So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time Venerable Bakkula was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā bākulo rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Then the naked ascetic Kassapa, an old friend of Bakkula in the lay life, approached him, and exchanged greetings with him. Atha kho acelakassapo āyasmato bākulassa purāṇagihisahāyo yenāyasmā bākulo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā bākulena saddhiṁ sammodi. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Venerable Bakkula, Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho acelakassapo āyasmantaṁ bākulaṁ etadavoca: “Reverend Bakkula, how long has it been since you went forth?” “Kīvaciraṁ pabbajitosi, āvuso bākulā”ti?

“It has been eighty years, reverend.” “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassā”ti.

“But in these eighty years, how many times have you had sex?” “Imehi pana te, āvuso bākula, asītiyā vassehi katikkhattuṁ methuno dhammo paṭisevito”ti?

“You shouldn’t ask me such a question. “Na kho maṁ, āvuso kassapa, evaṁ pucchitabbaṁ: ‘imehi pana te, āvuso bākula, asītiyā vassehi katikkhattuṁ methuno dhammo paṭisevito’ti. Rather, you should ask me this: Evañca kho maṁ, āvuso kassapa, pucchitabbaṁ: ‘But in these eighty years, how many times have sensual perceptions ever arisen in you?’” ‘imehi pana te, āvuso bākula, asītiyā vassehi katikkhattuṁ kāmasaññā uppannapubbā’”ti?

“But in these eighty years, how many times have sensual perceptions ever arisen in you?” (…)

“In these eighty years, I don’t recall that any sensual perception has ever arisen in me.” “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi kāmasaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”.

This we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti kāmasaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.

“In these eighty years, I don’t recall that any perception of ill will … “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi byāpādasaññaṁ …pe… or cruelty has ever arisen in me.” vihiṁsāsaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”.

This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti vihiṁsāsaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.

“In these eighty years, I don’t recall that any thought of sensuality … “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi kāmavitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti kāmavitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”. ill will … “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi byāpādavitakkaṁ …pe… or cruelty has ever arisen in me.” vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ”.

This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.

“In these eighty years, I don’t recall accepting a robe from a householder … “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi gahapaticīvaraṁ sāditā”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti gahapaticīvaraṁ sāditā, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”. cutting a robe with a knife … “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi satthena cīvaraṁ chinditā”. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti satthena cīvaraṁ chinditā …pe… dhārema”. sewing a robe with a needle … “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi sūciyā cīvaraṁ sibbitā …pe… dying a robe … nābhijānāmi rajanena cīvaraṁ rajitā … sewing a robe during the robe-making ceremony … nābhijānāmi kathine cīvaraṁ sibbitā … wandering to look for robe material for my companions in the spiritual life when they are making robes … nābhijānāmi sabrahmacārīnaṁ cīvarakamme vicāritā … accepting an invitation … nābhijānāmi nimantanaṁ sāditā … having such a thought: nābhijānāmi evarūpaṁ cittaṁ uppannapubbaṁ: ‘If only someone would invite me!’ … ‘aho vata maṁ koci nimanteyyā’ti … sitting down inside a house … nābhijānāmi antaraghare nisīditā … eating inside a house … nābhijānāmi antaraghare bhuñjitā … getting caught up in the features by way of the details of a lady’s appearance … nābhijānāmi mātugāmassa anubyañjanaso nimittaṁ gahetā … teaching a lady, even so much as a four line verse … nābhijānāmi mātugāmassa dhammaṁ desitā antamaso catuppadampi gāthaṁ … going to the nuns’ quarters … nābhijānāmi bhikkhunupassayaṁ upasaṅkamitā … teaching the nuns … nābhijānāmi bhikkhuniyā dhammaṁ desitā … teaching the trainee nuns … nābhijānāmi sikkhamānāya dhammaṁ desitā … teaching the novice nuns … nābhijānāmi sāmaṇeriyā dhammaṁ desitā … giving the going forth … nābhijānāmi pabbājetā … giving the ordination … nābhijānāmi upasampādetā … giving dependence … nābhijānāmi nissayaṁ dātā … being attended by a novice … nābhijānāmi sāmaṇeraṁ upaṭṭhāpetā … bathing in the sauna … nābhijānāmi jantāghare nhāyitā … bathing with bath powder … nābhijānāmi cuṇṇena nhāyitā … looking for a massage from my spiritual companions … nābhijānāmi sabrahmacārīgattaparikamme vicāritā … being ill, even for as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder … nābhijānāmi ābādhaṁ uppannapubbaṁ, antamaso gaddūhanamattampi … being presented with medicine, even as much as a bit of yellow myrobalan … nābhijānāmi bhesajjaṁ upaharitā, antamaso haritakikhaṇḍampi … leaning on a leaning-board … nābhijānāmi apassenakaṁ apassayitā … preparing a cot …” nābhijānāmi seyyaṁ kappetā”.

This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula. “Yampāyasmā …pe… dhārema”.

“In these eighty years, I don’t recall commencing the rainy season residence within a village.” “Asīti me, āvuso, vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi gāmantasenāsane vassaṁ upagantā”.

This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula. “Yampāyasmā bākulo asītiyā vassehi nābhijānāti gāmantasenāsane vassaṁ upagantā, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.

“Reverend, for seven days I ate the nation’s almsfood as a debtor. “Sattāhameva kho ahaṁ, āvuso, saraṇo raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñjiṁ; Then on the eighth day I became enlightened.” atha aṭṭhamiyaṁ aññā udapādi.

This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula. Yampāyasmā bākulo sattāhameva saraṇo raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ bhuñji; atha aṭṭhamiyaṁ aññā udapādi idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema.

“Reverend Bakkula, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training?” Labheyyāhaṁ, āvuso bākula, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti. And the naked ascetic Kassapa received the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training. Alattha kho acelakassapo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.

Not long after his ordination, Venerable Kassapa, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. Acirūpasampanno panāyasmā kassapo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.

He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.” “Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi. And Venerable Kassapa became one of the perfected. Aññataro kho panāyasmā kassapo arahataṁ ahosi.

Then some time later Venerable Bakkula, taking a latchkey, went from dwelling to dwelling, saying, Atha kho āyasmā bākulo aparena samayena avāpuraṇaṁ ādāya vihārena vihāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha: “Come forth, venerables, come forth! Today will be my full extinguishment.” “abhikkamathāyasmanto, abhikkamathāyasmanto. Ajja me parinibbānaṁ bhavissatī”ti.

This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula. “Yampāyasmā bākulo avāpuraṇaṁ ādāya vihārena vihāraṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha: ‘abhikkamathāyasmanto, abhikkamathāyasmanto; ajja me parinibbānaṁ bhavissatī’ti, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhārema”.

And Venerable Bakkula became fully extinguished while seated right in the middle of the Saṅgha. Āyasmā bākulo majjhe bhikkhusaṅghassa nisinnakova parinibbāyi.

This too we remember as an incredible and amazing quality of Venerable Bakkula. “Yampāyasmā bākulo majjhe bhikkhusaṅghassa nisinnakova parinibbāyi, idampi mayaṁ āyasmato bākulassa acchariyaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ dhāremā”ti.