While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to the chief disciple Maha Moggallana and the miserly rich man Kosiya.

In the village of Sakkara, near Rajagaha, there lived a miserly rich man named Kosiya who was reluctant to give away even the tiniest part of anything he owned. One day, to avoid sharing with anyone, he and his wife made pancakes in the uppermost story of their house, where no one could see them.

That same morning, the Buddha, through his supernormal power, saw the couple and knew they would soon attain the fruit of stream-entry. He sent Maha Moggallana, who reached Kosiya's house in an instant and stood at the window.

Kosiya asked him to leave, but the monk simply stood there in silence. At last Kosiya told his wife to make a very small pancake for the monk, but however little dough they used, each pancake swelled to fill the whole pan, and none of the pancakes in the basket could be separated from the others.

Having lost all appetite for pancakes, Kosiya offered the whole basket to Maha Moggallana, who then delivered a discourse on charity to the couple and told them the Buddha was waiting with five hundred monks at the Jetavana Monastery, forty-five leagues away.

By his supernormal power, Maha Moggallana brought Kosiya, his wife, and their basket of pancakes before the Buddha, where they offered the pancakes to him and the five hundred monks. After the meal, the Buddha delivered a discourse on charity, and both Kosiya and his wife attained the fruit of stream-entry.

The next evening, while the monks were praising Maha Moggallana, the Buddha told them, "Monks, you too should dwell and act in the village as Maha Moggallana does, receiving the offerings of villagers without harming their faith, generosity, or wealth."