[1] Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park, in the Kareri Hut. Now at that time, among several bhikkhus who — after the meal, having returned from the alms round — were seated together, assembled in the pavilion near the kareri tree, there arose a Dhamma talk connected with former abodes (pubbenivāsa), thus: "Such was a former abode; such was a former abode."
The Blessed One, with the divine ear-element, purified and surpassing the human, heard this conversation of those bhikkhus. Then the Blessed One, rising from his seat, approached the pavilion near the kareri tree; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, for what talk are you now seated together here? And what was the conversation among you that was left unfinished?"
When this was said, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, after the meal, having returned from the alms round, we were seated together, assembled in the pavilion near the kareri tree, and there arose a Dhamma talk connected with former abodes, thus: 'Such was a former abode; such was a former abode.' This, venerable sir, was the conversation among us that was left unfinished — and then the Blessed One arrived."
"Would you wish, bhikkhus, to hear a Dhamma talk connected with former abodes?"
"It is the time for this, Blessed One; it is the time for this, Sublime One (Sugata) — that the Blessed One should give a Dhamma talk connected with former abodes. Having heard the Blessed One's word, the bhikkhus will bear it in mind."
"Then, bhikkhus, listen and attend well; I will speak."
"Even so, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"Bhikkhus, ninety-one eons (kappa) ago from now, the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One (sammāsambuddha), arose in the world. Bhikkhus, thirty-one eons ago from now, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, arose in the world. In that very same thirty-first eon, bhikkhus, the Blessed One Vessabhū, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, arose in the world. In this very fortunate eon (bhaddakappa), bhikkhus, the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, arose in the world. In this very fortunate eon, bhikkhus, the Blessed One Koṇāgamana, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, arose in the world. In this very fortunate eon, bhikkhus, the Blessed One Kassapa, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, arose in the world. In this very fortunate eon, bhikkhus, I, at present, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, have arisen in the world."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.