| (english translations from John Kelly and Rhys Davids) |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
1 |
Book 1: |
Ārambhakathā |
The Secular Narrative |
| Chapter 1 | |
| 1. Description of Sāgala | |
Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa. |
Reverence Be To the Blessed One, the Arahat, the Sammā-Sambuddha. |
Milindo nāma so rājā, |
King Milinda, |
sāgalāyaṁ puruttame; |
at Sāgala the famous town of yore, |
Upagañchi nāgasenaṁ, |
To Nāgasena, |
gaṅgā ca yathā sāgaraṁ. |
the world famous sage, repaired. |
Āsajja rājā citrakathiṁ, |
(So the deep Ganges to the deeper ocean flows.) |
ukkādhāraṁ tamonudaṁ; |
To him, the eloquent, the bearer of the torch |
Apucchi nipuṇe pañhe, |
Of Truth, dispeller of the darkness of men’s minds, |
ṭhānāṭṭhānagate puthū. |
Subtle and knotty questions did he put, many, |
Pucchā visajjanā ceva, |
Turning on many points. |
gambhīratthūpanissitā; |
Then were solutions given |
Hadayaṅgamā kaṇṇasukhā, |
Profound in meaning, gaining access to the heart, |
abbhutā lomahaṁsanā. |
Sweet to the ear, and passing wonderful and strange. |
Abhidhammavinayogāḷhā, |
For Nāgasena’s talk plunged to the hidden depths |
suttajālasamattitā; |
Of Vinaya and of Abhidhamma (Law and Thought) |
Nāgasenakathā citrā, |
Unravelling all the meshes of the Suttas’ net, |
opammehi nayehi ca. |
Glittering the while with metaphors and reasoning high. |
Tattha ñāṇaṁ paṇidhāya, |
Come then! |
hāsayitvāna mānasaṁ; |
Apply your minds, and let your hearts rejoice, |
Suṇātha nipuṇe pañhe, |
And hearken to these subtle questionings, all grounds |
kaṅkhāṭṭhānavidālaneti. |
Of doubt well fitted to resolve. |
Taṁ yathānusūyate—atthi yonakānaṁ nānāpuṭabhedanaṁ sāgalaṁ nāma nagaraṁ nadīpabbatasobhitaṁ ramaṇīyabhūmippadesabhāgaṁ ārāmuyyānopavanataḷākapokkharaṇisampannaṁ nadīpabbatavanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ sutavantanimmitaṁ nihatapaccatthikaṁ paccāmittānupapīḷitaṁ vividhavicitradaḷhamaṭṭālakoṭṭhakaṁ varapavaragopuratoraṇaṁ gambhīraparikhāpaṇḍarapākāraparikkhittantepuraṁ. |
Thus hath it been handed down by tradition—There is in the country of the Yonakas a great centre of trade, a city that is called Sāgala, situate in a delightful country well watered and hilly, abounding in parks and gardens and groves and lakes and tanks, a paradise of rivers and mountains and woods. |
Suvibhattavīthicaccaracatukkasiṅghāṭakaṁ suppasāritānekavidhavarabhaṇḍaparipūritantarāpaṇaṁ vividhadānaggasatasamupasobhitaṁ himagirisikharasaṅkāsavarabhavanasatasahassappaṭimaṇḍitaṁ gajahayarathapattisamākulaṁ abhirūpanaranārigaṇānucaritaṁ ākiṇṇajanamanussaṁ puthukhattiyabrāhmaṇavessasuddaṁ vividhasamaṇabrāhmaṇasabhājanasaṅghaṭitaṁ bahuvidhavijjāvanta naraciranisevitaṁ kāsikakoṭumbarikādinānāvidhavatthāpaṇasampannaṁ suppasāritarucirabahuvidhapupphagandhāpaṇaṁ gandhagandhitaṁ āsīsanīyabahuratanaparipūritaṁ disāmukhasuppasāritāpaṇaṁ siṅgāravāṇijagaṇānucaritaṁ kahāpaṇarajatasuvaṇṇakaṁsapattharaparipūraṁ pajjotamānanidhiniketaṁ pahūtadhanadhaññavittūpakaraṇaṁ paripuṇṇakosakoṭṭhāgāraṁ bahvannapānaṁ bahuvidhakhajjabhojjaleyyapeyyasāyanīyaṁ uttarakurusaṅkāsaṁ sampannasassaṁ āḷakamandā viya devapuraṁ. |
Wise architects have laid it out, and its people know of no oppression, since all their enemies and adversaries have been put down. |
| Brave is its defence, with many and various strong towers and ramparts, with superb gates and entrance archways; | |
| and with the royal citadel in its midst, white walled and deeply moated. | |
Ettha ṭhatvā tesaṁ pubbakammaṁ kathetabbaṁ, kathentena ca chadhā vibhajitvā kathetabbaṁ. |
Well laid out are its streets, squares, cross roads, and market places. |
Seyyathidaṁ—pubbayogo milindapañhaṁ lakkhaṇapañhaṁ meṇḍakapañhaṁ anumānapañhaṁ opammakathāpañhanti. |
Well displayed are the innumerable sorts of costly merchandise with which its shops are filled. |
| It is richly adorned with hundreds of alms-halls of various kinds; | |
| and splendid with hundreds of thousands of magnificent mansions, which rise aloft like the mountain peaks of the Himalayas. | |
Tattha milindapañho lakkhaṇapañho, vimaticchedanapañhoti duvidho. |
Its streets are filled with elephants, horses, carriages, and foot-passengers, frequented by groups of handsome men and beautiful women, and crowded by men of all sorts and conditions, Brahmans, nobles, artificers, and servants. |
Meṇḍakapañhopi mahāvaggo, yogikathāpañhoti duvidho. |
They resound with cries of welcome to the teachers of every creed, and the city is the resort of the leading men of each of the differing sects. |
| Shops are there for the sale of Benares muslin, of Koṭumbara stuffs, and of other cloths of various kinds; | |
| and sweet odours are exhaled from the bazaars, where all sorts of flowers and perfumes are tastefully set out. | |
| jewels are there in plenty, such as men’s hearts desire, and guilds of traders in all sorts of finery display their goods in the bazaars that face all quarters of the sky. | |
| So full is the city of money, and of gold and silver ware, of copper and stone ware, that it is a very mine of dazzling treasures. | |
| And there is laid up there much store of property and corn and things of value in warehouses-foods and drinks of every sort, syrups and sweetmeats of every kind. | |
| In wealth it rivals Uttara-kuru, and in glory it is as Āḷakamandā, the city of the gods. | |
| Having said thus much we must now relate the previous birth history of these two persons (Milinda and Nāgasena) and the various sorts of puzzles. | |
| This we shall do under six heads: | |
| — | |
| Their previous history (Pubba-yoga). | |
| The Milinda problems. | |
| Questions as to distinguishing characteristics. | |
| Puzzles arising out of contradictory statements. | |
| Puzzles arising out of ambiguity. | |
| Discussions turning on metaphor. | |
| And of these the Milinda problems are in two divisions-questions as to distinctive characteristics, and questions aiming at the dispelling of doubt; | |
| and the puzzles arising out of contradictory statements are in two divisions—the long chapter, and the problems in the life of the recluse. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Bāhirakathā |
Book 1: |
1. Pubbayogādi |
The Secular Narrative |
Pubbayogoti tesaṁ pubbakammaṁ. |
Chapter 2 |
Atīte kira kassapassa bhagavato sāsane vattamāne gaṅgāya samīpe ekasmiṁ āvāse mahābhikkhusaṅgho paṭivasati, tattha vattasīlasampannā bhikkhū pātova uṭṭhāya yaṭṭhisammajjaniyo ādāya buddhaguṇe āvajjentā aṅgaṇaṁ sammajjitvā kacavarabyūhaṁ karonti. |
2. Their Previous History |
Atheko bhikkhu ekaṁ sāmaṇeraṁ “ehi, sāmaṇera, imaṁ kacavaraṁ chaḍḍehī”ti—āha, so asuṇanto viya gacchati, so dutiyampi … tatiyampi āmantiyamāno asuṇanto viya gacchateva. |
Previous births of Milinda and Nāgasena |
Tato so bhikkhu “dubbaco vatāyaṁ sāmaṇero”ti kuddho sammajjanidaṇḍena pahāraṁ adāsi. |
By pubba-yoga is meant their past Karma (their doings in this or previous lives). |
Tato so rodanto bhayena kacavaraṁ chaḍḍento “iminā kacavarachaḍḍanapuññakammena yāvāhaṁ nibbānaṁ pāpuṇāmi, etthantare nibbattanibbattaṭṭhāne majjhanhikasūriyo viya mahesakkho mahātejo bhaveyyan”ti—paṭhamaṁ patthanaṁ paṭṭhapesi. |
Long ago, they say, when Kassapa the Buddha was promulgating the faith, there dwelt in one community near the Ganges a great company of members of the Order. |
Kacavaraṁ chaḍḍetvā nahānatthāya gaṅgātitthaṁ gato gaṅgāya ūmivegaṁ gaggarāyamānaṁ disvā “yāvāhaṁ nibbānaṁ pāpuṇāmi, etthantare nibbattanibbattaṭṭhāne ayaṁ ūmivego viya ṭhānuppattikapaṭibhāno bhaveyyaṁ akkhayapaṭibhāno”ti—dutiyampi patthanaṁ paṭṭhapesi. |
There the brethren, true to established rules and duties, rose early in the morning, and taking the long-handled brooms, would sweep out the courtyard and collect the rubbish into a heap, meditating the while on the virtues of the Buddha. |
Sopi bhikkhu sammajjanisālāya sammajjaniṁ ṭhapetvā nahānatthāya gaṅgātitthaṁ gacchanto sāmaṇerassa patthanaṁ sutvā “esa mayā payojitopi tāva evaṁ pattheti, mayhaṁ kiṁ na samijjhissatī”ti—cintetvā “yāvāhaṁ nibbānaṁ pāpuṇāmi, etthantare nibbattanibbattaṭṭhāne ayaṁ gaṅgāūmivego viya akkhayapaṭibhāno bhaveyyaṁ, iminā pucchitapucchitaṁ sabbaṁ pañhapaṭibhānaṁ vijaṭetuṁ nibbeṭhetuṁ samattho bhaveyyan”ti—patthanaṁ paṭṭhapesi. |
One day a brother told a novice to remove the heap of dust. |
| But he, as if he heard not, went about his business; | |
| and on being called a second time, and a third, still went his way as if he had not heard. | |
Te ubhopi devesu ca manussesu ca saṁsarantā ekaṁ buddhantaraṁ khepesuṁ. |
Then the brother, angry with so intractable a novice, dealt him a blow with the broom stick. |
Atha amhākaṁ bhagavatāpi yathā moggaliputtatissatthero dissati, evametepi dissanti mama parinibbānato pañcavassasate atikkante ete uppajjissanti, yaṁ mayā sukhumaṁ katvā desitaṁ dhammavinayaṁ, taṁ ete pañhapucchanaopammayuttivasena nijjaṭaṁ niggumbaṁ katvā vibhajissantīti niddiṭṭhā. |
This time, not daring to refuse, he set about the task crying; |
| and as he did so he muttered to himself this first aspiration: | |
| ‘May I, by reason of this meritorious act of throwing out the rubbish, in each successive condition in which I may be born up to the time when I attain Nirvāṇa, be powerful and glorious as the midday sun!’ | |
Tesu sāmaṇero jambudīpe sāgalanagare milindo nāma rājā ahosi. |
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Paṇḍito byatto medhāvī paṭibalo atītānāgatapaccuppannānaṁ mantayogavidhānakiriyānaṁ, karaṇakāle nisammakārī hoti, bahūni cassa satthāni uggahitāni honti. |
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Seyyathidaṁ—suti sammuti saṅkhyā yogā nīti visesikā gaṇikā gandhabbā tikicchā catubbedā purāṇā itihāsā jotisā māyā ketu mantanā yuddhā chandasā buddhavacanena ekūnavīsati, vitaṇḍavādī durāsado duppasaho puthutitthakarānaṁ aggamakkhāyati, sakalajambudīpe milindena raññā samo koci nāhosi yadidaṁ thāmena javena sūrena paññāya, aḍḍho mahaddhano mahābhogo anantabalavāhano. |
When he had finished his work he went to the river side to bathe, and on beholding the mighty billows of the Ganges seething and surging, he uttered this second aspiration: |
| ‘May I, in each successive condition in which I may be born till I attain Nirvāṇa, possess the power of saying the right thing, and saying it instantly, under any circumstance that may arise, carrying all before me like this mighty surge!’ | |
Athekadivasaṁ milindo rājā anantabalavāhanaṁ caturaṅginiṁ balaggasenābyūhaṁ dassanakamyatāya nagarā nikkhamitvā bahinagare senaṅgadassanaṁ katvā sāretvā so rājā bhassappavādako lokāyatavitaṇḍajanasallāpaplavacittakotūhalo visārado vijambhako sūriyaṁ oloketvā amacce āmantesi—“bahu bhaṇe tāva divasāvaseso kiṁ karissāma, idāneva nagaraṁ pavisitvā atthi koci paṇḍito samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā saṅghī gaṇī gaṇācariyo api arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ paṭijānamāno, yo mayā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ sakkoti kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetuṁ, taṁ upasaṅkamitvā pañhaṁ pucchissāma, kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinayissāmā”ti. |
|
| Now that brother, after he had put the broom away in the broom closet, had likewise wandered down to the river side to bathe, and as he walked he happened to overhear what the novice had said. | |
| Then thinking: | |
Evaṁ vutte, pañcasatā yonakā rājānaṁ milindaṁ etadavocuṁ—“atthi, mahārāja, cha satthāro pūraṇo kassapo makkhaligosālo nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto sañjayo belaṭṭhaputto ajito kesakambalo pakudho kaccāyano, te saṅghino gaṇino gaṇācariyakā ñātā yasassino titthakarā sādhusammatā bahujanassa, gaccha tvaṁ, mahārāja, te pañhaṁ pucchassu, kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinayassū”ti. |
‘If this fellow, on the ground of such an act of merit, which after all was instigated by me, can harbour hopes like this, what may not I attain to?’ |
| he too made his wish, and it was thus: | |
| ‘In each successive condition in which I may be born till I attain Nirvāṇa, may I too be ready in saying the right thing at once, and more especially may 1 have the power of unravelling and of solving each problem and each puzzling question this young man may put-carrying all before me like this mighty surge!’ | |
Atha kho milindo rājā pañcahi yonakasatehi parivuto bhadravāhanaṁ rathavaramāruyha yena pūraṇo kassapo tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā pūraṇena kassapena saddhiṁ sammodi, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, ekamantaṁ nisinno kho milindo rājā pūraṇaṁ kassapaṁ etadavoca—“ko, bhante kassapa, lokaṁ pāletī”ti? |
|
“Pathavī, mahārāja, lokaṁ pāletī”ti. |
|
“Yadi, bhante kassapa, pathavī lokaṁ pāleti, atha kasmā avīcinirayaṁ gacchantā sattā pathaviṁ atikkamitvā gacchantī”ti? |
Then for the whole period between one Buddha and the next these two people wandered from existence to existence among gods and men. |
Evaṁ vutte, pūraṇo kassapo neva sakkhi ogilituṁ, no sakkhi uggilituṁ, adhomukho pattakkhandho tuṇhībhūto pajjhāyanto nisīdi. |
And these two also were forseen by our Buddha, just as he foresaw Tissa the Elder, the son of the Moggalī, so to them also did he foretell their future fate, saying: |
| ‘Five hundred years after I have passed away will these two reappear, and the subtle Law and Doctrine taught by me will they two explain, unravelling and disentangling its difficulties by questions put and metaphors adduced.’ | |
Atha kho milindo rājā makkhaliṁ gosālaṁ etadavoca—“atthi, bhante gosāla, kusalākusalāni kammāni, atthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko”ti? |
|
“Natthi, mahārāja, kusalākusalāni kammāni, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko. |
Milinda’s greatness and wisdom and love of disputation |
Ye te, mahārāja, idha loke khattiyā, te paralokaṁ gantvāpi puna khattiyāva bhavissanti, ye te brāhmaṇā vessā suddā caṇḍālā pukkusā, te paralokaṁ gantvāpi puna brāhmaṇā vessā suddā caṇḍālā pukkusāva bhavissanti. |
Of the two the novice became the king of the city of Sāgala in India, Milinda by name, learned, eloquent, wise, and able; |
Kiṁ kusalākusalehi kammehī”ti? |
and a faithful observer, and that at the right time, of all the various acts of devotion and ceremony enjoined by his own sacred hymns concerning things past, present, and to come. |
“Yadi, bhante gosāla, idha loke khattiyā brāhmaṇā vessā suddā caṇḍālā pukkusā, te paralokaṁ gantvāpi puna khattiyā brāhmaṇā vessā suddā caṇḍālā pukkusāva bhavissanti, natthi kusalākusalehi kammehi karaṇīyaṁ. |
Many were the arts and sciences he knew—holy tradition and secular law; |
Tena hi, bhante gosāla, ye te idha loke hatthacchinnā, te paralokaṁ gantvāpi puna hatthacchinnāva bhavissanti. |
the Sāṅkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, and Vaiśeshika systems of philosophy; |
Ye pādacchinnā, te pādacchinnāva bhavissanti. |
arithmetic; |
Ye hatthapādacchinnā, te hatthapādacchinnāva bhavissanti. |
music; |
Ye kaṇṇacchinnā, te kaṇṇacchinnāva bhavissanti. |
medicine; |
Ye nāsacchinnā, te nāsacchinnāva bhavissanti. |
the four Vedas, the Purāṇas, and the Itihāsas; |
Ye kaṇṇanāsacchinnā, te kaṇṇanāsacchinnāva bhavissantī”ti. |
astronomy, magic, causation, and spells; |
Evaṁ vutte, gosālo tuṇhī ahosi. |
the art of war; |
| poetry; | |
| conveyancing —in a word, the whole nineteen. | |
Atha kho milindassa rañño etadahosi—“tuccho vata bho jambudīpo, palāpo vata bho jambudīpo, natthi koci samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā, yo mayā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ sakkoti kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetun”ti. |
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| As a disputant he was hard to equal, harder still to overcome; | |
Atha kho milindo rājā amacce āmantesi—“ramaṇīyā vata bho dosinā ratti, kaṁ nu khvajja samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkameyyāma pañhaṁ pucchituṁ, ko mayā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ sakkoti kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetun”ti? |
the acknowledged superior of all the founders of the various schools of thought. |
Evaṁ vutte, amaccā tuṇhībhūtā rañño mukhaṁ olokayamānā aṭṭhaṁsu. |
And as in wisdom so in strength of body, swiftness, and valour there was found none equal to Milinda in all India. |
| He was rich too, mighty in wealth and prosperity, and the number of his armed hosts knew no end. | |
Tena kho pana samayena sāgalanagaraṁ dvādasa vassāni suññaṁ ahosi samaṇabrāhmaṇagahapatipaṇḍitehi, yattha samaṇabrāhmaṇagahapatipaṇḍitā paṭivasantīti suṇāti, tattha gantvā rājā te pañhaṁ pucchati, te sabbepi pañhavisajjanena rājānaṁ ārādhetuṁ asakkontā yena vā tena vā pakkamanti. |
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Ye aññaṁ disaṁ na pakkamanti, te sabbe tuṇhībhūtā acchanti. |
Now one day Milinda the king proceeded forth out of the city to pass in review the innumerable host of his mighty army in its fourfold array (of elephants, cavalry, bowmen, and soldiers on foot). |
Bhikkhū pana yebhuyyena himavantameva gacchanti. |
And when the numbering of the forces was over, the king, who was fond of wordy disputation, and eager for discussion with casuists, sophists, and gentry of that sort, looked at the sun (to ascertain the time), and then said to his ministers: |
| ‘The day is yet young. | |
| What would be the use of getting back to town so early? | |
Tena kho pana samayena koṭisatā arahanto himavante pabbate rakkhitatale paṭivasanti. |
Is there no learned person, whether wandering teacher or Brahman, the head of some school or order, or the master of some band of pupils (even though he profess faith in the Arahat, the Supreme Buddha), who would be able to talk with me, and resolve my doubts?’ |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto dibbāya sotadhātuyā milindassa rañño vacanaṁ sutvā yugandharamatthake bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātetvā bhikkhū pucchi—“atthāvuso koci bhikkhu paṭibalo milindena raññā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetun”ti? |
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| Thereupon the five hundred Yonakas said to Milinda the king: | |
Evaṁ vutte, koṭisatā arahanto tuṇhī ahesuṁ. |
‘There are the six Masters, O king! |
Dutiyampi … tatiyampi puṭṭhā tuṇhī ahesuṁ. |
—Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali of the cowshed, the Nigaṇṭha of the Nāta clan, Sañjaya the son of the Belaṭṭha woman, Ajita of the garment of hair, and Pakudha Kaccāyana. |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto bhikkhusaṅghaṁ etadavoca—“atthāvuso tāvatiṁsabhavane vejayantassa pācīnato ketumatī nāma vimānaṁ, tattha mahāseno nāma devaputto paṭivasati, so paṭibalo tena milindena raññā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetun”ti. |
These are well known as famous founders of schools, followed by bands of disciples and hearers, and highly honoured by the people. |
| Go, great king! | |
| put to them your problems, and have your doubts resolved.’ | |
Atha kho koṭisatā arahanto yugandharapabbate antarahitā tāvatiṁsabhavane pāturahesuṁ. |
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Addasā kho sakko devānamindo te bhikkhū dūratova āgacchante, disvāna yenāyasmā assagutto tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi, ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ etadavoca—“mahā kho, bhante, bhikkhusaṅgho anuppatto, ahaṁ saṅghassa ārāmiko, kenattho, kiṁ mayā karaṇīyan”ti? |
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| So king Milinda, attended by the five hundred Yonakas, mounted the royal car with its splendid equipage, and went out to the dwelling-place of Pūraṇa Kassapa, exchanged with him the compliments of friendly greeting, and took his seat courteously apart. | |
| And thus sitting he said to him: | |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca—“ayaṁ kho, mahārāja, jambudīpe sāgalanagare milindo nāma rājā vitaṇḍavādī durāsado duppasaho puthutitthakarānaṁ aggamakkhāyati, so bhikkhusaṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā diṭṭhivādena pañhaṁ pucchitvā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ viheṭhetī”ti. |
‘Who is it, venerable Kassapa, who rules the world?’ |
Atha kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ etadavoca—“ayaṁ kho, bhante, milindo rājā ito cuto manussesu uppanno, eso kho, bhante, ketumativimāne mahāseno nāma devaputto paṭivasati, so paṭibalo tena milindena raññā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetuṁ, taṁ devaputtaṁ yācissāma manussalokūpapattiyā”ti. |
‘The Earth, great king, rules the world!’ |
Atha kho sakko devānamindo bhikkhusaṅghaṁ purakkhatvā ketumativimānaṁ pavisitvā mahāsenaṁ devaputtaṁ āliṅgitvā etadavoca—“yācati taṁ, mārisa, bhikkhusaṅgho manussalokūpapattiyā”ti. |
‘But, venerable Kassapa, if it be the Earth that rules the world, how comes it that some men go to the Avīci hell, thus getting outside the sphere of the Earth?’ |
“Na me, bhante, manussalokenattho kammabahulena, tibbo manussaloko, idhevāhaṁ, bhante, devaloke uparūparūpapattiko hutvā parinibbāyissāmī”ti. |
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Dutiyampi … tatiyampi kho sakkena devānamindena yācito mahāseno devaputto evamāha—“na me, bhante, manussalokenattho kammabahulena, tibbo manussaloko, idhevāhaṁ, bhante, devaloke uparūparūpapattiko hutvā parinibbāyissāmī”ti. |
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| When he had thus spoken, neither could Pūraṇa Kassapa swallow the puzzle, nor could he bring it up; | |
| crestfallen, driven to silence, and moody, there he sat. | |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto mahāsenaṁ devaputtaṁ etadavoca—“idha mayaṁ, mārisa, sadevakaṁ lokaṁ anuvilokayamānā aññatra tayā milindassa rañño vādaṁ bhinditvā sāsanaṁ paggahetuṁ samatthaṁ aññaṁ kañci na passāma, yācati taṁ, mārisa, bhikkhusaṅgho, sādhu, sappurisa, manussaloke nibbattitvā dasabalassa sāsanaṁ paggaṇhāhī”ti. |
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Evaṁ vutte, mahāseno devaputto “ahaṁ kira milindassa rañño vādaṁ bhinditvā buddhasāsanaṁ paggahetuṁ samattho bhavissāmī”ti haṭṭhapahaṭṭho udaggudaggo hutvā “sādhu, bhante, manussaloke uppajjissāmī”ti paṭiññaṁ adāsi. |
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| Then Milinda the king said to Makkhali of the cowshed: | |
| ‘Are there, venerable Gosāla, good and evil acts? | |
Atha kho te bhikkhū devaloke taṁ karaṇīyaṁ tīretvā devesu tāvatiṁsesu antarahitā himavante pabbate rakkhitatale pāturahesuṁ. |
Is there such a thing as fruit, ultimate result, of good and evil acts?’ |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto bhikkhusaṅghaṁ etadavoca—“atthāvuso, imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe koci bhikkhu sannipātaṁ anāgato”ti. |
‘There are no such acts, O king; |
Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ etadavoca—“atthi, bhante, āyasmā rohaṇo ito sattame divase himavantaṁ pabbataṁ pavisitvā nirodhaṁ samāpanno, tassa santike dūtaṁ pāhethā”ti. |
and no such fruit, or ultimate result. |
Āyasmāpi rohaṇo taṅkhaṇaññeva nirodhā vuṭṭhāya “saṅgho maṁ paṭimānetī”ti himavante pabbate antarahito rakkhitatale koṭisatānaṁ arahantānaṁ purato pāturahosi. |
Those who here in the world are nobles, they, O king, when they go to the other world, will become nobles once more. |
| And those who are Brahmans, or of the middle class, or workpeople, or outcasts here, will in the next world become the same. | |
| What then is the use of good or evil acts ? | |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto āyasmantaṁ rohaṇaṁ etadavoca—“kiṁ nu kho, āvuso, rohaṇa buddhasāsane bhijjante na passasi saṅghassa karaṇīyānī”ti. |
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“Amanasikāro me, bhante, ahosī”ti. |
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| ‘If, venerable Gosāla, it be as you say then, by parity of reasoning, those who, here in this world, have a hand cut off, must in the next world become persons with a hand cut off, and in like manner those who have had a foot cut off or an ear or their nose!’ | |
“Tena hāvuso rohaṇa, daṇḍakammaṁ karohī”ti. |
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“Kiṁ, bhante, karomī”ti? |
And at this saying Makkhali was silenced. |
“Atthāvuso rohaṇa, himavantapabbatapasse gajaṅgalaṁ nāma brāhmaṇagāmo, tattha soṇuttaro nāma brāhmaṇo paṭivasati, tassa putto uppajjissati nāgaseno nāma dārako, tena hi tvaṁ, āvuso rohaṇa, dasamāsādhikāni satta vassāni taṁ kulaṁ piṇḍāya pavisitvā nāgasenaṁ dārakaṁ nīharitvā pabbājehi, pabbajiteva tasmiṁ daṇḍakammato muccissasī”ti. |
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Āyasmāpi kho rohaṇo “sādhū”ti—sampaṭicchi. |
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| Then thought Milinda the king within himself: | |
| ‘All India is an empty thing, it is verily like chaff! | |
Mahāsenopi kho devaputto devalokā cavitvā soṇuttarabrāhmaṇassa bhariyāya kucchismiṁ paṭisandhiṁ aggahesi, saha paṭisandhiggahaṇā tayo acchariyā abbhutā dhammā pāturahesuṁ, āvudhabhaṇḍāni pajjaliṁsu, aggasassaṁ abhinipphannaṁ, mahāmegho abhippavassi. |
There is no one, either recluse or Brahman, capable of discussing things with me, and dispelling my doubts.’ |
Āyasmāpi kho rohaṇo tassa paṭisandhiggahaṇato paṭṭhāya dasamāsādhikāni satta vassāni taṁ kulaṁ piṇḍāya pavisanto ekadivasampi kaṭacchumattaṁ bhattaṁ vā uḷuṅkamattaṁ yāguṁ vā abhivādanaṁ vā añjalikammaṁ vā sāmīcikammaṁ vā nālattha, atha kho akkosaññeva paribhāsaññeva paṭilabhati “aticchatha, bhante”ti vacanamattampi vattā nāma nāhosi, dasamāsādhikānaṁ pana sattannaṁ vassānaṁ accayena ekadivasaṁ “aticchatha, bhante”ti vacanamattaṁ alattha. |
And he said to his ministers: |
Taṁ divasameva brāhmaṇopi bahi kammantā āgacchanto paṭipathe theraṁ disvā “kiṁ, bho pabbajita, amhākaṁ gehaṁ agamitthā”ti—āha. |
‘Beautiful is the night and pleasant! |
“Āma, brāhmaṇa, agamamhā”ti. |
Who is the recluse or Brahman we can visit to-night to question him, who will be able to converse with us and dispel our doubts ?’ |
“Api kiñci labhitthā”ti. |
And at that saying the counsellors remained silent, and stood there gazing upon the face of the king. |
“Āma, brāhmaṇa, labhimhā”ti. |
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So anattamano gehaṁ gantvā pucchi—“tassa pabbajitassa kiñci adatthā”ti. |
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“Na kiñci adamhā”ti. |
Birth story of Nāgasena |
Brāhmaṇo dutiyadivase gharadvāreyeva nisīdi “ajja pabbajitaṁ musāvādena niggahessāmī”ti. |
Now at that time the city of Sāgala had for twelve years been devoid of learned men, whether Brahmans, Samanas, or laymen. |
Thero dutiyadivase brāhmaṇassa gharadvāraṁ sampatto. |
But wherever the king heard that such persons dwelt, thither he would go and put his questions to them. |
| But they all alike, being unable to satisfy the king by their solution of his problems, departed hither and thither, or if they did not leave for some other place, were at all events reduced to silence. | |
| And the brethren of the Order went, for the most part, to the Himālaya mountains. | |
Brāhmaṇo theraṁ disvāva evamāha—“tumhe hiyyo amhākaṁ gehe kiñci alabhitvāva ‘labhimhā’ti avocuttha, vaṭṭati nu kho tumhākaṁ musāvādo”ti. |
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Thero āha—“mayaṁ, brāhmaṇa, tumhākaṁ gehe (…) dasamāsādhikāni satta vassāni ‘aticchathā’ti vacanamattampi alabhitvā hiyyo ‘aticchathā’ti vacanamattaṁ labhimhā, athetaṁ vācāpaṭisandhāraṁ upādāya evamavocumhā”ti. |
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| Now at that time there dwelt, in the mountain region of the Himālayas, on the Guarded Slope, an innumerable company of Arahats (brethren who, while yet alive, had attained Nirvāṇa). | |
| And the venerable Assagutta, by means of his divine power of hearing, heard those words of king Milinda. | |
Brāhmaṇo cintesi—“ime vācāpaṭisandhāramattampi labhitvā janamajjhe ‘labhimhā’ti pasaṁsanti, aññaṁ kiñci khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā labhitvā kasmā nappasaṁsantī”ti pasīditvā attano atthāya paṭiyāditabhattato kaṭacchubhikkhaṁ, tadupiyañca byañjanaṁ dāpetvā “imaṁ bhikkhaṁ sabbakālaṁ tumhe labhissathā”ti—āha. |
And he convened an assembly of the Order on the summit of the Yugandhara mountain, and asked the brethren: |
| ‘Is there any member of the Order able to hold converse with Milinda the king, and resolve his doubts?’ | |
So punadivasato pabhuti upasaṅkamantassa therassa upasamaṁ disvā bhiyyoso mattāya pasīditvā theraṁ niccakālaṁ attano ghare bhattavissaggakaraṇatthāya yāci. |
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Thero tuṇhībhāvena adhivāsetvā divase divase bhattakiccaṁ katvā gacchanto thokaṁ thokaṁ buddhavacanaṁ kathetvā gacchati. |
Then were they all silent. |
Sāpi kho brāhmaṇī dasamāsaccayena puttaṁ vijāyi, “nāgaseno”tissa nāmamakaṁsu, so anukkamena vaḍḍhanto sattavassiko jāto. |
And a second and a third time he put the same question to them, and still none of all the number spake. |
| Then he said to the assembled Order: | |
| ‘There is, reverend Sirs, in the heaven of the Thirty-three, and east of the Vejayanta palace, a mansion called Ketumatī, wherein dwells the god Mahāsena. | |
Atha kho nāgasenassa dārakassa pitā nāgasenaṁ dārakaṁ etadavoca—“imasmiṁ kho, tāta nāgasena, brāhmaṇakule sikkhāni sikkheyyāsī”ti. |
He is able to hold converse with Milinda the king, and to resolve his doubts.’ |
“Katamāni, tāta, imasmiṁ brāhmaṇakule sikkhāni nāmā”ti? |
And the innumerable company of Arahats vanished from the summit of the Yugandhara mountain, and appeared in the heaven of the Thirty-three. |
“Tayo kho, tāta nāgasena, vedā sikkhāni nāma, avasesāni sippāni sippaṁ nāmā”ti. |
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“Tena hi, tāta, sikkhissāmī”ti. |
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| And Sakka, the king of the gods, beheld those brethren of the Order as they were coming from afar. | |
| And at the sight of them he went up to the venerable Assagutta, and bowed down before him, and stood reverently aside. | |
Atha kho soṇuttaro brāhmaṇo ācariyabrāhmaṇassa ācariyabhāgaṁ sahassaṁ datvā antopāsāde ekasmiṁ gabbhe ekato mañcakaṁ paññapetvā ācariyabrāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca—“sajjhāpehi kho tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, imaṁ dārakaṁ mantānī”ti. |
And so standing he said to him: |
“Tena hi, tāta dāraka, uggaṇhāhi mantānī”ti. |
‘Great, reverend Sir, is the company of the brethren that has come. |
Ācariyabrāhmaṇo sajjhāyati nāgasenassa dārakassa ekeneva uddesena tayo vedā hadayaṅgatā vācuggatā sūpadhāritā suvavatthāpitā sumanasikatā ahesuṁ, sakimeva cakkhuṁ udapādi tīsu vedesu sanighaṇḍukeṭubhesu sākkharappabhedesu itihāsapañcamesu padako veyyākaraṇo lokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu anavayo ahosi. |
What is it that they want? |
| I am at the service of the Order. | |
| What can I do for you?’ | |
Atha kho nāgaseno dārako pitaraṁ etadavoca—“atthi nu kho, tāta, imasmiṁ brāhmaṇakule ito uttarimpi sikkhitabbāni, udāhu ettakānevā”ti. |
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“Natthi, tāta nāgasena, imasmiṁ brāhmaṇakule ito uttariṁ sikkhitabbāni, ettakāneva sikkhitabbānī”ti. |
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| And the venerable Assagutta replied: | |
| ‘There is, O king, in India, in the city of Sāgala, a king named Milinda. | |
Atha kho nāgaseno dārako ācariyassa anuyogaṁ datvā pāsādā oruyha pubbavāsanāya coditahadayo rahogato paṭisallīno attano sippassa ādimajjhapariyosānaṁ olokento ādimhi vā majjhe vā pariyosāne vā appamattakampi sāraṁ adisvā “tucchā vata bho ime vedā, palāpā vata bho ime vedā asārā nissārā”ti—vippaṭisārī anattamano ahosi. |
As a disputant he is hard to equal, harder still to overcome, he is the acknowledged superior of all the founders of the various schools of thought. |
| He is in the habit of visiting the members of the Order and harassing them by questions of speculative import.’ | |
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā rohaṇo vattaniye senāsane nisinno nāgasenassa dārakassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vattaniye senāsane antarahito gajaṅgalabrāhmaṇagāmassa purato pāturahosi. |
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Addasā kho nāgaseno dārako attano dvārakoṭṭhake ṭhito āyasmantaṁ rohaṇaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ, disvāna attamano udaggo pamudito pītisomanassajāto—“appeva nāmāyaṁ pabbajito kañci sāraṁ jāneyyā”ti—yenāyasmā rohaṇo tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ rohaṇaṁ etadavoca—“ko nu kho tvaṁ, mārisa, ediso bhaṇḍukāsāvavasano”ti. |
Then said Sakka, the king of the gods, to him: |
“Pabbajito nāmāhaṁ dārakā”ti. |
‘That same king Milinda, venerable one, left this condition to be born as a man. |
“Kena tvaṁ, mārisa, pabbajito nāmāsī”ti? |
And there dwells in the mansion Ketumatī a god, Mahāsena by name, who is able to hold converse with him and to resolve his doubts. |
“Pāpakāni malāni pabbājeti, tasmāhaṁ, dāraka, pabbajito nāmā”ti. |
That god we will beseech to suffer himself to be reborn into the world of men.’ |
“Kiṅkāraṇā, mārisa, kesā te na yathā aññesan”ti? |
So Sakka, the king of the gods, preceded by the Order, entered the Ketumatī mansion; |
“Soḷasime, dāraka, palibodhe disvā kesamassuṁ ohāretvā pabbajito”. |
and when he had embraced Mahāsena the god, he said to him: |
“Katame soḷasa”? |
‘The Order of the brethren, Lord, makes this request of you-to be reborn into the world of men.’ |
“Alaṅkārapalibodho maṇḍanapalibodho telamakkhanapalibodho dhovanapalibodho mālāpalibodho gandhapalibodho vāsanapalibodho harīṭakapalibodho āmalakapalibodho raṅgapalibodho bandhanapalibodho kocchapalibodho kappakapalibodho vijaṭanapalibodho ūkāpalibodho, kesesu vilūnesu socanti kilamanti paridevanti urattāḷiṁ kandanti sammohaṁ āpajjanti, imesu kho, dāraka, soḷasasu palibodhesu paliguṇṭhitā manussā sabbāni atisukhumāni sippāni nāsentī”ti. |
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| ‘I have no desire, Sir, for the world of men, so overladen with action (Karma). | |
“Kiṅkāraṇā, mārisa, vatthānipi te na yathā aññesan”ti? |
Hard is life as a man. |
“Kāmanissitāni kho, dāraka, vatthāni, kāmanissitāni gihibyañjanabhaṇḍāni, yāni kānici kho bhayāni vatthato uppajjanti, tāni kāsāvavasanassa na honti, tasmā vatthānipi me na yathā aññesan”ti. |
It is here, Sir, in the world of the gods that, being reborn in ever higher and higher spheres, I hope to pass away!’ |
“Jānāsi kho tvaṁ, mārisa, sippāni nāmā”ti? |
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“Āma, dāraka, jānāmahaṁ sippāni, yaṁ loke uttamaṁ mantaṁ, tampi jānāmī”ti. |
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“Mayhampi taṁ, mārisa, dātuṁ sakkā”ti? |
And a second and a third time did Sakka, the king of the gods, make the same request, and the reply was still the same. |
“Āma, dāraka, sakkā”ti. |
Then the venerable Assagutta addressed Mahāsena the god, and said: |
“Tena hi me dehī”ti. |
‘On passing in review, Lord, the worlds of gods and men, there is none but thee that we find able to succour the faith by refuting the heretical views of Milinda the king. |
“Akālo kho, dāraka, antaragharaṁ piṇḍāya paviṭṭhamhā”ti. |
The whole Order beseeches thee, Lord, saying: |
| “Condescend, O worthy one, to be reborn among men, in order to lend to the religion of the Blessed One thy powerful aid.” | |
| ’ | |
Atha kho nāgaseno dārako āyasmato rohaṇassa hatthato pattaṁ gahetvā gharaṁ pavesetvā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappetvā sampavāretvā āyasmantaṁ rohaṇaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ etadavoca—“dehi me dāni, mārisa, mantan”ti. |
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“Yadā kho tvaṁ, dāraka, nippalibodho hutvā mātāpitaro anujānāpetvā mayā gahitaṁ pabbajitavesaṁ gaṇhissasi, tadā dassāmī”ti—āha. |
Then was Mahāsena the god overjoyed and delighted in heart at the thought that he would be able to help the faith by refuting the heresy of Milinda; |
| and he gave them his word, and said: | |
| ‘Very well then, venerable ones, I consent to be reborn in the world of men,’ | |
Atha kho nāgaseno dārako mātāpitaro upasaṅkamitvā āha—“ammatātā, ayaṁ pabbajito ‘yaṁ loke uttamaṁ mantaṁ, taṁ jānāmī’ti vadati, na ca attano santike apabbajitassa deti, ahaṁ etassa santike pabbajitvā taṁ uttamaṁ mantaṁ uggaṇhissāmī”ti. |
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Athassa mātāpitaro “pabbajitvāpi no putto mantaṁ gaṇhatu, gahetvā puna āgacchissatī”ti maññamānā “gaṇha, puttā”ti anujāniṁsu. |
Then the brethren, having thus accomplished the task they had taken in hand, vanished from the heaven of the Thirty-three, and reappeared on the Guarded Slope in the Himālaya mountains. |
| And the venerable Assagutta addressed the Order, and said: | |
| ‘Is there, venerable ones, any brother belonging to this company of the Order, who has not appeared in the assembly?’ | |
Atha kho āyasmā rohaṇo nāgasenaṁ dārakaṁ ādāya yena vattaniyaṁ senāsanaṁ, yena vijambhavatthu tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā vijambhavatthusmiṁ senāsane ekarattaṁ vasitvā yena rakkhitatalaṁ tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā koṭisatānaṁ arahantānaṁ majjhe nāgasenaṁ dārakaṁ pabbājesi. |
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Pabbajito ca panāyasmā nāgaseno āyasmantaṁ rohaṇaṁ etadavoca—“gahito me, bhante, tava veso, detha me dāni mantan”ti. |
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Atha kho āyasmā rohaṇo “kimhi nu khohaṁ nāgasenaṁ vineyyaṁ paṭhamaṁ vinaye vā suttante vā abhidhamme vā”ti—cintetvā “paṇḍito kho ayaṁ nāgaseno, sakkoti sukheneva abhidhammaṁ pariyāpuṇitun”ti paṭhamaṁ abhidhamme vinesi. |
Thereupon a certain brother said there was, that Rohaṇa had a week previously gone into the mountains, and become buried in meditation, and suggested that a messenger should be sent to him. |
| And at that very moment the venerable Rohaṇa aroused himself from his meditation, and was aware that the Order was expecting him. | |
| And vanishing from the mountain top, he appeared in the presence of the innumerable company of the brethren. | |
Āyasmā ca nāgaseno “kusalā dhammā, akusalā dhammā, abyākatā dhammā”ti tikadukapaṭimaṇḍitaṁ dhammasaṅgaṇīpakaraṇaṁ, khandhavibhaṅgādiaṭṭhārasa vibhaṅgapaṭimaṇḍitaṁ vibhaṅgappakaraṇaṁ, “saṅgaho asaṅgaho”ti ādinā cuddasavidhena vibhattaṁ dhātukathāpakaraṇaṁ, “khandhapaññatti āyatanapaññattī”ti ādinā chabbidhena vibhattaṁ puggalapaññattippakaraṇaṁ, sakavāde pañcasuttasatāni paravāde pañcasuttasatānīti suttasahassaṁ samodhānetvā vibhattaṁ kathāvatthuppakaraṇaṁ, “mūlayamakaṁ khandhayamakan”ti ādinā dasavidhena vibhattaṁ yamakappakaraṇaṁ, “hetupaccayo ārammaṇapaccayo”ti ādinā catuvīsatividhena vibhattaṁ paṭṭhānappakaraṇanti sabbaṁ taṁ abhidhammapiṭakaṁ ekeneva sajjhāyena paguṇaṁ katvā “tiṭṭhatha, bhante, na puna osāretha, ettakenevāhaṁ sajjhāyissāmī”ti—āha. |
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| And the venerable Assagutta said to him: | |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno yena koṭisatā arahanto tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā koṭisate arahante etadavoca—“ahaṁ kho, bhante, ‘kusalā dhammā, akusalā dhammā, abyākatā dhammā’ti imesu tīsu padesu pakkhipitvā sabbaṁ taṁ abhidhammapiṭakaṁ vitthārena osāressāmī”ti. |
‘How now, venerable Rohaṇa! |
“Sādhu, nāgasena, osārehī”ti. |
When the religion of the Buddha is in danger of crumbling away, have you no eyes for the work of the Order?’ |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno satta māsāni satta pakaraṇāni vitthārena osāresi, pathavī unnadi, devatā sādhukāramadaṁsu, brahmāno apphoṭesuṁ, dibbāni candanacuṇṇāni dibbāni ca mandāravapupphāni abhippavassiṁsu. |
‘It was through inadvertence, Sir,’ said he. |
Atha kho koṭisatā arahanto āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ paripuṇṇavīsativassaṁ rakkhitatale upasampādesuṁ. |
‘Then, venerable Rohaṇa, atone for it.’ |
Upasampanno ca panāyasmā nāgaseno tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya upajjhāyena saddhiṁ gāmaṁ piṇḍāya pavisanto evarūpaṁ parivitakkaṁ uppādesi “tuccho vata me upajjhāyo, bālo vata me upajjhāyo, ṭhapetvā avasesaṁ buddhavacanaṁ paṭhamaṁ maṁ abhidhamme vinesī”ti. |
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| ‘What, Sir, should I do?’ | |
Atha kho āyasmā rohaṇo āyasmato nāgasenassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—“ananucchavikaṁ kho nāgasena parivitakkaṁ vitakkesi, na kho panetaṁ nāgasena tavānucchavikan”ti. |
|
| ‘There is a Brahman village, venerable Rohaṇa, called Kajangala, at the foot of the Himālaya mountains, and there dwells there a Brahman called Sonuttara. | |
Atha kho āyasmato nāgasenassa etadahosi—“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, yatra hi nāma me upajjhāyo cetasā cetoparivitakkaṁ jānissati, paṇḍito vata me upajjhāyo, yannūnāhaṁ upajjhāyaṁ khamāpeyyan”ti. |
He will have a son called Nāgasena. |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno āyasmantaṁ rohaṇaṁ etadavoca—“khamatha me, bhante, na puna evarūpaṁ vitakkessāmī”ti. |
Go to that house for alms during seven years and ten months. |
| After the lapse of that time thou shalt draw away the boy from a worldly life, and cause him to enter the Order. | |
| When he shall have abandoned the world, then shalt thou be free of the atonement for thy fault.’ | |
Atha kho āyasmā rohaṇo āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca “na kho tyāhaṁ nāgasena ettāvatā khamāmi, atthi kho nāgasena sāgalaṁ nāma nagaraṁ, tattha milindo nāma rājā rajjaṁ kāreti, so diṭṭhivādena pañhaṁ pucchitvā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ viheṭheti, sace tvaṁ tattha gantvā taṁ rājānaṁ dametvā buddhasāsane pasādessasi, evāhaṁ taṁ khamissāmī”ti. |
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| ‘Let it be even as thou sayest,’ said the venerable Rohaṇa in assent. | |
“Tiṭṭhatu, bhante, eko milindo rājā; |
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sace, bhante, sakalajambudīpe sabbe rājāno āgantvā maṁ pañhaṁ puccheyyuṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ visajjetvā sampadālessāmi, ‘khamatha me, bhante’ti vatvā, ‘na khamāmī’ti vutte tena hi, bhante, imaṁ temāsaṁ kassa santike vasissāmī”ti—āha. |
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“Ayaṁ kho, nāgasena, āyasmā assagutto vattaniye senāsane viharati, gaccha tvaṁ, nāgasena, yenāyasmā assagutto tenupasaṅkama, upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena āyasmato assaguttassa pāde sirasā vanda, evañca naṁ vadehi ‘upajjhāyo me, bhante, tumhākaṁ pāde sirasā vandati, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchati, upajjhāyo me, bhante, imaṁ temāsaṁ tumhākaṁ santike vasituṁ maṁ pahiṇī’ti, ‘konāmo te upajjhāyo’ti ca vutte ‘rohaṇatthero nāma, bhante’ti vadeyyāsi, ‘ahaṁ konāmo’ti vutte evaṁ vadeyyāsi ‘mama upajjhāyo, bhante, tumhākaṁ nāmaṁ jānātī’”ti. |
Now Mahāsena the god passed away from the world of the gods, and was reborn in the womb of the wife of the Brahman Sonuttara. |
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā nāgaseno āyasmantaṁ rohaṇaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pattacīvaramādāya anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena vattaniyaṁ senāsanaṁ, yenāyasmā assagutto tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi, ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho āyasmā nāgaseno āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ etadavoca—“upajjhāyo me, bhante, tumhākaṁ pāde sirasā vandati, evañca vadeti appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchati, upajjhāyo me, bhante, imaṁ temāsaṁ tumhākaṁ santike vasituṁ maṁ pahiṇī”ti. |
And at the moment of his conception three strange, wonderful things took place: |
| —arms and weapons became all ablaze, the tender grain became ripe in a moment, and there was a great rain (in the time of drought). | |
| And the venerable Rohaṇa went to that house for alms for seven years and ten months from the day of Mahāsena’s re-incarnation, but never once did he receive so much as a spoonful of boiled rice, or a ladleful of sour gruel, or a greeting, or a stretching forth of the joined hands, or any sort of salutation. | |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—“tvaṁ kiṁnāmosī”ti. |
Nay rather it was insults and taunts that fell to his share: |
“Ahaṁ, bhante, nāgaseno nāmā”ti. |
and there was no one who so much as said, Be so good, ‘Sir, as to go on to the next house.’ |
“Konāmo te upajjhāyo”ti? |
|
“Upajjhāyo me, bhante, rohaṇo nāmā”ti. |
|
“Ahaṁ konāmo”ti. |
But when all that period had gone by he one day happened to have those very words addressed to him. |
“Upajjhāyo me, bhante, tumhākaṁ nāmaṁ jānātī”ti. |
And on that day the Brahman, on his way back from his work in the fields, saw the Elder as he met him on his return, and said: |
| ‘Well, hermit, have you been to our place | |
“Sādhu, nāgasena, pattacīvaraṁ paṭisāmehī”ti. |
‘Yes, Brahman, I have.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante”ti pattacīvaraṁ paṭisāmetvā punadivase pariveṇaṁ sammajjitvā mukhodakaṁ dantapoṇaṁ upaṭṭhapesi. |
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Thero sammajjitaṭṭhānaṁ paṭisammajji, taṁ udakaṁ chaḍḍetvā aññaṁ udakaṁ āhari, tañca dantakaṭṭhaṁ apanetvā aññaṁ dantakaṭṭhaṁ gaṇhi, na ālāpasallāpaṁ akāsi, evaṁ satta divasāni katvā sattame divase puna pucchitvā puna tena tatheva vutte vassavāsaṁ anujāni. |
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| ‘But did you get anything there?’ | |
Tena kho pana samayena ekā mahāupāsikā āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ tiṁsamattāni vassāni upaṭṭhāsi. |
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Atha kho sā mahāupāsikā temāsaccayena yenāyasmā assagutto tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ etadavoca—“atthi nu kho, tāta, tumhākaṁ santike añño bhikkhū”ti. |
‘Yes, Brahman, I did.’ |
“Atthi, mahāupāsike, amhākaṁ santike nāgaseno nāma bhikkhū”ti. |
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“Tena hi, tāta assagutta, adhivāsehi nāgasenena saddhiṁ svātanāya bhattan”ti. |
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Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā assagutto tuṇhībhāvena. |
And he was displeased at this, and went on home, and asked them: |
| ‘Did you give anything to that hermit?’ | |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya āyasmatā nāgasenena saddhiṁ pacchāsamaṇena yena mahāupāsikāya nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. |
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Atha kho sā mahāupāsikā āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ āyasmantañca nāgasenaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi. |
‘We gave him nothing,’ was the reply. |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—“tvaṁ, nāgasena, mahāupāsikāya anumodanaṁ karohī”ti idaṁ vatvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi. |
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| Thereupon the Brahman, the next day, seated himself right in the doorway, thinking to himself: | |
Atha kho sā mahāupāsikā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—“mahallikā khohaṁ, tāta nāgasena, gambhīrāya dhammakathāya mayhaṁ anumodanaṁ karohī”ti. |
‘To-day I’ll put that hermit to shame for having told a lie.’ |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno tassā mahāupāsikāya gambhīrāya dhammakathāya lokuttarāya suññatappaṭisaṁyuttāya anumodanaṁ akāsi. |
And the moment that the Elder in due course came up to the house again, he said: |
Atha kho tassā mahāupāsikāya tasmiṁyeva āsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi—“yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti. |
‘Yesterday you said you had got something at my house, having all the while got nothing! |
Āyasmāpi kho nāgaseno tassā mahāupāsikāya anumodanaṁ katvā attanā desitaṁ dhammaṁ paccavekkhanto vipassanaṁ paṭṭhapetvā tasmiṁyeva āsane nisinno sotāpattiphale patiṭṭhāsi. |
Is lying allowed to you fellows?’ |
Atha kho āyasmā assagutto maṇḍalamāḷe nisinno dvinnampi dhammacakkhupaṭilābhaṁ ñatvā sādhukāraṁ pavattesi “sādhu sādhu, nāgasena, ekena kaṇḍappahārena dve mahākāyā padālitā”ti, anekāni ca devatāsahassāni sādhukāraṁ pavattesuṁ. |
And the Elder replied: |
| ‘Brahman, for seven years and ten months no one even went so far as to suggest politely that I should pass on. | |
| Yesterday this courtesy was extended to me. | |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno uṭṭhāyāsanā yenāyasmā assagutto tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ āyasmā assagutto etadavoca—“gaccha tvaṁ, nāgasena, pāṭaliputtaṁ, pāṭaliputtanagare asokārāme āyasmā dhammarakkhito paṭivasati, tassa santike buddhavacanaṁ pariyāpuṇāhī”ti. |
It was to that that I referred.’ |
“Kīva dūro, bhante, ito pāṭaliputtanagaran”ti? |
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“Yojanasatāni kho, nāgasenā”ti. |
|
“Dūro kho, bhante, maggo. |
The Brahman thought to himself: |
Antarāmagge bhikkhā dullabhā, kathāhaṁ gamissāmī”ti? |
‘If these men, at the mere experience of a little courtesy, acknowledge in a public place, and with thanks, that they have received an alms, what will they not do if they really receive a gift!’ |
“Gaccha tvaṁ, nāgasena, antarāmagge piṇḍapātaṁ labhissasi sālīnaṁ odanaṁ vigatakāḷakaṁ anekasūpaṁ anekabyañjanan”ti. |
And he was much struck by this, and had an alms bestowed upon the Elder from the rice and curry prepared for his own use, and added furthermore: |
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā nāgaseno āyasmantaṁ assaguttaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pattacīvaramādāya yena pāṭaliputtaṁ tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. |
‘Every day you shall receive here food of the same kind.’ |
| And having watched the Elder as he visited the place from that day onwards, and noticed how subdued was his demeanour, he became more and more pleased with him, and invited him to take there regularly his midday meal. | |
| And the Elder gave, by silence, his consent; | |
Tena kho pana samayena pāṭaliputtako seṭṭhi pañcahi sakaṭasatehi pāṭaliputtagāmimaggaṁ paṭipanno hoti. |
and daily from that time forth, when he had finished his meal, and was about to depart, he would pronounce some short passage or other from the words of the Buddha. |
Addasā kho pāṭaliputtako seṭṭhi āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ, disvāna yenāyasmā nāgaseno tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ abhivādetvā “kuhiṁ gacchasi, tātā”ti—āha. |
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“Pāṭaliputtaṁ, gahapatī”ti. |
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“Sādhu, tāta, mayampi pāṭaliputtaṁ gacchāma. |
Now the Brahman’s wife had, after her ten months, brought forth her son; |
Amhehi saddhiṁ sukhaṁ gacchathā”ti. |
and they called his name Nāgasena. |
| He grew up in due course till he became seven years old, and his father said to the child: | |
| ‘Do you want, dear Nāgasena, to study the learning traditional in this Brahmanical house of ours?’ | |
Atha kho pāṭaliputtako seṭṭhi āyasmato nāgasenassa iriyāpathe pasīditvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappetvā sampavāretvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, ekamantaṁ nisinno kho pāṭaliputtako seṭṭhi āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—“kinnāmosi tvaṁ, tātā”ti. |
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“Ahaṁ, gahapati, nāgaseno nāmā”ti. |
|
“Jānāsi kho tvaṁ, tāta, buddhavacanaṁ nāmā”ti? |
‘What is it called, father?’ |
“Jānāmi khohaṁ, gahapati, abhidhammapadānī”ti. |
said he. |
“Lābhā no, tāta, suladdhaṁ no, tāta, ahampi kho, tāta, ābhidhammiko, tvampi ābhidhammiko, bhaṇa, tāta, abhidhammapadānī”ti. |
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Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno pāṭaliputtakassa seṭṭhissa abhidhammaṁ desesi, desenteyeva pāṭaliputtakassa seṭṭhissa virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi—“yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti. |
|
| ‘The three Vedas are called learning (Sikkhā), other kinds of knowledge are only arts, my dear.’ | |
Atha kho pāṭaliputtako seṭṭhi pañcamattāni sakaṭasatāni purato uyyojetvā sayaṁ pacchato gacchanto pāṭaliputtassa avidūre dvedhāpathe ṭhatvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—“ayaṁ kho, tāta nāgasena, asokārāmassa maggo, idaṁ kho, tāta, amhākaṁ kambalaratanaṁ soḷasahatthaṁ āyāmena, aṭṭhahatthaṁ vitthārena, paṭiggaṇhāhi kho, tāta, idaṁ kambalaratanaṁ anukampaṁ upādāyā”ti. |
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Paṭiggahesi kho āyasmā nāgaseno taṁ kambalaratanaṁ anukampaṁ upādāya. |
‘Yes, I should like to learn them, father,’ said the boy. |
Atha kho pāṭaliputtako seṭṭhi attamano udaggo pamudito pītisomanassajāto āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. |
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| Then Sonuttara the Brahman gave to a Brahman teacher a thousand pieces as his teaching fee, and had a divan spread for him aside in an inner chamber, and said to him: | |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno yena asokārāmo yenāyasmā dhammarakkhito tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ dhammarakkhitaṁ abhivādetvā attano āgatakāraṇaṁ kathetvā āyasmato dhammarakkhitassa santike tepiṭakaṁ buddhavacanaṁ ekeneva uddesena tīhi māsehi byañjanaso pariyāpuṇitvā puna tīhi māsehi atthaso manasākāsi. |
‘Do thou, Brahman, teach this boy the sacred hymns by heart.’ |
(…) |
|
Atha kho āyasmā dhammarakkhito āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—“seyyathāpi, nāgasena, gopālako gāvo rakkhati, aññe gorasaṁ paribhuñjanti; |
So the teacher made the boy repeat the hymns, urging him to get them by heart. |
evameva kho tvaṁ, nāgasena, tepiṭakaṁ buddhavacanaṁ dhārentopi na bhāgī sāmaññassā”ti. |
And young Nāgasena, after one repetition of them, had learnt the three Vedas by heart, could intone them correctly, had understood their meaning, could fix the right place of each particular verse, and had grasped the mysteries they contained. |
“Hotu, bhante, alaṁ ettakenā”ti. |
All at once there arose in him an intuitive insight into the Vedas, with a knowledge of their lexicography, of their prosody, of their grammar, and of the legends attaching to the characters in them. |
Teneva divasabhāgena tena rattibhāgena saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṁ pāpuṇi, saha saccappaṭivedhena āyasmato nāgasenassa sabbe devā sādhukāramadaṁsu, pathavī unnadi, brahmāno apphoṭesuṁ, dibbāni candanacuṇṇāni dibbāni ca mandāravapupphāni abhippavassiṁsu. |
He became a philologist and grammarian, and skilled alike in casuistry and in the knowledge of the bodily marks that foreshadow the greatness of a man. |
Tena kho pana samayena koṭisatā arahanto himavante pabbate rakkhitatale sannipatitvā āyasmato nāgasenassa santike dūtaṁ pāhesuṁ “āgacchatu nāgaseno, dassanakāmā mayaṁ nāgasenan”ti. |
Then young Nāgasena said to his father: |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno dūtassa vacanaṁ sutvā asokārāme antarahito himavante pabbate rakkhitatale koṭisatānaṁ arahantānaṁ purato pāturahosi. |
‘Is There anything more to be learned in this Brahmanical family of ours, or is this all?’ |
Atha kho koṭisatā arahanto āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavocuṁ—“eso kho, nāgasena, milindo rājā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ viheṭheti vādappaṭivādena pañhapucchāya. |
‘There is no more, Nāgasena, my dear. |
Sādhu, nāgasena, gaccha tvaṁ milindaṁ rājānaṁ damehī”ti. |
This is all,’ was the reply. |
“Tiṭṭhatu, bhante, eko milindo rājā; |
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sace, bhante, sakalajambudīpe rājāno āgantvā maṁ pañhaṁ puccheyyuṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ visajjetvā sampadālessāmi, gacchatha vo, bhante, acchambhitā sāgalanagaran”ti. |
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Atha kho therā bhikkhū sāgalanagaraṁ kāsāvappajjotaṁ isivātapaṭivātaṁ akaṁsu. |
And young Nāgasena repeated his lesson to his teacher for the last time, and went out of the house, and in obedience to an impulse arising in his heart as the result of previous Karma, sought a place of solitude, where he gave himself up to meditation. |
| And he reviewed what he had learnt throughout from beginning to end, and found no value in it anywhere at all. | |
| And he exclaimed in bitterness of soul: | |
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā āyupālo saṅkhyeyyapariveṇe paṭivasati. |
‘Empty forsooth are these Vedas, and as chaff. |
Atha kho milindo rājā amacce etadavoca—“ramaṇīyā vata bho dosinā ratti, kaṁ nu khvajja samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā upasaṅkameyyāma sākacchāya pañhapucchanāya, ko mayā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ ussahati kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetun”ti. |
There is in them neither reality, nor worth, nor essential truth!’ |
Evaṁ vutte, pañcasatā yonakā rājānaṁ milindaṁ etadavocuṁ—“atthi, mahārāja, āyupālo nāma thero tepiṭako bahussuto āgatāgamo, so etarahi saṅkhyeyyapariveṇe paṭivasati; |
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gaccha tvaṁ, mahārāja, āyasmantaṁ āyupālaṁ pañhaṁ pucchassū”ti. |
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“Tena hi, bhaṇe, bhadantassa ārocethā”ti. |
Nāgasena’a admission as a novice into the Order |
| That moment the venerable Rohaṇa, seated at his hermitage at Vattaniya, felt in his mind what was passing in the heart of Nāgasena. | |
| And he robed himself, and taking his alms-bowl in his hand, he vanished from Vattaniya and appeared near the Brahman village Kajaṅgala. | |
Atha kho nemittiko āyasmato āyupālassa santike dūtaṁ pāhesi “rājā, bhante, milindo āyasmantaṁ āyupālaṁ dassanakāmo”ti. |
And young Nāgasena, as he stood again in the doorway, saw him coming in the distance. |
Āyasmāpi kho āyupālo evamāha—“tena hi āgacchatū”ti. |
At the sight of him he became happy and glad, and a sweet hope sprang up in his heart that from him he might learn the essential truth. |
Atha kho milindo rājā pañcamattehi yonakasatehi parivuto rathavaramāruyha yena saṅkhyeyyapariveṇaṁ yenāyasmā āyupālo tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā āyupālena saddhiṁ sammodi, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, ekamantaṁ nisinno kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ āyupālaṁ etadavoca—“kimatthiyā, bhante āyupāla, tumhākaṁ pabbajjā, ko ca tumhākaṁ paramattho”ti. |
And he went to him, and said: |
Thero āha—“dhammacariyasamacariyatthā kho, mahārāja, pabbajjā, sāmaññaphalaṁ kho pana amhākaṁ paramattho”ti. |
‘Who art thou, Sir, that thou art thus bald-headed, and wearest yellow robes?’ |
“Atthi pana, bhante, koci gihīpi dhammacārī samacārī”ti? |
|
“Āma, mahārāja, atthi gihīpi dhammacārī samacārī, bhagavati kho, mahārāja, bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye dhammacakkaṁ pavattente aṭṭhārasannaṁ brahmakoṭīnaṁ dhammābhisamayo ahosi, devatānaṁ pana dhammābhisamayo gaṇanapathaṁ vītivatto, sabbete gihibhūtā, na pabbajitā. |
|
| ‘They call me a recluse, my child’ (Pabbajita: | |
| literally, ‘one who has abandoned; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā kho mahāsamayasuttante desiyamāne, mahāmaṅgalasuttante desiyamāne, samacittapariyāyasuttante desiyamāne, rāhulovādasuttante desiyamāne, parābhavasuttante desiyamāne gaṇanapathaṁ vītivattānaṁ devatānaṁ dhammābhisamayo ahosi, sabbete gihibhūtā, na pabbajitā”ti. |
’ that is, the worldly life). |
“Tena hi, bhante āyupāla, niratthikā tumhākaṁ pabbajjā, pubbe katassa pāpakammassa nissandena samaṇā sakyaputtiyā pabbajanti dhutaṅgāni ca pariharanti. |
|
Ye kho te, bhante āyupāla, bhikkhū ekāsanikā, nūna te pubbe paresaṁ bhogahārakā corā, te paresaṁ bhoge acchinditvā tassa kammassa nissandena etarahi ekāsanikā bhavanti, na labhanti kālena kālaṁ paribhuñjituṁ, natthi tesaṁ sīlaṁ, natthi tapo, natthi brahmacariyaṁ. |
|
Ye kho pana te, bhante āyupāla, bhikkhū abbhokāsikā, nūna te pubbe gāmaghātakā corā, te paresaṁ gehāni vināsetvā tassa kammassa nissandena etarahi abbhokāsikā bhavanti, na labhanti senāsanāni paribhuñjituṁ, natthi tesaṁ sīlaṁ, natthi tapo, natthi brahmacariyaṁ. |
‘And why do they call thee “one who has abandoned?” |
Ye kho pana te, bhante āyupāla, bhikkhū nesajjikā, nūna te pubbe panthadūsakā corā, te paresaṁ pathike jane gahetvā bandhitvā nisīdāpetvā tassa kammassa nissandena etarahi nesajjikā bhavanti, na labhanti seyyaṁ kappetuṁ, natthi tesaṁ sīlaṁ, natthi tapo, natthi brahmacariyan”ti—āha. |
’ |
| ‘Because a recluse is one who has receded from The world in order to make the stain of sinful things recede. | |
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā āyupālo tuṇhī ahosi, na kiñci paṭibhāsi. |
It is for that reason, my child, that they call me a recluse.’ |
Atha kho pañcasatā yonakā rājānaṁ milindaṁ etadavocuṁ—“paṇḍito, mahārāja, thero, api ca kho avisārado na kiñci paṭibhāsatī”ti. |
|
| ‘Why, Sir, dost thou not wear hair as others do?’ | |
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ āyupālaṁ tuṇhībhūtaṁ disvā apphoṭetvā ukkuṭṭhiṁ katvā yonake etadavoca—“tuccho vata bho jambudīpo, palāpo vata bho jambudīpo, natthi koci samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā, yo mayā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ ussahati kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetun”ti. |
|
| ‘A recluse shaves off his hair and beard on the recognition of the sixteen impediments therein to the higher life. | |
Atha kho milindassa rañño sabbaṁ taṁ parisaṁ anuvilokentassa abhīte amaṅkubhūte yonake disvā etadahosi—“nissaṁsayaṁ atthi maññe añño koci paṇḍito bhikkhu, yo mayā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ ussahati, yenime yonakā na maṅkubhūtā”ti. |
And what are those sixteen ? |
Atha kho milindo rājā yonake etadavoca—“atthi, bhaṇe, añño koci paṇḍito bhikkhu, yo mayā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ ussahati kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetun”ti. |
the impediments of ornamenting it, and decking it out, of putting oil upon it, of shampooing it, of placing garlands round it, of using scents and unguents, and myrobalan seeds, and dyes, and ribbons, and combs, of calling in the barber, of unravelling curls, and of the possibility of vermin. |
| When their hair falls off they are grieved and harassed; | |
| yea, they lament sometimes, and cry, and beat their breasts, or fall headlong in a swoon—and entangled by these and such impediments men may forget those parts of wisdom or learning which are delicate and subtle.’ | |
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nāgaseno samaṇagaṇaparivuto saṅghī gaṇī gaṇācariyo ñāto yasassī sādhusammato bahujanassa paṇḍito byatto medhāvī nipuṇo viññū vibhāvī vinīto visārado bahussuto tepiṭako vedagū pabhinnabuddhimā āgatāgamo pabhinnapaṭisambhido navaṅgasatthusāsane pariyattidharo pāramippatto jinavacane dhammatthadesanāpaṭivedhakusalo akkhayavicitrapaṭibhāno citrakathī kalyāṇavākkaraṇo durāsado duppasaho duruttaro durāvaraṇo dunnivārayo, sāgaro viya akkhobho, girirājā viya niccalo, raṇañjaho tamonudo pabhaṅkaro mahākathī paragaṇigaṇamathano paratitthiyamaddano bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ rājūnaṁ rājamahāmattānaṁ sakkato garukato mānito pūjito apacito lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ lābhaggayasaggappatto vuddhānaṁ viññūnaṁ sotāvadhānena samannāgatānaṁ sandassento navaṅgaṁ jinasāsanaratanaṁ, upadisanto dhammamaggaṁ, dhārento dhammappajjotaṁ, ussāpento dhammayūpaṁ, yajanto dhammayāgaṁ, paggaṇhanto dhammaddhajaṁ, ussāpento dhammaketuṁ, dhamento dhammasaṅkhaṁ, āhananto dhammabheriṁ, nadanto sīhanādaṁ, gajjanto indagajjitaṁ, madhuragiragajjitena ñāṇavaravijjujālapariveṭhitena karuṇājalabharitena mahatā dhammāmatameghena sakalalokamabhitappayanto gāmanigamarājadhānīsu cārikaṁ caramāno anupubbena sāgalanagaraṁ anuppatto hoti. |
|
Tatra sudaṁ āyasmā nāgaseno asītiyā bhikkhusahassehi saddhiṁ saṅkhyeyyapariveṇe paṭivasati. |
|
Tenāhu porāṇā— |
‘And why, Sir, are not thy garments, too, as those of other men?’ |
“Bahussuto citrakathī, |
|
nipuṇo ca visārado; |
‘Beautiful clothes, my boy, such as are worn by worldly men, are inseparable from the five cravings. |
| But whatsoever dangers lurk in dress he who wears the yellow robes knows nothing of. | |
Sāmayiko ca kusalo, |
It is for that reason that my dress is not as other men’s.’ |
paṭibhāne ca kovido. |
|
| ‘Dost thou know, Lord, what is real knowledge?’ | |
Te ca tepiṭakā bhikkhū, |
|
pañcanekāyikāpi ca; |
|
| ‘Yes, lad, the real knowledge I know; | |
Catunekāyikā ceva, |
and what is the best hymn (mantra) in the world, that too I know.’ |
nāgasenaṁ purakkharuṁ. |
|
| ‘Couldst thou teach it, Lord, to me too?’ | |
Gambhīrapañño medhāvī, |
|
maggāmaggassa kovido; |
|
| ‘Yes, I could.’ | |
Uttamatthaṁ anuppatto, |
|
nāgaseno visārado. |
|
| ‘Teach me, then.’ | |
Tehi bhikkhūhi parivuto, |
|
nipuṇehi saccavādibhi; |
‘Just now is not the right time for that; |
| we, have come down to the village for alms.’ | |
Caranto gāmanigamaṁ, |
|
sāgalaṁ upasaṅkami. |
|
| Then young Nāgasena took the alms-bowl the venerable Rohaṇa was carrying, and led him into the house, and with his own hand supplied him with food, hard and soft, as much as he required. | |
| And when he saw that he had finished his meal, and withdrawn his hand from the bowl, he said to him: | |
Saṅkhyeyyapariveṇasmiṁ, |
‘Now, Sir, will you teach me that hymn?’ |
nāgaseno tadā vasi; |
|
Katheti so manussehi, |
‘When thou hast become free from impediments, my lad, by taking upon thee, and with thy parents’ consent, the hermit’s dress I wear, then I can teach it thee.’ |
pabbate kesarī yathā”ti. |
|
| So young Nāgasena went to his father and mother, and said: | |
Atha kho devamantiyo rājānaṁ milindaṁ etadavoca—“āgamehi tvaṁ, mahārāja; |
‘This recluse says he knows the best hymn in the world, but that he cannot teach it to any one who has not entered the Order as his pupil. |
atthi, mahārāja, nāgaseno nāma thero paṇḍito byatto medhāvī vinīto visārado bahussuto citrakathī kalyāṇapaṭibhāno atthadhammaniruttipaṭibhānapaṭisambhidāsu pāramippatto, so etarahi saṅkhyeyyapariveṇe paṭivasati, gaccha tvaṁ, mahārāja, āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ pañhaṁ pucchassu, ussahati so tayā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinetun”ti. |
I should like to enter the Order and learn that hymn.’ |
Atha kho milindassa rañño sahasā “nāgaseno”ti saddaṁ sutvāva ahudeva bhayaṁ, ahudeva chambhitattaṁ, ahudeva lomahaṁso. |
|
Atha kho milindo rājā devamantiyaṁ etadavoca—“ussahati bho nāgaseno bhikkhu mayā saddhiṁ sallapitun”ti? |
|
“Ussahati, mahārāja, api indayamavaruṇakuverapajāpatisuyāmasantusitalokapālehipi pitupitāmahena mahābrahmunāpi saddhiṁ sallapituṁ, kimaṅgaṁ pana manussabhūtenā”ti. |
And his parents gave their consent; |
| for they wished him to learn the hymn, even at the cost of retiring from the world; | |
| and they thought that when he had learned it he would come back again. | |
Atha kho milindo rājā devamantiyaṁ etadavoca—“tena hi tvaṁ, devamantiya, bhadantassa santike dūtaṁ pesehī”ti. |
|
“Evaṁ, devā”ti kho devamantiyo āyasmato nāgasenassa santike dūtaṁ pāhesi “rājā, bhante, milindo āyasmantaṁ dassanakāmo”ti. |
|
Āyasmāpi kho nāgaseno evamāha—“tena hi āgacchatū”ti. |
Then the venerable Rohaṇa took Nāgasena to the Vattaniya hermitage, to the Vijamba Vatthu, and having spent the night there, took him on to the Guarded Slope, and there, in the midst of the innumerable company of the Arahats, young Nāgasena was admitted, as a novice, into the Order. |
Atha kho milindo rājā pañcamattehi yonakasatehi parivuto rathavaramāruyha mahatā balakāyena saddhiṁ yena saṅkhyeyyapariveṇaṁ yenāyasmā nāgaseno tenupasaṅkami. |
And then, when he had been admitted to the Order, the venerable Nāgasena said to the venerable Rohaṇa: |
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nāgaseno asītiyā bhikkhusahassehi saddhiṁ maṇḍalamāḷe nisinno hoti. |
‘I have adopted your dress; |
Addasā kho milindo rājā āyasmato nāgasenassa parisaṁ dūratova, disvāna devamantiyaṁ etadavoca—“kassesā, devamantiya, mahatī parisā”ti? |
now teach me that hymn.’ |
“Āyasmato kho, mahārāja, nāgasenassa parisā”ti. |
|
| Then the venerable Rohaṇa thought thus to himself: | |
Atha kho milindassa rañño āyasmato nāgasenassa parisaṁ dūratova disvā ahudeva bhayaṁ, ahudeva chambhitattaṁ, ahudeva lomahaṁso. |
‘In what ought I first to instruct him, in the Discourses (Suttanta) or in the deeper things of the faith (Abhidhamma)?’ |
Atha kho milindo rājā khaggaparivārito viya gajo, garuḷaparivārito viya nāgo, ajagaraparivārito viya kotthuko, mahiṁsaparivuto viya accho, nāgānubaddho viya maṇḍūko, saddūlānubaddho viya migo, ahituṇḍikasamāgato viya pannago, majjārasamāgato viya undūro, bhūtavejjasamāgato viya pisāco, rāhumakhagato viya cando, pannago viya peḷantaragato, sakuṇo viya pañjarantaragato, maccho viya jālantaragato, vāḷavanamanuppaviṭṭho viya puriso, vessavaṇāparādhiko viya yakkho, parikkhīṇāyuko viya devaputto bhīto ubbiggo utrasto saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto vimano dummano bhantacitto vipariṇatamānaso “mā maṁ ayaṁ parijano paribhavī”ti satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā devamantiyaṁ etadavoca—“mā kho, tvaṁ devamantiya, āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ mayhaṁ ācikkheyyāsi, anakkhātaññevāhaṁ nāgasenaṁ jānissāmī”ti. |
and inasmuch as he saw that Nāgasena was intelligent, and could master the Abhidhamma with ease, he gave him his first lesson in that. |
“Sādhu, mahārāja, tvaññeva jānāhī”ti. |
|
| And the venerable Nāgasena, after hearing it repeated but once, knew by heart the whole of the Abhidhamma—that is to say, the Dhamma Saṅgaṇi, with its great divisions into good, bad, and indifferent qualities, and its subdivisions into couples and triplets —the Vibhaṅga, with its eighteen chapters, beginning with the book on the constituent elements of beings—the Dhātu Kathā, with its fourteen books, beginning with that on compensation and non-compensation—the Puggala Paññatti, with its six divisions into discrimination of the various constituent elements, discrimination of the various senses and of the properties they apprehend, and so on —the Kathā Vatthu, with its thousand sections, five hundred on as many points of our own views, and five hundred on as many points of our opponents’ views—the Yamaka, with its ten divisions into complementary propositions as to origins, as to constituent elements, and so on—and the Paṭṭhāna, with its twenty-four chapters on the reason of causes, the reason of ideas, and the rest. | |
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nāgaseno tassā bhikkhuparisāya purato cattālīsāya bhikkhusahassānaṁ navakataro hoti pacchato cattālīsāya bhikkhusahassānaṁ vuḍḍhataro. |
And he said : |
| ‘That will do, Sir. | |
| You need not propound it again. | |
Atha kho milindo rājā sabbaṁ taṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ purato ca pacchato ca majjhato ca anuvilokento addasā kho āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ dūratova bhikkhusaṅghassa majjhe nisinnaṁ kesarasīhaṁ viya vigatabhayabheravaṁ vigatalomahaṁsaṁ vigatabhayasārajjaṁ, disvāna ākāreneva aññāsi “eso kho ettha nāgaseno”ti. |
That will suffice for my being able to rehearse it.’ |
Atha kho milindo rājā devamantiyaṁ etadavoca—“eso kho, devamantiya, āyasmā nāgaseno”ti. |
Then Nāgasena went to the innumerable company of the Arahats, and said: |
“Āma, mahārāja, eso kho nāgaseno, suṭṭhu kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, nāgasenaṁ aññāsī”ti. |
‘I should like to propound the whole of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, without abridgement, arranging it under the three heads of good, bad, and indifferent qualities.’ |
Tato rājā tuṭṭho ahosi “anakkhātova mayā nāgaseno aññāto”ti. |
And they gave him leave. |
Atha kho milindassa rañño āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ disvāva ahudeva bhayaṁ, ahudeva chambhitattaṁ, ahudeva lomahaṁso. |
And in seven months the venerable Nāgasena recited the seven books of the Abhidhamma in full. |
| And the earth thundered, the gods shouted their applause, the Brahma gods clapped their hands, and there came down a shower from heaven of sweet-scented sandal-wood dust, and of Mandārava flowers! | |
| And the innumerable company of the Arahats, then and there at the Guarded Slope, admitted the venerable Nāgasena, then twenty years of age, to full membership in the higher grade of the Order. | |
Tenāhu— |
|
“Caraṇena ca sampannaṁ, |
Now the next day after he had thus been admitted into full membership in the Order, the venerable Nāgasena robed himself at dawn, and taking his bowl, accompanied his teacher on his round for alms to the village below. |
sudantaṁ uttame dame; |
And as he went this thought arose within him: |
| ‘It was, after all, empty-headed and foolish of my teacher to leave the rest of the Buddha’s word aside, and teach me the Abhidhamma first!’ | |
Disvā rājā nāgasenaṁ, |
And the venerable Rohaṇa became aware in his own mind of what was passing in the mind of Nāgasena, and he said to him: |
idaṁ vacanamabravi. |
‘That is an unworthy reflection that thou art making, Nāgasena; |
| it is not worthy of thee so to think.’ | |
Kathitā mayā bahū diṭṭhā, |
|
sākacchā osaṭā bahū; |
‘How strange and wonderful,’ thought Nāgasena, ‘that my teacher should be able to tell in his own mind what I am thinking of! |
| I must ask his pardon.’ | |
Na tādisaṁ bhayaṁ āsi, |
And he said: |
ajja tāso yathā mama. |
‘Forgive me, Sir; |
| I will never make such a reflection again.’ | |
Nissaṁsayaṁ parājayo, |
|
mama ajja bhavissati; |
‘I cannot forgive you, Nāgasena, simply on that promise,’ was the reply. |
| ‘But there is a city called Sāgala, where a king rules whose name is Milinda, and he harasses the brethren by putting puzzles to them of heretical tendency. | |
Jayo ca nāgasenassa, |
You will have earned your pardon, Nāgasena, when you shall have gone there, and overcome that king in argument, and brought him to take delight in the truth.’ |
yathā cittaṁ na saṇṭhitan”ti. |
|
| ‘Not only let king Milinda, holy one, but let all the kings of India come and propound questions to me, and I will break all those puzzles up and solve them, if only you will pardon me!’ | |
Bāhirakathā niṭṭhitā. |
exclaimed Nāgasena. |
| But when he found it was of no avail, he said: | |
| ‘Where, Sir, do you advise me to spend the three months of the rains now coming on ?’ | |
| ‘There is a brother named Assagutta dwelling at the Vattaniya hermitage. | |
| Go, Nāgasena, to him; | |
| and in my name bow down to his feet, and say: | |
| “My teacher, holy one, salutes you reverently, and asks whether you are in health and ease, in full vigour and comfort. | |
| He has sent me here to pass The three months of the rains under your charge.” | |
| When he asks you your teacher’s name, tell it him. | |
| But when he asks you his own name, say: | |
| “My teacher, Sir, knows your name.” | |
| ’ | |
| And Nāgasena bowed down before the venerable Rohaṇa, and passing him on his right hand as he left him, took his bowl and robe, and went on from place to place till he came to the Vattaniya hermitage, begging for his food on the way. | |
| And on his arrival he saluted the venerable Assagutta, and said exactly what he had been told to say, and to the last reply Assagutta said: | |
| ‘Very well then, Nāgasena, put by your bowl and robe.’ | |
| And the next day Nāgasena swept out the teacher’s cell, and put the drinking water and tooth-cleansers ready for him to use. | |
| The Elder swept out the cell again, threw away the water and the tooth-cleansers, and fetched others, and said not a word of any kind. | |
| So it went on for seven days. | |
| On the seventh the Elder again asked him the same questions as before. | |
| And on Nāgasena again making the same replies, he gave him leave to pass the rainy season there. | |
| Nāgasena’s attainment of stream-entry | |
| Now a certain woman, a distinguished follower of the faith, had for thirty years and more administered to the wants of the venerable Assagutta. | |
| And at the end of that rainy season she came one day to him, and asked whether there was any other brother staying with him. | |
| And when she was told that there was one, named Nāgasena, she invited the Elder, and Nāgasena, with him, to take their midday meal the next day at her house. | |
| And the Elder signified, by silence, his consent. | |
| The next forenoon the Elder robed himself, and taking his bowl in his hand, went down, accompanied by Nāgasena as his attendant, to the dwelling-place of that disciple, and there they sat down on the seats prepared for them. | |
| And she gave to both of them food, hard and soft, as much as they required, waiting upon them with her own hands. | |
| When Assagutta had finished his meal, and the hand was withdrawn from the bowl, he said to Nāgasena: | |
| ‘Do thou, Nāgasena, give the thanks to this distinguished lady.’ | |
| And, so saying, he rose from his seat, and went away. | |
| And the lady said to Nāgasena: | |
| ‘I am old, friend Nāgasena. | |
| Let the thanksgiving be from the deeper things of the faith.’ | |
| And Nāgasena, in pronouncing the thanksgiving discourse, dwelt on the profounder side of the Abhidhamma, not on matters of mere ordinary morality, but on those relating to Arahatship. | |
| And as the lady sat there listening, there arose in her heart the Insight into the Truth, clear and stainless, which perceives that whatsoever has beginning, that has the inherent quality of passing away. | |
| And Nāgasena also, when he had concluded that thanksgiving discourse, felt the force of the truths he himself had preached, and he too arrived at insight —he too entered, as he sat there, upon the stream (that is to say, upon the first stage of the Excellent Way to Arahatship). | |
| Then the venerable Assagutta, as he was sitting in his arbour, was aware that they both had attained to insight, and he exclaimed: | |
| ‘Well done! | |
| well done, Nāgasena! | |
| by one arrow shot you have hit two noble quarries!’ | |
| And at the same time thousands of the gods shouted their approval. | |
| Now the venerable Nāgasena arose and returned to Assagutta, and saluting him, took a seat reverently apart. | |
| And Assagutta said to him: | |
| ‘Do thou now go, Nāgasena, to Pāṭaliputta. | |
| There, in the Asoka Park, dwells the venerable Dhamma-rakkhita. | |
| Under him you should learn the words of the Buddha.’ | |
| ‘How far is it, Sir, from here to Pāṭaliputta.’ | |
| ‘A hundred leagues, Nāgasena.’ | |
| ‘Great, Sir, is the distance. | |
| It will be difficult to get food on the way. | |
| How shall I get there?’ | |
| ‘Only go straight on, Nāgasena. | |
| You shall get food on the way, rice from which the black grains have been picked out, with curries and gravies of various sorts.’ | |
| ‘Very well, Sir!’ | |
| said Nāgasena, and bowing down before his teacher, and passing him on the right side as he went, he took his bowl and his robe and departed for Pāṭaliputta. | |
| At that time a merchant of Pāṭaliputta, was on his way back to that city with five hundred waggons. | |
| And when he saw the venerable Nāgasena coming in the distance, he stopped the waggons, and saluted Nāgasena, and asked him: | |
| ‘Whither art thou going, father?’ | |
| ‘To Pāṭaliputta, householder.’ | |
| ‘That is well, father. | |
| We too are going thither. | |
| It will be more convenient for thee to go with us.’ | |
| And the merchant, pleased with Nāgasena’s manners, provided him with food, hard and soft, as much as he required, waiting upon him with his own hands. | |
| And when the meal was over, he took a low seat, and sat down reverently apart. | |
| So seated, he said to the venerable Nāgasena: | |
| ‘What, father, is your name?’ | |
| ‘I am called Nāgasena, householder.’ | |
| ‘Dost thou know, father, what are the words of Buddha?’ | |
| ‘I know the Abhidhamma.’ | |
| ‘We are most fortunate, father; | |
| this is indeed an advantage. | |
| I am a student of the Abhidhamma, and so art thou. | |
| Repeat to me, father, some passages from it.’ | |
| Then the venerable Nāgasena preached to him from the Abhidhamma, and by degrees as he did so there arose in Nāgasena’s heart the Insight into the Truth, clear and stainless, which perceives that whatsoever has in itself the necessity of beginning, that too has also the inherent quality of passing away. | |
| And the Pāṭaliputta merchant sent on his waggons in advance, and followed himself after them. | |
| And at a place where the road divided, not far from Pāṭaliputta, he stopped, and said to Nāgasena: | |
| ‘This is the turning to the Asoka Park. | |
| Now I have here a rare piece of woollen stuff, sixteen cubits by eight. | |
| Do me the favour of accepting it.’ | |
| And Nāgasena did so. | |
| And the merchant, pleased and glad, with joyful heart, and full of content and happiness, saluted the venerable Nāgasena, and keeping him on his right hand as he passed round him, went on his way. | |
| Nāgasena’s attainment of Arahatship | |
| But Nāgasena went on to the Asoka Park to Dhamma-rakkhita. | |
| And after saluting him, and telling him on what errand he had come, he learnt by heart, from the mouth of the venerable Dhamma-rakkhita, the whole of the three baskets of the Buddha’s word in three months, and after a single recital, so far as the letter (that is, knowing the words by heart) was concerned. | |
| . And in three months more he mastered the spirit (that is, the deeper meaning of the sense of the words). | |
| But at the end of that time the venerable Dhamma-rakkhita addressed him, and said: | |
| ‘Nāgasena, as a herdsman tends the cows, but others enjoy their produce, so thou too carriest in thy head the whole three baskets of the Buddha’s word, and still art not yet a partaker of the fruit of Samaṇaship.’ | |
| ‘Though that be so, holy one, say no more,’ was the reply. | |
| And on that very day, at night, he attained to Arahatship and with it to the fourfold power of that Wisdom possessed by all Arahats (that is to say: | |
| the realisation of the sense, and the appreciation of the deep religious teaching contained in the word, the power of intuitive judgment, and the power of correct and ready exposition). | |
| And at the moment of his penetrating the truth all the gods shouted their approval, and the earth thundered, and the Brahma gods clapped their hands, and there fell from heaven a shower of sweet-scented sandal dust and of Mandārava flowers. | |
