[545] Now at that time the householder Kalyāṇabhattika gave to the Saṅgha a regular meal for four bhikkhus. He, together with his wife and children, would attend in person in the refectory and serve; some [of the family] would offer boiled rice, some would offer curry, some would offer oil, and some would offer delicacies. Now at that time the householder Kalyāṇabhattika's meal for the following day had been assigned to the bhikkhus Mettiya and Bhummajaka.
Then the householder Kalyāṇabhattika went to the monastery on some business or other. He approached the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta; having approached and paid homage to the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta, he sat down to one side. As the householder Kalyāṇabhattika sat to one side, the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta instructed, roused, inspired, and gladdened him with a talk on the Dhamma. Then the householder Kalyāṇabhattika, having been instructed, roused, inspired, and gladdened by the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta with a talk on the Dhamma, said this to the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta: "To whom, venerable sir, has tomorrow's meal in our house been assigned?" "Householder, tomorrow's meal in your house has been assigned to the bhikkhus Mettiya and Bhummajaka."
Then the householder Kalyāṇabhattika was displeased, thinking, "How can evil bhikkhus eat in our house?" Having gone home, he gave orders to his slave woman: "I say, for those who come tomorrow for the meal, prepare a seat in the gatehouse and serve them broken-rice porridge with sour gruel as its accompaniment." "Yes, master," that slave woman assented to the householder Kalyāṇabhattika.
Then the bhikkhus Mettiya and Bhummajaka [said to each other]: "Friend, yesterday a meal was assigned to us at the house of the householder Kalyāṇabhattika. Tomorrow the householder Kalyāṇabhattika, together with his wife and children, will attend on us in person and serve us; some will offer boiled rice, some will offer curry, some will offer oil, and some will offer delicacies." Because of that very joy they did not sleep that night as much as they had wished.
Then in the morning the bhikkhus Mettiya and Bhummajaka, having dressed and taken bowl and robe, approached the residence of the householder Kalyāṇabhattika. That slave woman saw the bhikkhus Mettiya and Bhummajaka coming from afar; having seen them and prepared a seat in the gatehouse, she said this to the bhikkhus Mettiya and Bhummajaka: "Sit down, venerable sirs." Then it occurred to the bhikkhus Mettiya and Bhummajaka: "Without doubt the meal cannot yet be ready, seeing that we are being made to sit in the gatehouse."
Then that slave woman came up with broken-rice porridge with sour gruel as its accompaniment [and said]: "Eat, venerable sirs." "Sister, we are the recipients of the regular meal." "I know, masters, that you are the recipients of the regular meal. But only yesterday I was ordered by the householder: 'I say, for those who come tomorrow for the meal, prepare a seat in the gatehouse and serve them broken-rice porridge with sour gruel as its accompaniment.' Eat, venerable sirs."
Then the bhikkhus Mettiya and Bhummajaka [said to each other]: "Friend, yesterday the householder Kalyāṇabhattika went to the monastery, into the presence of Dabba Mallaputta. Without doubt we have been maligned by Dabba Mallaputta before the householder." Because of that very grief they did not eat as much as they had wished.
Then the bhikkhus Mettiya and Bhummajaka, after their meal, having returned from the almsround, went to the monastery, put away their bowls and robes, and sat down outside the monastery gatehouse, their outer robes (saṅghāṭi) wrapped about their clasped knees—silent, abashed, with drooping shoulders and downcast faces, brooding, at a loss for words.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.