Dighanikaya 2.157

2.157

Atha kho rājāti rājā kira tesaṃ vacanaṃ sutvā cintesi – ‘‘ahaṃ yassa yassa vacanaṃ na sotukāmo, so so eva kathesi. Yassa panamhi vacanaṃ sotukāmo, esa nāgavasaṃ pivitvā ṭhito supaṇṇo viya tuṇhībhūto, anattho vata me’’ti. Athassa etadahosi – ‘‘jīvako upasantassa buddhassa bhagavato upaṭṭhāko, sayampi upasanto, tasmā vattasampanno bhikkhu viya tuṇhībhūtova nisinno, na esa mayi akathente kathessati, hatthimhi kho pana maddante hatthisseva pādo gahetabbo’’ti tena saddhiṃ sayaṃ mantetumāraddho. Tena vuttaṃ – ‘‘atha kho rājā’’ti. Tattha kiṃ tuṇhīti kena kāraṇena tuṇhī. Imesaṃ amaccānaṃ attano attano kulūpakasamaṇassa vaṇṇaṃ kathentānaṃ mukhaṃ nappahoti. Kiṃ yathā etesaṃ, evaṃ tava kulūpakasamaṇo natthi, kiṃ tvaṃ daliddo, na te mama pitarā issariyaṃ dinnaṃ, udāhu assaddhoti pucchati.

'Then indeed the king': hearing their words, the king, it is said, thought: 'Whoever's words I do not wish to hear, he is the very one who spoke. But he whose words I do wish to hear has become silent like a garuḍa that has drunk elephant-fluid; surely this is a misfortune for me.' Then it occurred to him: 'Jīvaka is an attendant of the tranquil Buddha, the Blessed One; he is tranquil himself, therefore he sits in silence just like a bhikkhu endowed with the duties; he will not speak unless I speak. But when an elephant is trampling, it is the elephant's foot that must be seized.' Thus he began to converse with him himself. Therefore it is said: 'Then indeed the king.' Therein, 'Why [are you] silent?' means: For what reason are you silent? While these ministers are praising their respective family-supported ascetics, their mouths do not suffice [to contain their speech]. 'Do you not have a family-supported ascetic as they do? Are you poor? Was sovereignty not given to you by my father? Or are you lacking in faith?'—thus he asks.