The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [362]
9. “Did you say ‘Buddha,’ Keṇiya?”
“I said ‘Buddha,’ Sela.”
“Did you say ‘Buddha,’ Keṇiya?”
“I said ‘Buddha,’ Sela.”
10. Then it occurred to the brahmin Sela: “Even this sound ‘Buddha’ is hard to come across in this world. Now the thirty-two marks of a Great Man have been handed down in our hymns, and the Great Man who is endowed with them has only two possible destinies, no other. If he lives the home life he becomes a Wheel-turning Monarch, a righteous king who rules by the Dhamma, master of the four quarters, all-victorious, who has stabilised his country and possesses the seven treasures. He has these seven treasures: the wheel-treasure, the elephant-treasure, the horse-treasure, the jewel-treasure, the woman-treasure, the steward-treasure, and the counsellor-treasure as the seventh. His children, who exceed a thousand, are brave and heroic and crush the armies of others; over this earth bounded by the ocean he rules without a rod, without a weapon, by means of the Dhamma. But if he goes forth from the home life into homelessness, he becomes an Accomplished One, a Fully Enlightened One, who draws aside the veil in the world.”
11. [He said]: “My good Keṇiya, where is Master Gotama, the Accomplished One, the Fully Enlightened One, now living?”
When this was said, the matted-hair ascetic Keṇiya extended his right arm and said: [107] “There, where that green line of the grove is, Master Sela.”
12. Then the brahmin Sela went with the three hundred brahmin students to the Blessed One. He addressed the brahmin students: “Come quietly, sirs, tread carefully; for these Blessed Ones are difficult to approach like lions that wander alone. When I am speaking with the recluse Gotama, do not break in and interrupt me, but wait until our talk is finished.”
13. Then the brahmin Sela went to the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When this courteous and amiable talk was finished, he sat down at one side and looked for the thirty-two marks of a Great Man on the Blessed One’s body. He saw, more or less, the thirty-two marks of a Great Man on the Blessed One’s body, except two; he was doubtful and uncertain about two of the marks, and he could not decide and make up his mind about them: about the male organ being enclosed in a sheath and about the largeness of the tongue.
Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “This brahmin Sela sees the thirty-two marks of a Great Man on me, except two; he is doubtful and uncertain about two of the marks, and he cannot decide and make up his mind about them: about the male organ being enclosed in a sheath and about the largeness of the tongue.”
14. Then the Blessed One worked such a feat of supernormal power that the brahmin Sela saw that the Blessed One’s male organ was enclosed in a sheath. [108] Next the Blessed One extruded his tongue, and he repeatedly touched both ear holes and both nostrils, and he covered the whole of his forehead with his tongue.
15. Then the brahmin Sela thought: “The recluse Gotama is endowed with the thirty-two marks of a Great Man; they are complete, not incomplete. But I do not know whether he is a Buddha or not. However, I have heard from elder aged brahmins who speak according to the lineage of teachers that those who are the Accomplished Ones, Fully Enlightened Ones, reveal themselves as such when their praise is spoken. Suppose I extol the recluse Gotama to his face with fitting stanzas.”
Then he extolled the Blessed One to his face with fitting stanzas:
16. Sela
“O perfect in body, well favoured,
Well fashioned and lovely to behold;
O Blessed One, golden is your colour,
And white your teeth; you are strong.
The features are seen one and all
That distinguish a man as well born;
They are all to be found on your body,
These marks that reveal a Great Man.
With eyes clear, with countenance bright,
Majestic, erect as a flame,
In the midst of this body of recluses
You shine like the blazing sun.
A bhikkhu so lovely to look on
With skin of so golden a sheen—