| Now at that time the innumerable company of the Arahats at the Guarded Slope in the Himālaya mountains sent a message to him to come, for they were anxious to see him. | |
| And when he heard the message the venerable Nāgasena vanished from the Asoka Park and appeared before them. | |
| And they said: | |
| ‘Nāgasena, that king Milinda is in the habit of harassing the brethren by knotty questions and by argumentations this way and that. | |
| Do thou, Nāgasena, go and master him.’ | |
| ‘Not only let king Milinda, holy ones, but let all the kings of India, come and propound questions to me. | |
| I will break all those puzzles up and solve them. | |
| You may go fearlessly to Sāgala.’ | |
| Then all the Elders went to the city of Sāgala, lighting it up with their yellow robes like lamps, and bringing down upon it the breezes from the heights where the sages dwell. | |
| Milinda confutes Āyupāla | |
| At that time the venerable Āyupāla was living at the Saṅkheyya hermitage. | |
| And king Milinda said to his counsellors: | |
| ‘Beautiful is the night and pleasant! | |
| Who is the wandering teacher or Brahman we can visit to night to question him who will be able to converse with us and to resolve our doubts?’ | |
| And the five hundred Yonakas replied: | |
| ‘There is the Elder, Lord, named Āyupāla, versed in the three baskets, and in all the traditional lore. | |
| He is living now at the Saṅkheyya hermitage. | |
| To him you might go, O king, and put your questions to him.’ | |
| ‘Very well, then. | |
| Let the venerable one be informed that we are coming.’ | |
| Then the royal astrologer sent a message to Āyupāla to the effect that king Milinda desired to call upon him. | |
| And the venerable one said: | |
| ‘Let him come.’ | |
| So Milinda the king, attended by the five hundred Yonakas, mounted his royal chariot and proceeded to the Sankheyya hermitage, to the place where Āyupāla dwelt, and exchanged with him the greetings and compliments of friendship and courtesy, and took his seat respectfully apart. | |
| And then he said to him: | |
| ‘Of what use, venerable āyupāla, is the renunciation of the world carried out by the members of your Order, and in what do you place the summum bonum?’ | |
| ‘Our renunciation, O king,’ replied the Elder, ‘is for the sake of being able to live in righteousness, and in spiritual calm.’ | |
| ‘Is there, Sir, any layman who lives so?’ | |
| ‘Yes, great king, there are such laymen. | |
| At the time when the Blessed One set rolling the royal chariot wheel of the kingdom of righteousness at Benares, at the Deer Park, eighteen koṭis of the Brahma gods, and an innumerable company of other gods, attained to comprehension of the truth. | |
| And not one of those beings, all of whom were laymen, had renounced the world. | |
| And again when the Blessed One delivered the Mahā Samaya discourse, and the discourse on the ‘Greatest Blessing,’ and the Exposition of Quietism, and the discourse on losses (Parābhava Suttanta), and the Exhortation to Rāhula, the multitude of gods who attained to comprehension of the truth cannot be numbered. | |
| And not one of those beings, all of whom were laymen, had renounced the world.’ | |
| ‘Then, most venerable Āyupāla, your renunciation is of no use. | |
| It must be in consequence of sins committed in some former birth, that the Buddhist Samanas renounce the world, and even subject themselves to the restraints of one or other of the thirteen aids to purity! | |
| Those who remain on one seat till they have finished their repast were, forsooth, in some former birth, thieves who robbed other men of their food. | |
| It is in consequence of the Karma of having so deprived others of food that they have now only such food as they can get at one sitting; | |
| and are not allowed to eat from time to time as they want. | |
| It is no virtue on their part, no meritorious abstinence, no righteousness of life. | |
| And they who live in the open air were, forsooth, in some former birth, dacoits who plundered whole villages. | |
| It is in consequence of the Karma of having destroyed other people’s homes, that they live now without a home, and are not allowed the use of huts. | |
| It is no virtue on their part, no meritorious abstinence, no righteousness of life. | |
| And those who never lie down, they, forsooth, in some former birth, were highwaymen who seized travellers, and bound them, and left them sitting there. | |
| It is in consequence of the Karma of that habit that they have become Nesajjikā in this life (men who always sit) and get no beds to lie on. | |
| It is no virtue on their part, no meritorious abstinence, no righteousness of life!’ | |
| And when he had thus spoken the venerable Āyupāla was silenced, and had not a word to say in reply. | |
| Then the five hundred Yonakas said to the king: | |
| ‘The Elder, O king, is learned, but is also diffident. | |
| It is for that reason that he makes no rejoinder. | |
| But the king on seeing how silent Āyupāla had become, clapped his hands and cried out: | |
| ‘All India is an empty thing, it is verily like chaff! | |
| There is no one, either Samana or Brahman, capable of discussing things with me and dispelling my doubts!’ | |
| As he looked, however, at the assembly and saw how fearless and self-possessed the Yonakas appeared, he thought within himself: | |
| ‘For a certainty there must be, methinks, some other learned brother capable of disputing with me, or those Yonakas would not be thus confident.’ | |
| And he said to them: | |
| ‘Is there, my good men, any other learned brother to discuss things with me and dispel my doubts?’ | |
| Nāgasena arrives; | |
| his character | |
| Now at that time the venerable Nāgasena, after making his alms-tour through the villages, towns, and cities, had in due course arrived at Sāgala, attended by a band of Samaṇas, as the leader of a company of the Order; | |
| the head of a body of disciples; | |
| the teacher of a school; | |
| famous and renowned, and highly esteemed by the people. | |
| And he was learned, clever, wise, sagacious, and able; | |
| a skilful expounder, of subdued manners, but full of courage; | |
| well versed in tradition, master of the three Baskets (Piṭakas), and erudite in Vedic lore. | |
| He was in possession of the highest (Buddhist) insight, a master of all that had been handed down in the schools, and of the various discriminations by which the most abstruse points can be explained. | |
| He knew by heart the ninefold divisions of the doctrine of the Buddha to perfection, and was equally skilled in discerning both the spirit and the letter of the Word. | |
| Endowed with instantaneous and varied power of repartee, and wealth of language, and beauty of eloquence, he was difficult to equal, and still more difficult to excel, difficult to answer, to repel, or to refute. | |
| He was imperturbable as the depths of the sea, immovable as the king of mountains; | |
| victorious in the struggle with evil, a dispeller of darkness and diffuser of light; | |
| mighty in eloquence, a confounder of the followers of other masters, and a crusher-out of the adherents of rival doctrines (malleus hereticorum). | |
| Honoured and revered by the brethren and sisters of the Order, and its lay adherents of either sex, and by kings and their high officials, he was in the abundant receipt of all the requisites of a member of the Order—robes and bowl and lodging, and whatever is needful for the sick—receiving the highest veneration no less than material gifts. | |
| To the wise and discerning who came to him with listening ear he displayed the ninefold jewel of the Conqueror’s word, he pointed out to them the path of righteousness, bore aloft for them the torch of truth, set up for them the sacred pillar of the truth, and celebrated for their benefit the sacrifice of the truth. | |
| For them he waved the banner, raised the standard, blew the trumpet, and beat the drum of truth. | |
| And with his mighty lion’s voice, like Indra’s thunder but sweet the while, he poured out upon them a plenteous shower, heavy with drops of mercy, and brilliant with the coruscations of the lightning flashes of his knowledge, of the nectar waters of the teaching of the Nirvāṇa of the truth—thus satisfying to the full a thirsty world. | |
| There then, at the Sankheyya hermitage, did the venerable Nāgasena, with a numerous company of the brethren, dwell. | |
| Therefore is it said: | |
| ‘Learned, with varied eloquence, sagacious, bold, | |
| Master of views, in exposition sound, | |
| The brethren—wise themselves in holy writ, | |
| Repeaters of the fivefold sacred word— | |
| Put Nāgasena as their leader and their chief. | |
| Him, Nāgasena of clear mind and wisdom deep, | |
| Who knew which was the right Path, which the false, | |
| And had himself attained Nirvāṇa’s placid heights! | |
| Attended by the wise, by holders to the Truth, | |
| He had gone from town to town, and come to Sāgala; | |
| And now he dwelt there in Saṅkheyya’s grove, | |
| Appearing, among men, like the lion of the hills.’ | |
| Milinda goes to him | |
| And Devamantiya said to king Milinda: | |
| ‘Wait a little, great king, wait a little! | |
| There is an Elder named Nāgasena, learned, able, and wise, of subdued manners, yet full of courage, versed in the traditions, a master of language, and ready in reply, one who understands alike the spirit and the letter of the law, and can expound its difficulties and refute objections to perfection. | |
| He is staying at present at the Saṅkheyya hermitage. | |
| You should go, great king, and put your questions to him. | |
| He is able to discuss things with you, and dispel your doubts.’ | |
| Then when Milinda the king heard the name Nāgasena, thus suddenly introduced, he was seized with fear, and with anxiety, and the hairs of his body stood on end. | |
| But he asked Devamantiya: | |
| ‘Is that really so?’ | |
| And Devamantiya replied: | |
| ‘He is capable, Sire, of discussing things with the guardians of the world—with Indra, Yama, Varuṇa, Kuvera, Prajāpati, Suyāma, and Santushita—and even with the great Brahma himself, the progenitor of mankind, how much more then with a mere human being!’ | |
| ‘Do you then, Devamantiya,’ said the king, ‘send a messenger to say I am coming.’ | |
| And he did so. | |
| And Nāgasena sent word back that he might come. | |
| And the king, attended by the five hundred Yonakas, mounted his royal chariot, and proceeded with a great retinue to the Saṅkheyya hermitage, and to the place where Nāgasena dwelt. | |
| At that time the venerable Nāgasena was seated with the innumerable company of the brethren of the Order, in the open hall in front of the hermitage. | |
| So king Milinda saw the assembly from afar, and he said to Devamantiya: | |
| ‘Whose, Devamantiya, is this so mighty retinue?’ | |
| ‘These are they who follow the venerable Nāgasena,’ was the reply. | |
| Then at the sight there came over king Milinda a feeling of fear and of anxiety, and the hairs of his body stood on end. | |
| But nevertheless, though he felt like an elephant hemmed in by rhinoceroses, like a serpent surrounded by the Garudas (the snake-eating mythical birds), like a jackal surrounded by boa-constrictors, or a bear by buffaloes, like a frog pursued by a serpent, or a deer by a panther, like a snake in the hands of a snake charmer, or a rat played with by a cat, or a devil charmed by an exorcist, like the moon when it is seized by Rāhu, like a snake caught in a basket, or a bird in a cage, or a fish in a net, like a man who has lost his way in a dense forest haunted by wild beasts, like a Yakkha (ogre) who has sinned against Vessavana (the king of ogres and fairies), or like a god whose term of life as a god has reached its end—though confused and terrified, anxious, and beside himself in an agony of fear like that—yet at the thought that he must at least avoid humiliation in the sight of the people, he took courage, and said to Devamantiya: | |
| ‘You need not trouble to point out to me which is Nāgasena. | |
| I shall pick him out unaided.’ | |
| ‘Certainly, Sire, recognise him yourself,’ said he. | |
| Now Nāgasena was junior in seniority (reckoned from the date of his full membership in the Order) to the half of that great company seated in front of him, and senior to the half seated behind him. | |
| And as he looked over the whole of the assembly, in front, and down the centre, and behind, king Milinda detected Nāgasena seated in the middle, and, like a shaggy lion who knows no fear or frenzy, entirely devoid of nervous agitation, and free from shyness and trepidation. | |
| And as soon as he saw him, he knew by his mien that that was Nāgasena, and he pointed him out to Devamantiya. | |
| ‘Yes, great king,’ said he, ‘that is Nāgasena. | |
| Well hast thou, Sire, recognised the sage.’ | |
| ‘Whereupon the king rejoiced that he had recognised Nāgasena without having had him pointed out to him. | |
| But nevertheless, at the sight of him, the king was seized with nervous excitement and trepidation and fear. | |
| Therefore is it said: | |
| ‘At the sight of Nāgasena, wise and pure, | |
| Subdued in all that is the best subjection, | |
| Milinda uttered this foreboding word— | |
| "Many the talkers I have visited, | |
| Many the conversations I have had, | |
| But never yet, till now, to-day, has fear, | |
| So strange, so terrible, o’erpowered my heart. | |
| Verily now defeat must be my lot, | |
| And victory his, so troubled is my mind.” | |
| ’ | |
| Here ends the introductory secular narrative (Bāhira-kathā). |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
1. Paññattipañha |
Exposition Question |
Atha kho milindo rājā yenāyasmā nāgaseno tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā nāgasenena saddhiṁ sammodi, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. |
Then, King Milinda approached Venerable Nāgasena, exchanged cordial and polite greetings with him, and sat down at one side. |
Āyasmāpi kho nāgaseno paṭisammodanīyeneva milindassa rañño cittaṁ ārādhesi. |
Venerable Nāgasena, by returning polite greetings back, gladdened King Milinda’s heart. |
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca— |
Then, King Milinda said to Venerable Nāgasena, |
“kathaṁ bhadanto ñāyati, kinnāmosi, bhante”ti? |
“How is the reverend one known, what is your name, venerable sir?” |
“‘Nāgaseno’ti kho ahaṁ, mahārāja, ñāyāmi, ‘nāgaseno’ti kho maṁ, mahārāja, sabrahmacārī samudācaranti, api ca mātāpitaro nāmaṁ karonti ‘nāgaseno’ti vā ‘sūraseno’ti vā ‘vīraseno’ti vā ‘sīhaseno’ti vā, api ca kho, mahārāja, saṅkhā samaññā paññatti vohāro nāmamattaṁ yadidaṁ nāgasenoti, na hettha puggalo upalabbhatī”ti. |
“I am called Nāgasena, your majesty, my holy life companions address me as Nāgasena. Though parents make such names as Nāgasena, or Sūrasena, or Vīrasena, or Sīhasena, your majesty, Nāgasena is only a concept, a designation, a label, an appellation, a mere name; no person actually obtains here.” |
Atha kho milindo rājā evamāha— |
Then, King Milinda said this, |
“suṇantu me bhonto pañcasatā yonakā asītisahassā ca bhikkhū, ayaṁ nāgaseno evamāha— |
“May the venerable five hundred Bactrian Greeks and the eighty thousand bhikkhus hear me. This Nāgasena said, |
‘na hettha puggalo upalabbhatī’ti, kallaṁ nu kho tadabhinanditun”ti. |
‘no person obtains here’; is it proper to approve that?” |
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca— |
Then, King Milinda said this to Venerable Nāgasena, |
“sace, bhante nāgasena, puggalo nūpalabbhati, ko carahi tumhākaṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ deti, ko taṁ paribhuñjati, ko sīlaṁ rakkhati, ko bhāvanamanuyuñjati, ko maggaphalanibbānāni sacchikaroti, ko pāṇaṁ hanati, ko adinnaṁ ādiyati, ko kāmesumicchācāraṁ carati, ko musā bhaṇati, ko majjaṁ pivati, ko pañcānantariyakammaṁ karoti, tasmā natthi kusalaṁ, natthi akusalaṁ, natthi kusalākusalānaṁ kammānaṁ kattā vā kāretā vā, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, sace, bhante nāgasena, yo tumhe māreti, natthi tassāpi pāṇātipāto, tumhākampi, bhante nāgasena, natthi ācariyo, natthi upajjhāyo, natthi upasampadā. |
“If, bhante Nāgasena, no person obtains, who therefore gives you robes, alms food, lodgings and medicinal requisites? Who enjoys the use of them? Who guards their ethical behaviour? Who engages in meditation? Who attains the path and fruit of Nibbāna? Who kills a living being? Who takes what is not given? Who commits wrong conduct in sensual pleasures? Who speaks falsely? Who drinks intoxicants? Who commits any of the five deeds that bear fruit without delay? Therefore, there is nothing wholesome, nothing unwholesome. There is no doer of wholesome and unwholesome deeds, nor anyone who makes another do wholesome or unwholesome deeds. There is no fruit or result of good or bad deeds. If, venerable Nāgasena, there was someone who caused you to die, there is no killing of living beings for that person. Venerable Nāgasena, there is no teacher, no preceptor, and no ordination for you. |
‘Nāgasenoti maṁ, mahārāja, sabrahmacārī samudācarantī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamo ettha nāgaseno? |
“You say ‘my holy life companions address me as Nāgasena.’ But who here is Nāgasena? |
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, kesā nāgaseno”ti? |
Is it, venerable sir, that the hairs of the head are Nāgasena?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Lomā nāgaseno”ti? |
“Are the hairs of the body Nāgasena?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Nakhā …pe… |
“Are the nails … |
dantā … |
teeth … |
taco … |
skin … |
maṁsaṁ … |
flesh … |
nhāru … |
sinews … |
aṭṭhi … |
bones … |
aṭṭhimiñjaṁ … |
bone marrow … |
vakkaṁ … |
kidneys … |
hadayaṁ … |
heart … |
yakanaṁ … |
liver … |
kilomakaṁ … |
membranes … |
pihakaṁ … |
spleen … |
papphāsaṁ … |
lungs … |
antaṁ … |
intestines … |
antaguṇaṁ … |
mesentery … |
udariyaṁ … |
contents of the stomach … |
karīsaṁ … |
faeces … |
pittaṁ … |
bile … |
semhaṁ … |
phlegm … |
pubbo … |
pus … |
lohitaṁ … |
blood … |
sedo … |
sweat … |
medo … |
fat … |
assu … |
tears … |
vasā … |
lymph … |
kheḷo … |
saliva … |
siṅghāṇikā … |
snot … |
lasikā … |
joint fluid … |
muttaṁ …pe… |
urine … |
matthake matthaluṅgaṁ nāgaseno”ti? |
the brain in the head Nāgasena?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, rūpaṁ nāgaseno”ti? |
“Is form Nāgasena, venerable sir?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Vedanā nāgaseno”ti? |
“Are feelings Nāgasena, venerable sir?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Saññā nāgaseno”ti? |
“Is perception Nāgasena, venerable sir?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Saṅkhārā nāgaseno”ti? |
“Are mental formations Nāgasena, venerable sir?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Viññāṇaṁ nāgaseno”ti? |
“Is consciousness Nāgasena, venerable sir?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, rūpavedanāsaññāsaṅkhāraviññāṇaṁ nāgaseno”ti? |
“Then, venerable sir, are form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness combined Nāgasena?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, aññatra rūpavedanāsaññāsaṅkhāraviññāṇaṁ nāgaseno”ti? |
“Then, venerable sir, is something other than form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness combined Nāgasena?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Tamahaṁ, bhante, pucchanto pucchanto na passāmi nāgasenaṁ. |
“Though, venerable sir, I am asking you repeatedly, I do not see Nāgasena. |
Nāgasenasaddoyeva nu kho, bhante, nāgaseno”ti? |
Is Nāgasena only the sound ‘Nāgasena’?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Ko panettha nāgaseno, alikaṁ tvaṁ, bhante, bhāsasi musāvādaṁ, natthi nāgaseno”ti. |
“Then, who here is Nāgasena? You speak a falsehood, venerable sir, there is no Nāgasena.” |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno milindaṁ rājānaṁ etadavoca— |
“Then, venerable Nāgasena said this to King Milinda, |
“tvaṁ khosi, mahārāja, khattiyasukhumālo accantasukhumālo, tassa te, mahārāja, majjhanhikasamayaṁ tattāya bhūmiyā uṇhāya vālikāya kharāya sakkharakathalikāya madditvā pādenāgacchantassa pādā rujjanti, kāyo kilamati, cittaṁ upahaññati, dukkhasahagataṁ kāyaviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, kiṁ nu kho tvaṁ pādenāgatosi, udāhu vāhanenā”ti? |
“You are, your majesty, a delicate noble, exceedingly delicate. For one going on foot at midday, on the scorching ground, the hot sand, the rough, sharp pebbles and gravel, the feet are sore, the body is tired, the mind is upset, and body consciousness arises accompanied by suffering. Did you come on foot or rather in a vehicle?” |
“Nāhaṁ, bhante, pādenāgacchāmi, rathenāhaṁ āgatosmī”ti. |
“I did not come on foot, venerable sir, I came in a chariot.” |
“Sace tvaṁ, mahārāja, rathenāgatosi, rathaṁ me ārocehi, kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, īsā ratho”ti? |
“If, your majesty, you came in a chariot, tell me about a chariot. Is the carriage pole the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Akkho ratho”ti? |
“Is the axle the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Cakkāni ratho”ti? |
“Are the wheels the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Rathapañjaraṁ ratho”ti? |
“Is the body of the chariot the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Rathadaṇḍako ratho”ti? |
“Is the flag-staff the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Yugaṁ ratho”ti? |
“Is the yoke the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Rasmiyo ratho”ti? |
“Are the reins the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Patodalaṭṭhi ratho”ti? |
“Is the goad the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, īsāakkhacakkarathapañjararathadaṇḍayugarasmipatodā ratho”ti? |
“Then, your majesty, are the carriage pole, axle, wheels, body of the chariot, flag-staff, yoke, reins, and goad the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ pana, mahārāja, aññatra īsāakkhacakkarathapañjararathadaṇḍayugarasmipatodā ratho”ti? |
“Then, your majesty, is something apart from the carriage pole, axle, wheels, body of the chariot, flag-staff, yoke, reins, and goad the chariot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Tamahaṁ, mahārāja, pucchanto pucchanto na passāmi rathaṁ. |
“Though, your majesty, I am asking you repeatedly, I do not see a chariot.” |
Rathasaddoyeva nu kho, mahārāja, ratho”ti? |
Is a chariot only the sound ‘chariot’?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Ko panettha ratho, alikaṁ tvaṁ, mahārāja, bhāsasi musāvādaṁ, natthi ratho, tvaṁsi, mahārāja, sakalajambudīpe aggarājā, kassa pana tvaṁ bhāyitvā musāvādaṁ bhāsasi, suṇantu me bhonto pañcasatā yonakā asītisahassā ca bhikkhū, ayaṁ milindo rājā evamāha— |
“Then, what here is a chariot? You speak a falsehood, your majesty, there is no chariot. You are, your majesty, a mighty king of all Jambudīpa, who then do you fear that you speak a falsehood. May the venerable five hundred Bactrian Greeks and the eighty thousand bhikkhus hear me. This King Milinda said, |
‘rathenāhaṁ āgatosmī’ti, sace tvaṁ, mahārāja, rathenāgatosi, ‘rathaṁ me ārocehī’ti vutto samāno rathaṁ na sampādeti, kallaṁ nu kho tadabhinanditun”ti. |
‘I came by chariot’. But, on being told, ‘if, your majesty, you came by chariot, declare to me a chariot,’ he is unable to produce a chariot. Is it proper to approve that?” |
Evaṁ vutte, pañcasatā yonakā āyasmato nāgasenassa sādhukāraṁ datvā milindaṁ rājānaṁ etadavocuṁ— |
When this was said, the five hundred Bactrian Greeks applauded the venerable Nāgasena and said to King Milinda, |
“idāni kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, sakkonto bhāsassū”ti. |
“Now then, your majesty, speak if you can!” |
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca— |
Then King Milinda said this to venerable Nāgasena, |
“nāhaṁ, bhante nāgasena, musā bhaṇāmi, īsañca paṭicca akkhañca paṭicca cakkāni ca paṭicca rathapañjarañca paṭicca rathadaṇḍakañca paṭicca ‘ratho’ti saṅkhā samaññā paññatti vohāro nāmamattaṁ pavattatī”ti. |
“I do not speak falsely, venerable sir, because of the carriage pole, the axle, the wheels, the body of the chariot, the flag-staff, there exists a ‘chariot’, as a concept, a designation, a label, an appellation, a mere name.” |
“Sādhu kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, rathaṁ jānāsi; |
“Good, your majesty, you know a chariot. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, mayhampi kese ca paṭicca lome ca paṭicca …pe… matthake matthaluṅgañca paṭicca rūpañca paṭicca vedanañca paṭicca saññañca paṭicca saṅkhāre ca paṭicca viññāṇañca paṭicca ‘nāgaseno’ti saṅkhā samaññā paññatti vohāro nāmamattaṁ pavattati, paramatthato panettha puggalo nūpalabbhati. |
In the same way, your majesty, because of the head hairs, the body hairs, … brain in the head, and because of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, consciousness, there exists ‘Nāgasena’, as a concept, a designation, a label, an appellation, a mere name, however in the absolute sense there obtains no person here. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, vajirāya bhikkhuniyā bhagavato sammukhā— |
“For this was said, your majesty, by Sister Vajirā in the presence of the Blessed One: |
‘Yathā hi aṅgasambhārā, |
“Just as, by the coexistence of the various parts, |
hoti saddo ratho iti; |
there is the name ‘chariot’, |
Evaṁ khandhesu santesu, |
so, by the existence of the aggregates, |
hoti “satto”ti sammutī’”ti. |
there is a ‘being’ is agreed upon.” |
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, aticitrāni pañhapaṭibhānāni visajjitāni, yadi buddho tiṭṭheyya sādhukāraṁ dadeyya, sādhu sādhu, nāgasena, aticitrāni pañhapaṭibhānāni visajjitānī”ti. |
“Wonderful, venerable Nāgasena! Marvelous, venerable Nāgasena! Your answers to the questions asked are very clever! If the Buddha were here, he would applaud them. Excellent, excellent, venerable Nāgasena! Your answers to the questions asked are very clever!” |
Paññattipañho paṭhamo. |
Exposition Question first |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
The Great Chapter |
2. Vassagaṇanapañha |
Question on Counting Rains |
“Kativassosi tvaṁ, bhante nāgasenā”ti? |
“How many rains do you have, venerable Nāgasena?” |
“Sattavassohaṁ, mahārājā”ti. |
“I have seven rains, your majesty.” |
“Ke te, bhante, satta, tvaṁ vā satta, gaṇanā vā sattā”ti? |
“What are these seven, venerable sir, are you the seven, or is the reckoning seven?” |
Tena kho pana samayena milindassa rañño sabbābharaṇapaṭimaṇḍitassa alaṅkatapaṭiyattassa pathaviyaṁ chāyā dissati, udakamaṇike ca chāyā dissati. |
Then, at that time, the shadow of the king adorned with all his ornaments, all decked up and prepared, appeared on the ground and is seen in a vessel of water. |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno milindaṁ rājānaṁ etadavoca— |
Then venerable Nāgasena said this to King Milinda, |
“ayaṁ te, mahārāja, chāyā pathaviyaṁ udakamaṇike ca dissati, kiṁ pana, mahārāja, tvaṁ vā rājā, chāyā vā rājā”ti? |
“This shadow appears on the ground and in the vessel of water. Are you the king, your majesty, or is the shadow the king?” |
“Ahaṁ, bhante nāgasena, rājā, nāyaṁ chāyā rājā, maṁ pana nissāya chāyā pavattatī”ti. |
“I am the king, venerable Nāgasena, this shadow is not the king. The shadow comes into existence dependent on me.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, vassānaṁ gaṇanā satta, na panāhaṁ satta, maṁ pana nissāya satta pavattati, chāyūpamaṁ, mahārājā”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, seven is the reckoning of rains. I am not the seven, but dependent on me seven comes into existence, similarly to your shadow, your majesty.” |
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, aticitrāni pañhapaṭibhānāni visajjitānī”ti. |
“Wonderful, venerable Nāgasena! Marvelous, venerable Nāgasena! Your answers to the questions asked are very brilliant!” |
Vassagaṇanapañho dutiyo. |
Counting Rains Question second |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
3. Vīmaṁsanapañha |
Investigating question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked, |
“bhante nāgasena, sallapissasi mayā saddhin”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, will you converse with me?” |
“Sace tvaṁ, mahārāja, paṇḍitavādaṁ sallapissasi sallapissāmi, sace pana rājavādaṁ sallapissasi na sallapissāmī”ti. |
“If, your majesty, you will converse in the speech of wise people, I will converse, however, I will not do so if you converse like a king.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, paṇḍitā sallapantī”ti? |
“How, venerable Nāgasena, do wise people converse?” |
“Paṇḍitānaṁ kho, mahārāja, sallāpe āveṭhanampi kayirati, nibbeṭhanampi kayirati, niggahopi kayirati, paṭikammampi kayirati, vissāsopi kayirati, paṭivissāsopi kayirati, na ca tena paṇḍitā kuppanti, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, paṇḍitā sallapantī”ti. |
“In a conversation among wise people, your majesty, both a summing up and an unravelling is made, a refutation and a redress is made, an assertion and a counter-assertion is made, and wise people do not become angry because of that. That is the way, your majesty, wise people converse.” |
“Kathaṁ pana, bhante, rājāno sallapantī”ti? |
“Then how, venerable sir, do kings converse?” |
“Rājāno kho, mahārāja, sallāpe ekaṁ vatthuṁ paṭijānanti, yo taṁ vatthuṁ vilometi, tassa daṇḍaṁ āṇāpenti ‘imassa daṇḍaṁ paṇethā’ti, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, rājāno sallapantī”ti. |
“In a conversation, your majesty, kings assert some point of view, and for the one who disputes that view, they order punishment, saying ‘Punish that person.’ That is the way, your majesty, kings converse.” |
“Paṇḍitavādāhaṁ, bhante, sallapissāmi, no rājavādaṁ, vissaṭṭho bhadanto sallapatu yathā bhikkhunā vā sāmaṇerena vā upāsakena vā ārāmikena vā saddhiṁ sallapati, evaṁ vissaṭṭho bhadanto sallapatu mā bhāyatū”ti. |
“I will converse, venerable sir, in the speech of wise people, not in the speech of kings. May the venerable one converse freely just like he does with a bhikkhu, a novice, a lay supporter, or with a monastery attendant. May the venerable one converse freely and not be afraid.” |
“Suṭṭhu, mahārājā”ti thero abbhānumodi. |
The elder approved, saying “It is well, your majesty.” |
Rājā āha— |
The king said, |
“bhante nāgasena, pucchissāmī”ti. |
“Venerable Nāgasena, I will ask.” |
“Puccha, mahārājā”ti. |
“Ask, your majesty.” |
“Pucchitosi me, bhante”ti. |
“You have been asked by me, venerable sir.” |
“Visajjitaṁ, mahārājā”ti. |
“It has been answered, your majesty.” |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, tayā visajjitan”ti? |
“Then, what has been answered by you, venerable sir?” |
“Kiṁ pana, mahārāja, tayā pucchitan”ti. |
“Then, what has been asked by you, your majesty?” |
Vīmaṁsanapañho tatiyo. |
Investigating Question third |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
4. Anantakāyapañha |
Anantakaya’s Question |
Atha kho milindassa rañño etadahosi— |
Then, it occurred to King Milinda, |
“paṇḍito kho ayaṁ bhikkhu paṭibalo mayā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ, bahukāni ca me ṭhānāni pucchitabbāni bhavissanti, yāva apucchitāniyeva tāni ṭhānāni bhavissanti, atha sūriyo atthaṁ gamissati, yannūnāhaṁ sve antepure sallapeyyan”ti. |
“This wise bhikkhu is very competent to converse with me. There will be many matters to be asked, but there will be so many unasked and then the sun will set. Why don’t I converse with him in the inner palace tomorrow?” |
Atha kho rājā devamantiyaṁ etadavoca— |
Then the king said to Devamantiya, |
“tena hi tvaṁ, devamantiya, bhadantassa āroceyyāsi ‘sve antepure raññā saddhiṁ sallāpo bhavissatī’”ti. |
“Well then, Devamantiya, announce this to the venerable one, ‘There will be conversation with the king in the inner palace tomorrow morning’.” |
Idaṁ vatvā milindo rājā uṭṭhāyāsanā theraṁ nāgasenaṁ āpucchitvā rathaṁ abhirūhitvā “nāgaseno nāgaseno”ti sajjhāyaṁ karonto pakkāmi. |
After he said this, King Milinda rose from his seat, having received permission from the elder Nāgasena, mounted his chariot, and left, repeating to himself, “Nāgasena, Nāgasena!” |
Atha kho devamantiyo āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca— |
Then Devamantiya said to venerable Nāgasena, |
“rājā, bhante, milindo evamāha— |
“King Milinda said this, venerable sir, |
‘sve antepure raññā saddhiṁ sallāpo bhavissatī’”ti. |
‘There will be conversation with the king in the inner palace tomorrow morning’.” |
“Suṭṭhū”ti thero abbhānumodi. |
The elder approved, saying “It is well.” |
Atha kho tassā rattiyā accayena devamantiyo ca anantakāyo ca maṅkuro ca sabbadinno ca yena milindo rājā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu, upasaṅkamitvā rājānaṁ milindaṁ etadavocuṁ— |
Then, in the early morning, Devamantiya, Anantakāya, Maṅkura, and Sabbadinna approached King Milinda, and said to him, |
“āgacchatu, mahārāja, bhadanto nāgaseno”ti? |
“May the venerable Nāgasena come?” |
“Āma āgacchatū”ti. |
“Yes, he may come.” |
“Kittakehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ āgacchatū”ti? |
“With how many bhikkhus may he come?” |
“Yattake bhikkhū icchati, tattakehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ āgacchatū”ti. |
“He may come with as many bhikkhus as he likes.” |
Atha kho sabbadinno āha— |
Then Sabbadinna said, |
“āgacchatu, mahārāja, dasahi bhikkhūhi saddhin”ti. |
“May he come with ten bhikkhus, your majesty?” |
Dutiyampi kho rājā āha— |
For a second time, the king said, |
“yattake bhikkhū icchati, tattakehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ āgacchatū”ti. |
“He may come with as many bhikkhus as he likes.” |
Dutiyampi kho sabbadinno āha— |
For a second time, Sabbadinna said, |
“āgacchatu, mahārāja, dasahi bhikkhūhi saddhin”ti. |
“May he come with ten bhikkhus, your majesty?” |
Tatiyampi kho rājā āha— |
For a third time, the king said, |
“yattake bhikkhū icchati, tattakehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ āgacchatū”ti. |
“He may come with as many bhikkhus as he likes.” |
Tatiyampi kho sabbadinno āha— |
For a third time, Sabbadinna said, |
“āgacchatu, mahārāja, dasahi bhikkhūhi saddhin”ti. |
“May he come with ten bhikkhus, your majesty?” |
“Sabbo panāyaṁ sakkāro paṭiyādito, ahaṁ bhaṇāmi ‘yattake bhikkhū icchati, tattakehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ āgacchatū’ti. |
“All this hospitality has been prepared. I say, ‘He may come with as many bhikkhus as he likes.’ |
Ayaṁ bhaṇe sabbadinno aññathā bhaṇati, kiṁ nu mayaṁ nappaṭibalā bhikkhūnaṁ bhojanaṁ dātun”ti? |
I say this and Sabbadinna says otherwise! Are we not competent to give food to the bhikkhus?” |
Evaṁ vutte, sabbadinno maṅku ahosi. |
When this was said, Sabbadinna was ashamed. |
Atha kho devamantiyo ca anantakāyo ca maṅkuro ca yenāyasmā nāgaseno tenupasaṅkamiṁsu, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavocuṁ— |
Then, Devamantiya, Anantakāya, and Maṅkura, approached venerable Nāgasena, and said to him, |
“rājā, bhante, milindo evamāha— |
“King Milinda says, |
‘yattake bhikkhū icchati, tattakehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ āgacchatū’”ti. |
‘You may come with as many bhikkhus as you like.’” |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya asītiyā bhikkhusahassehi saddhiṁ sāgalaṁ pāvisi. |
Then, in the morning, venerable Nāgasena arose, got dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Sāgala with eighty thousand bhikkhus. |
Atha kho anantakāyo āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ nissāya gacchanto āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca— |
Now, Anantakāya walking alongside venerable Nāgasena said to him, |
“bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘nāgaseno’ti, katamo ettha nāgaseno”ti? |
“Bhante Nāgasena, that which you call ‘Nāgasena’, what here is Nāgasena?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said, |
“ko panettha ‘nāgaseno’ti maññasī”ti? |
“Who do you think here is Nāgasena?” |
“Yo so, bhante, abbhantare vāto jīvo pavisati ca nikkhamati ca, so ‘nāgaseno’ti maññāmī”ti. |
“The breath within, the life force, which goes in and comes out, that I consider ‘Nāgasena’.” |
“Yadi paneso vāto nikkhamitvā nappaviseyya, pavisitvā na nikkhameyya, jīveyya nu kho so puriso”ti? |
“When, then, the breath goes out and does not come in, or it comes in and doesn’t go out, would that man live?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Ye panime saṅkhadhamakā saṅkhaṁ dhamenti, tesaṁ vāto puna pavisatī”ti? |
“Then, when those conch blowers sound the conch, does their breath re-enter?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Ye panime vaṁsadhamakā vaṁsaṁ dhamenti, tesaṁ vāto puna pavisatī”ti? |
Then when those bamboo flute blowers sound the flute, does their breath re-enter?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Ye panime siṅgadhamakā siṅgaṁ dhamenti, tesaṁ vāto puna pavisatī”ti? |
Then, when those horn blowers sound the horn, does their breath re-enter?” “Indeed not, venerable sir.” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Atha kissa pana te na marantī”ti. |
“Why, then, do they not die because of that?” |
“Nāhaṁ paṭibalo tayā vādinā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ, sādhu, bhante, atthaṁ jappehī”ti. |
“I am not competent to converse with you, a debater of the doctrine. It would be good, venerable sir, if you told me the meaning.” |
“Neso jīvo, assāsapassāsā nāmete kāyasaṅkhārā”ti thero abhidhammakathaṁ kathesi. |
“It is not the life force, in-breathing and out-breathing are just bodily activities.” The elder gave a talk on Abhidhamma. |
Atha anantakāyo upāsakattaṁ paṭivedesīti. |
Then, Anantakāya announced that he was a lay follower. |
Anantakāyapañho catuttho. |
Anantakāya’s Question fourth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
5. Pabbajjapañha |
Going Forth Question |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno yena milindassa rañño nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. |
Then venerable Nāgasena approached King Milinda’s dwelling, and on arriving sat on the seat prepared. |
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ saparisaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappetvā sampavāretvā ekamekaṁ bhikkhuṁ ekamekena dussayugena acchādetvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ ticīvarena acchādetvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca— |
King Milinda then served and satisfied with his own hands venerable Nāgasena and his assembly with delicious hard and soft foods, presented to each bhikkhu a pair of cloths, and to venerable Nāgasena a set of three robes. He said to venerable Nāgasena, |
“bhante nāgasena, dasahi, bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ idha nisīdatha, avasesā gacchantū”ti. |
“Venerable Nāgasena, sit here with ten bhikkhus and let the rest of them go.” |
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ viditvā aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, ekamantaṁ nisinno kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca— |
Then King Milinda, having seen that venerable Nāgasena had eaten, and had withdrawn his hand from his bowl, took a certain low seat and sat down on one side. Seated there, King Milinda said to venerable Nāgasena, |
“bhante nāgasena, kimhi hoti kathāsallāpo”ti? |
“What is the conversation to be about, venerable Nāgasena?” |
“Atthena mayaṁ, mahārāja, atthikā, atthe hotu kathāsallāpo”ti. |
“We need a goal, your majesty. Let the conversation be about the goal.” |
Rājā āha— |
The king said, |
“kimatthiyā, bhante nāgasena, tumhākaṁ pabbajjā, ko ca tumhākaṁ paramattho”ti. |
“What use for you, venerable Nāgasena, is your going forth? What is the ultimate goal for you?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said, |
“kinti, mahārāja, idaṁ dukkhaṁ nirujjheyya, aññañca dukkhaṁ na uppajjeyyāti. |
“How then, your majesty, would this suffering cease, and other suffering not arise? |
Etadatthā, mahārāja, amhākaṁ pabbajjā, anupādā parinibbānaṁ kho pana amhākaṁ paramattho”ti. |
This, your majesty, is the purpose of our going forth, and our ultimate goal is final nibbāna without any clinging.” |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante nāgasena, sabbe etadatthāya pabbajantī”ti? |
“Do all go forth for this goal, venerable Nāgasena?” |
“Na hi, mahārāja, keci etadatthāya pabbajanti, keci rājābhinītā pabbajanti, keci corābhinītā pabbajanti, keci iṇaṭṭā pabbajanti, keci ājīvikatthāya pabbajanti, ye pana sammā pabbajanti, te etadatthāya pabbajantī”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty, some go forth through fear of kings, some go forth through fear of thieves, some go forth oppressed by debts, and others go forth for the sake of livelihood. But those who go forth the right way, go forth for such a goal.” |
“Tvaṁ pana, bhante, etadatthāya pabbajitosī”ti? |
“Did you go forth for this goal, venerable sir?” |
“Ahaṁ kho, mahārāja, daharako santo pabbajito, na jānāmi imassa nāmatthāya pabbajāmīti, api ca kho me evaṁ ahosi ‘paṇḍitā ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā, te maṁ sikkhāpessantī’ti, svāhaṁ tehi sikkhāpito jānāmi ca passāmi ca ‘imassa nāmatthāya pabbajjā’”ti. |
“I went forth, your majesty, when I was a child and I did not know that I was going forth for this goal. Then, it occurred to me, ‘These recluses, Sakyan sons, are wise and they will train me. Now, I have been trained by them, and I know and see that the going forth is for that goal.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Pabbajjapañho pañcamo. |
Going Forth Question fifth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
6. Paṭisandhipañha |
Reconnection Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king said, |
“bhante nāgasena, atthi koci mato na paṭisandahatī”ti. |
“Is there anyone who has died, venerable Nāgasena, who is not reconnected?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said, |
“koci paṭisandahati, koci na paṭisandahatī”ti. |
“There are some who reconnect and some who don’t reconnect.” |
“Ko paṭisandahati, ko na paṭisandahatī”ti? |
“Who reconnects and who doesn’t reconnect?” |
“Sakileso, mahārāja, paṭisandahati, nikkileso na paṭisandahatī”ti. |
“One with defilements reconnects and one without defilements doesn’t reconnect?” |
“Tvaṁ pana, bhante nāgasena, paṭisandahissasī”ti? |
“Will you then reconnect, venerable Nāgasena?” |
“Sace, mahārāja, saupādāno bhavissāmi paṭisandahissāmi, sace anupādāno bhavissāmi na paṭisandahissāmī”ti. |
“If, your majesty, I am with clinging I will reconnect, and if I am without clinging I will not.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Paṭisandhipañho chaṭṭho. |
Reconnection Question sixth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Question |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
7. Yonisomanasikārapañha |
Careful Attention Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king said, |
“bhante nāgasena, yo na paṭisandahati, nanu so yoniso manasikārena na paṭisandahatī”ti? |
“Is it not, venerable Nāgasena, that the one who does not reconnect does not do so because of careful attention?” |
“Yoniso ca, mahārāja, manasikārena paññāya ca aññehi ca kusalehi dhammehī”ti. |
“It is because of careful attention, your majesty, and because of wisdom and other wholesome mental states mental states.” |
“Nanu, bhante, yoniso manasikāroyeva paññā”ti? |
“Is careful attention, venerable sir, the same as wisdom?” |
“Na hi, mahārāja, añño manasikāro, aññā paññā, imesaṁ kho, mahārāja, ajeḷakagoṇamahiṁsaoṭṭhagadrabhānampi manasikāro atthi, paññā pana tesaṁ natthī”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty, careful attention is one thing, wisdom is another. Goats, rams, bulls, buffalos, camels, and donkeys also have careful attention, but they do not have wisdom.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Yonisomanasikārapañho sattamo. |
Careful Attention Question seventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
8. Manasikāralakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Attention Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“kiṁlakkhaṇo, bhante nāgasena, manasikāro, kiṁlakkhaṇā paññā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of attention, and what is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom?” |
“Ūhanalakkhaṇo kho, mahārāja, manasikāro, chedanalakkhaṇā paññā”ti. |
“Examination is the distinguishing characteristic of attention, and severing is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom.” |
“Kathaṁ ūhanalakkhaṇo manasikāro, kathaṁ chedanalakkhaṇā paññā? |
“How does attention have the distinguishing characteristic of examination? And how does wisdom have the distinguishing characteristic of severing? |
Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
Please give me an analogy.” |
“Jānāsi tvaṁ, mahārāja, yavalāvake”ti. |
“Do you know barley reapers, your majesty?” |
“Āma, bhante, jānāmī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, I know them.” |
“Kathaṁ, mahārāja, yavalāvakā yavaṁ lunantī”ti? |
“How, your majesty, do barley reapers reap barley?” |
“Vāmena, bhante, hatthena yavakalāpaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena dāttaṁ gahetvā dāttena chindantī”ti. |
“Venerable sir, they take a sheaf of barley in the left hand, and take a sickle in the right hand, and they cut with the sickle.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, yavalāvako vāmena hatthena yavakalāpaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena dāttaṁ gahetvā yavaṁ chindati; |
“Just as, your majesty, a barley reaper takes a sheaf of barley in the left hand, takes a sickle in the right hand, and cuts the barley, |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yogāvacaro manasikārena mānasaṁ gahetvā paññāya kilese chindati, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, ūhanalakkhaṇo manasikāro, evaṁ chedanalakkhaṇā paññā”ti. |
in the same way, your majesty, does the spiritual aspirant take hold of the mind with attention, and cut off the defilements with wisdom. Indeed thus, your majesty, examination is the distinguishing characteristic of attention, and severing is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Manasikāralakkhaṇapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Attention Question eighth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
9. Sīlalakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Virtue Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘aññehi ca kusalehi dhammehī’ti, katame te kusalā dhammā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, that which you called ‘and other wholesome mental states’, what are these wholesome mental states?” |
“Sīlaṁ, mahārāja, saddhā vīriyaṁ sati samādhi, ime te kusalā dhammā”ti. |
“Virtue, your majesty, faith, energy, mindfulness, and absorption; these are those wholesome mental states.” |
“Kiṁlakkhaṇaṁ, bhante, sīlan”ti? |
“What, venerable sir, is the distinguishing characteristic of virtue?” |
“Patiṭṭhānalakkhaṇaṁ, mahārāja, sīlaṁ sabbesaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, indriyabalabojjhaṅgamaggaṅgasatipaṭṭhānasammappadhānaiddhipādajhānavimokkhasamādhisamāpattīnaṁ sīlaṁ patiṭṭhaṁ, sīle patiṭṭhito kho, mahārāja, yogāvacaro sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya pañcindriyāni bhāveti saddhindriyaṁ vīriyindriyaṁ satindriyaṁ samādhindriyaṁ paññindriyanti, sabbe kusalā dhammā na parihāyantī”ti. |
“Virtue, your majesty, has the distinguishing characteristic of being the ground for all wholesome mental states. Virtue is the ground for the faculties, the powers, the enlightenment factors, the path factors, the establishments of mindfulness, the right efforts, the bases of psychic power, meditation, emancipation, concentration, and the attainments. A spiritual aspirant, your majesty, dependent on virtue, grounded in virtue, develops the five faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. None of these wholesome mental states decrease.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, ye keci bījagāmabhūtagāmā vuḍḍhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjanti, sabbe te pathaviṁ nissāya pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhāya vuḍḍhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjanti; |
“Just as, your majesty, whatever seeds and plants attain to growth, development, and abundance, do so in dependence on the earth, and grounded by the earth. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yogāvacaro sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya pañcindriyāni bhāveti saddhindriyaṁ vīriyindriyaṁ satindriyaṁ samādhindriyaṁ paññindriyan”ti. |
In the same way, a spiritual aspirant, your majesty, dependent on virtue, grounded in virtue, develops the five faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, ye keci balakaraṇīyā kammantā kayiranti, sabbe te pathaviṁ nissāya pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhāya kayiranti; |
“Just as, your majesty, whatever actions are to be done with strength, all of these are done in dependence on the earth, and grounded by the earth. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yogāvacaro sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya pañcindriyāni bhāveti saddhindriyaṁ vīriyindriyaṁ satindriyaṁ samādhindriyaṁ paññindriyan”ti. |
In the same way, a spiritual aspirant, your majesty, dependent on virtue, grounded in virtue, develops the five faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, nagaravaḍḍhakī nagaraṁ māpetukāmo paṭhamaṁ nagaraṭṭhānaṁ sodhāpetvā khāṇukaṇṭakaṁ apakaḍḍhāpetvā bhūmiṁ samaṁ kārāpetvā tato aparabhāge vīthicatukkasiṅghāṭakādiparicchedena vibhajitvā nagaraṁ māpeti; |
“Just as, your majesty, a city architect, desiring to build a city, would first clear a site for the city, remove the trees and stumps, make the ground even, and there at a future time, divide it up into streets and four-way crossroads, and build the city. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yogāvacaro sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya pañcindriyāni bhāveti saddhindriyaṁ vīriyindriyaṁ satindriyaṁ samādhindriyaṁ paññindriyan”ti. |
In the same way, a spiritual aspirant, your majesty, dependent on virtue, grounded in virtue, develops the five faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, laṅghako sippaṁ dassetukāmo pathaviṁ khaṇāpetvā sakkharakathalaṁ apakaḍḍhāpetvā bhūmiṁ samaṁ kārāpetvā mudukāya bhūmiyā sippaṁ dasseti; |
“Just as, your majesty, an acrobat, desiring to display their craft, would dig the earth, remove the gravel and stones, make the ground even, and thus display their craft on soft earth. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yogāvacaro sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya pañcindriyāni bhāveti saddhindriyaṁ vīriyindriyaṁ satindriyaṁ samādhindriyaṁ paññindriyanti. |
In the same way, a spiritual aspirant, your majesty, dependent on virtue, grounded in virtue, develops the five faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.” |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā— |
“And this too was said, your majesty, by the Blessed One: |
‘Sīle patiṭṭhāya naro sapañño, |
A wise person, grounded in virtue, |
Cittaṁ paññañca bhāvayaṁ; |
developing the mind and wisdom, |
Ātāpī nipako bhikkhu, |
A bhikkhu, diligent and intelligent, |
So imaṁ vijaṭaye jaṭanti. |
would disentangle the tangle. |
Ayaṁ patiṭṭhā dharaṇīva pāṇinaṁ, |
This is the support, as the earth is for living beings. |
Idañca mūlaṁ kusalābhivuḍḍhiyā; |
And this is the root for growth in wholesome qualities. |
Mukhañcidaṁ sabbajinānusāsane, |
It is the starting point for all the Conqueror’s teachings. |
Yo sīlakkhandho varapātimokkhiyo’”ti. |
This collection of virtue is supremely binding.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Sīlalakkhaṇapañho navamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Virtue Question ninth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
10. Sampasādanalakkhaṇasaddhāpañha |
Calming as a Distinguishing Characteristic of Faith Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇā saddhā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of faith?” |
“Sampasādanalakkhaṇā ca, mahārāja, saddhā, sampakkhandanalakkhaṇā cā”ti. |
“Faith, your majesty, has calming as a distinguishing characteristic, and also aspiration.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante, sampasādanalakkhaṇā saddhā”ti? |
“How, venerable sir, is calming a distinguishing characteristic of faith?” |
“Saddhā kho, mahārāja, uppajjamānā nīvaraṇe vikkhambheti, vinīvaraṇaṁ cittaṁ hoti acchaṁ vippasannaṁ anāvilaṁ. |
“Faith arising suppresses the hindrances, and thus there is a clear, bright, clean mind free of the hindrances. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, sampasādanalakkhaṇā saddhā”ti. |
That’s how, your majesty, calming is a distinguishing characteristic of faith.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, rājā cakkavattī caturaṅginiyā senāya saddhiṁ addhānamaggappaṭipanno parittaṁ udakaṁ tareyya, taṁ udakaṁ hatthīhi ca assehi ca rathehi ca pattīhi ca khubhitaṁ bhaveyya āvilaṁ luḷitaṁ kalalībhūtaṁ. |
“Just as, your majesty, a wheel-turning king going on a long journey might cross a small body of water, and that water disturbed by the elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers, would become stirred up, turbid, and muddy; |
Uttiṇṇo ca rājā cakkavattī manusse āṇāpeyya ‘pānīyaṁ, bhaṇe, āharatha, pivissāmī’ti, rañño ca udakappasādako maṇi bhaveyya. |
and after crossing, the king would command his men, ‘Bring me water, I will drink,’ and the king would possess a water-clearing gem. |
‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho te manussā rañño cakkavattissa paṭissutvā taṁ udakappasādakaṁ maṇiṁ udake pakkhipeyyuṁ, tasmiṁ udake pakkhittamatte saṅkhasevālapaṇakaṁ vigaccheyya, kaddamo ca sannisīdeyya, acchaṁ bhaveyya udakaṁ vippasannaṁ anāvilaṁ. |
The men having given their assent to the wheel-turning king, saying ‘Yes, lord’, would place that water-clearing gem in the water, and after it is placed in that water, the various water plants, slime, and leaves would disappear, the mud would settle, and the water would become clear, bright, and clean. |
Tato rañño cakkavattissa pānīyaṁ upanāmeyyuṁ ‘pivatu, deva, pānīyan’ti. |
Then they would bring the water to the wheel-turning king, saying, ‘Drink the water, lord.’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, udakaṁ, evaṁ cittaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ, yathā te manussā, evaṁ yogāvacaro daṭṭhabbo, yathā saṅkhasevālapaṇakaṁ kaddamo ca, evaṁ kilesā daṭṭhabbā. |
Just like the water, your majesty, so the mind is to be understood; just like the men, so the spiritual aspirant is to be understood; just like the various water plants, slime, and leaves and the mud, so the defilements are to be understood; |
Yathā udakappasādako maṇi, evaṁ saddhā daṭṭhabbā, yathā udakappasādake maṇimhi udake pakkhittamatte saṅkhasevālapaṇakaṁ vigaccheyya, kaddamo ca sannisīdeyya, acchaṁ bhaveyya udakaṁ vippasannaṁ anāvilaṁ; |
just like the water-clearing gem, so faith is to be understood. Just like after the water-clearing gem is placed in the water, the various water plants, slime, and leaves would disappear, and the mud would settle, and the water would become clear, bright, and clean; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, saddhā uppajjamānā nīvaraṇe vikkhambheti, vinīvaraṇaṁ cittaṁ hoti acchaṁ vippasannaṁ anāvilaṁ. |
in the same way, your majesty, faith arising suppresses the hindrances and the unobstructed mind is clear, bright, and clean. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, sampasādanalakkhaṇā saddhā”ti. |
And in this way, your majesty, calming is a distinguishing characteristic of faith.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Sampasādanalakkhaṇasaddhāpañho dasamo. |
Calming as a Distinguishing Characteristic of Faith Question tenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
11. Sampakkhandanalakkhaṇasaddhāpañha |
Aspiration as a Distinguishing Characteristic of Faith Question |
“Kathaṁ, bhante, sampakkhandanalakkhaṇā saddhā”ti? |
“How, venerable sir, is aspiration a distinguishing characteristic of faith?” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, yogāvacaro aññesaṁ cittaṁ vimuttaṁ passitvā sotāpattiphale vā sakadāgāmiphale vā anāgāmiphale vā arahatte vā sampakkhandati yogaṁ karoti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. |
“Just as, your majesty, a spiritual aspirant, having seen the liberated mind of others, aspires to the fruit of stream entry, or to the fruit of once-returning, or to the fruit of non-returning, or to the fruit of arahantship, and practices for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, and for the realisation of the unrealised. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, sampakkhandanalakkhaṇā saddhā”ti. |
Thus, your majesty, is aspiration a distinguishing characteristic of faith.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, uparipabbate mahāmegho abhippavasseyya, taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūretvā nadiṁ paripūreyya, sā ubhato kūlāni saṁvissandantī gaccheyya, atha mahājanakāyo āgantvā tassā nadiyā uttānataṁ vā gambhīrataṁ vā ajānanto bhīto vitthato tīre tiṭṭheyya, athaññataro puriso āgantvā attano thāmañca balañca sampassanto gāḷhaṁ kacchaṁ bandhitvā pakkhanditvā tareyya, taṁ tiṇṇaṁ passitvā mahājanakāyopi tareyya; |
“Just as, your majesty, a great cloud might pour down rain on the top of a mountain, and that water flowing down according to the slope, having filled the gullies, clefts, and rivulets on the mountain, would fill the river which would proceed along overflowing both banks. And then a great crowd of people having gone to that river, not knowing how shallow or deep it is, would stand frightened and spread out on the bank, and then a certain man might come, and considering his own power and strength, would bind tightly his loincloth and cross over. The great crowd of people having seen him cross would cross over also. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yogāvacaro aññesaṁ cittaṁ vimuttaṁ passitvā sotāpattiphale vā sakadāgāmiphale vā anāgāmiphale vā arahatte vā sampakkhandati yogaṁ karoti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. |
In the same way, your majesty, a spiritual aspirant, having seen the liberated mind of others, aspires to the fruit of stream entry, or to the fruit of once-returning, or to the fruit of non-returning, or to the fruit of arahantship, and practices for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, and for the realisation of the unrealised. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, sampakkhandanalakkhaṇā saddhāti. |
In the same way, your majesty, is aspiration a distinguishing characteristic of faith. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā saṁyuttanikāyavare— |
And this too was said, your majesty, by the Blessed One in the excellent Saṃyutta Nikāya: |
‘Saddhāya taratī oghaṁ, |
‘One crosses the flood with faith, |
appamādena aṇṇavaṁ; |
the ocean with diligence; |
Vīriyena dukkhamacceti, |
Overcomes suffering with energy, |
paññāya parisujjhatī’”ti. |
and is purified with wisdom.’” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Sampakkhandanalakkhaṇasaddhāpañho ekādasamo. |
Aspiration as a Distinguishing Characteristic of Faith Question eleventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
12. Vīriyalakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Exertion Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇaṁ vīriyan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of exertion?” |
“Upatthambhanalakkhaṇaṁ, mahārāja, vīriyaṁ, vīriyūpatthambhitā sabbe kusalā dhammā na parihāyantī”ti. |
“Exertion, your majesty, has supporting as a distinguishing characteristic, and no wholesome mental states supported by exertion decline.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, puriso gehe patante aññena dārunā upatthambheyya, upatthambhitaṁ santaṁ evaṁ taṁ gehaṁ na pateyya; |
“Just as, your majesty, a man, when his house is falling down, might support it with additional wood, so that, being thus supported, that house would not fall down. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, upatthambhanalakkhaṇaṁ vīriyaṁ, vīriyūpatthambhitā sabbe kusalā dhammā na parihāyantī”ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, exertion has supporting as a distinguishing characteristic, and no wholesome mental states supported by exertion decline.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, parittakaṁ senaṁ mahatī senā bhañjeyya, tato rājā aññamaññaṁ anussāreyya anupeseyya attano parittakāya senāya balaṁ anupadaṁ dadeyya, tāya saddhiṁ parittakā senā mahatiṁ senaṁ bhañjeyya; |
“Just as, your majesty, a large army might destroy a small army, then the king would recall another and send for them in order to give additional strength to his own small army, and with that, the small army would destroy the large army. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, upatthambhanalakkhaṇaṁ vīriyaṁ, vīriyūpatthambhitā sabbe kusalā dhammā na parihāyanti. |
In the same way, your majesty, exertion has supporting as a distinguishing characteristic, and no wholesome mental states supported by exertion decline. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā— |
And this too was said, your majesty, by the Blessed One: |
‘vīriyavā kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako akusalaṁ pajahati, kusalaṁ bhāveti. |
‘A noble disciple endowed with exertion abandons the unwholesome, develops the wholesome; |
Sāvajjaṁ pajahati, anavajjaṁ bhāveti. |
Abandons the blameworthy, develops the blameless, |
Suddhamattānaṁ pariharatī’”ti. |
and maintains his own purity.’” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Vīriyalakkhaṇapañho dvādasamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Exertion Question twelfth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
13. Satilakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Mindfulness Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇā satī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of mindfulness?” |
“Apilāpanalakkhaṇā, mahārāja, sati, upaggaṇhanalakkhaṇā cā”ti. |
“Mindfulness, your majesty, has not wavering as a distinguishing characteristic, and also taking up.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante, apilāpanalakkhaṇā satī”ti? |
“How, venerable sir, does mindfulness have not wavering as a distinguishing characteristic?” |
“Sati, mahārāja, uppajjamānā kusalākusalasāvajjānavajjahīnappaṇītakaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgadhamme apilāpeti ‘ime cattāro satipaṭṭhānā, ime cattāro sammappadhānā, ime cattāro iddhipādā, imāni pañcindriyāni, imāni pañca balāni, ime satta bojjhaṅgā, ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, ayaṁ samatho, ayaṁ vipassanā, ayaṁ vijjā, ayaṁ vimuttī’ti. |
“Mindfulness arising, your majesty, does not waver concerning things that are wholesome and unwholesome, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, dark and light, or evenly mixed, thinking ‘these are the four establishments of mindfulness, these the four right strivings, these the four bases for psychic power, these the five faculties, these the five powers, these the seven factors of enlightenment, this the noble eightfold path, this serenity, this insight, this knowledge, this liberation’. |
Tato yogāvacaro sevitabbe dhamme sevati, asevitabbe dhamme na sevati. |
Then, the spiritual aspirant engages in the things that should be engaged in, and does not engage in the things that should not be engaged in; |
Bhajitabbe dhamme bhajati abhajitabbe dhamme na bhajati. |
associates with things that should be associated with, and does not associate with things that should not be associated with. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, apilāpanalakkhaṇā satī”ti. |
Thus, your majesty, does mindfulness have not wavering as a distinguishing characteristic.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, rañño cakkavattissa bhaṇḍāgāriko rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ sāyaṁ pātaṁ yasaṁ sarāpeti ‘ettakā, deva, te hatthī, ettakā assā, ettakā rathā, ettakā pattī, ettakaṁ hiraññaṁ, ettakaṁ suvaṇṇaṁ, ettakaṁ sāpateyyaṁ, taṁ devo saratū’ti rañño sāpateyyaṁ apilāpeti; |
“Just as, your majesty, a wheel-turning king’s storekeeper reminds that king by night and day of his fame, saying, ‘So many elephants are yours, sire, so many horses, so many chariots, so many foot-soldiers, so much gold, so many gold objects, so much wealth, let his majesty remember it’, and he does not waver concerning the king’s wealth. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sati uppajjamānā kusalākusalasāvajjānavajjahīnappaṇītakaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgadhamme apilāpeti ‘ime cattāro satipaṭṭhānā, ime cattāro sammappadhānā, ime cattāro iddhipādā, imāni pañcindriyāni, imāni pañca balāni, ime satta bojjhaṅgā, ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, ayaṁ samatho, ayaṁ vipassanā, ayaṁ vijjā, ayaṁ vimuttī’ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, mindfulness arising does not waver concerning things that are wholesome and unwholesome, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, dark and light, or evenly mixed, thinking ‘these are the four establishments of mindfulness, these the four right strivings, these the four bases for psychic power, these the five faculties, these the five powers, these the seven factors of enlightenment, this the noble eightfold path, this serenity, this insight, this knowledge, this liberation’. |
Tato yogāvacaro sevitabbe dhamme sevati, asevitabbe dhamme na sevati. |
Then, the spiritual aspirant engages in the things that should be engaged in, and does not engage in the things that should not be engaged in; |
Bhajitabbe dhamme bhajati, abhajitabbe dhamme na bhajati. |
associates with things that should be associated with, and does not associate with things that should not be associated with. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, apilāpanalakkhaṇā satī”ti. |
Thus, your majesty, does mindfulness have not wavering as a distinguishing characteristic.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante, upaggaṇhanalakkhaṇā satī”ti? |
“How, venerable sir, does mindfulness have taking up as a distinguishing characteristic?” |
“Sati, mahārāja, uppajjamānā hitāhitānaṁ dhammānaṁ gatiyo samanveti ‘ime dhammā hitā, ime dhammā ahitā. |
“Mindfulness arising, your majesty, examines the courses of mental states that are beneficial or non-beneficial, thinking ‘these mental states are beneficial, these are non-beneficial; |
Ime dhammā upakārā, ime dhammā anupakārā’ti. |
these mental states are supportive, these are not supportive.’ |
Tato yogāvacaro ahite dhamme apanudeti, hite dhamme upaggaṇhāti. |
Then, the spiritual aspirant dispels non-beneficial mental states and takes up beneficial mental states; |
Anupakāre dhamme apanudeti, upakāre dhamme upaggaṇhāti. |
dispels non-supportive mental states and takes up supportive ones. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, upaggaṇhanalakkhaṇā satī”ti. |
Thus, your majesty, does mindfulness have taking up as a distinguishing characteristic.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, rañño cakkavattissa pariṇāyakaratanaṁ rañño hitāhite jānāti ‘ime rañño hitā, ime ahitā. |
“Just as, your majesty, a wheel-turning king’s treasured adviser knows what is beneficial and non-beneficial for the king, thinking ‘these are beneficial for the king, these are non-beneficial; |
Ime upakārā, ime anupakārā’ti. |
these are supportive, these are not supportive. |
Tato ahite apanudeti, hite upaggaṇhāti. |
Then, he dispels the non-beneficial and takes up the beneficial; |
Anupakāre apanudeti, upakāre upaggaṇhāti. |
dispels the non-supportive and takes up the supportive. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, sati uppajjamānā hitāhitānaṁ dhammānaṁ gatiyo samanveti ‘ime dhammā hitā, ime dhammā ahitā. |
In the same way, your majesty, mindfulness arising examines mental states that are beneficial or non-beneficial, thinking ‘these mental states are beneficial, these are non-beneficial; |
Ime dhammā upakārā, ime dhammā anupakārā’ti. |
these mental states are supportive, these are not supportive.’ |
Tato yogāvacaro ahite dhamme apanudeti, hite dhamme upaggaṇhāti. |
Then, the spiritual aspirant dispels non-beneficial mental states and takes up beneficial mental states; |
Anupakāre dhamme apanudeti, upakāre damme upaggaṇhāti. |
dispels non-supportive mental states and takes up supportive ones. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, upaggaṇhanalakkhaṇā sati. |
Thus, your majesty, does mindfulness have taking up as a distinguishing characteristic. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā— |
And this too was said, your majesty, by the Blessed One: |
‘satiñca khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sabbatthikaṁ vadāmī’”ti. |
‘I say, bhikkhus, that mindfulness is always useful.’” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Satilakkhaṇapañho terasamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Mindfulness Question thirteenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
14. Samādhipañha |
Concentration Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇo samādhī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of concentration?” |
“Pamukhalakkhaṇo, mahārāja, samādhi, ye keci kusalā dhammā, sabbe te samādhipamukhā honti samādhininnā samādhipoṇā samādhipabbhārā”ti. |
“Concentration, your majesty, has being the foremost as a distinguishing characteristic, whatever wholesome mental states there are all these have concentration as the foremost, they lean towards concentration, slope towards concentration, and incline towards concentration.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kūṭāgārassa yā kāci gopānasiyo, sabbā tā kūṭaṅgamā honti kūṭaninnā kūṭasamosaraṇā, kūṭaṁ tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati; |
“Just as, your majesty, whatever rafters there are in a house with a ridge pole, all the rafters go to that ridge pole, lean towards it, converge at it, and it is considered to be the chief of them. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, ye keci kusalā dhammā, sabbe te samādhipamukhā honti samādhininnā samādhipoṇā samādhipabbhārā”ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, whatever wholesome mental states there are all these have concentration as the foremost, they lean towards concentration, slope towards concentration, and incline towards concentration.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, koci rājā caturaṅginiyā senāya saddhiṁ saṅgāmaṁ otareyya, sabbāva senā hatthī ca assā ca rathā ca pattī ca tappamukhā bhaveyyuṁ tanninnā tappoṇā tappabbhārā taṁyeva anupariyāyeyyuṁ; |
“Just as, your majesty, whatever king with his four-factored army would go down into battle, all the army – the elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers – would have him as the foremost, lean towards him, slope towards him, and incline towards him, and would gather around him. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, ye keci kusalā dhammā, sabbe te samādhipamukhā honti samādhininnā samādhipoṇā samādhipabbhārā. |
In the same way, your majesty, whatever wholesome mental states there are all these have concentration as the foremost, they lean towards concentration, slope towards concentration, and incline towards concentration. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, pamukhalakkhaṇo samādhi. |
Thus, your majesty, concentration has being the foremost as a distinguishing characteristic. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā— |
And this too was said, your majesty, by the Blessed One: |
‘samādhiṁ, bhikkhave, bhāvetha, samāhito, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathābhūtaṁ pajānātī’”ti. |
‘Develop concentration, bhikkhus. A concentrated bhikkhu knows things as they really are.’” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Samādhipañho cuddasamo. |
Concentration Question fourteenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
15. Paññālakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Wisdom Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇā paññā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom?” |
“Pubbeva kho, mahārāja, mayā vuttaṁ— |
“Previously, your majesty, I said that |
‘chedanalakkhaṇā paññā’ti, api ca obhāsanalakkhaṇā paññā”ti. |
severing is a distinguishing characteristic of wisdom, and also illuminating is a distinguishing characteristic of wisdom.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante, obhāsanalakkhaṇā paññā”ti? |
“How, venerable sir, is illuminating a distinguishing characteristic of wisdom.” |
“Paññā, mahārāja, uppajjamānā avijjandhakāraṁ vidhameti, vijjobhāsaṁ janeti, ñāṇālokaṁ vidaṁseti, ariyasaccāni pākaṭāni karoti. |
“Wisdom arising, your majesty, dispels the darkness of ignorance, generates the radiance of true knowledge, displays the light of understanding, and makes evident the noble truths. |
Tato yogāvacaro ‘aniccan’ti vā ‘dukkhan’ti vā ‘anattā’ti vā sammappaññāya passatī”ti. |
Then, a spiritual practitioner sees with right wisdom what is ‘impermanent’, ‘suffering’, or ‘not self’.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, puriso andhakāre gehe padīpaṁ paveseyya, paviṭṭho padīpo andhakāraṁ vidhameti, obhāsaṁ janeti, ālokaṁ vidaṁseti, rūpāni pākaṭāni karoti; |
“Just as, your majesty, a person might bring a lamp into a dark house, and this lamp brought in dispels the darkness, generates radiance, displays light, and makes evident forms. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, paññā uppajjamānā avijjandhakāraṁ vidhameti, vijjobhāsaṁ janeti, ñāṇālokaṁ vidaṁseti, ariyasaccāni pākaṭāni karoti. |
In the same way, your majesty, wisdom arising dispels the darkness of ignorance, generates the radiance of true knowledge, displays the light of understanding, and makes evident the noble truths. |
Tato yogāvacaro ‘aniccan’ti vā ‘dukkhan’ti vā ‘anattā’ti vā sammappaññāya passati. |
Then, a spiritual practitioner sees with right wisdom what is ‘impermanent’, ‘suffering’, or ‘not self’. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, obhāsanalakkhaṇā paññā”ti. |
Thus, your majesty, is illuminating a distinguishing characteristic of wisdom.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Paññālakkhaṇapañho pannarasamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Wisdom Question fifteenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Mahāvagga |
Great Chapter |
16. Nānādhammānaṁekakiccaabhinipphādanapañha |
Production of One Result from Various Mental States Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, ime dhammā nānā santā ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādentī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, do these mental states, though being diverse, produce the one result?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, ime dhammā nānā santā ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādenti, kilese hanantī”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, these mental states, though being diverse, do produce the one result; they kill the defilements.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante, ime dhammā nānā santā ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādenti, kilese hananti? |
“How is it, venerable sir, these mental states, though being diverse, produce the one result, and kill the defilements? |
Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, senā nānā santā hatthī ca assā ca rathā ca pattī ca ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādenti, saṅgāme parasenaṁ abhivijinanti; |
“Just as, your majesty, an army is diverse, and its elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers produce the one result; they conquer an opposing army in battle, |
evameva kho, mahārāja, ime dhammā nānā santā ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādenti, kilese hanantī”ti. |
in the same way, your majesty, these mental states, though being diverse, produce the one result; they kill the defilements.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Nānādhammānaṁ ekakiccaabhinipphādanapañho soḷasamo. |
Production of One Result from Various Mental States Question sixteenth |
Mahāvaggo paṭhamo. |
Great Chapter first |
Imasmiṁ vagge soḷasa pañhā. |
In this chapter there are sixteen questions |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Addhānavagga |
Time Chapter |
1. Dhammasantatipañha |
Continuity of States Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yo uppajjati, so eva so, udāhu añño”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is the one who arises the same or otherwise?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said, |
“na ca so, na ca añño”ti. |
“Neither the same, nor otherwise.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā tvaṁ daharo taruṇo mando uttānaseyyako ahosi, soyeva tvaṁ etarahi mahanto”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, when you were a child, young and tender and lying on your back, were you the same as you are now that you are grown?” |
“Na hi, bhante, añño so daharo taruṇo mando uttānaseyyako ahosi, añño ahaṁ etarahi mahanto”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir. That child, young and tender and lying on his back was one thing, and I now grown am another.” |
“Evaṁ sante kho, mahārāja, mātātipi na bhavissati, pitātipi na bhavissati, ācariyotipi na bhavissati, sippavātipi na bhavissati, sīlavātipi na bhavissati, paññavātipi na bhavissati. |
“That being so, your majesty, there would be no notion of mother, nor of father, nor of teacher, nor of a craftsperson, nor of a virtuous person, nor of a wise person. |
Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, aññā eva kalalassa mātā, aññā abbudassa mātā, aññā pesiyā mātā, aññā ghanassa mātā, aññā khuddakassa mātā, aññā mahantassa mātā, añño sippaṁ sikkhati, añño sikkhito bhavati, añño pāpakammaṁ karoti, aññassa hatthapādā chijjantī”ti? |
Can it be, your majesty, that the mother of the embryo is different from the mother at the next foetal stage, which is different from the mother of following foetal stages, that the mother of a child is different from the mother of the grown person, that one who trains in a craft is different from the one who is trained, that the one who commits an evil deed is different from the one whose hands and feet are cut off?” |
“Na hi, bhante. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir. |
Tvaṁ pana, bhante, evaṁ vutte, kiṁ vadeyyāsī”ti? |
And what would you say if somebody said this to be so?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said, |
“ahaññeva kho, mahārāja, daharo ahosiṁ taruṇo mando uttānaseyyako, ahaññeva etarahi mahanto, imameva kāyaṁ nissāya sabbe te ekasaṅgahitā”ti. |
“It was just I, your majesty, who was a child, young and tender and lying on my back, and now it is just I who has grown, and all these states are held together dependent on just this body.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso padīpaṁ padīpeyya, kiṁ so sabbarattiṁ padīpeyyā”ti? |
“Just as, your majesty, some person might light a lamp, might it stay lit all night?” |
“Āma, bhante, sabbarattiṁ padīpeyyā”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, it might stay lit all night.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, yā purime yāme acci, sā majjhime yāme accī”ti? |
“Is it so, your majesty, that the flame in the first watch of the night is the same as that in the middle watch?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Yā majjhime yāme acci, sā pacchime yāme accī”ti? |
“Is the flame in the middle watch of the night the same as that in the last watch?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, añño so ahosi purime yāme padīpo, añño majjhime yāme padīpo, añño pacchime yāme padīpo”ti? |
“Is it then so, your majesty, that the lamp in the first watch of the night is different from that in the middle watch, which is different from that in the last watch?” |
“Na hi, bhante, taṁyeva nissāya sabbarattiṁ padīpito”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir. It was burning all through the night dependent on just itself.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, dhammasantati sandahati, añño uppajjati, añño nirujjhati, apubbaṁ acarimaṁ viya sandahati, tena na ca so, na ca añño, purimaviññāṇe pacchimaviññāṇaṁ saṅgahaṁ gacchatī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, a continuity of states runs on; as one arises, another ceases. It runs on like there was no before and no after. Consequently, it is neither the same nor the other and the last consciousness is comprised of the first consciousness.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, khīraṁ duyhamānaṁ kālantarena dadhi parivatteyya, dadhito navanītaṁ, navanītato ghataṁ parivatteyya, yo nu kho, mahārāja, evaṁ vadeyya ‘yaṁyeva khīraṁ taṁyeva dadhi, yaṁyeva dadhi taṁyeva navanītaṁ, yaṁyeva navanītaṁ taṁyeva ghatan’ti, sammā nu kho so, mahārāja, vadamāno vadeyyā”ti? |
“Just as, your majesty, milk some time after being milked from a cow would turn to curds, and from curds into butter, and from butter to ghee, would someone who might say, ‘That milk is those curds, those curds is that butter, that butter is that ghee,’ be speaking rightly?” |
“Na hi, bhante, taṁyeva nissāya sambhūtan”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, they come into being because of it.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, dhammasantati sandahati, añño uppajjati, añño nirujjhati, apubbaṁ acarimaṁ viya sandahati, tena na ca so, na ca añño, purimaviññāṇe pacchimaviññāṇaṁ saṅgahaṁ gacchatī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, a continuity of states runs on; as one arises, another ceases. It runs on like there was no before and no after. Consequently, it is neither the same nor the other and the last consciousness is comprised of the first consciousness.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Dhammasantatipañho paṭhamo. |
Continuity of States Question first |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Addhānavagga |
Time Chapter |
2. Paṭisandahanapañha |
