​MN 81 Ghatikara Sutta: Ghatikara the Potter 

Thus have i heard.

On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering among the Kosalans together with a large Sangha of bhikkhus. Then in a certain place beside the main road the Blessed One smiled. It Occurred to the venerable Ananda: "What is the reason, what is the cause, for the Blessed One's smile? Tathagatas do not smile for no reason." So he arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, and extending his hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, asked him: "Venerable sir, what is the reason, what is the cause, for the Blessed One's smile? Tathagatas do not smile for no reason."

Buddha: "Once, Ananda, in this place there was a prosperous and busy market town called Vebhalinga, with many inhabitants and crowded with people. Back then the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, lived near the market town Vebhalinga. It was here, in fact, that the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, had his monastery; it was also here the Blessed One Kassapa resided and advised the Sangha of bhikkhus."

Then the venerable Ananda folded his patchwork cloak in four, and spreading it out, said to the Blessed One: "Then, venerable sir, let the Blessed One be seated. Thus this place will have been used by two Accomplished Ones, Fully Enlightened Ones." The Blessed One sat down on the seat that had been made ready and addressed the venerable Ananda thus: "Once, Ananda, in this place there was a prosperous and busy market town called Vebhalinga, with many inhabitants and crowded with people. Back then the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, lived near the market town Vebhalinga. It was here, in fact, that the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, had his monastery; it was here, in fact, that the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, resided and advised the Sangha of bhikkhus. "

 "In Vebhalinga the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, had as a supporter, as his chief supporter, a potter named Ghatikara. Ghatikara the potter had as a friend, as his close friend, a brahmin student named Jotipala. One day the potter Ghatikara addressed the brahmin student Jotipala thus: 'My dear Jotipala, let us go and see the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened. I hold that it is good to see that Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened.' "

The brahmin student Jotipala replied: 'Enough, my dear Ghatikara, what is the use of seeing that bald-pated recluse?' "A second and third time the potter Ghatikara said: 'My dear Jotipala, let us go and see the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened.' And a second and a third time the brahmin student Jotipala replied: 'Enough, my dear Ghatikara, what is the use of seeing that baldpated recluse?'

Potter Ghatikara:  'Then, my dear Jotipala, let us take a loofah and bath powder and go to the river to bathe.'
'Very well,' Jotipala replied. So the potter Ghatikara and the brahmin student Jotipala went to the river to bathe. Then Ghatikara said to Jotipala: 'My dear Jotipala, there is the monastery of the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, quite nearby. Let us go and see the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened. I hold that it is good to see that Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened.' Jotipala replied: 'Enough, my dear Ghatikara, what is  the use of seeing that bald-pated recluse?' "A second and a third time Ghatikara said: 'My dear Jotipala, there is the monastery of the Blessed One Kassapa...' And a second and a third time the brahmin student Jotipala replied: 'Enough, my dear Ghatikara, what is the use of seeing that baldpated recluse?'"

"Then the potter Ghatikara seized the brahmin student Jotipala by the belt and said: 'My dear Jotipala, there is the monastery of the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, quite nearby. Let us go and see the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened.' Then the brahmin student Jotipala undid his belt and said: 'Enough, my dear Ghatikara, what is the use of seeing that bald-pated recluse?' " 

​"Then, when the brahmin student Jotipala had washed his head, the potter Ghatikara seized him by the hair and said:'My dear Jotipala, there is the monastery of the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, quite nearby. Let us go and see the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened. I hold that it is good to see that Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened.' "Then the brahmin student Jotipala thought: 'It is wonderful, it is marvellous that this potter Ghatikara, who is of a different birth, should presume to seize me by the hair when we have washed our heads! Surely this can be no simple matter.' And he said to the potter Ghatikara: 'You go as far as this, my dear Ghatikara?'

Potter Ghatikara: 'I go as far as this, my dear Jotipala; for so much do I hold that it is good to see that Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened!'
Jotipaala: 'Then, my dear Ghatikara, let go of me. Let us visit him.'"

