Dighanikaya 9.409

9.409

Tattha saṇṭhapesīti sikkhāpesi, vajjamassā paṭicchādesi. Yathā susaṇṭhitā hoti, tathā naṃ ṭhapesi. Yathā nāma parisamajjhaṃ pavisanto puriso vajjapaṭicchādanatthaṃ nivāsanaṃ saṇṭhapeti, pārupanaṃ saṇṭhapeti, rajokiṇṇaṭṭhānaṃ puñchati; evamassā vajjapaṭicchādanatthaṃ – ‘‘appasaddā bhonto’’ti sikkhāpento yathā susaṇṭhitā hoti, tathā naṃ ṭhapesīti attho. Appasaddakāmoti appasaddaṃ icchati, eko nisīdati, eko tiṭṭhati, na gaṇasaṅgaṇikāya yāpeti. Upasaṅkamitabbaṃ maññeyyāti idhāgantabbaṃ maññeyya. Kasmā panesa bhagavato upasaṅkamanaṃ paccāsīsatīti? Attano vuddhiṃ patthayamāno. Paribbājakā kira buddhesu vā buddhasāvakesu vā attano santikaṃ āgatesu – ‘‘ajja amhākaṃ santikaṃ samaṇo gotamo āgato, sāriputto āgato, na kho pana te yassa vā tassa vā santikaṃ gacchanti, passatha amhākaṃ uttamabhāva’’nti attano upaṭṭhākānaṃ santike attānaṃ ukkhipanti, ucce ṭhāne ṭhapenti, bhagavatopi upaṭṭhāke gaṇhituṃ vāyamanti. Te kira bhagavato upaṭṭhāke disvā evaṃ vadanti – ‘‘tumhākaṃ satthā bhavaṃ gotamopi gotamasāvakāpi amhākaṃ santikaṃ āgacchanti, mayaṃ aññamaññaṃ samaggā. Tumhe pana amhe akkhīhipi passituṃ na icchatha, sāmīcikammaṃ na karotha, kiṃ vo amhehi aparaddha’’nti. Athekacce manussā – ‘‘buddhāpi etesaṃ santikaṃ gacchanti kiṃ amhāka’’nti tato paṭṭhāya te disvā nappamajjanti. Tuṇhī ahesunti poṭṭhapādaṃ parivāretvā nissaddā nisīdiṃsu.

Herein, "settled" means he instructed them, he concealed its fault. He arranged it so that it was well-settled. Just as a man entering the midst of an assembly arranges his undergarment to conceal his faults, arranges his upper robe, and wipes away any dusty spot; even so, to conceal its fault, instructing them, "Quiet, sirs!", he arranged it so that it was well-settled—this is the meaning. "Desiring quiet" means he wants quiet; he sits alone, he stands alone, he does not pass his time in social mingling. "Might deem it appropriate to approach" means he might deem it appropriate to come here. But why does he expect the Blessed One's approach? Desiring his own prosperity. For when Buddhas or disciples of the Buddhas come into their presence, the wanderers elevate themselves in the presence of their own attendants, putting themselves in a high position, saying: "Today the ascetic Gotama has come to our presence; Sāriputta has come! And they certainly do not go to just anyone. Behold our excellence!" And they also try to win over the Blessed One's attendants. For seeing the Blessed One's attendants, they say: "Your teacher, the venerable Gotama, and Gotama's disciples come to our presence; we are on good terms with one another. Yet you do not even wish to look upon us with your eyes, nor do you show proper respect; what offence have we committed against you?" Then some people think, "Even the Buddhas go to their presence, so what about us?" and from then on, seeing them, they are not negligent [toward them]. "They became silent" means they sat silently surrounding Poṭṭhapāda.