Reconnection Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yo na paṭisandahati, jānāti so ‘na paṭisandahissāmī’”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does someone who does not reconnect know ‘I will not reconnect’?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, yo na paṭisandahati, jānāti so ‘na paṭisandahissāmī’”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, someone who does not reconnect knows ‘I will not reconnect’.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante, jānātī”ti? |
“How do they know, venerable sir?” |
“Yo hetu yo paccayo, mahārāja, paṭisandahanāya, tassa hetussa tassa paccayassa uparamā jānāti so ‘na paṭisandahissāmī’”ti. |
“From the cessation, your majesty, of the cause and condition for reconnecting one knows ‘I will not reconnect’.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kassako gahapatiko kasitvā ca vapitvā ca dhaññāgāraṁ paripūreyya. |
“Just like, your majesty, a householder farmer, having ploughed and sown might fill his grain house. |
So aparena samayena neva kasseyya na vappeyya, yathāsambhatañca dhaññaṁ paribhuñjeyya vā visajjeyya vā yathā paccayaṁ vā kareyya, jāneyya so, mahārāja, kassako gahapatiko ‘na me dhaññāgāraṁ paripūressatī’”ti? |
But then, after some time, he would not plough and sow, and would use up the grain he had stored, or dispose of it, or deal with it according to conditions, would that householder farmer know, your majesty, ‘I will not fill my grain house’?” |
“Āma, bhante, jāneyyā”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, he would know.” |
“Kathaṁ jāneyyā”ti? |
“How would he know?” |
“Yo hetu yo paccayo dhaññāgārassa paripūraṇāya, tassa hetussa tassa paccayassa uparamā jānāti ‘na me dhaññāgāraṁ paripūressatī’”ti. |
“From the cessation of that cause and condition for filling the grain house one knows ‘I will not fill my grain house’.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo hetu yo paccayo paṭisandahanāya, tassa hetussa tassa paccayassa uparamā jānāti so ‘na paṭisandahissāmī’”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, from the cessation of the cause and condition for reconnecting one knows ‘I will not reconnect’.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Paṭisandahanapañho dutiyo. |
Reconnection Question second |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Addhānavagga |
Time Chapter |
3. Ñāṇapaññāpañha |
Knowledge and Wisdom Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yassa ñāṇaṁ uppannaṁ, tassa paññā uppannā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, for one in whom knowledge has arisen, would wisdom also have arisen?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, yassa ñāṇaṁ uppannaṁ, tassa paññā uppannā”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, for one in whom knowledge has arisen, wisdom also has arisen.” |
“Kiṁ, bhante, yaññeva ñāṇaṁ sāyeva paññā”ti? |
“What, venerable sir, is knowledge the same as wisdom?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, yaññeva ñāṇaṁ sāyeva paññā”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, knowledge is the same as wisdom.” |
“Yassa pana, bhante, taññeva ñāṇaṁ sāyeva paññā uppannā, kiṁ sammuyheyya so, udāhu na sammuyheyyā”ti? |
“Then, venerable sir, for one in whom knowledge has arisen which is the same as wisdom, would he be confused or would he not be confused?” |
“Katthaci, mahārāja, sammuyheyya, katthaci na sammuyheyyā”ti. |
“He would be confused in some instances, your majesty, and would not be confused in other instances.” |
“Kuhiṁ, bhante, sammuyheyyā”ti? |
“When, venerable sir, would he be confused?” |
“Aññātapubbesu vā, mahārāja, sippaṭṭhānesu, agatapubbāya vā disāya, assutapubbāya vā nāmapaññattiyā sammuyheyyā”ti. |
“He would be confused, your majesty, concerning those aspects of a craft that he did not know before, or those directions in which he has not gone before, or those names and designations he has not heard before.” |
“Kuhiṁ na sammuyheyyā”ti? |
“When, venerable sir, would he not be confused?” |
“Yaṁ kho pana, mahārāja, tāya paññāya kataṁ ‘aniccan’ti vā ‘dukkhan’ti vā ‘anattā’ti vā, tahiṁ na sammuyheyyā”ti. |
“He would not be confused, your majesty, concerning that which he has discerned by wisdom, that is, the notions of impermanent, suffering, and not self.” |
“Moho panassa, bhante, kuhiṁ gacchatī”ti? |
“Then where, venerable sir, does his confusion go?” |
“Moho kho, mahārāja, ñāṇe uppannamatte tattheva nirujjhatī”ti. |
“Confusion ceases, your majesty, at that very moment when knowledge arises.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso andhakāragehe padīpaṁ āropeyya, tato andhakāro nirujjheyya, āloko pātubhaveyya; |
“Just as, your majesty, some person might bring in a lamp to a dark house, then the darkness ceases, and light appears. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, ñāṇe uppannamatte moho tattheva nirujjhatī”ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, at the moment when knowledge arises, right there confusion ceases.” |
“Paññā pana, bhante, kuhiṁ gacchatī”ti? |
“Then where, venerable sir, does wisdom go?” |
“Paññāpi kho, mahārāja, sakiccayaṁ katvā tattheva nirujjhati, yaṁ pana tāya paññāya kataṁ ‘aniccan’ti vā ‘dukkhan’ti vā ‘anattā’ti vā, taṁ na nirujjhatī”ti. |
“Wisdom, your majesty, ceases right there having done its task, but that understood by wisdom, the notions of impermanent, suffering, and not self do not cease.” |
“Bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘paññā sakiccayaṁ katvā tattheva nirujjhati, yaṁ pana tāya paññāya kataṁ “aniccan”ti vā “dukkhan”ti vā “anattā”ti vā, taṁ na nirujjhatī’ti, tassa opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what you have just said, ‘Wisdom ceases right there having done its task, but that understood by wisdom, the notions of impermanent, suffering, and not self do not cease,’ please make an analogy for that.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, yo koci puriso rattiṁ lekhaṁ pesetukāmo lekhakaṁ pakkosāpetvā padīpaṁ āropetvā lekhaṁ likhāpeyya, likhite pana lekhe padīpaṁ vijjhāpeyya, vijjhāpitepi padīpe lekhaṁ na vinasseyya. |
“Just as, your majesty, some person, wishing to send a letter at night, would summon a scribe and light a lamp, and have the letter written. Then, when the letter is written, he would extinguish the lamp. And when the lamp is extinguished the letter would not be destroyed.” |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, paññā sakiccayaṁ katvā tattheva nirujjhati, yaṁ pana tāya paññāya kataṁ ‘aniccan’ti vā ‘dukkhan’ti vā ‘anattā’ti vā, taṁ na nirujjhatī”ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, wisdom ceases right there having done its task, but that understood by wisdom, the notions of impermanent, suffering, and not self do not cease.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, puratthimesu janapadesu manussā anugharaṁ pañca pañca udakaghaṭakāni ṭhapenti ālimpanaṁ vijjhāpetuṁ, ghare paditte tāni pañca udakaghaṭakāni gharassūpari khipanti, tato aggi vijjhāyati, kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ manussānaṁ evaṁ hoti ‘puna tehi ghaṭehi ghaṭakiccaṁ karissāmā’”ti? |
“Just as, your majesty, people in the eastern districts might set up five water pots in each house so as to extinguish any burning, and when a house is on fire, they would throw these five pots of water on top of the house, then the fire would be extinguished. Would it occur to these people, your majesty, ‘We must make use of these pots again’?” |
“Na hi, bhante, alaṁ tehi ghaṭehi, kiṁ tehi ghaṭehī”ti? |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, those pots have done their job, what further need would there be for them?” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, pañca udakaghaṭakāni, evaṁ pañcindriyāni daṭṭhabbāni saddhindriyaṁ vīriyindriyaṁ satindriyaṁ samādhindriyaṁ paññindriyaṁ. |
“As, your majesty, are the five pots of water, so the five faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom are to be seen. |
Yathā te manussā, evaṁ yogāvacaro daṭṭhabbo. |
As those people, so the spiritual practitioner is to be seen. |
Yathā aggi, evaṁ kilesā daṭṭhabbā. |
As the fire, so the defilements are to be seen. |
Yathā pañcahi udakaghaṭakehi aggi vijjhāpīyati, evaṁ pañcindriyehi kilesā vijjhāpiyanti, vijjhāpitāpi kilesā na puna sambhavanti. |
As the fire is extinguished by the five pots of water, so the defilements are extinguished by the five faculties, and those extinguished defilements do not arise again. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, paññā sakiccayaṁ katvā tattheva nirujjhati, yaṁ pana tāya paññāya kataṁ ‘aniccan’ti vā ‘dukkhan’ti vā ‘anattā’ti vā, taṁ na nirujjhatī”ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, wisdom ceases right there having done its task, but that understood by wisdom, the notions of impermanent, suffering, and not self do not cease.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, vejjo pañcamūlabhesajjāni gahetvā gilānakaṁ upasaṅkamitvā tāni pañcamūlabhesajjāni pisitvā gilānakaṁ pāyeyya, tehi ca dosā niddhameyyuṁ, kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, tassa vejjassa evaṁ hoti ‘puna tehi pañcamūlabhesajjehi bhesajjakiccaṁ karissāmī’”ti? |
“Just as, your majesty, a doctor, having taken the five root medicines and approached a sick person, might crush the five root medicines and get the sick person to drink them, and the sickness would disappear. Would it occur to that doctor, your majesty, ‘I will make use of the five root medicines again’?” |
“Na hi, bhante, alaṁ tehi pañcamūlabhesajjehi, kiṁ tehi pañcamūlabhesajjehī”ti? |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, those five root medicines have done their job, what further need would there be for them?” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, pañcamūlabhesajjāni, evaṁ pañcindriyāni daṭṭhabbāni saddhindriyaṁ vīriyindriyaṁ satindriyaṁ samādhindriyaṁ paññindriyaṁ, yathā vejjo, evaṁ yogāvacaro daṭṭhabbo. |
“As, your majesty, are the five root medicines, so the five faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom are to be seen. As the doctor, so the spiritual practitioner is to be seen. |
Yathā byādhi, evaṁ kilesā daṭṭhabbā. |
As the disease, so the defilements are to be seen. |
Yathā byādhito puriso, evaṁ puthujjano daṭṭhabbo. |
As the sick person, so the common person is to be seen. |
Yathā pañcamūlabhesajjehi gilānassa dosā niddhantā, dose niddhante gilāno arogo hoti, evaṁ pañcindriyehi kilesā niddhamīyanti, niddhamitā ca kilesā na puna sambhavanti. |
As the disease of the sick person is expelled by the five root medicines such that when the disease is expelled the sick person becomes well, so the defilements are expelled by the five faculties, and those expelled defilements do not arise again. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, paññā sakiccayaṁ katvā tattheva nirujjhati, yaṁ pana tāya paññāya kataṁ ‘aniccan’ti vā ‘dukkhan’ti vā ‘anattā’ti vā, taṁ na nirujjhatī”ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, wisdom ceases right there having done its task, but that understood by wisdom, the notions of impermanent, suffering, and not self do not cease.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, saṅgāmāvacaro yodho pañca kaṇḍāni gahetvā saṅgāmaṁ otareyya parasenaṁ vijetuṁ, so saṅgāmagato tāni pañca kaṇḍāni khipeyya, tehi ca parasenā bhijjeyya, kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, tassa saṅgāmāvacarassa yodhassa evaṁ hoti ‘puna tehi kaṇḍehi kaṇḍakiccaṁ karissāmī’”ti? |
“Just as, your majesty, a warrior, skilled in battle, having taken five arrows and entered into battle in order to defeat an opposing army, and gone into battle he might let fly those five arrows, and the opposing army is destroyed by them. Would it occur to that warrior, skilled in battle, your majesty, ‘I will make use of these five arrows again’?” |
“Na hi, bhante, alaṁ tehi kaṇḍehi, kiṁ tehi kaṇḍehī”ti? |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, those five arrows have done their job, what further need would there be for them?” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, pañca kaṇḍāni, evaṁ pañcindriyāni daṭṭhabbāni saddhindriyaṁ vīriyindriyaṁ satindriyaṁ samādhindriyaṁ paññindriyaṁ. |
“As, your majesty, are the five arrows, so the five faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom are to be seen. |
Yathā, mahārāja, saṅgāmāvacaro yodho, evaṁ yogāvacaro daṭṭhabbo. |
As the warrior, skilled in battle, so the spiritual practitioner is to be seen. |
Yathā parasenā, evaṁ kilesā daṭṭhabbā. |
As the opposing army, so the defilements are to be seen. |
Yathā pañcahi kaṇḍehi parasenā bhijjati, evaṁ pañcindriyehi kilesā bhijjanti, bhaggā ca kilesā na puna sambhavanti. |
As the opposing army is destroyed by the five arrows, so the defilements are destroyed by the five faculties, and those destroyed defilements do not arise again. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, paññā sakiccayaṁ katvā tattheva nirujjhati, yaṁ pana tāya paññāya kataṁ ‘aniccan’ti vā ‘dukkhan’ti vā ‘anattā’ti vā, taṁ na nirujjhatī”ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, wisdom ceases right there having done its task, but that understood by wisdom, the notions of impermanent, suffering, and not self do not cease.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Ñāṇapaññāpañho tatiyo. |
Knowledge and Wisdom Question third |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Addhānavagga |
Time Chapter |
4. Paṭisandahanapuggalavediyanapañha |
Question on the Feelings of an Individual Reconnecting |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yo na paṭisandahati, vedeti so kiñci dukkhaṁ vedanan”ti? |
Venerable Nāgasena, does one who does not reconnect feel a painful feeling? |
Thero āha— |
The elder said: |
“kiñci vedeti, kiñci na vedetī”ti. |
“He feels some, and he does not feel others.” |
“Kiṁ vedeti, kiṁ na vedetī”ti? |
“Which does he feel, and which does he not feel?” |
“Kāyikaṁ, mahārāja, vedanaṁ vedeti, cetasikaṁ vedanaṁ na vedetī”ti. |
“He feels bodily feelings, your majesty, and he does not feel mental feelings.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante, kāyikaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti, kathaṁ cetasikaṁ vedanaṁ na vedetī”ti? |
“How, venerable sir, does he feel bodily feelings, and how does he not feel mental feelings?” |
“Yo hetu yo paccayo kāyikāya dukkhavedanāya uppattiyā, tassa hetussa tassa paccayassa anuparamā kāyikaṁ dukkhavedanaṁ vedeti, yo hetu yo paccayo cetasikāya dukkhavedanāya uppattiyā, tassa hetussa tassa paccayassa uparamā cetasikaṁ dukkhavedanaṁ na vedeti. |
“There is no ceasing of that cause and condition for the arising of a painful bodily feeling, and thus he feels a painful bodily feeling. There is ceasing of that cause and condition for the arising of a painful mental feeling, and thus he does not feel a painful mental feeling. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā— |
And this too was said, your majesty, by the Blessed One: |
‘so ekaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti kāyikaṁ na cetasikan’”ti. |
‘He only feels one feeling, the bodily one, not the mental.’” |
“Bhante nāgasena, yo dukkhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti, kasmā so na parinibbāyatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, why does one who feels a painful feeling not experience final Nibbāna?” |
“Natthi, mahārāja, arahato anunayo vā paṭigho vā, na ca arahanto apakkaṁ pātenti paripākaṁ āgamenti paṇḍitā. |
“For an arahant, your majesty, there is no delight nor repugnance, and arahants do not destroy what is unripe. The wise ones wait for full maturing |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
And this too was said, your majesty, by the elder, Sāriputta, General of the Dhamma: |
‘Nābhinandāmi maraṇaṁ, |
‘I don’t delight in dying, |
nābhinandāmi jīvitaṁ; |
nor do I delight in living. |
Kālañca paṭikaṅkhāmi, |
But I wait for the right time, |
nibbisaṁ bhatako yathā. |
as a servant waits for his wages. |
Nābhinandāmi maraṇaṁ, |
I don’t delight in dying, |
nābhinandāmi jīvitaṁ; |
nor do I delight in living. |
Kālañca paṭikaṅkhāmi, |
But I wait for the right time, |
sampajāno patissato’”ti. |
clearly comprehending and fully mindful.’” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Paṭisandahanapuggalavediyanapañho catuttho. |
Question on the Feelings of an Individual Reconnecting fourth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Addhānavagga |
Time Chapter |
5. Vedanāpañha |
Feelings Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, sukhā vedanā kusalā vā akusalā vā abyākatā vā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is pleasant feeling wholesome or unwholesome or indeterminate?” |
“Siyā, mahārāja, kusalā, siyā akusalā, siyā abyākatā”ti. |
“It could be wholesome, your majesty, or it could be unwholesome, or it could be indeterminate.” |
“Yadi, bhante, kusalā na dukkhā, yadi dukkhā na kusalā, kusalaṁ dukkhanti nuppajjatī”ti. |
“If, venerable sir, wholesome feelings are not painful, and if painful feelings are not wholesome, then there does not arise a wholesome feeling which is painful.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, idha purisassa hatthe tattaṁ ayoguḷaṁ nikkhipeyya, dutiye hatthe sītaṁ himapiṇḍaṁ nikkhipeyya, kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, ubhopi te daheyyun”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, if one might place a hot iron ball in a man’s hand and place a snowball in his other hand, would both hurt him?” |
“Āma, bhante, ubhopi te daheyyun”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they would both hurt him.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho te, mahārāja, ubhopi uṇhā”ti? |
“Well, your majesty, are they both hot?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ pana te, mahārāja, ubhopi sītalā”ti? |
“What then, your majesty, are they both cold?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Ājānāhi niggahaṁ yadi tattaṁ dahati, na ca te ubhopi uṇhā, tena nuppajjati. |
“Know your own refutation. If something hot hurts, and they are not both hot, it is not because of that the suffering arises. |
Yadi sītalaṁ dahati, na ca te ubhopi sītalā, tena nuppajjati. |
And, if something cold hurts, and they are not both cold, it is not because of that the suffering arises. |
Kissa pana te, mahārāja, ubhopi dahanti, na ca te ubhopi uṇhā, na ca te ubhopi sītalā? |
So, how is it, your majesty, that both hurt, and they are not both hot, and they are not both cold? |
Ekaṁ uṇhaṁ, ekaṁ sītalaṁ, ubhopi te dahanti, tena nuppajjatī”ti. |
And, how is it that with one hot and the other cold, they both hurt, and it is not because of that the suffering arises?” |
“Nāhaṁ paṭibalo tayā vādinā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ, sādhu atthaṁ jappehī”ti. |
“I am not competent to converse with you, a debater of the doctrine. It would be good, venerable sir, if you told me the meaning.” |
Tato thero abhidhammasaṁyuttāya kathāya rājānaṁ milindaṁ saññāpesi— |
Then the elder instructed King Milinda with a talk connected with Abhidhamma. |
“Chayimāni, mahārāja, gehanissitāni somanassāni, cha nekkhammanissitāni somanassāni, cha gehanissitāni domanassāni, cha nekkhammanissitāni domanassāni, cha gehanissitā upekkhā, cha nekkhammanissitā upekkhāti, imāni cha chakkāni, atītāpi chattiṁsavidhā vedanā, anāgatāpi chattiṁsavidhā vedanā, paccuppannāpi chattiṁsavidhā vedanā, tadekajjhaṁ abhisaññūhitvā abhisampiṇḍetvā aṭṭhasataṁ vedanā hontī”ti. |
“There are, your majesty, these six joys dependent on the householder life, these six joys dependent on renunciation, these six sorrows dependent on the householder life, these six sorrows dependent on renunciation, these six neutral feelings dependent on the householder life, these six neutral feelings dependent on renunciation. Thus, there are these six sets of six. There are then thirty-six types of feeling in the past, thirty-six types of feeling in the future, and thirty-six types of feeling in the present. So, assembling them and bringing them all together, there are one hundred and eight types of feeling.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Vedanāpañho pañcamo. |
Feelings Question fifth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Addhānavagga |
Time Chapter |
6. Nāmarūpaekattanānattapañha |
Question on the Identity or Difference of Name-and-Form |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, ko paṭisandahatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what reconnects?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said: |
“nāmarūpaṁ kho, mahārāja, paṭisandahatī”ti. |
“Name-and-form, your majesty, reconnects.” |
“Kiṁ imaṁyeva nāmarūpaṁ paṭisandahatī”ti? |
“Does this very name-and-form reconnect?” |
“Na kho, mahārāja, imaṁyeva nāmarūpaṁ paṭisandahati, iminā pana, mahārāja, nāmarūpena kammaṁ karoti sobhanaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā, tena kammena aññaṁ nāmarūpaṁ paṭisandahatī”ti. |
“This very name-and-form, your majesty, does not reconnect. With this name-and-form one performs a lovely or an evil action, and by this action another name-and-form reconnects.” |
“Yadi, bhante, na imaṁ yeva nāmarūpaṁ paṭisandahati, nanu so mutto bhavissati pāpakehi kammehī”ti? |
“If, venerable sir, this very name-and-form does not reconnect, is it not then that it would be freed from evil actions?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said: |
“yadi na paṭisandaheyya, mutto bhaveyya pāpakehi kammehi. |
“If it would not reconnect, then it would be freed from evil actions. |
Yasmā ca kho, mahārāja, paṭisandahati, tasmā na mutto pāpakehi kammehī”ti. |
But because, your majesty, it does reconnect, it therefore is not freed from evil actions.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso aññatarassa purisassa ambaṁ avahareyya, tamenaṁ ambasāmiko gahetvā rañño dasseyya ‘iminā, deva, purisena mayhaṁ ambā avahaṭā’ti, so evaṁ vadeyya ‘nāhaṁ, deva, imassa ambe avaharāmi, aññe te ambā, ye iminā ropitā, aññe te ambā, ye mayā avahaṭā, nāhaṁ daṇḍappatto’ti. |
“Just as, your majesty, some person or other might steal another person’s mangos, and the mango owner might grab that person and point him out to the king, saying ‘My mangos have been stolen by this man.’ And he might say ‘Lord, I did not steal this person’s mangos. Those mangos I took are not the same as those that this person planted; I do not deserve punishment.’ |
Kiṁ nu kho so, mahārāja, puriso daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti? |
Would that man, your majesty, deserve punishment?” |
“Āma, bhante, daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, he would deserve punishment.” |
“Kena kāraṇenā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Kiñcāpi so evaṁ vadeyya, purimaṁ, bhante, ambaṁ appaccakkhāya pacchimena ambena so puriso daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti. |
“Whatever he might say, venerable sir, while not disavowing the earlier mangos, he would be deserving of punishment due to the later mangos.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, iminā nāmarūpena kammaṁ karoti sobhanaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā, tena kammena aññaṁ nāmarūpaṁ paṭisandahati, tasmā na mutto pāpakehi kammehī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, with this name-and-form one performs a lovely or an evil action, and by this action another name-and-form reconnects. Therefore, one is not freed from evil actions.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso aññatarassa purisassa sāliṁ avahareyya …pe… |
“Just as, your majesty, some person or other might steal another person’s rice, … |
ucchuṁ avahareyya …pe… |
sugar-cane … |
yathā, mahārāja, koci puriso hemantakāle aggiṁ jāletvā visibbetvā avijjhāpetvā pakkameyya, atha kho so aggi aññatarassa purisassa khettaṁ ḍaheyya, tamenaṁ khettasāmiko gahetvā rañño dasseyya ‘iminā, deva, purisena mayhaṁ khettaṁ daḍḍhan’ti. |
Just as, your majesty, some person or other might light a fire during the wintertime, and warm himself, and might leave without having extinguished it, and that fire might burn another person’s field. And the owner of the field might grab that person and point him out to the king, saying ‘My field has been burned by this man.’ |
So evaṁ vadeyya ‘nāhaṁ, deva, imassa khettaṁ jhāpemi, añño so aggi, yo mayā avijjhāpito, añño so aggi, yenimassa khettaṁ daḍḍhaṁ, nāhaṁ daṇḍappatto’ti. |
And he might say ‘Lord, I did not set fire to this person’s field. The fire I did not extinguish was not the same as the fire that burned this person’s field; I do not deserve punishment.’ |
Kiṁ nu kho so, mahārāja, puriso daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti? |
Would that man, your majesty, deserve punishment?” |
“Āma, bhante, daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, he would deserve punishment.” |
“Kena kāraṇenā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Kiñcāpi so evaṁ vadeyya, purimaṁ, bhante, aggiṁ appaccakkhāya pacchimena agginā so puriso daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti. |
“Whatever he might say, venerable sir, while not disavowing the earlier fire, he would be deserving of punishment by means of the later fire.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, iminā nāmarūpena kammaṁ karoti sobhanaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā, tena kammena aññaṁ nāmarūpaṁ paṭisandahati, tasmā na mutto pāpakehi kammehī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, with this name-and-form one performs a lovely or an evil action, and by this action another name-and-form reconnects. Therefore, one is not freed from evil actions.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso padīpaṁ ādāya pāsādaṁ abhirūhitvā bhuñjeyya, padīpo jhāyamāno tiṇaṁ jhāpeyya, tiṇaṁ jhāyamānaṁ gharaṁ jhāpeyya, gharaṁ jhāyamānaṁ gāmaṁ jhāpeyya, gāmajano taṁ purisaṁ gahetvā evaṁ vadeyya ‘kissa tvaṁ, bho purisa, gāmaṁ jhāpesī’ti, so evaṁ vadeyya ‘nāhaṁ, bho, gāmaṁ jhāpemi, añño so padīpaggi, yassāhaṁ ālokena bhuñjiṁ, añño so aggi, yena gāmo jhāpito’ti, te vivadamānā tava santike āgaccheyyuṁ, kassa tvaṁ, mahārāja, aṭṭaṁ dhāreyyāsī”ti? |
“Just as, your majesty, some person or other, having taken a lamp and ascended to the top of a mansion, might use it, and the burning lamp might set fire to the roof thatch, and the burning thatch might set fire to the house, and the burning house might set fire to the village, and the villagers, having seized that man, might say, ‘Why, sir, did you set fire to the village?’ And he might say ‘I did not, friend, set fire to the village. The fire in the lamp whose light I enjoyed was not the same as the fire that burned the village.’ And if they were to come before you while arguing, whose side of the argument, your majesty, would you support?” |
“Gāmajanassa, bhante”ti. |
“That of the villagers, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ kāraṇā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Kiñcāpi so evaṁ vadeyya, api ca tato eva so aggi nibbatto”ti. |
“Since, whatever he might say, this fire was produced just from that one.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kiñcāpi aññaṁ māraṇantikaṁ nāmarūpaṁ, aññaṁ paṭisandhismiṁ nāmarūpaṁ, api ca tatoyeva taṁ nibbattaṁ, tasmā na mutto pāpakehi kammehī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, whatever name-and form that has death as its end, another name-and-form is in reconnection, and it was produced just from that one. Therefore, one is not freed from evil actions.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso dahariṁ dārikaṁ vāretvā suṅkaṁ datvā pakkameyya. |
“Just as, your majesty, some person or other, having contracted for a young girl in marriage and having paid the bride price, might leave. |
Sā aparena samayena mahatī assa vayappattā, tato añño puriso suṅkaṁ datvā vivāhaṁ kareyya, itaro āgantvā evaṁ vadeyya ‘kissa pana me tvaṁ, ambho purisa, bhariyaṁ nesī’ti? |
Then, after some time, she would reach full marriageable age, then another man, having paid the bride price would lead her away in marriage. The former man would come and say, ‘Why, sir, have you led away my wife?’ |
So evaṁ vadeyya ‘nāhaṁ tava bhariyaṁ nemi, aññā sā dārikā daharī taruṇī, yā tayā vāritā ca dinnasuṅkā ca, aññāyaṁ dārikā mahatī vayappattā mayā vāritā ca dinnasuṅkā cā’ti, te vivadamānā tava santike āgaccheyyuṁ. |
And he might say ‘I have not led away your wife. The young girl for whom you have contracted and paid the bride price is not the same as the young woman who has attained marriageable age and been contracted for and paid for by me.’ And if they were to come before you while arguing, |
Kassa tvaṁ, mahārāja, aṭṭaṁ dhāreyyāsī”ti? |
whose side of the argument, your majesty, would you support?” |
“Purimassa, bhante”ti. |
“That of the former man, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ kāraṇā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Kiñcāpi so evaṁ vadeyya, api ca tatoyeva sā mahatī nibbattā”ti. |
“Since, whatever he might say, this grown woman was produced just from that one.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kiñcāpi aññaṁ māraṇantikaṁ nāmarūpaṁ, aññaṁ paṭisandhismiṁ nāmarūpaṁ, api ca tatoyeva taṁ nibbattaṁ, tasmā naparimutto pāpakehi kammehī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, whatever name-and form that has death as its end, another name-and-form is in reconnection, and it was produced just from that one. Therefore, one is not freed from evil actions.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso gopālakassa hatthato khīraghaṭaṁ kiṇitvā tasseva hatthe nikkhipitvā pakkameyya ‘sve gahetvā gamissāmī’ti, taṁ aparajju dadhi sampajjeyya. |
“Just as, your majesty, some person or other, having bought a pot of milk from the hand of a cowherd, might put it in his care and leave, saying, ‘I will come back for it tomorrow,’ and that milk would become curds. |
So āgantvā evaṁ vadeyya ‘dehi me khīraghaṭan’ti. |
Then, he might come back and say ‘Give me my pot of milk.’ |
So dadhiṁ dasseyya. |
And the cowherd would show him the curds. |
Itaro evaṁ vadeyya ‘nāhaṁ tava hatthato dadhiṁ kiṇāmi, dehi me khīraghaṭan’ti. |
The other would then say, ‘I did not buy curds from you, give me my pot of milk.’ |
So evaṁ vadeyya ‘ajānato te khīraṁ dadhibhūtan’ti te vivadamānā tava santike āgaccheyyuṁ, kassa tvaṁ, mahārāja, aṭṭaṁ dhāreyyāsī”ti? |
Then, that one would say, ‘Without you knowing it, the milk has become curds.’ And if they were to come before you while arguing, whose side of the argument, your majesty, would you support?” |
“Gopālakassa, bhante”ti. |
“That of the cowherd, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ kāraṇā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Kiñcāpi so evaṁ vadeyya, api ca tato yeva taṁ nibbattan”ti. |
“Since, whatever he might say, this one was produced just from that one.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kiñcāpi aññaṁ māraṇantikaṁ nāmarūpaṁ, aññaṁ paṭisandhismiṁ nāmarūpaṁ, api ca tato yeva taṁ nibbattaṁ, tasmā na parimutto pāpakehi kammehī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, whatever name-and form that has death as its end, another name-and-form is in reconnection, and it was produced just from that one. Therefore, one is not freed from evil actions.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Nāmarūpaekattanānattapañho chaṭṭho. |
Question on the Identity or Difference of Name-and-Form sixth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Addhānavagga |
Time Chapter |
7. Therapaṭisandahanāpaṭisandahanapañha |
Question on the Elder's Reconnection or Non-Reconnection |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, tvaṁ pana paṭisandahissasī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, will you then reconnect?” |
“Alaṁ, mahārāja, kiṁ te tena pucchitena, nanu mayā paṭikacceva akkhātaṁ ‘sace, mahārāja, saupādāno bhavissāmi, paṭisandahissāmi, sace anupādāno bhavissāmi, na paṭisandahissāmī’”ti. |
“Enough, your majesty, why are you asking this? Have I not declared to you previously, ‘If, your majesty, I am with clinging I will reconnect, and if I am without clinging I will not reconnect?’” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso rañño adhikāraṁ kareyya. |
“Just as, your majesty, some person or other might perform a service for the king, |
Rājā tuṭṭho adhikāraṁ dadeyya, so tena adhikārena pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappito samaṅgibhūto paricareyya, so ce janassa āroceyya ‘na me rājā kiñci paṭikarotī’ti. |
and the king, satisfied, would repay that service. And that person, because of that service, would go about provided with and possessed of the five strands of sensual pleasure, and might announce to the populace, ‘The king does not do anything for me.’ |
Kiṁ nu kho so, mahārāja, puriso yuttakārī bhaveyyā”ti? |
Would that man, your majesty, be acting rightly?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kiṁ te tena pucchitena, nanu mayā paṭikacceva akkhātaṁ ‘sace saupādāno bhavissāmi, paṭisandahissāmi, sace anupādāno bhavissāmi, na paṭisandahissāmī’”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, why are you asking this? Have I not declared to you previously, ‘If I am with clinging I will reconnect, and if I am without clinging I will not reconnect?’” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Therapaṭisandahanāpaṭisandahanapañho sattamo. |
Question on the Elder's Reconnection or Non-Reconnection seventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Question |
Addhānavagga |
Time Chapter |
8. Nāmarūpapaṭisandahanapañha |
Question on the Reconnection of Name-and-form |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘nāmarūpan’ti, tattha katamaṁ nāmaṁ, katamaṁ rūpan”ti. |
“Venerable Nāgasena, you talked then of name-and-form. What in there is name, and what is form?” |
“Yaṁ tattha, mahārāja, oḷārikaṁ, etaṁ rūpaṁ, ye tattha sukhumā cittacetasikā dhammā, etaṁ nāman”ti. |
“Whatever in there, your majesty, is gross, that is form. Whatever in there are subtle mental states that are mental factors in the mind, that is name.” |
“Bhante nāgasena, kena kāraṇena nāmaṁyeva na paṭisandahati, rūpaṁyeva vā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, why doesn’t just name alone reconnect, nor form alone?” |
“Aññamaññūpanissitā, mahārāja, ete dhammā ekatova uppajjantī”ti. |
“These things, your majesty, are mutually dependent and they only arise together.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kukkuṭiyā kalalaṁ na bhaveyya, aṇḍampi na bhaveyya, yañca tattha kalalaṁ, yañca aṇḍaṁ, ubhopete aññamaññūpanissitā, ekatova nesaṁ uppatti hoti; |
“Just as, your majesty, there could not be just a yolk nor just an egg-shell, since the yoke and the egg-shell are both mutually dependent and they only arise together. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yadi tattha nāmaṁ na bhaveyya, rūpampi na bhaveyya, yañceva tattha nāmaṁ, yañceva rūpaṁ, ubhopete aññamaññūpanissitā, ekatova nesaṁ uppatti hoti. |
In the same way, your majesty, if there were no name there would be no form, and what name there is and what form there is, these are both mutually dependent and they only arise together. |
Evametaṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ sandhāvitan”ti. |
Thus, there is this long extent of transmigration time.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Nāmarūpapaṭisandahanapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Question on the Reconnection of Name-and-form eighth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Addhānavagga |
Time Chapter |
9. Addhānapañha |
Time Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘dīghamaddhānan’ti, kimetaṁ addhānaṁ nāmā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, you talked then of a long extent of transmigration time. What is this thing called transmigration time?” |
“Atīto, mahārāja, addhā, anāgato addhā, paccuppanno addhā”ti. |
“The past, your majesty, is transmigration time, the future is transmigration time, the present is transmigration time.” |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, sabbe addhā atthī”ti? |
“But, venerable sir, does all transmigration time exist?” |
“Koci, mahārāja, addhā atthi, koci natthī”ti. |
“Some transmigration time exists, your majesty, and some does not.” |
“Katamo pana, bhante, atthi, katamo natthī”ti? |
“What then, venerable sir, exists and what does not?” |
“Ye te, mahārāja, saṅkhārā atītā vigatā niruddhā vipariṇatā, so addhā natthi, ye dhammā vipākā, ye ca vipākadhammadhammā, ye ca aññatra paṭisandhiṁ denti, so addhā atthi. |
“Those mental formations, your majesty, that are past, gone, ceased, and changed, that transmigration time does not exist. Those mental formations that have reached fruition, or have the nature to be liable for fruition, or those that give reconnection elsewhere, that transmigration time does exist. |
Ye sattā kālaṅkatā aññatra uppannā, so ca addhā atthi. |
Those beings that have died and arisen elsewhere, that transmigration time does exist. |
Ye sattā kālaṅkatā aññatra anuppannā, so addhā natthi. |
Those beings that have died and not arisen elsewhere, that transmigration time does not exist. |
Ye ca sattā parinibbutā, so ca addhā natthi parinibbutattā”ti. |
And those beings that have attained final Nibbāna, that transmigration time does not exist because of the attainment of Nibbāna. |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!” |
Addhānapañho navamo. |
Time Question ninth |
Addhānavaggo dutiyo. |
Time Chapter second |
Imasmiṁ vagge nava pañhā. |
Nine Questions in this Chapter |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
1. Addhānamūlapañha |
Question on the Root of Time |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, atītassa addhānassa kiṁ mūlaṁ, anāgatassa addhānassa kiṁ mūlaṁ, paccuppannassa addhānassa kiṁ mūlan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the root of transmigration time in the past, what is the root of transmigration time in the future, what is the root of transmigration time in the present?” |
“Atītassa ca, mahārāja, addhānassa anāgatassa ca addhānassa paccuppannassa ca addhānassa avijjā mūlaṁ. |
“The root of transmigration time in the past, your majesty, and of transmigration time in the future, and of transmigration time in the present is ignorance. |
Avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā, saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ, nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ, saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā, taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ, upādānapaccayā bhavo, bhavapaccayā jāti, jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti. |
From the condition of ignorance there are fabrications, from the condition of fabrications there is consciousness, from the condition of consciousness there is name-and-form, from the condition of name-and-form there are the six sense bases, from the condition of the six sense bases there is contact, from the condition of contact there is feeling, from the condition of feeling there is craving, from the condition of craving there is clinging, from the condition of clinging there is becoming, from the condition of becoming there is birth, from the condition of birth there is old age and death; sorrow, lamentation, suffering, anguish, and despair arise. |
Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa addhānassa purimā koṭi na paññāyatī”ti. |
Thus, no earliest point of this whole mass of suffering of transmigration time can be discerned.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Addhānamūlapañho paṭhamo. |
Question on the Root of Time first |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
2. Purimakoṭipañha |
Question on the Earliest Point |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘purimā koṭi na paññāyatī’ti, tassa opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Venerable Nāgasena, concerning that which you said, ‘No earliest point can be discerned,’ please give me an analogy for that.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, puriso parittaṁ bījaṁ pathaviyaṁ nikkhipeyya, tato aṅkuro uṭṭhahitvā anupubbena vuḍḍhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjitvā phalaṁ dadeyya. |
“Just as, your majesty, a man might put a small seed in the ground, then it having produced a sprout and having gradually undergone increase, growth, and full maturity, it would ripen into fruit. |
Tato bījaṁ gahetvā puna ropeyya, tatopi aṅkuro uṭṭhahitvā anupubbena vuḍḍhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjitvā phalaṁ dadeyya. |
Then again having taken from that a seed and cultivated it, then it having produced a sprout and having gradually undergone increase, growth, and full maturity, it would ripen into fruit. |
Evametissā santatiyā atthi anto”ti? |
Is there thus an end to this continuity?” |
“Natthi, bhante”ti. |
“There is not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, addhānassāpi purimā koṭi na paññāyatī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, no earliest point of transmigration time can be discerned.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍaṁ bhaveyya, aṇḍato kukkuṭī kukkuṭiyā aṇḍanti. |
“Just as, your majesty, an egg might be produced from a hen, a hen from that egg, and an egg from that hen, and so on. |
Evametissā santatiyā atthi anto”ti? |
Is there thus an end to this continuity?” |
“Natthi, bhante”ti. |
“There is not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, addhānassāpi purimā koṭi na paññāyatī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, no earliest point of transmigration time can be discerned.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
Thero pathaviyā cakkaṁ likhitvā milindaṁ rājānaṁ etadavoca— |
The elder drew a circle on the ground and said to King Milinda, |
“atthi, mahārāja, imassa cakkassa anto”ti? |
“Is there an end to this circle?” |
“Natthi, bhante”ti. |
“There is not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, imāni cakkāni vuttāni bhagavatā ‘cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjati cakkhuviññāṇaṁ, tiṇṇaṁ saṅgati phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā, taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ, upādānapaccayā kammaṁ, kammato puna cakkhuṁ jāyatī’ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, these cycles spoken of by the Blessed One, ‘Dependent on the eye and form, eye consciousness arises, and the meeting of the three is contact. From the condition of contact there is feeling, from the condition of feeling there is craving, from the condition of craving there is clinging, from the condition of clinging there is karma, and again the eye is born from karma. |
Evametissā santatiyā atthi anto”ti? |
Is there thus an end to this continuity?” |
“Natthi, bhante”ti. |
“There is not, venerable sir.” |
“‘Sotañca paṭicca sadde ca …pe… |
‘Dependent on the ear and sound … |
manañca paṭicca dhamme ca uppajjati manoviññāṇaṁ, tiṇṇaṁ saṅgati phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā, taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ, upādānapaccayā kammaṁ, kammato puna mano jāyatī’ti. |
Dependent on the mind and thought, mind consciousness arises, and the meeting of the three is contact. From the condition of contact there is feeling, from the condition of feeling there is craving, from the condition of craving there is clinging, from the condition of clinging there is karma, and again the mind is born from karma. |
Evametissā santatiyā atthi anto”ti? |
Is there thus an end to this continuity?” |
“Natthi, bhante”ti. |
“There is not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, addhānassāpi purimā koṭi na paññāyatī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, no earliest point of transmigration time can be discerned.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Purimakoṭipañho dutiyo. |
Question on the Earliest Point second |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
3. Koṭipaññāyanapañha |
Question on the Discernment of an End Point |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘purimā koṭi na paññāyatī’ti, katamā ca sā purimā koṭī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, concerning that which you said, ‘No earliest point can be discerned,’ what is this earliest point?” |
“Yo kho, mahārāja, atīto addhā, esā purimā koṭī”ti. |
“That which is time in the past, your majesty, is the earliest point.” |
“Bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘purimā koṭi na paññāyatī’ti, kiṁ pana, bhante, sabbāpi purimā koṭi na paññāyatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, concerning that which you said, ‘No earliest point can be discerned,’ is it that all earliest points cannot be discerned?” |
“Kāci, mahārāja, paññāyati, kāci na paññāyatī”ti. |
“Some can be discerned, your majesty, and some cannot be.” |
“Katamā, bhante, paññāyati, katamā na paññāyatī”ti? |
“What can be discerned, venerable sir, and what cannot?” |
“Ito pubbe, mahārāja, sabbena sabbaṁ sabbathā sabbaṁ avijjā nāhosīti esā purimā koṭi na paññāyati, yaṁ ahutvā sambhoti, hutvā paṭivigacchati, esā purimā koṭi paññāyatī”ti. |
“That earliest point cannot be discerned, your majesty, where earlier than this no ignorance was existing at all, by any means, or in any way. That which having not existed arose, and having existed disappeared again, that earliest point can be discerned.” |
“Bhante nāgasena, yaṁ ahutvā sambhoti, hutvā paṭivigacchati, nanu taṁ ubhato chinnaṁ atthaṁ gacchatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, that which having not existed arose, and having existed disappeared again would it not, having been cut off at both ends, be entirely destroyed?” |
“Yadi, mahārāja, ubhato chinnaṁ atthaṁ gacchati, ubhato chinnā sakkā vaḍḍhetun”ti? |
“If, your majesty, having been cut off at both ends, it was entirely destroyed, is it possible, being cut off at both ends, to grow?” |
“Āma sāpi sakkā vaḍḍhetun”ti. |
“Yes, it is possible for it to grow. |
“Nāhaṁ, bhante, etaṁ pucchāmi koṭito sakkā vaḍḍhetun”ti? |
I am not asking that, venerable sir; is it possible for it to grow from that end?” |
“Āma sakkā vaḍḍhetun”ti. |
“Yes, it is possible for it to grow.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
Thero tassa rukkhūpamaṁ akās, “khandhā ca kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa bījānī”ti. |
The elder made him an analogy of a tree, “The aggregates are the seeds of this whole mass of suffering.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Koṭipaññāyanapañho tatiyo. |
Question on the Discernment of an End Point third |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
4. Saṅkhārajāyamānapañha |
Question on the Production of Fabrications |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, atthi keci saṅkhārā, ye jāyantī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, are there any fabrications which are produced?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, atthi saṅkhārā, ye jāyantī”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, there are fabrications which are produced.” |
“Katame te, bhante”ti? |
“What are they, venerable sir?” |
“Cakkhusmiñca kho, mahārāja, sati rūpesu ca cakkhuviññāṇaṁ hoti, cakkhuviññāṇe sati cakkhusamphasso hoti, cakkhusamphasse sati vedanā hoti, vedanāya sati taṇhā hoti, taṇhāya sati upādānaṁ hoti, upādāne sati bhavo hoti, bhave sati jāti hoti, jātiyā sati jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti, evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. |
“When there is the eye and forms, your majesty, there is eye consciousness. When there is eye consciousness, there is eye contact. When there is eye contact, there is feeling. When there is feeling, there is craving. When there is craving, there is becoming. When there is becoming, there is birth. When there is birth, there is old age and death, and sorrow, lamentation, suffering, anguish, and despair come to be. Thus, there is the arising of this whole mass of suffering. |
Cakkhusmiñca kho, mahārāja, asati rūpesu ca asati cakkhuviññāṇaṁ na hoti, cakkhuviññāṇe asati cakkhusamphasso na hoti, cakkhusamphasse asati vedanā na hoti, vedanāya asati taṇhā na hoti, taṇhāya asati upādānaṁ na hoti, upādāne asati bhavo na hoti, bhave asati jāti na hoti, jātiyā asati jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā na honti, evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī”ti. |
When there is no eye and forms, your majesty, there is no eye consciousness. When there is no eye consciousness, there is no eye contact. When there is no eye contact, there is no feeling. When there is no feeling, there is no craving. When there is no craving, there is no becoming. When there is no becoming, there is no birth. When there is no birth, there is no old age and death, and there is no sorrow, lamentation, suffering, anguish, and despair. Thus, there is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering. |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Saṅkhārajāyamānapañho catuttho. |
Question on the Production of Fabrications fourth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
5. Bhavantasaṅkhārajāyamānapañha |
Question on the Production and Development of Fabrications |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, atthi keci saṅkhārā, ye abhavantā jāyantī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, are there any fabrications which are produced without development?” |
“Natthi, mahārāja, keci saṅkhārā, ye abhavantā jāyanti, bhavantāyeva kho, mahārāja, saṅkhārā jāyantī”ti. |
“Your majesty, there are no fabrications which are produced without development. Fabrications are only produced with development.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, idaṁ gehaṁ abhavantaṁ jātaṁ, yattha tvaṁ nisinnosī”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, was this house that you are sitting in produced without development?” |
“Natthi kiñci, bhante, idha abhavantaṁ jātaṁ, bhavantaṁyeva jātaṁ, imāni kho, bhante, dārūni vane ahesuṁ, ayañca mattikā pathaviyaṁ ahosi, itthīnañca purisānañca tajjena vāyāmena evamidaṁ gehaṁ nibbattan”ti. |
“There is nothing here, venerable sir, produced without development; it is produced only with development. These pieces of wood were in the forest, and this clay was in the ground, and thus this house was produced by the appropriate effort of women and men.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi keci saṅkhārā, ye abhavantā jāyanti, bhavantāyeva saṅkhārā jāyantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, there are no fabrications which are produced without development. Fabrications are only produced with development.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, ye keci bījagāmabhūtagāmā pathaviyaṁ nikkhittā anupubbena vuḍḍhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjamānā pupphāni ca phalāni ca dadeyyuṁ, na te rukkhā abhavantā jātā, bhavantāyeva te rukkhā jātā; |
“Just as, your majesty, whatever seeds and plants thrown on the ground gradually attain to growth, development, and maturity, and would give flowers and fruit, no trees would be produced without development, and trees would only be produced with development.” |
evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi keci saṅkhārā, ye abhavantā jāyanti, bhavantāyeva te saṅkhārā jāyantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, there are no fabrications which are produced without development. Fabrications are only produced with development.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kumbhakāro pathaviyā mattikaṁ uddharitvā nānābhājanāni karoti, na tāni bhājanāni abhavantāni jātāni, bhavantāniyeva jātāni; |
“Just as, your majesty, a potter might take clay from the ground and make various bowls, those bowls are not produced without development, and bowls would only be produced with development.” |
evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi keci saṅkhārā, ye abhavantā jāyanti, bhavantāyeva saṅkhārā jāyantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, there are no fabrications which are produced without development. Fabrications are only produced with development.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, vīṇāya pattaṁ na siyā, cammaṁ na siyā, doṇi na siyā, daṇḍo na siyā, upavīṇo na siyā, tantiyo na siyuṁ, koṇo na siyā, purisassa ca tajjo vāyāmo na siyā, jāyeyya saddo”ti? |
“Just as if, your majesty, there were no sound-board for a lute, no parchment, no belly, no arm, no neck, no strings, no plectrum, and no suitable effort from a person, would sound be produced?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Yato ca kho, mahārāja, vīṇāya pattaṁ siyā, cammaṁ siyā, doṇi siyā, daṇḍo siyā, upavīṇo siyā, tantiyo siyuṁ, koṇo siyā, purisassa ca tajjo vāyāmo siyā, jāyeyya saddo”ti? |
“But if, your majesty, there were a sound-board for a lute, parchment, a belly, an arm, a neck, strings, a plectrum, and suitable effort from a person, would sound be produced?” |
“Āma, bhante, jāyeyyā”ti. |
“Yes, it would be produced, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi keci saṅkhārā, ye abhavantā jāyanti, bhavantāyeva kho saṅkhārā jāyantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, there are no fabrications which are produced without development. Fabrications are only produced with development.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, araṇi na siyā, araṇipotako na siyā, araṇiyottakaṁ na siyā, uttarāraṇi na siyā, coḷakaṁ na siyā, purisassa ca tajjo vāyāmo na siyā, jāyeyya so aggī”ti? |
“Just as if, your majesty, there were no lower piece of wood, no twirling stick, no string for the twirling stick, no upper piece of wood, no bark, and no suitable effort from a person, would fire be produced?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Yato ca kho, mahārāja, araṇi siyā, araṇipotako siyā, araṇiyottakaṁ siyā, uttarāraṇi siyā, coḷakaṁ siyā, purisassa ca tajjo vāyāmo siyā, jāyeyya so aggī”ti? |
“But if, your majesty, there were a lower piece of wood, a twirling stick, string for the twirling stick, an upper piece of wood, bark, and suitable effort from a person, would fire be produced?” |
“Āma, bhante, jāyeyyā”ti. |
“Yes, it would be produced, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi keci saṅkhārā, ye abhavantā jāyanti, bhavantāyeva kho saṅkhārā jāyantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, there are no fabrications which are produced without development. Fabrications are only produced with development.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, maṇi na siyā, ātapo na siyā, gomayaṁ na siyā, jāyeyya so aggī”ti? |
“Just as if, your majesty, there were no crystal glass, no heat, and no cow-dung, would fire be produced?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Yato ca kho, mahārāja, maṇi siyā, ātapo siyā, gomayaṁ siyā, jāyeyya so aggī”ti? |
“But if, your majesty, there were a crystal glass, heat, and cow-dung, would fire be produced?” |
“Āma, bhante, jāyeyyā”ti. |
“Yes, it would be produced, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi keci saṅkhārā ye abhavantā jāyanti, bhavantāyeva kho saṅkhārā jāyantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, there are no fabrications which are produced without development. Fabrications are only produced with development.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, ādāso na siyā, ābhā na siyā, mukhaṁ na siyā, jāyeyya attā”ti? |
“Just as if, your majesty, there were no mirror, no light, and no face, would an image be produced?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Yato ca kho, mahārāja, ādāso siyā, ābhā siyā, mukhaṁ siyā, jāyeyya attā”ti? |
“But if, your majesty, there were a mirror, light, and a face, would an image be produced?” |
“Āma, bhante, jāyeyyā”ti. |
“Yes, it would be produced, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi keci saṅkhārā, ye abhavantā jāyanti, bhavantāyeva kho saṅkhārā jāyantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, there are no fabrications which are produced without development. Fabrications are only produced with development.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Bhavantasaṅkhārajāyamānapañho pañcamo. |
Question on the Production and Development of Fabrications fifth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
6. Vedagūpañha |
Question on the Experiencer |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, vedagū upalabbhatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is an experiencer to be found?” |
“Ko panesa, mahārāja, vedagū nāmā”ti? |
“But what then is this thing called an experiencer?” |
“Yo, bhante, abbhantare jīvo cakkhunā rūpaṁ passati, sotena saddaṁ suṇāti, ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyati, jivhāya rasaṁ sāyati, kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusati, manasā dhammaṁ vijānāti, yathā mayaṁ idha pāsāde nisinnā yena yena vātapānena iccheyyāma passituṁ, tena tena vātapānena passeyyāma, puratthimenapi vātapānena passeyyāma, pacchimenapi vātapānena passeyyāma, uttarenapi vātapānena passeyyāma, dakkhiṇenapi vātapānena passeyyāma. |
“That soul within, venerable sir, that sees a form with the eye, hears a sound with the ear, smells an odour with the nose, tastes a flavour with the tongue, touches a tangible with the body, and knows a thought with the mind, just as we, seated here in the palace, might look out of whichever window we wish to look out of – whether that be the east, the west, the north, or the south window. |
Evameva kho, bhante, ayaṁ abbhantare jīvo yena yena dvārena icchati passituṁ, tena tena dvārena passatī”ti. |
Even so, venerable sir, this soul within looks out of whatever door it wishes to look out of.” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said: |
“pañcadvāraṁ, mahārāja, bhaṇissāmi, taṁ suṇohi, sādhukaṁ manasikarohi, yadi abbhantare jīvo cakkhunā rūpaṁ passati, yathā mayaṁ idha pāsāde nisinnā yena yena vātapānena iccheyyāma passituṁ, tena tena vātapānena rūpaṁyeva passeyyāma, puratthimenapi vātapānena rūpaṁyeva passeyyāma, pacchimenapi vātapānena rūpaṁyeva passeyyāma, uttarenapi vātapānena rūpaṁyeva passeyyāma, dakkhiṇenapi vātapānena rūpaṁyeva passeyyāma, evametena abbhantare jīvena sotenapi rūpaṁyeva passitabbaṁ, ghānenapi rūpaṁyeva passitabbaṁ, jivhāyapi rūpaṁyeva passitabbaṁ, kāyenapi rūpaṁyeva passitabbaṁ, manasāpi rūpaṁyeva passitabbaṁ; |
“I will talk to you, your majesty, about the five doors. Listen to this and pay careful attention. If the soul within sees form with the eye, just as we, sitting here in the palace can see material form through whatever window we wish to look through, whether through the east, the west, the north, or the south window, could a material form be seen by this soul within by means of the ear, or by the nose, or by the tongue, or by the body, or by the mind? |
cakkhunāpi saddoyeva sotabbo, ghānenapi saddoyeva sotabbo, jivhāyapi saddoyeva sotabbo, kāyenapi saddoyeva sotabbo, manasāpi saddoyeva sotabbo; |
And could a sound be heard by means of the eye, or by the nose, or by the tongue, or by the body, or by the mind? |
cakkhunāpi gandhoyeva ghāyitabbo, sotenapi gandhoyeva ghāyitabbo, jivhāyapi gandhoyeva ghāyitabbo, kāyenapi gandhoyeva ghāyitabbo, manasāpi gandhoyeva ghāyitabbo; |
And could an odour be smelled by means of the eye, or by the ear, or by the tongue, or by the body, or by the mind? |
cakkhunāpi rasoyeva sāyitabbo, sotenapi rasoyeva sāyitabbo, ghānenapi rasoyeva sāyitabbo, kāyenapi rasoyeva sāyitabbo, manasāpi rasoyeva sāyitabbo; |
And could a flavour be tasted by means of the eye, or by the ear, or by the nose, or by the body, or by the mind? |
cakkhunāpi phoṭṭhabbaṁyeva phusitabbaṁ, sotenapi phoṭṭhabbaṁ yeva phusitabbaṁ, ghānenapi phoṭṭhabbaṁyeva phusitabbaṁ, jivhāyapi phoṭṭhabbaṁ yeva phusitabbaṁ, manasāpi phoṭṭhabbaṁyeva phusitabbaṁ; |
And could a tangible be felt by means of the eye, or by the ear, or by the nose, or by the tongue, or by the mind? |
cakkhunāpi dhammaṁ yeva vijānitabbaṁ, sotenapi dhammaṁyeva vijānitabbaṁ, ghānenapi dhammaṁ yeva vijānitabbaṁ, jivhāyapi dhammaṁyeva vijānitabbaṁ, kāyenapi dhammaṁyeva vijānitabban”ti? |
And could a thought be known by means of the eye, or by the ear, or by the nose, or by the tongue, or by the body? |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Na kho te, mahārāja, yujjati purimena vā pacchimaṁ, pacchimena vā purimaṁ, yathā vā pana, mahārāja, mayaṁ idha pāsāde nisinnā imesu jālavātapānesu ugghāṭitesu mahantena ākāsena bahimukhā suṭṭhutaraṁ rūpaṁ passāma, evametena abbhantare jīvenāpi cakkhudvāresu ugghāṭitesu mahantena ākāsena suṭṭhutaraṁ rūpaṁ passitabbaṁ, sotesu ugghāṭitesu … ghāne ugghāṭite … jivhāya ugghāṭitāya … kāye ugghāṭite mahantena ākāsena suṭṭhutaraṁ saddo sotabbo, gandho ghāyitabbo, raso sāyitabbo, phoṭṭhabbo phusitabbo”ti? |
“The latter is not fitted to the former, your majesty, nor the former to the latter. Just as, your majesty, when these grilled windows are removed, we seated here in the palace, looking outward, see form more clearly through great space, would the soul within see form more clearly through great space when the doors of the eyes have been removed? ... when the ears have been removed? ... when the nose has been removed? ... when the tongue has been removed? And would it feel a tangible more clearly when the body has been removed?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Na kho te, mahārāja, yujjati purimena vā pacchimaṁ, pacchimena vā purimaṁ, yathā vā pana, mahārāja, ayaṁ dinno nikkhamitvā bahidvārakoṭṭhake tiṭṭheyya, jānāsi tvaṁ, mahārāja, ‘ayaṁ dinno nikkhamitvā bahidvārakoṭṭhake ṭhito’”ti? |
“The latter is not fitted to the former, your majesty, nor the former to the latter. Just as if, your majesty, this Dinna were to depart and stand in the entrance way outside the door, would you know ‘this Dinna has departed and is standing in the entrance way outside the door’?” |
“Āma, bhante, jānāmī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, I would know.” |
“Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, ayaṁ dinno anto pavisitvā tava purato tiṭṭheyya, jānāsi tvaṁ, mahārāja, ‘ayaṁ dinno anto pavisitvā mama purato ṭhito’”ti? |
And then, just as if, your majesty, this Dinna were to come back inside and stand in front of you, would you know ‘this Dinna has come back inside and is standing in front of me’?” |
“Āma, bhante, jānāmī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, I would know.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, abbhantare so jīvo jivhāya rase nikkhitte jāneyya ambilattaṁ vā lavaṇattaṁ vā tittakattaṁ vā kaṭukattaṁ vā kasāyattaṁ vā madhurattaṁ vā”ti? |
“In the same way, your majesty, when a flavour is placed on the tongue, would the soul within know whether it’s essence were sour, salty, bitter, pungent, astringent, or sweet?” |
“Āma, bhante, jāneyyā”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, it would know.” |
“Te rase anto paviṭṭhe jāneyya ambilattaṁ vā lavaṇattaṁ vā tittakattaṁ vā kaṭukattaṁ vā kasāyattaṁ vā madhurattaṁ vā”ti. |
“And when it has gone from your tongue into your inside would it know whether it’s essence were sour, salty, bitter, pungent, astringent, or sweet?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Na kho te, mahārāja, yujjati purimena vā pacchimaṁ, pacchimena vā purimaṁ, yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso madhughaṭasataṁ āharāpetvā madhudoṇiṁ pūrāpetvā purisassa mukhaṁ pidahitvā madhudoṇiyā pakkhipeyya, jāneyya, mahārāja, so puriso madhuṁ sampannaṁ vā na sampannaṁ vā”ti? |
“The latter is not fitted to the former, your majesty, nor the former to the latter. Just as if, your majesty, some person or other might fetch a hundred pots of honey, fill a large trough with this honey, cover the mouth of a man, and throw him into the trough of honey, would that man know whether the honey were sweet or not?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kena kāraṇenā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Na hi tassa, bhante, mukhe madhu paviṭṭhan”ti. |
“Because, venerable sir, the honey has not entered his mouth.” |
“Na kho te, mahārāja, yujjati purimena vā pacchimaṁ, pacchimena vā puriman”ti. |
“The latter is not fitted to the former, your majesty, nor the former to the latter. |
“Nāhaṁ paṭibalo tayā vādinā saddhiṁ sallapituṁ; |
“I am not competent to converse with you, a debater of the doctrine. |
sādhu, bhante, atthaṁ jappehī”ti. |
It would be good, venerable sir, if you told me the meaning.” |
Thero abhidhammasaṁyuttāya kathāya rājānaṁ milindaṁ saññāpesi— |
The elder instructed King Milinda with a talk connected with Abhidhamma. |
“idha, mahārāja, cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjati cakkhuviññāṇaṁ, taṁsahajātā phasso vedanā saññā cetanā ekaggatā jīvitindriyaṁ manasikāroti evamete dhammā paccayato jāyanti, na hettha vedagū upalabbhati, sotañca paṭicca sadde ca …pe… |
“Here, your majesty, dependent on the eye and form, eye consciousness arises, and from the coming together of that there is contact, feeling, perception, volition, one-pointedness, the life faculty, and attention. Thus, these things are produced from conditions, and no experiencer is found here. Dependent on the ear and sounds … |
manañca paṭicca dhamme ca uppajjati manoviññāṇaṁ, taṁsahajātā phasso vedanā saññā cetanā ekaggatā jīvitindriyaṁ manasikāroti evamete dhammā paccayato jāyanti, na hettha vedagū upalabbhatī”ti. |
dependent on the mind and thoughts, mind consciousness arises, and from the coming together of that there is contact, feeling, perception, volition, one-pointedness, the life faculty, and attention. Thus, these things are produced from conditions, and no experiencer is found here.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Vedagūpañho chaṭṭho. |
Question on the Experiencer sixth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
7. Cakkhuviññāṇādipañha |
Question on Eye Consciousness, Etc. |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does mind consciousness arise where eye consciousness arises?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjatī”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, mind consciousness arises where eye consciousness arises.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, paṭhamaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, pacchā manoviññāṇaṁ, udāhu manoviññāṇaṁ paṭhamaṁ uppajjati, pacchā cakkhuviññāṇan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does eye consciousness arise first, then mind consciousness after, or does mind consciousness arise first, then eye consciousness after?” |
“Paṭhamaṁ, mahārāja, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, pacchā manoviññāṇan”ti. |
“Eye consciousness arises first, your majesty, then mind consciousness arises after.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, cakkhuviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yatthāhaṁ uppajjāmi, tvampi tattha uppajjāhī’ti, udāhu manoviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yattha tvaṁ uppajjissasi, ahampi tattha uppajjissāmī’”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does eye consciousness instruct mind consciousness, ‘where I arise, you should arise,’ or does mind consciousness instruct eye consciousness ‘where you will arise, there I will arise’?” |
“Na hi, mahārāja, anālāpo tesaṁ aññamaññehī”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty, there is no conversation between them.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjatī”ti? |
“Then, how is it, venerable Nāgasena, that mind consciousness arises where eye consciousness arises?” |
“Ninnattā ca, mahārāja, dvārattā ca ciṇṇattā ca samudācaritattā cā”ti. |
“It is because of inclination, your majesty, and because of door, of habit, and of practice.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, ninnattā yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjati? |
“How is it, venerable Nāgasena, that because of inclination mind consciousness arises where eye consciousness arises? |
Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
Please give me an analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, deve vassante katamena udakaṁ gaccheyyā”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, when it is raining what way would the water go?” |
“Yena, bhante, ninnaṁ, tena gaccheyyā”ti. |
“It would go according to the inclination, venerable sir.” |
“Athāparena samayena devo vasseyya, katamena taṁ udakaṁ gaccheyyā”ti. |
“And if it would continue to rain for some time, what way would that water go?” |
“Yena, bhante, purimaṁ udakaṁ gataṁ, tampi tena gaccheyyā”ti. |
“It would go in the same direction as the earlier water, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, purimaṁ udakaṁ pacchimaṁ udakaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yenāhaṁ gacchāmi, tvampi tena gacchāhī’ti, pacchimaṁ vā udakaṁ purimaṁ udakaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yena tvaṁ gacchissasi, ahampi tena gacchissāmī’”ti. |
“Does the earlier water, your majesty, instruct the later water, ‘where I go, you should go,’ or does the later water instruct the earlier water ‘where you will go, there I will go?’” |
“Na hi, bhante, anālāpo tesaṁ aññamaññehi, ninnattā gacchantī”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, there is no conversation between them, they go because of the inclination.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ninnattā yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjati, na cakkhuviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yatthāhaṁ uppajjāmi, tvampi tattha uppajjāhī’ti, nāpi manoviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yattha tvaṁ uppajjissasi, ahampi tattha uppajjissāmī’ti, anālāpo tesaṁ aññamaññehi, ninnattā uppajjantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, because of the inclination eye consciousness arises, then mind consciousness arises. And not because eye consciousness instructs mind consciousness, ‘where I arise, you should arise,’ nor does mind consciousness instruct eye consciousness ‘where you will arise, there I will arise’. There is no conversation between them, they arise because of the inclination.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, dvārattā yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjati? |
“How is it, venerable Nāgasena, that because of door mind consciousness arises where eye consciousness arises? |
Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
Please give me an analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, rañño paccantimaṁ nagaraṁ assa daḷhapākāratoraṇaṁ ekadvāraṁ, tato puriso nikkhamitukāmo bhaveyya, katamena nikkhameyyā”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty? There might be a king’s border town with strong ramparts, an arched gateway, and only one door, and there, if a man were wishing to depart, how would he do so?” |
“Dvārena, bhante, nikkhameyyā”ti. |
“He would depart through the door, venerable sir.” |
“Athāparo puriso nikkhamitukāmo bhaveyya, katamena so nikkhameyyā”ti? |
“Then, if there was another man wishing to depart, how would he do so?” |
“Yena, bhante, purimo puriso nikkhanto, sopi tena nikkhameyyā”ti. |
“He would depart in the same way as the first man, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, purimo puriso pacchimaṁ purisaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yenāhaṁ gacchāmi, tvampi tena gacchāhī’ti, pacchimo vā puriso purimaṁ purisaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yena tvaṁ gacchissasi, ahampi tena gacchissāmī’”ti. |
“Does the first man, your majesty, instruct the later man, ‘where I go, you should go,’ or does the later man instruct the first man ‘where you will go, there I will go?’” |
“Na hi, bhante, anālāpo tesaṁ aññamaññehi, dvārattā gacchantī”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, there is no conversation between them, they go because of the door.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, dvārattā yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjati, na cakkhuviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yatthāhaṁ uppajjāmi, tvampi tattha uppajjāhī’ti, nāpi manoviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yattha tvaṁ uppajjissasi, ahampi tattha uppajjissāmī’ti, anālāpo tesaṁ aññamaññehi, dvārattā uppajjantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, because of the door eye consciousness arises, then mind consciousness arises. And not because eye consciousness instructs mind consciousness, ‘where I arise, you should arise,’ nor does mind consciousness instruct eye consciousness ‘where you will arise, there I will arise’. There is no conversation between them, they arise because of the door.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, ciṇṇattā yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjati? |
“How is it, venerable Nāgasena, that because of habit mind consciousness arises where eye consciousness arises? |
Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
Please give me an analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, paṭhamaṁ ekaṁ sakaṭaṁ gaccheyya, atha dutiyaṁ sakaṭaṁ katamena gaccheyyā”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty? If one cart goes first, then which way would a second cart go?” |
“Yena, bhante, purimaṁ sakaṭaṁ gataṁ, tampi tena gaccheyyā”ti. |
“It would go in the same way as the first cart, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, purimaṁ sakaṭaṁ pacchimaṁ sakaṭaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yenāhaṁ gacchāmi, tvampi tena gacchāhī’ti, pacchimaṁ vā sakaṭaṁ purimaṁ sakaṭaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yena tvaṁ gacchissasi, ahampi tena gacchissāmī’”ti. |
“Does the first cart, your majesty, instruct the later cart, ‘where I go, you should go,’ or does the later cart instruct the first cart ‘where you will go, there I will go?’” |
“Na hi, bhante, anālāpo tesaṁ aññamaññehi, ciṇṇattā gacchantī”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, there is no conversation between them, they go because of habit.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ciṇṇattā yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjati, na cakkhuviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yatthāhaṁ uppajjāmi, tvampi tattha uppajjāhī’ti, nāpi manoviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yattha tvaṁ uppajjissasi, ahampi tattha uppajjissāmī’ti, anālāpo tesaṁ aññamaññehi, ciṇṇattā uppajjantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, because of habit eye consciousness arises, then mind consciousness arises. And not because eye consciousness instructs mind consciousness, ‘where I arise, you should arise,’ nor does mind consciousness instruct eye consciousness ‘where you will arise, there I will arise’. There is no conversation between them, they arise because of habit.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, samudācaritattā yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjati? |
“How is it, venerable Nāgasena, that because of practice mind consciousness arises where eye consciousness arises? |
Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, muddāgaṇanāsaṅkhyālekhāsippaṭṭhānesu ādikammikassa dandhāyanā bhavati, athāparena samayena nisammakiriyāya samudācaritattā adandhāyanā bhavati. |
“Just as, your majesty, a beginner might be clumsy in the arts of hand reckoning, calculation, mental reckoning, and writing, but then, after some time, with careful working and practice, he would become skilful. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, samudācaritattā yattha cakkhuviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjati, na cakkhuviññāṇaṁ manoviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yatthāhaṁ uppajjāmi, tvampi tattha uppajjāhī’ti, nāpi manoviññāṇaṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ āṇāpeti ‘yattha tvaṁ uppajjissasi, ahampi tattha uppajjissāmī’ti, anālāpo tesaṁ aññamaññehi, samudācaritattā uppajjantī”ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, because of practice eye consciousness arises, then mind consciousness arises. And not because eye consciousness instructs mind consciousness, ‘where I arise, you should arise,’ nor does mind consciousness instruct eye consciousness ‘where you will arise, there I will arise’. There is no conversation between them, they arise because of practice.” |
“Bhante nāgasena, yattha sotaviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjatīti …pe… |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does mind consciousness arise where ear consciousness arises? ... |
yattha ghānaviññāṇaṁ uppajjati … yattha jivhāviññāṇaṁ uppajjati … yattha kāyaviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjatī”ti? |
where nose consciousness arises … where tongue consciousness arises … where body consciousness arises?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, yattha kāyaviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, tattha manoviññāṇampi uppajjatī”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, mind consciousness arises where body consciousness arises.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, paṭhamaṁ kāyaviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, pacchā manoviññāṇaṁ, udāhu manoviññāṇaṁ paṭhamaṁ uppajjati, pacchā kāyaviññāṇan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does body consciousness arise first, then mind consciousness after, or does mind consciousness arise first, then body consciousness after?” |
“Kāyaviññāṇaṁ, mahārāja, paṭhamaṁ uppajjati, pacchā manoviññāṇan”ti. |
“Body consciousness arises first, your majesty, then mind consciousness arises after.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena …pe… |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does … |
anālāpo tesaṁ aññamaññehi, samudācaritattā uppajjantī”ti. |
... there is no conversation between them, they arise because of practice.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Cakkhuviññāṇādipañho sattamo. |
Question on Eye Consciousness, Etc. seventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
8. Phassalakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Contact Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yattha manoviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, phassopi vedanāpi tattha uppajjatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, do contact and also feeling arise where mind consciousness arises?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, yattha manoviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, phassopi tattha uppajjati, vedanāpi tattha uppajjati, saññāpi tattha uppajjati, cetanāpi tattha uppajjati, vitakkopi tattha uppajjati, vicāropi tattha uppajjati, sabbepi phassappamukhā dhammā tattha uppajjantī”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, where mind consciousness arises, there too contact, feeling, perception, intention, applied thought, and examination arise, and all mental states that arise there are led by contact.” |
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇo phasso”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of contact?” |
“Phusanalakkhaṇo, mahārāja, phasso”ti. |
“Touching, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of contact.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, dve meṇḍā yujjheyyuṁ, tesu yathā eko meṇḍo, evaṁ cakkhu daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
“Suppose, your majesty, that two rams were fighting. One of these rams is to be seen as the eye, |
Yathā dutiyo meṇḍo, evaṁ rūpaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
the other ram is to be seen as form, |
Yathā tesaṁ sannipāto, evaṁ phasso daṭṭhabbo”ti. |
and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, dve pāṇī vajjeyyuṁ, tesu yathā eko pāṇi, evaṁ cakkhu daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
“Suppose, your majesty, that two hands were clapped together. One of these hands is to be seen as the eye, |
Yathā dutiyo pāṇi, evaṁ rūpaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
the other hand is to be seen as form, |
Yathā tesaṁ sannipāto, evaṁ phasso daṭṭhabbo”ti. |
and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, dve sammā vajjeyyuṁ, tesu yathā eko sammo, evaṁ cakkhu daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
“Suppose, your majesty, that two cymbals were clanged together. One of these cymbals is to be seen as the eye, |
Yathā dutiyo sammo, evaṁ rūpaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
the other cymbal is to be seen as form, |
Yathā tesaṁ sannipāto, evaṁ phasso daṭṭhabbo”ti. |
and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Phassalakkhaṇapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Contact Question eighth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
9. Vedanālakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Feeling Question |
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇā vedanā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of feeling?” |
“Vedayitalakkhaṇā, mahārāja, vedanā anubhavanalakkhaṇā cā”ti. |
“Being felt and experiencing, your majesty, are the distinguishing characteristics of feeling.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso rañño adhikāraṁ kareyya, tassa rājā tuṭṭho adhikāraṁ dadeyya, so tena adhikārena pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappito samaṅgibhūto paricareyya, tassa evamassa ‘mayā kho pubbe rañño adhikāro kato, tassa me rājā tuṭṭho adhikāraṁ adāsi, svāhaṁ tatonidānaṁ imaṁ evarūpaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti. |
“Just as, your majesty, some person or other might perform a service for the king, and the king, satisfied, would repay that service. And that person, because of that service, would go about provided with and possessed of the five strands of sensual pleasure, and it might occur to him ‘previously I performed a service for the king and he, satisfied, repaid me for that service, and for that reason I experience such and such feelings.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kocideva puriso kusalaṁ kammaṁ katvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya, so ca tattha dibbehi pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappito samaṅgibhūto paricareyya, tassa evamassa ‘svāhaṁ kho pubbe kusalaṁ kammaṁ akāsiṁ, sohaṁ tatonidānaṁ imaṁ evarūpaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī’ti. |
