Dighanikaya 31.243

31.243

Puthudisāti bahudisā. Idāni tā dassento puratthimaṃ disantiādimāha. Pāvisīti na tāva paviṭṭho, pavisissāmīti nikkhantattā pana antarāmagge vattamānopi evaṃ vuccati. Addasā kho bhagavāti na idāneva addasa, paccūsasamayepi buddhacakkhunā lokaṃ volokento etaṃ disā namassamānaṃ disvā ‘‘ajja ahaṃ siṅgālassa gahapatiputtassa gihivinayaṃ siṅgālasuttantaṃ kathessāmi, mahājanassa sā kathā saphalā bhavissati, gantabbaṃ mayā etthā’’ti. Tasmā pātova nikkhamitvā rājagahaṃ piṇḍāya pāvisi, pavisanto ca naṃ tatheva addasa. Tena vuttaṃ – ‘‘addasā kho bhagavā’’ti. Etadavocāti so kira avidūre ṭhitampi satthāraṃ na passati, disāyeva namassati. Athaṃ naṃ bhagavā sūriyarasmisamphassena vikasamānaṃ mahāpadumaṃ viya mukhaṃ vivaritvā ‘‘kiṃ nu kho tvaṃ, gahapatiputtā’’tiādikaṃ etadavoca.

"The various directions" means the many directions. Now, showing them, he said: "the eastern direction," and so forth. "He entered": he had not yet entered, but because he set out with the intention, "I will enter," he is spoken of in this way even while proceeding on the road midway. "The Blessed One saw": he did not see him only just then; rather, in the early morning at dawn too, while surveying the world with the Buddha-eye, having seen him worshipping the directions, [the Blessed One thought:] "Today I will speak to Siṅgāla, the householder's son, the Siṅgāla Suttanta, the layman's discipline; that talk will be fruitful for the great multitude; I must go there." Therefore, having set out early in the morning, he entered Rājagaha for alms, and while entering, he saw him in that very way. Hence it is said: "The Blessed One saw." "He said this": he, it is said, did not see the Teacher even though he was standing nearby; he only worshipped the directions. Then the Blessed One, opening his mouth like a great lotus blooming at the touch of the sun's rays, said this: "Why now, householder's son?" and so forth.