"So Ghatikara the potter and Jotipala the brahmin student went to the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened. Ghatikara, after paying homage to him, sat down at one side, while Jotipala exchanged greetings with him, and when this courteous and amiable talk was finished, he too sat down at one side. Ghatikara then said to the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened: 'Venerable sir, this is the brahmin student Jotipala, my friend, my close friend. Let the Blessed One teach him the Dhamma.' "

Then the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, instructed, urged, roused, and encouraged Ghatikara the potter and Jotipala the brahmin student with an exposition of the Dhamma. At the conclusion of the exposition, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One Kassapa's words, they rose from their seats, and after paying homage to the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, keeping him on their right, they departed.
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"Then Jotipala asked Ghatikara: 'Now that you have heard this Dhamma, my dear Ghatikara, why don't you go forth from the home life into homelessness?'
Ghatikara: 'My dear Jotipala, don't you know that I need to support my blind and aged parents?'
Jotipala: 'Then, my dear Ghatikara, I shall go forth from the home life into homelessness.' 

"So Ghatikara the potter and Jotipala the brahmin student went to the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened. After paying homage to him, they sat down at one side and Ghatikara the potter said to the Blessed One Kassapa: 'Venerable sir, this is the brahmin student Jotipala, my friend, my close friend. Let the Blessed One give him the going forth.' And the brahmin student Jotipala received the going forth from the Blessed One Kassapa and he received the full admission"

"Then not long after Jotipala the brahmin student had received the full admission, half a month after he had received the full admission, the Blessed One Kassapa having stayed at Vebhalinga as long as he chose, set out to wander towards Benares. Wandering by stages, he eventually arrived at Benares, and there he went to live in the Deer Park at Isipatana. "

"Now King KikI of Kasi heard: 'It seems that the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, has reached Benares and is living in the Deer Park at Isipatana.' So he drove out from Benares with the full pomp of royalty in order to see the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened. He went thus as far as the road was passable for carriages, and then he got down from his carriage and went forward on foot to the Blessed One Kassapa. After paying homage to him, he sat down at one side and the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, instructed, urged, roused, and encouraged King Kiki of Kasi with an exposition of the Dhamma."

"At the conclusion of the exposition, King Kiki of Kasi said:'Venerable sir, let the Blessed One together with the Sangha of bhikkhus consent to accept tomorrow's meal from me.' And the Blessed One Kassapa accepted in silence. Then, knowing that the Blessed One Kassapa had accepted, he rose from his seat and after paying homage to him, keeping him on his right, he departed. "

"Then, when the night had ended, King Kiki of Kasi had good food of various kinds prepared in his own dwelling - red rice stored in the sheaf with the dark grains picked out, along with many sauces and curries - and he had the time announced to the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, thus: 'It is time, venerable sir, the meal is ready.'  Then in the morning, the Blessed One Kassapa got dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he went with the Sangha of bhikkhus to the dwelling of King Kiki of Kasi and sat down on the seat made ready. Then with his own hands, King Kiki of Kasi served and satisfied the Sangha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha with the various kinds of good food.

When the Blessed One Kassapa had eaten and had withdrawn his hand from the bowl, King Kiki of Kasi took a low seat, sat down at one side and said: 'Venerable sir, let the Blessed One accept from me a residence for the Rains in Benares; that will be helpful for the Sangha.'
Blessed one Kassapa: 'Enough, king, my residence for the Rains has already been provided for.'
Then for a  second and a third time King Kiki of Kasi said: 'Venerable sir, let the Blessed One accept from me a residence for the Rains in Benares; that will be helpful for the Sangha.'
Again the blessed one Kassapa: 'Enough, king, my residence for the Rains has already been provided for.'