Or just as, your majesty, some person or other might perform a good deed and at the beak up of the body after dying, might be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world, and there would go about provided with and possessed of the five strands of divine sensual pleasure, and it might occur to him ‘previously I performed a good deed, and for that reason I experience such and such feelings.’ |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, vedayitalakkhaṇā vedanā anubhavanalakkhaṇā cā”ti. |
In the same way, your majesty, being felt and experiencing are the distinguishing characteristics of feeling.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Vedanālakkhaṇapañho navamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Feeling Question ninth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
10. Saññālakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Perception Question |
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇā saññā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of perception?” |
“Sañjānanalakkhaṇā, mahārāja, saññā. |
“Perceiving, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of perception. |
Kiṁ sañjānāti? |
What does one perceive? |
Nīlampi sañjānāti, pītampi sañjānāti, lohitampi sañjānāti, odātampi sañjānāti, mañjiṭṭhampi sañjānāti. |
One perceives blue, yellow, red, white, and crimson. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, sañjānanalakkhaṇā saññā”ti. |
Thus, your majesty, perceiving is the distinguishing characteristic of perception.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, rañño bhaṇḍāgāriko bhaṇḍāgāraṁ pavisitvā nīlapītalohitodātamañjiṭṭhāni rājabhogāni rūpāni passitvā sañjānāti. |
“Just as, your majesty, a king’s storekeeper, having entered the warehouse and seen the forms of the king’s goods there, perceives blue, yellow, red, white, and crimson. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, sañjānanalakkhaṇā saññā”ti. |
Thus, your majesty, perceiving is the distinguishing characteristic of perception.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Saññālakkhaṇapañho dasamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Perception Question tenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
11. Cetanālakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Intention Question |
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇā cetanā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of intention?” |
“Cetayitalakkhaṇā, mahārāja, cetanā abhisaṅkharaṇalakkhaṇā cā”ti. |
“Willing and arranging, your majesty, are the distinguishing characteristics of intention.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso visaṁ abhisaṅkharitvā attanā ca piveyya, pare ca pāyeyya, so attanāpi dukkhito bhaveyya, parepi dukkhitā bhaveyyuṁ; |
“Just as, your majesty, some person or other might prepare a poison and drink it himself and get others to drink it, then he himself would become afflicted and others would become afflicted. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, idhekacco puggalo akusalaṁ kammaṁ cetanāya cetayitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya. |
In the same way, your majesty, some person here, through intention, would will an unwholesome action and on the break up of the body, after dying, would be reborn in a bad destination, a state of suffering, a hell realm. |
Yepi tassa anusikkhanti, tepi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti. |
And those who followed him, on the break up of the body, after dying, would be reborn in a bad destination, a state of suffering, a hell realm. |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kocideva puriso sappinavanītatelamadhuphāṇitaṁ ekajjhaṁ abhisaṅkharitvā attanā ca piveyya, pare ca pāyeyya, so attanā sukhito bhaveyya, parepi sukhitā bhaveyyuṁ; |
Or just as, your majesty, some person or other might prepare a mixture of ghee, butter, oil, honey and molasses and drink it himself and get others to drink it, then he himself would become happy and others would become happy. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, idhekacco puggalo kusalaṁ kammaṁ cetanāya cetayitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. |
In the same way, your majesty, some person here, through intention, would will a wholesome action and on the break up of the body, after dying, would be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly realm. |
Yepi tassa anusikkhanti, tepi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjanti. |
And those who followed him, on the break up of the body, after dying, would be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly realm. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, cetayitalakkhaṇā cetanā abhisaṅkharaṇalakkhaṇā cā”ti. |
So too, your majesty, willing and arranging are the distinguishing characteristics of intention.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Cetanālakkhaṇapañho ekādasamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Intention Question eleventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
12. Viññāṇalakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Consciousness Question |
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇaṁ viññāṇan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?” |
“Vijānanalakkhaṇaṁ, mahārāja, viññāṇan”ti. |
“Knowing, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, nagaraguttiko majjhe nagarasiṅghāṭake nisinno passeyya puratthimadisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ, passeyya dakkhiṇadisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ, passeyya pacchimadisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ, passeyya uttaradisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ; |
“Just as, your majesty, a town guardian sitting in the middle of the crossroads of the town would see a man coming from the eastern direction, the southern direction, the western direction, and the northern direction. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yañca puriso cakkhunā rūpaṁ passati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. |
In the same way, your majesty, a person knows with consciousness whatever form he sees with his eyes, |
Yañca sotena saddaṁ suṇāti, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. |
he knows with consciousness whatever sound he hears with his ears, |
Yañca ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. |
he knows with consciousness whatever odour he smells with his nose, |
Yañca jivhāya rasaṁ sāyati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. |
he knows with consciousness whatever flavour he tastes with his tongue, |
Yañca kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti, yañca manasā dhammaṁ vijānāti, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. |
he knows with consciousness whatever touch he contacts with his body, and he knows with consciousness whatever thought he knows with his mind. |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, vijānanalakkhaṇaṁ viññāṇan”ti. |
So too, your majesty, knowing is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Viññāṇalakkhaṇapañho dvādasamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Consciousness Question twelfth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
13. Vitakkalakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Applied Thought Question |
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇo vitakko”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of applied thought?” |
“Appanālakkhaṇo, mahārāja, vitakko”ti. |
“Mental fixing, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of applied thought.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, vaḍḍhakī suparikammakataṁ dāruṁ sandhismiṁ appeti; |
“Just as, your majesty, a carpenter fixes a superbly crafted piece of wood into a join, |
evameva kho, mahārāja, appanālakkhaṇo vitakko”ti. |
in the same way mental fixing is the distinguishing characteristic of applied thought.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Vitakkalakkhaṇapañho terasamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Applied Thought Question thirteenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Vicāravagga |
Examination Chapter |
14. Vicāralakkhaṇapañha |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Examination Question |
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇo vicāro”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of examination?” |
“Anumajjanalakkhaṇo, mahārāja, vicāro”ti. |
“Continuity, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of examination.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kaṁsathālaṁ ākoṭitaṁ pacchā anuravati anusandahati, yathā, mahārāja, ākoṭanā, evaṁ vitakko daṭṭhabbo. |
“Just as, your majesty, a bronze bowl which has been struck resounds afterwards, and lingers on, applied thought is to be seen as striking, |
Yathā anuravanā, evaṁ vicāro daṭṭhabbo”ti. |
examination is to be seen as resounding.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Vicāralakkhaṇapañho cuddasamo. |
Distinguishing Characteristic of Examination Question fourteenth |
Vicāravaggo tatiyo. |
Examination Chapter third |
Imasmiṁ vagge cuddasa pañhā. |
In this chapter, fourteen questions |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
1. Phassādivinibbhujanapañha |
Question on Analysing Contact, Etc. |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, sakkā imesaṁ dhammānaṁ ekatobhāvagatānaṁ vinibbhujitvā vinibbhujitvā nānākaraṇaṁ paññāpetuṁ ‘ayaṁ phasso, ayaṁ vedanā, ayaṁ saññā, ayaṁ cetanā, idaṁ viññāṇaṁ, ayaṁ vitakko, ayaṁ vicāro’”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is it possible, having repeatedly analysed these mental states that are of the nature to arise together, to declare a difference between them, saying ‘this is contact, this is feeling, this is perception, this is intention, this is consciousness, this is applied thought, this is examination’?” |
“Na sakkā, mahārāja, imesaṁ dhammānaṁ ekatobhāvagatānaṁ vinibbhujitvā vinibbhujitvā nānākaraṇaṁ paññāpetuṁ ‘ayaṁ phasso, ayaṁ vedanā, ayaṁ saññā, ayaṁ cetanā, idaṁ viññāṇaṁ, ayaṁ vitakko, ayaṁ vicāro’”ti. |
“No, your majesty, it is not possible to do that.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, rañño sūdo arasaṁ vā rasaṁ vā kareyya, so tattha dadhimpi pakkhipeyya, loṇampi pakkhipeyya, siṅgiverampi pakkhipeyya, jīrakampi pakkhipeyya, maricampi pakkhipeyya, aññānipi pakārāni pakkhipeyya, tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya, ‘dadhissa me rasaṁ āhara, loṇassa me rasaṁ āhara, siṅgiverassa me rasaṁ āhara, jīrakassa me rasaṁ āhara, maricassa me rasaṁ āhara, sabbesaṁ me pakkhittānaṁ rasaṁ āharā’ti. |
“Just as if, your majesty, a king’s cook might prepare a soup or sauce and put in it curds, salt, ginger, cumin, hot pepper, and various other things, and the king might say ‘bring me a taste of curds, a taste of salt, a taste of ginger, a taste of cumin, a taste of hot pepper, or a taste of all the other things put in.’ |
Sakkā nu kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ rasānaṁ ekatobhāvagatānaṁ vinibbhujitvā vinibbhujitvā rasaṁ āharituṁ ambilattaṁ vā lavaṇattaṁ vā tittakattaṁ vā kaṭukattaṁ vā kasāyattaṁ vā madhurattaṁ vā”ti? |
Is it possible, your majesty, having repeatedly analysed these tastes that are of the nature to arise together to bring forward an acidic flavour, a salty flavour, a bitter flavour, a sharp flavour, or a pungent flavour, or a sweet flavour?” |
“Na hi, bhante, sakkā tesaṁ rasānaṁ ekatobhāvagatānaṁ vinibbhujitvā vinibbhujitvā rasaṁ āharituṁ ambilattaṁ vā lavaṇattaṁ vā tittakattaṁ vā kaṭukattaṁ vā kasāyattaṁ vā madhurattaṁ vā, api ca kho pana sakena sakena lakkhaṇena upaṭṭhahantī”ti. |
“It is certainly not possible, venerable sir, to do that.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, na sakkā imesaṁ dhammānaṁ ekatobhāvagatānaṁ vinibbhujitvā vinibbhujitvā nānākaraṇaṁ paññāpetuṁ ‘ayaṁ phasso, ayaṁ vedanā, ayaṁ saññā, ayaṁ cetanā, idaṁ viññāṇaṁ, ayaṁ vitakko, ayaṁ vicāro’ti, api ca kho pana sakena sakena lakkhaṇena upaṭṭhahantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, it is not possible, having repeatedly analysed these mental states that are of the nature to arise together, to declare a difference between them, saying ‘this is contact, this is feeling, this is perception, this is intention, this is consciousness, this is applied thought, this is examination’?” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Phassādivinibbhujanapañho paṭhamo. |
Question on Analysing Contact, Etc. first |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
2. Nāgasenapañha |
Nāgasena’s Question |
Thero āha— |
The elder asked: |
“loṇaṁ, mahārāja, cakkhuviññeyyan”ti. |
“Is salt, your majesty, cognizable by the eye?” |
“Āma, bhante, cakkhuviññeyyan”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, it is cognizable by the eye.” |
“Suṭṭhu kho, mahārāja, jānāhī”ti. |
“Think carefully, your majesty.” |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, jivhāviññeyyan”ti? |
“Is it then, venerable sir, cognizable by the tongue?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, jivhāviññeyyan”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, it is cognizable by the tongue.” |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, sabbaṁ loṇaṁ jivhāya vijānātī”ti? |
“Then, venerable sir, is all salt cognizable by the tongue?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, sabbaṁ loṇaṁ jivhāya vijānāti”. |
“Yes, your majesty, all salt is cognizable by the tongue.” |
“Yadi, bhante, sabbaṁ loṇaṁ jivhāya vijānāti, kissa pana taṁ sakaṭehi balībaddā āharanti, nanu loṇameva āharitabban”ti? |
“If, venerable sir, all salt is cognizable by the tongue, why then do oxen bring it by the cartload, shouldn’t just salt be brought?” |
“Na sakkā, mahārāja, loṇameva āharituṁ ekatobhāvagatā ete dhammā gocaranānattagatā loṇaṁ garubhāvo cāti. |
“It is not possible to bring just salt, your majesty, since these things arise together with a diversity in their range, and as well, salt has heaviness. |
Sakkā pana, mahārāja, loṇaṁ tulāya tulayitun”ti? |
Is it possible to weigh salt on scales?” |
“Āma, bhante, sakkā”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, it is possible.” |
“Na sakkā, mahārāja, loṇaṁ tulāya tulayituṁ, garubhāvo tulāya tuliyatī”ti. |
“It is not possible, your majesty, to weigh salt on scales. One weighs the heaviness on scales.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Nāgasenapañho dutiyo. |
Nāgasena’s Question second |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
3. Pañcāyatanakammanibbattapañha |
Question on the Five Sense Bases Produced from Kamma |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yānimāni pañcāyatanāni, kiṁ nu tāni nānākammehi nibbattāni, udāhu ekena kammenā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, are these five sense bases produced from different kamma or from just one kamma?” |
“Nānākammehi, mahārāja, nibbattāni, na ekena kammenā”ti. |
“They are produced from different kamma, your majesty, not from just one kamma.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, ekasmiṁ khette nānābījāni vappeyyuṁ, tesaṁ nānābījānaṁ nānāphalāni nibbatteyyun”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, if one were to sow different seeds in this field, would a diversity of fruits be produced from this diversity of seeds?” |
“Āma, bhante, nibbatteyyun”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they would be.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yāni yāni pañcāyatanāni, tāni tāni nānākammehi nibbattāni, na ekena kammenā”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, these five sense bases are produced from different kamma, and not from just one kamma.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Pañcāyatanakammanibbattapañho tatiyo. |
Question on the Five Sense Bases Produced from Kamma third |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
4. Kammanānākaraṇapañha |
Question on the Workings of Different Kamma |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kena kāraṇena manussā na sabbe samakā, aññe appāyukā, aññe dīghāyukā, aññe bahvābādhā aññe appābādhā, aññe dubbaṇṇā, aññe vaṇṇavanto, aññe appesakkhā, aññe mahesakkhā, aññe appabhogā, aññe mahābhogā, aññe nīcakulīnā, aññe mahākulīnā, aññe duppaññā, aññe paññavanto”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, why is it that not all people are the same? Some people are short-lived, others long-lived, some have much affliction and others little affliction, some are ugly and others beautiful, some have little power and others great power, some have little wealth and others great wealth, some come from an inferior clan and others from a superior clan, some are foolish and others are wise.” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said: |
“kissa pana, mahārāja, rukkhā na sabbe samakā, aññe ambilā, aññe lavaṇā, aññe tittakā, aññe kaṭukā, aññe kasāvā, aññe madhurā”ti? |
“Why then, your majesty, is it that not all trees are the same? Some are acidic, some are salty, some are bitter, some are pungent, some are astringent, and some are sweet?” |
“Maññāmi, bhante, bījānaṁ nānākaraṇenā”ti. |
“I think, venerable sir, that it is because of the difference in seeds.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kammānaṁ nānākaraṇena manussā na sabbe samakā, aññe appāyukā, aññe dīghāyukā, aññe bahvābādhā, aññe appābādhā, aññe dubbaṇṇā, aññe vaṇṇavanto, aññe appesakkhā, aññe mahesakkhā, aññe appabhogā, aññe mahābhogā, aññe nīcakulīnā, aññe mahākulīnā, aññe duppaññā, aññe paññavanto. |
“In the same way, your majesty, it is because of the difference in kamma that not all people are the same. Some people are short-lived, others long-lived, some have much affliction and others little affliction, some are ugly and others beautiful, some have little power and others great power, some have little wealth and others great wealth, some come from an inferior clan and others from a superior clan, some are foolish and others are wise.” |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā— |
And this too, your majesty, was said by the Blessed One: |
‘kammassakā, māṇava, sattā kammadāyādā kammayonī kammabandhū kammappaṭisaraṇā, kammaṁ satte vibhajati yadidaṁ hīnappaṇītatāyā’”ti. |
‘Young man, beings are the owners of their kamma, heirs to their kamma, born from their kamma, bound to their kamma, and protected by their kamma. Kamma divides beings into inferior and superior.’” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Kammanānākaraṇapañho catuttho. |
Question on the Workings of Different Kamma fourth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
5. Vāyāmakaraṇapañha |
Question on the Reason for Effort |
Rājā āha— |
The king said: |
“bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha— |
“Venerable Nāgasena, you told me |
‘kinti imaṁ dukkhaṁ nirujjheyya, aññañca dukkhaṁ nuppajjeyyāti. |
that, so that this suffering would cease and another suffering would not arise, |
Etadatthā, mahārāja, amhākaṁ pabbajjā’ti. |
that was the goal of your going forth . |
Kiṁ paṭikacceva vāyamitena, nanu sampatte kāle vāyamitabban”ti? |
Is it just because of previous effort? Should not one make an effort at the current time?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said: |
“sampatte kāle, mahārāja, vāyāmo akiccakaro bhavati, paṭikacceva vāyāmo kiccakaro bhavatī”ti. |
“Effort at the current time is not so useful, effort made previously is useful.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā tvaṁ pipāsito bhaveyyāsi, tadā tvaṁ udapānaṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi, taḷākaṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi ‘pānīyaṁ pivissāmī’”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, when you become thirsty, would you then have a well or a dam dug and say ‘I will drink water’?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sampatte kāle vāyāmo akiccakaro bhavati, paṭikacceva vāyāmo kiccakaro bhavatī”ti. |
“In the same way, effort at the current time is not so useful, effort made previously is useful.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā tvaṁ bubhukkhito bhaveyyāsi, tadā tvaṁ khettaṁ kasāpeyyāsi, sāliṁ ropāpeyyāsi, dhaññaṁ atiharāpeyyāsi ‘bhattaṁ bhuñjissāmī’”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, when you become hungry, would you then have a field ploughed, plant rice, and have the grain brought in, and say ‘I will eat rice?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sampatte kāle vāyāmo akiccakaro bhavati, paṭikacceva vāyāmo kiccakaro bhavatī”ti. |
“In the same way, effort at the current time is not so useful, effort made previously is useful.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā te saṅgāmo paccupaṭṭhito bhaveyya, tadā tvaṁ parikhaṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi, pākāraṁ kārāpeyyāsi, gopuraṁ kārāpeyyāsi, aṭṭālakaṁ kārāpeyyāsi, dhaññaṁ atiharāpeyyāsi, tadā tvaṁ hatthismiṁ sikkheyyāsi, assasmiṁ sikkheyyāsi, rathasmiṁ sikkheyyāsi, dhanusmiṁ sikkheyyāsi, tharusmiṁ sikkheyyāsī”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, when you are faced with a battle, would you then have a moat dug, a rampart, a gateway, and a watchtower constructed, and then train in the use of elephants, horses, chariots, bows and swords?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sampatte kāle vāyāmo akiccakaro bhavati, paṭikacceva vāyāmo kiccakaro bhavati. |
“In the same way, effort at the current time is not so useful, effort made previously is useful.” |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja bhagavatā— |
And this too, your majesty, was said by the Blessed One: |
‘Paṭikacceva taṁ kayirā, |
One should do formerly |
yaṁ jaññā hitamattano; |
what one knows is for one’s benefit; |
Na sākaṭikacintāya, |
Not having thoughts like a wagon driver, |
mantā dhīro parakkame. |
one is steadfast in wisdom. |
Yathā sākaṭiko maṭṭhaṁ, |
As a wagon driver who has abandoned |
samaṁ hitvā mahāpathaṁ; |
the well-prepared, even, high road, |
Visamaṁ maggamāruyha, |
Climbing on the uneven path, |
akkhacchinnova jhāyati. |
just broods with his axle broken, |
Evaṁ dhammā apakkamma, |
Straying from the Dhamma thus, |
adhammamanuvattiya; |
and following what isn't Dhamma, |
Mando maccu mukhaṁ patto, |
The lazy one coming face-to-face with death, |
akkhacchinnova jhāyatī’”ti. |
just broods with his axle broken. |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Vāyāmakaraṇapañho pañcamo. |
Question on the Reason for Effort fifth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
6. Nerayikaggiuṇhabhāvapañha |
Question on the Nature of Heat in the Fires of Hell |
Rājā āha— |
The king said: |
“bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha— |
“Venerable Nāgasena, you say |
‘pākatikaaggito nerayiko aggi mahābhitāpataro hoti, khuddakopi pāsāṇo pākatike aggimhi pakkhitto divasampi paccamāno na vilayaṁ gacchati, kūṭāgāramattopi pāsāṇo nerayikaggimhi pakkhitto khaṇena vilayaṁ gacchatī’ti, etaṁ vacanaṁ na saddahāmi, evañca pana vadetha ‘ye ca tattha uppannā sattā, te anekānipi vassasahassāni niraye paccamānā na vilayaṁ gacchantī’ti, tampi vacanaṁ na saddahāmī”ti. |
that the heat of hell has a far greater intensity than that of a normal fire, and that a small stone placed in a normal fire cooking all day would not be dissolved, whereas a stone the size of a gabled house placed in the fire of hell would be dissolved in a moment. I do not believe this assertion. And then you say that those various beings who have arisen in hell, cooking in that hell for thousands of years are not dissolved. That assertion too I do not believe.” |
Thero āha— |
The elder asked, |
“taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yā tā santi makariniyopi susumāriniyopi kacchapiniyopi moriniyopi kapotiniyopi, kiṁ nu tā kakkhaḷāni pāsāṇāni sakkharāyo ca khādantī”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, do those female sharks, crocodiles, turtles, pea-hens, and pigeons eat hard stones and gravel?” |
“Āma, bhante, khādantī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they eat them.” |
“Kiṁ pana tāni tāsaṁ kucchiyaṁ koṭṭhabbhantaragatāni vilayaṁ gacchantī”ti? |
“But then when these have gone down into their abdomens and stomachs are they dissolved?” |
“Āma, bhante, vilayaṁ gacchantī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they are dissolved.” |
“Yo pana tāsaṁ kucchiyaṁ gabbho, sopi vilayaṁ gacchatī”ti? |
“But then is an embryo in their abdomens dissolved?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kena kāraṇenā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Maññāmi, bhante, kammādhikatena na vilayaṁ gacchatī”ti. |
“I think, venerable sir, due to the workings of kamma it would not dissolve.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kammādhikatena nerayikā sattā anekānipi vassasahassāni niraye paccamānā na vilayaṁ gacchanti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, those various beings in hell, cooking in that hell for thousands of years are not dissolved. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā— |
And this too, your majesty, was said by the Blessed One: |
‘so na tāva kālaṁ karoti, yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhotī’”ti. |
‘One does not complete one’s time until there is an end to one’s evil kamma.’” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yā tā santi sīhiniyopi byagghiniyopi dīpiniyopi kukkuriniyopi, kiṁ nu tā kakkhaḷāni aṭṭhikāni maṁsāni khādantī”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, do female lions, tigers, panthers, and dogs eat hard bones and flesh?” |
“Āma, bhante, khādantī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they eat them.” |
“Kiṁ pana tāni tāsaṁ kucchiyaṁ koṭṭhabbhantaragatāni vilayaṁ gacchantī”ti? |
“But then when these have gone down into their abdomens and stomachs are they dissolved?” |
“Āma, bhante, vilayaṁ gacchantī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they are dissolved.” |
“Yo pana tāsaṁ kucchiyaṁ gabbho, sopi vilayaṁ gacchatī”ti? |
“But then is an embryo in their abdomens dissolved?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kena kāraṇenā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Maññāmi, bhante, kammādhikatena na vilayaṁ gacchatī”ti. |
“I think, venerable sir, due to the workings of kamma it would not dissolve.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kammādhikatena nerayikā sattā anekānipi vassasahassāni niraye paccamānā na vilayaṁ gacchantī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, those various beings in hell, cooking in that hell for thousands of years are not dissolved. |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yā tā santi yonakasukhumāliniyopi khattiyasukhumāliniyopi brāhmaṇasukhumāliniyopi gahapatisukhumāliniyopi, kiṁ nu tā kakkhaḷāni khajjakāni maṁsāni khādantī”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, do those delicate Bactrian Greek women, noble women, brahmin women, and householder women eat hard cakes and meat?” |
“Āma, bhante, khādantī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they eat them.” |
“Kiṁ pana tāni tāsaṁ kucchiyaṁ koṭṭhabbhantaragatāni vilayaṁ gacchantī”ti? |
“But then when those have gone down into their abdomens and stomachs are they dissolved?” |
“Āma, bhante, vilayaṁ gacchantī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they are dissolved.” |
“Yo pana tāsaṁ kucchiyaṁ gabbho sopi vilayaṁ gacchatī”ti? |
“But then is an embryo in their abdomens dissolved?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kena kāraṇenā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Maññāmi, bhante, kammādhikatena na vilayaṁ gacchatī”ti. |
“I think, venerable sir, due to the workings of kamma it would not dissolve.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kammādhikatena nerayikā sattā anekānipi vassasahassāni niraye paccamānā na vilayaṁ gacchanti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, those various beings in hell, cooking in that hell for thousands of years are not dissolved. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā— |
And this too, your majesty, was said by the Blessed One: |
‘so na tāva kālaṁ karoti, yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhotī’”ti. |
‘One does not complete one’s time until there is an end to one’s evil kamma.’” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Nerayikaggiuṇhabhāvapañho chaṭṭho. |
Question on the Nature of Heat in the Fires of Hell sixth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
7. Pathavisandhārakapañha |
Question on the Bearing Up of the Earth |
Rājā āha— |
The king said: |
“bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha— |
“Venerable Nāgasena, you say |
‘ayaṁ mahā pathavī udake patiṭṭhitā, udakaṁ vāte patiṭṭhitaṁ, vāto ākāse patiṭṭhito’ti, etampi vacanaṁ na saddahāmī”ti. |
this great earth is established on water, water is established on air, and air is established on space. I do not believe this assertion.” |
Thero dhammakarakena udakaṁ gahetvā rājānaṁ milindaṁ saññāpesi— |
The elder took some water in a water vessel and explained to King Milinda, |
“yathā, mahārāja, imaṁ udakaṁ vātena ādhāritaṁ, evaṁ tampi udakaṁ vātena ādhāritan”ti. |
“Just as, your majesty, this water is supported by the air, so too is that water supported by air.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Pathavisandhārakapañho sattamo. |
Question on the Bearing Up of the Earth seventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
8. Nirodhanibbānapañha |
Question on Cessation and Nibbāna |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, nirodho nibbānan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is cessation Nibbāna?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, nirodho nibbānan”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, cessation is Nibbāna.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, nirodho nibbānan”ti? |
“How, venerable Nāgasena, is cessation Nibbāna?” |
“Sabbe bālaputhujjanā kho, mahārāja, ajjhattikabāhire āyatane abhinandanti abhivadanti ajjhosāya tiṭṭhanti, te tena sotena vuyhanti, na parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokena paridevena dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi na parimuccanti dukkhasmāti vadāmi. |
“All those foolish ordinary people, your majesty, who delight in the internal and external sense bases, welcome them, remain clinging to them, and are carried away by that stream, are not free from birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and despair, they are not free from suffering, I say. |
Sutavā ca kho, mahārāja, ariyasāvako ajjhattikabāhire āyatane nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati, tassa taṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato taṇhā nirujjhati, taṇhānirodhā upādānanirodho, upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho, bhavanirodhā jātinirodho, jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā nirujjhanti, evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, nirodho nibbānan”ti. |
A well-taught noble disciple, your majesty, does not delight in the internal and external sense bases, nor welcome them, nor remain clinging to them. The one, not delighting in them, not welcoming them, not remaining clinging to them, is free from craving. From the cessation of craving, there is cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and despair cease, and thus there is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering. In this way, your majesty, cessation is Nibbāna.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Nirodhanibbānapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Question on Cessation and Nibbāna eighth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
9. Nibbānalabhanapañha |
Question on the Attaining of Nibbāna |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, sabbeva labhanti nibbānan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does everyone attain Nibbāna?” |
“Na kho, mahārāja, sabbeva labhanti nibbānaṁ, api ca kho, mahārāja, yo sammā paṭipanno abhiññeyye dhamme abhijānāti, pariññeyye dhamme parijānāti, pahātabbe dhamme pajahati, bhāvetabbe dhamme bhāveti, sacchikātabbe dhamme sacchikaroti, so labhati nibbānan”ti. |
“Not everyone, your majesty, attains Nibbāna. Whoever, practicing rightly, directly knows those things which should be directly known, completely comprehends those things that should be completely comprehended, abandons those things that should be abandoned, develops those things that should be developed, personally realizes those things that should be personally realized, that one attains Nibbāna.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Nibbānalabhanapañho navamo. |
Question on the Attaining of Nibbāna ninth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Nibbānavagga |
Nibbāna Chapter |
10. Nibbānasukhajānanapañha |
Question on Knowing the Happiness of Nibbāna |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yo na labhati nibbānaṁ, jānāti so ‘sukhaṁ nibbānan’”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does one who does not attain Nibbāna know the happiness of Nibbāna?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, yo na labhati nibbānaṁ, jānāti so ‘sukhaṁ nibbānan’”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, one who does not attain Nibbāna knows the happiness of Nibbāna.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, alabhanto jānāti ‘sukhaṁ nibbānan’”ti? |
“How, venerable Nāgasena, not attaining it does one know the happiness of Nibbāna?” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yesaṁ nacchinnā hatthapādā, jāneyyuṁ te, mahārāja, ‘dukkhaṁ hatthapādacchedanan’”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, would those who haven’t had their hands and feet cut off know the suffering of having one’s hands and feet cut off?” |
“Āma, bhante, jāneyyun”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they would know.” |
“Kathaṁ jāneyyun”ti? |
“How would they know?” |
“Aññesaṁ, bhante, chinnahatthapādānaṁ paridevitasaddaṁ sutvā jānanti ‘dukkhaṁ hatthapādacchedanan’”ti. |
“Having heard, venerable sir, the sounds of lamentation of those who have had their hands and feet cut off, they would know the suffering of having one’s hands and feet cut off.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yesaṁ diṭṭhaṁ nibbānaṁ, tesaṁ saddaṁ sutvā jānāti ‘sukhaṁ nibbānan’”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, having heard the sound of one who has seen Nibbāna, one knows the happiness of Nibbāna.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Nibbānasukhajānanapañho dasamo. |
Question on Knowing the Happiness of Nibbāna tenth |
Nibbānavaggo catuttho. |
Nibbāna Chapter fourth |
Imasmiṁ vagge dasa pañhā. |
In this chapter ten questions |
Milindapañha |
Questions of Milinda |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
1. Buddhassaatthinatthibhāvapañha |
Question on the Existence or Non-existence of the Buddha |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, buddho tayā diṭṭho”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, have you seen the Buddha?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Atha te ācariyehi buddho diṭṭho”ti? |
“Then, have your teachers seen the Buddha?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, natthi buddho”ti. |
“Because of this, venerable Nāgasena, there is no Buddha.” |
“Kiṁ pana, mahārāja, himavati ūhā nadī tayā diṭṭhā”ti? |
“Well then, your majesty, have you seen the River Ūhā in the Himalayas?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Atha te pitarā ūhā nadī diṭṭhā”ti? |
“Then has your father seen the River Ūhā?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, natthi ūhā nadī”ti. |
“Because of this, your majesty, there is no River Ūhā.” |
“Atthi, bhante, kiñcāpi mayā ūhā nadī na diṭṭhā, pitarāpi me ūhā nadī na diṭṭhā, api ca atthi ūhā nadī”ti. |
“There is, venerable sir. Even though the River Ūhā has not been seen by me nor by my father, there is a River Ūhā.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kiñcāpi mayā bhagavā na diṭṭho, ācariyehipi me bhagavā na diṭṭho, api ca atthi bhagavā”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, even though the Blessed One has not been seen by me nor by my teachers, there is a Blessed One.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Buddhassa atthinatthibhāvapañho paṭhamo. |
Question on the Existence or Non-existence of the Buddha first |
Milindapañha |
Questions of Milinda |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
2. Buddhassaanuttarabhāvapañha |
Question on the Unsurpassed Nature of the Buddha |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, buddho anuttaro”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is the Buddha unsurpassed?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, bhagavā anuttaro”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, the Blessed One is unsurpassed.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, adiṭṭhapubbaṁ jānāsi ‘buddho anuttaro’”ti? |
“How, venerable Nāgasena, do you know the Buddha is unsurpassed if you haven’t seen him before?” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yehi adiṭṭhapubbo mahāsamuddo, jāneyyuṁ te, mahārāja, mahanto kho mahāsamuddo gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāho, yatthimā pañca mahānadiyo satataṁ samitaṁ appenti, seyyathidaṁ— |
“What do you think, your majesty, would those who have not seen the great ocean before know that this great ocean is huge, deep, immeasurable, and unfathomable, such that as these five great rivers that flow into it constantly and continually, that is |
gaṅgā yamunā aciravatī sarabhū mahī, neva tassa ūnattaṁ vā pūrattaṁ vā paññāyatī”ti? |
the Gaṅgā, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, and the Mahī, neither the depletion nor filling up of it is discerned?” |
“Āma, bhante, jāneyyun”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, they would know.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sāvake mahante parinibbute passitvā jānāmi ‘bhagavā anuttaro’”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, when I think of the great disciples who have attained final Nibbāna, I know the Blessed One is unsurpassed.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Buddhassa anuttarabhāvapañho dutiyo. |
Question on the Unsurpassed Nature of the Buddha second |
Milindapañha |
Questions of Milinda |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
3. Buddhassaanuttarabhāvajānanapañha |
Question on Knowing the Unsurpassed Nature of the Buddha |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, sakkā jānituṁ ‘buddho anuttaro’”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is it possible to know that the Buddha is unsurpassed?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, sakkā jānituṁ ‘bhagavā anuttaro’”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, it is possible to know that the Blessed One is unsurpassed.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, sakkā jānituṁ ‘buddho anuttaro’”ti? |
“How, venerable Nāgasena, is it possible to know that the Buddha is unsurpassed?” |
“Bhūtapubbaṁ, mahārāja, tissatthero nāma lekhācariyo ahosi, bahūni vassāni abbhatītāni kālaṅkatassa kathaṁ so ñāyatī”ti. |
“In the past, your majesty, an elder named Tissa was a teacher of writing and many years have passed since he passed away. How is it that he is still known?” |
“Lekhena, bhante”ti. |
“By his writing, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo dhammaṁ passati, so bhagavantaṁ passati, dhammo hi, mahārāja, bhagavatā desito”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, whoever sees the Dhamma sees the Blessed One, for the Dhamma was taught by the Blessed One.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Buddhassa anuttarabhāvajānanapañho tatiyo. |
Question on Knowing the Unsurpassed Nature of the Buddha third |
Milindapañha |
Questions of Milinda |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
4. Dhammadiṭṭhapañha |
Question on Seeing the Dhamma |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, dhammo tayā diṭṭho”ti. |
“Venerable Nāgasena, have you seen the Dhamma?” |
“Buddhanettiyā kho, mahārāja, buddhapaññattiyā yāvajīvaṁ sāvakehi vattitabban”ti. |
“Throughout their lives, your majesty, disciples should proceed with the Buddha as their guide, the Buddha as the one showing the way.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Dhammadiṭṭhapañho catuttho. |
Question on Seeing the Dhamma fourth |
Milindapañha |
Questions of Milinda |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
5. Asaṅkamanapaṭisandahanapañha |
Question on Reconnecting and Not Transmigrating |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati cā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is it so that one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati cā”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati ca, opammaṁ karohī”ti? |
“How, venerable Nāgasena, is it that one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects? Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso padīpato padīpaṁ padīpeyya, kiṁ nu kho so, mahārāja, padīpo padīpamhā saṅkanto”ti? |
“Just as, your majesty, if a person kindled one lamp from another would that lamp have transmigrated from the other lamp?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati cā”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Abhijānāsi nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, daharako santo silokācariyassa santike kiñci silokaṁ gahitan”ti? |
“Do you remember, your majesty, learning some verse from your teacher of verses?” |
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, so siloko ācariyamhā saṅkanto”ti? |
“Then, your majesty, has that verse transmigrated from the teacher?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati cā”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Asaṅkamanapaṭisandahanapañho pañcamo. |
Question on Reconnecting and Not Transmigrating fifth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
6. Vedagūpañha |
Question on the Experiencer |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, vedagū upalabbhatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is an experiencer to be found?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder responded: |
“paramatthena kho, mahārāja, vedagū nupalabbhatī”ti. |
“According to ultimate reality, an experiencer is not to be found.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Vedagūpañho chaṭṭho. |
Question on the Experiencer sixth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
7. Aññakāyasaṅkamanapañha |
Question on Transmigrating to Another Body |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, atthi koci satto yo imamhā kāyā aññaṁ kāyaṁ saṅkamatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is there any being at all that transmigrates from this body to another body?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, imamhā kāyā aññaṁ kāyaṁ saṅkamanto natthi, nanu mutto bhavissati pāpakehi kammehī”ti? |
“If, venerable sir, there is no transmigrating from this body to another body, is it not then that one would be freed from evil actions?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, yadi na paṭisandaheyya, mutto bhavissati pāpakehi kammehīti, yasmā ca kho, mahārāja, paṭisandahati, tasmā na parimutto pāpakehi kammehī”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, if it would not reconnect, then one would be freed from evil actions. But because, your majesty, it does reconnect, one therefore is not freed from evil actions.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso aññatarassa purisassa ambaṁ avahareyya, kiṁ so daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti? |
“Just as, your majesty, some person or other might steal another person’s mangos, would that man deserve punishment?” |
“Āma, bhante, daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, he would deserve punishment.” |
“Na kho so, mahārāja, tāni ambāni avahari, yāni tena ropitāni, kasmā daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti? |
“But, your majesty, those mangos that were taken are not the same as those that were planted, why would he deserve punishment?” |
“Tāni, bhante, ambāni nissāya jātāni, tasmā daṇḍappatto bhaveyyā”ti. |
“Those mangos, venerable sir, arose dependent on the others, therefore he would deserve punishment.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, iminā nāmarūpena kammaṁ karoti sobhanaṁ vā asobhanaṁ vā, tena kammena aññaṁ nāmarūpaṁ paṭisandahati, tasmā na parimutto pāpakehi kammehī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, with this name-and-form one performs a lovely or an evil action, and by this action another name-and-form reconnects. Therefore, one is not freed from evil actions.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Aññakāyasaṅkamanapañho sattamo. |
Question on Transmigrating to Another Body seventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
8. Kammaphalaatthibhāvapañha |
Question on the Existence of the Fruits of Actions |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, iminā nāmarūpena kammaṁ kataṁ kusalaṁ vā akusalaṁ vā, kuhiṁ tāni kammāni tiṭṭhantī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, for a wholesome or unwholesome action done by this name-and-form, where do those actions remain?” |
“Anubandheyyuṁ kho, mahārāja, tāni kammāni chāyāva anapāyinī”ti. |
“Those actions would follow one, your majesty, like a shadow that never leaves.” |
“Sakkā pana, bhante, tāni kammāni dassetuṁ ‘idha vā idha vā tāni kammāni tiṭṭhantī’”ti? |
“Is it then possible, venerable sir, to point to those actions and say they remain here or there?” |
“Na sakkā, mahārāja, tāni kammāni dassetuṁ ‘idha vā idha vā tāni kammāni tiṭṭhantī’”ti. |
“It is not possible, your majesty, to point to those actions and say they remain here or there.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yānimāni rukkhāni anibbattaphalāni, sakkā tesaṁ phalāni dassetuṁ ‘idha vā idha vā tāni phalāni tiṭṭhantī’”ti. |
“What do you think, your majesty, for those trees where the fruit has not yet arisen, is it possible to point to those fruits and say those fruits remain here or there?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, abbocchinnāya santatiyā na sakkā tāni kammāni dassetuṁ ‘idha vā idha vā tāni kammāni tiṭṭhantī’”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, as long as the continuity of life is not cut off, it is not possible to point to those actions and say they remain here or there.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Kammaphalaatthibhāvapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Question on the Existence of the Fruits of Actions eighth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
9. Uppajjatijānanapañha |
Question on Knowing Re-arising |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yo uppajjati, jānāti so ‘uppajjissāmī’”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does one who re-arises know, ‘I will re-arise’?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, yo uppajjati jānāti so ‘uppajjissāmī’”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, one who re-arises knows, ‘I will re-arise’.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kassako gahapatiko bījāni pathaviyaṁ nikkhipitvā sammā deve vassante jānāti ‘dhaññaṁ nibbattissatī’”ti? |
“Just as, your majesty, when a householder farmer plants seeds in the ground and it rains well, does he know that grain will grow?” |
“Āma, bhante, jāneyyā”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, he would know.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo uppajjati, jānāti so ‘uppajjissāmī’”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, one who re-arises knows, ‘I will re-arise’.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Uppajjatijānanapañho navamo. |
Question on Knowing Re-arising ninth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Buddhavagga |
Buddha Chapter |
10. Buddhanidassanapañha |
Question on Pointing Out the Buddha |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, buddho atthī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does the Buddha exist?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, bhagavā atthī”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, the Blessed One exists.” |
“Sakkā pana, bhante nāgasena, buddho nidassetuṁ idha vā idha vā”ti? |
“Is it then possible, venerable sir, to point to the Buddha as being either here or there?” |
“Parinibbuto, mahārāja, bhagavā anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā, na sakkā bhagavā nidassetuṁ ‘idha vā idha vā’”ti. |
“The Blessed One has passed away, your majesty, in the element of Nibbāna with no residue remaining, so it is not possible to point to the Blessed One as being either here or there.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, mahato aggikkhandhassa jalamānassa yā acci atthaṅgatā, sakkā sā acci dassetuṁ ‘idha vā idha vā’”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, when the flame of a great burning mass of fire has been extinguished, is it possible to point to that flame and say it remains here or there?” |
“Na hi, bhante, niruddhā sā acci appaññattiṁ gatā”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir for that flame has ceased and gone beyond description.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbuto atthaṅgato, na sakkā bhagavā nidassetuṁ ‘idha vā idha vā’ti, dhammakāyena pana kho, mahārāja, sakkā bhagavā nidassetuṁ. |
“In the same way, your majesty, the Blessed One has passed away in the element of Nibbāna with no residue remaining, so it is not possible to point to the Blessed One as being either here or there. However, your majesty, it is possible to point out the Blessed One through the body of Dhamma, |
Dhammo hi, mahārāja, bhagavatā desito”ti. |
for this Dhamma has been taught by the Blessed One.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Buddhanidassanapañho dasamo. |
Question on Pointing Out the Buddha tenth |
Buddhavaggo pañcamo. |
Buddha Chapter fifth |
Imasmiṁ vagge dasa pañhā. |
In this chapter ten questions |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
1. Kāyapiyāyanapañha |
Love of the Body Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, piyo pabbajitānaṁ kāyo”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is the body dear to recluses?” |
“Na kho, mahārāja, piyo pabbajitānaṁ kāyo”ti. |
“No, your majesty, the body is not dear to recluses.” |
“Atha kissa nu kho, bhante, kelāyatha mamāyathā”ti? |
“Then, venerable sir, why do you cherish and treasure it?” |
“Kiṁ pana te, mahārāja, kadāci karahaci saṅgāmagatassa kaṇḍappahāro hotī”ti? |
“But, your majesty, when you have gone into battle have you been struck by arrows from time to time?” |
“Āma, bhante, hotī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, I have” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, so vaṇo ālepena ca ālimpīyati telena ca makkhīyati sukhumena ca coḷapaṭṭena paliveṭhīyatī”ti? |
“And would the wound, your majesty, be anointed with a salve, smeared with oil, and wrapped in a soft bandage?” |
“Āma, bhante, ālepena ca ālimpīyati telena ca makkhīyati sukhumena ca coḷapaṭṭena paliveṭhīyatī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, the wound would be.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, piyo te vaṇo, tena ālepena ca ālimpīyati telena ca makkhīyati sukhumena ca coḷapaṭṭena paliveṭhīyatī”ti? |
“And was the wound dear to you, your majesty, that it was anointed with a salve, smeared with oil, and wrapped in a soft bandage?” |
“Na me, bhante, piyo vaṇo, api ca maṁsassa ruhanatthāya ālepena ca ālimpīyati telena ca makkhīyati sukhumena ca coḷapaṭṭena paliveṭhīyatī”ti. |
“No, venerable sir, the wound was not dear to me, it was for the healing of the flesh that it was anointed with a salve, smeared with oil, and wrapped in a soft bandage.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, appiyo pabbajitānaṁ kāyo, atha ca pabbajitā anajjhositā kāyaṁ pariharanti brahmacariyānuggahāya. |
“In the same way, your majesty, the body is not dear to recluses, but recluses look after the body without attachment for the maintenance of the holy life. |
Api ca kho, mahārāja, vaṇūpamo kāyo vutto bhagavatā, tena pabbajitā vaṇamiva kāyaṁ pariharanti anajjhositā. |
And moreover, your majesty, the body is said by the Blessed One to be like a wound, and therefore recluses look after the body as they would a wound without attachment. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā— |
And this too, your majesty, was said by the Blessed One: |
‘Allacammappaṭicchanno, |
‘Covered with moist skin, |
navadvāro mahāvaṇo; |
the great wound with nine openings |
Samantato paggharati, |
Oozes everywhere |
asucipūtigandhiyo’”ti. |
putrid-smelling secretions.’” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Kāyapiyāyanapañho paṭhamo. |
Love of the Body Question first |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
2. Sabbaññūbhāvapañha |
All-knowing Nature Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, buddho sabbaññū sabbadassāvī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is the Buddha all-knowing and all-seeing?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, bhagavā sabbaññū sabbadassāvī”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, the Buddha is all-knowing and all-seeing.” |
“Atha kissa nu kho, bhante nāgasena, sāvakānaṁ anupubbena sikkhāpadaṁ paññapesī”ti? |
“Then why, venerable Nāgasena, did he proclaim the training steps for his disciples gradually?” |
“Atthi pana te, mahārāja, koci vejjo, yo imissaṁ pathaviyaṁ sabbabhesajjāni jānātī”ti? |
“But, your majesty, is there some doctor who knows all the medicines on this earth?” |
“Āma, bhante, atthī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, there is.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, so vejjo gilānakaṁ sampatte kāle bhesajjaṁ pāyeti, udāhu asampatte kāle”ti? |
“And would that doctor, your majesty, administer medicine to a sick person at the time of being ill or when not ill?” |
“Sampatte kāle, bhante, gilānakaṁ bhesajjaṁ pāyeti, no asampatte kāle”ti? |
“He would administer medicine to a sick person, venerable sir, at the time of being ill and not when not ill?” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā sabbaññū sabbadassāvī na asampatte kāle sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññāpeti, sampatte kāle sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññāpeti yāvajīvaṁ anatikkamanīyan”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, the Blessed One who is all-knowing and all-seeing did not proclaim a training rule to his disciples at the wrong time, but when the time was right he proclaimed a training rule to his disciples, which is not to be transgressed all life long.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Sabbaññūbhāvapañho dutiyo. |
All-knowing Nature Question second |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
3. Mahāpurisalakkhaṇapañha |
Characteristics of a Great Person Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, buddho dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgato asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjito suvaṇṇavaṇṇo kañcanasannibhattaco byāmappabho”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, was the Buddha endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person and distinguished with the eighty secondary features, with radiant complexion, skin like gold, and a halo that extends for one fathom?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, bhagavā dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgato asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjito suvaṇṇavaṇṇo kañcanasannibhattaco byāmappabho”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, he was.” |
“Kiṁ panassa, bhante, mātāpitaropi dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgatā asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjitā suvaṇṇavaṇṇā kañcanasannibhattacā byāmappabhā”ti? |
“But, venerable sir, were his mother and father endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person … and a halo that extends for one fathom?” |
“No cassa, mahārāja, mātāpitaro dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgatā asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjitā suvaṇṇavaṇṇā kañcanasannibhattacā byāmappabhā”ti. |
“No, your majesty, they were not.” |
“Evaṁ sante kho, bhante nāgasena, na uppajjati buddho dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgato asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjito suvaṇṇavaṇṇo kañcanasannibhattaco byāmappabhoti, api ca mātusadiso vā putto hoti mātupakkho vā, pitusadiso vā putto hoti pitupakkho vā”ti. |
“That being so, venerable sir, is it not then that the Buddha arose endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person … and a halo that extends for one fathom? But surely a child is like their mother or those on the mother’s side or like their father or those on their father’s side.” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said, |
“atthi pana, mahārāja, kiñci padumaṁ satapattan”ti? |
“But is there, your majesty, any lotus with a hundred leaves?” |
“Āma, bhante, atthī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, there is.” |
“Tassa pana kuhiṁ sambhavo”ti? |
“And where then is the origin for that?” |
“Kaddame jāyati udake āsīyatī”ti. |
“It is born from mud and it thrives in water.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, padumaṁ kaddamena sadisaṁ vaṇṇena vā gandhena vā rasena vā”ti? |
“Then, your majesty, is the lotus like the mud in colour, smell, or taste?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Atha udakena vā gandhena vā rasena vā”ti? |
“Or is it like the water in smell or taste?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgato asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjito suvaṇṇavaṇṇo kañcanasannibhattaco byāmappabho, no cassa mātāpitaro dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgatā asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjitā suvaṇṇavaṇṇā kañcanasannibhattacā byāmappabhā”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, the Buddha was endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person and distinguished with the eighty secondary features, with radiant complexion, skin like gold, and a halo that extends for one fathom, and his parents were not.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Mahāpurisalakkhaṇapañho tatiyo. |
Characteristics of a Great Person Question third |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
4. Bhagavatobrahmacāripañha |
Celibacy of the Blessed One Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, buddho brahmacārī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, was the Buddha a Brahma-farer (celibate)?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, bhagavā brahmacārī”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, the Buddha was celibate.” |
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, buddho brahmuno sisso”ti? |
“Well then, venerable Nāgasena, was the Buddha a student of Brahmā?” |
“Atthi pana te, mahārāja, hatthipāmokkho”ti? |
“But, your majesty, do you have a chief elephant?” |
“Atthi, bhante”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, I do.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, so hatthī kadāci karahaci koñcanādaṁ nadatī”ti? |
“And does this elephant, your majesty, roar the “Heron’s roar” from time to time?” |
“Āma, bhante, nadatī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, he does.” |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, so hatthī koñcasakuṇassa sisso”ti? |
“Well then, your majesty, is this elephant a student of the heron?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ pana, mahārāja, brahmā sabuddhiko abuddhiko”ti? |
“Was Brahmā, your majesty, one with intelligence or without?” |
“Sabuddhiko, bhante”ti. |
“With intelligence, venerable sir.” |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, brahmā bhagavato sisso”ti. |
“Well then, your majesty, Brahmā was a student of the Blessed One.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Bhagavato brahmacāripañho catuttho. |
Celibacy of the Blessed One Question fourth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
5. Bhagavatoupasampadāpañha |
Higher Ordination of the Blessed One Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, upasampadā sundarā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is the higher ordination good?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, upasampadā sundarā”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, the higher ordination is good.” |
“Atthi pana, bhante, buddhassa upasampadā, udāhu natthī”ti? |
“But, venerable Nāgasena, did the Buddha receive the higher ordination or not?” |
“Upasampanno kho, mahārāja, bhagavā bodhirukkhamūle saha sabbaññutañāṇena, natthi bhagavato upasampadā aññehi dinnā, yathā sāvakānaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavā sikkhāpadaṁ paññapeti yāvajīvaṁ anatikkamanīyan”ti. |
“The Blessed One, your majesty, reached the highest attainment at the foot of the Bodhi tree, together with omniscience. There was no giving of ordination to the Blessed One by others, in the way that the Blessed One proclaimed a training rule to his disciples, which is not to be transgressed all life long.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Bhagavato upasampadāpañho pañcamo. |
Higher Ordination of the Blessed One Question |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
6. Assubhesajjābhesajjapañha |
Question on Tears Being a Medicine or Not |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yo ca mātari matāya rodati, yo ca dhammapemena rodati, ubhinnaṁ tesaṁ rodantānaṁ kassa assu bhesajjaṁ, kassa na bhesajjan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, those who weep on the death of a mother, and those who weep with affection for the Dhamma, for whom of these two weeping are the tears a medicine, and for whom are the tears not a medicine?” |
“Ekassa kho, mahārāja, assu rāgadosamohehi samalaṁ uṇhaṁ, ekassa pītisomanassena vimalaṁ sītalaṁ. |
“The tears of one, your majesty, are hot and stained with greed hatred, and delusion, and the tears of the other are cool and unstained with rapture and joy. |
Yaṁ kho, mahārāja, sītalaṁ, taṁ bhesajjaṁ, yaṁ uṇhaṁ, taṁ na bhesajjan”ti. |
“That which is cool, your majesty, is a medicine; that which is hot is not a medicine.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Assubhesajjābhesajjapañho chaṭṭho. |
Question on Tears Being a Medicine or Not sixth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
7. Sarāgavītarāganānākaraṇapañha |
Question on the Difference Between Being With Attachment and Without Attachment |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sarāgassa ca vītarāgassa cā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the difference between being with attachment and being without Attachment?” |
“Eko kho, mahārāja, ajjhosito, eko anajjhosito”ti. |
“One is sticky, your majesty, and the other is not sticky.” |
“Kiṁ etaṁ, bhante, ajjhosito anajjhosito nāmā”ti? |
“What is the meaning, venerable sir, of ‘sticky’ and ‘not sticky’?” |
“Eko kho, mahārāja, atthiko, eko anatthiko”ti. |
“One is desirable, your majesty, and the other is not desirable.” |
“Passāmahaṁ, bhante, evarūpaṁ yo ca sarāgo, yo ca vītarāgo, sabbopeso sobhanaṁyeva icchati khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā, na koci pāpakaṁ icchatī”ti. |
“As I see it, venerable sir, both the one with attachment and the one without attachment wish for beautiful hard and soft food, and neither wishes for something bad.” |
“Avītarāgo kho, mahārāja, rasapaṭisaṁvedī ca rasarāgapaṭisaṁvedī ca bhojanaṁ bhuñjati, vītarāgo pana rasapaṭisaṁvedī bhojanaṁ bhuñjati, no ca kho rasarāgapaṭisaṁvedī”ti. |
“One who is not without attachment, your majesty, eats their food and experiences both the taste and the attachment to the taste. But the one who is without attachment eats their food and experiences just the taste and not the attachment to the taste.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Sarāgavītarāganānākaraṇapañho sattamo. |
Question on the Difference Between Being With Attachment and Without Attachment seventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
8. Paññāpatiṭṭhānapañha |
Question on the Establishment of Wisdom |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, paññā kuhiṁ paṭivasatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, where does wisdom reside?” |
“Na katthaci, mahārājā”ti. |
“Nowhere, your majesty.” |
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, natthi paññā”ti. |
“Then, venerable Nāgasena, is there no wisdom?” |
“Vāto, mahārāja, kuhiṁ paṭivasatī”ti? |
“Where does the wind reside, your majesty?” |
“Na katthaci, bhante”ti. |
“Nowhere, venerable sir.” |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, natthi vāto”ti. |
“Then, your majesty, is there no wind?” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Paññāpatiṭṭhānapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Question on the Establishment of Wisdom eighth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
9. Saṁsārapañha |
Question on Cyclic Existence |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘saṁsāro’ti, katamo so saṁsāro”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, as to which you said ‘cyclic existence’. What is this cyclic existence?” |
“Idha, mahārāja, jāto idheva marati, idha mato aññatra uppajjati, tahiṁ jāto tahiṁyeva marati, tahiṁ mato aññatra uppajjati, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, saṁsāro hotī”ti. |
“Your majesty, that which is born here dies here, and having died here, it arises elsewhere. Then, having been born there it dies there, and having died there, it arises elsewhere. Thus, your majesty, this is cyclic existence.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Please give me an analogy.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso pakkaṁ ambaṁ khāditvā aṭṭhiṁ ropeyya, tato mahanto ambarukkho nibbattitvā phalāni dadeyya, atha so puriso tatopi pakkaṁ ambaṁ khāditvā aṭṭhiṁ ropeyya, tatopi mahanto ambarukkho nibbattitvā phalāni dadeyya, evametesaṁ rukkhānaṁ koṭi na paññāyati; |
“Just as, your majesty, some person may eat a ripe mango and plant the seed. Then, when it has grown up as a mature mango tree, it would give fruit. And then that man might eat a ripe mango from it and plant the seed and, when it has grown up as a mature mango tree, it too would give fruit. And thus, no end to these mango trees can be discerned.” |
evameva kho, mahārāja, idha jāto idheva marati, idha mato aññatra uppajjati, tahiṁ jāto tahiṁyeva marati, tahiṁ mato aññatra uppajjati, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, saṁsāro hotī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, that which is born here dies here, and having died here, it arises elsewhere. Then, having been born there it dies there, and having died there, it arises elsewhere. Thus, your majesty, this is cyclic existence.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Saṁsārapañho navamo. |
Question on Cyclic Existence ninth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
10. Cirakatasaraṇapañha |
Question on Remembrance of What was Done Long Ago |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kena atītaṁ cirakataṁ saratī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, how does one remember what was done long ago in the past?” |
“Satiyā, mahārājā”ti. |
“With mindfulness, your majesty.” |
“Nanu, bhante nāgasena, cittena sarati no satiyā”ti? |
“Is it not, venerable Nāgasena, that one remembers with one’s mind and not with mindfulness?” |
“Abhijānāsi nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, kiñcideva karaṇīyaṁ katvā pamuṭṭhan”ti? |
“Do you not know personally, your majesty, about some task you have done and have forgotten?” |
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, tasmiṁ samaye acittako ahosī”ti? |
“Then were you, your majesty, on that occasion without a mind?” |
“Na hi, bhante, sati tasmiṁ samaye nāhosī”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, on that occasion there was no mindfulness.” |
“Atha kasmā tvaṁ, mahārāja, evamāha— |
“So, why do you say, your majesty, that |
‘cittena sarati, no satiyā’”ti? |
one remembers with one’s mind and not with mindfulness?” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Cirakatasaraṇapañho dasamo. |
Question on Remembrance of What was Done Long Ago tenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda's Questions |
Sativagga |
Mindfulness Chapter |
11. Abhijānantasatipañha |
Question on Directly Knowing |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, sabbā sati abhijānantī uppajjati, udāhu kaṭumikāva satī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, does all mindfulness arise through knowing directly or does it come with outside help?” |
“Abhijānantīpi, mahārāja, kaṭumikāpi satī”ti. |
“By knowing directly, your majesty, and with outside help.” |
“Evañhi kho, bhante nāgasena, sabbā sati abhijānantī, natthi kaṭumikā satī”ti? |
“If thus, venerable Nāgasena, all mindfulness is from directly knowing, there is none with outside help.” |
“Yadi natthi, mahārāja, kaṭumikā sati, natthi kiñci sippikānaṁ kammāyatanehi vā sippāyatanehi vā vijjāṭṭhānehi vā karaṇīyaṁ, niratthakā ācariyā, yasmā ca kho, mahārāja, atthi kaṭumikā sati, tasmā atthi kammāyatanehi vā sippāyatanehi vā vijjāṭṭhānehi vā karaṇīyaṁ, attho ca ācariyehī”ti. |
“If there were no mindfulness with outside help, your majesty, then artisans would have no need for practice, or craftsmanship, or schooling, and teachers would be useless, but since there is mindfulness with outside help, the opposite is true.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Abhijānantasatipañho ekādasamo. |
Question on Directly Knowing eleventh |
Sativaggo chaṭṭho. |
Mindfulness Chapter sixth |
Imasmiṁ vagge ekādasa pañhā. |
In this chapter eleven questions |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
1. Satiuppajjanapañha |
Arising of Mindfulness Question |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, katihākārehi sati uppajjatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, in how many ways does mindfulness arise?” |
“Sattarasahākārehi, mahārāja, sati uppajjatī”ti. |
“Your majesty, mindfulness arises in seventeen ways.” |
“Katamehi sattarasahākārehī”ti? |
“In what seventeen ways?” |
“Abhijānatopi, mahārāja, sati uppajjati, kaṭumikāyapi sati uppajjati, oḷārikaviññāṇatopi sati uppajjati, hitaviññāṇatopi sati uppajjati, ahitaviññāṇatopi sati uppajjati, sabhāganimittatopi sati uppajjati, visabhāganimittatopi sati uppajjati, kathābhiññāṇatopi sati uppajjati, lakkhaṇatopi sati uppajjati, sāraṇatopi sati uppajjati, muddātopi sati uppajjati, gaṇanātopi sati uppajjati, dhāraṇatopi sati uppajjati, bhāvanatopi sati uppajjati, potthakanibandhanatopi sati uppajjati, upanikkhepatopi sati uppajjati, anubhūtatopi sati uppajjatīti. |
“Mindfulness arises, your majesty, through knowing directly, with outside help, from consciousness of a substantiality, from consciousness of welfare, from consciousness of misfortune, from a common sign, from an uncommon sign, from understanding due to speech, from a distinguishing characteristic, from remembering, from reckoning, from calculation, from bearing in mind, from mental development, from recording in books, from association of ideas, and from experience. |
Kathaṁ abhijānato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise through knowing directly? |
Yathā, mahārāja, āyasmā ca ānando khujjuttarā ca upāsikā, ye vā pana aññepi keci jātissarā jātiṁ saranti, evaṁ abhijānato sati uppajjati. |
Just as, your majesty, venerable Ānanda or the female lay follower Khujjuttarā or those others who remember past births remember a past birth, thus does mindfulness arise through knowing directly. |
Kathaṁ kaṭumikāya sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise with outside help? |
Yo pakatiyā muṭṭhassatiko, pare ca taṁ sarāpanatthaṁ nibandhanti, evaṁ kaṭumikāya sati uppajjati. |
If others urge one who is naturally muddled in mindfulness so that he remembers, thus does mindfulness arise with outside help. |
Kathaṁ oḷārikaviññāṇato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from consciousness of a substantiality? |
Yadā rajje vā abhisitto hoti, sotāpattiphalaṁ vā patto hoti, evaṁ oḷārikaviññāṇato sati uppajjati. |
When there is a consecration into sovereignty or the attainment of the fruit of stream entry, thus does mindfulness arise from consciousness of a substantiality. |
Kathaṁ hitaviññāṇato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from consciousness of welfare? |
Yamhi sukhāpito, ‘amukasmiṁ evaṁ sukhāpito’ti sarati, evaṁ hitaviññāṇato sati uppajjati. |
One remembers when one was happy, ‘There was happiness because of that.’ Thus, does mindfulness arise from consciousness of welfare. |
Kathaṁ ahitaviññāṇato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from consciousness of misfortune? |
Yamhi dukkhāpito, ‘amukasmiṁ evaṁ dukkhāpito’ti sarati, evaṁ ahitaviññāṇato sati uppajjati. |
One remembers when one was suffering, ‘There was suffering because of that.’ Thus, does mindfulness arise from consciousness of misfortune. |
Kathaṁ sabhāganimittato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from a common sign? |
Sadisaṁ puggalaṁ disvā mātaraṁ vā pitaraṁ vā bhātaraṁ vā bhaginiṁ vā sarati, oṭṭhaṁ vā goṇaṁ vā gadrabhaṁ vā disvā aññaṁ tādisaṁ oṭṭhaṁ vā goṇaṁ vā gadrabhaṁ vā sarati, evaṁ sabhāganimittato sati uppajjati. |
Having seen a person similar to oneself one remembers his mother, father, brother, or sister, and having seen a camel, an ox, or a donkey, one remembers a camel, an ox, or a donkey. Thus, does mindfulness arise from a common sign. |
Kathaṁ visabhāganimittato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from an uncommon sign? |
Asukassa nāma vaṇṇo ediso, saddo ediso, gandho ediso, raso ediso, phoṭṭhabbo edisoti sarati, evampi visabhāganimittatopi sati uppajjati. |
When one remembers that such is the colour of a certain thing, such the sound, such the smell, such the taste, such the touch, thus does mindfulness arise from an uncommon sign. |
Kathaṁ kathābhiññāṇato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from understanding due to speech? |
Yo pakatiyā muṭṭhassatiko hoti, taṁ pare sarāpenti, tena so sarati, evaṁ kathābhiññāṇato sati uppajjati. |
If others remind one who is naturally muddled in mindfulness so that he remembers, thus does mindfulness arise from understanding due to speech. |
Kathaṁ lakkhaṇato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from a distinguishing characteristic? |
Yo pakatiyā balībaddānaṁ aṅgena jānāti, lakkhaṇena jānāti, evaṁ lakkhaṇato sati uppajjati. |
One who knows an ox based on a conventional factor, remembers it by its distinguishing characteristic. Thus, does mindfulness arise from a distinguishing characteristic. |
Kathaṁ sāraṇato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from remembering? |
Yo pakatiyā muṭṭhassatiko hoti, yo taṁ ‘sarāhi bho, sarāhi bho’ti punappunaṁ sarāpeti, evaṁ sāraṇato sati uppajjati. |
If one causes someone who is usually muddled in mindfulness to remember by repeatedly saying, ‘Remember, sir! Remember, sir!’ thus does mindfulness arise from remembering. |
Kathaṁ muddāto sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from reckoning? |
Lipiyā sikkhitattā jānāti ‘imassa akkharassa anantaraṁ imaṁ akkharaṁ kātabban’ti evaṁ muddāto sati uppajjati. |
From being trained in writing, one knows, ‘This letter is to be made immediately after that letter.’ Thus, does mindfulness arise from reckoning. |
Kathaṁ gaṇanāto sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from calculation? |
Gaṇanāya sikkhitattā gaṇakā bahumpi gaṇenti, evaṁ gaṇanāto sati uppajjati. |
From being trained in calculation, accountants calculate even very large sums. Thus, does mindfulness arise from calculation. |
Kathaṁ dhāraṇato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from bearing in mind? |
Dhāraṇāya sikkhitattā dhāraṇakā bahumpi dhārenti, evaṁ dhāraṇato sati uppajjati. |
From being trained in bearing in mind, those who bear in mind can remember even a large amount. Thus, does mindfulness arise from from bearing in mind. |
Kathaṁ bhāvanāto sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from mental development? |
Idha bhikkhu anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ— |
Here, a bhikkhu recalls his various past lives, that is, |
ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo …pe… |
one birth, two births, … |
iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, evaṁ bhāvanāto sati uppajjati. |
such that he remembers them with all their aspects and features. Thus, does mindfulness arise from mental development. |
Kathaṁ potthakanibandhanato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from recording in books? |
Rājāno anusāsaniyaṁ assarantā etaṁ potthakaṁ āharathāti, tena potthakena anussaranti, evaṁ potthakanibandhanato sati uppajjati. |
A king’s minister when not remembering an administrative rule might have a book brought to him, and then would remember by means of that book. Thus, does mindfulness arise from from recording in books. |
Kathaṁ upanikkhepato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from association of ideas? |
Upanikkhittaṁ bhaṇḍaṁ disvā sarati, evaṁ upanikkhepato sati uppajjati. |
When one remembers after seeing goods laid aside, thus does mindfulness arise from association of ideas. |
Kathaṁ anubhūtato sati uppajjati? |
How does mindfulness arise from experience? |
Diṭṭhattā rūpaṁ sarati, sutattā saddaṁ sarati, ghāyitattā gandhaṁ sarati, sāyitattā rasaṁ sarati, phuṭṭhattā phoṭṭhabbaṁ sarati, viññātattā dhammaṁ sarati, evaṁ anubhūtato sati uppajjati. |
From what was seen one remembers material form, from what was heard one remembers sound, from what was smelled one remembers odour, from what was tasted one remembers flavour, from what was contacted one remembers touch, from what was cognised one remembers thought. Thus, does mindfulness arise from experience. |
Imehi kho, mahārāja, sattarasahākārehi sati uppajjatī”ti. |
In these seventeen ways, your majesty, mindfulness arises.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Satiuppajjanapañho paṭhamo. |
Arising of Mindfulness Question first |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
2. Buddhaguṇasatipaṭilābhapañha |
Question on Obtaining Mindfulness on a Quality of the Buddha |
Rājā āha— |
The king said: |
“bhante nāgasena, tumhe etaṁ bhaṇatha— |
“Venerable Nāgasena, you said this, |
‘yo vassasataṁ akusalaṁ kareyya, maraṇakāle ca ekaṁ buddhaguṇaṁ satiṁ paṭilabheyya, so devesu uppajjeyyā’ti etaṁ na saddahāmi, evañca pana vadetha ‘ekena pāṇātipātena niraye uppajjeyyā’ti etampi na saddahāmī”ti. |
‘One could do evil for a hundred years, but at the time of death might obtain a single mindful moment on a quality of the Buddha, and thus arise in the realm of the devas,’ I don’t believe this. And then you said, ‘One might arise in a hell realm by killing one person,’ this too I don’t believe.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, khuddakopi pāsāṇo vinā nāvāya udake uppilaveyyā”ti. |
“What do you think, your majesty, could even a small stone float on the water without a boat?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, vāhasatampi pāsāṇānaṁ nāvāya āropitaṁ udake uppilaveyyā”ti? |
“But, your majesty, could even a load of a hundred stones loaded onto a boat float on the water?” |
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir.” |
“Yathā, mahārāja, nāvā, evaṁ kusalāni kammāni daṭṭhabbānī”ti. |
“Your majesty, skilled deeds should be considered as like a boat.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Buddhaguṇasatipaṭilābhapañho dutiyo. |
Question on Obtaining Mindfulness on a Quality of the Buddha second |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
3. Dukkhappahānavāyamapañha |
Question on Striving for the Removal of Past Suffering |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kiṁ tumhe atītassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamathā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, are you striving for the abandonment of past suffering?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, anāgatassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamathā”ti? |
“Then, venerable sir, are you striving for the abandonment of future suffering?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Kiṁ pana paccuppannassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamathā”ti? |
“Then, venerable sir, are you striving for the abandonment of present suffering?” |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Certainly not, your majesty.” |
“Yadi tumhe na atītassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamatha, na anāgatassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamatha, na paccuppannassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamatha, atha kimatthāya vāyamathā”ti. |
“If you are not striving for the abandonment of past suffering, nor for the abandonment of future suffering, nor for the abandonment of present suffering, then what are you striving for?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said, |
“‘kinti, mahārāja, idañca dukkhaṁ nirujjheyya, aññañca dukkhaṁ nuppajjeyyā’ti etadatthāya vāyamāmā”ti. |
“Your majesty, I am striving so that this suffering would cease and that no other suffering would arise.” |
“Atthi pana te, bhante nāgasena, anāgataṁ dukkhan”ti? |
“Is there now, venerable Nāgasena, future suffering for you?” |
“Natthi, mahārājā”ti. |
“There is not, your majesty.” |
“Tumhe kho, bhante nāgasena, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ dukkhānaṁ pahānāya vāyamathā”ti? |
“Indeed, venerable Nāgasena, you are very wise that you strive for abandoning future suffering that is not existing.” |
“Atthi pana te, mahārāja, keci paṭirājāno paccatthikā paccāmittā paccupaṭṭhitā hontī”ti? |
“Are there, your majesty, any opposing kings, that are adversaries, that have risen up against you?” |
“Āma, bhante, atthī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, there are.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, tadā tumhe parikhaṁ khaṇāpeyyātha, pākāraṁ cināpeyyātha gopuraṁ kārāpeyyātha, aṭṭālakaṁ kārāpeyyātha, dhaññaṁ atiharāpeyyāthā”ti? |
“Is it then, your majesty, that you had a moat dug, a rampart put up, and a gateway and watchtower constructed?” |
“Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, these were prepared previously.” |
“Kiṁ tumhe, mahārāja, tadā hatthismiṁ sikkheyyātha, assasmiṁ sikkheyyātha, rathasmiṁ sikkheyyātha, dhanusmiṁ sikkheyyātha, tharusmiṁ sikkheyyāthā”ti? |
“Is it then, your majesty, that you would train in elephant warfare, in horse warfare, in chariot warfare, in archery, and in swordsmanship?” |
“Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ sikkhitaṁ hotī”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, I had trained in these previously.” |
“Kissatthāyā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Anāgatānaṁ, bhante, bhayānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāyā”ti. |
“In order to prevent future perils, venerable sir.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, atthi anāgataṁ bhayan”ti? |
“Is there a future peril now, your majesty?” |
“Natthi, bhante”ti. |
“There is not, venerable sir.” |
“Tumhe ca kho, mahārāja, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ bhayānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya paṭiyādethā”ti. |
“Indeed, your majesty, you are very wise that you would prepare for the prevention of a future peril that is not existing.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā tvaṁ pipāsito bhaveyyāsi, tadā tvaṁ udapānaṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi, pokkharaṇiṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi, taḷākaṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi ‘pānīyaṁ pivissāmī’”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, when you might become thirsty is it then that you would have a well, a pond, or a reservoir dug, thinking, ‘I will drink water’?” |
“Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, this has been arranged for previously.” |
“Kissatthāyā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Anāgatānaṁ, bhante, pipāsānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti. |
“It has been arranged, venerable sir, in order to prevent future thirst.” |
“Atthi pana, mahārāja, anāgatā pipāsā”ti? |
“Is there a future thirst now, your majesty?” |
“Natthi, bhante”ti. |
“There is not, venerable sir.” |
“Tumhe kho, mahārāja, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ pipāsānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya taṁ paṭiyādethā”ti. |
“Indeed, your majesty, you are very wise that you would prepare for the prevention of a future thirst that is not existing.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā tvaṁ bubhukkhito bhaveyyāsi, tadā tvaṁ khettaṁ kasāpeyyāsi, sāliṁ vapāpeyyāsi ‘bhattaṁ bhuñjissāmī’”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, when you might become hungry is it then that you would have a field ploughed, and rice sowed, thinking, ‘I will eat food?” |
“Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir, this has been arranged for previously.” |
“Kissatthāyā”ti. |
“For what reason?” |
“Anāgatānaṁ, bhante, bubhukkhānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāyā”ti. |
“In order, venerable sir, to prevent future hunger.” |
“Atthi pana, mahārāja, anāgatā bubhukkhā”ti? |
“Is there a future hunger now, your majesty?” |
“Natthi, bhante”ti. |
“There is not, venerable sir.” |
“Tumhe kho, mahārāja, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ bubhukkhānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya paṭiyādethā”ti. |
“Indeed, your majesty, you are very wise that you would prepare for the prevention of a future hunger that is not existing.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Dukkhappahānavāyamapañho tatiyo. |
Question on Striving for the Abandonment of Suffering third |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
4. Brahmalokapañha |
Question on the Brahma World |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked, |
“bhante nāgasena, kīvadūro ito brahmaloko”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, how far away is it from here to the Brahma world?” |
“Dūro kho, mahārāja, ito brahmaloko kūṭāgāramattā silā tamhā patitā ahorattena aṭṭhacattālīsayojanasahassāni bhassamānā catūhi māsehi pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhaheyyā”ti. |
“So far, your majesty, that if a rock the size of a peaked-roof building had fallen from there, and falling at the speed of eighty-four thousand yojanas per day, it would take four months to land on the earth.” |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe evaṁ bhaṇatha— |
“Venerable sir, you say thus, |
‘seyyathāpi balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; |
‘Just as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm or bend his stretched arm, |
evameva iddhimā bhikkhu cetovasippatto jambudīpe antarahito brahmaloke pātubhaveyyā’ti etaṁ vacanaṁ na saddahāmi, evaṁ atisīghaṁ tāva bahūni yojanasatāni gacchissatī”ti. |
in the same way a bhikkhu with psychic powers who has attained mastery over his mind could disappear from Jambudīpa and appear in the Brahma world.’ This I do not believe that one might go so quickly over so many hundreds of yojanas.” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said, |
“kuhiṁ pana, mahārāja, tava jātabhūmī”ti? |
“Where then, your majesty, is the place of your birth?” |
“Atthi, bhante, alasando nāma dīpo, tatthāhaṁ jāto”ti. |
“There is, venerable sir, an island called Alasanda, there I was born.” |
“Kīva dūro, mahārāja, ito alasando hotī”ti? |
“How far away, your majesty, is Alasanda from here?” |
“Dvimattāni, bhante, yojanasatānī”ti. |
“About 200 yojanas, venerable sir.” |
“Abhijānāsi nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, tattha kiñcideva karaṇīyaṁ karitvā saritā”ti? |
“Do you not know, your majesty, of some business that you have completed there and now remember?” |
“Āma, bhante, sarāmī”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, I remember.” |
“Lahuṁ kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, gatosi dvimattāni yojanasatānī”ti. |
“Indeed, so quickly you have gone about two hundred yojanas, your majesty!” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Brahmalokapañho catuttho. |
Question on the Brahma World fourth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
5. Dvinnaṁlokuppannānaṁsamakabhāvapañha |
Question on Arising in Two Places Taking the Same Time |
Rājā āha— |
The king said, |
“bhante nāgasena, yo idha kālaṅkato brahmaloke uppajjeyya, yo ca idha kālaṅkato kasmīre uppajjeyya, ko cirataraṁ ko sīghataran”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, for one who having passed away is reborn in the Brahma world, and for one who having passed away is reborn in Kashmir, which one takes the longer time, and which the shorter?” |
“Samakaṁ, mahārājā”ti. |
“They are the same, your majesty.” |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me an analogy.” |
“Kuhiṁ pana, mahārāja, tava jātanagaran”ti? |
“Where then, your majesty, is your town of birth?” |
“Atthi, bhante, kalasigāmo nāma, tatthāhaṁ jāto”ti. |
“There is a place called Kalasigāma, there I was born.” |
“Kīva dūro, mahārāja, ito kalasigāmo hotī”ti. |
“How far away, your majesty, is Kalasigāma from here?” |
“Dvimattāni, bhante, yojanasatānī”ti. |
“About 200 yojanas, venerable sir.” |
“Kīva dūraṁ, mahārāja, ito kasmīraṁ hotī”ti? |
“How far away, your majesty, is Kashmir from here?” |
“Dvādasa, bhante, yojanānī”ti. |
“Twelve yojanas, venerable sir.” |
“Iṅgha tvaṁ, mahārāja, kalasigāmaṁ cintehī”ti. |
“Go on then, your majesty, think about Kalasigāma.” |
“Cintito, bhante”ti. |
“I have thought about it, venerable sir.” |
“Iṅgha tvaṁ, mahārāja, kasmīraṁ cintehī”ti. |
“Go on then, your majesty, think about Kashmir.” |
“Cintitaṁ, bhante”ti. |
“I have thought about it, venerable sir.” |
“Katamaṁ nu kho, mahārāja, cirena cintitaṁ, katamaṁ sīghataran”ti? |
“Which thinking took a long time, your majesty, and which a short time?” |
“Samakaṁ, bhante”ti. |
“They are the same, your majesty.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo idha kālaṅkato brahmaloke uppajjeyya, yo ca idha kālaṅkato kasmīre uppajjeyya, samakaṁyeva uppajjantī”ti. |
“Just so, your majesty, for one who having passed away is reborn in the Brahma world, and for one who having passed away is reborn in Kashmir, they happen in the same time.” |
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
“Give me another analogy.” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, dve sakuṇā ākāsena gaccheyyuṁ, tesu eko ucce rukkhe nisīdeyya, eko nīce rukkhe nisīdeyya, tesaṁ samakaṁ patiṭṭhitānaṁ katamassa chāyā paṭhamataraṁ pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhaheyya, katamassa chāyā cirena pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhaheyyā”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, if two birds fly in the sky and one sits in a high tree, and the other in a low tree, if these happen at the same time, the shadow of which one would settle on the ground first, and which one later?” |
“Samakaṁ, bhante”ti. |
“At the same time, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo idha kālaṅkato brahmaloke uppajjeyya, yo ca idha kālaṅkato kasmīre uppajjeyya, samakaṁyeva uppajjantī”ti. |
“Just so, your majesty, for one who having passed away is reborn in the Brahma world, and for one who having passed away is reborn in Kashmir, they happen in the same time.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Dvinnaṁ lokuppannānaṁ samakabhāvapañho pañcamo. |
Question on Arising in Two Places Taking the Same Time fifth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
6. Bojjhaṅgapañha |
Question on the Factors for Awakening |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked, |
“kati nu kho, bhante nāgasena, bojjhaṅgā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, how many factors for awakening are there?” |
“Satta kho, mahārāja, bojjhaṅgā”ti. |
“There are seven factors for awakening, your majesty.” |
“Katihi pana, bhante, bojjhaṅgehi bujjhatī”ti? |
“By how many of these seven factors for awakening, venerable sir, does one awaken?” |
“Ekena kho, mahārāja, bojjhaṅgena bujjhati dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgenā”ti. |
“One awakens by one of these, your majesty, the awakening factor of discrimination of states.” |
“Atha kissa nu kho, bhante, vuccanti ‘satta bojjhaṅgā’”ti? |
“Then, venerable sir, why is it that one speaks of seven factors?” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, asi kosiyā pakkhitto aggahito hatthena ussahati chejjaṁ chinditun”ti. |
“What do you think, your majesty, if a sword is placed in its sheath and not grasped in the hand is it able to cut what is to be cut?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgena vinā chahi bojjhaṅgehi na bujjhatī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, without the investigation of states awakening factor, one cannot awaken by the other six factors.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Bojjhaṅgapañho chaṭṭho. |
Question on the Factors for Awakening sixth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
7. Pāpapuññānaṁ appānappabhāvapañha |
Question on the Increase or Decrease of Merit and Demerit |
Rājā āha— |
The king said, |
“bhante nāgasena, kataraṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ puññaṁ vā apuññaṁ vā”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, which of the two is greater, merit or demerit?” |
“Puññaṁ kho, mahārāja, bahutaraṁ, apuññaṁ thokan”ti. |
“Merit is greater, your majesty, demerit is small.” |
“Kena kāraṇenā”ti? |
“For what reason?” |
“Apuññaṁ kho, mahārāja, karonto vippaṭisārī hoti ‘pāpakammaṁ mayā katan’ti, tena pāpaṁ na vaḍḍhati. |
“For one doing demerit, your majesty, there is the regret, ‘I have committed an evil deed’, and therefore demerit does not increase. |
Puññaṁ kho, mahārāja, karonto avippaṭisārī hoti, avippaṭisārino pāmojjaṁ jāyati, pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati, samāhito yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, tena kāraṇena puññaṁ vaḍḍhati. |
“But for one doing merit, your majesty, there is no regret; and for one without regret gladness arises; for one who is glad joy arises; for one with a joyous mind the body calms down; one with a calmed body experiences happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated; and one who is concentrated knows things as they really are. For this reason, merit increases. |
Puriso kho, mahārāja, chinnahatthapādo bhagavato ekaṁ uppalahatthaṁ datvā ekanavutikappāni vinipātaṁ na gacchissati. |
“Even if a man with his hands and feet cut off gives just a handful of lotuses to the Blessed One, he will not go to a hell realm for ninety-one eons. |
Imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena bhaṇāmi ‘puññaṁ bahutaraṁ, apuññaṁ thokan’”ti. |
For this reason, your majesty, merit is greater and demerit is small.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Pāpapuññānaṁ appānappabhāvapañho sattamo. |
Question on the Increase or Decrease of Merit and Demerit seventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
8. Jānantājānantapāpakaraṇapañha |
Question on Doing Evil Knowingly or Not Knowingly |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, yo jānanto pāpakammaṁ karoti, yo ajānanto pāpakammaṁ karoti, kassa bahutaraṁ apuññan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, for whom is the greater demerit, one who knowingly does evil, or one who does evil unknowingly?” |
Thero āha “yo kho, mahārāja, ajānanto pāpakammaṁ karoti, tassa bahutaraṁ apuññan”ti. |
The elder replied: “Indeed, great king, for him who does evil unknowingly is the greater demerit”. |
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, yo amhākaṁ rājaputto vā rājamahāmatto vā ajānanto pāpakammaṁ karoti, taṁ mayaṁ diguṇaṁ daṇḍemā”ti? |
“In that case, venerable Nāgasena, that one who is our prince or king’s chief minister who unknowingly does evil, we should doubly punish him?” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, tattaṁ ayoguḷaṁ ādittaṁ sampajjalitaṁ sajotibhūtaṁ eko jānanto gaṇheyya, eko ajānanto gaṇheyya, katamo balavataraṁ ḍayheyyā”ti. |
“What do you think, your majesty, who would get burned more, one who knowingly picks up a hot iron ball, ablaze and glowing, or one who unknowingly picks it up?” |
“Yo kho, bhante, ajānanto gaṇheyya, so balavataraṁ ḍayheyyā”ti. |
“Indeed, venerable sir, he who unknowingly picks it up would get burned more”. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo ajānanto pāpakammaṁ karoti, tassa bahutaraṁ apuññan”ti. |
“Indeed, your majesty, in the same way the greater demerit is for him who does evil unknowingly”. |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Jānantājānantapāpakaraṇapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Question on Doing Evil Knowingly or Unknowingly eighth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
9. Uttarakurukādigamanapañha |
Question on Traveling to Uttarakuru and Other Places |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, atthi koci, yo iminā sarīrena uttarakuruṁ vā gaccheyya, brahmalokaṁ vā, aññaṁ vā pana dīpan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is there anybody who, with this mortal body, could go to Uttarakuru or to the Brahma world or to another continent?” |
“Atthi, mahārāja, yo iminā cātummahābhūtikena kāyena uttarakuruṁ vā gaccheyya, brahmalokaṁ vā, aññaṁ vā pana dīpan”ti. |
“There is, your majesty, someone who could, with this body composed of the four great elements, go to Uttarakuru or to the Brahma world or to another continent.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, iminā cātummahābhūtikena kāyena uttarakuruṁ vā gaccheyya, brahmalokaṁ vā, aññaṁ vā pana dīpan”ti? |
“How, venerable Nāgasena, could one, with this body composed of the four great elements, go to Uttarakuru or to the Brahma world or to another continent?" |
“Abhijānāsi nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, imissā pathaviyā vidatthiṁ vā ratanaṁ vā laṅghitā”ti? |
“Your majesty, have you had the direct experience of jumping a hand span or a cubit on this earth?” |
“Āma, bhante, abhijānāmi ‘ahaṁ, bhante nāgasena, aṭṭhapi rataniyo laṅghemī’”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, I have had that direct experience,in fact I jump even eight cubits.” |
“Kathaṁ tvaṁ, mahārāja, aṭṭhapi rataniyo laṅghesī”ti? |
“How, your majesty, do you jump even eight cubits?” |
“Ahañhi, bhante, cittaṁ uppādemi ‘ettha nipatissāmī’ti saha cittuppādena kāyo me lahuko hotī”ti. |
“Venerable sir, I generate the thought ‘I will land here,’ and with that thought my body is buoyant.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, iddhimā bhikkhu cetovasippatto kāyaṁ citte samāropetvā cittavasena vehāsaṁ gacchatī”ti. |
“In the same way, your majesty, a bhikkhu with psychic power and who has achieved mastery over his own mind, having entrusted his body to his mind, travels in the sky by means of this mind mastery.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Uttarakurukādigamanapañho navamo. |
Question on Travelling to Uttarakuru and Other Places ninth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
10. Dīghaṭṭhipañha |
Question on Long Bones |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, tumhe evaṁ bhaṇatha— |
“Venerable Nāgasena, you say thus, |
‘aṭṭhikāni dīghāni yojanasatikānipī’ti, rukkhopi tāva natthi yojanasatiko, kuto pana aṭṭhikāni dīghāni yojanasatikāni bhavissantī”ti? |
‘There are long bones extending one hundred yojanas.’ Since there is no tree extending that far, how then could there be long bones extending one hundred yojanas?” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, sutaṁ te ‘mahāsamudde pañcayojanasatikāpi macchā atthī’”ti? |
“What do you think, your majesty, have you heard that in the great ocean there are fish extending for five hundred yojanas?” |
“Āma, bhante, sutan”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, I have heard so.” |
“Nanu, mahārāja, pañcayojanasatikassa macchassa aṭṭhikāni dīghāni bhavissanti yojanasatikānipī”ti? |
“Is it not, your majesty, that the long bones of such a fish would extend for a hundred yojanas?” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Dīghaṭṭhipañho dasamo. |
Question on Long Bones tenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
11. Assāsapassāsanirodhapañha |
Question on the Cessation of In and Out Breathing |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked, |
“bhante nāgasena, tumhe evaṁ bhaṇatha— |
“Venerable Nāgasena, do you say thus, |
‘sakkā assāsapassāse nirodhetun’”ti? |
‘It is possible to cease in and out breathing’?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, sakkā assāsapassāse nirodhetun”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, it is possible to cease in and out breathing.” |
“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, sakkā assāsapassāse nirodhetun”ti. |
“How, venerable Nāgasena, is it possible to cease in and out breathing?” |
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, sutapubbo te koci kākacchamāno”ti. |
“What do you think, your majesty, have you heard before of someone snoring?” |
“Āma, bhante, sutapubbo”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, I have heard of it.” |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, so saddo kāye namite virameyyā”ti. |
“Would that sound be stopped, your majesty, if the body were bent?” |
“Āma, bhante, virameyyā”ti. |
“Yes, venerable sir, it would be.” |
“So hi nāma, mahārāja, saddo abhāvitakāyassa abhāvitasīlassa abhāvitacittassa abhāvitapaññassa kāye namite viramissati, kiṁ pana bhāvitakāyassa bhāvitasīlassa bhāvitacittassa bhāvitapaññassa catutthajjhānaṁ samāpannassa assāsapassāsā na nirujjhissantī”ti. |
“Since, your majesty, that sound would be stopped if the body were bent by someone undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and wisdom, why could not the breathing in and the breathing out be ceased for someone developed in body, virtue, mind, and wisdom, and who has attained the fourth jhāna?” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Assāsapassāsanirodhapañho ekādasamo. |
Question on the Cessation of In and Out Breathing eleventh |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
12. Samuddapañha |
Question on the Sea |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, ‘samuddo samuddo’ti vuccati, kena kāraṇena udakaṁ ‘samuddo’ti vuccatī”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, it is called ‘the sea, the sea’. Why is the water called the sea?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder replied, |
“yattakaṁ, mahārāja, udakaṁ, tattakaṁ loṇaṁ. |
“Just as much as there is water, your majesty, so much there is salt. |
Yattakaṁ loṇaṁ, tattakaṁ udakaṁ. |
Just as much as there is salt, so much there is water. |
Tasmā ‘samuddo’ti vuccatī”ti. |
Therefore, it is called the sea.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Samuddapañho dvādasamo. |
Question on the Sea twelfth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
13. Samuddaekarasapañha |
Question on the One Taste of the Sea |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, kena kāraṇena samuddo ekaraso loṇaraso”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, why does the sea have just one taste, the taste of salt?” |
“Cirasaṇṭhitattā kho, mahārāja, udakassa samuddo ekaraso loṇaraso”ti. |
“The sea has just one taste, the taste of salt, your majesty, because it has been around a long time.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Samuddaekarasapañho terasamo. |
Question on the One Taste of the Sea thirteenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
14. Sukhumapañha |
Question on the Subtle |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked: |
“bhante nāgasena, sakkā sabbaṁ sukhumaṁ chinditun”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, is it possible to cut through the subtlest of all things?” |
“Āma, mahārāja, sakkā sabbaṁ sukhumaṁ chinditun”ti. |
“Yes, your majesty, it is possible to cut through the subtlest of all things.” |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, sabbaṁ sukhuman”ti? |
“Then what, venerable sir, is the subtlest of all things?” |
“Dhammo kho, mahārāja, sabbasukhumo, na kho, mahārāja, dhammā sabbe sukhumā, ‘sukhuman’ti vā ‘thūlan’ti vā dhammānametamadhivacanaṁ. |
“The Dhamma, your majesty, is the subtlest of all things. But not all qualities are subtle, your majesty, subtle or coarse is a designation for a quality. |
Yaṁ kiñci chinditabbaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ paññāya chindati, natthi dutiyaṁ paññāya chedanan”ti. |
Whatever is to be cut through, all that is cut through by wisdom. There is nothing else other than wisdom for cutting through.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Sukhumapañho cuddasamo. |
Question on the Subtle fourteenth |
Milindapañha |
Milinda’s Questions |
Arūpadhammavavatthānavagga |
Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter |
15. Viññāṇanānatthapañha |
Question on the Distinction of Consciousness |
Rājā āha— |
The king asked, |
“bhante nāgasena, ‘viññāṇan’ti vā ‘paññā’ti vā ‘bhūtasmiṁ jīvo’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā ca, udāhu ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti? |
“Venerable Nāgasena, when it is said ‘consciousness’ or ‘wisdom’ or ‘the life principle in a being’, are these things distinct from each other in actuality, or only in name?” |
“Vijānanalakkhaṇaṁ, mahārāja, viññāṇaṁ, pajānanalakkhaṇā paññā, bhūtasmiṁ jīvo nupalabbhatī”ti. |
“Discrimination, your majesty, is a distinguishing characteristic of consciousness, discernment is a distinguishing characteristic of wisdom, and the life principle in a being cannot be found.” |
“Yadi jīvo nupalabbhati, atha ko carahi cakkhunā rūpaṁ passati, sotena saddaṁ suṇāti, ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyati, jivhāya rasaṁ sāyati, kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusati, manasā dhammaṁ vijānātī”ti? |
“If the life principle in a being cannot be found, then how is it that one sees form with the eyes, hears sound with the ears, smells scent with the nose, tastes flavor with the tongue, experiences touch with the body, and knows thought with the mind?” |
Thero āha— |
The elder said, |
“yadi jīvo cakkhunā rūpaṁ passati …pe… manasā dhammaṁ vijānāti, so jīvo cakkhudvāresu uppāṭitesu mahantena ākāsena bahimukho suṭṭhutaraṁ rūpaṁ passeyya, sotesu uppāṭitesu, ghāne uppāṭite, jivhāya uppāṭitāya, kāye uppāṭite mahantena ākāsena suṭṭhutaraṁ saddaṁ suṇeyya, gandhaṁ ghāyeyya, rasaṁ sāyeyya, phoṭṭhabbaṁ phuseyyā”ti? |
“If the life principle sees form with the eyes, … and knows thought with the mind, then when the doors of the eyes are destroyed would not the life principle see form more clearly out there before it in the great space? When the ears, the nose, the tongue and the body are all destroyed, would it not hear sound, smell scent, taste flavor, experience touch more clearly in the great space?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“Certainly not, venerable sir.” |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, bhūtasmiṁ jīvo nupalabbhatī”ti. |
“Well then, your majesty, the life principle in a being cannot be found.” |
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti. |
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” |
Viññāṇanānatthapañho pannarasamo. |
Question on the Distinction of Consciousness fifteenth |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
8. Milindapañhapucchāvisajjanā |
Book 3 |
Thero āha—“jānāsi kho, mahārāja, sampati kā velā”ti? |
Chapter 8 |
“Āma, bhante, jānāmi ‘sampati paṭhamo yāmo atikkanto, majjhimo yāmo pavattati, ukkā padīpīyanti, cattāri paṭākāni āṇattāni gamissanti bhaṇḍato rājadeyyānī’”ti. |
3.8. What is the time? |
| The Elder said: | |
Yonakā evamāhaṁsu “kallosi, mahārāja, paṇḍito thero”ti. |
‘Do you know, O king, what time it is now?’ |
“Āma, bhaṇe, paṇḍito thero, ediso ācariyo bhaveyya mādiso ca antevāsī, nacirasseva paṇḍito dhammaṁ ājāneyyā”ti. |
|
Tassa pañhaveyyākaraṇena tuṭṭho rājā theraṁ nāgasenaṁ satasahassagghanakena kambalena acchādetvā “bhante nāgasena, ajjatagge te aṭṭhasataṁ bhattaṁ paññapemi, yaṁ kiñci antepure kappiyaṁ, tena ca pavāremī”ti—āha. |
|
“Alaṁ, mahārāja jīvāmī”ti. |
‘Yes, Sir, I know. |
“Jānāmi, bhante nāgasena, jīvasi, api ca attānañca rakkha, mamañca rakkhāhī”ti. |
The first watch of the night is now passed. |
“Kathaṁ attānaṁ rakkhasi, ‘nāgaseno milindaṁ rājānaṁ pasādeti, na ca kiñci alabhī’ti parāpavādo āgaccheyyāti, evaṁ attānaṁ rakkha. |
The middle watch is now going on. |
Kathaṁ mamaṁ rakkhasi, ‘milindo rājā pasanno pasannākāraṁ na karotī’ti parāpavādo āgaccheyyāti, evaṁ mamaṁ rakkhāhī”ti. |
The torches are lit. |
“Tathā hotu, mahārājā”ti. |
The four banners are ordered to be raised, and appropriate gifts to be issued to you from the treasury.’ |
“Seyyathāpi, bhante, sīho migarājā suvaṇṇapañjare pakkhittopi bahimukhoyeva hoti; |
|
evameva kho ahaṁ, bhante, kiñcāpi agāraṁ ajjhāvasāmi bahimukho yeva pana acchāmi. |
|
Sace ahaṁ, bhante, agārasmā anāgāriyaṁ pabbajeyyaṁ, na ciraṁ jīveyyaṁ, bahū me paccatthikā”ti. |
The Yonakas said: |
| ‘Very good, great king. | |
| Most able is the Bhikkhu.’ | |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno milindassa rañño pañhaṁ visajjetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā saṅghārāmaṁ agamāsi. |
|
Acirapakkante ca āyasmante nāgasene milindassa rañño etadahosi—“kiṁ mayā pucchitaṁ, kiṁ bhadantena nāgasenena visajjitan”ti? |
|
Atha kho milindassa rañño etadahosi—“sabbaṁ mayā supucchitaṁ, sabbaṁ bhadantena nāgasenena suvisajjitan”ti. |
‘Yes, my men. |
Āyasmatopi nāgasenassa saṅghārāmagatassa etadahosi—“kiṁ milindena raññā pucchitaṁ, kiṁ mayā visajjitan”ti. |
Most able is the Bhikkhu. |
Atha kho āyasmato nāgasenassa etadahosi—“sabbaṁ milindena raññā supucchitaṁ, sabbaṁ mayā suvisajjitan”ti. |
Were the master like him and the pupil like me, a clever scholar would not take long in getting at the truth.’ |
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena milindassa rañño nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. |
Then the king, pleased with the explanations given of the questions he had put, had Nāgasena robed in an embroidered cloak worth a hundred thousand, and said to him: |
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, ekamantaṁ nisinno kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca— |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, I hereby order that you shall be provided with your daily meal for eight hundred days; |
| and give you the choice of anything in the palace that it is lawful for you to take.’ | |
“Mā kho bhadantassa evaṁ ahosi ‘nāgaseno mayā pañhaṁ pucchito’ti teneva somanassena taṁ rattāvasesaṁ vītināmesīti na te evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
And when the Elder refused, saying he had enough to live on, the king rejoined: |
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, taṁ rattāvasesaṁ etadahosi—‘kiṁ mayā pucchitaṁ, kiṁ bhadantena visajjitan’ti, ‘sabbaṁ mayā supucchitaṁ, sabbaṁ bhadantena suvisajjitan’”ti. |
‘I know, Sir, you have enough to live on. |
| But you should both protect me and protect yourself—yourself from the possibility of a public rumour to the effect that you convinced me but received nothing from me, and me from the possibility of a public rumour that though I was convinced I would give nothing in acknowledgement.’ | |
Theropi evamāha—“mā kho mahārājassa evaṁ ahosi ‘milindassa rañño mayā pañho visajjito’ti teneva somanassena taṁ rattāvasesaṁ vītināmesīti na te evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
|
Tassa mayhaṁ, mahārāja, taṁ rattāvasesaṁ etadahosi—‘kiṁ milindena raññā pucchitaṁ, kiṁ mayā visajjitan’ti, ‘sabbaṁ milindena raññā supucchitaṁ, sabbaṁ mayā suvisajjitan’”ti itiha te mahānāgā aññamaññassa subhāsitaṁ samanumodiṁsūti. |
‘Let it be as you wish, great king,’ was the reply. |
Milindapañhapucchāvisajjanā niṭṭhitā. |
Then the king said: |
| ‘As the lion, the king of beasts, when put into a cage, though it were of gold, would turn his face longingly to the outside; | |
| even so do I, though I dwell in the world, turn my thoughts longingly to the higher life of you recluses. | |
| But, Sir, if I were to give up the household life and renounce the world it would not be long I should have to live, so many are my foes.’ | |
| Then the venerable Nāgasena, having thus solved the questions put by Milinda the king, arose from his seat and departed to the hermitage. | |
| Not long after Nāgasena had gone, Milinda the king thought over to himself whether he had propounded his questions rightly, and whether the replies had been properly made. | |
| And he came to the conclusion that to questions well put replies had been well given. | |
| And Nāgasena likewise, when he reached the hermitage, thought the matter over to himself, and concluded that to questions well put right replies had been given. | |
| Now Nāgasena robed himself early in the morning, and went with his bowl in his hand to the palace, and sat down on the seat prepared for him. | |
| And Milinda saluted the venerable Nāgasena, and sat down respectfully at his side, and said to him: | |
| ‘Pray do not think, Sir, that I was kept awake all the rest of the night exulting in the thought of having questioned you. | |
| I was debating with myself as to whether I had asked aright, and had been rightly answered. | |
| And I concluded that I had.’ | |
| And the Elder on his part said: | |
| ‘Pray do not suppose, great king, that I passed the rest of the night rejoicing at having answered all you asked. | |
| I too was thinking over what had been said by us both. | |
| And I came to the result that you had questioned well, and that I had rightly answered.’ | |
| Thus did these two great men congratulate each the other on what he had spoken well. | |
| Here ends the answering of the problems of the questions of Milinda. |
Milindapañha |
The Question of Meṇḍaka |
Meṇḍakapañhārambhakathā |
Qualities of a Lay Follower |
Upāsakaguṇavagga |
The Questions of King Milinda |
1. Aṭṭhamantaparivajjanīyaṭṭhāna |
Book 4: |
Bhassappavādo vetaṇḍī, |
The solving of dilemmas |
atibuddhi vicakkhaṇo; |
Chapter 1 |
| 4.1. Eight places to avoid when discussing | |
Milindo ñāṇabhedāya, |
Master of words and sophistry, clever and wise |
nāgasenamupāgami. |
Milinda tried to test great Nāgasena’s skill. |
| Leaving him not, again and yet again, | |
Vasanto tassa chāyāya, |
He questioned and cross-questioned him, until |
paripucchaṁ punappunaṁ; |
His own skill was proved foolishness. |
Pabhinnabuddhi hutvāna, |
Then he became a student of the Holy Writ. |
sopi āsi tipeṭako. |
|
| All night, in secrecy, he pondered o’er | |
| The ninefold Scriptures, and therein he found | |
Navaṅgaṁ anumajjanto, |
Dilemmas hard to solve, and full of snares. |
rattibhāge rahogato; |
|
| And thus he thought: | |
Addakkhi meṇḍake pañhe, |
‘The conquering Buddha’s words |
dunniveṭhe saniggahe. |
Are many-sided, some explanatory, |
| Some spoken as occasion rose to speak, | |
| Some dealing fully with essential points. | |
“Pariyāyabhāsitaṁ atthi, |
|
atthi sandhāyabhāsitaṁ; |
Through ignorance of what, each time, was meant |
| There will be strife hereafter as to what | |
Sabhāvabhāsitaṁ atthi, |
The King of Righteousness has thus laid down |
dhammarājassa sāsane. |
In these diverse and subtle utterances. |
| Let me now gain great Nāgasena’s ear, | |
Tesamatthaṁ aviññāya, |
And putting to him that which seems so strange |
meṇḍake jinabhāsite; |
And hard—yea contradictory—get him |
| To solve it. | |
Anāgatamhi addhāne, |
So in future times, when men |
viggaho tattha hessati. |
Begin to doubt, the light of his solutions |
| Shall guide them, too, along the path of Truth.’ | |
Handa kathiṁ pasādetvā, |
|
chejjāpessāmi meṇḍake; |
Now Milinda the king, when the night was turning into day, and the sun had risen, bathed, and with hands clasped and raised to his forehead, called to mind the Buddhas of the past, the present, and the future, and solemnly undertook the observance of the eightfold vow, saying to himself: |
| ‘For seven days from now will I do penance by taking upon myself the observance of the eight rules, and when my vow is accomplished will I go to the teacher and put to him, as questions, these dilemmas.’ | |
Tassa niddiṭṭhamaggena, |
So Milinda, the king laid aside his usual dress, and put off his ornaments; |
niddisissantyanāgate”ti. |
and clad in yellow robes, with only a recluse’s turban on his head, in appearance like a hermit, did he carry out the eightfold abstinence, keeping in mind the vow—’For this seven days I am to decide no case at law. |
| I am to harbour no lustful thought, no thought of ill-will, no thought tending to delusion. | |
| Towards all slaves, servants, and dependents I am to show a meek and lowly disposition. | |
Atha kho milindo rājā pabhātāya rattiyā uddhaste aruṇe sīsaṁ nhatvā sirasi añjaliṁ paggahetvā atītānāgatapaccuppanne sammāsambuddhe anussaritvā aṭṭha vattapadāni samādiyi “ito me anāgatāni satta divasāni aṭṭha guṇe samādiyitvā tapo caritabbo bhavissati, sohaṁ ciṇṇatapo samāno ācariyaṁ ārādhetvā meṇḍake pañhe pucchissāmī”ti. |
I am to watch carefully over every bodily act, and over my six organs, of sense. |
Atha kho milindo rājā pakatidussayugaṁ apanetvā ābharaṇāni ca omuñcitvā kāsāvaṁ nivāsetvā muṇḍakapaṭisīsakaṁ sīse paṭimuñcitvā munibhāvamupagantvā aṭṭha guṇe samādiyi “imaṁ sattāhaṁ mayā na rājattho anusāsitabbo, na rāgūpasañhitaṁ cittaṁ uppādetabbaṁ, na dosūpasañhitaṁ cittaṁ uppādetabbaṁ, na mohūpasañhitaṁ cittaṁ uppādetabbaṁ, dāsakammakaraporise janepi nivātavuttinā bhavitabbaṁ, kāyikaṁ vācasikaṁ anurakkhitabbaṁ, chapi āyatanāni niravasesato anurakkhitabbāni, mettābhāvanāya mānasaṁ pakkhipitabban”ti. |
And I am to fill my heart with thoughts of love towards all beings.’ |
Ime aṭṭha guṇe samādiyitvā tesveva aṭṭhasu guṇesu mānasaṁ patiṭṭhapetvā bahi anikkhamitvā sattāhaṁ vītināmetvā aṭṭhame divase pabhātāya rattiyā pageva pātarāsaṁ katvā okkhittacakkhu mitabhāṇī susaṇṭhitena iriyāpathena avikkhittena cittena haṭṭhena udaggena vippasannena theraṁ nāgasenaṁ upasaṅkamitvā therassa pāde sirasā vanditvā ekamantaṁ ṭhito idamavoca— |
Keeping this eightfold vow, establishing his heart in this eightfold moral law, for seven days he went not forth. |
| But as the night was passing into day, at sunrise of the eighth day, he took his breakfast early, and then with downcast eyes and measured words, gentle in manner, collected in thought, glad and pleased and rejoicing in heart, did he go to Nāgasena. | |
“Atthi me, bhante nāgasena, koci attho tumhehi saddhiṁ mantayitabbo, na tattha añño koci tatiyo icchitabbo, suññe okāse pavivitte araññe aṭṭhaṅgupāgate samaṇasāruppe. |
And bowing down at his feet, he stood respectfully on one side, and said: |
Tattha so pañho pucchitabbo bhavissati, tattha me guyhaṁ na kātabbaṁ na rahassakaṁ, arahāmahaṁ rahassakaṁ suṇituṁ sumantane upagate, upamāyapi so attho upaparikkhitabbo, yathā kiṁ viya, yathā nāma, bhante nāgasena, mahāpathavī nikkhepaṁ arahati nikkhepe upagate. |
|
Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, arahāmahaṁ rahassakaṁ suṇituṁ sumantane upagate”ti. |
|
| ‘There is a certain matter, venerable Nāgasena, that I desire to talk over with you alone. | |
| I wish no third person to be present. | |
Garunā saha pavivittapavanaṁ pavisitvā idamavoca—“bhante nāgasena, idha purisena mantayitukāmena aṭṭha ṭhānāni parivajjayitabbāni bhavanti, na tesu ṭhānesu viññū puriso atthaṁ manteti, mantitopi attho paripatati na sambhavati. |
In some deserted spot, some secluded place in the forest, fit in all the eight respects for a recluse, there should this point of mine be put. |
Katamāni aṭṭha ṭhānāni? |
And therein let there be nothing hid from me, nothing kept secret. |
Visamaṭṭhānaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, sabhayaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, ativātaṭṭhānaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, paṭicchannaṭṭhānaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, devaṭṭhānaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, pantho parivajjanīyo, saṅgāmo parivajjanīyo, udakatitthaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ. |
I am now in a fit state to hear secret things when we are deep in consultation. |
Imāni aṭṭha ṭhānāni parivajjanīyānī”ti. |
And the meaning of what I say can be made clear by illustration. |
| As it is to the broad earth, O Nāgasena, that it is right to entrust treasure when occasion arises for laying treasure by, so is it to me that it is right to entrust secret things when we are deep in consultation.’ | |
Thero āha—“ko doso visamaṭṭhāne, sabhaye, ativāte, paṭicchanne, devaṭṭhāne, panthe, saṅgāme, udakatitthe”ti? |
|
“Visame, bhante nāgasena, mantito attho vikirati vidhamati paggharati na sambhavati, sabhaye mano santassati, santassito na sammā atthaṁ samanupassati, ativāte saddo avibhūto hoti, paṭicchanne upassutiṁ tiṭṭhanti, devaṭṭhāne mantito attho garukaṁ pariṇamati, panthe mantito attho tuccho bhavati, saṅgāme cañcalo bhavati, udakatitthe pākaṭo bhavati. |
Then having gone with the master to a secluded spot he further said: |
Bhavatīha— |
‘There are eight kinds of places, Nāgasena, which ought to be altogether avoided by a man who wants to consult. |
| No wise man will talk a matter over in such places, or the matter falls to the ground and is brought to no conclusion. | |
‘Visamaṁ sabhayaṁ ativāto, |
And what are the eight? |
Paṭicchannaṁ devanissitaṁ; |
Uneven ground, spots unsafe by fear of men, windy places, hiding spots, sacred places, high roads, light bambū bridges, and public bathing places.’ |
Pantho ca saṅgāmo titthaṁ, |
|
Aṭṭhete parivajjiyā’”ti. |
The Elder asked: |
| ‘What is the objection to each of these?’ | |
Aṭṭha mantanassa parivajjanīyaṭṭhānāni. |
|
| The king replied: | |
| ‘On uneven ground, Nāgasena, The matter discussed becomes jerky, verbose, and diffuse, and comes to nothing. | |
| In unsafe places the mind is disturbed, and being disturbed does not follow the point clearly. | |
| In windy spots the voice is indistinct. | |
| In hiding places there are eavesdroppers. | |
| In sacred places the question discussed is apt to be diverted to the serious surroundings. | |
| On a high road it is apt to become frivolous, on a bridge unsteady and wavering, at a public bathing place the discussion would be matter of common talk. | |
| Therefore is it said: | |
| “Uneven ground, unsafe and windy spots, | |
| And hiding places, and god-haunted shrines, | |
| High roads, and bridges, and all bathing ghāts— | |
| These eight avoid when talking of high things.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
Aṭṭhamantavināsakapuggala—T. |
Meṇḍakapañhārambhakathā |
W. Rhys Davids |
Upāsakaguṇavagga |
The Questions of King Milinda |
2. Aṭṭhamantavināsakapuggala |
4.2. Kinds of people who spoil discussions |
“Bhante nāgasena, aṭṭhime puggalā mantiyamānā mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādenti. |
‘There are eight kinds of people, Nāgasena, who when talking a matter over, spoil the discussion. |
Katame aṭṭha? |
And who are the eight? |
Rāgacarito dosacarito mohacarito mānacarito luddho alaso ekacintī bāloti. |
He who walks in lust, he who walks in ill-will, he who walks in delusion, he who walks in pride, the greedy man, the sluggard, the man of one idea, and the fool.’ |
Ime aṭṭha puggalā mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādentī”ti. |
|
| ‘What is the objection to each of these?’ | |
Thero āha—“tesaṁ ko doso”ti? |
asked the Elder. |
“Rāgacarito, bhante nāgasena, rāgavasena mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādeti, dosacarito dosavasena mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādeti, mohacarito mohavasena mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādeti, mānacarito mānavasena mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādeti, luddho lobhavasena mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādeti, alaso alasatāya mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādeti, ekacintī ekacintitāya mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādeti, bālo bālatāya mantitaṁ atthaṁ byāpādeti. |
|
Bhavatīha— |
|
| ‘The first spoils the discussion by his lust, the next by his ill-will, the third by his delusions, the fourth by his pride, the fifth by his greed, the sixth by his sloth, the seventh by his narrowness, and the last by his folly. | |
‘Ratto duṭṭho ca mūḷho ca, |
Therefore is it said: |
mānī luddho tathālaso; |
|
Ekacintī ca bālo ca, |
“The lustful, angry, or bewildered man, |
ete atthavināsakā’”ti. |
The proud, the greedy, or the slothful man, |
| The man of one idea, and the poor fool— | |
| These eight are spoilers of high argument.” | |
Aṭṭha mantavināsakapuggalā. |
’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañhārambhakathā |
Book 4: |
Upāsakaguṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
3. Navaguyhamantavidhaṁsaka |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, navime puggalā mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivaranti na dhārenti. |
4.3. Kinds of people who spill secrets |
Katame nava? |
‘There are nine kinds of people, Nāgasena, who let out a secret that has been talked over with them, and treasure it not up in their hearts. |
Rāgacarito dosacarito mohacarito bhīruko āmisagaruko itthī soṇḍo paṇḍako dārako”ti. |
And who are the nine? |
| the lustful man reveals it in obedience to some lust, the ill-tempered man in consequence of some ill-will, the deluded man under some mistake. | |
| The timid man reveals it through fear, and the man greedy for gain to get something out of it. | |
Thero āha—“tesaṁ ko doso”ti? |
A woman reveals it through infirmity, a drunkard in his eagerness for drink, a eunuch because of his imperfection, and a child through fickleness. |
“Rāgacarito, bhante nāgasena, rāgavasena mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivarati na dhāreti, dosacarito, bhante, dosavasena mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivarati na dhāreti, mūḷho mohavasena mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivarati na dhāreti, bhīruko bhayavasena mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivarati na dhāreti, āmisagaruko āmisahetu mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivarati na dhāreti, itthī paññāya ittaratāya mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivarati na dhāreti, soṇḍiko surālolatāya mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivarati na dhāreti, paṇḍako anekaṁsikatāya mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivarati na dhāreti, dārako capalatāya mantitaṁ guyhaṁ vivarati na dhāreti. |
Therefore is it said: |
Bhavatīha— |
|
‘Ratto duṭṭho ca mūḷho ca, |
“The lustful, angry, or bewildered man, |
bhīru āmisagaruko; |
The timid man, and he who seeks for gain, |
| A woman, drunkard, eunuch, or a child— | |
Itthī soṇḍo paṇḍako ca, |
These nine are fickle, wavering, and mean. |
navamo bhavati dārako. |
|
| When secret things are talked over to them | |
| They straightway become public property.” | |
Navete puggalā loke, |
’ |
ittarā calitā calā; |
|
Etehi mantitaṁ guyhaṁ, |
|
khippaṁ bhavati pākaṭan’”ti. |
|
Nava guyhamantavidhaṁsakā puggalā. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañhārambhakathā |
Book 4: |
Upāsakaguṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
4. Aṭṭhapaññāpaṭilābhakāraṇa |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, aṭṭhahi kāraṇehi buddhi pariṇamati paripākaṁ gacchati. |
4.4. Ripening insight |
Katamehi aṭṭhahi? |
‘There are eight causes, Nāgasena, of the advance, the ripening of insight. |
Vayapariṇāmena buddhi pariṇamati paripākaṁ gacchati, yasapariṇāmena buddhi pariṇamati paripākaṁ gacchati, paripucchāya buddhi pariṇamati paripākaṁ gacchati, titthasaṁvāsena buddhi pariṇamati paripākaṁ gacchati, yoniso manasikārena buddhi pariṇamati paripākaṁ gacchati, sākacchāya buddhi pariṇamati paripākaṁ gacchati, snehūpasevanena buddhi pariṇamati paripākaṁ gacchati, patirūpadesavāsena buddhi pariṇamati paripākaṁ gacchati. |
And what are the eight? |
Bhavatīha— |
the advance of years, the growth of reputation, frequent questioning, association with teachers, one’s own reflection, converse with the wise, cultivation of the loveable, and dwelling in a pleasant land. |
| Therefore is it said: | |
‘Vayena yasapucchāhi, |
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titthavāsena yoniso; |
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| “By growth in reputation, and in years, | |
Sākacchā snehasaṁsevā, |
By questioning, and by the master’s aid, |
patirūpavasena ca. |
By thoughtfulness, and converse with the wise, |
| By intercourse with men worthy of love, | |
| By residence within a pleasant spot— | |
Etāni aṭṭha ṭhānāni, |
By these nine is one’s insight purified. |
buddhivisadakāraṇā; |
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| They who have these, their wisdom grows.” | |
Yesaṁ etāni sambhonti, |
’ |
tesaṁ buddhi pabhijjatī’”ti. |
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Aṭṭha paññāpaṭilābhakāraṇāni. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañhārambhakathā |
Book 4: |
Upāsakaguṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
5. Ācariyaguṇa |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, |
4.5. Qualities of a teacher |
ayaṁ bhūmibhāgo aṭṭha mantadosavivajjito, |
‘This spot, Nāgasena, is free from the objections to talking matters over. |
ahañca loke paramo mantisahāyo, |
And I am a model companion for any one desiring to do so. |
guyhamanurakkhī cāhaṁ yāvāhaṁ jīvissāmi tāva guyhamanurakkhissāmi, |
I can keep a secret, and will keep yours as long as I live. |
aṭṭhahi ca me kāraṇehi buddhi pariṇāmaṁ gatā, |
In all the eight ways just described my insight has grown ripe. |
dullabho etarahi mādiso antevāsī, |
It would be hard to find such a pupil as you may have in me. |
sammā paṭipanne antevāsike ye ācariyānaṁ pañcavīsati ācariyaguṇā, |
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tehi guṇehi ācariyena sammā paṭipajjitabbaṁ. |
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Katame pañcavīsati guṇā? |
‘Now towards a pupil who conducts himself thus aright the teacher ought to conduct himself in accordance with the twenty-five virtues of a teacher. |
| And what are the twenty-five? | |
| He must always and without fail keep guard over his pupil. | |
Idha, |
He must let him know what to cultivate, and what to avoid; |
bhante nāgasena, |
about what he should be earnest, and what he may neglect. |
ācariyena antevāsimhi satataṁ samitaṁ ārakkhā upaṭṭhapetabbā, |
He must instruct him as to sleep, and as to keeping himself in health, and as to what food he may take, and what reject. |
asevanasevanā jānitabbā, |
He should teach him discrimination (in food), and share with him all that is put, as alms, into his own bowl. |
pamattāppamattā jānitabbā, |
He should encourage him, saying: |
seyyāvakāso jānitabbo, |
“Be not afraid. |
gelaññaṁ jānitabbaṁ, |
You will gain advantage (from what is here taught you).” |
bhojanassa laddhāladdhaṁ jānitabbaṁ, |
He should advise him as to the people whose company he should keep, and as to the villages and Vihāras he should frequent. |
viseso jānitabbo, |
He should never indulge in (foolish) talk with him. |
pattagataṁ saṁvibhajitabbaṁ, |
When he sees any defect in him he should easily pardon it. |
assāsitabbo ‘mā bhāyi, |
He should be zealous, he should teach nothing partially, keep nothing secret, and hold nothing back. |
attho te abhikkamatī’ti, |
He should look upon him in his heart as a son, saying to himself: |
‘iminā puggalena paṭicaratī’ti paṭicāro jānitabbo, |
“I have begotten him in learning.” |
gāme paṭicāro jānitabbo, |
He should strive to bring him forward, saying to himself: |
vihāre paṭicāro jānitabbo, |
“How can I keep him from going back? |
na tena hāso davo kātabbo, |
“He should determine in himself to make him strong in knowledge, saying to himself: |
tena saha ālāpo kātabbo, |
“I will make him mighty.” |
chiddaṁ disvā adhivāsetabbaṁ, |
He should love him, never desert him in necessity, never neglect him in anything he ought to do for him, always befriend him—so far as he can rightly do so —when he does wrong. |
sakkaccakārinā bhavitabbaṁ, |
These, Sir, are the twenty-five good qualities in a teacher. |
akhaṇḍakārinā bhavitabbaṁ, |
Treat me altogether in accordance therewith. |
arahassakārinā bhavitabbaṁ, |
Doubt, Lord, has overcome me. |
niravasesakārinā bhavitabbaṁ, |
There are apparent contradictions in the word of the Conqueror. |
‘janemimaṁ sippesū’ti janakacittaṁ upaṭṭhapetabbaṁ, |
About them strife will hereafter arise, and in future times it will be hard to find a teacher with insight such as yours. |
‘kathaṁ ayaṁ na parihāyeyyā’ti vaḍḍhicittaṁ upaṭṭhapetabbaṁ, |
Throw light for me on these dilemmas, to the downfall of the adversaries.’ |
‘balavaṁ imaṁ karomi sikkhābalenā’ti cittaṁ upaṭṭhapetabbaṁ, |
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mettacittaṁ upaṭṭhapetabbaṁ, |
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āpadāsu na vijahitabbaṁ, |
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karaṇīye nappamajjitabbaṁ, |
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khalite dhammena paggahetabboti. |
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Ime kho, |
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bhante, |
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pañcavīsati ācariyassa ācariyaguṇā, |
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tehi guṇehi mayi sammā paṭipajjassu, |
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saṁsayo me, |
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bhante, |
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uppanno, |
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atthi meṇḍakapañhā jinabhāsitā, |
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anāgate addhāne tattha viggaho uppajjissati, |
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anāgate ca addhāne dullabhā bhavissanti tumhādisā buddhimanto, |
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tesu me pañhesu cakkhuṁ dehi paravādānaṁ niggahāyā”ti. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañhārambhakathā |
Book 4: |
Upāsakaguṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
6. Upāsakaguṇa |
Chapter 1 |
Thero “sādhū”ti sampaṭicchitvā dasa upāsakassa upāsakaguṇe paridīpesi. |
4.6. Qualities of a lay disciple |
“Dasa ime, |
Then the Elder agreed to what he had said, and in his turn set out the ten good qualities which ought to be found in a lay disciple: |
mahārāja, |
‘These ten, O king, are the virtues of a lay disciple. |
upāsakassa upāsakaguṇā. |
He suffers like pain and feels like joy as the Order does. |
Katame dasa, |
He takes the Doctrine (Dhamma) as his master. |
idha, |
He delights in giving so far as he is able to give. |
mahārāja, |
On seeing the religion (Dhamma) of the Conqueror decay, he does his best to revive it. |
upāsako saṅghena samānasukhadukkho hoti, |
He holds right views. |
dhammādhipateyyo hoti, |
Having no passion for excitement, he runs not after any other teacher his life long. |
yathābalaṁ saṁvibhāgarato hoti, |
He keeps guard over himself in thought and deed. |
jinasāsanaparihāniṁ disvā abhivaḍḍhiyā vāyamati. |
He delights in peace, is a lover of peace. |
Sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, |
He feels no jealousy, and walks not in religion in a quarrelsome spirit. |
apagatakotūhalamaṅgaliko jīvitahetupi na aññaṁ satthāraṁ uddisati, |
He takes his refuge in the Buddha, he takes his refuge in the Doctrine, he takes his refuge in the Order. |
kāyikavācasikañcassa rakkhitaṁ hoti, |
These, great king, are the ten good qualities of a lay disciple. |
samaggārāmo hoti samaggarato, |
They exist all of them in you. |
anusūyako hoti, |
Hence is it fit, and right, and becoming in you that, seeing the decay of the religion of the Conqueror, you desire its prosperity. |
na ca kuhanavasena sāsane carati, |
I give you leave. |
buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, |
Ask of me whatever you will.’ |
dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, |
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saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti. |
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Ime kho, |
Here ends the introduction to the solving of dilemmas. |
mahārāja, |
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dasa upāsakassa upāsakaguṇā, |
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te sabbe guṇā tayi saṁvijjanti, |
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taṁ te yuttaṁ pattaṁ anucchavikaṁ patirūpaṁ yaṁ tvaṁ jinasāsanaparihāniṁ disvā abhivaḍḍhiṁ icchasi, |
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karomi te okāsaṁ, |
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puccha maṁ tvaṁ yathāsukhan”ti. |
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Meṇḍakapañhārambhakathā niṭṭhitā. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
1. Katādhikārasaphalapañha |
Chapter 1 |
Atha kho milindo rājā katāvakāso nipacca garuno pāde sirasi añjaliṁ katvā etadavoca—“bhante nāgasena, ime titthiyā evaṁ bhaṇanti—‘yadi buddho pūjaṁ sādiyati, na parinibbuto buddho saṁyutto lokena antobhaviko lokasmiṁ lokasādhāraṇo, tasmā tassa kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphalo. |
5.1.1. On Honours Paid To the Buddha |
Yadi parinibbuto visaṁyutto lokena nissaṭo sabbabhavehi, tassa pūjā nuppajjati, parinibbuto na kiñci sādiyati, asādiyantassa kato adhikāro vañjho bhavati aphalo’ti ubhato koṭiko eso pañho, neso visayo appattamānasānaṁ, mahantānaṁ yeveso visayo, bhindetaṁ diṭṭhijālaṁ ekaṁse ṭhapaya, taveso pañho anuppatto, anāgatānaṁ jinaputtānaṁ cakkhuṁ dehi paravādaniggahāyā”ti. |
Then Milinda the king, having thus been granted leave, fell at the feet of the teacher, and raising his clasped hands to his forehead, said: |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, these leaders of other sects say thus: | |
| “If the Buddha accepts gifts he cannot have passed entirely away. | |
Thero āha—“parinibbuto, mahārāja, bhagavā, na ca bhagavā pūjaṁ sādiyati, bodhimūleyeva tathāgatassa sādiyanā pahīnā, kiṁ pana anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbutassa. |
He must be still in union with the world, having his being somewhere in it, in the world, a shareholder in the things of the world; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
and therefore any honour paid to him becomes empty and vain. |
| On the other hand if he be entirely passed away (from life), unattached to the world, escaped from all existence, then honours would not be offered to him. | |
‘Pūjiyantā asamasamā, |
For he who is entirely set free accepts no honour, and any act done to him who accepts it not becomes empty and vain.” |
sadevamānusehi te; |
This is a dilemma which has two horns. |
| It is not a matter within the scope of those who have no mind, it is a question fit for the great. | |
Na sādiyanti sakkāraṁ, |
Tear asunder this net of heresy, put it on one side. |
buddhānaṁ esa dhammatā’”ti. |
To you has this puzzle been put. |
| Give to the future sons of the Conqueror eyes wherewith to see the riddle to the confusion of their adversaries.’ | |
Rājā āha—“bhante nāgasena, putto vā pituno vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, pitā vā puttassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, na cetaṁ kāraṇaṁ paravādānaṁ niggahāya, pasādappakāsanaṁ nāmetaṁ, iṅgha me tvaṁ tattha kāraṇaṁ sammā brūhi sakavādassa patiṭṭhāpanāya diṭṭhijālaviniveṭhanāyā”ti. |
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| ‘The Blessed One, O king,’ replied the Elder, ‘is entirely set free. | |
| And the Blessed One accepts no gift. | |
Thero āha—“parinibbuto, mahārāja, bhagavā, na ca bhagavā pūjaṁ sādiyati, asādiyantasseva tathāgatassa devamanussā dhāturatanaṁ vatthuṁ karitvā tathāgatassa ñāṇaratanārammaṇena sammāpaṭipattiṁ sevantā tisso sampattiyo paṭilabhanti. |
Even at the foot of the Tree of Wisdom he abandoned all accepting of gifts, how much more then now when he has passed entirely away by that kind of passing away which leaves no root over (for the formation of a new existence). |
| For this, O king, has been said by Sāriputta, the commander of the faith: | |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahatimahāaggikkhandho pajjalitvā nibbāyeyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, mahāaggikkhandho sādiyati tiṇakaṭṭhupādānan”ti? |
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“Jalamānopi so, bhante, mahāaggikkhandho tiṇakaṭṭhupādānaṁ na sādiyati, kiṁ pana nibbuto upasanto acetano sādiya”ti? |
“Though worshipped, these Unequalled Ones, alike |
“Tasmiṁ pana, mahārāja, aggikkhandhe uparate upasante loke aggi suñño hotī”ti. |
By gods and men, unlike them all they heed |
“Na hi, bhante, kaṭṭhaṁ aggissa vatthu hoti upādānaṁ, ye keci manussā aggikāmā, te attano thāmabalavīriyena paccattapurisakārena kaṭṭhaṁ manthayitvā aggiṁ nibbattetvā tena agginā aggikaraṇīyāni kammāni karontī”ti. |
Neither a gift nor worship. |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, titthiyānaṁ vacanaṁ micchā bhavati ‘asādiyantassa kato adhikāro vañjho bhavati aphalo’ti. |
They accept |
| It not, neither refuse it. | |
| Through the ages | |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahatimahāaggikkhandho pajjali; |
All Buddhas were so, so will ever be!” |
evameva bhagavā dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā buddhasiriyā pajjali. |
’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahatimahāaggikkhandho pajjalitvā nibbuto; |
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evameva bhagavā dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā buddhasiriyā pajjalitvā anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbuto. |
The king said: |
Yathā, mahārāja, nibbuto aggikkhandho tiṇakaṭṭhupādānaṁ na sādiyati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, a father may speak in praise of his son, or a son of his father. |
evameva kho lokahitassa sādiyanā pahīnā upasantā. |
But that is no ground for putting the adversaries to shame. |
Yathā, mahārāja, manussā nibbute aggikkhandhe anupādāne attano thāmabalavīriyena paccattapurisakārena kaṭṭhaṁ manthayitvā aggiṁ nibbattetvā tena agginā aggikaraṇīyāni kammāni karonti; |
It is only an expression of their own belief, Come now! |
evameva kho devamanussā tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva dhāturatanaṁ vatthuṁ karitvā tathāgatassa ñāṇaratanārammaṇena sammāpaṭipattiṁ sevantā tisso sampattiyo paṭilabhanti, imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphalo. |
Explain this matter to me fully to the establishing of your own doctrine, and to the unravelling of the net of the heretics.’ |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi yena kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphalo. |
The Elder replied: |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahatimahāvāto vāyitvā uparameyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, uparato vāto sādiyati puna nibbattāpanan”ti? |
‘The Blessed One, O king, is entirely set free (from life). |
“Na hi, bhante, uparatassa vātassa ābhogo vā manasikāro vā puna nibbattāpanāya”. |
And the Blessed One accepts no gift. |
“Kiṅkāraṇaṁ”? “Acetanā sā vāyodhātū”ti. |
If gods or men put up a building to contain the jewel treasure of the relics of a Tathāgata who does not accept their gift, still by that homage paid to the attainment of the supreme good under the form of the jewel treasure of his wisdom do they themselves attain to one or other of the three glorious states. |
“Api nu tassa, mahārāja, uparatassa vātassa vātoti samaññā apagacchatī”ti? |
Suppose, O king, that though a great and glorious fire had been kindled, it should die out, would it then again accept any supply of dried grass or sticks?’ |
“Na hi, bhante, tālavaṇṭavidhūpanāni vātassa uppattiyā paccayā, ye keci manussā uṇhābhitattā pariḷāhaparipīḷitā, te tālavaṇṭena vā vidhūpanena vā attano thāmabalavīriyena paccattapurisakārena taṁ nibbattetvā tena vātena uṇhaṁ nibbāpenti pariḷāhaṁ vūpasamentī”ti. |
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“Tena hi, mahārāja, titthiyānaṁ vacanaṁ micchā bhavati ‘asādiyantassa kato adhikāro vañjho bhavati aphalo’ti. |
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| ‘Even as it burned, Sir, it could not be said to accept fuel, how much less when it had died away, and ceased to burn, could it, an unconscious thing, accept it?’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahatimahāvāto vāyi; |
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evameva bhagavā dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā sītalamadhurasantasukhumamettāvātena upavāyi. |
‘And when that one mighty fire had ceased, and gone out, would the world be bereft of fire?’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahatimahāvāto vāyitvā uparato; |
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evameva bhagavā sītalamadhurasantasukhumamettāvātena upavāyitvā anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbuto. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, uparato vāto puna nibbattāpanaṁ na sādiyati; |
‘Certainly not. |
evameva lokahitassa sādiyanā pahīnā upasantā. |
Dry wood is the seat, the basis of fire, and any men who want fire can, by the exertion of their own strength and power, such as resides in individual men, once more, by twirling the firestick, produce fire, and with that fire do any work for which fire is required.’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, te manussā uṇhābhitattā pariḷāhaparipīḷitā; |
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evameva devamanussā tividhaggisantāpapariḷāhaparipīḷitā. |
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Yathā tālavaṇṭavidhūpanāni vātassa nibbattiyā paccayā honti; |
‘Then that saying of the sectarians that “an act done to him who accepts it not is empty and vain” turns out to be false. |
evameva tathāgatassa dhātu ca ñāṇaratanañca paccayo hoti tissannaṁ sampattīnaṁ paṭilābhāya. |
As that great and glorious fire was set alight, even so, great king, was the Blessed One set alight in the glory of his Buddhahood over the ten thousand world systems. |
Yathā manussā uṇhābhitattā pariḷāhaparipīḷitā tālavaṇṭena vā vidhūpanena vā vātaṁ nibbattetvā uṇhaṁ nibbāpenti pariḷāhaṁ vūpasamenti; |
As it went out, so has he passed away into that kind of passing away in which no root remains. |
evameva devamanussā tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva dhātuñca ñāṇaratanañca pūjetvā kusalaṁ nibbattetvā tena kusalena tividhaggisantāpapariḷāhaṁ nibbāpenti vūpasamenti. |
As the fire, when gone out, accepted no supply of fuel, just so, and for the good of the world, has his accepting of gifts ceased and determined. |
Imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphaloti. |
As men, when the fire is out, and has no further means of burning, then by their own strength and effort, such as resides in individual men, twirl the fire-stick and produce fire, and do any work for which fire is required—so do gods and men, though a Tathāgata has passed away and no longer accepts their gifts, yet put up a house for the jewel treasure of his relics, and doing homage to the attainment of supreme good under the form of the jewel treasure of his wisdom, they attain to one or other of the three glorious states. |
| Therefore is it, great king, that acts done to the Tathāgata, notwithstanding his having passed away and not accepting them, are nevertheless of value and bear fruit.’ | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi paravādānaṁ niggahāya. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, puriso bheriṁ ākoṭetvā saddaṁ nibbatteyya, yo so bherisaddo purisena nibbattito, so saddo antaradhāyeyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, saddo sādiyati puna nibbattāpanan”ti? |
‘Now hear, too, another reason for the same thing. |
“Na hi, bhante, antarahito so saddo, natthi tassa puna uppādāya ābhogo vā manasikāro vā, sakiṁ nibbatte bherisadde antarahite so bherisaddo samucchinno hoti. |
Suppose, O king, there were to arise a great and mighty wind, and that then it were to die away. |
Bherī pana, bhante, paccayo hoti saddassa nibbattiyā, atha puriso paccaye sati attajena vāyāmena bheriṁ akoṭetvā saddaṁ nibbattetī”ti. |
Would that wind acquiesce in being produced again?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā sīlasamādhipaññāvimuttivimuttiñāṇadassanaparibhāvitaṁ dhāturatanañca dhammañca vinayañca anusiṭṭhañca satthāraṁ ṭhapayitvā sayaṁ anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbuto, na ca parinibbute bhagavati sampattilābho upacchinno hoti, bhavadukkhapaṭipīḷitā sattā dhāturatanañca dhammañca vinayañca anusiṭṭhañca paccayaṁ karitvā sampattikāmā sampattiyo paṭilabhanti, imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphaloti. |
‘A wind that has died away can have no thought or idea of being reproduced. |
| And why? | |
| Because the element wind is an unconscious thing.’ | |
Diṭṭhañcetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā anāgatamaddhānaṁ. |
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Kathitañca bhaṇitañca ācikkhitañca ‘siyā kho panānanda, tumhākaṁ evamassa atītasatthukaṁ pāvacanaṁ natthi no satthāti, na kho panetaṁ, ānanda, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ, yo vo, ānanda, mayā dhammo ca vinayo ca desito paññatto, so vo mamaccayena satthā’ti. |
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Parinibbutassa tathāgatassa asādiyantassa kato adhikāro vañjho bhavati aphaloti, taṁ tesaṁ titthiyānaṁ vacanaṁ micchā abhūtaṁ vitathaṁ alikaṁ viruddhaṁ viparītaṁ dukkhadāyakaṁ dukkhavipākaṁ apāyagamanīyanti. |
‘Or even, O king, would the word “wind” be still applicable to that wind, when it had so died away?’ |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi yena kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphalo. |
‘Certainly not, Sir. |
Sādiyati nu kho, mahārāja, ayaṁ mahāpathavī ‘sabbabījāni mayi saṁviruhantū’”ti? |
But fans and punkahs are means for the production of wind. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
Any men who are oppressed by heat, or tormented by fever, can by means of fans and punkahs, and by the exertion of their own strength and power, such as resides in individual men, produce a breeze, and by that wind allay their heat, or assuage their fever.’ |
“Kissa pana tāni, mahārāja, bījāni asādiyantiyā mahāpathaviyā saṁviruhitvā daḷhamūlajaṭāpatiṭṭhitā khandhasārasākhāparivitthiṇṇā pupphaphaladharā hontī”ti? |
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“Asādiyantīpi, bhante, mahāpathavī tesaṁ bījānaṁ vatthu hoti paccayaṁ deti viruhanāya, tāni bījāni taṁ vatthuṁ nissāya tena paccayena saṁviruhitvā daḷhamūlajaṭāpatiṭṭhitā khandhasārasākhāparivitthiṇṇā pupphaphaladharā hontī”ti. |
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“Tena hi, mahārāja, titthiyā sake vāde naṭṭhā honti hatā viruddhā, sace te bhaṇanti—‘asādiyantassa kato adhikāro vañjho bhavati aphalo’ti. |
‘Then that saying of the sectarians that “an act done to him who accepts it not is empty and vain” turns out to be false. |
| As the great and mighty wind which blew, even so, great king, has the Blessed One blown over the ten thousand world systems with the wind of his love, so cool, so sweet, so calm, so delicate. | |
| As it first blew, and then died away, so has the Blessed One, who once blew with the wind so cool, so sweet, so calm, so delicate, of his love, now passed away with that kind of passing away in which no root remains. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahāpathavī, evaṁ tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho. |
As those men were oppressed by heat and tormented with fever, even so are gods and men tormented and oppressed with threefold fire and heat. |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahāpathavī na kiñci sādiyati, evaṁ tathāgato na kiñci sādiyati. |
As fans and punkahs are means of producing wind, so the relics and the jewel treasure of the wisdom of a Tathāgata are means of producing the threefold attainment. |
Yathā, mahārāja, tāni bījāni pathaviṁ nissāya saṁviruhitvā daḷhamūlajaṭāpatiṭṭhitā khandhasārasākhāparivitthiṇṇā pupphaphaladharā honti, evaṁ devamanussā tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva dhātuñca ñāṇaratanañca nissāya daḷhakusalamūlapatiṭṭhitā samādhikkhandhadhammasārasīlasākhāparivitthiṇṇā vimuttipupphasāmaññaphaladharā honti, imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphaloti. |
And as men oppressed by heat and tormented by fever can by fans and punkahs produce a breeze, and thus allay the heat and assuage the fever, so can gods and men by offering reverence to the relics, and the jewel treasure of the wisdom of a Tathāgata, though he has died away and accepts it not, cause goodness to arise within them, and by that goodness can assuage and can allay the fever and the torment of the threefold fire. |
| Therefore is it, great king, that acts done to the Tathāgata, notwithstanding his having passed away and not accepting them, are nevertheless of value and bear fruit.’ | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi yena kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphalo. |
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Sādiyanti nu kho, mahārāja, ime oṭṭhā goṇā gadrabhā ajā pasū manussā antokucchismiṁ kimikulānaṁ sambhavan”ti? |
‘Now hear another reason. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
for the same thing. |
“Kissa pana te, mahārāja, kimayo tesaṁ asādiyantānaṁ antokucchismiṁ sambhavitvā bahuputtanattā vepullataṁ pāpuṇantī”ti? |
Suppose, O king, a man were to make a drum sound, and then that sound were to die away. |
“Pāpassa, bhante, kammassa balavatāya asādiyantānaṁyeva tesaṁ sattānaṁ antokucchismiṁ kimayo sambhavitvā bahuputtanattā vepullataṁ pāpuṇantī”ti. |
Would that sound acquiesce in being produced again?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva dhātussa ca ñāṇārammaṇassa ca balavatāya tathāgate kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphaloti. |
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| ‘Certainly not, Sir. | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi yena kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphalo. |
The sound has vanished. |
Sādiyanti nu kho, mahārāja, ime manussā ime aṭṭhanavuti rogā kāye nibbattantū”ti? |
It can have no thought or idea of being reproduced. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
The sound of a drum when it has once been produced and died away, is altogether cut off. |
“Kissa pana te, mahārāja, rogā asādiyantānaṁ kāye nipatantī”ti? |
But, Sir, a drum is a means of producing sound. |
“Pubbe katena, bhante, duccaritenā”ti. |
And any man, as need arises, can by the effort of power residing in himself, beat on that drum, and so produce a sound.’ |
“Yadi, mahārāja, pubbe kataṁ akusalaṁ idha vedanīyaṁ hoti, tena hi, mahārāja, pubbe katampi idha katampi kusalākusalaṁ kammaṁ avañjhaṁ bhavati saphalanti. |
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Imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphaloti. |
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| ‘Just so, great king, has the Blessed One—except the teacher and the instruction he has left in his doctrine and discipline, and the jewel treasure of his relics whose value is derived from his righteousness, and contemplation, and wisdom, and emancipation, and insight given by the knowledge of emancipation—just so has he passed away by that kind of passing away in which no root remains. | |
| But the possibility of receiving the three attainments is not cut off because the Blessed One has passed away. | |
Sutapubbaṁ pana tayā, mahārāja, nandako nāma yakkho theraṁ sāriputtaṁ āsādayitvā pathaviṁ paviṭṭho”ti? |
Beings oppressed by the sorrow of becoming can, when they desire the attainments, still receive them by means of the jewel treasure of his relics and of his doctrine and discipline and teaching. |
“Āma, bhante, suyyati, loke pākaṭo eso”ti. |
Therefore is it, great king, that all acts done to the Tathāgata, notwithstanding his having passed away and not accepting them, are nevertheless of value and bear fruit. |
“Api nu kho, mahārāja, thero sāriputto sādiyi nandakassa yakkhassa mahāpathavigilanan”ti. |
And this future possibility, great king, has been foreseen by the Blessed One, and spoken of, and declared, and made known, when he said: |
“Ubbattiyantepi, bhante, sadevake loke patamānepi chamāyaṁ candimasūriye vikirantepi sinerupabbatarāje thero sāriputto na parassa dukkhaṁ sādiyeyya. |
“It may be, Ānanda, that in some of you the thought may arise: |
Taṁ kissa hetu? |
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Yena hetunā thero sāriputto kujjheyya vā dusseyya vā, so hetu therassa sāriputtassa samūhato samucchinno, hetuno samugghātitattā, bhante, thero sāriputto jīvitahārakepi kopaṁ na kareyyā”ti. |
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“Yadi, mahārāja, thero sāriputto nandakassa yakkhassa pathavigilanaṁ na sādiyi, kissa pana nandako yakkho pathaviṁ paviṭṭho”ti? |
‘The word of the Master is ended. |
“Akusalassa, bhante, kammassa balavatāyā”ti. |
We have no Teacher more!’ |
“Yadi, mahārāja, akusalassa kammassa balavatāya nandako yakkho pathaviṁ paviṭṭho, asādiyantassāpi kato aparādho avañjho bhavati saphalo. |
But it is not thus, Ānanda, that you should regard it. |
Tena hi, mahārāja, akusalassapi kammassa balavatāya asādiyantassa kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphaloti. |
The Truth which I have preached to you, the Rules which I have laid down for the Order, let them, when I am gone, be the Teacher to you.” |
Imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphaloti. |
So that because the Tathāgata has passed away and consents not thereto, that therefore any act done to him is empty and vain—this saying of the enemy is proved false. |
| It is untrue, unjust, not according to fact, wrong, and perverse. | |
| It is the cause of sorrow, has sorrow as its fruit, and leads down the road to perdition!’ | |
Kati nu kho te, mahārāja, manussā, ye etarahi mahāpathaviṁ paviṭṭhā, atthi te tattha savaṇan”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante, suyyatī”ti. |
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“Iṅgha tvaṁ, mahārāja, sāvehī”ti? |
‘Now hear another reason for the same thing. |
“Ciñcamāṇavikā, bhante, suppabuddho ca sakko, devadatto ca thero, nandako ca yakkho, nando ca māṇavakoti. |
Does the broad earth acquiesce, O king, in all kinds of seeds being planted all over it?’ |
Sutametaṁ, bhante, ime pañca janā mahāpathaviṁ paviṭṭhā”ti. |
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“Kismiṁ te, mahārāja, aparaddhā”ti? |
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“Bhagavati ca, bhante, sāvakesu cā”ti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir.’ |
“Api nu kho, mahārāja, bhagavā vā sāvakā vā sādiyiṁsu imesaṁ mahāpathavipavisanan”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
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“Tena hi, mahārāja, tathāgatassa parinibbutassa asādiyantasseva kato adhikāro avañjho bhavati saphalo”ti. |
‘Then how is it those seeds, planted without the earth’s consent, do yet stand fast and firmly rooted, and expand into trees with great trunks and sap and branches, and bearing fruits and flowers?’ |
“Suviññāpito, bhante nāgasena, pañho gambhīro uttānīkato, guyhaṁ vidaṁsitaṁ, gaṇṭhi bhinno, gahanaṁ agahanaṁ kataṁ, naṭṭhā paravādā, bhaggā kudiṭṭhī, nippabhā jātā kutitthiyā, tvaṁ gaṇivarapavaramāsajjā”ti. |
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| ‘Though the earth, Sir, gives no consent, yet it acts as a site for those seeds, as a means of their development. | |
Katādhikārasaphalapañho paṭhamo. |
Planted on that site they grow, by its means, into such great trees with branches, flowers, and fruit.’ |
| ‘Then, great king, the sectaries are destroyed, defeated, proved wrong by their own words when they say that “an act done to him who accepts it not is empty and vain.” | |
| As the broad earth, O king, is the Tathāgata, the Arahat, the Buddha supreme. | |
| Like it he accepts nothing. | |
| Like the seeds which through it attain to such developments are the gods and men who, through the jewel treasures of the relics and the wisdom of the Tathāgata—though he have passed away and consent not to it—being firmly rooted by the roots of merit, become like unto trees casting a goodly shade by means of the trunk of contemplation, the sap of true doctrine, and the branches of righteousness, and bearing the flowers of emancipation, and the fruits of Samaṇaship. | |
| Therefore is it, great king, that acts done to the Tathāgata, notwithstanding his having passed away and not accepting them, are still of value and bear fruit.’ | |
| ‘Now hear another and further reason for the same thing. | |
| Do camels, buffaloes, asses, goats, oxen, or men acquiesce in the birth of worms inside them?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Then how is it then, that without their consent worms are so born, and spread by rapid reproduction of sons and grandsons?’ | |
| ‘By the power of evil Karma, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Just so, great king, is it by the power of the relics and the wisdom of the Tathāgata, who has passed away and acquiesces in nothing, that an act done to him is of value and bears fruit.’ | |
| ‘Now hear another and further reason for the same thing. | |
| Do men consent, O king, that the ninety-eight diseases should be produced in their bodies?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Then how is it the diseases come?’ | |
| ‘By evil deeds done in former births.’ | |
| ‘But, great king, if evil deeds done in a former birth have to be suffered here and now, then both good and evil done here or done before has weight and bears fruit. | |
| Therefore is it that acts done to the Tathāgata, notwithstanding his having passed away and not consenting, are nevertheless of value and bear fruit.’ | |
| ‘Now hear another and further reason for the same thing. | |
| Did you ever hear, O king, of the ogre named Nandaka, who, having laid hands upon the Elder Sāriputta, was swallowed up by the earth?’ | |
| ‘Yes, Sir, that is matter of common talk among men.’ | |
| ‘Well, did Sāriputta acquiesce in that?’ | |
| ‘Though the world of gods and men, Sir, were to be destroyed, though the sun and moon were to fall upon the earth, though Sineru the king of mountains were to be dissolved, yet would not Sāriputta the Elder have consented to any pain being inflicted on a fellow creature. | |
| And why not? | |
| Because every condition of heart which could cause him to be angry or offended has been in him destroyed and rooted out. | |
| And as all cause thereof had thus been removed, Sir, therefore could not Sāriputta be angered even with those who sought to deprive him of his life.’ | |
| ‘But if Sāriputta, O king, did not consent to it, how was it that Nandaka was so swallowed up?’ | |
| ‘By the power of his evil deeds.’ | |
| ‘Then if so, great king, an act done to him who consents not is still of power and bears fruit. | |
| And if this is so of an evil deed, how much more of a good one? | |
| Therefore is it, O king, that acts done to the Tathāgata, notwithstanding his having passed away and not accepting them, are nevertheless of value and bear fruit.’ | |
| ‘Now how many, O king, are those men who, in this life, have been swallowed up by the earth? | |
| Have you heard anything on that point?’ | |
| ‘Yes, Sir, I have heard how many there are.’ | |
| ‘Then tell me.’ | |
| ‘Kiñca the Brahmin woman, and Suppabuddha the Sākyan, and Devadatta the Elder, and Nandaka the ogre, and Nanda the Brahman—these are the five people who were swallowed up by the earth.’ | |
| ‘And whom, O king, had they wronged?’ | |
| ‘The Blessed One and his disciples.’ | |
| ‘Then did the Blessed One or his disciples consent to their being so swallowed up?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Therefore is it, O king, that an act done to the Tathāgata, notwithstanding his having passed away and not consenting thereto, is nevertheless of value and bears fruit.’ | |
| ‘Well has this deep question been explained by you, venerable Nāgasena, and made clear. | |
