The Discourse about the Great Emancipation

The Third Chapter for Recitation
conversing, and before entering upon discussion, whatever their
appearance was, my appearance would become, 88 whatever their
voice was, my voice would become, 89 and I instructed, roused,
enthused, and cheered them with a talk about the Teaching, and
while I was speaking they did not know me (and would ask): ‘Who
is this speaking, a Divinity or a man?’ and having instructed,
roused, enthused, and cheered them with a talk about the Teaching,
I disappeared. And when I had disappeared they did not know me
(and would ask): ‘Who is this who disappeared, a Divinity or a
man?’
2) I know, Ānanda, that after approaching countless hundreds of
assemblies of brahmins, that there, before settling down, before
conversing, and before entering upon discussion, whatever their
appearance was, my appearance would become, whatever their
voice was, my voice would become, and I instructed, roused,
enthused, and cheered them with a talk about the Teaching, and
while I was speaking they did not know me (and would ask): ‘Who
is this speaking, a Divinity or a man?’ and having instructed,
88 Comm: na pana Bhagavā milakkhusadiso hoti nāpi āmuttamaṇikuṇḍalo,
Buddhaveseneva nisīdati, te pana attano samānasaṇṭhānam-eva passanti; it
is not that the Gracious One (looks) like a barbarian, or is adorned with
jewelled earirngs, he is surely sitting in the Buddha's clothes, but they see
him having the same features as themselves.
89 Comm: idaṁ…bhāsantaraṁ sandhāya kathitaṁ; this is said in regard to the
different languages (he is able to speak).
85