At one time the bad and shameless monks Assaji and Punabbasuka were staying at Kīṭāgiri. They were misbehaving in many ways. They planted flowering trees, watered and plucked them, and then tied the flowers together. They made the flowers into garlands, garlands with stalks on one side and garlands with stalks on both sides. They made flower arrangements, wreaths, ornaments for the head, ornaments for the ears, and ornaments for the chest. And they had others do the same. They then took these things, or sent them, to the women, the daughters, the girls, the daughters-in-law, and the female slaves of respectable families. They ate from the same plates as these women and drank from the same vessels. They sat on the same seats as them, and they lay down on the same beds, on the same sheets, under the same covers, and both on the same sheets and under the same covers. They ate at the wrong time, drank alcohol, and wore garlands, perfumes, and cosmetics. They danced, sang, played instruments, and performed. While the women were dancing, singing, playing instruments, and performing, so would they.

They played various games: eight-row checkers, ten-row checkers, imaginary checkers, hopscotch, pick-up-sticks, board games, tipcat, painting with the hand, dice, leaf flutes, toy plows, somersaults, pinwheels, toy measures, toy carriages, toy bows, guessing from syllables, thought guessing, mimicking deformities. They trained in elephant riding, in horsemanship, in carriage riding, in archery, in swordsmanship. And they ran in front of elephants, horses, and carriages, and they ran backward and forward. They whistled, clapped their hands, wrestled, and boxed. They spread their outer robe on a stage and said to the dancing girls, “Dance here, sister,” and they made gestures of approval. And they misbehaved in a variety of ways.

Just then a monk who had completed the rains residence in Kāsi was on his way to visit the Buddha at Sāvatthī when he arrived at Kīṭāgiri. In the morning he robed up, took his bowl and robe, and entered Kīṭāgiri to collect almsfood. He was pleasing in his conduct: in going out and coming back, in looking ahead and looking aside, in bending and stretching his arms. His eyes were lowered, and he was perfect in deportment. When people saw him, they said, “Who’s this, acting like a moron and always frowning? Who’s gonna give almsfood to him? Almsfood should be given to our Venerables Assaji and Punabbasuka, for they’re gentle, congenial, pleasant to speak with, greeting one with a smile, welcoming, friendly, open, the first to speak.”