| You have made the secret thing plain, you have loosed the knot, you have made in the jungle an open space, the adversaries are overthrown, the wrong opinion has been proved false, the sectaries have been covered with darkness when they met you, O best of all the leaders of schools!’ | |
| Here ends the question as to not consenting to honours paid. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
2 Sabbaññubhāvapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, buddho sabbaññū”ti? |
5.1.2. The Omniscience Of the Buddha |
“Āma, mahārāja, bhagavā sabbaññū, na ca bhagavato satataṁ samitaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ, āvajjanapaṭibaddhaṁ bhagavato sabbaññutañāṇaṁ, āvajjitvā yadicchakaṁ jānātī”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, was the Buddha omniscient?’ |
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, buddho asabbaññūti. |
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Yadi tassa pariyesanāya sabbaññutañāṇaṁ hotī”ti. |
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“Vāhasataṁ kho, mahārāja, vīhīnaṁ aḍḍhacūḷañca vāhā vīhisattambaṇāni dve ca tumbā ekaccharākkhaṇe pavattacittassa ettakā vīhī lakkhaṁ ṭhapīyamānā parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyyuṁ? |
‘Yes, O king, he was. |
| But the insight of knowledge was not always and continually (consciously) present with him. | |
| The omniscience of the Blessed One was dependent on reflection.’ | |
Tatrime sattavidhā cittā pavattanti—ye te, mahārāja, sarāgā sadosā samohā sakilesā abhāvitakāyā abhāvitasīlā abhāvitacittā abhāvitapaññā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
But if he did reflect he knew whatever he wanted to know. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
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Abhāvitattā cittassa. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, vaṁsanāḷassa vitatassa visālassa vitthiṇṇassa saṁsibbitavisibbitassa sākhājaṭājaṭitassa ākaḍḍhiyantassa garukaṁ hoti āgamanaṁ dandhaṁ. |
‘Then, Sir, the Buddha cannot have been omniscient, if his all-embracing knowledge was reached through investigation.’ |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
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Saṁsibbitavisibbitattā sākhānaṁ. |
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Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te sarāgā sadosā samohā sakilesā abhāvitakāyā abhāvitasīlā abhāvitacittā abhāvitapaññā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
‘[If so, great king, our Buddha’s knowledge must have been less in degree of fineness than that of the other Buddhas. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
And that is a conclusion hard to draw. |
Saṁsibbitavisibbitattā kilesehi, idaṁ paṭhamaṁ cittaṁ. |
But let me explain a little further. |
| ] Suppose, O king, you had a hundred cart-loads of rice in the husk, and each cart-load was of seven ammaṇas and a half. | |
| Would a man without consideration be able to tell you in a moment how many laks of grains there were in the whole ?’ | |
Tatridaṁ dutiyaṁ cittaṁ vibhattamāpajjati—ye te, mahārāja, sotāpannā pihitāpāyā diṭṭhippattā viññātasatthusāsanā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ tīsu ṭhānesu lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati. |
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Uparibhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
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Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
‘Now there are these, seven classes of minds. |
Tīsu ṭhānesu cittassa parisuddhattā upari kilesānaṁ appahīnattā. |
Those, great king, who are full of lust, ill-will, delusion, or wrong doing, who are untrained in the management of their body, or in conduct, or in thought, or in wisdom—their thinking powers are brought into play with difficulty, and act slowly. |
Yathā, mahārāja, vaṁsanāḷassa tipabbagaṇṭhiparisuddhassa upari sākhājaṭājaṭitassa ākaḍḍhiyantassa yāva tipabbaṁ tāva lahukaṁ eti, tato upari thaddhaṁ. |
And why is it so? |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
Because of the untrained condition of their minds. |
Heṭṭhā parisuddhattā upari sākhājaṭājaṭitattā. |
It is like the slow and heavy movements of a giant bambū—when it is being dragged along with its wide-spreading, extensive, overgrown, and interlaced vegetation, and with its branches intricately entangled one with the other. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te sotāpannā pihitāpāyā diṭṭhippattā viññātasatthusāsanā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ tīsu ṭhānesu lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati, uparibhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
So slow and heavy are the movements of the minds of those men, O king. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
And why? |
Tīsu ṭhānesu cittassa parisuddhattā upari kilesānaṁ appahīnattā, idaṁ dutiyaṁ cittaṁ. |
Because of the intricate entanglements of wrong dispositions. |
| This is the first class of minds.’ | |
Tatridaṁ tatiyaṁ cittaṁ vibhattamāpajjati—ye te, mahārāja, sakadāgāmino, yesaṁ rāgadosamohā tanubhūtā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ pañcasu ṭhānesu lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati, uparibhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
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Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
‘From it the second class is to be distinguished. |
Pañcasu ṭhānesu cittassa parisuddhattā upari kilesānaṁ appahīnattā. |
Those, O king, who have been converted, for whom the gates of purgatory are closed, who have attained to right views, who have grasped the doctrine of the Master—their thinking powers, so far as the three lower stages are concerned, are brought quickly into play, and act with ease. |
Yathā, mahārāja, vaṁsanāḷassa pañcapabbagaṇṭhiparisuddhassa upari sākhājaṭājaṭitassa ākaḍḍhiyantassa yāva pañcapabbaṁ tāva lahukaṁ eti, tato upari thaddhaṁ. |
But as regards the higher regions they are brought into play with difficulty, and act slowly. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
And why is this so? |
Heṭṭhā parisuddhattā upari sākhājaṭājaṭitattā. |
Because of their minds having been made clear as regards those three stages, and because of the failings (to be vanquished in the higher stages) still existing within them. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te sakadāgāmino, yesaṁ rāgadosamohā tanubhūtā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ pañcasu ṭhānesu lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati, uparibhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
It is like the movement of a giant bambū which has a clean trunk as far as the third knot, but above that has its branches intricately, entangled. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
So far as regards the smooth trunk it would travel easily when dragged along, but it would stick obstinately as regards its upper branches. |
Pañcasu ṭhānesu cittassa parisuddhattā upari kilesānaṁ appahīnattā, idaṁ tatiyaṁ cittaṁ. |
This is the second class of minds.’ |
Tatridaṁ catutthaṁ cittaṁ vibhattamāpajjati—ye te, mahārāja, anāgāmino, yesaṁ pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni pahīnāni, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ dasasu ṭhānesu lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati, uparibhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
‘From these the third class is to be distinguished. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
Those, O king, who are Sakadāgāmins, in whom lust, ill-will, and delusion are reduced to a minimum—their thinking powers, so far as the five lower stages are concerned, are brought quickly into play, and act with ease. |
Dasasu ṭhānesu cittassa parisuddhattā upari kilesānaṁ appahīnattā. |
But as regards the higher regions they are brought into play with difficulty, and act slowly. |
Yathā, mahārāja, vaṁsanāḷassa dasapabbagaṇṭhiparisuddhassa upari sākhājaṭājaṭitassa ākaḍḍhiyantassa yāva dasapabbaṁ tāva lahukaṁ eti, tato upari thaddhaṁ. |
And why is this so? |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
Because of their minds having been made clear as regards those five stages, and because of the failings (to be vanquished in the higher stages) still existing within them. |
Heṭṭhā parisuddhattā upari sākhājaṭājaṭitattā. |
It is like the movement of a giant bambū which has a clean trunk as far as the fifth knot, but above that has its branches intricately entangled. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te anāgāmino, yesaṁ pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni pahīnāni, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ dasasu ṭhānesu lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati, uparibhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
So far as regards the smooth trunk it would travel easily when dragged along, but it would be moved with difficulty as far as its upper branches are concerned. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
This is the third class of minds.’ |
Dasasu ṭhānesu cittassa parisuddhattā upari kilesānaṁ appahīnattā, idaṁ catutthaṁ cittaṁ. |
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| ‘From these the fourth class is to be distinguished. | |
Tatridaṁ pañcamaṁ cittaṁ vibhattamāpajjati—ye te, mahārāja, arahanto khīṇāsavā dhotamalā vantakilesā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā pattapaṭisambhidā sāvakabhūmīsu parisuddhā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ sāvakavisaye lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati, paccekabuddhabhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
Those, O king, who are Anāgāmins, who have completely got rid of the five lower fetters—their thinking powers, so far as the ten stages are concerned, are brought quickly into play, and act with ease. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
But as regards the higher regions they are brought into play with difficulty, and act slowly. |
Parisuddhattā sāvakavisaye, aparisuddhattā paccekabuddhavisaye. |
And why is this so? |
Yathā, mahārāja, vaṁsanāḷassa sabbapabbagaṇṭhiparisuddhassa ākaḍḍhiyantassa lahukaṁ hoti āgamanaṁ adandhaṁ. |
Because of their minds having been made clear as regards those ten stages, and because of the failings (to be vanquished in the higher stages) still existing within them. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
It is like the movement of a giant bambū which has a smooth trunk as far as the tenth knot, but above that has its branches intricately entangled. |
Sabbapabbagaṇṭhiparisuddhattā agahanattā vaṁsassa. |
This is the fourth class of minds.’ |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te arahanto khīṇāsavā dhotamalā vantakilesā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā pattapaṭisambhidā sāvakabhūmīsu parisuddhā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ sāvakavisaye lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati, paccekabuddhabhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
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Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
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Parisuddhattā sāvakavisaye, aparisuddhattā paccekabuddhavisaye, idaṁ pañcamaṁ cittaṁ. |
‘From these the fifth class is to be distinguished. |
| Those, O king, who are Arahats, in whom the four Great Evils have ceased, whose stains have been washed away, whose predispositions to evil have been put aside, who have lived the life, and accomplished the task, and laid aside every burden, and reached up to that which is good, for whom the Fetter of the craving after any kind of future life has been broken to pieces, who have reached the higher insight, who are purified as regards all those conditions of heart in which a hearer can be pure—their thinking powers, as regards all that a disciple can be or do, are brought quickly into play, and act with ease. | |
| But as to those things which are within the reach of the Pacceka-Buddhas (of those who are Buddhas, but for themselves alone) they are brought into play with difficulty, and act slowly. | |
Tatridaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ cittaṁ vibhattamāpajjati—ye te, mahārāja, paccekabuddhā sayambhuno anācariyakā ekacārino khaggavisāṇakappā sakavisaye parisuddhavimalacittā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ sakavisaye lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati, sabbaññubuddhabhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
And why is this so? |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
Because of their having been made pure as regards all within the province of a hearer, but not as regards that within the reach of those who are Buddhas (though for themselves alone). |
Parisuddhattā sakavisaye mahantattā sabbaññubuddhavisayassa. |
It is like the movement of a giant bambū which has been pruned of the branches arising out of all its knots—and which, therefore, when dragged along moves quickly and with ease, because of its smoothness all along, and because of its being unencumbered with the jungly growth of vegetation. |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso sakavisayaṁ parittaṁ nadiṁ rattimpi divāpi yadicchakaṁ acchambhito otareyya, atha parato mahāsamuddaṁ gambhīraṁ vitthataṁ agādhamapāraṁ disvā bhāyeyya, dandhāyeyya na visaheyya otarituṁ. |
This is the fifth class of minds.’ |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
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Tiṇṇattā sakavisayassa, mahantattā ca mahāsamuddassa. |
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Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te paccekabuddhā sayambhuno anācariyakā ekacārino khaggavisāṇakappā sakavisaye parisuddhavimalacittā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ sakavisaye lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati, sabbaññubuddhabhūmīsu garukaṁ uppajjati dandhaṁ pavattati. |
‘From these the sixth class is to be distinguished. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
Those, O king, who are Pacceka-Buddhas, dependent on themselves alone, wanting no teacher, dwellers alone like the solitary horn of the rhinoceros, who so far as their own higher life is concerned, have pure hearts free from stain—their thinking powers, so far as their own province is concerned, are brought quickly into play, and act with ease. |
Parisuddhattā sakavisaye mahantattā sabbaññubuddhavisayassa, idaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ cittaṁ. |
But as regards all that is specially within the province of a perfect Buddha (one who is not only Buddha, that is enlightened, himself, but can lead others to the light) they are brought with difficulty into play, and move slowly. |
| And why is this so? | |
| Because of their purity as regards all within their own province, and because of the immensity of the province of the omniscient Buddhas. | |
Tatridaṁ sattamaṁ cittaṁ vibhattamāpajjati—ye te, mahārāja, sammāsambuddhā sabbaññuno dasabaladharā catuvesārajjavisāradā aṭṭhārasahi buddhadhammehi samannāgatā anantajinā anāvaraṇañāṇā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ sabbattha lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati. |
It is like a man, O king, who would fearlessly cross, and at will, by day or night, a shallow brook on his own property. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
But when he comes in sight of the mighty ocean, deep and wide and ever-moving, and sees no further shore to it, then would he stand hesitating and afraid, and make no effort even to get over it. |
Sabbattha parisuddhattā. |
And why? |
Api nu kho, mahārāja, nārācassa sudhotassa vimalassa niggaṇṭhissa sukhumadhārassa ajimhassa avaṅkassa akuṭilassa daḷhacāpasamārūḷhassa khomasukhume vā kappāsasukhume vā kambalasukhume vā balavanipātitassa dandhāyitattaṁ vā lagganaṁ vā hotī”ti? |
Because of his familiarity with his own, and because of the immensity of the sea. |
“Na hi, bhante”. |
This is the sixth class of minds.’ |
“Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
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Sukhumattā vatthānaṁ sudhotattā nārācassa nipātassa ca balavattāti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te sammāsambuddhā sabbaññuno dasabaladharā catuvesārajjavisāradā aṭṭhārasahi buddhadhammehi samannāgatā anantajinā anāvaraṇañāṇā, tesaṁ taṁ cittaṁ sabbattha lahukaṁ uppajjati lahukaṁ pavattati. |
‘From these the seventh class is to be distinguished. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
Those, O king, who are complete Buddhas, having all knowledge, bearing about in themselves the tenfold power (of the ten kinds of insight), confident in the four modes of just self-confidence, endowed with the eighteen characteristics of a Buddha, whose mastery knows no limit, from whose grasp nothing is hid—their thinking powers are on every point brought quickly into play, and act with ease. |
Sabbattha parisuddhattā, idaṁ sattamaṁ cittaṁ. |
Suppose, O king, a dart well burnished, free from rust, perfectly smooth, with a fine edge, straight, without a crook or a flaw in it, were to be set on a powerful crossbow. |
| Would there be any clumsiness in its action, any retarding in its movement, if it were discharged by a powerful man against a piece of fine linen, or cotton stuff, or delicate woolwork?’ | |
Tatra, mahārāja, yadidaṁ sabbaññubuddhānaṁ cittaṁ, taṁ channampi cittānaṁ gaṇanaṁ atikkamitvā asaṅkhyeyyena guṇena parisuddhañca lahukañca. |
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Yasmā ca bhagavato cittaṁ parisuddhañca lahukañca, tasmā, mahārāja, bhagavā yamakapāṭihīraṁ dasseti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir. |
Yamakapāṭihīre, mahārāja, ñātabbaṁ buddhānaṁ bhagavantānaṁ cittaṁ evaṁ lahuparivattanti, na tattha sakkā uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ vattuṁ, tepi, mahārāja, pāṭihīrā sabbaññubuddhānaṁ cittaṁ upādāya gaṇanampi saṅkhampi kalampi kalabhāgampi na upenti, āvajjanapaṭibaddhaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato sabbaññutañāṇaṁ, āvajjetvā yadicchakaṁ jānāti. |
And why? |
| Because the stuff is so fine, and the dart so highly tempered, and the discharge so powerful.’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso hatthe ṭhapitaṁ yaṁ kiñci dutiye hatthe ṭhapeyya vivaṭena mukhena vācaṁ nicchāreyya, mukhagataṁ bhojanaṁ gileyya, ummīletvā vā nimīleyya, nimīletvā vā ummīleyya, samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya, cirataraṁ etaṁ, mahārāja, lahutaraṁ bhagavato sabbaññutañāṇaṁ, lahutaraṁ āvajjanaṁ, āvajjetvā yadicchakaṁ jānāti, āvajjanavikalamattakena na tāvatā buddhā bhagavanto asabbaññuno nāma hontī”ti. |
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| ‘And just in the same way, great king, are the thinking powers of the Buddhas I have described brought quickly into play, and act with ease. | |
| And why? | |
“Āvajjanampi, bhante nāgasena, pariyesanāya kātabbaṁ, iṅgha maṁ tattha kāraṇena saññāpehī”ti. |
Because of their being purified in every respect. |
“Yathā, mahārāja, purisassa aḍḍhassa mahaddhanassa mahābhogassa pahūtajātarūparajatassa pahūtavittūpakaraṇassa pahūtadhanadhaññassa sālivīhiyavataṇḍulatilamuggamāsapubbaṇṇāparaṇṇasappitelanavanītakhīradadhimadhuguḷaphāṇitā ca khaḷopikumbhipīṭharakoṭṭhabhājanagatā bhaveyyuṁ, tassa ca purisassa pāhunako āgaccheyya bhattāraho bhattābhikaṅkhī, tassa ca gehe yaṁ randhaṁ bhojanaṁ, taṁ pariniṭṭhitaṁ bhaveyya, kumbhito taṇḍule nīharitvā bhojanaṁ randheyya, api ca kho so, mahārāja, tāvatakena bhojanavekallamattakena adhano nāma kapaṇo nāma bhaveyyā”ti? |
This is the seventh class of minds.’ |
“Na hi, bhante, cakkavattirañño gharepi, bhante, akāle bhojanavekallaṁ hoti, kiṁ pana gahapatikassā”ti? |
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“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgatassa āvajjanavikalamattakaṁ sabbaññutañāṇaṁ āvajjetvā yadicchakaṁ jānāti. |
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| ‘Now of these, O king, the last—the thinking powers of the omniscient Buddhas—altogether outclasses the other six, and is clear and active in its high quality that is beyond our ken. | |
| It is because the mind of the Blessed One is so clear and active that the Blessed One, great king, displays the double miracle. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, rukkho assa phalito oṇatavinato piṇḍibhārabharito, na kiñci tattha patitaṁ phalaṁ bhaveyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, rukkho tāvatakena patitaphalavekallamattakena aphalo nāma bhaveyyā”ti? |
From that we may get to know, O king, how clear and active His mental powers are. |
“Na hi, bhante, patanapaṭibaddhāni tāni rukkhaphalāni, patite yadicchakaṁ labhatī”ti. |
And for those wonders there is no further reason that can be alleged. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgatassa āvajjanapaṭibaddhaṁ sabbaññutañāṇaṁ āvajjetvā yadicchakaṁ jānātī”ti. |
(Yet) those wonders, O king, [caused by means of the mind (alone) of the omniscient Buddhas ] cannot be counted, or calculated, or divided, or separated, (For) the knowledge of the Blessed One, O king, is dependent upon reflection, and it is on reflection that he knows whatever he wishes to know. |
| (But) it is as when a man passes something he already has in one hand to the other, or utters a sound when his mouth is open, or swallows some food that he has already in his mouth, or opens his eyes when they are shut, or shuts them when open, or stretches forth his arm when it is bent in, or bends it in when stretched out—more rapid than that, great king, and more easy in its action, is the all-embracing knowledge of the Blessed One, more rapid than that his reflection. | |
| And although it is by reflection that they know whatever they want to know, yet even when they are not reflecting the Blessed Buddhas are not, even then, anything other than omniscient.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, āvajjetvā āvajjetvā buddho yadicchakaṁ jānātī”ti? |
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“Āma, mahārāja, bhagavā āvajjetvā āvajjetvā yadicchakaṁ jānātīti. |
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| ‘But, venerable Nāgasena, reflection is carried on for the purpose of seeking (that which is not clear when the reflection begins). | |
| Come now. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, cakkavattī rājā yadā cakkaratanaṁ sarati ‘upetu me cakkaratanan’ti, sarite cakkaratanaṁ upeti; |
Convince me in this matter by some reason.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato āvajjetvā āvajjetvā yadicchakaṁ jānātī”ti. |
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“Daḷhaṁ, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇaṁ, buddho sabbaññū, sampaṭicchāma buddho sabbaññū”ti. |
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| ‘Suppose, O king, there were a rich man, great in wealth and property—one who had stores of gold and silver and valuables, and stores of all kinds of wheat, one who had rice, and paddy, and barley, and dry grain, and oilseed, and beans, and peas, and every other edible seed, who had ghee, and oil, and butter, and milk, and curds, and honey, and sugar, and molasses, all put away in store-rooms in jars, and pots, and pans, and every sort of vessel. | |
| Now if a traveller were to arrive, one worthy of hospitality, and expecting to be entertained; | |
Buddhasabbaññubhāvapañho dutiyo. |
and all the prepared food in the house had been finished, and they were to get out of the jar some rice ready for cooking, and prepare a meal for him. |
| Would that wealthy man merely by reason of the deficiency in eatable stuff at that unusual time be rightly called poor or needy?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir. | |
| Even in the palace of a mighty king of kings there might be no food ready out of time, how much less in the house of an ordinary man.’ | |
| ‘Just so, great king, with the all-embracing knowledge of a Tathāgata when reflection only is wanting; | |
| but which on reflection grasps whatever he wants. | |
| Now suppose, O king, there were a tree in full fruit, with its branches bending this way and that by the weight of the burden of the bunches of its fruit, but no single fruit had fallen from it. | |
| Could that tree rightly, under the circumstances of the case, be called barren, merely because of the want of a fallen fruit?’ | |
| ‘No, Sir. | |
| For though the falling of the fruit is a condition precedent to its enjoyment, yet when it has fallen one can take as much as one likes.’ | |
| ‘Just so, great king, though reflection is a necessary condition of the knowledge of the Tathāgata, yet on reflection it perceives whatever he wants to know.’ | |
| ‘Does that happen always, Nāgasena, at the moment of reflection?’ | |
| ‘Yes, O king. | |
| just as when the mighty king of kings (the cakkavatti) calling to mind his glorious wheel of victory wishes it to appear, and no sooner is it thought of than it appears—so does the knowledge of the Tathāgata follow continually on reflection.’ | |
| ‘Strong is the reason you give, Nāgasena, for the omniscience of the Buddha. | |
| I am convinced that that is so.’ | |
| Here ends the question as to the omniscience of the Buddha being dependent on reflection. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
3. Devadattapabbajjapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, devadatto kena pabbājito”ti? |
5.1.3. Why Devadatta Was Admitted To the Order |
“Chayime, mahārāja, khattiyakumārā bhaddiyo ca anuruddho ca ānando ca bhagu ca kimilo ca devadatto ca upālikappako sattamo abhisambuddhe satthari sakyakulānandajanane bhagavantaṁ anupabbajantā nikkhamiṁsu, te bhagavā pabbājesī”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, who was it that admitted Devadatta to the Order?’ |
“Nanu, bhante, devadattena pabbajitvā saṅgho bhinno”ti? |
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“Āma, mahārāja, devadattena pabbajitvā saṅgho bhinno, na gihī saṅghaṁ bhindati, na bhikkhunī, na sikkhamānā, na sāmaṇero, na sāmaṇerī saṅghaṁ bhindati, bhikkhu pakatatto samānasaṁvāsako samānasīmāyaṁ ṭhito saṅghaṁ bhindatī”ti. |
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“Saṅghabhedako, bhante, puggalo kiṁ kammaṁ phusatī”ti? |
‘Those six young nobles, O king, Bhaddiya and Anuruddha and Ānanda and Bhagu and Kimbila and Devadatta, together with Upāli the barber as a seventh—they all, when the Master had attained to Buddhahood, left the Sākya home out of the delight they felt in him, and following the Blessed One renounced the world. |
“Kappaṭṭhitikaṁ, mahārāja, kammaṁ phusatī”ti. |
So the Blessed One admitted them all to the Order.’ |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante nāgasena, buddho jānāti ‘devadatto pabbajitvā saṅghaṁ bhindissati, saṅghaṁ bhinditvā kappaṁ niraye paccissatī’”ti? |
‘But was it not Devadatta who, after he had entered the Order, raised up a schism within it?’ |
“Āma, mahārāja, tathāgato jānāti ‘devadatto pabbajitvā saṅghaṁ bhindissati, saṅghaṁ bhinditvā kappaṁ niraye paccissatī’”ti. |
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“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, buddho jānāti ‘devadatto pabbajitvā saṅghaṁ bhindissati, saṅghaṁ bhinditvā kappaṁ niraye paccissatī’ti, tena hi, bhante nāgasena, buddho kāruṇiko anukampako hitesī sabbasattānaṁ ahitaṁ apanetvā hitamupadahatīti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
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Yadi taṁ ajānitvā pabbājesi, tena hi buddho asabbaññūti, ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, vijaṭehi etaṁ mahājaṭaṁ, bhinda parāpavādaṁ, anāgate addhāne tayā sadisā buddhimanto bhikkhū dullabhā bhavissanti, ettha tava balaṁ pakāsehī”ti. |
‘Yes. |
| No layman can create a schism, nor a sister of the Order, nor one under preparatory instruction, nor a novice of either sex. | |
| It must be a Bhikkhu, under no disability, who is in full communion, and a co-resident.’ | |
“Kāruṇiko, mahārāja, bhagavā sabbaññū ca, kāruññena, mahārāja, bhagavā sabbaññutañāṇena devadattassa gatiṁ olokento addasa devadattaṁ āpāyikaṁ kammaṁ āyūhitvā anekāni kappakoṭisatasahassāni nirayena nirayaṁ vinipātena vinipātaṁ gacchantaṁ, taṁ bhagavā sabbaññutañāṇena jānitvā imassa apariyantakataṁ kammaṁ mama sāsane pabbajitassa pariyantakataṁ bhavissati, purimaṁ upādāya pariyantakataṁ dukkhaṁ bhavissati, apabbajitopi ayaṁ moghapuriso kappaṭṭhiyameva kammaṁ āyūhissatīti kāruññena devadattaṁ pabbājesī”ti. |
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| ‘And what Karma does a schismatical person gain?’ | |
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, buddho vadhitvā telena makkheti, papāte pātetvā hatthaṁ deti, māretvā jīvitaṁ pariyesati, yaṁ so paṭhamaṁ dukkhaṁ datvā pacchā sukhaṁ upadahatī”ti? |
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“Vadhetipi, mahārāja, tathāgato sattānaṁ hitavasena, pātetipi sattānaṁ hitavasena, māretipi sattānaṁ hitavasena, vadhitvāpi, mahārāja, tathāgato sattānaṁ hitameva upadahati, pātetvāpi sattānaṁ hitameva upadahati, māretvāpi sattānaṁ hitameva upadahati. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, mātāpitaro nāma vadhitvāpi pātayitvāpi puttānaṁ hitameva upadahanti; |
‘A Karma that continues to act for a Kalpa (a very long period of time).’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato vadhetipi sattānaṁ hitavasena, pātetipi sattānaṁ hitavasena, māretipi sattānaṁ hitavasena, vadhitvāpi, mahārāja, tathāgato sattānaṁ hitameva upadahati, pātetvāpi sattānaṁ hitameva upadahati, māretvāpi sattānaṁ hitameva upadahati, yena yena yogena sattānaṁ guṇavuḍḍhi hoti, tena tena yogena sabbasattānaṁ hitameva upadahati. |
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Sace, mahārāja, devadatto na pabbājeyya, gihibhūto samāno nirayasaṁvattanikaṁ bahuṁ pāpakammaṁ katvā anekāni kappakoṭisatasahassāni nirayena nirayaṁ vinipātena vinipātaṁ gacchanto bahuṁ dukkhaṁ vedayissati, taṁ bhagavā jānamāno kāruññena devadattaṁ pabbājesi, ‘mama sāsane pabbajitassa dukkhaṁ pariyantakataṁ bhavissatī’ti kāruññena garukaṁ dukkhaṁ lahukaṁ akāsi. |
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| ‘What then, Nāgasena! | |
| Was the Buddha aware that Devadatta after being admitted to the Order would raise up a schism, and having done so would suffer torment in purgatory for a Kalpa?’ | |
Yathā vā, mahārāja, dhanayasasiriñātibalena balavā puriso attano ñātiṁ vā mittaṁ vā raññā garukaṁ daṇḍaṁ dhārentaṁ attano bahuvissatthabhāvena samatthatāya garukaṁ daṇḍaṁ lahukaṁ akāsi; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā bahūni kappakoṭisatasahassāni dukkhaṁ vedayamānaṁ devadattaṁ pabbājetvā sīlasamādhipaññāvimuttibalasamatthabhāvena garukaṁ dukkhaṁ lahukaṁ akāsi. |
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| ‘Yes, the Tathāgata, knew that.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kusalo bhisakko sallakatto garukaṁ rogaṁ balavosadhabalena lahukaṁ karoti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, bahūni kappakoṭisatasahassāni dukkhaṁ vedayamānaṁ devadattaṁ bhagavā rogaññutāya pabbājetvā kāruññabalo patthaddhadhammosadhabalena garukaṁ dukkhaṁ lahukaṁ akāsi. |
‘But, Nāgasena, if that be so, then the statement that the Buddha was kind and pitiful, that he sought after the good of others, that he was the remover of that which works harm, the provider of that which works well to all beings—that statement must be wrong. |
Api nu kho so, mahārāja, bhagavā bahuvedanīyaṁ devadattaṁ appavedanīyaṁ karonto kiñci apuññaṁ āpajjeyyā”ti? |
If it be not so—if he knew not that Devadatta after he had been admitted to the Order would stir up a schism—then he cannot have been omniscient. |
“Na kiñci, bhante, apuññaṁ āpajjeyya antamaso gaddūhanamattampī”ti. |
This other double-pointed dilemma is put to you. |
“Imampi kho, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ atthato sampaṭiccha, yena kāraṇena bhagavā devadattaṁ pabbājesi. |
Unravel this tough skein, break up the argument of the adversaries. |
| In future times it will be hard to find Bhikkhus like to you in wisdom. | |
| Herein then show your skill!’ | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena bhagavā devadattaṁ pabbājesi. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā rañño dasseyyuṁ, ‘ayaṁ kho, deva, coro āgucārī, imassa yaṁ icchasi, taṁ daṇḍaṁ paṇehī’ti. |
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Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya ‘tena hi, bhaṇe, imaṁ coraṁ bahinagaraṁ nīharitvā āghātane sīsaṁ chindathā’ti. |
‘The Blessed One, O king, was both full of mercy and had all knowledge. |
‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho te rañño paṭissutvā taṁ bahinagaraṁ nīharitvā āghātanaṁ nayeyyuṁ. |
It was when the Blessed One in his mercy and wisdom considered the life history of Devadatta that he perceived how, having heaped up Karma on Karma, he would pass for an endless series of Kalpas from torment to torment, and from perdition to perdition. |
Tamenaṁ passeyya kocideva puriso rañño santikā laddhavaro laddhayasadhanabhogo ādeyyavacano balavicchitakārī, so tassa kāruññaṁ katvā te purise evaṁ vadeyya ‘alaṁ, bho, kiṁ tumhākaṁ imassa sīsacchedanena, tena hi bho imassa hatthaṁ vā pādaṁ vā chinditvā jīvitaṁ rakkhatha, ahametassa kāraṇā rañño santike paṭivacanaṁ karissāmī’ti. |
And the Blessed One knew also that the infinite Karma of that man would, because he had entered the Order, become finite, and the sorrow caused by the previous Karma would also therefore become limited. |
Te tassa balavato vacanena tassa corassa hatthaṁ vā pādaṁ vā chinditvā jīvitaṁ rakkheyyuṁ. |
But that if that foolish person were not to enter the Order then he would continue to heap up Karma which would endure for a Kalpa. |
Api nu kho so, mahārāja, puriso evaṁ kārī tassa corassa kiccakārī assā”ti? |
And it was because he knew that that, in his mercy, he admitted him to the Order.’ |
“Jīvitadāyako so, bhante, puriso tassa corassa, jīvite dinne kiṁ tassa akataṁ nāma atthī”ti? |
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“Yā pana hatthapādacchedane vedanā, so tāya vedanāya kiñci apuññaṁ āpajjeyyā”ti? |
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“Attano katena so, bhante, coro dukkhavedanaṁ vedayati, jīvitadāyako pana puriso na kiñci apuññaṁ āpajjeyyā”ti. |
‘Then, Nāgasena, the Buddha first wounds a man and then pours oil on the wound, first throws a man down a precipice and then reaches out to him an assisting hand, first kills him and then seeks to give him life, first gives pain and then a subsequent ease to the pain he has given.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā kāruññena devadattaṁ pabbājesi ‘mama sāsane pabbajitassa dukkhaṁ pariyantakataṁ bhavissatī’ti. |
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Pariyantakatañca, mahārāja, devadattassa dukkhaṁ, devadatto, mahārāja, maraṇakāle— |
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| ‘The Tathāgata, O king, wounds people but to their good, he casts people down but to their profit, he kills people but to their advantage. | |
‘Imehi aṭṭhīhi tamaggapuggalaṁ, |
just as mothers and fathers, O king, hurt their children and even knock them down, thinking the while of their good; |
Devātidevaṁ naradammasārathiṁ; |
so by whatsoever method an increase in the virtue of living things can be brought about, by that method does he contribute to their good. |
| If Devadatta, O king, had not entered the Order, then as a layman he would have laid up much Karma leading to states of woe, and so passing for hundreds of thousands of Kalpas from torment to misery, and from one state of perdition to another, he would have suffered constant pain. | |
Samantacakkhuṁ satapuññalakkhaṇaṁ, |
It was knowing that, that in his mercy, the Blessed One admitted Devadatta to the Order. |
Pāṇehi buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ upemī’ti. |
It was at the thought that by renouncing the world according to His doctrine Devadatta’s sorrow would become finite that, in his mercy, he adopted that means of making his heavy sorrow light. |
Pāṇupetaṁ saraṇamagamāsi. |
‘As a man of influence, O king, by the power of his wealth or reputation or prosperity or birth, when a grievous penalty has been imposed by, the king on some friend or relative of his, would get it made light by the ability arising from the trust reposed in him; |
Devadatto, mahārāja, cha koṭṭhāse kate kappe atikkante paṭhamakoṭṭhāse saṅghaṁ bhindi, pañca koṭṭhāse niraye paccitvā tato muccitvā aṭṭhissaro nāma paccekabuddho bhavissati. |
just so did the Blessed One, by admitting him to the Order, and by the efficacy of the influence of righteousness and meditation and wisdom and emancipation of heart, make light the heavy sorrow of Devadatta, who would have had to suffer many hundreds of thousands of Kalpas. |
Api nu kho so, mahārāja, bhagavā evaṁ kārī devadattassa kiccakārī assā”ti? |
As a clever physician and surgeon, O king, would make a grievous sickness light by the aid of a powerful medicinal drug, just so did the Blessed One, in his knowledge of the right means to an end, admit Devadatta to the Order and thus make his grievous pain light by the aid of the medicine of the Dhamma, strong by the power of mercy. |
“Sabbadado, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato devadattassa, yaṁ tathāgato devadattaṁ paccekabodhiṁ pāpessati, kiṁ tathāgatena devadattassa akataṁ nāma atthī”ti? |
Was then, O king, The Blessed One guilty of any wrong in that he turned Devadatta from being a man of much sorrow into being a man of less sorrow?’ |
“Yaṁ pana, mahārāja, devadatto saṅghaṁ bhinditvā niraye dukkhavedanaṁ vedayati, api nu kho bhagavā tatonidānaṁ kiñci apuññaṁ āpajjeyyā”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante, attanā katena, bhante, devadatto kappaṁ niraye paccati, dukkhapariyantakārako satthā na kiñci apuññaṁ āpajjatī”ti. |
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“Imampi kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ atthato sampaṭiccha, yena kāraṇena bhagavā devadattaṁ pabbājesi. |
‘No indeed, Sir. |
| He committed no wrong, not even in the smallest degree.’ | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena bhagavā devadattaṁ pabbājesi. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, kusalo bhisakko sallakatto vātapittasemhasannipātautupariṇāmavisamaparihāraopakkamikopakkantaṁ pūtikuṇapaduggandhābhisañchannaṁ antosallaṁ susiragataṁ pubbaruhirasampuṇṇaṁ vaṇaṁ vūpasamento vaṇamukhaṁ kakkhaḷatikhiṇakhārakaṭukena bhesajjena anulimpati paripaccanāya, paripaccitvā mudubhāvamupagataṁ satthena vikantayitvā ḍahati salākāya, daḍḍhe khāralavaṇaṁ deti, bhesajjena anulimpati vaṇaruhanāya byādhitassa sotthibhāvamanuppattiyā, api nu kho so, mahārāja, bhisakko sallakatto ahitacitto bhesajjena anulimpati, satthena vikanteti, ḍahati salākāya, khāralavaṇaṁ detī”ti? |
‘Then accept this, great king, to the full as the reason for which the Blessed One admitted Devadatta to the Order.’ |
“Na hi, bhante, hitacitto sotthikāmo tāni kiriyāni karotī”ti. |
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“Yā panassa bhesajjakiriyākaraṇena uppannā dukkhavedanā, tatonidānaṁ so bhisakko sallakatto kiñci apuññaṁ āpajjeyyā”ti? |
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“Hitacitto, bhante, sotthikāmo bhisakko sallakatto tāni kiriyāni karoti, kiṁ so tatonidānaṁ apuññaṁ āpajjeyya, saggagāmī so, bhante, bhisakko sallakatto”ti. |
‘Hear another and further reason, O king, for the Blessed One’s having admitted Devadatta. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kāruññena bhagavā devadattaṁ pabbājesi dukkhaparimuttiyā. |
Suppose men were to seize and hurry before the king some wicked robber, saying: |
| “This is the wicked robber, your Majesty. | |
| Inflict upon him such punishment as you think fit!” | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena bhagavā devadattaṁ pabbājesi. |
And thereupon the king were to say to them: |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso kaṇṭakena viddho assa, athaññataro puriso tassa hitakāmo sotthikāmo tiṇhena kaṇṭakena vā satthamukhena vā samantato chinditvā paggharantena lohitena taṁ kaṇṭakaṁ nīhareyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, puriso ahitakāmo taṁ kaṇṭakaṁ nīharatī”ti? |
“Take this robber then, my men, outside the town, and there on the place of execution cut off his head.” |
“Na hi, bhante, hitakāmo so, bhante, puriso sotthikāmo taṁ kaṇṭakaṁ nīharati. |
And they in obedience to his orders were to take that man accordingly towards the place of execution. |
Sace so, bhante, taṁ kaṇṭakaṁ na nīhareyya, maraṇaṁ vā so tena pāpuṇeyya maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhan”ti. |
And some man who was high in office near the king, and of great reputation and wealth and property, whose word was held of weight, and whose influence was great, should see him. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato kāruññena devadattaṁ pabbājesi dukkhaparimuttiyā. |
And he were to have pity on him, and were to say to those men: |
Sace, mahārāja, bhagavā devadattaṁ na pabbājeyya, kappakoṭisatasahassampi devadatto bhavaparamparāya niraye pacceyyā”ti. |
“Stay, good fellows. |
| What good will cutting off his head do to you? | |
| Save him alive, and cut off only a hand or a foot. | |
“Anusotagāmiṁ, bhante nāgasena, devadattaṁ tathāgato paṭisotaṁ pāpesi, vipanthapaṭipannaṁ devadattaṁ panthe paṭipādesi, papāte patitassa devadattassa patiṭṭhaṁ adāsi, visamagataṁ devadattaṁ tathāgato samaṁ āropesi. |
I will speak on his behalf to the king.” |
Ime ca, bhante nāgasena, hetū imāni ca kāraṇāni na sakkā aññena sandassetuṁ aññatra tavādisena buddhimatā”ti. |
And they at the word of that influential person were to do so. |
| Now would the officer who had acted so towards him have been a benefactor to that robber?’ | |
Devadattapabbajjapañho tatiyo. |
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| ‘He would have saved his life, Sir. | |
| And having done that, what would he not have done?’ | |
| ‘But would he have done no wrong on account of the pain the man suffered when his hand or foot was cut off?’ | |
| ‘The pain the thief suffered, Sir, was his own fault. | |
| But the man who saved his life did him no harm.’ | |
| ‘Just so, great king, was it in his mercy that the Blessed One admitted Devadatta, with the knowledge that by that his sorrow would be mitigated.’ | |
| ‘And Devadatta’s sorrow, O king, was mitigated. | |
| For Devadatta at the moment of his death took refuge in Him for the rest of his existences when he said: | |
| “In him, who of the best is far the best, | |
| The god of gods, the guide of gods and men, | |
| Who see’th all, and bears the hundred marks | |
| Of goodness—’Tis in him I refuge take | |
| Through all the lives that I may have to live.” | |
| ‘If you divide this Kalpa, O king, into six parts, it was at the end of the first part that Devadatta created schism in the Order. | |
| After he has suffered the other five in purgatory he will be released, and will become a Pacceka-Buddha under the name of Aṭṭhissara.’ | |
| ‘Great is the gift bestowed, Nāgasena, by the Blessed One on Devadatta. | |
| In that the Tathāgata has caused him to attain to the state of a Pacceka-Buddha, what has he not done for him?’ | |
| ‘But inasmuch as Devadatta, O king, having made a schism in the Order, suffers pain in purgatory, has not therefore the Blessed One done him wrong?’ | |
| ‘No, Sir. | |
| That is Devadatta’s own fault; | |
| and the Blessed One who mitigated his suffering has done him no harm.’ | |
| ‘Then accept this, O king, to the full as the reason for the Blessed One admitting Devadatta to the Order. | |
| ‘Hear another and further reason, O king, for his having done so. | |
| Suppose in treating a wound full of matter and blood, in whose grievous hollow the weapon which caused it remained, which stank of putrid flesh, and was made worse by the pain that varied with constantly changing symptoms, by variations in temperature, and by the union of the three humours—windy, bilious, and phlegmatic—an able physician and surgeon were to anoint it with a rough, sharp, bitter, stinging ointment, to the end that the inflammation should be allayed. | |
| And when the inflammation had gone down, and the wound had become sweet, suppose he were then to cut into it with a lancet, and burn it with caustic. | |
| And when he had cauterised it, suppose he were to prescribe an alkaline wash, and anoint it with some drug to the end that the wound might heal up, and the sick man recover his health—now tell me, O king, would it be out of cruelty that the surgeon thus smeared with ointment, and cut with the lancet, and cauterised with the stick of caustic, and administered a salty wash?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir; | |
| it would be with kindness in his heart, and intent on the man’s weal, that he would do all those things.’ | |
| ‘And the feelings of pain produced by his efforts to heal—would not the surgeon be guilty of any wrong in respect of them?’ | |
| ‘How so? | |
| Acting with kind intent and for the man’s weal, how could he therein incur a wrong? | |
| It is of heavenly bliss rather that that kindly surgeon would be worthy.’ | |
| ‘Just so, great king, was it in his mercy that the Blessed One admitted Devadatta, to the end to release him from pain.’ | |
| ‘Hear another and further reason, O king, why the Blessed One did so. | |
| Suppose a man had been pierced by a thorn. | |
| And another man with kindly intent and for his good were to cut round the place with another sharp thorn or with a lancet, and the blood flowing the while, were to extract that thorn. | |
| Now would it be out of cruelty that he acted so?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir. | |
| For he acted with kindly intent, and for the man’s good. | |
| And if he had not done so the man might have died, or might have suffered such pain that he would have been nigh to death.’ | |
| ‘Just even so, great king, was it of his mercy that the Tathāgata admitted Devadatta, to the end to release him of his pain. | |
| If he had not done so Devadatta would have suffered torment in purgatory through a succession of existences, through hundreds of thousands of Kalpas.’ | |
| ‘Yes, Nāgasena, the Tathāgata turned Devadatta, who was being carried down with the flood, with his head against the stream; | |
| he again pointed out the road to Devadatta when he was lost in the jungle; | |
| he gave a firm foothold to Devadatta when he was falling down the precipice: | |
| he restored Devadatta to peace when he was swallowed up of desolation. | |
| But the reason and the meaning of these things could no one have pointed out, Nāgasena, unless he were wise as you!’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma about Devadatta. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
4. Pathavicalanapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, hetū aṭṭha paccayā mahato bhūmicālassa pātubhāvāyā’ti. |
5.1.4. Vessantara’s Earthquake |
Asesavacanaṁ idaṁ, nissesavacanaṁ idaṁ, nippariyāyavacanaṁ idaṁ, natthañño navamo hetu mahato bhūmicālassa pātubhāvāya. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said thus: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, añño navamo hetu bhaveyya mahato bhūmicālassa pātubhāvāya, tampi hetuṁ bhagavā katheyya. |
“There are these eight causes, O Bhikkhus, proximate or remote, for a mighty earthquake.” |
Yasmā ca kho, bhante nāgasena, natthañño navamo hetu mahato bhūmicālassa pātubhāvāya, tasmā anācikkhito bhagavatā, ayañca navamo hetu dissati mahato bhūmicālassa pātubhāvāya, yaṁ vessantarena raññā mahādāne dīyamāne sattakkhattuṁ mahāpathavī kampitāti. |
This is an inclusive statement, a statement which leaves no room for anything to be, supplemented, a statement to which no gloss can be added. |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, aṭṭheva hetū aṭṭha paccayā mahato bhūmicālassa pātubhāvāya, tena hi vessantarena raññā mahādāne dīyamāne sattakkhattuṁ mahāpathavī kampitāti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
There can be no ninth reason for an earthquake. |
Yadi vessantarena raññā mahādāne dīyamāne sattakkhattuṁ mahāpathavī kampitā, tena hi aṭṭheva hetū aṭṭha paccayā mahato bhūmicālassa pātubhāvāyāti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
If there were, the Blessed One would have mentioned it. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho sukhumo dunniveṭhiyo andhakaraṇo ceva gambhīro ca, so tavānuppatto, neso aññena ittarapaññena sakkā visajjetuṁ aññatra tavādisena buddhimatā”ti. |
It, is because there is no other, that he left it unnoticed. |
| But we find another, and a ninth reason, when we are told that on Vessantara’s giving his mighty largesse the earth shook seven times. | |
| If, Nāgasena, there are eight causes for an earthquake, then what we hear of the earthquake at Vessantara’s largesse is false. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, hetū aṭṭha paccayā mahato bhūmicālassa pātubhāvāyā’ti. |
And if that is true, then the statement as to the eight causes of earthquakes is false. |
Yaṁ vessantarena raññā mahādāne dīyamāne sattakkhattuṁ mahāpathavī kampitā, tañca pana akālikaṁ kadācuppattikaṁ aṭṭhahi hetūhi vippamuttaṁ, tasmā agaṇitaṁ aṭṭhahi hetūhi. |
This double-headed question, too, is subtle, hard to unravel, dark, and profound. |
| It is now put to you. | |
| No one of less knowledge can solve it, only one wise as you.’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, loke tayoyeva meghā gaṇīyanti vassiko hemantiko pāvusakoti. |
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Yadi te muñcitvā añño megho pavassati, na so megho gaṇīyati sammatehi meghehi, akālameghotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. |
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Evameva kho, mahārāja, vessantarena raññā mahādāne dīyamāne yaṁ sattakkhattuṁ mahāpathavī kampitā, akālikaṁ etaṁ kadācuppattikaṁ aṭṭhahi hetūhi vippamuttaṁ, na taṁ gaṇīyati aṭṭhahi hetūhi. |
‘The Blessed One made the statement you refer to, O king, and yet the earth shook seven times at Vessantara’s largesse. |
| But that was out of season, it was an isolated occurrence, it was not included in the eight usual causes, and was not therefore reckoned as one of them. | |
| just, O king, as there are three kinds of well-known rains reckoned in the world-that of the rainy season, that of the winter months, and that of the two months Āsāḷha and Sāvana. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, himavantā pabbatā pañca nadisatāni sandanti, tesaṁ, mahārāja, pañcannaṁ nadisatānaṁ daseva nadiyo nadigaṇanāya gaṇīyanti. |
If, besides these, any other rain falls, that is not reckoned among the usual rains, but is called “a rain out of season.” |
Seyyathidaṁ—gaṅgā yamunā aciravatī sarabhū mahī sindhu sarassatī vetravatī vītaṁsā candabhāgāti, avasesā nadiyo nadigaṇanāya agaṇitā. |
And again, O king, just as there are five hundred rivers which flow down from the Himālayas, but of these ten only are reckoned in enumerations of rivers—the Ganges, the Jumna, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, the Mahī, the Indus, the Sarasvatī, the Vetravatī, the Vītaṁsā, and the Candabhāgā—the others not being included in the catalogue because of their intermittent flow of water. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
And again, O king, just as there are a hundred or two of officers under the king, but only six of them are reckoned as officers of state—the commander-in-chief, the prime minister, and the chief judge, and the high treasurer, and the bearer of the sunshade of state, and the state sword-bearer. |
Na tā nadiyo dhuvasalilā. |
And why? |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, vessantarena raññā mahādāne dīyamāne yaṁ sattakkhattuṁ mahāpathavī kampitā, akālikaṁ etaṁ kadācuppattikaṁ aṭṭhahi hetūhi vippamuttaṁ, na taṁ gaṇīyati aṭṭhahi hetūhi. |
Because of their royal prerogatives. |
| The rest are not reckoned, they are all called simply officers. | |
| Just as in all these cases, great king, the seven times repeated earthquake at the largesse of Vessantara was, as an isolated and extra ordinary occurrence, and distinct from the eight usual ones, not reckoned among those eight causes.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, rañño satampi dvisatampi tisatampi amaccā honti, tesaṁ chayeva janā amaccagaṇanāya gaṇīyanti. |
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Seyyathidaṁ—senāpati purohito akkhadasso bhaṇḍāgāriko chattaggāhako khaggaggāhako. |
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Eteyeva amaccagaṇanāya gaṇīyanti. |
‘Now have you heard, O king, in the history of our faith of any act of devotion being done so as to receive its recompense even in this present life, the fame of which has reached up to the gods?’ |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
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Yuttattā rājaguṇehi, avasesā agaṇitā, sabbe amaccātveva saṅkhaṁ gacchanti. |
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Evameva kho, mahārāja, vessantarena raññā mahādāne dīyamāne yaṁ sattakkhattuṁ mahāpathavī kampitā, akālikaṁ etaṁ kadācuppattikaṁ aṭṭhahi hetūhi vippamuttaṁ, na taṁ gaṇīyati aṭṭhahi hetūhi. |
‘Yes, Lord, I have heard of such. |
| There are seven cases of such actions.’ | |
Suyyati nu kho, mahārāja, etarahi jinasāsane katādhikārānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavedanīyakammaṁ, kitti ca yesaṁ abbhuggatā devamanussesū”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante, suyyati etarahi jinasāsane katādhikārānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavedanīyakammaṁ, kitti ca yesaṁ abbhuggatā devamanussesu satta janāti”. |
‘Who were the people who did those things?’ |
“Ke ca te, mahārājā”ti? |
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“Sumano ca, bhante, mālākāro, ekasāṭako ca brāhmaṇo, puṇṇo ca bhatako, mallikā ca devī, gopālamātā ca devī, suppiyā ca upāsikā, puṇṇā ca dāsīti ime satta diṭṭhadhammasukhavedanīyā sattā, kitti ca imesaṁ abbhuggatā devamanussesū”ti. |
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| ‘Sumana the garland maker, and Eka-sāṭaka the brahman, and Puṇṇa the hired servant, and Mallikā the queen, and the queen known as the mother of Gopāla, and Suppiyā the devoted woman, and Puṇṇā the slave-girl. | |
| It was these seven who did acts of devotion which bare fruit even in this life, and the fame of which reached even to the gods.’ | |
“Aparepi suyyanti nu kho atīte mānusakeneva sarīradehena tidasabhavanaṁ gatā”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante, suyyantī”ti. |
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“Ke ca te, mahārājā”ti? |
‘And have you heard of others, O king, who, even in their human body, mounted up to the blessed abode of the great Thirty-three?’ |
“Guttilo ca gandhabbo, sādhīno ca rājā, nimi ca rājā, mandhātā ca rājāti ime caturo janā suyyanti, teneva mānusakena sarīradehena tidasabhavanaṁ gatā”ti. |
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“Sucirampi kataṁ suyyati sukatadukkaṭanti? |
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Sutapubbaṁ pana tayā, mahārāja, atīte vā addhāne vattamāne vā addhāne itthannāmassa dāne dīyamāne sakiṁ vā dvikkhattuṁ vā tikkhattuṁ vā mahāpathavī kampitā”ti? |
‘Yes, I have heard, too, of them.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
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“Atthi me, mahārāja, āgamo adhigamo pariyatti savanaṁ sikkhābalaṁ sussūsā paripucchā ācariyupāsanaṁ, mayāpi na sutapubbaṁ ‘itthannāmassa dāne dīyamāne sakiṁ vā dvikkhattuṁ vā tikkhattuṁ vā mahāpathavī kampitā’ti ṭhapetvā vessantarassa rājavasabhassa dānavaraṁ. |
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Bhagavato ca, mahārāja, kassapassa, bhagavato ca sakyamuninoti dvinnaṁ buddhānaṁ antare gaṇanapathaṁ vītivattā vassakoṭiyo atikkantā, tatthapi me savanaṁ natthi ‘itthannāmassa dāne dīyamāne sakiṁ vā dvikkhattuṁ vā tikkhattuṁ vā mahāpathavī kampitā’ti. |
‘And who were they?’ |
Na, mahārāja, tāvatakena vīriyena tāvatakena parakkamena mahāpathavī kampati, guṇabhārabharitā, mahārāja, sabbasoceyyakiriyaguṇabhārabharitā dhāretuṁ na visahantī mahāpathavī calati kampati pavedhati. |
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| ‘Guttila the musician, and Sādhīna the king, and king Nimi, and king Mandhātā—these four. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, sakaṭassa atibhārabharitassa nābhiyo ca nemiyo ca phalanti akkho bhijjati; |
Long ago was it done, this glorious deed and difficult.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sabbasoceyyakiriyaguṇabhārabharitā mahāpathavī dhāretuṁ na visahantī calati kampati pavedhati. |
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| ‘But have you ever heard, O king, of the earth shaking, either now or in the past, and either once or twice or thrice, when a gift had been given?’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, gaganaṁ anilajalavegasañchāditaṁ ussannajalabhārabharitaṁ ativātena phuṭitattā nadati ravati gaḷagaḷāyati; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, mahāpathavī rañño vessantarassa dānabalavipulaussannabhārabharitā dhāretuṁ na visahantī calati kampati pavedhati. |
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Na hi, mahārāja, rañño vessantarassa cittaṁ rāgavasena pavattati, na dosavasena pavattati, na mohavasena pavattati, na mānavasena pavattati, na diṭṭhivasena pavattati, na kilesavasena pavattati, na vitakkavasena pavattati, na arativasena pavattati, atha kho dānavasena bahulaṁ pavattati ‘kinti anāgatā yācakā mama santike āgaccheyyuṁ, āgatā ca yācakā yathākāmaṁ labhitvā attamanā bhaveyyun’ti satataṁ samitaṁ dānaṁ pati mānasaṁ ṭhapitaṁ hoti. |
‘No, Sir, that I have not heard of.’ |
Rañño, mahārāja, vessantarassa satataṁ samitaṁ dasasu ṭhānesu mānasaṁ ṭhapitaṁ hoti dame same khantiyaṁ saṁvare yame niyame akkodhe avihiṁsāyaṁ sacce soceyye. |
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Rañño, mahārāja, vessantarassa kāmesanā pahīnā, bhavesanā paṭippassaddhā, brahmacariyesanāyayeva ussukkaṁ āpanno, rañño, mahārāja, vessantarassa attarakkhā pahīnā, sabbasattarakkhāya ussukkaṁ āpanno ‘kinti ime sattā samaggā assu arogā sadhanā dīghāyukā’ti bahulaṁyeva mānasaṁ pavattati. |
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Dadamāno ca, mahārāja, vessantaro rājā taṁ dānaṁ na bhavasampattihetu deti, na dhanahetu deti, na paṭidānahetu deti, na upalāpanahetu deti, na āyuhetu deti, na vaṇṇahetu deti, na sukhahetu deti, na balahetu deti, na yasahetu deti, na puttahetu deti, na dhītuhetu deti, atha kho sabbaññutañāṇahetu sabbaññutañāṇaratanassa kāraṇā evarūpe atulavipulānuttare dānavare adāsi, sabbaññutaṁ patto ca imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi— |
‘And I too, O king—though I have received the traditions, and been devoted to study, and to hearing the law, and to learning by heart, and to the acquirements of discipleship, and though I have been ready to learn, and to ask and to answer questions, and to sit at the feet of teachers—I too have never heard of such a thing, except only in the case of the splendid gift of Vessantara the glorious king. |
| And between the times of Kassapa the Blessed One, and of the Blessed One the Sākya sage, there have rolled by hundreds of thousands of years, but in all that period I have heard of no such case. | |
‘Jāliṁ kaṇhājinaṁ dhītaṁ, |
It is at no common effort, O king, at no ordinary struggle, that the great earth is moved. |
maddideviṁ patibbataṁ; |
It is when overborne by the weight of righteousness, overpowered by the burden of the goodness of acts which testify of absolute purity, that, unable to support it, the broad earth quakes and trembles and is moved. |
| Then it is as when a wagon is overladen with a too heavy weight, and the nave and the spokes are split, and the axletree is broken in twain. | |
Cajamāno na cintesiṁ, |
Then it is as when the heavens, overspread with the waters of the tempest driven by the wind, and overweighted with the burden of the heaped-up rain-clouds, roar and creak and rage at the onset of the whirlwind. |
bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā’ti. |
Thus was it, great king, that the broad earth, unable to support the unwonted burden of the heaped-up and wide-reaching force of king Vessantara’s largesse, quaked and trembled and was moved. |
| For the heart of king Vessantara was not turned in the way of lust, nor of ill-will, nor of dullness, nor of pride, nor of delusion, nor of sin, nor of disputation, nor of discontent, but it was turned mightily to generosity. | |
| And thinking: | |
Vessantaro, mahārāja, rājā akkodhena kodhaṁ jināti, asādhuṁ sādhunā jināti, kadariyaṁ dānena jināti, alikavādinaṁ saccena jināti, sabbaṁ akusalaṁ kusalena jināti. |
“Let all those who want, and who have not yet come, now arrive! |
Tassa evaṁ dadamānassa dhammānugatassa dhammasīsakassa dānanissandabalava vīriyavipulavipphārena heṭṭhā mahāvātā sañcalanti saṇikaṁ saṇikaṁ sakiṁ sakiṁ ākulākulā vāyanti onamanti unnamanti vinamanti, chinnapattapādapā papatanti, gumbaṁ gumbaṁ valāhakā gagane sandhāvanti, rajosañcitā vātā dāruṇā honti, gaganaṁ uppīḷitā vātā vāyanti, sahasā dhamadhamāyanti, mahābhīmo saddo niccharati, tesu vātesu kupitesu udakaṁ saṇikaṁ saṇikaṁ calati, udake calite khubbhanti macchakacchapā, yamakayamakā ūmiyo jāyanti, jalacarā sattā tasanti, jalavīci yuganaddho vattati, vīcinādo pavattati, ghorā bubbuḷā uṭṭhahanti, pheṇamālā bhavanti, uttarati mahāsamuddo, disāvidisaṁ dhāvati udakaṁ, uddhaṁsotapaṭisotamukhā sandanti saliladhārā, tasanti asurā garuḷā nāgā yakkhā, ubbijjanti ‘kiṁ nu kho, kathaṁ nu kho, sāgaro viparivattatī’ti, gamanapathamesanti bhītacittā, khubhite luḷite jaladhāre pakampati mahāpathavī sanagā sasāgarā, parivattati sinerugiri kūṭaselasikharo vinamamāno hoti, vimanā honti ahinakulabiḷārakoṭṭhukasūkaramigapakkhino, rudanti yakkhā appesakkhā, hasanti yakkhā mahesakkhā kampamānāya mahāpathaviyā. |
Let all who come receive whate’er they want, and be filled with satisfaction!” |
| it was on giving, ever and without end, that his mind was set. | |
| And on these ten conditions of heart, O king, was his mind too fixed—on self-control, and on inward calm, and on long-suffering, and on self-restraint, and on temperance, and on voluntary subjugation to meritorious vows, and on freedom from all forms of wrath and cruelty, and on truthfulness, and on purity of heart. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahati mahāpariyoge uddhanagate udakasampuṇṇe ākiṇṇataṇḍule heṭṭhato aggi jalamāno paṭhamaṁ tāva pariyogaṁ santāpeti, pariyogo santatto udakaṁ santāpeti, udakaṁ santattaṁ taṇḍulaṁ santāpeti, taṇḍulaṁ santattaṁ ummujjati nimujjati, bubbuḷakajātaṁ hoti, pheṇamālā uttarati; |
He had abandoned, O king, all seeking after the satisfaction of his animal lusts, he had overcome all craving after a future life, his strenuous effort was set only towards the higher life. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, vessantaro rājā yaṁ loke duccajaṁ, taṁ caji, tassa taṁ duccajaṁ cajantassa dānassa sabhāvanissandena heṭṭhā mahāvātā dhāretuṁ na visahantā parikuppiṁsu, mahāvātesu parikupitesu udakaṁ kampi, udake kampite mahāpathavī kampi, iti tadā mahāvātā ca udakañca mahāpathavī cāti ime tayo ekamanā viya ahesuṁ mahādānanissandena vipulabalavīriyena natthediso, mahārāja, aññassa dānānubhāvo, yathā vessantarassa rañño mahādānānubhāvo. |
He had given up, O king, the caring for himself, and devoted himself thenceforth to caring for others alone. |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahiyā bahuvidhā maṇayo vijjanti. |
His mind was fixed immovably on the thought: |
Seyyathidaṁ—indanīlo mahānīlo jotiraso veḷuriyo ummāpuppho sirīsapuppho manoharo sūriyakanto candakanto vajiro khajjopanako phussarāgo lohitaṅgo masāragalloti, ete sabbe atikkamma cakkavattimaṇi aggamakkhāyati, cakkavattimaṇi, mahārāja, samantā yojanaṁ obhāseti. |
“How can I make all beings to be at peace, healthy, and wealthy, and long lived?” |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, yaṁ kiñci mahiyā dānaṁ vijjati api asadisadānaṁ paramaṁ, taṁ sabbaṁ atikkamma vessantarassa rañño mahādānaṁ aggamakkhāyati, vessantarassa, mahārāja, rañño mahādāne dīyamāne sattakkhattuṁ mahāpathavī kampitā”ti. |
And when, O king, he was giving things away, he gave not for the sake of rebirth in any glorious state, he gave not for the sake of wealth, nor of receiving gifts in return, nor of flattery, nor of long life for himself, nor of high birth, nor of happiness, nor of power, nor of fame, nor of offspring either of daughters or of sons—but it was for the sake of supreme wisdom and of the treasure thereof that he gave gifts so immense, so immeasurable, so unsurpassed. |
| It was when he had attained to that supreme wisdom that he uttered the verse: | |
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, buddhānaṁ, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, buddhānaṁ, yaṁ tathāgato bodhisatto samāno asamo lokena evaṅkhanti evaṁcitto evaṁadhimutti evaṁadhippāyo, bodhisattānaṁ, bhante nāgasena, parakkamo dakkhāpito, pāramī ca jinānaṁ bhiyyo obhāsitā, cariyaṁ caratopi tāva tathāgatassa sadevake loke seṭṭhabhāvo anudassito. |
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Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, thomitaṁ jinasāsanaṁ, jotitā jinapāramī, chinno titthiyānaṁ vādagaṇṭhi, bhinno parāpavādakumbho, pañho gambhīro uttānīkato, gahanaṁ agahanaṁ kataṁ, sammā laddhaṁ jinaputtānaṁ nibbāhanaṁ, evametaṁ, gaṇivarapavara, tathā sampaṭicchāmā”ti. |
“Jāli, my son, and the Black Antelope, |
| My daughter, and my queen, my wife, Maddī, | |
| I gave them all away without a thought— | |
Pathavicalanapañho catuttho. |
And ‘twas for Buddhahood I did this thing.” |
| ’ | |
| ‘The angry man, O king, did the great king Vessantara conquer by mildness, and the wicked man by goodness, and the covetous by generosity, and the speaker of falsehood by truth, and all evil did he overcome by righteousness. | |
| When he was thus giving away—he who was seeking after righteousness, who had made righteousness his aim—then were the great winds, on which the earth rests below, agitated by the full force of the power of the influence that resulted from his generosity, and little by little, one by one, the great winds began to blow confusedly, and up and down and towards each side the earth swayed, and the mighty trees rooted in the soil began to totter, and masses of cloud were heaped together in the sky, and terrible winds arose laden with dust, and the heavens rushed together, and hurricanes blew with violent blasts, and a great and terrible mighty noise was given forth. | |
| And at the raging of those winds, the waters little by little began to move, and at the movement of the waters the great fish and the scaly creatures were disturbed, and the waves began to roll in double breakers, and the beings that dwell in the waters were seized with fear and as the breakers rushed together in pairs the roar of the ocean grew loud, and the spray was lashed into fury, and garlands of foam arose, and the great ocean opened to its depths, and the waters rushed hither and thither, the furious crests of their waves meeting this way and that; | |
| and the Asuras, and Garuḷas, and Yakkhas, and Nāgas shook with fear, and thought in their alarm: | |
| “What now! | |
| How now! | |
| is the great ocean being turned upside down? | |
| “ and sought, with terrified hearts, for a way of escape. | |
| And as the water on which it rests was troubled and agitated, then the broad earth began to shake, and with it the mountain ranges and the ocean depths, and Sineru began to revolve, and its rocky mountain crest became twisted. | |
| And at the trembling of the earth, the serpents, and mungooses, and cats, and jackals, and boars, and deer, and birds became greatly distressed, and the Yakkhas of inferior power wept, while those of greater power were merry. | |
| ‘Just, O king, as when a huge and mighty cauldron, full of water and crowded with grains of rice, is placed over a fireplace, then the fire burning beneath heats first of all the cauldron, and when that has become hot the water begins to boil, and as the water boils the grains of rice are heated and dive hither and thither in the water, and a mass of bubbles arises, and a garland of foam is formed—just so, O king, king Vessantara gave away whatsoever is in the world considered most difficult to bestow, and by reason of the nature of his generosity the great winds beneath were unable to refrain from being agitated throughout, and on the great winds being thrown into confusion the waters were shaken, and on the waters being disturbed the broad earth trembled, and so then the winds and the waters and the earth became all three, as it were, of one accord by the immense and powerful influence that resulted from that mighty giving. | |
| And there was never another giving, O king, which had such power as that generosity of the great king Vessantara. | |
| ‘And just, O king, as there are many gems of value found in the earth—the sapphire, and the great sapphire, and the wish-conferring gem, and the cat’s eye, and the flax gem, and the Acacia gem, and the entrancing gem, and the favourite of the sun, and the favourite of the moon, and the crystal, and the kajjopakkamaka, and the topaz, and the ruby, and the Masāra stone —but the glorious gem of the king of kings is acknowledged to be the chief of all these and surpassing all, for the sheen of that jewel, O king, spreads round about for a league on every side —just so, O king, of all the gifts that have ever been given upon earth, even the greatest and the most unsurpassed, that giving of the good king Vessantara is acknowledged to surpass them all. | |
| And it was on the giving of that gift, O king, that the broad earth shook seven times.’ | |
| ‘A marvellous thing is it, Nāgasena, of the Buddhas, and a most wonderful, that the Tathāgata even when a Bodisat (in the course of becoming a Buddha) was so unequalled in the world, so mild, so kind, and held before him aims so high, and endeavours so grand. | |
| You have made evident, Nāgasena, the might of the Bodisats, a most clear light have you cast upon the perfection of the Conquerors, you have shown how, in the whole world of gods and men, a Tathāgata, as he continues the practice of his noble life, is the highest and the best. | |
| Well spoken, venerable Nāgasena. | |
| The doctrine of the Conqueror has been exalted, the perfection of the Conqueror has been glorified, the knot of the arguments of the adversaries has been unravelled, the jar of the theories of the opponents has been broken in pieces, the dilemma so profound has been made clear, the jungle has been turned into open country, the children of the Conqueror have received the desire of their hearts. | |
| It is so, as you say, O best of the leaders of schools, and I accept that which you have said!’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the earthquake at Vessantara’s gift. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
5. Sivirājacakkhudānapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe evaṁ bhaṇatha—‘sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni dinnāni, andhassa sato puna dibbacakkhūni uppannānī’ti, etampi vacanaṁ sakasaṭaṁ saniggahaṁ sadosaṁ ‘hetusamugghāte ahetusmiṁ avatthusmiṁ natthi dibbacakkhussa uppādo’ti sutte vuttaṁ, yadi, bhante nāgasena, sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni dinnāni, tena hi ‘puna dibbacakkhūni uppannānī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā; |
5.1.5. King Sivi |
yadi dibbacakkhūni uppannāni, tena hi ‘sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni dinnānī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, tampi micchā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say thus: |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho gaṇṭhitopi gaṇṭhitaro veṭhatopi veṭhataro gahanatopi gahanataro, so tavānuppatto, tattha chandamabhijanehi nibbāhanāya paravādānaṁ niggahāyā”ti. |
“King Sivi gave his eyes to the man who begged them of him, and when he had thus become blind, new eyes were given to him from heaven.” |
| This statement is unpalatable, it lays its speaker open to rebuke, it is faulty. | |
| For it is said in the Sutta: | |
“Dinnāni, mahārāja, sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni, tattha mā vimatiṁ uppādehi, puna dibbāni ca cakkhūni uppannāni, tatthāpi mā vimatiṁ janehī”ti. |
“When the cause has been utterly destroyed, when there is no longer any cause, any basis left, then the divine eye cannot arise.” |
“Api nu kho, bhante nāgasena, hetusamugghāte ahetusmiṁ avatthusmiṁ dibbacakkhu uppajjatī”ti? |
So if he gave his eyes away, the statement that he received new (divine) ones must be false: |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
and if divine eyes arose to him; |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, ettha kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena hetusamugghāte ahetusmiṁ avatthusmiṁ dibbacakkhu uppajjati, iṅgha tāva kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehī”ti? |
then the statement that he gave his eyes away must be false. |
| This dilemma too is a double-pointed one, more knotty than a knot, more piercing than an arrow, more confusing than a jungle. | |
| It is now put to you. | |
“Kiṁ pana, mahārāja, atthi loke saccaṁ nāma, yena saccavādino saccakiriyaṁ karontī”ti? |
Rouse up in yourself the desire to, accomplish the task that is set to you, to the refutation of the adversaries!’ |
“Āma, bhante, atthi loke saccaṁ nāma, saccena, bhante nāgasena, saccavādino saccakiriyaṁ katvā devaṁ vassāpenti, aggiṁ nibbāpenti, visaṁ paṭihananti, aññampi vividhaṁ kattabbaṁ karontī”ti. |
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“Tena hi, mahārāja, yujjati sameti sivirājassa saccabalena dibbacakkhūni uppannānīti, saccabalena, mahārāja, avatthusmiṁ dibbacakkhu uppajjati, saccaṁyeva tattha vatthu bhavati dibbacakkhussa uppādāya. |
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| ‘King Sivi gave his eyes away, O king. | |
| Harbour no doubt on that point. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, ye keci sattā saccamanugāyanti ‘mahāmegho pavassatū’ti, tesaṁ saha saccamanugītena mahāmegho pavassati, api nu kho, mahārāja, atthi ākāse vassahetu sannicito ‘yena hetunā mahāmegho pavassatī’”ti? |
And in stead thereof divine eyes were produced for him. |
“Na hi, bhante, saccaṁyeva tattha hetu bhavati mahato meghassa pavassanāyā”ti. |
Neither on that point should you harbour doubt.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi tassa pakatihetu, saccaṁ yevettha vatthu bhavati dibbacakkhussa uppādāyāti. |
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| ‘But then, Nāgasena, can the divine eye arise when the cause of it has been utterly destroyed, when no cause for it, no basis, remains?’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, ye keci sattā saccamanugāyanti ‘jalitapajjalitamahāaggikkhandho paṭinivattatū’ti, tesaṁ saha saccamanugītena jalitapajjalitamahāaggikkhandho khaṇena paṭinivattati. |
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Api nu kho, mahārāja, atthi tasmiṁ jalitapajjalite mahāaggikkhandhe hetu sannicito ‘yena hetunā jalitapajjalitamahāaggikkhandho khaṇena paṭinivattatī’”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante, saccaṁyeva tattha vatthu hoti tassa jalitapajjalitassa mahāaggikkhandhassa khaṇena paṭinivattanāyā”ti. |
‘Certainly not, O king.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi tassa pakatihetu, saccaṁ yevettha vatthu bhavati dibbacakkhussa uppādāyāti. |
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| ‘What then is the reason by which in this case it arose, notwithstanding that its cause had been utterly destroyed, and no cause for it, no basis, remained. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, ye keci sattā saccamanugāyanti ‘visaṁ halāhalaṁ agadaṁ bhavatū’ti. |
Come now. |
Tesaṁ saha saccamanugītena visaṁ halāhalaṁ khaṇena agadaṁ bhavati, api nu kho, mahārāja, atthi tasmiṁ halāhalavise hetu sannicito ‘yena hetunā visaṁ halāhalaṁ khaṇena agadaṁ bhavatī’”ti? |
Convince me of the reason of this thing.’ |
“Na hi, bhante, saccaṁyeva tattha hetu bhavati visassa halāhalassa khaṇena paṭighātāyā”ti. |
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“Evameva kho, mahārāja, vinā pakatihetuṁ saccaṁ yevettha vatthu bhavati dibbacakkhussa uppādāyāti. |
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| ‘What then, O king? | |
| Is there in the world such a thing as Truth, by the asseveration of which true believers can perform the Act of Truth ?’ | |
Catunnampi, mahārāja, ariyasaccānaṁ paṭivedhāya natthaññaṁ vatthu, saccaṁ vatthuṁ katvā cattāri ariyasaccāni paṭivijjhantīti. |
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Atthi, mahārāja, cīnavisaye cīnarājā, so mahāsamudde kīḷitukāmo catumāse catumāse saccakiriyaṁ katvā saha rathena antomahāsamudde yojanaṁ pavisati, tassa rathasīsassa purato purato mahāvārikkhandho paṭikkamati, nikkhantassa puna ottharati, api nu kho, mahārāja, so mahāsamuddo sadevamanussenapi lokena pakatikāyabalena sakkā paṭikkamāpetun”ti? |
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“Atiparittakepi, bhante, taḷāke udakaṁ na sakkā sadevamanussenapi lokena pakatikāyabalena paṭikkamāpetuṁ, kiṁ pana mahāsamudde udakan”ti? |
‘Yes, Lord, there is. |
“Imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena saccabalaṁ ñātabbaṁ ‘natthi taṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ saccena na pattabban’ti. |
And by it true believers make the rain to fall, and fire to go out, and ward off the effects of poison, and accomplish many other things they want to do.’ |
Nagare, mahārāja, pāṭaliputte asoko dhammarājā sanegamajānapadaamaccabhaṭabalamahāmattehi parivuto gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ navasalilasampuṇṇaṁ samatitthikaṁ sambharitaṁ pañcayojanasatāyāmaṁ yojanaputhulaṁ sandamānaṁ disvā amacce evamāha—‘atthi koci, bhaṇe, samattho, yo imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpetun’ti. |
‘Then, great king, that fits the case, that meets it on all fours. |
Amaccā āhaṁsu ‘dukkaraṁ, devā’ti. |
It was by the power of Truth that those divine eyes were produced for Sivi the king. |
| By the power of the Truth the divine eye arose when no other cause was present, for the Truth itself was, in that case, the cause of its production. | |
| Suppose, O king, any Siddha (accomplished one) on intoning a charm, and saying: | |
Tasmiṁyeva gaṅgākūle ṭhitā bandhumatī nāma gaṇikā assosi raññā kira evaṁ vuttaṁ—‘sakkā nu kho imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpetun’ti, sā evamāha—‘ahañhi nagare pāṭaliputte gaṇikā rūpūpajīvinī antimajīvikā, mama tāva rājā saccakiriyaṁ passatū’ti. |
“Let a mighty rain now fall!” |
Atha sā saccakiriyaṁ akāsi, saha tassā saccakiriyāya khaṇena sā mahāgaṅgā gaḷagaḷāyantī paṭisotaṁ sandittha mahato janakāyassa passato. |
were to bring about a heavy rainfall by the intoning of his charm—would there in that case be any cause for rain accumulated in the sky by which the rain could be brought about?’ |
Atha rājā gaṅgāya āvaṭṭaūmivegajanitaṁ halāhalasaddaṁ sutvā vimhito acchariyabbhutajāto amacce evamāha—‘kissāyaṁ, bhaṇe, mahāgaṅgā paṭisotaṁ sandatī’ti? |
‘No, Sir. |
‘Bandhumatī, mahārāja, gaṇikā tava vacanaṁ sutvā saccakiriyaṁ akāsi, tassā saccakiriyāya mahāgaṅgā uddhammukhā sandatī’ti. |
The charm itself would be the cause.’ |
Atha saṁviggahadayo rājā turitaturito sayaṁ gantvā taṁ gaṇikaṁ pucchi—‘saccaṁ kira, je, tayā saccakiriyāya ayaṁ gaṅgā paṭisotaṁ sandāpitā’ti? |
‘Just so, great king, in the case put. |
‘Āma, devā’ti. |
There would be no ordinary cause. |
Rājā āha—‘kiṁ te tattha balaṁ atthi, ko vā te vacanaṁ ādiyati anummatto, kena tvaṁ balena imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpesī’ti? |
The Truth itself would be sufficient reason for the growth of the divine eye!’ |
Sā āha—‘saccabalenāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpesin’ti. |
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Rājā āha—‘kiṁ te saccabalaṁ atthi coriyā dhuttiyā asatiyā chinnikāya pāpiyā bhinnasīlāya hiriatikkantikāya andhajanapalobhikāyā’ti. |
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‘Saccaṁ, mahārāja, tādisikā ahaṁ, tādisikāyapi me, mahārāja, saccakiriyā atthi, yāyāhaṁ icchamānā sadevakampi lokaṁ parivatteyyan’ti. |
‘Now suppose, O king, a Siddha were to intone a charm, and say: |
Rājā āha—‘katamā pana sā hoti saccakiriyā, iṅgha maṁ sāvehī’ti. |
“Now let the mighty blazing, raging mass of fire go back!” |
‘Yo me, mahārāja, dhanaṁ deti khattiyo vā brāhmaṇo vā vesso vā suddo vā añño vā koci, tesaṁ samakaṁyeva upaṭṭhahāmi, “khattiyo”ti viseso natthi, “suddo”ti atimaññanā natthi, anunayappaṭighavippamuttā dhanassāmikaṁ paricarāmi, esā me, deva, saccakiriyā, yāyāhaṁ imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpesin’ti. |
and the moment the charm were repeated it were to retreat—would there be any cause laid by which would work that result?’ |
Itipi, mahārāja, sacce ṭhitā na kiñci atthaṁ na vindanti. |
‘No, Sir. |
Dinnāni ca, mahārāja, sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni, dibbacakkhūni ca uppannāni, tañca saccakiriyāya. |
The charm itself would be the cause.’ |
Yaṁ pana sutte vuttaṁ—‘maṁsacakkhusmiṁ naṭṭhe ahetusmiṁ avatthusmiṁ natthi dibbacakkhussa uppādo’ti. |
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Taṁ bhāvanāmayaṁ cakkhuṁ sandhāya vuttaṁ, evametaṁ, mahārāja, dhārehī”ti. |
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“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, sunibbeṭhito pañho, suniddiṭṭho niggaho, sumadditā paravādā, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
‘Just so, great king, would there in our case be no ordinary cause. |
| The power of the Truth would be sufficient cause in itself!’ | |
Sivirājacakkhudānapañho pañcamo. |
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| ‘Now suppose, O king, one of those Siddhas were to intone a charm, and were then to say: | |
| “Let this malignant poison become as a healing drug!” | |
| and the moment the charm were repeated that would be so—would there be any cause in reserve for that effect to be produced?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir. | |
