Dighanikaya 1.28_3

1.28_3

Ādīsu hi guṇe dhammasaddo. ‘‘Dhammaṃ, vo bhikkhave, desessāmi ādikalyāṇa’’ntiādīsu (ma. ni. 3.420) desanāyaṃ. ‘‘Idha bhikkhu dhammaṃ pariyāpuṇāti suttaṃ, geyya’’ntiādīsu (a. ni. 5.73) pariyattiyaṃ. ‘‘Tasmiṃ kho pana samaye dhammā honti, khandhā hontī’’tiādīsu (dha. sa. 121) nissatte. Idha pana guṇe vattati. Tasmā atthi, bhikkhave, aññeva tathāgatassa guṇāti evamettha attho daṭṭhabbo.

the word "dhamma" is used in the sense of quality. In "I will teach you, monks, the Dhamma good in the beginning" and so forth (MN 3.420), it is in the sense of preaching. In "Here, a monk masters the Dhamma: discourse, chant..." and so forth (AN 5.73), it is in the sense of scripture. In "At that time there are dhammas, there are aggregates" and so forth (Dhs 121), it is in the sense of soullessness. But here it is used in the sense of quality. Therefore, "There are, monks, other qualities of the Tathāgata"—thus the meaning should be understood here.