[461] There, Ānanda, the great king practiced the Dhamma among brahmins and householders, among townsfolk and countryfolk, and he observed the uposatha on the fourteenth, the fifteenth, and the eighth day of the fortnight.
Then, Ānanda, after the passing of many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, King Nimi addressed his barber: "Friend barber, when you see grey hairs grown upon my head, then you should tell me." "Yes, sire," the barber, Ānanda, replied to King Nimi. And after the passing of many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, Ānanda, the barber saw grey hairs grown upon King Nimi's head, and having seen them, he said this to King Nimi: "The divine messengers (devadūta) have appeared to Your Majesty: grey hairs are seen grown upon your head."
"Then, friend barber, pull out those grey hairs carefully with tweezers and place them in my cupped hands." "Yes, sire," the barber, Ānanda, replied to King Nimi, and having pulled out those grey hairs carefully with tweezers, he placed them in King Nimi's cupped hands.
Then, Ānanda, the king, having given a boon-village to the barber, had the prince, his eldest son, summoned, and said this: "Dear prince, the divine messengers have appeared to me: grey hairs are seen grown upon my head. Human sensual pleasures have been enjoyed by me; now it is time to seek divine sensual pleasures. Come, dear prince, take up this kingship. As for me, I shall shave off my hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness. Therefore, dear prince, when you too see grey hairs grown upon your head, then, having given a boon-village to the barber, and having thoroughly instructed the prince, your eldest son, in kingship, you should shave off your hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness. You should keep in motion this good practice that has been established by me; do not be my last man. Dear prince, in whatever generation of men, while it is proceeding, the cutting off of such a good practice occurs, he is the last man among them. Therefore, dear prince, I say this to you: you should keep in motion this good practice that has been established by me; do not be my last man."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.