From MN 31:3.1 we know that this park was near Ñātika in the Vajjian country.

Ānanda was renowned as the most learned monk in the Sangha (AN 1.219).

Typically inclusive, Ānanda mentions the four assemblies of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.

There were two prominent Revatas in the early Sangha. There was Revata of the Acacia Wood, who was said to be the foremost of forest dwellers (AN 1.203, Thag 14.1, Thag 1.42). But this is probably Revata the Doubter, who was the most skilled in jhāna (AN 1.204, Thag 1.3). Early in his monastic life he struggled with doubt over small maters (Kd 6:16.1.1). He overcame this (Ud 5.7), but the name stuck.

Anuruddha is identified as foremost in clairvoyance at AN 1.192. | The verb voloketi (“surveys”) is an elevated usage, only used of Anuruddha’s ability (see AN 3.130:2.2) and when describing a Buddha “surveying” the world (MN 26:21.1).

This power is compared (in the Majjhima) with a man standing between two doors watching people come to and fro (MN 39:20.3, MN 77:35.2, MN 130:2.1), and (in the Dīgha) with someone in a longhouse watching people move about in the town square (DN 2:96.1, DN 10:2.33.1). The unique phrasing here evokes the Wheel that manifests to a Wheel-Turning Monarch as he stands upstairs in the royal longhouse, which is thousand-spoked and complete with rim (sahassāraṁ sanemikaṁ, MN 129:34.2, DN 26:4.9). The simile was evidently unclear to the ancients, as one Chinese parallel has instead “a thousand bricks” (presumably laid out to dry in the sun, MA 184 at T i 727b14). In the Pali tradition, nemimaṇḍala is the outer cladding of a wheel rim, often iron (see commentary to Ja 475). However, normally sutta similes draw directly from experience, and it is hard to imagine how one would survey a thousand wheel rims (unless perhaps a king overseeing chariot construction in his forecourt?) On the other hand, the Wheel is a solar symbol and nemimaṇḍala could easily refer to the orbits of the stars, which would explain “looking at the sky” of EA 37.3 ( at T ii 711a3). On balance, I think the simile refers to a star-gazing king.

Mahākassapa’s austere lifestyle was renowned (AN 1.191).

In the suttas, abhidhamma means “about the teaching”. Here the prefix abhi- conveys the same sense as the English “meta-”. | This is a surprising topic for Moggallāna, and all three Chinese parallels as well as Sanskrit fragments say Moggallāna praised psychic powers, in which he was the recognized expert (AN 1.190). It seems certain the Pali is corrupt here, and MA 185 more plausibly attributes discussion on the teaching to Mahākaccāna.

While one might expect Sāriputta to praise wisdom, all the parallels agree on this point. Indeed, Sāriputta also speaks in a similar way on mental mastery at SN 46.4.

The Buddha gives positive reinforcement, not only to the wholesome qualities of others, but to the fact that they appreciate their own good qualities. This is not conceit, but a form of rejoicing (muditā).

While the others spoke of results, the Buddha speaks of causes. Compare MN 123:22.1, where the Buddha similarly brings the conversation back to meditation practice.