Dighanikaya 3.284

3.284

Idāni ayañca ambaṭṭho, ācariyo cassa mante nissāya atimānino. Tena tesaṃ mantanissitamānanimmadanatthaṃ uttari desanaṃ vaḍḍhento taṃ kiṃ maññasi, ambaṭṭha, idha rājātiādimāha. Tattha rathūpatthareti rathamhi rañño ṭhānatthaṃ attharitvā sajjitapadese. Uggehi vāti uggatuggatehi vā amaccehi. Rājaññehīti anabhisittakumārehi. Kiñcideva mantananti asukasmiṃ dese taḷākaṃ vā mātikaṃ vā kātuṃ vaṭṭati, asukasmiṃ gāmaṃ vā nigamaṃ vā nagaraṃ vā nivesetunti evarūpaṃ pākaṭamantanaṃ. Tadeva mantananti yaṃ raññā mantitaṃ tadeva. Tādisehiyeva sīsukkhepabhamukkhepādīhi ākārehi manteyya. Rājabhaṇitanti yathā raññā bhaṇitaṃ, tassatthassa sādhanasamatthaṃ. Sopi tassatthassa sādhanasamatthameva bhaṇitaṃ bhaṇatīti attho.

Now, both this Ambaṭṭha and his teacher were excessively proud because of the mantras. Therefore, in order to crush their pride based on the mantras, expanding the teaching further, he said, “What do you think about this, Ambaṭṭha? Here, a king...” and so on. There, “on the floor of a chariot” means in a place prepared by laying down [a rug or seat] for the king's position in a chariot. “Or with nobles” means with ministers of elevated and high rank. “With royal princes” means with princes who are not yet anointed. “Some counsel or other” means such public counsel as: ‘In such-and-such a region it is appropriate to construct a reservoir or a canal; in such-and-such a place it is appropriate to settle a village, a market town, or a city.’ “That very counsel” means that very counsel that was deliberated by the king. He would deliberate with such gestures as raising the head, raising the eyebrows, and so forth. “What was spoken by the king” means able to accomplish that purpose, just as spoken by the king. He too speaks words able to accomplish that purpose—this is the meaning.