1. Kumára-Kassapa Thera.-He was foremost among those who had the gift of varied and versatile discourse (cittakathikánam) (A.i.24). His mother was the daughter of a banker of Rájagaha, and she, having failed to obtain her parent's consent to become a nun, married and, with her husband's consent, joined the Order, not knowing that she was with child. When her condition was discovered her colleagues consulted Devadatta, who declared that she was no true nun. The Buddha, on being consulted, entrusted the matter to Upáli, who had it fully investigated by Visákhá and other residents of Sávatthi, and he gave his finding in the assembly, in the presence of the king, that the nun was innocent. (For details see J.i.148; Upáli's handling of the case won the Buddha's special commendation, see, e.g., AA.i.172). When the boy was born the king reared him, and the boy was ordained at the age of seven. The boy came to be called Kumára, because he joined the Order so young and was of royal upbringing, and also because the Buddha, when sending him little delicacies such as fruit, referred to him as Kumára Kassapa. Once when Kumára Kassapa was meditating in Andhavana, an anágámí Brahmá, who had been his companion in the time of Kassapa Buddha, appeared before him, and asked him fifteen questions which only the Buddha could answer. This led to the preaching of the Vammika Sutta (M.i.143ff), and after dwelling on its teachings Kassapa became an arahant. (For Kumára Kassapa's story see J.i.147ff; AA.i.158f; ThagA.i.322f; MA.i.335f). His mother, too, developed insight and attained to arahantship. It is said that she wept for twelve years because she could not be with Kassapa, and one day, seeing him in the street, as she ran towards him and fell, milk flowed from her breasts and wet her robe. Kassapa, realising that her great love was standing in the way of her attainments, spoke harshly to her that she might love him the less. The ruse succeeded and she became an arahant that very day (DhA.iii.147).
In the time of Padumuttara Buddha Kassapa was a learned brahmin, and having heard a monk ranked foremost in eloquence, he wished for a similar distinction and did many acts of piety towards that end. When the teachings of Kassapa Buddha were being forgotten, he, together with six others, entered the Order and lived a life of rigorous asceticism on the summit of a mountain. (Ap.ii.473f; the details of this story are given in DhA.ii.210-12; among Kassapa's companions were also Pukkusáti, Dárucíriya, Dabba Mallaputta and Sabhiya; see also UdA.80f).
Two verses of deep significance ascribed to Kumára-Kassapa are found in the Theragáthá (vv.201.202). Although it is said that he was a very eloquent speaker, the examples given of his preaching are extremely scanty. The Anguttara Commentary (i.159) states that the Buddha gave him his title from the skilful way in which he argued with Páyási, as related in the Páyási Sutta; but this cannot be correct for, according to Dhammapála (VvA.297), the events of the Páyási Sutta took place after the Buddha's death. The Sutta, however, does justify Kassapa's reputation. (For his praises see also MA.i.500f).
Kassapa's upasampadá took place in his twentieth year. A doubt arose as to whether this was valid because, according to the rule, twenty years must be completed for upasampadá. The Buddha held that in reckoning the age the time spent in the mother's womb could also be included. Vin.i.93; Sp.iv.867.
2. Kumára-Kassapa.-A thera in Ceylon, at whose request was written the Dhammapadatthakathá. DhA.i.1; Gv.68.