[65] Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Andhakavinda for as long as he wished, set out on tour toward Rājagaha together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with twelve hundred and fifty bhikkhus. Now on that occasion Velaṭṭha Kaccāna was travelling on the highroad from Rājagaha to Andhakavinda with about five hundred carts, all of them filled with pots of jaggery. The Blessed One saw Velaṭṭha Kaccāna coming while still far off; having seen him, he stepped down from the road and sat at the foot of a certain tree.
Then Velaṭṭha Kaccāna approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, Velaṭṭha Kaccāna said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, I wish to give one pot of jaggery to each bhikkhu."
"Then, Kaccāna, bring just one pot of jaggery."
"Yes, venerable sir," Velaṭṭha Kaccāna replied to the Blessed One; and taking just one pot of jaggery, he approached the Blessed One; having approached, he said this to the Blessed One: "The pot of jaggery has been brought, venerable sir. How should I proceed, venerable sir?"
"Then, Kaccāna, give the jaggery to the bhikkhus."
"Yes, venerable sir," Velaṭṭha Kaccāna replied to the Blessed One; and having given the jaggery to the bhikkhus, he said this to the Blessed One: "The jaggery has been given to the bhikkhus, venerable sir, but much of this jaggery is left over. How should I proceed, venerable sir?"
"Then, Kaccāna, give the bhikkhus as much jaggery as they want."
"Yes, venerable sir," Velaṭṭha Kaccāna replied to the Blessed One; and having given the bhikkhus as much jaggery as they wanted, he said this to the Blessed One: "The bhikkhus have been given as much jaggery as they want, venerable sir, but much of this jaggery is left over. How should I proceed, venerable sir?"
"Then, Kaccāna, satisfy the bhikkhus with jaggery."
"Yes, venerable sir," Velaṭṭha Kaccāna replied to the Blessed One; and he satisfied the bhikkhus with jaggery. Some bhikkhus filled even their bowls; they filled their water strainers and their bags as well. Then Velaṭṭha Kaccāna, having satisfied the bhikkhus with jaggery, said this to the Blessed One: "The bhikkhus have been satisfied with jaggery, venerable sir, but much of this jaggery is left over. How should I proceed, venerable sir?"
"Then, Kaccāna, give the jaggery to the scrap-eaters."
"Yes, venerable sir," Velaṭṭha Kaccāna replied to the Blessed One; and having given the jaggery to the scrap-eaters, he said this to the Blessed One: "The jaggery has been given to the scrap-eaters, venerable sir, but much of this jaggery is left over. How should I proceed, venerable sir?"
"Then, Kaccāna, give the scrap-eaters as much jaggery as they want."
"Yes, venerable sir," Velaṭṭha Kaccāna replied to the Blessed One; and having given the scrap-eaters as much jaggery as they wanted, he said this to the Blessed One: "The scrap-eaters have been given as much jaggery as they want, venerable sir, but much of this jaggery is left over. How should I proceed, venerable sir?"
"Then, Kaccāna, satisfy the scrap-eaters with jaggery."
"Yes, venerable sir," Velaṭṭha Kaccāna replied to the Blessed One; and he satisfied the scrap-eaters with jaggery. Some scrap-eaters filled even their pots and jars; they filled baskets and even the folds of their garments. Then Velaṭṭha Kaccāna, having satisfied the scrap-eaters with jaggery, said this to the Blessed One: "The scrap-eaters have been satisfied with jaggery, venerable sir, but much of this jaggery is left over. How should I proceed, venerable sir?"
"Kaccāna, I do not see anyone in this world with its devas, with its Māra, with its Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and humans, by whom that jaggery, once consumed, could go to proper digestion, except a Tathāgata or a disciple of a Tathāgata. Therefore, Kaccāna, discard that jaggery in a place without green vegetation, or sink it in water free of living creatures."
"Yes, venerable sir," Velaṭṭha Kaccāna replied to the Blessed One; and he sank that jaggery in water free of living creatures. Then that jaggery, thrown into the water, hissed and sizzled, steamed and smoked. Just as a ploughshare, heated all day, when thrown into water hisses and sizzles, steams and smokes, even so that jaggery, thrown into the water, hissed and sizzled, steamed and smoked.
Then Velaṭṭha Kaccāna, stirred with urgency, his hair standing on end, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. As Velaṭṭha Kaccāna sat to one side, the Blessed One gave him a progressive talk (anupubbīkathā), that is: he made known talk on giving, talk on virtue, talk on the heavens; the danger, degradation, and defilement of sensual pleasures; and the benefit of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that Velaṭṭha Kaccāna's mind was ready, malleable, free of the hindrances (nīvaraṇa), uplifted, and confident, he then expounded the teaching that is the Buddhas' own exalted proclamation: suffering (dukkha), origin, cessation, path. Just as a clean cloth free of stains would properly take the dye, even so, as Velaṭṭha Kaccāna sat in that very seat, there arose in him the dustless, stainless Dhamma-eye (dhammacakkhu): "Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation."
Then Velaṭṭha Kaccāna — having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, fathomed the Dhamma, crossed beyond doubt (vicikicchā), rid of uncertainty, having attained self-confidence, independent of others in the Teacher's dispensation — said this to the Blessed One: "Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! Just as one might set upright what has been overturned, or uncover what has been concealed, or point out the way to one who is lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see forms — even so has the Dhamma been made known by the Blessed One in many ways. I go for refuge to the Blessed One, and to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower (upāsaka) who has gone for refuge for life from this day forward."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.