| The charm itself would cause the warding off of that malignant poison.’ | |
| ‘Just so, great king, without any ordinary cause the Truth itself was, in king Sivi’s case, a sufficient reason for the reproduction of his eyes.’ | |
| ‘Now there is no other cause, O king, for the attainment of the four Noble Truths. | |
| It is only by means of an Act of Truth that they are attained. | |
| In the land of China, O king, there is a king of China, who when he wants to charm the great ocean, performs at intervals of four months a solemn Act of Truth, and then on his royal chariot drawn by lions, he enters a league’s distance into the great ocean. | |
| Then in front of the head of his chariot the mighty waves roll back, and when he returns they flow once more over the spot. | |
| But could the ocean be so drawn back by the ordinary bodily power of all gods and men combined?’ | |
| ‘Sir, even the water in a small tank could not be so made to retire, how much less the waters of the great ocean!’ | |
| ‘By this know then the force of Truth. | |
| There is no place to which it does not reach.’ | |
| ‘When Asoka the righteous ruler, O king, as he stood one day at the city of Pātaliputta in the midst of the townsfolk and the country people, of his officers and his servants, and his ministers of state, beheld the Ganges river as it rolled along filled up by freshets from the hills, full to the brim and overflowing—that mighty stream five hundred leagues in length, and a league in breadth—he said to his officers: | |
| “Is there any one, my good friends, who is able to make this great Ganges flow backwards and up stream?” | |
| “‘Nay, Sire, impossible,” said they. | |
| ‘Now a certain courtesan, Bindumatī by name, was in the crowd there at the river side, and she heard people repeat the question that the king had asked. | |
| Then she said to herself: | |
| “Here am I, a harlot, in this city of Pāṭaliputta, by the sale of my body do I gain my livelihood, I follow the meanest of vocations. | |
| Let the king behold the power of an Act of Truth performed even by such as I.” | |
| And she performed an Act of Truth. | |
| And that moment the mighty Ganges, roaring and raging, rolled back, up stream, in the sight of all the people! | |
| ‘Then when the king heard the din and the noise of the movement of the waves of the whirlpools of the mighty Ganges, amazed, and struck with awe and wonder, he said to his officers: | |
| “How is this, that the great Ganges is flowing backwards?” | |
| ‘And they told him what had happened. | |
| Then filled with emotion the king went himself in haste and asked the courtesan: | |
| “Is it true what they say, that it is by your Act of Truth that this Ganges has been forced to flow backwards?” | |
| “‘Yes, Sire,” said she. | |
| ‘And the king asked: | |
| “How have you such power in the matter? | |
| Or who is it who takes your words to heart (and carries them out)? | |
| By what authority is it that you, insignificant as you are, have been able to make this mighty river flow backwards?” | |
| ‘And she replied: | |
| “It is by the power of Truth, great king.” | |
| ‘But the king said: | |
| “How can that power be in you—you, a woman of wicked and loose life, devoid of virtue, under no restraint, sinful, who have overstepped all limits, and are full of transgression, and live on the plunder of fools? | |
| “ | |
| “‘It is true, O king, what you say. | |
| That is just the kind of creature I am. | |
| But even in such a one as I so great is the power of the Act of Truth that I could turn the whole world of gods and men upside down by it.” | |
| ‘Then the king said: | |
| “What is this Act of Truth? | |
| Come now, let me hear about it.” | |
| “‘Whosoever, O king, gives me gold—be he a noble or a brahman or a tradesman or a servant—I regard them all alike. | |
| When I see he is a noble I make no distinction in his favour. | |
| If I know him to be a slave I despise him not. | |
| Free alike from fawning and from dislike do I do service to him who has bought me. | |
| This, your Majesty, is the basis of the Act of Truth by the force of which I turned the Ganges back.” | |
| ’ | |
| ‘Thus, O king, is it that there is nothing which those who are stedfast to the truth may not enjoy. | |
| And so king Sivi gave his eyes away to him who begged them of him, and he received eyes from heaven, and that happened by his Act of Truth. | |
| But what is said in the Sutta that when the eye of flesh is destroyed, and the cause of it, the basis of it, is removed, then can no divine eye arise, that is only said of the eye, the insight, that arises out of contemplation. | |
| And thus, O king, should you take it.’ | |
| ‘Well said, Nāgasena! | |
| You have admirably solved the dilemma I put to you; | |
| you have rightly explained the point in which I tried to prove you wrong; | |
| you have thoroughly overcome the adversary. | |
| The thing is so, and I accept it thus.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to king Sivi’s Act of Truth. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
6. Gabbhāvakkantipañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘tiṇṇaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sannipātā gabbhassa avakkanti hoti, idha mātāpitaro ca sannipatitā honti, mātā ca utunī hoti, gandhabbo ca paccupaṭṭhito hoti, imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tiṇṇaṁ sannipātā gabbhassa avakkanti hotī’ti, asesavacanametaṁ, nissesavacanametaṁ, nippariyāyavacanametaṁ, arahassavacanametaṁ, sadevamanussānaṁ majjhe nisīditvā bhaṇitaṁ, ayañca dvinnaṁ sannipātā gabbhassa avakkanti dissati, dukūlena tāpasena pārikāya tāpasiyā utunikāle dakkhiṇena hatthaṅguṭṭhena nābhi parāmaṭṭhā, tassa tena nābhiparāmasanena sāmakumāro nibbatto. |
5.1.6. The Dilemma As To Conception |
Mātaṅgenāpi isinā brāhmaṇakaññāya utunikāle dakkhiṇena hatthaṅguṭṭhena nābhi parāmaṭṭhā, tassa tena nābhiparāmasanena maṇḍabyo nāma māṇavako nibbattoti. |
This dilemma goes into details which can be best consulted in the Pāli. |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘tiṇṇaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sannipātā gabbhassa avakkanti hotī’ti. |
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Tena hi sāmo ca kumāro maṇḍabyo ca māṇavako ubhopi te nābhiparāmasanena nibbattāti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
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Yadi, bhante, tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘sāmo ca kumāro maṇḍabyo ca māṇavako nābhiparāmasanena nibbattā’ti, tena hi ‘tiṇṇaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sannipātā gabbhassa avakkanti hotī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, tampi micchā. |
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Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho sugambhīro sunipuṇo visayo buddhimantānaṁ, so tavānuppatto, chinda vimatipathaṁ, dhārehi ñāṇavarappajjotan”ti. |
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“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘tiṇṇaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sannipātā gabbhassa avakkanti hoti, idha mātāpitaro ca sannipatitā honti, mātā ca utunī hoti, gandhabbo ca paccupaṭṭhito hoti, evaṁ tiṇṇaṁ sannipātā gabbhassa avakkanti hotī’ti. |
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Bhaṇitañca—‘sāmo ca kumāro maṇḍabyo ca māṇavako nābhiparāmasanena nibbattā’”ti. |
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“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, yena kāraṇena pañho suvinicchito hoti, tena kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehī”ti. |
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“Sutapubbaṁ pana tayā, mahārāja, saṅkicco ca kumāro isisiṅgo ca tāpaso thero ca kumārakassapo iminā nāma te nibbattā”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante, suyyati, abbhuggatā tesaṁ jāti, dve migadhenuyo tāva utunikāle dvinnaṁ tāpasānaṁ passāvaṭṭhānaṁ āgantvā sasambhavaṁ passāvaṁ piviṁsu, tena passāvasambhavena saṅkicco ca kumāro isisiṅgo ca tāpaso nibbattā. |
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Therassa udāyissa bhikkhunupassayaṁ upagatassa rattacittena bhikkhuniyā aṅgajātaṁ upanijjhāyantassa sambhavaṁ kāsāve mucci. |
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Atha kho āyasmā udāyi taṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca—‘gaccha bhagini, udakaṁ āhara antaravāsakaṁ dhovissāmī’ti. |
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‘Āharayya, ahameva dhovissāmī’ti. |
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Tato sā bhikkhunī utunisamaye taṁ sambhavaṁ ekadesaṁ mukhena aggahesi, ekadesaṁ aṅgajāte pakkhipi, tena thero kumārakassapo nibbattoti etaṁ jano āhā”ti. |
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“Api nu kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, saddahasi taṁ vacanan”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante, balavaṁ tattha mayaṁ kāraṇaṁ upalabhāma, yena mayaṁ kāraṇena saddahāma iminā kāraṇena nibbattā”ti. |
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“Kiṁ panettha, mahārāja, kāraṇan”ti? |
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“Suparikammakate, bhante, kalale bījaṁ nipatitvā khippaṁ saṁviruhatī”ti. |
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“Āma, mahārājā”ti. |
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“Evameva kho, bhante, sā bhikkhunī utunī samānā saṇṭhite kalale ruhire pacchinnavege ṭhitāya dhātuyā taṁ sambhavaṁ gahetvā tasmiṁ kalale pakkhipi, tena tassā gabbho saṇṭhāsi, evaṁ tattha kāraṇaṁ paccema tesaṁ nibbattiyā”ti. |
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“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, tathā sampaṭicchāmi, yonippavesena gabbho sambhavatīti. |
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Sampaṭicchasi pana, tvaṁ, mahārāja, therassa kumārakassapassa gabbhāvakkamanan”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante”ti. |
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“Sādhu, mahārāja, paccāgatosi mama visayaṁ, ekavidhenapi gabbhāvakkantiṁ kathayanto mamānubalaṁ bhavissasi, atha yā pana tā dve migadhenuyo passāvaṁ pivitvā gabbhaṁ paṭilabhiṁsu, tāsaṁ tvaṁ saddahasi gabbhassāvakkamanan”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante, yaṁ kiñci bhuttaṁ pītaṁ khāyitaṁ lehitaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ kalalaṁ osarati, ṭhānagataṁ vuḍḍhimāpajjati. |
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Yathā, bhante nāgasena, yā kāci saritā nāma, sabbā tā mahāsamuddaṁ osaranti, ṭhānagatā vuḍḍhimāpajjanti. |
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Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, yaṁ kiñci bhuttaṁ pītaṁ khāyitaṁ lehitaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ kalalaṁ osarati, ṭhānagataṁ vuḍḍhimāpajjati, tenāhaṁ kāraṇena saddahāmi mukhagatenapi gabbhassa avakkanti hotī”ti. |
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“Sādhu, mahārāja, gāḷhataraṁ upagatosi mama visayaṁ, mukhapānenapi dvayasannipāto bhavati. |
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Saṅkiccassa ca, mahārāja, kumārassa isisiṅgassa ca tāpasassa therassa ca kumārakassapassa gabbhāvakkamanaṁ sampaṭicchasī”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante, sannipāto osaratī”ti. |
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“Sāmopi, mahārāja, kumāro maṇḍabyopi māṇavako tīsu sannipātesu antogadhā, ekarasāyeva purimena, tattha kāraṇaṁ vakkhāmi. |
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Dukūlo ca, mahārāja, tāpaso pārikā ca tāpasī ubhopi te araññavāsā ahesuṁ pavivekādhimuttā uttamatthagavesakā, tapatejena yāva brahmalokaṁ santāpesuṁ. |
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Tesaṁ tadā sakko devānamindo sāyaṁ pātaṁ upaṭṭhānaṁ āgacchati. |
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So tesaṁ garukatamettatāya upadhārento addasa anāgatamaddhāne dvinnampi tesaṁ cakkhūnaṁ antaradhānaṁ, disvā te evamāha—‘ekaṁ me, bhonto, vacanaṁ karotha, sādhu ekaṁ puttaṁ janeyyātha, so tumhākaṁ upaṭṭhāko bhavissati ālambano cā’ti. |
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‘Alaṁ, kosiya, mā evaṁ bhaṇī’ti. |
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Te tassa taṁ vacanaṁ na sampaṭicchiṁsu. |
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Anukampako atthakāmo sakko devānamindo dutiyampi … tatiyampi te evamāha—‘ekaṁ me, bhonto, vacanaṁ karotha, sādhu ekaṁ puttaṁ janeyyātha, so tumhākaṁ upaṭṭhāko bhavissati ālambano cā’ti. |
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Tatiyampi te āhaṁsu ‘alaṁ, kosiya, mā tvaṁ kho amhe anatthe niyojehi, kadāyaṁ kāyo na bhijjissati, bhijjatu ayaṁ kāyo bhedanadhammo, bhijjantiyāpi dharaṇiyā patantepi selasikhare phalantepi ākāse patantepi candimasūriye neva mayaṁ lokadhammehi missayissāma, mā tvaṁ amhākaṁ sammukhabhāvaṁ upagaccha, upagatassa te eso vissāso, anatthacaro tvaṁ maññe’ti. |
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Tato sakko devānamindo tesaṁ manaṁ alabhamāno garukato pañjaliko puna yāci—‘yadi me vacanaṁ na ussahatha kātuṁ, yadā tāpasī utunī hoti pupphavatī, tadā tvaṁ, bhante, dakkhiṇena hatthaṅguṭṭhena nābhiṁ parāmaseyyāsi, tena sā gabbhaṁ lacchati, sannipāto yevesa gabbhāvakkantiyā’ti. |
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‘Sakkomahaṁ, kosiya, taṁ vacanaṁ kātuṁ, na tāvatakena amhākaṁ tapo bhijjati, hotū’ti—sampaṭicchiṁsu. |
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Tāya ca pana velāya devabhavane atthi devaputto ussannakusalamūlo khīṇāyuko āyukkhayappatto yadicchakaṁ samattho okkamituṁ api cakkavattikulepi. |
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Atha sakko devānamindo taṁ devaputtaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamāha—‘ehi kho, mārisa, supabhāto te divaso, atthasiddhi upagatā, yamahaṁ te upaṭṭhānamāgamiṁ, ramaṇīye te okāse vāso bhavissati, patirūpe kule paṭisandhi bhavissati, sundarehi mātāpitūhi vaḍḍhetabbo, ehi me vacanaṁ karohī’ti yāci. |
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Dutiyampi … tatiyampi yāci sirasi pañjalikato. |
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Tato so devaputto evamāha—‘katamaṁ taṁ, mārisa, kulaṁ, yaṁ tvaṁ abhikkhaṇaṁ kittayasi punappunan’ti. |
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‘Dukūlo ca tāpaso pārikā ca tāpasī’ti. |
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So tassa vacanaṁ sutvā tuṭṭho sampaṭicchi ‘sādhu, mārisa, yo tava chando, so hotu, ākaṅkhamāno ahaṁ, mārisa, patthite kule uppajjeyyaṁ, kimhi kule uppajjāmi aṇḍaje vā jalābuje vā saṁsedaje vā opapātike vā’ti? |
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‘Jalābujāya, mārisa, yoniyā uppajjāhī’ti. |
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Atha sakko devānamindo uppattidivasaṁ vigaṇetvā dukūlassa tāpasassa ārocesi ‘asukasmiṁ nāma divase tāpasī utunī bhavissati pupphavatī, tadā tvaṁ, bhante, dakkhiṇena hatthaṅguṭṭhena nābhiṁ parāmaseyyāsī’ti. |
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Tasmiṁ, mahārāja, divase tāpasī ca utunī pupphavatī ahosi, devaputto ca tatthūpago paccupaṭṭhito ahosi, tāpaso ca dakkhiṇena hatthaṅguṭṭhena tāpasiyā nābhiṁ parāmasi, iti te tayo sannipātā ahesuṁ, nābhiparāmasanena tāpasiyā rāgo udapādi, so panassā rāgo nābhiparāmasanaṁ paṭicca mā tvaṁ sannipātaṁ ajjhācārameva maññi, ūhasanampi sannipāto, ullapanampi sannipāto, upanijjhāyanampi sannipāto, pubbabhāgabhāvato rāgassa uppādāya āmasanena sannipāto jāyati, sannipātā okkamanaṁ hotīti. |
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Anajjhācārepi, mahārāja, parāmasanena gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, aggi jalamāno aparāmasanopi upagatassa sītaṁ byapahanti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, anajjhācārepi parāmasanena gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Catunnaṁ, mahārāja, vasena sattānaṁ gabbhāvakkanti hoti kammavasena yonivasena kulavasena āyācanavasena, api ca sabbepete sattā kammasambhavā kammasamuṭṭhānā. |
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Kathaṁ, mahārāja, kammavasena sattānaṁ gabbhāvakkanti hoti? |
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Ussannakusalamūlā, mahārāja, sattā yadicchakaṁ uppajjanti khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā devesu vā aṇḍajāya vā yoniyā jalābujāya vā yoniyā saṁsedajāya vā yoniyā opapātikāya vā yoniyā. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, puriso aḍḍho mahaddhano mahābhogo pahūtajātarūparajato pahūtavittūpakaraṇo pahūtadhanadhañño pahūtañātipakkho dāsiṁ vā dāsaṁ vā khettaṁ vā vatthuṁ vā gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā janapadaṁ vā yaṁ kiñci manasā abhipatthitaṁ, yadicchakaṁ dviguṇatiguṇampi dhanaṁ datvā kiṇāti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, ussannakusalamūlā sattā yadicchakaṁ uppajjanti khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā devesu vā aṇḍajāya vā yoniyā jalābujāya vā yoniyā saṁsedajāya vā yoniyā opapātikāya vā yoniyā. |
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Evaṁ kammavasena sattānaṁ gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Kathaṁ yonivasena sattānaṁ gabbhāvakkanti hoti? |
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Kukkuṭānaṁ, mahārāja, vātena gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Balākānaṁ meghasaddena gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Sabbepi devā agabbhaseyyakā sattāyeva, tesaṁ nānāvaṇṇena gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, manussā nānāvaṇṇena mahiyā caranti, keci purato paṭicchādenti, keci pacchato paṭicchādenti, keci naggā honti, keci bhaṇḍū honti setapaṭadharā, keci moḷibaddhā honti, keci bhaṇḍū kāsāvavasanā honti, keci kāsāvavasanā moḷibaddhā honti, keci jaṭino vākacīradharā honti, keci cammavasanā honti, keci rasmiyo nivāsenti, sabbepete manussā nānāvaṇṇena mahiyā caranti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, sattāyeva te sabbe, tesaṁ nānāvaṇṇena gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Evaṁ yonivasena sattānaṁ gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Kathaṁ kulavasena sattānaṁ gabbhāvakkanti hoti? |
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Kulaṁ nāma, mahārāja, cattāri kulāni aṇḍajaṁ jalābujaṁ saṁsedajaṁ opapātikaṁ. |
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Yadi tattha gandhabbo yato kutoci āgantvā aṇḍaje kule uppajjati, so tattha aṇḍajo hoti …pe… jalābuje kule … saṁsedaje kule … opapātike kule uppajjati, so tattha opapātiko hoti. |
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Tesu tesu kulesu tādisāyeva sattā sambhavanti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, himavati nerupabbataṁ ye keci migapakkhino upenti, sabbe te sakavaṇṇaṁ vijahitvā suvaṇṇavaṇṇā honti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci gandhabbo yato kutoci āgantvā aṇḍajaṁ yoniṁ upagantvā sabhāvavaṇṇaṁ vijahitvā aṇḍajo hoti …pe… jalābujaṁ … saṁsedajaṁ … opapātikaṁ yoniṁ upagantvā sabhāvavaṇṇaṁ vijahitvā opapātiko hoti, evaṁ kulavasena sattānaṁ gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Kathaṁ āyācanavasena sattānaṁ gabbhāvakkanti hoti? |
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Idha, mahārāja, kulaṁ hoti aputtakaṁ bahusāpateyyaṁ saddhaṁ pasannaṁ sīlavantaṁ kalyāṇadhammaṁ tapanissitaṁ, devaputto ca ussannakusalamūlo cavanadhammo hoti. |
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Atha sakko devānamindo tassa kulassa anukampāya taṁ devaputtaṁ āyācati ‘paṇidhehi, mārisa, asukassa kulassa mahesiyā kucchin’ti. |
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So tassa āyācanahetu taṁ kulaṁ paṇidheti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, manussā puññakāmā samaṇaṁ manobhāvanīyaṁ āyācitvā gehaṁ upanenti, ayaṁ upagantvā sabbassa kulassa sukhāvaho bhavissatīti. |
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Evameva kho, mahārāja, sakko devānamindo taṁ devaputtaṁ āyācitvā taṁ kulaṁ upaneti. |
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Evaṁ āyācanavasena sattānaṁ gabbhāvakkanti hoti. |
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Sāmo, mahārāja, kumāro sakkena devānamindena āyācito pārikāya tāpasiyā kucchiṁ okkanto. |
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Sāmo, mahārāja, kumāro katapuñño, mātāpitaro sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā, āyācako sakko, tiṇṇaṁ cetopaṇidhiyā sāmo kumāro nibbatto. |
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Idha, mahārāja, nayakusalo puriso sukaṭṭhe anūpakhette bījaṁ ropeyya, api nu tassa bījassa antarāyaṁ vivajjentassa vuḍḍhiyā koci antarāyo bhaveyyā”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante, nirupaghātaṁ bījaṁ khippaṁ saṁviruheyyā”ti. |
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“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sāmo kumāro mutto uppannantarāyehi tiṇṇaṁ cetopaṇidhiyā nibbatto. |
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Api nu kho, mahārāja, sutapubbaṁ tayā isīnaṁ manopadosena iddho phīto mahājanapado sajano samucchinno”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante, suyyati. |
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Mahiyā daṇḍakāraññaṁ majjhāraññaṁ kāliṅgāraññaṁ mātaṅgāraññaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ araññaṁ araññabhūtaṁ, sabbepete janapadā isīnaṁ manopadosena khayaṁ gatā”ti. |
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“Yadi, mahārāja, tesaṁ manopadosena susamiddhā janapadā ucchijjanti, api nu kho tesaṁ manopasādena kiñci nibbatteyyā”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante”ti. |
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“Tena hi, mahārāja, sāmo kumāro tiṇṇaṁ balavantānaṁ cetopasādena nibbatto isinimmito devanimmito puññanimmitoti. |
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Evametaṁ, mahārāja, dhārehi. |
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Tayome, mahārāja, devaputtā sakkena devānamindena āyācitā kulaṁ uppannā. |
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Katame tayo? |
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Sāmo kumāro mahāpanādo kusarājā, tayopete bodhisattā”ti. |
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“Suniddiṭṭhā, bhante nāgasena, gabbhāvakkanti, sukathitaṁ kāraṇaṁ, andhakāro āloko kato, jaṭā vijaṭitā, nicchuddhā paravādā, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
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Gabbhāvakkantipañho chaṭṭho. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
7. Saddhammantaradhānapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘pañceva dāni, ānanda, vassasatāni saddhammo ṭhassatī’ti. |
5.1.7. The Duration Of the Faith |
Puna ca parinibbānasamaye subhaddena paribbājakena pañhaṁ puṭṭhena bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘ime ca, subhadda, bhikkhū sammā vihareyyuṁ, asuñño loko arahantehi assā’ti, asesavacanametaṁ, nissesavacanametaṁ, nippariyāyavacanametaṁ. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘pañceva dāni, ānanda, vassasatāni saddhammo ṭhassatī’ti, tena hi ‘asuñño loko arahantehi assā’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“But now the good law, Ānanda, will only stand fast for five hundred years.” |
Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘asuñño loko arahantehi assā’ti, tena hi ‘pañceva dāni, ānanda, vassasatāni saddhammo ṭhassatī’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
But on the other hand the Blessed One declared, just before his death, in response to the question put by Subhadda the recluse: |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho gahanatopi gahanataro balavatopi balavataro gaṇṭhitopi gaṇṭhitaro, so tavānuppatto, tattha te ñāṇabalavipphāraṁ dassehi makaro viya sāgarabbhantaragato”ti. |
“But if in this system the brethren live the perfect life, then the world would not be bereft of Arahats.” |
| This last phrase is absolute, inclusive; | |
| it cannot be explained away. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘pañceva dāni, ānanda, vassasatāni saddhammo ṭhassatī’ti. |
If the first of these statements be correct, the second is misleading, if the second be right the first must be false. |
Parinibbānasamaye ca subhaddassa paribbājakassa bhaṇitaṁ—‘ime ca, subhadda, bhikkhū sammā vihareyyuṁ, asuñño loko arahantehi assā’ti. |
This too is a double-pointed question, more confused than the jungle, more powerful than a strong man, more knotty than a knot. |
Tañca pana, mahārāja, bhagavato vacanaṁ nānatthañceva hoti nānābyañjanañca, ayaṁ sāsanaparicchedo, ayaṁ paṭipatti paridīpanāti dūraṁ vivajjitā te ubho aññamaññaṁ. |
It is now put to you. |
Yathā, mahārāja, nabhaṁ pathavito dūraṁ vivajjitaṁ, nirayaṁ saggato dūraṁ vivajjitaṁ, kusalaṁ akusalato dūraṁ vivajjitaṁ, sukhaṁ dukkhato dūraṁ vivajjitaṁ; |
Show the extent of the power of your knowledge, like a leviathan in the midst of the sea.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, te ubho aññamaññaṁ dūraṁ vivajjitā. |
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| ‘The Blessed One, O king, did make both those statements you have quoted. | |
Api ca, mahārāja, mā te pucchā moghā assa, rasato te saṁsanditvā kathayissāmi ‘pañceva dāni, ānanda, vassasatāni saddhammo ṭhassatī’ti yaṁ bhagavā āha, taṁ khayaṁ paridīpayanto sesakaṁ paricchindi, ‘vassasahassaṁ, ānanda, saddhammo tiṭṭheyya, sace bhikkhuniyo na pabbājeyyuṁ. |
But they are different one from the other both in the spirit and in the letter. |
Pañceva dāni, ānanda, vassasatāni saddhammo ṭhassatī’ti. |
The one deals with the limit of the duration of the doctrine, the other with the practice of a religious life—two things widely distinct, as far removed one from the other as the zenith is from the surface of the earth, as heaven is from purgatory, as good is from evil, and as pleasure is from pain. |
Api nu kho, mahārāja, bhagavā evaṁ vadanto saddhammassa antaradhānaṁ vā vadeti abhisamayaṁ vā paṭikkosatī”ti? |
But though that be so, yet lest your enquiry should be vain, I will expound the matter further in its essential connection.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
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“Naṭṭhaṁ, mahārāja, parikittayanto sesakaṁ paridīpayanto paricchindi. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, puriso naṭṭhāyiko sabbasesakaṁ gahetvā janassa paridīpeyya ‘ettakaṁ me bhaṇḍaṁ naṭṭhaṁ, idaṁ sesakan’ti. |
‘When the Blessed One said that the good law would only endure for five hundred years, he said so declaring the time of its destruction, limiting the remainder of its existence. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā naṭṭhaṁ paridīpayanto sesakaṁ devamanussānaṁ kathesi ‘pañceva dāni, ānanda, vassasatāni saddhammo ṭhassatī’ti. |
For he said: |
Yaṁ pana, mahārāja, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘pañceva dāni, ānanda, vassasatāni saddhammo ṭhassatī’ti, sāsanaparicchedo eso. |
“The good law, Ānanda, would endure for a thousand years if no women had been admitted to the Order. |
| But now, Ānanda, it will only last five hundred years.” | |
| But in so saying, O king, did the Blessed One either foretell the disappearance of the good law, or throw blame on the clear understanding thereof?’ | |
Yaṁ pana parinibbānasamaye subhaddassa paribbājakassa samaṇe parikittayanto āha—‘ime ca, subhadda, bhikkhū sammā vihareyyuṁ, asuñño loko arahantehi assā’ti, paṭipattiparidīpanā esā, tvaṁ pana taṁ paricchedañca paridīpanañca ekarasaṁ karosi. |
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Yadi pana te chando, ekarasaṁ katvā kathayissāmi, sādhukaṁ suṇohi manasikarohi avikkhittamānaso. |
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| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
Idha, mahārāja, taḷāko bhaveyya navasalilasampuṇṇo sammukhamuttariyamāno paricchinno parivaṭumakato, apariyādiṇṇeyeva tasmiṁ taḷāke udakūpari mahāmegho aparāparaṁ anuppabandho abhivasseyya, api nu kho, mahārāja, tasmiṁ taḷāke udakaṁ parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyyā”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
‘Just so. |
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
It was a declaration of injury done, an announcement of the limit of what remained. |
“Meghassa, bhante, anuppabandhatāyā”ti. |
As when a man whose income had been diminished might announce publicly, making sure of what remained: |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, jinasāsanavarasaddhammataḷāko ācārasīlaguṇavattapaṭipattivimalanavasalilasampuṇṇo uttariyamāno bhavaggamabhibhavitvā ṭhito. |
“So much property have I lost; |
Yadi tattha buddhaputtā ācārasīlaguṇavattapaṭipattimeghavassaṁ aparāparaṁ anuppabandhāpeyyuṁ abhivassāpeyyuṁ. |
so much is still left"— so did the Blessed One make known to gods and men what remained when he announced what had been lost by saying: |
Evamidaṁ jinasāsanavarasaddhammataḷāko ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, arahantehi loko asuñño bhaveyya, imamatthaṁ bhagavatā sandhāya bhāsitaṁ ‘ime ca, subhadda, bhikkhū sammā vihareyyuṁ, asuñño loko arahantehi assā’ti. |
“The good law will now, Ānanda, endure for five hundred years.” |
| In so saying he was fixing a limit to religion. | |
| But when in speaking to Subhadda, and by way of proclaiming who were the true Samaṇas, he said: | |
Idha pana, mahārāja, mahati mahāaggikkhandhe jalamāne aparāparaṁ sukkhatiṇakaṭṭhagomayāni upasaṁhareyyuṁ, api nu kho so, mahārāja, aggikkhandho nibbāyeyyā”ti? |
“But if, in this system, the brethren live the perfect life, then the world would not be bereft of Arahats"—in so saying he was declaring in what religion consisted. |
“Na hi, bhante, bhiyyo bhiyyo so aggikkhandho jaleyya, bhiyyo bhiyyo pabhāseyyā”ti. |
You have confounded the limitation of a thing with the statement of what it is. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā jinasāsanavarampi ācārasīlaguṇavattapaṭipattiyā jalati pabhāsati. |
But if you like I will tell you what the real connection between the two is. |
Yadi pana, mahārāja, taduttariṁ buddhaputtā pañcahi padhāniyaṅgehi samannāgatā satatamappamattā padaheyyuṁ, tīsu sikkhāsu chandajātā sikkheyyuṁ, cārittañca sīlaṁ samattaṁ paripūreyyuṁ, evamidaṁ jinasāsanavaraṁ bhiyyo bhiyyo ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, asuñño loko arahantehi assāti imamatthaṁ bhagavatā sandhāya bhāsitaṁ ‘ime ca, subhadda, bhikkhū sammā vihareyyuṁ, asuñño loko arahantehi assā’ti. |
Listen carefully, and attend trustfully to what I say.’ |
Idha pana, mahārāja, siniddhasamasumajjitasappabhāsavimalādāsaṁ saṇhasukhumagerukacuṇṇena aparāparaṁ majjeyyuṁ, api nu kho, mahārāja, tasmiṁ ādāse malakaddamarajojallaṁ jāyeyyā”ti? |
‘Suppose, O king, there were a reservoir quite full of fresh cool water, overflowing at the brim, but limited in size and with an embankment running all round it. |
“Na hi, bhante, aññadatthu vimalataraṁyeva bhaveyyā”ti. |
Now if, when the water had not abated in that tank, a mighty cloud were to rain down rain continually, and in addition, on to the water already in it, would the amount of water in the tank decrease or come to an end?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, jinasāsanavaraṁ pakatinimmalaṁ byapagatakilesamalarajojallaṁ, yadi taṁ buddhaputtā ācārasīlaguṇavattapaṭipattisallekhadhutaguṇena jinasāsanavaraṁ sallakkheyyuṁ, evamidaṁ jinasāsanavaraṁ ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, asuñño ca loko arahantehi assāti imamatthaṁ bhagavatā sandhāya bhāsitaṁ ‘ime ca, subhadda, bhikkhū sammā vihareyyuṁ, asuñño loko arahantehi assā’ti. |
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Paṭipattimūlakaṁ, mahārāja, satthusāsanaṁ paṭipattikāraṇaṁ paṭipattiyā anantarahitāya tiṭṭhatī”ti. |
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| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘saddhammantaradhānan’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ saddhammantaradhānan”ti? |
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“Tīṇimāni, mahārāja, sāsanantaradhānāni. |
‘But why not, O king?’ |
Katamāni tīṇi? |
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Adhigamantaradhānaṁ paṭipattantaradhānaṁ liṅgantaradhānaṁ, adhigame, mahārāja, antarahite suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hoti, paṭipattiyā antarahitāya sikkhāpadapaññatti antaradhāyati, liṅgaṁyeva tiṭṭhati, liṅge antarahite paveṇupacchedo hoti, imāni kho, mahārāja, tīṇi antaradhānānī”ti. |
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| ‘Because of the Continual downpour of the rain.’ | |
“Suviññāpito, bhante nāgasena, pañho, gambhīro uttānīkato, gaṇṭhi bhinno, naṭṭhā paravādā bhaggā nippabhā katā, tvaṁ gaṇivaravasabhamāsajjā”ti. |
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| ‘Just so, O king, is the glorious reservoir of the good law of the teaching of the Conqueror ever full of the clear fresh cool water of the practice of duty and virtue and morality and purity of life, and continues overflowing all limits even to the very highest heaven of heavens. | |
| And if the children of the Buddha rain down into it continuously, and in addition, the rainfall of still further practice of duty and virtue and morality and purity of life, then will it endure for long, and the world will not be bereft of Arahats. | |
Saddhammantaradhānapañho sattamo. |
This was the meaning of the Master’s words when he said: |
| “But if, Subhadda, in this system the brethren continue in perfectness of life, then will the world not be bereft of Arahats.” | |
| ’ | |
| ‘Now suppose again, O king, that people were to continually supply a mighty fiery furnace with dried cow-dung, and dry sticks, and dry leaves—would that fire go out?’ | |
| ‘No indeed, Sir. | |
| Rather would it blaze more fiercely, and burn more brightly.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, does the glorious teaching of the Conqueror blaze and shine over the ten thousand world systems by the practice of duty and virtue and morality and purity of life. | |
| And if, O king, in addition to that, the children of the Buddha, devoting themselves to the five kinds of spiritual exertion, continue zealous in effort—if cultivating a longing for the threefold discipline, they train themselves therein— if without ceasing they carry out to the full the conduct that is right, and absolutely avoid all that is wrong, and practise righteousness of life—then will this glorious doctrine of the Conqueror stand more and more stedfast as the years roll on, and the world will not be bereft of Arahats. | |
| It was in reference to this, O king, that the Master spake when he said: | |
| “But if, Subhadda, in this system the brethren continue in perfectness of life, then will the world not be bereft of Arahats.” | |
| ’ | |
| ‘Again, O king, suppose people were to continually polish with fine soft red powder a stainless mirror that was already bright and shining, well polished, smooth, and glossy, would dirt and dust and mud arise on its surface?’ | |
| ‘No indeed—Sir. | |
| Rather would it become to a certainty even more stainless than before.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, is the glorious doctrine of the Conqueror stainless by nature, and altogether free from the dust and dirt of evil. | |
| And if the children of the Buddha cleanse it by the virtue arising from the shaking off, the eradication of evil, from the practice of duty and virtue and morality and purity of life, then will this glorious doctrine endure for long, and the world will not be bereft of Arahats. | |
| It was in reference to this that the Blessed One spake when he said: | |
| “But if, Subhadda, in this system the brethren continue in righteousness of life, then will not the world be bereft of Arahats.” | |
| For the teaching of the Master, O king, has its root in conduct, has conduct as its essence, and stands fast so long as conduct does not decline.’ | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, when you speak of the disappearance of the good law, what do you mean by its disappearance?’ | |
| ‘There are three modes of the disappearance, O king, of a system of doctrine. | |
| And what are the three? | |
| the decline of attainment to an intellectual grasp of it, the decline of conduct in accordance with it, and the decline of its outward form. | |
| When the attainment of it ceases, then even the man who conducts himself aright in it has no clear understanding of it. | |
| By the decline of conduct the promulgation of the rules of discipline ceases, only the outward form of the religion remains. | |
| When the outward form has ceased, the succession of the tradition is cut off. | |
| These are the three forms of the disappearance of a system of doctrine.’ | |
| ‘You have well explained, venerable Nāgasena, this dilemma so profound, and have made it plain. | |
| You have loosed the knot; | |
| you have destroyed the arguments of the adversary, broken them in pieces, proved them wrong—you, O best of the leaders of schools!’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the duration of the faith. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
8. Akusalacchedanapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tathāgato sabbaṁ akusalaṁ jhāpetvā sabbaññutaṁ patto, udāhu sāvasese akusale sabbaññutaṁ patto”ti? |
5.1.8. The Buddha’s Sinlessness |
“Sabbaṁ, mahārāja, akusalaṁ jhāpetvā bhagavā sabbaññutaṁ patto, natthi bhagavato sesakaṁ akusalan”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, had the Blessed One, when he became a Buddha, burnt out all evil in himself, or was there still some evil remaining in him?’ |
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, dukkhā vedanā tathāgatassa kāye uppannapubbā”ti? |
‘He had burnt out all evil. |
“Āma, mahārāja, rājagahe bhagavato pādo sakalikāya khato, lohitapakkhandikābādho uppanno, kāye abhisanne jīvakena vireko kārito, vātābādhe uppanne upaṭṭhākena therena uṇhodakaṁ pariyiṭṭhan”ti. |
There was none left.’ |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato sabbaṁ akusalaṁ jhāpetvā sabbaññutaṁ patto, tena hi bhagavato pādo sakalikāya khato, lohitapakkhandikā ca ābādho uppannoti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
‘But how, Sir? |
Yadi tathāgatassa pādo sakalikāya khato, lohitapakkhandikā ca ābādho uppanno, tena hi tathāgato sabbaṁ akusalaṁ jhāpetvā sabbaññutaṁ pattoti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
Did not the Tathāgata get hurt in his body?’ |
Natthi, bhante, vinā kammena vedayitaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ vedayitaṁ kammamūlakaṁ, taṁ kammeneva vedayati, ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
|
| ‘Yes, O king. | |
“Na hi, mahārāja, sabbaṁ taṁ vedayitaṁ kammamūlakaṁ. |
At Rājagaha a splinter of rock pierced his foot, and once he suffered from dysentery, and once when the humours of his body were disturbed a purge was administered to him, and once when he was troubled with wind the Elder who waited on him (that is Ānanda) gave him hot water.’ |
Aṭṭhahi, mahārāja, kāraṇehi vedayitāni uppajjanti, yehi kāraṇehi puthū sattā vedanā vediyanti. |
|
Katamehi aṭṭhahi? |
|
Vātasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, mahārāja, idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti, pittasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, mahārāja …pe… semhasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, mahārāja …pe… sannipātikānipi kho, mahārāja …pe… utupariṇāmajānipi kho, mahārāja …pe… visamaparihārajānipi kho, mahārāja …pe… opakkamikānipi kho, mahārāja …pe… kammavipākajānipi kho, mahārāja, idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. |
‘Then, Sir, if the Tathāgata, on his becoming a Buddha, has destroyed all evil in himself—this other statement that his foot was pierced by a splinter, that he had dysentery, and so on, must be false. |
Imehi kho, mahārāja, aṭṭhahi kāraṇehi puthū sattā vedanā vedayanti. |
But if they are true, then he cannot have been free from evil, for there is no pain without Karma. |
Tattha ye te puggalā ‘satte kammaṁ vibādhatī’ti vadeyyuṁ, te ime puggalā sattakāraṇaṁ paṭibāhanti. |
All pain has its root in Karma, it is on account of Karma that suffering arises. |
Tesaṁ taṁ vacanaṁ micchā”ti. |
This double-headed dilemma is put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
“Bhante nāgasena, yañca vātikaṁ yañca pittikaṁ yañca semhikaṁ yañca sannipātikaṁ yañca utupariṇāmajaṁ yañca visamaparihārajaṁ yañca opakkamikaṁ, sabbete kammasamuṭṭhānāyeva, kammeneva te sabbe sambhavantī”ti. |
|
| ‘No, O king. | |
“Yadi, mahārāja, tepi sabbe kammasamuṭṭhānāva ābādhā bhaveyyuṁ, na tesaṁ koṭṭhāsato lakkhaṇāni bhaveyyuṁ. |
It is not all suffering that has its root in Karma. |
Vāto kho, mahārāja, kuppamāno dasavidhena kuppati sītena uṇhena jighacchāya pipāsāya atibhuttena ṭhānena padhānena ādhāvanena upakkamena kammavipākena. |
There are eight causes by which sufferings arise, by which many beings suffer pain. |
Tatra ye te nava vidhā, na te atīte, na anāgate, vattamānake bhave uppajjanti, tasmā na vattabbā ‘kammasambhavā sabbā vedanā’ti. |
And what are the eight? |
Pittaṁ, mahārāja, kuppamānaṁ tividhena kuppati sītena uṇhena visamabhojanena. |
Superabundance of wind, and of bile, and of phlegm, the union of these humours, variations in temperature, the avoiding of dissimilarities, external agency, and Karma. |
Semhaṁ, mahārāja, kuppamānaṁ tividhena kuppati sītena uṇhena annapānena. |
From each of these there are some sufferings that arise, and these are the eight causes by which many beings suffer pain. |
Yo ca, mahārāja, vāto yañca pittaṁ yañca semhaṁ, tehi tehi kopehi kuppitvā missī hutvā sakaṁ sakaṁ vedanaṁ ākaḍḍhati. |
And therein whosoever maintains that it is Karma that injures beings, and besides it there is no other reason for pain, his proposition is false.’ |
Utupariṇāmajā, mahārāja, vedanā utupariṇāmena uppajjati. |
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Visamaparihārajā vedanā visamaparihārena uppajjati. |
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Opakkamikā, mahārāja, vedanā atthi kiriyā, atthi kammavipākā, kammavipākajā vedanā pubbe katena kammena uppajjati. |
‘But, Sir, all the other seven kinds of pain have each of them also Karma as its origin, for they are all produced by Karma.’ |
Iti kho, mahārāja, appaṁ kammavipākajaṁ, bahutaraṁ avasesaṁ. |
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Tattha bālā ‘sabbaṁ kammavipākajaṁ yevā’ti atidhāvanti. |
|
Taṁ kammaṁ na sakkā vinā buddhañāṇena vavatthānaṁ kātuṁ. |
‘If, O king, all diseases were really derived from Karma then there would be no characteristic marks by which they could be distinguished one from the other. |
| When the wind is disturbed, it is so in one or other of ten ways—by cold, or by heat, or by hunger, or by thirst, or by over eating, or by standing too long, or by over exertion, or by walking too fast, or by medical treatment, or as the result of Karma. | |
| Of these ten, nine do not act in a past life or in a future life, but in one’s present existence. | |
Yaṁ pana, mahārāja, bhagavato pādo sakalikāya khato, taṁ vedayitaṁ neva vātasamuṭṭhānaṁ, na pittasamuṭṭhānaṁ, na semhasamuṭṭhānaṁ, na sannipātikaṁ, na utupariṇāmajaṁ, na visamaparihārajaṁ, na kammavipākajaṁ, opakkamikaṁyeva. |
Therefore it is not right to say that all pain is due to Karma. |
Devadatto hi, mahārāja, bahūni jātisatasahassāni tathāgate āghātaṁ bandhi, so tena āghātena mahatiṁ garuṁ silaṁ gahetvā ‘matthake pātessāmī’ti muñci, athaññe dve selā āgantvā taṁ silaṁ tathāgataṁ asampattaṁyeva sampaṭicchiṁsu, tāsaṁ pahārena papaṭikā bhijjitvā bhagavato pāde patitvā ruhiraṁ uppādesi, kammavipākato vā, mahārāja, bhagavato esā vedanā nibbattā kiriyato vā, tatuddhaṁ natthaññā vedanā. |
When the bile, O king, is deranged it is so in one or other of three ways—by cold, or by heat, or by improper food. |
| When the phlegm is disturbed it is so by cold, or by heat, or by food and drink. | |
| When either of these three humours are disturbed or mixed, it brings about its own special, distinctive pain. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, khettaduṭṭhatāya vā bījaṁ na sambhavati bījaduṭṭhatāya vā; |
Then there are the special pains arising from variations in temperature, avoidance of dissimilarities, and external agency. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, kammavipākato vā bhagavato esā vedanā nibbattā kiriyato vā, tatuddhaṁ natthaññā vedanā. |
And there is the act that has Karma as its fruit, and the pain so brought about arising from the act done. |
| So what arises as the fruit of Karma is much less than that which arises from other causes. | |
| And the ignorant go too far when they say that every pain is produced as the fruit of Karma. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, koṭṭhaduṭṭhatāya vā bhojanaṁ visamaṁ pariṇamati āhāraduṭṭhatāya vā; |
No one without a Buddha’s insight can fix the extent of the action of Karma.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, kammavipākato vā bhagavato esā vedanā nibbattā kiriyato vā, tatuddhaṁ natthaññā vedanā. |
|
Api ca, mahārāja, natthi bhagavato kammavipākajā vedanā, natthi visamaparihārajā vedanā, avasesehi samuṭṭhānehi bhagavato vedanā uppajjati, tāya ca pana vedanāya na sakkā bhagavantaṁ jīvitā voropetuṁ. |
|
| ‘Now when the Blessed One’s foot was torn by a splinter of rock, the pain that followed was not produced by any other of the eight causes I have mentioned, but only by external agency. | |
| For Devadatta, O king, had harboured hatred against the Tathāgata during a succession of hundreds of thousands of births. | |
Nipatanti, mahārāja, imasmiṁ cātumahābhūtike kāye iṭṭhāniṭṭhā subhāsubhavedanā. |
It was in his hatred that he seized hold of a mighty mass of rock, and pushed it over with the hope that it would fall upon his head. |
Idha, mahārāja, ākāse khitto leḍḍu mahāpathaviyā nipatati, api nu kho so, mahārāja, leḍḍu pubbe katena mahāpathaviyā nipatī”ti? |
But two other rocks came together, and intercepted it before it had reached the Tathāgata; |
“Na hi, bhante, natthi so, bhante, hetu mahāpathaviyā, yena hetunā mahāpathavī kusalākusalavipākaṁ paṭisaṁvedeyya, paccuppannena, bhante, akammakena hetunā so leḍḍu mahāpathaviyaṁ nipatati”. |
and by the force of their impact a splinter was torn off, and fell upon the Blessed One’s foot, and made it bleed. |
“Yathā, mahārāja, mahāpathavī, evaṁ tathāgato daṭṭhabbo. |
Now this pain must have been produced in the Blessed One either as the result of his own Karma, or of some one else’s act. |
Yathā leḍḍu pubbe akatena mahāpathaviyaṁ nipatati; |
For beyond these two there can be no other kind of pain. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgatassa pubbe akatena sā sakalikā pāde nipatitā. |
It is as when a seed does not germinate—that must be due either to the badness of the soil, or to a defect in the seed. |
| Or it is as when food is not digested—that must be due either to a defect in the stomach, or to the badness of the food.’ | |
Idha pana, mahārāja, manussā mahāpathaviṁ bhindanti ca khaṇanti ca, api nu kho, mahārāja, te manussā pubbe katena mahāpathaviṁ bhindanti ca khaṇanti cā”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
‘But although the Blessed One never suffered pain which was the result of his own Karma, or brought about the avoidance of dissimilarity, yet he suffered pain from each of the other six causes. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yā sā sakalikā bhagavato pāde nipatitā, na sā sakalikā pubbe katena bhagavato pāde nipatitā. |
And by the pain he could suffer it was not possible to deprive him of life. |
Yopi, mahārāja, bhagavato lohitapakkhandikābādho uppanno, sopi ābādho na pubbe katena uppanno, sannipātikeneva uppanno, ye keci, mahārāja, bhagavato kāyikā ābādhā uppannā, na te kammābhinibbattā, channaṁ etesaṁ samuṭṭhānānaṁ aññatarato nibbattā. |
There come to this body of ours, O king, compounded of the four elements, sensations desirable and the reverse, pleasant and unpleasant. |
| Suppose, O king, a clod of earth were to be thrown into the air, and to fall again on to the ground. | |
| Would it be in consequence of any act it had previously done that it would so fall?’ | |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavaralañchake moḷiyasīvake veyyākaraṇe— |
|
‘Pittasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, sīvaka, idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. |
‘No, Sir. |
Sāmampi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, veditabbaṁ, yathā pittasamuṭṭhānānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. |
There is no reason in the broad earth by which it could experience the result of an act either good or evil. |
Lokassapi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, saccasammataṁ, yathā pittasamuṭṭhānānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. |
It would be by reason of a present cause independent of Karma that the clod would fall to earth again.’ |
Tatra, sīvaka, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino “yaṁ kiñcāyaṁ purisapuggalo paṭisaṁvedeti sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā, sabbaṁ taṁ pubbe katahetū”ti. |
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Yañca sāmaṁ ñātaṁ, tañca atidhāvanti, yañca loke saccasammataṁ, tañca atidhāvanti. |
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Tasmā tesaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ micchāti vadāmi. |
‘Well, O king, the Tathāgata should be regarded as the broad earth. |
| And as the clod would fall on it irrespective of any act done by it, so also was it irrespective of any act done by him that that splinter of rock fell upon his foot.’ | |
Semhasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, sīvaka, idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. |
|
Vātasamuṭṭhānānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… sannipātikānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… utupariṇāmajānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… visamaparihārajānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… opakkamikānipi kho, sīvaka …pe… kammavipākajānipi kho, sīvaka, idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. |
‘Again, O king, men tear up and plough the earth. |
Sāmampi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, veditabbaṁ, yathā kammavipākajānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. |
But is that a result of any act previously done?’ |
Lokassapi kho etaṁ, sīvaka, saccasammataṁ, yathā kammavipākajānipi idhekaccāni vedayitāni uppajjanti. |
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Tatra, sīvaka, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino “yaṁ kiñcāyaṁ purisapuggalo paṭisaṁvedeti sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā, sabbaṁ taṁ pubbe katahetū”ti. |
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Yañca sāmaṁ ñātaṁ, tañca atidhāvanti, yañca loke saccasammataṁ, tañca atidhāvanti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir.’ |
Tasmā tesaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ micchāti vadāmī’ti. |
|
| ‘Just so with the falling of that splinter. | |
Itipi, mahārāja, na sabbā vedanā kammavipākajā, sabbaṁ, mahārāja, akusalaṁ jhāpetvā bhagavā sabbaññutaṁ pattoti evametaṁ dhārehī”ti. |
And the dysentery which attacked him was in the same way the result of no previous act, it arose from the union of the three humours. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
And whatsoever bodily disease fell upon him, that had its origin, not in Karma, but in one or other of the six causes referred to. |
| For it has been said, O king, by the Blessed One, by him who is above all gods, in the glorious collection called the Samyutta Nikāya in The prose Sutta, called after Moliya Sīvaka: | |
| “There are certain pains which arise in the world, Sīvaka, from bilious humour. | |
Akusalacchedanapañho aṭṭhamo. |
And you ought to know for a certainty which those are, for it is a matter of common knowledge in the world which they are. |
| But those Samanas and Brahmans, Sīvaka, who are of the opinion and proclaim the view that whatsoever pleasure, or pain, or indifferent sensation, any man experiences, is always due to a previous act—they go beyond certainty, they go beyond knowledge, and therein do I say they are wrong. | |
| And so also of those pains which arise from the phlegmatic humour, or from the windy humour, or from the union of the three, or from variation in temperature, or from avoidance of dissimilarity, or from external action, or as the result of Karma. | |
| In each case you should know for a certainty which those are, for it is a matter of common knowledge which they are. | |
| But those Samanas or Brahmans who are of the opinion or the view that whatsoever pleasure, or pain, or indifferent sensation, any man may experience, that is always due to a previous act—they go beyond certainty, they go beyond common knowledge. | |
| And therein do I say they are wrong.” | |
| So, O king, it is not all pain that is the result of Karma. | |
| And you should accept as a fact that when the Blessed One became a Buddha he had burnt out all evil from within him.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| It is so; | |
| and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the Buddha’s sinlessness. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
9. Uttarikaraṇīyapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘yaṁ kiñci karaṇīyaṁ tathāgatassa, sabbaṁ taṁ bodhiyāyeva mūle pariniṭṭhitaṁ, natthi tathāgatassa uttariṁ karaṇīyaṁ, katassa vā paticayo’ti, idañca temāsaṁ paṭisallānaṁ dissati. |
5.1.9. On the Advantages Of Meditation |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, yaṁ kiñci karaṇīyaṁ tathāgatassa, sabbaṁ taṁ bodhiyāyeva mūle pariniṭṭhitaṁ, natthi tathāgatassa uttariṁ karaṇīyaṁ, katassa vā paticayo, tena hi ‘temāsaṁ paṭisallīno’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say that everything which a Tathāgata has to accomplish that had the Blessed One already carried out when he sat at the foot of the Tree of Wisdom. |
Yadi temāsaṁ paṭisallīno, tena hi ‘yaṁ kiñci karaṇīyaṁ, tathāgatassa, sabbaṁ taṁ bodhiyāyeva mūle pariniṭṭhitan’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
There was then nothing that he had yet to do, nothing that he had to add to what he had already done. |
Natthi katakaraṇīyassa paṭisallānaṁ, sakaraṇīyasseva paṭisallānaṁ yathā nāma byādhitasseva bhesajjena karaṇīyaṁ hoti, abyādhitassa kiṁ bhesajjena. |
But then there is also talk of his having immediately afterwards remained plunged for three months in ecstatic contemplation. |
Chātasseva bhojanena karaṇīyaṁ hoti, achātassa kiṁ bhojanena. |
If the first statement be correct, then the second must be false. |
Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, natthi katakaraṇīyassa paṭisallānaṁ, sakaraṇīyasseva paṭisallānaṁ. |
And if the second be right, then the first must be wrong. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
There is no need of any contemplation to him who has already accomplished his task. |
| It is the man who still has something left to do, who has to think about it. | |
| It is the sick man who has need of medicine, not the healthy; | |
“Yaṁ kiñci, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ tathāgatassa, sabbaṁ taṁ bodhiyāyeva mūle pariniṭṭhitaṁ, natthi tathāgatassa uttariṁ karaṇīyaṁ, katassa vā paticayo, bhagavā ca temāsaṁ paṭisallīno, paṭisallānaṁ kho, mahārāja, bahuguṇaṁ, sabbepi tathāgatā paṭisallīyitvā sabbaññutaṁ pattā, taṁ te sukataguṇamanussarantā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti. |
the hungry man who has need of food, not the man whose hunger is quenched. |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso rañño santikā laddhavaro paṭiladdhabhogo taṁ sukataguṇamanussaranto aparāparaṁ rañño upaṭṭhānaṁ eti; |
This too is a double-headed dilemma, and you have to solve it!’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sabbepi tathāgatā paṭisallīyitvā sabbaññutaṁ pattā, taṁ te sukataguṇamanussarantā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti. |
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| ‘Both statements, O king, are true. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, puriso āturo dukkhito bāḷhagilāno bhisakkamupasevitvā sotthimanuppatto taṁ sukataguṇamanussaranto aparāparaṁ bhisakkamupasevati; |
Contemplation has many virtues. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sabbepi tathāgatā paṭisallīyitvā sabbaññutaṁ pattā, taṁ te sukataguṇamanussarantā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti. |
All the Tathāgatas attained, in contemplation, to Buddhahood, and practised it in the recollection of its good qualities. |
| And they did so in the same way as a man who had received high office from a king would, in the recollection of its advantages, of the prosperity he enjoyed by means of it, remain constantly in attendance on that king—in the same way as a man who, having been afflicted and pained with a dire disease, and having recovered his health by the use of medicine, would use the same medicine again and again, calling to mind its virtue.’ | |
Aṭṭhavīsati kho panime, mahārāja, paṭisallānaguṇā, ye guṇe samanussarantā tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti. |
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Katame aṭṭhavīsati? |
‘And there are, O king, these twenty and eight good qualities of meditation in the perception of which the Tathāgatas devoted themselves to it. |
Idha, mahārāja, paṭisallānaṁ paṭisallīyamānaṁ attānaṁ rakkhati, āyuṁ vaḍḍheti, balaṁ deti, vajjaṁ pidahati, ayasamapaneti, yasamupaneti, aratiṁ vinodeti, ratimupadahati, bhayamapaneti, vesārajjaṁ karoti, kosajjamapaneti, vīriyamabhijaneti, rāgamapaneti, dosamapaneti, mohamapaneti, mānaṁ nihanti, vitakkaṁ bhañjati, cittaṁ ekaggaṁ karoti, mānasaṁ snehayati, hāsaṁ janeti, garukaṁ karoti, lābhamuppādayati, namassiyaṁ karoti, pītiṁ pāpeti, pāmojjaṁ karoti, saṅkhārānaṁ sabhāvaṁ dassayati, bhavappaṭisandhiṁ ugghāṭeti, sabbasāmaññaṁ deti. |
And which are they? |
Ime kho, mahārāja, aṭṭhavīsati paṭisallānaguṇā, ye guṇe samanussarantā tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti. |
Meditation preserves him who meditates, it gives him long life, and endows him with power, it cleanses him from faults, it removes from him any bad reputation giving him a good name, it destroys discontent in him filling him with content, it releases him from all fear endowing him with confidence, it removes sloth far from him filling him with zeal, it takes away lust and ill-will and dullness, it puts an end to pride, it breaks down all doubt, it makes his heart to be at peace, it softens his mind, it makes him glad, it makes him grave, it gains him much advantage, it makes him worthy of reverence, it fills him with joy, it fills him with delight, it shows him the transitory nature of all compounded things, it puts an end to rebirth, it obtains for him all the benefits of renunciation. |
| These, O king, are the twenty and eight virtues of meditation on the perception of which the Tathāgatas devote themselves to it. | |
| But it is because The Tathāgatas, O king, long for the enjoyment of the bliss of attainment, of the joy of the tranquil state of Nirvāna, that they devote themselves to meditation, with their minds fixed on the end they aim at. | |
Api ca kho, mahārāja, tathāgatā santaṁ sukhaṁ samāpattiratiṁ anubhavitukāmā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti pariyositasaṅkappā. |
|
Catūhi kho, mahārāja, kāraṇehi tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti. |
|
Katamehi catūhi? |
‘And there are four, reasons for which the Tathāgatas, O king, devote themselves to meditation. |
Vihāraphāsutāyapi, mahārāja, tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti, anavajjaguṇabahulatāyapi tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti, asesaariyavīthitopi tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti, sabbabuddhānaṁ thutathomitavaṇṇitapasatthatopi tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti. |
And what are the four? |
Imehi kho, mahārāja, catūhi kāraṇehi tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti. |
That they may dwell at ease, O king—and on account of the abundance of the advantages of meditation, advantages without drawback—and on account of its being the road to all noble things without exception-and because it has been praised and lauded and exalted and magnified by all the Buddhas. |
Iti kho, mahārāja, tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevanti na sakaraṇīyatāya, na katassa vā paticayāya, atha kho guṇavisesadassāvitāya tathāgatā paṭisallānaṁ sevantī”ti. |
These are the reasons for which the Tathāgatas devote themselves to it. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
So it is not, great king, because they have anything left to do, or anything to add to what they have already accomplished, but because they have perceived how diversified are the advantages it possesses, that they devote themselves to meditation.’ |
Uttarikaraṇīyapañho navamo. |
‘Very good, Nāgasena! |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to meditation. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Iddhibalavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
10 Iddhibaladassanapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā, so ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, tathāgato kappaṁ vā tiṭṭheyya kappāvasesaṁ vā’ti. |
5.1.10. The Limit Of Three Months |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘ito tiṇṇaṁ māsānaṁ accayena tathāgato parinibbāyissatī’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā …pe… kappāvasesaṁ vā’ti, tena hi temāsaparicchedo micchā. |
“The Tathāgata, Ānanda, has thought out and thoroughly practised, developed, accumulated, and ascended to the very height of the four paths to saintship, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as a means of mental advancement, and as a basis for edification—and he therefore, Ānanda, should he desire it, might remain alive for a Kalpa, or for that portion of a Kalpa which has yet to run.” |
Yadi, bhante, tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘ito tiṇṇaṁ māsānaṁ accayena tathāgato parinibbāyissatī’ti, tena hi ‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā …pe… kappāvasesaṁ vā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
And again he said: |
Natthi tathāgatānaṁ aṭṭhāne gajjitaṁ. |
“At the end of three months from this time the Tathāgata will die.” |
Amoghavacanā buddhā bhagavanto tathavacanā advejjhavacanā. |
If the first of these statements were true, then the limit of three months must have been false. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho gambhīro sunipuṇo dunnijjhāpayo tavānuppatto, bhindetaṁ diṭṭhijālaṁ, ekaṁse ṭhapaya, bhinda paravādan”ti. |
If the second were true, Then the first must have been false. |
| For the Tathāgatas boast not without an occasion, the Blessed Buddhas speak no misleading words, but they utter truth, and speak sincerely. | |
| This too is a double-headed dilemma, profound, subtle, hard to expound. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā …pe… kappāvasesaṁ vā’ti, temāsaparicchedo ca bhaṇito, so ca pana kappo āyukappo vuccati. |
It is now put to you. |
Na, mahārāja, bhagavā attano balaṁ kittayamāno evamāha, iddhibalaṁ pana, mahārāja, bhagavā parikittayamāno evamāha—‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā …pe… kappāvasesaṁ vā’ti. |
Tear in sunder this net of heresy, put it on one side, break in pieces the arguments of the adversary!’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, rañño assājānīyo bhaveyya sīghagati anilajavo, tassa rājā javabalaṁ parikittayanto sanegamajānapadabhaṭabalabrāhmaṇagahapatikaamaccajanamajjhe evaṁ vadeyya ‘ākaṅkhamāno me, bho, ayaṁ hayavaro sāgarajalapariyantaṁ mahiṁ anuvicaritvā khaṇena idhāgaccheyyā’ti, na ca taṁ javagatiṁ tassaṁ parisāyaṁ dasseyya, vijjati ca so javo tassa, samattho ca so khaṇena sāgarajalapariyantaṁ mahiṁ anuvicarituṁ. |
‘Both these statements, O king, were made by the Blessed One. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā attano iddhibalaṁ parikittayamāno evamāha, tampi tevijjānaṁ chaḷabhiññānaṁ arahantānaṁ vimalakhīṇāsavānaṁ devamanussānañca majjhe nisīditvā bhaṇitaṁ—‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā, so ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, tathāgato kappaṁ vā tiṭṭheyya kappāvasesaṁ vā’ti. |
But Kalpa in that connection means the duration of a man’s life. |
Vijjati ca taṁ, mahārāja, iddhibalaṁ bhagavato, samattho ca bhagavā iddhibalena kappaṁ vā ṭhātuṁ kappāvasesaṁ vā, na ca bhagavā taṁ iddhibalaṁ tassaṁ parisāyaṁ dasseti, anatthiko, mahārāja, bhagavā sabbabhavehi, garahitā ca tathāgatassa sabbabhavā. |
And the Blessed One, O king, was not exalting his own power when he said so, but he was exalting the power of Saintship. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, appamattakopi gūtho duggandho hoti; |
It was as if a king were possessed of a horse most swift of foot, who could run like the wind. |
evameva kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, appamattakampi bhavaṁ na vaṇṇemi antamaso accharāsaṅghātamattampī’ti api nu kho, mahārāja, bhagavā sabbabhavagatiyoniyo gūthasamaṁ disvā iddhibalaṁ nissāya bhavesu chandarāgaṁ kareyyā”ti? |
And in order to exalt the power of his speed the king were to say in the presence of all his court-townsfolk and country folk, hired servants and men of war, brahmins, nobles, and officers: |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“If he wished it this noble steed of mine could cross the earth to its ocean boundary, and be back here again, in a moment!” |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, bhagavā iddhibalaṁ parikittayamāno evarūpaṁ buddhasīhanādamabhinadī”ti. |
Now though he did not try to test the horse’s speed in the presence of the court, yet it had that speed, and was, really able to go along over the earth to its ocean boundary in a moment. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
Just so, O king, the Blessed One spake as he did in praise of the power of saintship, and so spake seated in the midst of gods and men, and of the men of the threefold wisdom and the sixfold insight—the Arahats pure and free from stain—when he said: |
| “The Tathāgata, Ānanda, has thought out and practised, developed, accumulated, and ascended to the very height of the four powers of saintship, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as a means of mental advancement, as a basis for edification. | |
| And he therefore, Ānanda, should he desire it, might remain alive for a Kalpa, or the part of a Kalpa that has yet to run.” | |
Iddhibaladassanapañho dasamo. |
And there was that power, O king, in the Tathāgata, he could have remained alive for that time: |
| and yet he did not show that power in the midst of that assembly. | |
| The Blessed One, O king, is free from desire as respects all conditions of future life, and has condemned them all. | |
Iddhibalavaggo paṭhamo. |
For it has been said, O king, by the Blessed One: |
| “Just, O Bhikkhus, as a very small quantity of excrement is of evil smell, so do I find no beauty in the very smallest degree of future life, not even in such for the time of the snapping of the fingers.” | |
| Now would the Blessed One, O king, who thus looked upon all sorts and conditions of future life as dung have nevertheless, simply because of his power of Iddhi, harboured a craving desire for future life?’ | |
Imasmiṁ vagge dasa pañhā. |
|
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Then it must have been to exalt the power of Iddhi that he gave utterance to such a boast.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| It is so, and I accept it as you say. | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the three months. | |
| Here ends the First Chapter. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Abhejjavagga |
The Solving of Dilemmas |
1. Khuddānukhuddakapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘abhiññāyāhaṁ, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desemi no anabhiññāyā’ti. |
5.2.1. The Abolition Of Regulations |
Puna ca vinayapaññattiyā evaṁ bhaṇitaṁ—‘ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, saṅgho mamaccayena khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni samūhanatū’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: |
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni duppaññattāni, udāhu avatthusmiṁ ajānitvā paññattāni, yaṁ bhagavā attano accayena khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni samūhanāpeti? |
“It is by insight, O Bhikkhus, that I preach the law, not without insight.” |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘abhiññāyāhaṁ, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desemi no anabhiññāyā’ti, tena hi ‘ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, saṅgho mamaccayena khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni samūhanatū’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
On the other hand he said of the regulations of the Vinaya: |
Yadi tathāgatena vinayapaññattiyā evaṁ bhaṇitaṁ—‘ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, saṅgho mamaccayena khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni samūhanatū’ti tena hi ‘abhiññāyāhaṁ, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desemi no anabhiññāyā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
“When I am gone, Ānanda, let the Order, if it should so wish, abolish all the lesser and minor precepts.” |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho sukhumo nipuṇo gambhīro sugambhīro dunnijjhāpayo, so tavānuppatto, tattha te ñāṇabalavipphāraṁ dassehī”ti. |
Were then these lesser and minor precepts wrongly laid down, or established in ignorance and without due cause, that the Blessed One allowed them to be revoked after his death? |
| If the first statement had been true, the second would have been wrong. | |
| If the second statement were really made, Then the first was false. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘abhiññāyāhaṁ, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desemi no anabhiññāyā’ti, vinayapaññattiyāpi evaṁ bhaṇitaṁ—‘ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, saṅgho mamaccayena khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni samūhanatū’ti, taṁ pana, mahārāja, tathāgato bhikkhū vīmaṁsamāno āha—‘ukkalessanti nu kho mama sāvakā mayā vissajjāpīyamānā mamaccayena khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni, udāhu ādiyissantī’ti. |
This too is a double-headed problem, fine, subtle, abstruse, deep, profound, and hard to expound. |
| It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, cakkavattī rājā putte evaṁ vadeyya ‘ayaṁ kho, tātā, mahājanapado sabbadisāsu sāgarapariyanto, dukkaro, tātā, tāvatakena balena dhāretuṁ, etha tumhe, tātā, mamaccayena paccante paccante dese pajahathā’ti. |
|
Api nu kho te, mahārāja, kumārā pituaccayena hatthagate janapade sabbe te paccante paccante dese muñceyyun”ti? |
‘In both cases, O king, the Blessed One said as you have declared. |
“Na hi, bhante, rājato, bhante, luddhatarā kumārā rajjalobhena taduttariṁ diguṇatiguṇaṁ janapadaṁ pariggaṇheyyuṁ, kiṁ pana te hatthagataṁ janapadaṁ muñceyyun”ti? |
But in the second case it was to test the Bhikkhus that he said it, to try whether, if leave were granted them, they would, after his death, revoke the lesser and minor regulations, or still adhere to them. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato bhikkhū vīmaṁsamāno evamāha—‘ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, saṅgho mamaccayena khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni samūhanatū’ti. |
It runs as if a king of kings were to say to his sons: |
Dukkhaparimuttiyā, mahārāja, buddhaputtā dhammalobhena aññampi uttariṁ diyaḍḍhasikkhāpadasataṁ gopeyyuṁ, kiṁ pana pakatipaññattaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ muñceyyun”ti? |
“This great country, my children, reaches to the sea on every side. |
| It is a hard thing to maintain it with the forces we have at our disposal. | |
| So when I am gone you had better, my children, abandon the outlying districts along the border.” | |
“Bhante nāgasena, yaṁ bhagavā āha—‘khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadānī’ti, etthāyaṁ jano sammūḷho vimatijāto adhikato saṁsayapakkhando. |
Now would the princes, O king, on the death of their father, give up those outlying districts, provinces already in their power?’ |
Katamāni tāni khuddakāni sikkhāpadāni, katamāni anukhuddakāni sikkhāpadānī”ti? |
|
“Dukkaṭaṁ, mahārāja, khuddakaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ, dubbhāsitaṁ anukhuddakaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ, imāni dve khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni, pubbakehipi, mahārāja, mahātherehi ettha vimati uppāditā, tehipi ekajjhaṁ na kato dhammasaṇṭhitipariyāye bhagavatā eso pañho upadiṭṭho”ti. |
|
“Ciranikkhittaṁ, bhante nāgasena, jinarahassaṁ ajjetarahi loke vivaṭaṁ pākaṭaṁ katan”ti. |
‘No indeed, Sir. |
| Kings are grasping. | |
| The princes might, in the lust of power, subjugate an extent of country twice or thrice the size of what they had, but they would never give up what they already possessed.’ | |
Khuddānukhuddakapañho paṭhamo. |
|
| ‘Just so was it, O king, that the Tathāgata to test the Bhikkhus said: | |
| “When I am gone, Ānanda, let the Order, if it should so wish, abolish all the lesser and minor precepts.” | |
| But the sons of the Buddha, O king, in their lust after the law, and for emancipation from sorrow, might keep two hundred and fifty regulations, but would never give up any one that had been laid down in ordinary course.’ | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, when the Blessed One referred to “lesser and minor precepts,” this people might therein be bewildered, and fall into doubt, and find matter for discussion, and be lost in hesitation, as to which were the lesser, and which the minor precepts.’ | |
| ‘The lesser errors in conduct, O king, are the lesser precepts, and the lesser errors in speech are the minor precepts: | |
| and these two together make up therefore “the lesser and minor precepts.” | |
| the leading Elders too of old, O king, were in doubt about this matter, and they were not unanimous on the point at the Council held for the fixing of the text of the Scriptures. | |
| And the Blessed One foresaw that this problem would arise.’ | |
| ‘Then this dark saying of the Conquerors, Nāgasena, which has lain hid so long, has been now to-day uncovered in the face of the world, and made clear to all.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the revocation of rules. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Abhejjavagga |
The Solving of Dilemmas |
2. Abyākaraṇīyapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘natthānanda, tathāgatassa dhammesu ācariyamuṭṭhī’ti, puna ca therena mālukyaputtena pañhaṁ puṭṭho na byākāsi. |
5.2.2. Esoteric Teaching |
Eso kho, bhante nāgasena, pañho dvayanto ekantanissito bhavissati ajānanena vā guyhakaraṇena vā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘natthānanda, tathāgatassa dhammesu ācariyamuṭṭhī’ti, tena hi therassa mālukyaputtassa ajānantena na byākataṁ. |
“In respect of the truths, Ānanda, the Tathāgata has no such thing as the closed fist of a teacher who keeps something back.” |
Yadi jānantena na byākataṁ, tena hi atthi tathāgatassa dhammesu ācariyamuṭṭhi. |
But on the other hand he made no reply to the question put by the son of the Māluṅkya woman. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
This problem, Nāgasena, will be one of two ends, on one of which it must rest, for he must have refrained from answering either out of ignorance, or out of wish to conceal something. |
| If the first statement be true it must have been out of ignorance. | |
| But if he knew, and still did not reply, then the first statement must be false. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘natthānanda, tathāgatassa dhammesu ācariyamuṭṭhī’ti, abyākato ca therena mālukyaputtena pucchito pañho, tañca pana na ajānantena na guyhakaraṇena. |
This too is a double-pointed dilemma. |
Cattārimāni, mahārāja, pañhabyākaraṇāni. |
It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Katamāni cattāri? |
|
Ekaṁsabyākaraṇīyo pañho vibhajjabyākaraṇīyo pañho paṭipucchābyākaraṇīyo pañho ṭhapanīyo pañhoti. |
|
| ‘The Blessed One, O king, made that first statement to Ānanda, and he did not reply to Māluṅkya-putta’s question. | |
| But that was neither out of ignorance, nor for the sake of concealing anything. | |
Katamo ca, mahārāja, ekaṁsabyākaraṇīyo pañho? |
There are four kinds of ways in which a problem may be explained. |
‘Rūpaṁ aniccan’ti ekaṁsabyākaraṇīyo pañho, ‘vedanā aniccā’ti …pe… ‘saññā aniccā’ti …pe… ‘saṅkhārā aniccā’ti …pe… ‘viññāṇaṁ aniccan’ti ekaṁsabyākaraṇīyo pañho, ayaṁ ekaṁsabyākaraṇīyo pañho. |
And which are the four? |
| There is the problem to which an explanation can be given that shall be direct and final. | |
| There is the problem which can be answered by going into details. | |
Katamo vibhajjabyākaraṇīyo pañho? |
There is the problem which can be answered by asking another. |
‘Aniccaṁ pana rūpan’ti vibhajjabyākaraṇīyo pañho, ‘aniccā pana vedanā’ti …pe… ‘aniccā pana saññā’ti …pe… ‘aniccā pana saṅkhārā’ti …pe… ‘aniccaṁ pana viññāṇan’ti vibhajjabyākaraṇīyo pañho, ayaṁ vibhajjabyākaraṇīyo pañho. |
And there is the problem which can be put on one side. |
Katamo paṭipucchābyākaraṇīyo pañho? |
‘And which, O king, is the problem to which a direct and final solution can be given? |
‘Kiṁ nu kho cakkhunā sabbaṁ vijānātī’ti ayaṁ paṭipucchābyākaraṇīyo pañho. |
It is such as this—"Is form impermanent?” |
| “Is sensation impermanent?” | |
| “Is idea impermanent?” | |
Katamo ṭhapanīyo pañho? |
“Are the conditions impermanent?” |
‘Sassato loko’ti ṭhapanīyo pañho, ‘asassato loko’ti, ‘antavā loko’ti, ‘anantavā loko’ti, ‘antavā ca anantavā ca loko’ti, ‘nevantavā nānantavā loko’ti, ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’ti, ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’ti, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti ṭhapanīyo pañho, ayaṁ ṭhapanīyo pañho. |
“Is consciousness impermanent?” |
Bhagavā, mahārāja, therassa mālukyaputtassa taṁ ṭhapanīyaṁ pañhaṁ na byākāsi. |
‘And which is the problem which can be answered by going into details? |
So pana pañho kiṅkāraṇā ṭhapanīyo? |
It is such as this—"Is form thus impermanent?” |
Na tassa dīpanāya hetu vā kāraṇaṁ vā atthi, tasmā so pañho ṭhapanīyo. |
and so on. |
Natthi buddhānaṁ bhagavantānaṁ akāraṇamahetukaṁ giramudīraṇan”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘And which is the problem which can be answered by asking another? | |
| It is such as this—"What then? | |
Abyākaraṇīyapañho dutiyo. |
Can the eye perceive all things?” |
| ‘And which is the problem which can be put on one side? | |
| It is such as this—"Is the universe everlasting?” | |
| “Is it not everlasting?” | |
| “Has it an end?” | |
| “Has it no end?” | |
| “Is it both endless and unending?” | |
| “Is it neither the one nor the other?” | |
| “Are the soul and the body the same thing?” | |
| “Is the soul distinct from the body?” | |
| “Does a Tathāgata exist after death?” | |
| “Does he not exist after death?” | |
| “Does he both exist and not exist after death?” | |
| “Does he neither exist nor not exist after death?” | |
| ‘Now it was to such a question, one that ought to be put on one side, that the Blessed One gave no reply to Māluṅkya-putta. | |
| And why ought such a question to be put on one side? | |
| Because there is no reason or object for answering it. | |
| That is why it should be put aside. | |
| For the Blessed Buddhas lift not up their voice without a reason and without an object.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| Thus it is, and I accept it as you say?’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to keeping some things back. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Abhejjavagga |
The Solving of Dilemmas |
3. Maccubhāyanābhāyanapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa, sabbe bhāyanti maccuno’ti, puna bhaṇitaṁ—‘arahā sabbabhayamatikkanto’ti. |
5.2.3. Death |
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, arahā daṇḍabhayā tasati, niraye vā nerayikā sattā jalitā kuthitā tattā santattā tamhā jalitaggijālakā mahānirayā cavamānā maccuno bhāyanti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, this too was said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa, sabbe bhāyanti maccuno’ti, tena hi ‘arahā sabbabhayamatikkanto’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“All men tremble at punishment, all are afraid of death.” |
Yadi bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘arahā sabbabhayamatikkanto’ti, tena hi ‘sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa, sabbe bhāyanti maccuno’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
But again he said: |
Ayaṁ ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
“The Arahat has passed beyond all fear.” |
| How then, Nāgasena? | |
| does the Arahat tremble with the fear of punishment? | |
“Netaṁ, mahārāja, vacanaṁ bhagavatā arahante upādāya bhaṇitaṁ—‘sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa, sabbe bhāyanti maccuno’ti. |
Or are the beings in purgatory, when they are being burnt and boiled and scorched and tormented, afraid of that death which would release them from the burning fiery pit of that awful place of woe ? |
Ṭhapito arahā tasmiṁ vatthusmiṁ, samūhato bhayahetu arahato. |
If the Blessed One, Nāgasena, really said that all men tremble at punishment, and all are afraid of death, then the statement that the Arahat has passed beyond fear must be false. |
Ye te, mahārāja, sattā sakilesā, yesañca adhimattā attānudiṭṭhi, ye ca sukhadukkhesu unnatāvanatā, te upādāya bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa, sabbe bhāyanti maccuno’ti. |
But if that last statement is really by him, then the other must be false. |
Arahato, mahārāja, sabbagati upacchinnā, yoni viddhaṁsitā, paṭisandhi upahatā, bhaggā phāsukā, samūhatā sabbabhavālayā, samucchinnā sabbasaṅkhārā, hataṁ kusalākusalaṁ, vihatā avijjā, abījaṁ viññāṇaṁ kataṁ, daḍḍhā sabbakilesā, ativattā lokadhammā, tasmā arahā na tasati sabbabhayehi. |
