Western scholars: Did the Buddha not speak the Digha Nikaya? Recently, Bhikkhu Sujato wrote:

It is no coincidence that these elaborate texts are often addressed to
the brahmins, who were the self-proclaimed spiritual leaders of the
time. The brahmins were the custodians of the most sophisticated texts
in ancient India up to this time, the Vedic literature. It seems that
one aim of the Dīgha was to impress such learned men.
The Long Discourses: Dhamma as literature and compilation

There also this introduction on Access to Insight (which cites Bhikkhu Bodhi and Joy Manné):

The &quot;Long&quot; Discourses (Pali digha = &quot;long&quot;) consists of 34 suttas,
including the longest ones in the Canon. The subject matter of these
suttas ranges widely, from colorful folkloric accounts of the beings
inhabiting the deva worlds (DN 20) to down-to-earth practical
meditation instructions (DN 22), and everything in between. Recent
scholarship suggests that a distinguishing trait of the Digha Nikaya
may be that it was &quot;intended for the purpose of propaganda, to attract
converts to the new religion.&quot;1

Bhikkhu Bodhi, Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Somerville, Mass.: Wisdom Publications, 2000), p.31, referring to Joy Manné's
&quot;Categories of Sutta in the Pali Nikayas and Their Implications for
Our Appreciation of the Buddhist Teaching and Literature,&quot; Journal of
the Pali Text Society 15 (1990): 29-87.

Sutta Pitaka
The Basket of Suttas

Is there evidence (such as contradictions with other suttas) suggesting the Buddha did not speak the Digha Nikaya?
In there any evidence in the suttas where the Buddha said he would teach a different modified Dhamma (&quot;propaganda&quot;) merely for the purpose of converting Brahmins &amp; other outsiders?
Is there any evidence in the suttas showing the Buddha was &quot;flexible&quot; in his teaching of Dhamma? Or do the suttas show the Buddha wished his teachings to remain consistent &amp; clearly representative of what he taught?
Is there evidence (such as contradictions with other suttas)
suggesting the Buddha did not speak the Digha Nikaya?


The four primary Theravadin Nikayas, namely Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya, and Anguttara Nikaya contained no contradiction with each other.

You may also wish to scrutinize the Buddhist Councils "convention" and their outcomes to ascertain the level of "authenticity"/preservation of the Buddha's teachings.

In there any evidence in the suttas where the Buddha said he would 
teach a different modified Dhamma ("propaganda") merely for the 
purpose of converting Brahmins &amp; other outsiders?


In the suttas, the Buddha pretty much taught the same thing to everyone. There was no "special" teachings for select groups of disciples or audiences.

Is there any evidence in the suttas showing the Buddha was "flexible"
in his teaching of Dhamma? Or do the suttas show the Buddha wished 
his teachings to remain consistent &amp; clearly representative of what 
he taught?


The Buddha had over 40 years to teach. So, he did teach the same thing in many ways depending on the intellectual level of his listeners. And he had 40 years to admonish/correct disciples who developed wrong views of his teachings.