Dighanikaya 16.172

16.172

Tattha anekasataṃ khattiyaparisanti bimbisārasamāgamañātisamāgalicchavīsamāgamādisadisaṃ, sā pana aññesu cakkavāḷesupi labbhateyeva. Sallapitapubbanti ālāpasallāpo katapubbo. Sākacchāti dhammasākacchāpi samāpajjitapubbā. Yādisako tesaṃ vaṇṇoti te odātāpi honti kāḷāpi maṅguracchavīpi, satthā suvaṇṇavaṇṇova. Idaṃ pana saṇṭhānaṃ paṭicca kathitaṃ. Saṇṭhānampi ca kevalaṃ tesaṃ paññāyatiyeva, na pana bhagavā milakkhusadiso hoti, nāpi āmuttamaṇikuṇḍalo, buddhaveseneva nisīdati. Te pana attano samānasaṇṭhānameva passanti. Yādisako tesaṃ saroti te chinnassarāpi honti gaggarassarāpi kākassarāpi, satthā brahmassarova. Idaṃ pana bhāsantaraṃ sandhāya kathitaṃ. Sacepi hi satthā rājāsane nisinno katheti, ‘‘ajja rājā madhurena sarena kathetī’’ti tesaṃ hoti. Kathetvā pakkante pana bhagavati puna rājānaṃ āgataṃ disvā – ‘‘ko nu kho aya’’nti vīmaṃsā uppajjati. Tattha ko nu kho ayanti imasmiṃ ṭhāne idāneva māgadhabhāsāya sīhaḷabhāsāya madhurenākārena kathento ko nu kho ayaṃ antarahito, kiṃ devo, udāhu manussoti evaṃ vīmaṃsantāpi na jānantīti attho. Kimatthaṃ panevaṃ ajānantānaṃ dhammaṃ desetīti? Vāsanatthāya. Evaṃ sutopi hi dhammo anāgate paccayo hoti yevāti anāgataṃ paṭicca deseti. Anekasataṃ brāhmaṇaparisantiādīnampi soṇadaṇḍakūṭadaṇḍasamāgamādivasena ceva aññacakkavāḷavasena ca sambhavo veditabbo.

There, "an assembly of many hundreds of nobles" is similar to the gathering of Bimbisāra, the gathering of relatives, the gathering of the Licchavis, and so forth; moreover, it is found in other world systems as well. "Spoken with previously" means conversation had been engaged in previously. "Discussion" means discussion of the Dhamma had also been entered into previously. "Whatever their appearance was" means: they are fair, or dark, or yellowish-skinned; the Teacher is only golden-colored. But this is said in reference to shape. And merely their shape was perceived; the Blessed One did not become like a barbarian, nor one adorned with gem-earrings; he sat only in the guise of a Buddha. But they saw only a shape identical to their own. "Whatever their voice was" means: they have broken voices, or hoarse voices, or crow-like voices; the Teacher has only a Brahmā-like voice. But this was said referring to the difference in language. For even if the Teacher spoke sitting on the royal throne, they thought: 'Today the king speaks with a sweet voice.' But when the Blessed One had spoken and departed, seeing the king come again, the questioning arose: 'Who was this?' Here, 'who was this' has this meaning: even while inquiring, 'Who was this who has disappeared, speaking in this place just now in the Māgadha language or the Sinhala language in a sweet manner—is he a deva, or a human being?' they did not know. But for what purpose does he teach the Dhamma to those who do not know in this way? For the sake of impressions. For even Dhamma heard in this way surely becomes a condition in the future; thus he teaches in view of the future. The occurrence of "an assembly of many hundreds of brahmins" and so forth should also be understood by way of the gatherings of Soṇadaṇḍa, Kūṭadanta, and so forth, as well as by way of other world systems.