Dighanikaya 2.164

2.164

Tattha abhijānāsi no tvanti abhijānāsi nu tvaṃ. Ayañca no-saddo parato pucchitāti padena yojetabbo. Idañhi vuttaṃ hoti – ‘‘mahārāja, tvaṃ imaṃ pañhaṃ aññe samaṇabrāhmaṇe pucchitā nu, abhijānāsi ca naṃ puṭṭhabhāvaṃ, na te sammuṭṭha’’nti. Sace te agarūti sace tuyhaṃ yathā te byākariṃsu, tathā idha bhāsituṃ bhāriyaṃ na hoti, yadi na koci aphāsukabhāvo atthi, bhāsassūti attho. Na kho me bhanteti kiṃ sandhāyāha? Paṇḍitapatirūpakānañhi santike kathetuṃ dukkhaṃ hoti, te pade pade akkhare akkhare dosameva vadanti. Ekantapaṇḍitā pana kathaṃ sutvā sukathitaṃ pasaṃsanti, dukkathitesu pāḷipadaatthabyañjanesu yaṃ yaṃ virujjhati, taṃ taṃ ujukaṃ katvā denti. Bhagavatā ca sadiso ekantapaṇḍito nāma natthi. Tenāha – ‘‘na kho me, bhante, garu; yatthassa bhagavā nisinno bhagavantarūpo vā’’ti.

Therein, 'do you remember?' (abhijānāsi no tvaṃ) means 'do you recall?' (abhijānāsi nu tvaṃ). And this word 'no' should be connected with the following word 'asked' (pucchitā). For this is what is said: 'Great king, have you ever asked this question to other ascetics and brahmins, and do you remember having asked it, or have you forgotten it?' 'If it is not troublesome for you': if it is not burdensome to speak here about how they answered, if there is no discomfort, then speak—this is the meaning. In 'It is not [troublesome] for me, venerable sir', why did he say this? For it is distressing to speak in the presence of those who merely simulate wisdom; they point out faults in every word and every syllable. Truly wise people, on the other hand, listen to an explanation and praise what is well-spoken, and regarding words of the text, meanings, or phrasing that are poorly expressed or contradictory, they correct and clarify them. And there is no one truly wise equal to the Blessed One. Therefore he said: 'It is not burdensome for me, venerable sir, wherever the Blessed One or one like the Blessed One is seated.'