Dighanikaya 2.163

2.163

Evaṃ bhagavatā sabbaññupavāraṇāya pavāritāya attamano rājā pañhaṃ pucchanto – ‘‘yathā nu kho imāni, bhante’’tiādimāha. Tattha sippameva sippāyatanaṃ. Puthusippāyatanānīti bahūni sippāni. Seyyathidanti katame pana te. Hatthārohātiādīhi ye taṃ taṃ sippaṃ nissāya jīvanti, te dasseti. Ayañhi assādhippāyo – ‘‘yathā imesaṃ sippūpajīvīnaṃ taṃ taṃ sippaṃ nissāya sandiṭṭhikaṃ sippaphalaṃ paññāyati. Sakkā nu kho evaṃ sandiṭṭhikaṃ sāmaññaphalaṃ paññāpetu’’nti. Tasmā sippāyatanāni āharitvā sippūpajīvino dasseti.

When the invitation of omniscience was thus made by the Blessed One, the delighted king, asking his question, spoke the words beginning with: “Just as, venerable sir, these…”. In that passage, a craft itself is a “craft-base”. “Diverse craft-bases” means many crafts. “Such as” means: which are they? By “elephant-riders” and so forth, he shows those who make a living based on this or that craft. For this is his intention: “Just as for those who live by a craft, a visible fruit of the craft is evident based on this or that craft, is it possible likewise to make known a visible fruit of ascetism?” Therefore, introducing craft-bases, he shows those who live by crafts.