[497] Then the Venerable Mahākassapa, having completed the rains residence at Rājagaha, set out for Āḷavī; wandering by stages on tour, he arrived at Āḷavī. There the Venerable Mahākassapa dwelt at Āḷavī, at the Aggāḷava Shrine. Then, in the forenoon, the Venerable Mahākassapa dressed, and taking his bowl and robe, entered Āḷavī for alms. People, on seeing the Venerable Mahākassapa, were alarmed and frightened; they fled, went off in another direction, turned their faces away, and even shut their doors. Then the Venerable Mahākassapa, having walked for alms in Āḷavī, after the meal, on returning from his almsround, addressed the bhikkhus: "Formerly, friends, this Āḷavī had abundant almsfood; alms were easy to obtain, and it was easy to keep oneself going by gleaning and by favour. But now this Āḷavī is short of almsfood; alms are hard to obtain, and it is not easy to keep oneself going by gleaning and by favour. What, friends, is the cause, what is the reason why this Āḷavī is short of almsfood, why alms are hard to obtain, and why it is not easy to keep oneself going by gleaning and by favour?" Then those bhikkhus informed the Venerable Mahākassapa of this matter.
[Editorial footnotes in the Siam Raṭṭha text: ¹ Yu. reads "āḷavakā." ² Yu., M. read "kuṭiyo." ³ This pair of readings does not appear in all editions.]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.