[377]
"I am a king, Sela," (said the Blessed One),
"the unsurpassed King of the Dhamma (dhammarājā):
by the Dhamma I set the wheel rolling —
a wheel that cannot be turned back."
"You claim to be a Fully Enlightened One (sambuddha)," (said Sela the brahmin),
"the unsurpassed King of the Dhamma;
'By the Dhamma I set the wheel rolling' —
so you say, Gotama.
Who then, sir, is your general (senāpati),
the disciple who follows in the Teacher's course?
Who keeps rolling after you
this Wheel of Dhamma (dhammacakka) that you have set rolling?"
"The wheel set rolling by me, Sela," (said the Blessed One),
"the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma —
Sāriputta keeps it rolling on,
born after the Tathāgata.
What should be directly known has been directly known,
what should be developed has been developed,
what should be abandoned has been abandoned by me:
therefore, brahmin, I am a Buddha.
Dispel your doubt (kaṅkhā) about me,
resolve your mind, brahmin:
hard to gain is the sight
of Fully Enlightened Ones time and again.
He whose appearing in the world
time and again is truly hard to come by —
I, brahmin, am that Fully Enlightened One,
the unsurpassed surgeon (sallakatta).
Become Brahmā (brahmabhūta), beyond compare,
the crusher of Māra's army,
having brought all foes under my sway,
I rejoice, with no fear from any quarter."
"Attend to this, sirs,
as the One with Vision speaks —
the surgeon, the great hero,
roaring like a lion in the forest.
Seeing him — become Brahmā, beyond compare,
the crusher of Māra's army —
who would not be inspired with confidence,
even one of dark birth (kaṇhābhijātika)?
Let him who wishes follow me,
and let him who wishes not, depart:
here I shall go forth
in the presence of the one of excellent wisdom."
"If the teaching of the Fully Self-Enlightened One
thus pleases you, sir,
we too shall go forth
in the presence of the one of excellent wisdom."
"These three hundred brahmins,
with hands joined in reverence, implore:
'We shall live the holy life (brahmacariya),
Blessed One, in your presence.'"
"Well proclaimed is the holy life, Sela," (said the Blessed One),
"to be seen for oneself, not delayed by time,
wherein the going forth (pabbajjā) is not in vain
for one who trains with heedfulness."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.