"The king thought: 'The Blessed One Kassapa, does not accept from me a residence for the Rains in Benares,' and he was very disappointed and sad. Then he said: 'Venerable sir, have you a better supporter than I am?'
The blessed one Kassapa replied:"'I have a better supporter, great king. There is a market town called Vebhalinga where a potter named Ghatikara lives. He is my supporter, my chief supporter. Now you, great king, thought: "The Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, does not accept from me a residence for the Rains in Benares," and you were very disappointed and sad; but the potter Ghapkara is not and will not be so. The potter Ghatikara has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. He abstains from killing living beings, from taking what is not given, from misconduct in sensual pleasures, from false speech, and from wine, liquor, and intoxicants, which are the basis of negligence. He has perfect confidence in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, and he possesses the virtues loved by noble ones. He is free from doubt about suffering, about the origin of suffering, about the cessation of suffering, and about the way leading to the cessation of suffering. He eats only in one part of the day, he observes celibacy, he is virtuous, of good character. He has laid aside gems and gold, he has given up gold and silver. He does not dig the ground for clay using a pick with his own hand; what is left over from embankments or thrown up by rats, he brings home in a carrier; when he has made a pot he says: "Let anyone who likes set down some selected rice or selected beans or selected lentils, and let him take away whatever he likes." He supports his blind and aged parents. Having destroyed the five lower fetters, he is one who will reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes and there attain final Nibbana without ever returning from that world. (non-returner) "

​"'On one occasion when I was living at Vebhalinga,in the morning, I dressed, and taking my bowl and outer robe, I went to the potter Ghatikara's parents and asked them: "Where has the potter gone, please?"
They replied: "Venerable sir, your supporter has gone out; but take rice from the cauldron and sauce from the saucepan and eat." '"I did so and went away. Then the potter Ghatikara went to his parents and asked: "Who has taken rice from the cauldron and sauce from the saucepan, eaten and gone away?"
They replied: "My dear, the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, did." 
Then the potter Ghatikara thought: "It is a gain for me, it is a great gain for me that the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, relies on me thus!" The same thing happened again in another occasion. 

On another occasion when I was living at Vebhalinga my hut leaked. Then I addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Go, bhikkhus, and find out if there is any grass at the potter Ghatikara's house."
The bhikkhus replied: "Venerable sir, there is no grass at the potter Ghatlkara's house; there is the grass thatch on his roof."
"Go, bhikkhus, and remove the grass from the potter Ghatlkara's house." They did so.
Then the potter Ghatikara's parents asked the bhikkhus: "Who is removing the grass from the house?"
"Sister, the hut of the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, is leaking."
Ghatikara's parents: "Take it, venerable sirs, take it and bless you!"

"Then the potter Ghatikara went to his parents and asked: "Who has removed the grass from the roof?"
They replied "The bhikkhus did, my dear; the hut of the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, is leaking." Then the potter Ghatikara thought: "It is a gain for me, it is a great gain for me that the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, relies on me thus!" And the rapture and happiness never left him for a half-month or his parents for a week. Then that house remained three whole months with the sky for a roof, and yet no rain came in. Such is the potter Ghatikara.' "

"'It is a gain for the potter Ghatikara, it is a great gain for him that the Blessed One Kassapa, accomplished and fully enlightened, relies on him thus.'  Then King Kikl of Kasi dispatched to the potter Ghatikara five hundred cartloads of red rice stored in the sheaf, and also sauce materials to go with it. Then the king's men went to the potter Ghatikara and told him: 'Venerable sir, there are five hundred cartloads of red rice stored in the sheaf, and also sauce materials to go with it, dispatched to you by King Kiki of Kasi; please accept them.'
The potter Ghatikara :"The king is very busy and has much to do. I have enough. Let this be for the king himself.'"

"Now, Ananda, you may think thus: 'Certainly, someone else was the brahmin student Jotipala on that occasion.' But it should not be regarded thus. I was the brahmin student Jotipala oh that occasion." 

That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Ananda was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words. 

In summary, the Buddha was wandering among the Kosalans and he came a spot where the past Buddha Kassapa once taught and where at that time in a previous birth he was Jotipala, a friend of a potter Ghatikara. The Buddha recounts the story of the chief lay supporter of the past Buddha Kassapa who was this potter Ghatikara. 
Jotipala had to be dragged by the hair by Ghatikara to visit the past Buddha Kasapa to hear his Dhamma and subsequently ordained.

​Buddha Kassapa mentioned that he met King Kiki of Kasi who wanted to be his chief supporter however Buddha Kassapa mentioned that he does not need his offers. That's because his main chief supporter is potter Ghatikara who attended to his needs. 

References: 
1. www.accesstoinsight.org
2. https://suttacentral.net/
3. The middle length discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)