[546] **"These approached the Buddha" — "these"** means the brahmins.
**"The Buddha"** means: the Blessed One, the Self-Arisen (sayambhū), without a teacher, who by himself fully awakened to the truths among dhammas unheard of before, and who therein attained omniscience and attained mastery over the powers.
"Buddha" — in what sense is he Buddha? He is Buddha as the awakener to the truths. He is Buddha as the awakener of the generation of beings. He is Buddha through omniscience. He is Buddha through all-seeing. He is Buddha through [knowing] what is to be directly known. He is Buddha through having blossomed forth. He is Buddha as one reckoned to have destroyed the taints (āsava). He is Buddha as one reckoned to be without mental defilements. He is Buddha in that he is entirely devoid of lust (rāga). He is Buddha in that he is entirely devoid of hatred. He is Buddha in that he is entirely devoid of delusion. He is Buddha in that he is entirely without defilements. He is Buddha in that he has gone by the one-way path. He is Buddha in that he alone fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect awakening. He is Buddha because of the destruction of non-understanding and the obtainment of understanding.
"Buddha" — this name was not made by a mother, not made by a father, not made by a brother, not made by a sister, not made by friends and companions, not made by kinsmen and blood relations, not made by ascetics and brahmins, not made by deities. This name pertains to the culmination of liberation; this designation "Buddha" is a designation (paññatti) grounded in realization, [arising] for the Blessed Buddhas at the foot of the Bodhi tree together with the obtainment of the knowledge (ñāṇa) of omniscience — hence "the Buddha."
**"These approached the Buddha"** means: these came to the Buddha, approached him, attended upon him, questioned him, and interrogated him — hence, "these approached the Buddha."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.