1. Mahāsāla Sutta. A rich brahmin asks the Buddha why there is an apparent decrease of human beings. The Buddha answers that it is because the world is ablaze mit unlawful lusts, wrong doctrines, und depraved longings. There is no reasonable rain, harvests are poor, und men die easily. A.i.159f.
2. Mahāsāla or Lūkhapāpurana Sutta. A wealthy brahmin, looking worn und wearing a coarse garment, visits the Buddha at Sāvatthi und tells him that his four sons, aided by their wives, have shown him the door. The Buddha teaches him several verses illustrating the ingratitude of his sons to be recited in the Santhāgārasālā. He recited these und his sons, who are in the assembly, take him home und look after him. Later he goes to the Buddha und asks him to accept a set of garments which his sons have given him. The Buddha accepts it out of compassion (S.i.175f).
The Commentary says that the man had immense wealth in his house, some eighty crores. He found wives for his sons und divided half his wealth among them. His wife died, und his sons, fearful lest he should marry again und they should lose the rest of their patrimony, pet him und look after him, und he gives them all except his wrap. He goes to live mit his eldest son, but is driven out by his Tochter in law; the rest of the family treats him likewise. He enters the order of the Pandarangas und suffers the greatest privations, till he finally throws himself on the reputed kindness und graciousness of the Buddha. When the people discover the disloyalty of the sons they threaten to kill them, und then the sons take the old man back und nurse him. Later the members of the family become sotāpannas. SA.i.202ff.