[283] On one occasion the Venerable Mahākaccāna was dwelling at Madhurā, in the Gundā Grove. Then the brahmin Kaṇḍarāyana approached the Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Mahākaccāna … Sitting to one side, the brahmin Kaṇḍarāyana said this to the Venerable Mahākaccāna: "I have heard this, Master Kaccāna: 'The ascetic Kaccāna does not pay homage to brahmins who are old, aged, elderly, advanced in years, come to the last stage of life; nor does he rise up for them or invite them to a seat.' And this, Master Kaccāna, is indeed so: for Master Kaccāna does not pay homage to brahmins who are old, aged, elderly, advanced in years, come to the last stage of life; nor does he rise up for them or invite them to a seat. This, Master Kaccāna, is simply not proper."
"There is, brahmin, a plane of the elder (vuḍḍhibhūmi) and a plane of the young (daharabhūmi) declared by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One. Even though a person is old, brahmin—eighty, ninety, or a hundred years from birth—if he enjoys sensual pleasures, dwells in the midst of sensual pleasures, is consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, is devoured by thoughts of sensual pleasures, and is eager in the search for sensual pleasures, then that fool is reckoned not as an elder. But even though a person is young, brahmin—a youth with jet-black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the first stage of life—if he does not enjoy sensual pleasures, does not dwell in the midst of sensual pleasures, is not consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, is not devoured by thoughts of sensual pleasures, and is not eager in the search for sensual pleasures, then that wise man is reckoned indeed as an elder."
When this was said, the brahmin Kaṇḍarāyana rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and bowed with his head at the feet of the young bhikkhus, saying: "The venerable sirs are elders, standing on the plane of the elder; we are young, standing on the plane of the young. Excellent, Master Kaccāna! … Let Master Kaccāna remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life, from this day forth."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.