[626] King Udena saw the women of his harem (orodha) coming while they were still far off, and on seeing them he said to the harem women: "Did you see the ascetic Ānanda?"
"We did see the master Ānanda, sire."
"And did you give anything to the ascetic Ānanda?"
"We gave the master Ānanda five hundred upper robes, sire."
King Udena found fault, criticized, and spread it about, saying: "How can the ascetic Ānanda accept so many robes? Will the ascetic Ānanda carry on a cloth trade, or will he set up a shop?"
Then King Udena approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Ānanda, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down at one side. Seated at one side, King Udena said this to the Venerable Ānanda: "Good Ānanda, did our harem women come here?"
"Your harem women did come, great king."
"And did they give anything to the good Ānanda?"
"They gave me five hundred upper robes, great king."
"But what will the good Ānanda do with so many robes?"
"Great king, I shall share them with those bhikkhus whose robes are worn thin."
"But, good Ānanda, what will you do with the old worn-thin robes?"
"Great king, we shall make them into upper coverings."
"But, good Ānanda, what will you do with the old upper coverings?"
"Great king, we shall make them into mattress covers."
"But, good Ānanda, what will you do with the old mattress covers?"
"Great king, we shall make them into floor coverings."
"But, good Ānanda, what will you do with the old floor coverings?"
"Great king, we shall make them into foot-wipers."
"But, good Ānanda, what will you do with the old foot-wipers?"
"Great king, we shall make them into dust rags."
"But, good Ānanda, what will you do with the old dust rags?"
"Great king, having pounded them and kneaded them with mud, we shall smear them on as plaster."
Then King Udena, thinking, "All these ascetics, sons of the Sakyan, put things to use thoroughly and do not let anything go to waste," gave to the Venerable Ānanda another five hundred cloths as well. And this was the first time a requisite of robes arose for the Venerable Ānanda: a thousand robes arose.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.