[79] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling at Rājagaha, on Mount Gijjhakūṭa. Now at that time several bhikkhus, acquaintances and companions, having made grass huts on the slope of Isigili, entered upon the rains. The venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son, also, having made a grass hut, entered upon the rains. Then those bhikkhus, having kept the rains, at the passing of the three months demolished their grass huts, stored away the grass and the timber, and set out wandering in the countryside. But the venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son, spent the rains right there, the winter there, the summer there. Then, while the venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son, had entered the village for alms, grass-gatherers and wood-gatherers demolished the grass hut and went off, taking the grass and the timber.
A second time the venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son, having collected grass and timber, made a grass hut. A second time, while the venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son, had entered the village for alms, grass-gatherers and wood-gatherers demolished the grass hut and went off, taking the grass and the timber.
A third time the venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son, having collected grass and timber, made a grass hut. A third time,* while the venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son, had entered the village for alms, grass-gatherers and wood-gatherers demolished the grass hut and went off, taking the grass and the timber. [*Translator's note: the Siam Raṭṭha Pali here reads "dutiyampi" ("a second time"), an apparent scribal repetition; see FLAGS.]
Then it occurred to the venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son: "Up to the third time now, while I was gone into the village for alms, grass-gatherers and wood-gatherers have demolished my grass hut and gone off, taking the grass and the timber. Now I am well trained, not deficient, in my own teacher's craft, the potter's work; I am accomplished in the art. What if I were myself to knead mud and make a hut all of clay?" Then the venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son, having himself kneaded mud and made a hut all of clay, collected grass and wood and cow-dung and fired that hut. That hut was beautiful, lovely to behold, pleasing, red like an indagopaka insect. And just as the sound of a small bell, even so was the sound of that hut.
Then the Blessed One, descending from Mount Gijjhakūṭa together with many bhikkhus, saw that hut, beautiful, lovely to behold, pleasing, red; and having seen it, he addressed the bhikkhus: "What is that, bhikkhus, beautiful, lovely to behold, pleasing, red like an indagopaka insect?" Then those bhikkhus informed the Blessed One of that matter.
The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked [saying]: "Bhikkhus, it is unsuitable for that foolish man, improper, unfitting, unworthy of an ascetic, not allowable, not to be done. How indeed, bhikkhus, could that foolish man himself knead mud and make a hut all of clay? Surely, bhikkhus, there will be no tender care, no compassion, no non-harming toward living beings in that foolish man. Go, bhikkhus, demolish that hut; let not later generations fall into the destruction of living beings. And, bhikkhus, a hut all of clay is not to be made; whoever should make one commits an offence of wrong-doing (dukkaṭa)."
"Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus, having assented to the Blessed One, approached that hut; and having approached, they demolished that hut. Then the venerable Dhaniya, the potter's son, said to those bhikkhus: "Why, friends, do you demolish my hut?"
"The Blessed One, friend, is having it demolished."
"Demolish it, friends, if the Lord of the Dhamma is having it demolished."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.