asked him: “Is this better, Kassapa?”

“Yes, friend, this is better.”

Then those matted-hair ascetics took their hair, their matted locks, and their belongings and the furniture of the fire sacrifice, and they dropped them into the water to be carried away. Then they went to the Blessed One, and prostrating themselves with their heads at his feet, they asked for and received the going forth and the admission. And the matted-hair ascetic Kassapa of Gayā  with his two hundred matted-hair ascetics did just as Kassapa of the River had done.

Vin. Mv. 1:7-20