[88] Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Āpaṇa for as long as he wished, set out on tour toward Kusinārā together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, twelve and a half hundred bhikkhus. The Mallas of Kusinārā heard: "It is said that the Blessed One is coming to Kusinārā together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, twelve and a half hundred bhikkhus." They made an agreement: "Whoever does not go out to meet the Blessed One shall be fined five hundred."
Now at that time Roja the Malla was a friend of the Venerable Ānanda. Then the Blessed One, wandering on tour by stages, arrived at Kusinārā. The Mallas of Kusinārā went out to meet the Blessed One. Then Roja the Malla, having gone out to meet the Blessed One, approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he paid homage to the Venerable Ānanda and stood to one side. As Roja the Malla stood to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to him: "It is magnificent, friend Roja, that you went out to meet the Blessed One."
"Venerable Ānanda, I am not much moved by the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the Saṅgha; rather, an agreement was made by my kinsmen: 'Whoever does not go out to meet the Blessed One shall be fined five hundred.' So it was from fear of my kinsmen's fine, Venerable Ānanda, that I went out to meet the Blessed One thus."
Then the Venerable Ānanda was displeased, thinking: "How can Roja the Malla speak thus?" Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, this Roja the Malla is distinguished, a well-known man; and the confidence of such well-known men in this Dhamma and Discipline is of great effect. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would act in such a way that Roja the Malla might gain confidence in this Dhamma and Discipline."
"That is not difficult, Ānanda, for the Tathāgata—that Roja the Malla should gain confidence in this Dhamma and Discipline."
Then the Blessed One, having suffused Roja the Malla with a mind (citta) of loving-kindness, rose from his seat and entered his dwelling. Then Roja the Malla, touched by the Blessed One's mind of loving-kindness, just as a cow with a young calf, went from dwelling to dwelling, from cell to cell, and asked the bhikkhus: "Where, venerable sirs, is that Blessed One now staying, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One? For I desire to see that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One."
"That, friend Roja, is his dwelling, with the door closed. Go up to it quietly, enter the porch without hurrying, clear your throat, and knock on the door-panel. The Blessed One will open the door for you."
Then Roja the Malla went up quietly to that dwelling with its closed door, entered the porch without hurrying, cleared his throat, and knocked on the door-panel. The Blessed One opened the door. Then Roja the Malla entered the dwelling, paid homage to the Blessed One, and sat down to one side. To Roja the Malla, sitting to one side, the Blessed One gave a progressive talk, that is to say: he set forth talk on giving, talk on virtue, talk on heaven; he made known the danger, the degradation, and the defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that Roja the Malla's mind was ready, malleable, free from the hindrances (nīvaraṇa), uplifted, and confident, then he made known that Dhamma teaching which the Buddhas themselves have exalted: suffering (dukkha), origin, cessation, path. Just as a clean cloth free from stains would properly take the dye, even so, as Roja the Malla sat in that very seat, there arose in him the stainless, spotless eye of the Dhamma (dhammacakkhu): "Whatever is subject to origination, all that is subject to cessation."
Then Roja the Malla, having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed beyond doubt (vicikicchā), with perplexity gone, having attained self-assurance, independent of others in the Teacher's dispensation, said this to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if the masters would accept robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick from me alone, and not from others."
"Roja, those by whom the Dhamma has been seen with a trainee's (sekha) knowledge (ñāṇa), with a trainee's vision, just as by you—they too think thus: 'Oh, surely the masters should accept robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick from us alone, and not from others!' Therefore, Roja, they will accept both from you and from others."
Now at that time an uninterrupted succession of fine meals had been established at Kusinārā. Then it occurred to Roja the Malla, who could not obtain a turn: "Suppose I were to inspect the refectory; whatever is not in the refectory, that I would prepare." Then Roja the Malla, inspecting the refectory, did not see two things: fresh greens and flour-based foods. Then Roja the Malla approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he said this to the Venerable Ānanda: "Here, Venerable Ānanda, as I could not obtain a turn, it occurred to me: 'Suppose I were to inspect the refectory; whatever is not in the refectory, that I would prepare.' So then, Venerable Ānanda, inspecting the refectory, I did not see two things: fresh greens and flour-based foods. If, Venerable Ānanda, I were to prepare fresh greens and flour-based foods, would the Blessed One accept them from me?"
"Then, Roja, I will ask the Blessed One." Then the Venerable Ānanda reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Then, Ānanda, let him prepare them." "Then, Roja, prepare them."
Then Roja the Malla, when that night had passed, having had abundant fresh greens and flour-based foods prepared, presented them to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, may the Blessed One accept from me the fresh greens and flour-based foods." "Then, Roja, give them to the bhikkhus." The bhikkhus, being scrupulous, would not accept them. "Accept them, bhikkhus, and eat."
Then Roja the Malla, with his own hand, served and satisfied the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha with abundant fresh greens and flour-based foods; and when the Blessed One had washed his hand and withdrawn his hand from the bowl, he sat down to one side. As Roja the Malla sat to one side, the Blessed One, having instructed, roused, inspired, and gladdened him with a talk on the Dhamma, rose from his seat and departed.
Then the Blessed One, on account of that occasion, in that connection, having given a talk on the Dhamma, addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, I allow all fresh greens and all flour-based foods."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.