[376] When this was said, Keṇiya the matted-hair ascetic (jaṭila) stretched out his right arm and said this to the brahmin Sela: "There, sir Sela, where that dark-green line of forest is."
Then the brahmin Sela, together with the three hundred young brahmins (māṇavaka), approached the Blessed One. Then the brahmin Sela addressed those young brahmins: "Come quietly, sirs, setting down one foot after the other; for those venerable ones are hard to approach, like lions that wander alone. And when I am conferring with the ascetic Gotama, sirs, do not break in upon my talk in mid-course; let the good sirs wait until my talk reaches its conclusion."
Then the brahmin Sela approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and when the courteous and amiable talk was concluded, he sat down at one side. Sitting at one side, the brahmin Sela searched the Blessed One's body for the thirty-two marks of a Great Man (mahāpurisalakkhaṇa). The brahmin Sela saw on the Blessed One's body the thirty-two marks of a Great Man for the most part, all except two; about two marks of the Great Man he was in doubt and uncertainty (kaṅkhati vicikicchati), he could not make up his mind and was not convinced: about the male organ enclosed in a sheath and about the largeness of the tongue.
Then it occurred to the Blessed One: "This brahmin Sela sees my thirty-two marks of a Great Man for the most part, all except two; about two marks of the Great Man he is in doubt and uncertainty, he cannot make up his mind and is not convinced: about the male organ enclosed in a sheath and about the largeness of the tongue." Then the Blessed One performed such a feat of psychic power (iddhābhisaṅkhāra) that the brahmin Sela saw the Blessed One's male organ enclosed in a sheath. Then the Blessed One, extending his tongue, touched and stroked both ear openings, touched and stroked both nostrils, and covered the whole circle of his forehead with his tongue.
Then it occurred to the brahmin Sela: "The ascetic Gotama is endowed with the thirty-two marks of a Great Man — complete, not incomplete. But I do not know whether he is a Buddha or not. Yet I have heard it said by aged, elderly brahmins, teachers and teachers of teachers: 'Those Blessed Ones who are Arahants, Fully Self-Enlightened Ones reveal themselves when their own praise is being spoken.' Suppose I were to extol the ascetic Gotama to his face in fitting verses."
Then the brahmin Sela extolled the Blessed One to his face in fitting verses:
"Perfect in body, resplendent,
well-born, lovely to behold,
golden-hued are you, Blessed One,
your canine teeth gleaming white, full of energy (viriyavā).
For whatever distinguishing features
there are of a man who is well-born,
all of them are on your body —
the marks of a Great Man.
Clear-eyed, fair of face,
tall, upright, majestic,
in the midst of the Saṅgha of ascetics
you shine like the sun.
A bhikkhu lovely to look upon,
with skin like burnished gold —
what is the ascetic's state to you,
endowed with such supreme beauty?
You are fit to be a king,
a wheel-turning monarch (cakkavattī), a bull among charioteers,
victorious over the four quarters,
lord of Jambusaṇḍa;
khattiyas and bhoja kings
follow in your train.
As king above kings, lord of humankind,
exercise rulership, O Gotama!"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.