Anguttaranikaya 3.2.2.7.68

3.2.2.7.68

Sattame kathāvatthūnīti kathākāraṇāni, kathāya bhūmiyo patiṭṭhāyoti attho. Atītaṃ vā, bhikkhave, addhānanti atītamaddhānaṃ nāma kālopi vaṭṭati khandhāpi. Anāgatapaccuppannesupi eseva nayo. Tattha atīte kassapo nāma sammāsambuddho ahosi, tassa kikī nāma kāsikarājā aggupaṭṭhāko ahosi, vīsati vassasahassāni āyu ahosīti iminā nayena kathento atītaṃ ārabbha kathaṃ katheti nāma. Anāgate metteyyo nāma buddho bhavissati, tassa saṅkho nāma rājā aggupaṭṭhāko bhavissati, asīti vassasahassāni āyu bhavissatīti iminā nayena kathento anāgataṃ ārabbha kathaṃ katheti nāma. Etarahi asuko nāma rājā dhammikoti iminā nayena kathento paccuppannaṃ ārabbha kathaṃ katheti nāma.

In the seventh [sutta]: "Topics of conversation" means grounds for conversation; the meaning is: the bases, the supports for talk. "A past period, bhikkhus": what is called a past period applies both to time and to the aggregates. The same method applies to the future and the present. Therein, speaking in this manner: "In the past, there was a Fully Enlightened One named Kassapa; his chief attendant was the King of Kāsi named Kikī; his lifespan was twenty thousand years," one is said to speak concerning the past. Speaking in this manner: "In the future, there will be a Buddha named Metteyya; his chief attendant will be a king named Saṅkha; his lifespan will be eighty thousand years," one is said to speak concerning the future. Speaking in this manner: "Presently, such and such a king is righteous," one is said to speak concerning the present.