This double-headed problem is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Idha, mahārāja, rañño cattāro mahāmattā bhaveyyuṁ anurakkhā laddhayasā vissāsikā ṭhapitā mahati issariye ṭhāne. |
‘It was not with regard to Arahats, O king, that the Blessed One spake when he said: |
Atha rājā kismiñci deva karaṇīye samuppanne yāvatā sakavijite sabbajanassa āṇāpeyya ‘sabbeva me baliṁ karontu, sādhetha tumhe cattāro mahāmattā taṁ karaṇīyan’ti. |
“All men tremble at punishment, all are afraid of death.” |
Api nu kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ catunnaṁ mahāmattānaṁ balibhayā santāso uppajjeyyā”ti? |
the Arahat is an exception to that statement, for all cause for fear has been removed from the Arahat. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
He spoke of those beings in whom evil still existed, who are still infatuated with the delusion of self, who are still lifted up and cast down by pleasures and pains. |
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti. |
To the Arahat, O king, rebirth in every state has been cut off, all the four kinds of future existence have been destroyed, every re-incarnation has been put an end to, the rafters of the house of life have broken, and the whole house completely pulled down, the conditions have altogether lost their roots, good and evil have ceased, ignorance has been demolished, consciousness has no longer any seed (from which it could be renewed), all sin has been burnt away, and all worldly conditions have been overcome. |
“Ṭhapitā te, bhante, raññā uttamaṭṭhāne, natthi tesaṁ bali, samatikkantabalino te, avasese upādāya raññā āṇāpitaṁ ‘sabbeva me baliṁ karontū’”ti. |
Therefore is it that the Arahat is not made to tremble by any fear.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, netaṁ vacanaṁ bhagavatā arahante upādāya bhaṇitaṁ, ṭhapito arahā tasmiṁ vatthusmiṁ, samūhato bhayahetu arahato, ye te, mahārāja, sattā sakilesā, yesañca adhimattā attānudiṭṭhi, ye ca sukhadukkhesu unnatāvanatā, te upādāya bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa, sabbe bhāyanti maccuno’ti. |
|
Tasmā arahā na tasati sabbabhayehī”ti. |
|
| ‘Suppose, O king, a king had four chief ministers, faithful, famous, trustworthy, placed in high positions of authority. | |
| And the king, on some emergency arising, were to issue to them an order touching all the people in his realm, saying: | |
“Netaṁ, bhante nāgasena, vacanaṁ sāvasesaṁ, niravasesavacanametaṁ ‘sabbe’ti. |
“Let all now pay up a tax, and do you, as my four officers, carry out what is necessary in this emergency.” |
Tattha me uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ brūhi taṁ vacanaṁ patiṭṭhāpetun”ti. |
Now tell me, O king, would the tremor which comes from fear of taxation arise in the hearts of those ministers?’ |
“Idha, mahārāja, gāme gāmassāmiko āṇāpakaṁ āṇāpeyya ‘ehi, bho āṇāpaka, yāvatā gāme gāmikā, te sabbe sīghaṁ mama santike sannipātehī’ti. |
‘No, Sir, it would not.’ |
So ‘sādhu, sāmī’ti sampaṭicchitvā gāmamajjhe ṭhatvā tikkhattuṁ saddamanussāveyya ‘yāvatā gāme gāmikā, te sabbe sīghasīghaṁ sāmino santike sannipatantū’ti. |
|
Tato te gāmikā āṇāpakassa vacanena turitaturitā sannipatitvā gāmassāmikassa ārocenti ‘sannipatitā, sāmi, sabbe gāmikā, yaṁ te karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti. |
|
Iti so, mahārāja, gāmassāmiko kuṭipurise sannipātento sabbe gāmike āṇāpeti, te ca āṇattā na sabbe sannipatanti, kuṭipurisāyeva sannipatanti, ‘ettakāyeva me gāmikā’ti gāmassāmiko ca tathā sampaṭicchati, aññe bahutarā anāgatā itthipurisā dāsidāsā bhatakā kammakarā gāmikā gilānā gomahiṁsā ajeḷakā suvānā, ye anāgatā, sabbe te agaṇitā, kuṭipuriseyeva upādāya āṇāpitattā ‘sabbe sannipatantū’ti. |
‘But why not?’ |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, netaṁ vacanaṁ bhagavatā arahante upādāya bhaṇitaṁ, ṭhapito arahā tasmiṁ vatthusmiṁ, samūhato bhayahetu arahato, ye te, mahārāja, sattā sakilesā, yesañca adhimattā attānudiṭṭhi, ye ca sukhadukkhesu unnatāvanatā, te upādāya bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa, sabbe bhāyanti maccuno’ti. |
|
Tasmā arahā na tasati sabbabhayehi. |
|
| ‘They have been appointed by the king to high office. | |
| Taxation does not affect them, they are beyond taxation. | |
Atthi, mahārāja, sāvasesaṁ vacanaṁ sāvaseso attho, atthi sāvasesaṁ vacanaṁ niravaseso attho, atthi niravasesaṁ vacanaṁ sāvaseso attho, atthi niravasesaṁ vacanaṁ niravaseso attho. |
It was the rest that the king referred to when he gave the order: |
Tena tena attho sampaṭicchitabbo. |
“Let all pay tax.” |
| ’ | |
Pañcavidhehi, mahārāja, kāraṇehi attho sampaṭicchitabbo āhaccapadena rasena ācariyavaṁsena adhippāyā kāraṇuttariyatāya. |
‘Just so, O king, is it with the statement that all men tremble at punishment, all are afraid of death. |
Ettha hi āhaccapadanti suttaṁ adhippetaṁ. |
In that way is it that the Arahat is removed from every fear.’ |
Rasoti suttānulomaṁ. |
|
Ācariyavaṁsoti ācariyavādo. |
|
Adhippāyoti attano mati. |
‘But, Nāgasena, the word “all” is inclusive, none are left out when it is used. |
Kāraṇuttariyatāti imehi catūhi samentaṁ kāraṇaṁ. |
Give me a further reason to establish the point.’ |
Imehi kho, mahārāja, pañcahi kāraṇehi attho sampaṭicchitabbo. |
|
Evameso pañho suvinicchito hotī”ti. |
|
| ‘Suppose, O king, that in some village the lord of the village were to order the crier, saying: | |
| “Go, crier, bring all the villagers quickly together before me.” | |
“Hotu, bhante nāgasena, tathā taṁ sampaṭicchāmi. |
And he in obedience to that order were to stand in the midst of the village and were thrice to call out: |
Ṭhapito hotu arahā tasmiṁ vatthusmiṁ, tasantu avasesā sattā, niraye pana nerayikā sattā dukkhā tibbā kaṭukā vedanā vedayamānā jalitapajjalitasabbaṅgapaccaṅgā ruṇṇakāruññakanditaparidevitalālappitamukhā asayhatibbadukkhābhibhūtā atāṇā asaraṇā asaraṇībhūtā anappasokāturā antimapacchimagatikā ekantasokaparāyaṇā uṇhatikhiṇacaṇḍakharatapanatejavanto bhīmabhayajanakaninādamahāsaddā saṁsibbitachabbidhajālāmālākulā samantā satayojanānupharaṇaccivegā kadariyā tapanā mahānirayā cavamānā maccuno bhāyantī”ti? |
“Let all the villagers assemble at once in the presence of the lord!” |
“Āma, mahārājā”ti. |
And they should assemble in haste, and have an announcement made to the lord, saying: |
| “All the villagers, Sire, have assembled. | |
| Do now whatsoever you require.” | |
“Nanu, bhante nāgasena, nirayo ekantadukkhavedanīyo, kissa pana te nerayikā sattā ekantadukkhavedanīyā nirayā cavamānā maccuno bhāyanti, kissa niraye ramantī”ti? |
Now when the lord, O king, is thus summoning all the heads of houses, he issues his order to all the villagers, but it is not they who assemble in obedience to the order; |
“Na te, mahārāja, nerayikā sattā niraye ramanti, muñcitukāmāva te nirayā. |
it is the heads of houses. |
Maraṇasseva so, mahārāja, ānubhāvo, yena tesaṁ santāso uppajjatī”ti. |
And the lord is satisfied therewith, knowing that such is the number of his villagers. |
“Etaṁ kho, bhante nāgasena, na saddahāmi, yaṁ muccitukāmānaṁ cutiyā santāso uppajjatīti, hāsanīyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, taṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ te patthitaṁ labhanti, kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehī”ti. |
There are many others who do not come—women and men, slave girls and slaves, hired workmen, servants, peasantry, sick people, oxen, buffaloes, sheep, and goats, and dogs—but all those do not count. |
| It was with reference to the heads of houses that the order was issued in the words: | |
| “Let all assemble.” | |
“Maraṇanti kho, mahārāja, etaṁ adiṭṭhasaccānaṁ tāsanīyaṭṭhānaṁ, etthāyaṁ jano tasati ca ubbijjati ca. |
just so, O king, it is not of Arahats that it was said that all are afraid of death. |
Yo ca, mahārāja, kaṇhasappassa bhāyati, so maraṇassa bhāyanto kaṇhasappassa bhāyati. |
The Arahat is not included in that statement, for the Arahat is one in whom there is no longer any cause that could give rise to fear.’ |
Yo ca hatthissa bhāyati …pe… sīhassa … byagghassa … dīpissa … acchassa … taracchassa … mahiṁsassa … gavayassa … aggissa … udakassa … khāṇukassa … kaṇṭakassa bhāyati. |
|
Yo ca sattiyā bhāyati, so maraṇassa bhāyanto sattiyā bhāyati. |
|
Maraṇasseva so, mahārāja, sarasasabhāvatejo, tassa sarasasabhāvatejena sakilesā sattā maraṇassa tasanti bhāyanti, muccitukāmāpi, mahārāja, nerayikā sattā maraṇassa tasanti bhāyanti. |
‘There is the non-inclusive expression, O king, whose meaning is non-inclusive, and the non-inclusive expression whose meaning is inclusive; |
| there is the inclusive expression whose meaning is non-inclusive, and the inclusive expression whose meaning is inclusive. | |
| And the meaning, in each case, should be accepted accordingly. | |
Idha, mahārāja, purisassa kāye medo gaṇṭhi uppajjeyya. |
And there are five ways in which the meaning should be ascertained-by the connection, and by taste, and by the tradition of the teachers, and by the meaning, and by abundance of reasons. |
So tena rogena dukkhito upaddavā parimuccitukāmo bhisakkaṁ sallakattaṁ āmantāpeyya. |
And herein “connection” means the meaning as seen in the Sutta itself, “taste” means that it is in accordance with other Suttas, “the tradition of the teachers” means what they hold, “the meaning” means what they think, and “abundance of reasons” means all these four combined.’ |
Tassa vacanaṁ so bhisakko sallakatto sampaṭicchitvā tassa rogassa uddharaṇāya upakaraṇaṁ upaṭṭhāpeyya, satthakaṁ tikhiṇaṁ kareyya, yamakasalākā aggimhi pakkhipeyya, khāralavaṇaṁ nisadāya pisāpeyya, api nu kho, mahārāja, tassa āturassa tikhiṇasatthakacchedanena yamakasalākādahanena khāraloṇappavesanena tāso uppajjeyyā”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Iti, mahārāja, tassa āturassa rogā muccitukāmassāpi vedanābhayā santāso uppajjati. |
‘Very well, Nāgasena! |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, nirayā muccitukāmānampi nerayikānaṁ sattānaṁ maraṇabhayā santāso uppajjati. |
I accept it as you say. |
| The Arahat is an exception in this phrase, and it is the rest of beings who are full of fear. | |
| But those beings in purgatory, of whom I spoke, who are suffering painful, sharp, and severe agonies, who are tormented with burnings all over their bodies and limbs, whose mouths are full of lamentation, and cries for pity, and cries of weeping and wailing and woe, who are overcome with pains too sharp to be borne, who find no refuge nor protection nor help, who are afflicted beyond measure, who in the worst and lowest of conditions are still destined to a certainty to further pain, who are being burnt with hot, sharp, fierce, and cruel flames, who are giving utterance to mighty shouts and groans born of horror and fear, who are embraced by the garlands of flame which intertwine around them from all the six directions, and flash in fiery speed through a hundred leagues on every side—can those poor burning wretches be afraid of death?’ | |
Idha, mahārāja, puriso issarāparādhiko baddho saṅkhalikabandhanena gabbhe pakkhitto parimuccitukāmo assa, tamenaṁ so issaro mocetukāmo pakkosāpeyya. |
|
Api nu kho, mahārāja, tassa issarāparādhikassa purisassa ‘katadoso ahan’ti jānantassa issaradassanena santāso uppajjeyyā”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
‘Yes, they can.’ |
“Iti, mahārāja, tassa issarāparādhikassa purisassa parimuccitukāmassāpi issarabhayā santāso uppajjati. |
|
Evameva kho, mahārāja, nirayā muccitukāmānampi nerayikānaṁ sattānaṁ maraṇabhayā santāso uppajjatī”ti. |
|
| ‘But, venerable Nāgasena, is not purgatory a place of certain pain? | |
| And, if so, why should the beings in it be afraid of death, which would release them from that certain pain? | |
“Aparampi, bhante, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ brūhi, yenāhaṁ kāraṇena okappeyyan”ti. |
What! Are they fond of purgatory?’ |
“Idha, mahārāja, puriso daṭṭhavisena āsīvisena daṭṭho bhaveyya, so tena visavikārena pateyya uppateyya vaṭṭeyya pavaṭṭeyya, athaññataro puriso balavantena mantapadena taṁ daṭṭhavisaṁ āsīvisaṁ ānetvā taṁ daṭṭhavisaṁ paccācamāpeyya, api nu kho, mahārāja, tassa visagatassa purisassa tasmiṁ daṭṭhavise sappe sotthihetu upagacchante santāso uppajjeyyā”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Iti, mahārāja, tathārūpe ahimhi sotthihetupi upagacchante tassa santāso uppajjati. |
‘No, indeed. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, nirayā muccitukāmānampi nerayikānaṁ sattānaṁ maraṇabhayā santāso uppajjati. |
They like it not. |
Aniṭṭhaṁ, mahārāja, sabbasattānaṁ maraṇaṁ, tasmā nerayikā sattā nirayā parimuccitukāmāpi maccuno bhāyantī”ti. |
They long to be released from it. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
It is the power of death of which they are afraid.’ |
Maccubhāyanābhāyanapañho tatiyo. |
‘Now this, Nāgasena, I cannot believe, that they, who want to be released, should be afraid of rebirth. |
| They must surely, Nāgasena, rejoice at the prospect of the very condition that they long for. | |
| Convince me by some further reason.’ | |
| ‘Death, great king, is a condition which those who have not seen the truth are afraid of. | |
| About it this people is anxious and full of dread. | |
| Whosoever is afraid of a black snake, or an elephant or lion or tiger or leopard or bear or hyena or wild buffalo or gayal, or of fire or water, or of thorns or spikes or arrows, it is in each case of death that he is really in dread, and therefore afraid of them. | |
| This, O king, is the majesty of the essential nature of death. | |
| And all being not free from sin are in dread and quake before its majesty. | |
| In this sense it is that even the beings in purgatory, who long to be released from it, are afraid of death.’ | |
| ‘Suppose, O king, a boil were to arise, full of matter, on a man’s body, and he, in pain from that disease, and wanting to escape from the danger of it, were to call in a physician and surgeon. | |
| And the surgeon, accepting the call, were to make ready some means or other for the removal of his disease—were to have a lancet sharpened, or to have sticks put into the fire to be used as cauterisers, or to have something ground on a grindstone to be mixed in a salt lotion. | |
| Now would the patient begin to be in dread of the cutting of the sharp lancet, or of the burning of the pair of caustic sticks, or of the application of the stinging lotion?’ | |
| ‘Yes, he would.’ | |
| ‘But if the sick man, who wants to be free from his ailment, can fall into dread by the fear of pain, just so can the beings in purgatory, though they long to be released from it, fall into dread by the fear of death.’ | |
| ‘And suppose, O king, a man who had committed an offence against the crown, when bound with a chain, and cast into a dungeon, were to long for release. | |
| And the ruler, wishing to release him, were to send for him. | |
| Now would not that man, who had thus offended, and knew it, be in dread of the interview with the king?’ | |
| ‘Yes, Sir.’ | |
| ‘But if so, then can also the beings in purgatory, though they long to be released from it, yet be afraid of death.’ | |
| ‘Give me another illustration by which I may be able to harmonise (this apparent discrepancy).’ | |
| ‘Suppose, O king, a man bitten by a poisonous snake should be afraid, and by the action of the poison should fall and struggle, and roll this way and that. | |
| And then that another man, by the repetition of a powerful charm, should compel that poisonous snake to approach to suck the poison back again. | |
| Now when the bitten man saw the poisonous snake coming to him, though for the object of curing him, would he not still be in dread of it?’ | |
| ‘Yes, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Well, it is just so with the beings in purgatory. | |
| Death is a thing disliked by all beings. | |
| And therefore are they in dread of it though they want to be released from purgatory.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the fear of death. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Abhejjavagga |
The Solving of Dilemmas |
4. Maccupāsamuttipañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā— |
5.2.4. Pirit |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: | |
‘Na antalikkhe na samuddamajjhe, |
|
Na pabbatānaṁ vivaraṁ pavissa; |
|
| “Not in the sky, not in the ocean’s midst, | |
Na vijjatī so jagatippadeso, |
Not in the most secluded mountain cleft, |
Yatthaṭṭhito mucceyya maccupāsā’ti. |
Not in the whole wide world is found the spot |
| Where standing one could ‘scape the snare of death.” | |
Puna bhagavatā parittā ca uddiṭṭhā. |
|
Seyyathidaṁ—ratanasuttaṁ mettasuttaṁ khandhaparittaṁ moraparittaṁ dhajaggaparittaṁ āṭānāṭiyaparittaṁ aṅgulimālaparittaṁ. |
But on the other hand the Pirit service was promulgated by the Blessed One —that is to say, the Ratana Sutta and the Khanda-parittā and the Mora-parittā and the Dhajagga-parittā and the Āṭānāṭiya-parittā and the Aṅguli-mala-parittā. |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, ākāsagatopi samuddamajjhagatopi pāsādakuṭileṇaguhāpabbhāradaribilagirivivarapabbatantaragatopi na muccati maccupāsā, tena hi parittakammaṁ micchā. |
If, Nāgasena, a man can escape death’s snare neither by going to heaven, nor by going into the midst of the sea, nor by going to the summits of lofty palaces, nor to the caves or grottoes or declivities or clefts or holes in the mountains, then is the Pirit ceremony useless. |
Yadi parittakaraṇena maccupāsā parimutti bhavati, tena hi ‘na antalikkhe …pe… maccupāsā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
But if by it there is a way of escape from death, then the statement in the verse I quoted is false. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho gaṇṭhitopi gaṇṭhitaro tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
This too is a double-headed problem, more knotty than a knot. |
| It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘na antalikkhe …pe… maccupāsā’ti, parittā ca bhagavatā uddiṭṭhā, tañca pana sāvasesāyukassa vayasampannassa apetakammāvaraṇassa, natthi, mahārāja, khīṇāyukassa ṭhitiyā kiriyā vā upakkamo vā. |
|
| ‘The Blessed One, O king, said the verse you have quoted, and he sanctioned Pirit. | |
| But that is only meant for those who have some portion of their life yet to run, who are of full age, and restrain themselves from the evils of Karma. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, matassa rukkhassa sukkhassa koḷāpassa nisnehassa uparuddhajīvitassa gatāyusaṅkhārassa kumbhasahassenapi udake ākirante allattaṁ vā pallavitaharitabhāvo vā na bhaveyya; |
And there is no ceremony or artificial means for prolonging the life of one whose allotted span of existence has come to an end. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, bhesajjaparittakammena natthi khīṇāyukassa ṭhitiyā kiriyā vā upakkamo vā, yāni tāni, mahārāja, mahiyā osadhāni bhesajjāni, tānipi khīṇāyukassa akiccakarāni bhavanti. |
just, O king, as with a dry and dead log of wood, dull, and sapless, out of which all life has departed, which has reached the end of its allotted period of life—you might have thousands of pots of water poured over it, but it would never become fresh again or put forth sprouts or leaves. |
Sāvasesāyukaṁ, mahārāja, vayasampannaṁ apetakammāvaraṇaṁ parittaṁ rakkhati gopeti, tassatthāya bhagavatā parittā uddiṭṭhā. |
Just so there is no ceremony or artificial means, no medicine and no Pirit, which can prolong the life of one whose allotted period has come to an end. |
| All the medicines in the world are useless, O king, to such a one, but Pirit is a protection and assistance to those who have a period yet to live, who are full of life, and restrain themselves from the evil of Karma. | |
| And it is for that use that Pirit was appointed by the Blessed One. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, kassako paripakke dhaññe mate sassanāḷe udakappavesanaṁ vāreyya, yaṁ pana sassaṁ taruṇaṁ meghasannibhaṁ vayasampannaṁ, taṁ udakavaḍḍhiyā vaḍḍhati. |
just, O king, as a husbandman guards the grain when it is ripe and dead and ready for harvesting from the influx of water, but makes it grow by giving it water when it is young, and dark in colour like a cloud, and full of life—just so, O king, should the Pirit ceremony be put aside and neglected in the case of one who has reached his allotted term of life, but for those who have a period yet to run and are full of vigour, for them the medicine of Pirit may be repeated, and they will profit by its use.’ |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, khīṇāyukassa bhesajjaparittakiriyā ṭhapitā paṭikkhittā, ye pana te manussā sāvasesāyukā vayasampannā, tesaṁ atthāya parittabhesajjāni bhaṇitāni, te parittabhesajjehi vaḍḍhantī”ti. |
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| ‘But, Nāgasena, if he who has a term of life yet to run will live, and he who has none will die, then medicine and Pirit are alike useless.’ | |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, khīṇāyuko marati, sāvasesāyuko jīvati, tena hi parittabhesajjāni niratthakāni hontī”ti? |
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“Diṭṭhapubbo pana tayā, mahārāja, koci rogo bhesajjehi paṭinivattito”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante, anekasatāni diṭṭhānī”ti. |
‘Have you ever seen, O king, a case of a disease being turned back by medicine?’ |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, ‘parittabhesajjakiriyā niratthakā’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā bhavatī”ti. |
|
| ‘Yes, several hundred times.’ | |
“Dissanti, bhante nāgasena, vejjānaṁ upakkamā bhesajjapānānulepā, tena tesaṁ upakkamena rogo paṭinivattatī”ti. |
|
“Parittānampi, mahārāja, pavattīyamānānaṁ saddo suyyati, jivhā sukkhati, hadayaṁ byāvaṭṭati, kaṇṭho āturati. |
|
Tena tesaṁ pavattena sabbe byādhayo vūpasamanti, sabbā ītiyo apagacchantīti. |
‘Then, O king, your statement as to the inefficiency of Pirit and medicine must be wrong.’ |
Diṭṭhapubbo pana tayā, mahārāja, koci ahinā daṭṭho mantapadena visaṁ pātīyamāno visaṁ cikkhassanto uddhamadho ācamayamāno”ti? |
‘I have seen, Nāgasena, doctors administer medicines by way of draughts or outward applications, and by that means the disease has been assuaged.’ |
“Āma, bhante, ajjetarahipi taṁ loke vattatī”ti. |
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“Tena hi, mahārāja, ‘parittabhesajjakiriyā niratthakā’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā bhavati. |
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Kataparittañhi, mahārāja, purisaṁ ḍaṁsitukāmo ahi na ḍaṁsati, vivaṭaṁ mukhaṁ pidahati, corānaṁ ukkhittalaguḷampi na sambhavati, te laguḷaṁ muñcitvā pemaṁ karonti, kupitopi hatthināgo samāgantvā uparamati, pajjalitamahāaggikkhandhopi upagantvā nibbāyati, visaṁ halāhalampi khāyitaṁ agadaṁ sampajjati, āhāratthaṁ vā pharati, vadhakā hantukāmā upagantvā dāsabhūtā sampajjanti, akkantopi pāso na saṁvarati. |
‘And when, O king, the voice of those who are repeating Pirit is heard, the tongue may be dried up, and the heart beat but faintly, and the throat be hoarse, but by that repetition all diseases are allayed, all calamities depart. |
| Again, have you ever seen, O king, a man who has been bitten by a snake having the poison resorbed under a spell (by the snake who gave the bite) or destroyed (by an antidote) or having a lotion applied above or below the spot ?’ | |
Sutapubbaṁ pana tayā, mahārāja, ‘morassa kataparittassa sattavassasatāni luddako nāsakkhi pāsaṁ upanetuṁ, akataparittassa taṁ yeva divasaṁ pāsaṁ upanesī’”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante, suyyati, abbhuggato so saddo sadevake loke”ti. |
‘Yes, that is common custom to this day in the world.’ |
“Tena hi, mahārāja ‘parittabhesajjakiriyā niratthakā’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā bhavati. |
|
| ‘Then what you said that Pirit and medicine are alike useless is wrong. | |
Sutapubbaṁ pana tayā, mahārāja, ‘dānavo bhariyaṁ parirakkhanto samugge pakkhipitvā gilitvā kucchinā pariharati, atheko vijjādharo tassa dānavassa mukhena pavisitvā tāya saddhiṁ abhiramati, yadā so dānavo aññāsi, atha samuggaṁ vamitvā vivari, saha samugge vivaṭe vijjādharo yathākāmaṁ pakkāmī’”ti? |
. And when Pirit has been said over a man, a snake, ready to bite, will not bite him, but close his jaws—the club which robbers hold aloft to strike him with will never strike; |
“Āma, bhante, suyyati, abbhuggato sopi saddo sadevake loke”ti. |
they will let it drop, and treat him kindly—the enraged elephant rushing at him will suddenly stop—the burning fiery conflagration surging towards him will die out—the malignant poison he has eaten will become harmless, and turn to food—assassins who have come to slay him will become as the slaves who wait upon him—and the trap into which he has trodden will hold him not. |
“Nanu so, mahārāja, vijjādharo parittabalena gahaṇā mutto”ti. |
|
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Tena hi, mahārāja, atthi parittabalaṁ. |
‘Again, have you never heard, O king, of that hunter who during seven hundred years failed to throw his net over the peacock who had taken Pirit, but snared him the very day he omitted to do so ?’ |
Sutapubbaṁ pana tayā, mahārāja, ‘aparopi vijjādharo bārāṇasirañño antepure mahesiyā saddhiṁ sampaduṭṭho gahaṇappatto samāno khaṇena adassanaṁ gato mantabalenā’”ti. |
‘Yes, I have heard of it. |
“Āma, bhante, suyyatī”ti. |
The fame of it has gone through all the world.’ |
“Nanu so, mahārāja, vijjādharo parittabalena gahaṇā mutto”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Tena hi, mahārāja, atthi parittabalan”ti. |
‘Then what you said about Pirit and medicine being alike useless must be wrong. |
| And have you never heard of the Dānava who, to guard his wife, put her into a box, and swallowing it, carried her about in his stomach. | |
| And how a Vidyādhara entered his mouth, and played games with his wife. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁ sabbeyeva parittaṁ rakkhatī”ti? |
And how the Dānava when he became aware of it, vomited up the box, and opened it, and the moment he did so the Vidyādhara escaped whither he would ? |
“Ekacce, mahārāja, rakkhati, ekacce na rakkhatī”ti. |
|
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, parittaṁ na sabbatthikan”ti? |
|
“Api nu kho, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbesaṁ jīvitaṁ rakkhatī”ti? |
‘Yes, I have heard that. |
“Ekacce, bhante, rakkhati, ekacce na rakkhatī”ti. |
The fame of it too has gone throughout the world.’ |
“Kiṁ kāraṇā”ti. |
|
“Yato, bhante, ekacce taṁyeva bhojanaṁ atibhuñjitvā visūcikāya marantī”ti. |
|
“Tena hi, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ na sabbesaṁ jīvitaṁ rakkhatī”ti? |
‘Well, did not the Vidyādhara escape capture by the power of Pirit?’ |
“Dvīhi, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇehi bhojanaṁ jīvitaṁ harati atibhuttena vā usmādubbalatāya vā, āyudadaṁ, bhante nāgasena, bhojanaṁ durupacārena jīvitaṁ haratī”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, parittaṁ ekacce rakkhati, ekacce na rakkhati. |
|
| ‘Yes, that was so.’ | |
Tīhi, mahārāja, kāraṇehi parittaṁ na rakkhati kammāvaraṇena, kilesāvaraṇena, asaddahanatāya. |
|
Sattānurakkhaṇaṁ, mahārāja, parittaṁ attanā katena ārakkhaṁ jahati, yathā, mahārāja, mātā puttaṁ kucchigataṁ poseti, hitena upacārena janeti, janayitvā asucimalasiṅghāṇikamapanetvā uttamavarasugandhaṁ upalimpati, so aparena samayena paresaṁ putte akkosante vā paharante vā pahāraṁ deti. |
‘Then there must be power in Pirit. |
Te tassa kujjhitvā parisāya ākaḍḍhitvā taṁ gahetvā sāmino upanenti, yadi pana tassā putto aparaddho hoti velātivatto. |
And have you heard of that other Vidyādhara who got into the harem of the king of Benares, and committed adultery with the chief queen, and was caught, and then became invisible, and got away ?’ |
Atha naṁ sāmino manussā ākaḍḍhayamānā daṇḍamuggarajāṇumuṭṭhīhi tāḷenti pothenti, api nu kho, mahārāja, tassa mātā labhati ākaḍḍhanaparikaḍḍhanaṁ gāhaṁ sāmino upanayanaṁ kātun”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
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“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti. |
‘Yes, I heard that story.’ |
“Attano, bhante, aparādhenā”ti. |
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“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sattānaṁ ārakkhaṁ parittaṁ attano aparādhena vañjhaṁ karotī”ti. |
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“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, suvinicchito pañho, gahanaṁ agahanaṁ kataṁ, andhakāro āloko kato, viniveṭhitaṁ diṭṭhijālaṁ, tvaṁ gaṇivarapavaramāsajjā”ti. |
‘Well, did not he too escape capture by the power of Pirit.’ |
Maccupāsamuttipañho catuttho. |
‘Yes, Sir.’ |
| ‘Then, O king, there must be power in Pirit.’ | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, is Pirit a protection to everybody?’ | |
| ‘To some, not to others.’ | |
| ‘Then it is not always of use?’ | |
| ‘Does food keep all people alive?’ | |
| ‘Only some, not others.’ | |
| ‘But why not?’ | |
| ‘Inasmuch as some, eating too much of that same food, die of cholera.’ | |
| ‘So it does not keep all men alive?’ | |
| ‘There are two reasons which make it destroy life—over-indulgence in it, and weakness of digestion. | |
| And even life-giving food may be made poisonous by an evil spell.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, is Pirit a protection to some and not to others. | |
| And there are three reasons for its failure—the obstruction of Karma, and of sin, and of unbelief. | |
| That Pirit which is a protection to beings loses its protecting power by acts done by those beings themselves. | |
| just, O king, as a mother lovingly nourishes the son who has entered her womb, and brings him forth with care. | |
| And after his birth she keeps him clean from dirt and stains and mucus, and anoints him with the best and most costly perfumes, and when others abuse or strike him she seizes them and, full of excitement, drags them before the lord of the place. | |
| But when her son is naughty, or comes in late, she strikes him with rods or clubs on her knee or with her hands. | |
| Now, that being so, would she get seized and dragged along, and have to appear before the lord?’ | |
| ‘No, Sir.’ | |
| ‘But why not?’ | |
| ‘Because the boy was in fault.’ | |
| ‘Just in the same way, O king, will Pirit which is a protection to beings, yet, by their own fault, turn against them.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| the problem has been solved, the jungle made clear, the darkness made light, the net of heresy unravelled—and by you, O best of the leaders of schools!’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to Pirit. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Abhejjavagga |
The Solving of Dilemmas |
5. Buddhalābhantarāyapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘lābhī tathāgato cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan’ti. |
5.2.5. Māra, the Evil One |
Puna ca tathāgato pañcasālaṁ brāhmaṇagāmaṁ piṇḍāya pavisitvā kiñcideva alabhitvā yathādhotena pattena nikkhantoti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say thus: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ, tena hi pañcasālaṁ brāhmaṇagāmaṁ piṇḍāya pavisitvā kiñcideva alabhitvā yathādhotena pattena nikkhantoti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“The Tathāgata was in the constant receipt of the things necessary for a recluse-robes, food, lodging, and the requisites for the sick.” |
Yadi pañcasālaṁ brāhmaṇagāmaṁ piṇḍāya pavisitvā kiñcideva alabhitvā yathādhotena pattena nikkhanto, tena hi lābhī tathāgato cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānanti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
And again they say: |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho sumahanto dunnibbeṭho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
“When the Tathāgata entered the Brahman village called the Five Sāla trees he received nothing, and had to return with his bowl as clean as before.” |
| If the first passage is true the second is false, and if the second passage is true The first is false. | |
| This too is a double-headed problem, a mighty crux hard to unravel. | |
“Lābhī, mahārāja, tathāgato cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ, pañcasālañca brāhmaṇagāmaṁ piṇḍāya pavisitvā kiñcideva alabhitvā yathādhotena pattena nikkhanto, tañca pana mārassa pāpimato kāraṇā”ti. |
It is now put to you. |
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavato gaṇanapathaṁ vītivattakappe abhisaṅkhataṁ kusalaṁ kinti niṭṭhitaṁ, adhunuṭṭhitena mārena pāpimatā tassa kusalassa balavegaṁ kinti pihitaṁ; |
It is for you to solve it.’ |
tena hi, bhante nāgasena, tasmiṁ vatthusmiṁ dvīsu ṭhānesu upavādo āgacchati, kusalatopi akusalaṁ balavataraṁ hoti, buddhabalatopi mārabalaṁ balavataraṁ hotīti; |
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tena hi rukkhassa mūlatopi aggaṁ bhārataraṁ hoti, guṇasamparikiṇṇatopi pāpiyaṁ balavataraṁ hotī”ti. |
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“Na, mahārāja, tāvatakena kusalatopi akusalaṁ balavataraṁ nāma hoti, na buddhabalatopi mārabalaṁ balavataraṁ nāma hoti. |
‘Both statements are true, but when he received nothing that day, that was the work of Māra, the evil one.’ |
Api cettha kāraṇaṁ icchitabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Then, Nāgasena, how was it that the merit laid up by the Blessed One through countless aeons of time came to end that day? | |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso rañño cakkavattissa madhuṁ vā madhupiṇḍikaṁ vā aññaṁ vā upāyanaṁ abhihareyya, tamenaṁ rañño dvārapālo evaṁ vadeyya ‘akālo, bho, ayaṁ rañño dassanāya, tena hi, bho, tava upāyanaṁ gahetvā sīghasīghaṁ paṭinivatta, pure tava rājā daṇḍaṁ dhāressatī’ti. |
How was it that Māra, who had only just been produced, could overcome the strength and influence of that merit? |
Tato so puriso daṇḍabhayā tasito ubbiggo taṁ upāyanaṁ ādāya sīghasīghaṁ paṭinivatteyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, rājā cakkavattī tāvatakena upāyanavikalamattakena dvārapālato dubbalataro nāma hoti, aññaṁ vā pana kiñci upāyanaṁ na labheyyā”ti? |
In that case, Nāgasena, the blame must fall in one of two ways—either demerit must be more powerful than merit, or the power of Māra be greater than that of the Buddha. |
“Na hi, bhante, issāpakato so, bhante, dvārapālo upāyanaṁ nivāresi, aññena pana dvārena satasahassaguṇampi rañño upāyanaṁ upetī”ti. |
The root of the tree must be heavier than the top of it, or the sinner stronger than he who has heaped up virtue.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, issāpakato māro pāpimā pañcasālake brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāvisi, aññāni pana anekāni devatāsatasahassāni amataṁ dibbaṁ ojaṁ gahetvā upagatāni ‘bhagavato kāye ojaṁ odahissāmā’ti bhagavantaṁ namassamānāni pañjalikāni ṭhitānī”ti. |
|
| ‘Great king, that is not enough to prove either the one or the other of your alternatives. | |
“Hotu, bhante nāgasena, sulabhā bhagavato cattāro paccayā loke uttamapurisassa, yācitova bhagavā devamanussehi cattāro paccaye paribhuñjati, api ca kho pana mārassa yo adhippāyo, so tāvatakena siddho, yaṁ so bhagavato bhojanassa antarāyamakāsi. |
Still a reason is certainly desirable in this matter. |
Ettha me, bhante, kaṅkhā na chijjati, vimatijātohaṁ tattha saṁsayapakkhando. |
|
Na me tattha mānasaṁ pakkhandati, yaṁ tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa sadevake loke aggapuggalavarassa kusalavarapuññasambhavassa asamasamassa anupamassa appaṭisamassa chavakaṁ lāmakaṁ parittaṁ pāpaṁ anariyaṁ vipannaṁ māro lābhantarāyamakāsī”ti. |
|
| Suppose, O king, a man were to bring a complimentary present to a king of kings—honey or honeycomb or something of that kind. | |
| And the king’s doorkeeper were to say to him: | |
“Cattāro kho, mahārāja, antarāyā adiṭṭhantarāyo uddissa katantarāyo upakkhaṭantarāyo paribhogantarāyoti. |
“This is the wrong time for visiting the king. |
Tattha katamo adiṭṭhantarāyo? |
So, my good fellow, take your present as quickly as ever you can, and go back before the king inflicts a fine upon you.” |
Anodissa adassanena anabhisaṅkhataṁ koci antarāyaṁ karoti ‘kiṁ parassa dinnenā’ti, ayaṁ adiṭṭhantarāyo nāma. |
And then that man, in dread and awe, should pick up his present, and return in great haste. |
| Now would the king of kings, merely from the fact that the man brought his gift at the wrong time, be less powerful than the doorkeeper, or never receive a complimentary present any more?’ | |
Katamo uddissa katantarāyo? |
|
Idhekaccaṁ puggalaṁ upadisitvā uddissa bhojanaṁ paṭiyattaṁ hoti, taṁ koci antarāyaṁ karoti, ayaṁ uddissa katantarāyo nāma. |
‘No, Sir. |
| The doorkeeper turned back the giver of that present out of the surliness of his nature, and one a hundred thousand times as valuable might be brought in by some other device.’ | |
Katamo upakkhaṭantarāyo? |
|
Idha yaṁ kiñci upakkhaṭaṁ hoti appaṭiggahitaṁ, tattha koci antarāyaṁ karoti, ayaṁ upakkhaṭantarāyo nāma. |
‘Just so, O king, it was out of the jealousy of his nature that Māra, the evil one, possessed the Brahmans and householders at the Five Sāla trees. |
| And hundreds of thousands of other deities came up to offer the Buddha the strength-giving ambrosia from heaven, and stood reverencing him with clasped hands and thinking to themselves that they would thus imbue him with vigour.’ | |
Katamo paribhogantarāyo? |
|
Idha yaṁ kiñci paribhogaṁ, tattha koci antarāyaṁ karoti, ayaṁ paribhogantarāyo nāma. |
‘That may be so, Nāgasena. |
Ime kho, mahārāja, cattāro antarāyā. |
The Blessed One found it easy to get the four requisites of a recluse—he, the best in the world—and at the request of gods and men he enjoyed all the requisites. |
| But still Māra’s intention to stop the supply of food to the Blessed One was so far carried out. | |
| Herein, Sir, my doubt is not removed. | |
Yaṁ pana māro pāpimā pañcasālake brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāvisi, taṁ neva bhagavato paribhogaṁ na upakkhaṭaṁ na uddissakataṁ, anāgataṁ asampattaṁ adassanena antarāyaṁ kataṁ, taṁ pana nekassa bhagavatoyeva, atha kho ye te tena samayena nikkhantā abbhāgatā, sabbepi te taṁ divasaṁ bhojanaṁ na labhiṁsu, nāhaṁ taṁ, mahārāja, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya, yo tassa bhagavato uddissa kataṁ upakkhaṭaṁ paribhogaṁ antarāyaṁ kareyya. |
I am still in perplexity and hesitation about this. |
Sace koci issāya uddissa kataṁ upakkhaṭaṁ paribhogaṁ antarāyaṁ kareyya, phaleyya tassa muddhā satadhā vā sahassadhā vā. |
My mind is not clear how the Tathāgata, the Arahat, the supreme Buddha, the best of all the best in the world of gods and men, he who had so glorious a treasure of the merit of virtue, the unequalled one, unrivalled and peerless—how so vile, mean, insignificant, sinful, and ignoble a being as Māra could put any obstacle in the way of gifts to Him.’ |
Cattārome, mahārāja, tathāgatassa kenaci anāvaraṇīyā guṇā. |
‘There are four kinds, O king, of obstacles—the obstacle to a gift not intended for any particular person, to a gift set apart for some one, to the gift got ready, and to the enjoyment of a gift. |
Katame cattāro? |
And the first is when any one puts an obstacle in the way of the actual gift of a thing put ready to be given away, but not with a view to or having seen any particular donee—an obstacle raised, for instance, by saying: |
Lābho, mahārāja, bhagavato uddissa kato upakkhaṭo na sakkā kenaci antarāyaṁ kātuṁ; |
“What is the good of giving it away to any one else?” |
sarīrānugatā, mahārāja, bhagavato byāmappabhā na sakkā kenaci antarāyaṁ kātuṁ; |
the second is when any one puts an obstacle in the way of the actual gift of food intended to be prepared to be given to a person specified. |
sabbaññutaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato ñāṇaratanaṁ na sakkā kenaci antarāyaṁ kātuṁ; |
The third is when any one puts an obstacle in the way when such a gift has been got ready, but not yet accepted. |
jīvitaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato na sakkā kenaci antarāyaṁ kātuṁ. |
And the fourth is when any one puts an obstacle in the way of the enjoyment of a gift already given (and so the property of the donee).’ |
Ime kho, mahārāja, cattāro tathāgatassa kenaci anāvaraṇīyā guṇā, sabbepete, mahārāja, guṇā ekarasā arogā akuppā aparūpakkamā aphusāni kiriyāni. |
|
Adassanena, mahārāja, māro pāpimā nilīyitvā pañcasālake brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāvisi. |
|
| ‘Now when Māra, the evil one, possessed the Brahmans and householders at the Five Sāla trees, the food in that case was neither the property of, nor got ready for, nor intended to be prepared specially for the Blessed One. | |
| The obstacle was put in the way of some one who was yet to come, who had not arrived, and for whom no gift was intended. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, rañño paccante dese visame adassanena nilīyitvā corā panthaṁ dūsenti. |
That was not against the Blessed One alone. |
Yadi pana rājā te core passeyya, api nu kho te corā sotthiṁ labheyyun”ti? |
But all who had gone out that day, and were coming to the village, failed to receive an alms. |
“Na hi, bhante, pharasunā phālāpeyya satadhā vā sahassadhā vā”ti. |
I know no one, O king, in the world of men and gods, no one among Māras or Brahmas, no one of the class of Brahmans or recluses, who could put any obstacle in the way of an alms intended for, or got ready for, or already given to the Blessed One. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, adassanena māro pāpimā nilīyitvā pañcasālake brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāvisi. |
And if any one, out of jealousy, were to raise up any obstacle in that case, then would his head split into a hundred or into a thousand pieces.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, itthī sapatikā adassanena nilīyitvā parapurisaṁ sevati; |
‘There are four things, O king, connected with the Tathāgatas, to which no one can do any harm. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, adassanena māro pāpimā nilīyitvā pañcasālake brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāvisi. |
And what are the four? |
Yadi, mahārāja, itthī sāmikassa sammukhā parapurisaṁ sevati, api nu kho sā itthī sotthiṁ labheyyā”ti? |
To the alms intended for, and got ready for the Blessed One—to the halo of a fathom’s length when it has once spread out from him-to the treasure of the knowledge of his omniscience—and to his life. |
“Na hi, bhante, haneyyāpi taṁ, bhante, sāmiko vadheyyāpi bandheyyāpi dāsittaṁ vā upaneyyā”ti. |
All these things, O king, are one in essence—they are free from defect, immovable, unassailable by other beings, unchangeable by other circumstances. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, adassanena māro pāpimā nilīyitvā pañcasālake brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāvisi. |
And Māra, the evil one, lay in ambush, out of sight, when he possessed the Brahmans and householders at the Five Sāla trees. |
Yadi, mahārāja, māro pāpimā bhagavato uddissa kataṁ upakkhaṭaṁ paribhogaṁ antarāyaṁ kareyya, phaleyya tassa muddhā satadhā vā sahassadhā vā”ti. |
It was as when robbers, O king, hiding out of sight in the inaccessible country over the border, beset the highways. |
“Evametaṁ, bhante nāgasena, corikāya kataṁ mārena pāpimatā, nilīyitvā māro pāpimā pañcasālake brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāvisi. |
But if the king caught sight of them, do you think those robbers would be safe?’ |
Sace so, bhante, māro pāpimā bhagavato uddissa kataṁ upakkhaṭaṁ paribhogaṁ antarāyaṁ kareyya, muddhā vāssa phaleyya satadhā vā sahassadhā vā, kāyo vāssa bhusamuṭṭhi viya vikireyya. |
|
Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘No, Sir, he might have them cut into a hundred or a thousand pieces with an axe.’ | |
Buddhalābhantarāyapañho pañcamo. |
|
| ‘Well, just so it was, hiding out of sight, that Māra possessed them. | |
| It was as when a married woman, in ambush, and out of sight, frequents the company of her paramour. | |
| But if, O king, she were to carry on her intrigues in her husband’s presence, do you think she would be safe?’ | |
| ‘No, Sir, he might slay her, or wound her, or put her in bonds, or reduce her to slavery.’ | |
| ‘Well. | |
| It was like that, hiding out of sight, that Māra possessed them. | |
| But if, O king, he had raised any obstacle in the case of an alms intended for, got ready for, or in possession of the Blessed One, then his head would have split into a hundred or a thousand pieces.’ | |
| ‘That is so, Nāgasena. | |
| Māra, the evil one, acted after the manner of robbers, he lay in ambush, possessing the Brahmans and householders of the Five Sāla trees. | |
| But if the same Māra, the evil one, had interfered with any alms intended for, or made ready for the Blessed One, or with his partaking thereof, then would his head have been split into a hundred or a thousand pieces, or his bodily frame have been dissipated like a handful of chaff.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to Māra’s interference with alms. | |
| ] |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Abhejjavagga |
The Solving of Dilemmas |
6. Apuññapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘yo ajānanto pāṇātipātaṁ karoti, so balavataraṁ apuññaṁ pasavatī’ti. |
5.2.6. Unconscious Crime |
Puna ca bhagavatā vinayapaññattiyā bhaṇitaṁ—‘anāpatti ajānantassā’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, ajānitvā pāṇātipātaṁ karonto balavataraṁ apuññaṁ pasavati, tena hi ‘anāpatti ajānantassā’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“Whosoever deprives a living being of life, without knowing that he does so, he accumulates very serious demerit.” |
Yadi anāpatti ajānantassa, tena hi ‘ajānitvā pāṇātipātaṁ karonto balavataraṁ apuññaṁ pasavatī’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
But on the other hand it was laid down by the Blessed One in the Vinaya: |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho duruttaro duratikkamo tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
“There is no offence to him who acts in ignorance.” |
| If the first passage is correct, the other must be false; | |
| and if the second is right, the first must be wrong. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘yo ajānanto pāṇātipātaṁ karoti, so balavataraṁ apuññaṁ pasavatī’ti. |
This too is a double-pointed problem, hard to master, hard to overcome. |
Puna ca vinayapaññattiyā bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘anāpatti ajānantassā’ti. |
It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Tattha atthantaraṁ atthi. |
|
Katamaṁ atthantaraṁ? |
|
Atthi, mahārāja, āpatti saññāvimokkhā, atthi āpatti nosaññāvimokkhā. |
‘Both the passages you quote, O king, were spoken by the Blessed One. |
Yāyaṁ, mahārāja, āpatti saññāvimokkhā, taṁ āpattiṁ ārabbha bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘anāpatti ajānantassā’”ti. |
But there is a difference between the sense of the two. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
And what is that difference? |
| There is a kind of offence which is committed without the co-operation of the mind, and there is another kind which has that co-operation. | |
| It was with respect to the first of the two that the Blessed One said: | |
Apuññapañho chaṭṭho. |
“’There is no offence to him who acts in ignorance.” |
| ’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to sins in ignorance. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Abhejjavagga |
The Solving of Dilemmas |
7. Bhikkhusaṅghapariharaṇapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, na evaṁ hoti “ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī”ti vā, “mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho”ti vā’ti. |
5.2.7. The Buddha And His Followers |
Puna ca metteyyassa bhagavato sabhāvaguṇaṁ paridīpayamānena bhagavatā evaṁ bhaṇitaṁ—‘so anekasahassaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissati, seyyathāpi ahaṁ etarahi anekasataṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharāmī’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, na evaṁ hoti “ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī”ti vā, “mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho”ti vā’ti, tena hi anekasataṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharāmīti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“Now the Tathāgata thinks not, Ānanda, that is he who should lead the brotherhood, or that the Order is dependent upon him.” |
Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘so anekasahassaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissati, seyyathāpi ahaṁ etarahi anekasataṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharāmī’ti, tena hi ‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, na evaṁ hoti “ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī”ti vā, “mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho”ti vā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā, ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
But on the other hand when describing the virtues and the nature of Metteyya, the Blessed One, he said thus: |
| “He will be the leader of a brotherhood several thousands in number, as I am now the leader of a brotherhood several hundreds in number.” | |
| If the first statement be right, then the second is wrong. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, na evaṁ hoti “ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī”ti vā, “mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho”ti vā’ti. |
If the second passage is right, the first must be false. |
Puna ca metteyyassāpi bhagavato sabhāvaguṇaṁ paridīpayamānena bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘so anekasahassaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissati, seyyathāpi ahaṁ etarahi anekasataṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharāmī’ti. |
This too is a double-pointed problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Etasmiñca, mahārāja, pañhe eko attho sāvaseso, eko attho niravaseso. |
|
Na, mahārāja, tathāgato parisāya anugāmiko, parisā pana tathāgatassa anugāmikā. |
|
Sammuti, mahārāja, esā ‘ahan’ti ‘mamā’ti, na paramattho eso, vigataṁ, mahārāja, tathāgatassa pemaṁ, vigato sineho, ‘mayhan’tipi tathāgatassa gahaṇaṁ natthi, upādāya pana avassayo hoti. |
‘You quote both passages correctly, O king. |
| But in the dilemma that you put the sense in the one passage is inclusive, in the other it is not. | |
| It is not the Tathāgata, O king, who seeks after a following, but the followers who seek after him. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, pathavī bhūmaṭṭhānaṁ sattānaṁ patiṭṭhā hoti upassayaṁ, pathaviṭṭhā cete sattā, na ca mahāpathaviyā ‘mayhete’ti apekkhā hoti; |
It is a mere commonly received opinion, O king, that “This is I,” or “This is mine,” it is not a transcendental truth. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato sabbasattānaṁ patiṭṭhā hoti upassayaṁ, tathāgataṭṭhā cete sattā, na ca tathāgatassa ‘mayhete’ti apekkhā hoti. |
Attachment is a frame of mind put away by the Tathāgata, he has put away clinging, he is free from the delusion that “This is mine,” he lives only to be a help to others. |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, mahatimahāmegho abhivassanto tiṇarukkhapasumanussānaṁ vuḍḍhiṁ deti santatiṁ anupāleti. |
Just as the earth, O king, is a support to the beings in the world, and an asylum to them, and they depend upon it, but the broad earth has no longing after them in the idea that “These belong to me"—just so is the Tathāgata a support and an asylum to all beings, but has no longing after them in the idea that “These belong to me.” |
Vuṭṭhūpajīvino cete sattā sabbe, na ca mahāmeghassa ‘mayhete’ti apekkhā hoti. |
And just as a mighty rain cloud, O king, pours out its rain, and gives nourishment to grass and trees, to cattle and to men, and maintains the lineage thereof, and all these creatures depend for their livelihood upon its rain, but the cloud has no feelings of longing in the idea that “These are mine"—just so does the Tathāgata give all beings to know what are good qualities and maintains them in goodness, and all beings have their life in him, but the Tathāgata has no feelings of longing in the idea that “These are mine.” |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato sabbasattānaṁ kusaladhamme janeti anupāleti, satthūpajīvino cete sattā sabbe, na ca tathāgatassa ‘mayhete’ti apekkhā hoti. |
And why is it so? |
Taṁ kissa hetu? |
Because of his having abandoned all self-regard.’ |
Attānudiṭṭhiyā pahīnattā”ti. |
|
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, sunibbeṭhito pañho bahuvidhehi kāraṇehi, gambhīro uttānīkato, gaṇṭhi bhinno, gahanaṁ agahanaṁ kataṁ, andhakāro āloko kato, bhaggā paravādā, jinaputtānaṁ cakkhuṁ uppāditan”ti. |
the problem has been well solved by variety of examples. |
| The jungle has been made open, the darkness has been turned to light, the arguments of the adversaries have been broken down, insight has been awakened in the sons of the Conqueror. | |
Bhikkhusaṅghapariharaṇapañho sattamo. |
|
| Here ends the dilemma as to the Buddha and his following. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Abhejjavagga |
The Solving of Dilemmas |
8. Abhejjaparisapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘tathāgato abhejjapariso’ti, puna ca bhaṇatha—‘devadattena ekappahāraṁ pañca bhikkhusatāni bhinnānī’ti. |
5.2.8. Schism |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato abhejjapariso, tena hi devadattena ekappahāraṁ pañca bhikkhusatāni bhinnānīti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say: |
Yadi devadattena ekappahāraṁ pañca bhikkhusatāni bhinnāni, tena hi ‘tathāgato abhejjapariso’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
“The Tathāgata is a person whose following can never be broken up.” |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, gambhīro dunniveṭhiyo, gaṇṭhitopi gaṇṭhitaro, etthāyaṁ jano āvaṭo nivuto ovuto pihito pariyonaddho, ettha tava ñāṇabalaṁ dassehi paravādesū”ti. |
And again they say: |
| “At one stroke Devadatta seduced five hundred of the brethren.” | |
| If the first be true the second is false, but if the second be correct then the first is wrong. | |
“Abhejjapariso, mahārāja, tathāgato, devadattena ca ekappahāraṁ pañca bhikkhusatāni bhinnāni, tañca pana bhedakassa balena, bhedake vijjamāne natthi, mahārāja, abhejjaṁ nāma. |
This too is a double-pointed problem, profound, hard to unravel, more knotty than a knot. |
Bhedake sati mātāpi puttena bhijjati, puttopi mātarā bhijjati, pitāpi puttena bhijjati, puttopi pitarā bhijjati, bhātāpi bhaginiyā bhijjati, bhaginīpi bhātarā bhijjati, sahāyopi sahāyena bhijjati, nāvāpi nānādārusaṅghaṭitā ūmivegasampahārena bhijjati, rukkhopi madhukappasampannaphalo anilabalavegābhihato bhijjati, suvaṇṇampi jātimantaṁ lohena bhijjati. |
By it these people are veiled, obstructed, hindered, shut in, and enveloped. |
Api ca, mahārāja, neso adhippāyo viññūnaṁ, nesā buddhānaṁ adhimutti, neso paṇḍitānaṁ chando ‘tathāgato bhejjapariso’ti. |
Herein show your skill as against the arguments of the adversaries.’ |
Api cettha kāraṇaṁ atthi, yena kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘abhejjapariso’ti. |
|
Katamaṁ ettha kāraṇaṁ? |
|
Tathāgatassa, mahārāja, katena adānena vā appiyavacanena vā anatthacariyāya vā asamānattatāya vā yato kutoci cariyaṁ carantassapi parisā bhinnāti na sutapubbaṁ, tena kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘abhejjapariso’ti. |
‘Both statements, O king, are correct. |
Tayāpetaṁ, mahārāja, ñātabbaṁ ‘atthi kiñci navaṅge buddhavacane suttāgataṁ, iminā nāma kāraṇena bodhisattassa katena tathāgatassa parisā bhinnā’”ti? |
But the latter is owing to the power of the breach maker. |
“Natthi, bhante, no cetaṁ loke dissati nopi suyyati. |
Where there is one to make the breach, a mother will be separated from her son, and the son will break with the mother, or the father with the son and the son with the father, or the brother from the sister and the sister from the brother, or friend from friend. |
Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
A ship pieced together with timber of all sorts is broken up by the force of the violence of the waves, and a tree in full bearing and full of sap is broken down by the force of the violence of the wind, and gold of the finest sort is divided by bronze. |
| But it is not the intention of the wise, it is not the will of the Buddhas, it is not the desire of those who are learned that the following of the Tathāgata should be broken up. | |
| And there is a special sense in which it is said that that cannot be. | |
Abhejjaparisapañho aṭṭhamo. |
It is an unheard-of thing, so far as I know, that his following could be broken up by anything done or taken, any unkindly word, any wrong action, any injustice, in all the conduct, wheresoever or whatsoever, of the Tathāgata himself. |
| In that sense his following is invulnerable. | |
| And you yourself, do you know of any instance in all the ninefold word of the Buddha of anything done by a Bodisat which broke up the following of the Tathāgata?’ | |
Abhejjavaggo dutiyo. |
|
| ‘No, Sir. | |
Imasmiṁ vagge aṭṭha pañhā. |
Such a thing has never been seen or heard in the world. |
| It is very good, Nāgasena, what you say: | |
| and I accept it so.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to schism. | |
| Here ends the Second Chapter. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
1. Seṭṭhadhammapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘dhammo hi, vāseṭṭha, seṭṭho janetasmiṁ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāye cā’ti. |
5.3.1. Precedence Of the Dharma |
Puna ca ‘upāsako gihī sotāpanno pihitāpāyo diṭṭhippatto viññātasāsano bhikkhuṁ vā sāmaṇeraṁ vā puthujjanaṁ abhivādeti paccuṭṭhetī’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘dhammo hi, vāseṭṭha, seṭṭho janetasmiṁ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāye cā’ti, tena hi ‘upāsako gihī sotāpanno pihitāpāyo diṭṭhippatto viññātasāsano bhikkhuṁ vā sāmaṇeraṁ vā puthujjanaṁ abhivādeti paccuṭṭhetī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“For it is the Dhamma, O Vāsettha, which is ‘the best in the world,’ as regards both what we now see, and what is yet to come.” |
Yadi ‘upāsako gihī sotāpanno pihitāpāyo diṭṭhippatto viññātasāsano bhikkhuṁ vā sāmaṇeraṁ vā puthujjanaṁ abhivādeti paccuṭṭheti’, tena hi ‘dhammo hi, vāseṭṭha, seṭṭho janetasmiṁ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāye cā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
But again (according to your people) the devout layman who has entered the Excellent Way, for whom the possibility of rebirth in any place of woe has passed away, who has attained to insight, and to whom the doctrine is known, even such a one ought to salute and to rise from his seat in token of respect for, and to revere, any member of the Order, though a novice, and though he be unconverted. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
Now if the Dhamma be the best that rule of conduct is wrong, but if that be right then the first statement must be wrong. |
| This too is a double-pointed problem. | |
| It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘dhammo hi, vāseṭṭha, seṭṭho janetasmiṁ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāye cā’ti, ‘upāsako ca gihī sotāpanno pihitāpāyo diṭṭhippatto viññātasāsano bhikkhuṁ vā sāmaṇeraṁ vā puthujjanaṁ abhivādeti paccuṭṭheti’. |
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Tattha pana kāraṇaṁ atthi. |
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Katamaṁ taṁ kāraṇaṁ? |
‘The Blessed One said what you have quoted, and you have rightly described the rule of conduct. |
| But there is a reason for that rule, and that is this. | |
| There are these twenty personal qualities, making up the Samanaship of a Samana, and these two outward signs, by reason of which the Samana is worthy of salutation, and of respect, and of reverence. | |
Vīsati kho panime, mahārāja, samaṇassa samaṇakaraṇā dhammā dve ca liṅgāni, yehi samaṇo abhivādanapaccuṭṭhānasammānanapūjanāraho hoti. |
And what are they? |
Katame vīsati samaṇassa samaṇakaraṇā dhammā dve ca liṅgāni? |
the best form of self-restraint, the highest kind of self-control, right conduct, calm manners, mastery over (his deeds and words), subjugation (of his senses), long-suffering, sympathy, The practice of solitude, love of solitude, meditation, modesty and fear of doing wrong, zeal, earnestness, the taking upon himself of the precepts, recitation (of the Scriptures), asking questions (of those wise in the Dhamma and Vinaya), rejoicing in the Sīlas and other (rules of morality), freedom from attachment (to the things of the world), fulfilment of the precepts—and the wearing of the yellow robe, and the being shaven. |
Seṭṭho dhammārāmo, aggo niyamo, cāro vihāro saṁyamo saṁvaro khanti soraccaṁ ekattacariyā ekattābhirati paṭisallānaṁ hiriottappaṁ vīriyaṁ appamādo sikkhāsamādānaṁ uddeso paripucchā sīlādiabhirati nirālayatā sikkhāpadapāripūritā, kāsāvadhāraṇaṁ, bhaṇḍubhāvo. |
In the practice of all these things does the member of the Order live. |
Ime kho, mahārāja, vīsati samaṇassa samaṇakaraṇā dhammā dve ca liṅgāni. |
By being deficient in none of them, by being perfect in all, accomplished in all, endowed with all of them does he reach forward to the condition of Arahatship, to the condition of those who have nothing left to learn; |
Ete guṇe bhikkhu samādāya vattati, so tesaṁ dhammānaṁ anūnattā paripuṇṇattā sampannattā samannāgatattā asekkhabhūmiṁ arahantabhūmiṁ okkamati, seṭṭhaṁ bhūmantaraṁ okkamati, arahattāsannagatoti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
he is marching towards the highest of all lands. |
| Thus it is because he sees him to be in the company of the Worthy Ones (the Arahats) that the layman who has already entered on the Excellent Way thinks it worthy in him to reverence and to show respect to the Bhikkhu, though he may be, as yet, unconverted. | |
| It is because he sees him to be in the company of those in whom all evil has been destroyed, because he feels that he is not in such society, that the converted layman thinks it worthy of him to do reverence and to show respect to the unconverted Bhikkhu. | |
‘Khīṇāsavehi so sāmaññaṁ upagato, natthi me so samayo’ti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
It is because he knows that he has joined the noblest brotherhood, and that he himself has reached no such state, that the converted layman holds it right to do reverence and to show respect to the unconverted Bhikkhu—because he knows that he listens to the recitation of the Pātimokkha, while he himself can not—because he knows that he receives men into the Order, and thus extends the teaching of the Conqueror, which he himself is incapable of doing—because he knows that he carries out innumerable precepts, which he himself cannot observe—because he knows that he wears the outward signs of Samaṇaship, and carries out the intention of the Buddha, while he himself is gone away far from that—because he knows that he, though he has given up his hair and beard, and is unanointed and wears no ornaments, yet is anointed with the perfume of righteousness, while he is himself addicted to jewelry and fine apparel—that the converted layman thinks it right to do reverence, and to show respect to the unconverted Bhikkhu.’ |
‘Aggaparisaṁ so upagato, nāhaṁ taṁ ṭhānaṁ upagato’ti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
‘And moreover, O king, it is because he knows that not only are all these twenty personal qualities which go to make a Samaṇa, and the two outward signs, found in the Bhikkhu, but that he carries them on, and trains others in them, that the converted layman, realising that he has no part in that tradition, in that maintenance of the faith, thinks it right to reverence and to show respect to the converted Bhikkhu. |
| Just, O king, as a royal prince who learns his knowledge, and is taught the duties of a Khattiya, at the feet of the Brahman who acts as family chaplain, when after a time he is anointed king, pays, reverence and respect to his master in the thought of his being the teacher, and the carrier on of the traditions of the family, so is it right for the converted Bhikkhu to do reverence and to pay respect to the unconverted Bhikkhu.’ | |
‘Labhati so pātimokkhuddesaṁ sotuṁ, nāhaṁ taṁ labhāmi sotun’ti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
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| ‘And moreover, O king, you may know by this fact the greatness and the peerless glory of the condition of the Bhikkhus—that if a layman, a disciple of the faith, who has entered upon the Excellent Way, should attain to the realisation of Arahatship, one of two results must happen to him, and there is no other—he must either die away on that very day, or take upon himself the condition of a Bhikkhu. | |
| For immovable, O king, is that state of renunciation, glorious, and most exalted—I mean the condition of being a member of the Order!’ | |
‘So aññe pabbājeti upasampādeti jinasāsanaṁ vaḍḍheti, ahametaṁ na labhāmi kātun’ti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
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| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, this subtle problem has been thoroughly unravelled by your powerful and great wisdom. | |
‘Appamāṇesu so sikkhāpadesu samattakārī, nāhaṁ tesu vattāmī’ti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
No one else could solve it so unless he were wise as you.’ |
‘Upagato so samaṇaliṅgaṁ, buddhādhippāye ṭhito, tenāhaṁ liṅgena dūramapagato’ti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
Here ends the problem as to the precedence of the Dharma |
‘Parūḷhakacchalomo so anañjitaamaṇḍito anulittasīlagandho, ahaṁ pana maṇḍanavibhūsanābhirato’ti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
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Api ca, mahārāja, ‘ye te vīsati samaṇakaraṇā dhammā dve ca liṅgāni, sabbepete dhammā bhikkhussa saṁvijjanti, soyeva te dhamme dhāreti, aññepi tattha sikkhāpeti, so me āgamo sikkhāpanañca natthī’ti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, rājakumāro purohitassa santike vijjaṁ adhīyati, khattiyadhammaṁ sikkhati, so aparena samayena abhisitto ācariyaṁ abhivādeti paccuṭṭheti ‘sikkhāpako me ayan’ti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, ‘bhikkhu sikkhāpako vaṁsadharo’ti arahati upāsako sotāpanno bhikkhuṁ puthujjanaṁ abhivādetuṁ paccuṭṭhātuṁ. |
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Api ca, mahārāja, imināpetaṁ pariyāyena jānāhi bhikkhubhūmiyā mahantataṁ asamavipulabhāvaṁ. |
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Yadi, mahārāja, upāsako sotāpanno arahattaṁ sacchikaroti, dveva tassa gatiyo bhavanti anaññā tasmiṁyeva divase parinibbāyeyya vā, bhikkhubhāvaṁ vā upagaccheyya. |
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Acalā hi sā, mahārāja, pabbajjā, mahatī accuggatā, yadidaṁ bhikkhubhūmī”ti. |
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“Ñāṇagato, bhante nāgasena, pañho sunibbeṭhito balavatā atibuddhinā tayā, na yimaṁ pañhaṁ samattho añño evaṁ viniveṭhetuṁ aññatra tavādisena buddhimatā”ti. |
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Seṭṭhadhammapañho paṭhamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
2. Sabbasattahitapharaṇapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘tathāgato sabbasattānaṁ ahitamapanetvā hitamupadahatī’ti. |
5.3.2. The Harm Of Preaching |
Puna ca bhaṇatha aggikkhandhūpame dhammapariyāye bhaññamāne ‘saṭṭhimattānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ mukhato uggatan’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, you Bhikkhus say that the Tathāgata averts harm from all beings, and does them good. |
Aggikkhandhūpamaṁ, bhante, dhammapariyāyaṁ desentena tathāgatena saṭṭhimattānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ hitamapanetvā ahitamupadahitaṁ. |
And again you say that when he was preaching the discourse based on the simile of the burning fire hot blood was ejected from the mouths of about sixty Bhikkhus. |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato sabbasattānaṁ ahitamapanetvā hitamupadahati, tena hi aggikkhandhūpame dhammapariyāye bhaññamāne saṭṭhimattānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ mukhato uggatanti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
By his delivery of that discourse he did those Bhikkhus harm and not good. |
Yadi aggikkhandhūpame dhammapariyāye bhaññamāne saṭṭhimattānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ mukhato uggataṁ, tena hi tathāgato sabbasattānaṁ ahitamapanetvā hitamupadahatīti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
So if the first statement is correct, the second is false; |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
and if the second is correct, the first is false. |
| This too is a double-pointed problem put to you, which you have to solve.’ | |
“Tathāgato, mahārāja, sabbasattānaṁ ahitamapanetvā hitamupadahati, aggikkhandhūpame dhammapariyāye bhaññamāne saṭṭhimattānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ mukhato uggataṁ, tañca pana na tathāgatassa katena, tesaṁyeva attano katenā”ti. |
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| ‘Both are true. | |
| What happened to them was not the Tathāgata’s doing, but their own.’ | |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato aggikkhandhūpamaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ na bhāseyya, api nu tesaṁ uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ mukhato uggaccheyyā”ti. |
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“Na hi, mahārāja, micchāpaṭipannānaṁ tesaṁ bhagavato dhammapariyāyaṁ sutvā pariḷāho kāye uppajji, tena tesaṁ pariḷāhena uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ mukhato uggatan”ti. |
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“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatasseva katena tesaṁ uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ mukhato uggataṁ, tathāgatoyeva tattha adhikāro tesaṁ nāsanāya, yathā nāma, bhante nāgasena, ahi vammikaṁ paviseyya, athaññataro paṁsukāmo puriso vammikaṁ bhinditvā paṁsuṁ hareyya, tassa paṁsuharaṇena vammikassa susiraṁ pidaheyya, atha tattheva so assāsaṁ alabhamāno mareyya, nanu so, bhante, ahi tassa purisassa katena maraṇappatto”ti. |
‘But, Nāgasena, if the Tathāgata had not delivered that discourse, then would they have vomited up hot blood?’ |
“Āma, mahārājā”ti. |
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“Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatoyeva tattha adhikāro tesaṁ nāsanāyā”ti. |
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| ‘No. | |
| When they took wrongly what he said, then was there a burning kindled within them, and hot blood was ejected from their mouths.’ | |
“Tathāgato, mahārāja, dhammaṁ desayamāno anunayappaṭighaṁ na karoti, anunayappaṭighavippamutto dhammaṁ deseti, evaṁ dhamme desīyamāne ye tattha sammāpaṭipannā, te bujjhanti. |
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Ye pana micchāpaṭipannā, te patanti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, purisassa ambaṁ vā jambuṁ vā madhukaṁ vā cālayamānassa yāni tattha phalāni sārāni daḷhabandhanāni, tāni tattheva accutāni tiṭṭhanti, yāni tattha phalāni pūtivaṇṭamūlāni dubbalabandhanāni, tāni patanti; |
‘Then that must have happened, Nāgasena, through the act of the Tathāgata, it must have been the Tathāgata who was the chief cause to destroy them. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato dhammaṁ desayamāno anunayappaṭighaṁ na karoti, anunayappaṭighavippamutto dhammaṁ deseti, evaṁ dhamme desīyamāne ye tattha sammāpaṭipannā, te bujjhanti. |
Suppose a serpent, Nāgasena, had crept into an anthill, and a man in want of earth were to break into the anthill, and take the earth of it away. |
Ye pana micchāpaṭipannā, te patanti. |
And by his doing so the entrance-hole to the anthill were closed up, and the snake were to die in consequence from want of air. |
| Would not the serpent have been killed by that man’s action?’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kassako dhaññaṁ ropetukāmo khettaṁ kasati, tassa kasantassa anekasatasahassāni tiṇāni maranti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato paripakkamānase satte bodhento anunayappaṭighavippamutto dhammaṁ deseti, evaṁ dhamme desīyamāne ye tattha sammāpaṭipannā, te bujjhanti. |
‘Yes, O king.’ |
Ye pana micchāpaṭipannā, te tiṇāni viya maranti. |
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| ‘Just so, Nāgasena, was the Tathāgata the prime cause of their destruction.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, manussā rasahetu yantena ucchuṁ pīḷayanti, tesaṁ ucchuṁ pīḷayamānānaṁ ye tattha yantamukhagatā kimayo, te pīḷiyanti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato paripakkamānase satte bodhento dhammayantamabhipīḷayati, ye tattha micchāpaṭipannā, te kimī viya marantī”ti. |
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| ‘When the Tathāgata delivered a discourse, O king, he never did so either in flattery or in malice. | |
| In freedom both from the one and from the other did he speak. | |
“Nanu, bhante nāgasena, te bhikkhū tāya dhammadesanāya patitā”ti? |
And they who received it aright were made wise, but they who received it wrongly, fell. |
“Api nu kho, mahārāja, tacchako rukkhaṁ tacchanto ujukaṁ parisuddhaṁ karotī”ti? |
Just, O king, as when a man shakes a mango tree or a jambu tree or a mee tree, such of the fruits on it as are full of sap and strongly fastened to it remain undisturbed, but such as have rotten stalks, and are loosely attached, fall to the ground— so was it with his preaching. |
“Na hi, bhante, vajjanīyaṁ apanetvā tacchako rukkhaṁ ujukaṁ parisuddhaṁ karotī”ti. |
It was, O king, as when a husbandman, wanting to grow a crop of wheat, ploughs the field, but by that ploughing many hundreds and thousands of blades of grass are killed—or it was as when men, for the sake of sweetness, crush sugarcane in a mill, and by their doing so such small creatures as pass into the mouth of the mill are crushed also—so was it that the Tathāgata making wise those whose minds were prepared, preached the Dhamma without flattery and without malice. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato parisaṁ rakkhanto na sakkoti bodhaneyye satte bodhetuṁ, micchāpaṭipanne pana satte apanetvā bodhaneyye satte bodheti, attakatena pana te, mahārāja, micchāpaṭipannā patanti. |
And they who received it aright were made wise, but they who received it wrongly, fell.’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, kadalī veḷu assatarī attajena haññati; |
Then did not those Bhikkhus fall, Nāgasena, just because of that discourse?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te micchāpaṭipannā, te attakatena haññanti patanti. |
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| ‘How, then, could a carpenter by doing nothing to a piece of timber, and simply laying it by, make it straight and fit for use?’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, corā attakatena cakkhuppāṭanaṁ sūlāropanaṁ sīsacchedanaṁ pāpuṇanti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te micchāpaṭipannā, te attakatena haññanti patanti. |
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Yesaṁ, mahārāja, saṭṭhimattānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ mukhato uggataṁ, tesaṁ taṁ neva bhagavato katena, na paresaṁ katena, atha kho attanoyeva katena. |
‘No, Sir. |
| He would have to get rid of the bends out of it, if he wanted it straight and ready for use.’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso sabbajanassa amataṁ dadeyya, te taṁ amataṁ asitvā arogā dīghāyukā sabbītito parimucceyyuṁ, athaññataro puriso durupacārena taṁ asitvā maraṇaṁ pāpuṇeyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, amatadāyako puriso tatonidānaṁ kiñci apuññaṁ āpajjeyyā”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
‘Just so, O king, the Tathāgata could not, by merely watching over his disciples, have opened the eyes of those who were ready to see. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā devamanussānaṁ amataṁ dhammadānaṁ deti, ye te sattā bhabbā, te dhammāmatena bujjhanti. |
But by getting rid of those who took the word wrongly he saved those prepared to be saved. |
Ye pana te sattā abhabbā, te dhammāmatena haññanti patanti. |
And it was by their own act and deed, O king, that the evil-minded fell; |
Bhojanaṁ, mahārāja, sabbasattānaṁ jīvitaṁ rakkhati, tamekacce bhuñjitvā visūcikāya maranti, api nu kho so, mahārāja, bhojanadāyako puriso tatonidānaṁ kiñci apuññaṁ āpajjeyyā”ti? |
just as a plantain tree, or a bambū, or a she-mule are destroyed by that to which they themselves give birth. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
And just, O king, as it is by their own acts that robbers come to have their eyes plucked out, or to impalement, or to the scaffold, just so were the evil-minded destroyed by their own act, and fell from the teaching of the Conqueror.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā devamanussānaṁ amataṁ dhammadānaṁ deti, ye te sattā bhabbā, te dhammāmatena bujjhanti. |
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Ye pana te sattā abhabbā, te dhammāmatena haññanti patantī”ti. |
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“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
‘And so with those sixty Bhikkhus, they fell neither by the act of the Tathāgata nor of any one else, but solely by their own deed. |
| Suppose, O king, a man were to give ambrosia to all the people, and they, eating of it, were to become healthy and long-lived and free from every bodily ill. | |
| But one man, on eating it, were by his own bad digestion, to die. | |
Sabbasattahitapharaṇapañho dutiyo. |
Would then, O king, the man who gave away the ambrosia be guilty therein of any offence?’ |
| ‘No, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, does the Tathāgata present the gift of his ambrosia to the men and gods in the ten thousand world systems; | |
| and those beings who are capable of doing so are made wise by the nectar of his law, while they who are not are destroyed and fall. | |
| Food, O king, preserves the lives of all beings. | |
| But some who eat of it die of cholera. | |
| Is the man who feeds the hungry guilty therein of any offence?’ | |
| ‘No, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, does the Tathāgata present the gift of his ambrosia to the men and gods in the ten thousand world systems; | |
| and those beings who are capable of doing so are made wise by the nectar of his law, while they who are not are destroyed and fall.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma on the harm resulting from preaching. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
3. Vatthaguyhanidassanapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ tathāgatena— |
5.3.3. The Secrets Of A Tathāgata |
| [This dilemma treats of one of the thirty bodily signs of a ‘great man’ (Mahāpurusha) supposed to be possessed by every Tathāgata, but as it deals with matters not usually spoken of in this century, it is best read in the original. | |
‘Kāyena saṁvaro sādhu, |
] |
sādhu vācāya saṁvaro; |
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Manasā saṁvaro sādhu, |
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sādhu sabbattha saṁvaro’ti. |
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Puna ca tathāgato catunnaṁ parisānaṁ majjhe nisīditvā purato devamanussānaṁ selassa brāhmaṇassa kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ dassesi. |
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Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘kāyena saṁvaro sādhū’ti, tena hi selassa brāhmaṇassa kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ dassesīti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
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Yadi selassa brāhmaṇassa kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ dassesi, tena hi ‘kāyena saṁvaro sādhū’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
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Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
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“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘kāyena saṁvaro sādhū’ti, selassa ca brāhmaṇassa kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ dassitaṁ. |
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Yassa kho, mahārāja, tathāgate kaṅkhā uppannā, tassa bodhanatthāya bhagavā iddhiyā tappaṭibhāgaṁ kāyaṁ dasseti, soyeva taṁ pāṭihāriyaṁ passatī”ti. |
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“Ko panetaṁ, bhante nāgasena, saddahissati, yaṁ parisagato ekoyeva taṁ guyhaṁ passati, avasesā tattheva vasantā na passantīti. |
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Iṅgha me tvaṁ tattha kāraṇaṁ upadisa, kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehī”ti. |
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“Diṭṭhapubbo pana tayā, mahārāja, koci byādhito puriso parikiṇṇo ñātimittehī”ti. |
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“Āma, bhante”ti. |
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“Api nu kho sā, mahārāja, parisā passatetaṁ vedanaṁ, yāya so puriso vedanāya vedayatī”ti. |
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“Na hi, bhante, attanā yeva so, bhante, puriso vedayatī”ti. |
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“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yasseva tathāgate kaṅkhā uppannā, tasseva tathāgato bodhanatthāya iddhiyā tappaṭibhāgaṁ kāyaṁ dasseti, soyeva taṁ pāṭihāriyaṁ passati. |
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Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kañcideva purisaṁ bhūto āviseyya, api nu kho sā, mahārāja, parisā passati taṁ bhūtāgamanan”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante, soyeva āturo tassa bhūtassa āgamanaṁ passatī”ti. |
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“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yasseva tathāgate kaṅkhā uppannā, tasseva tathāgato bodhanatthāya iddhiyā tappaṭibhāgaṁ kāyaṁ dasseti, so yeva taṁ pāṭihāriyaṁ passatī”ti. |
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“Dukkaraṁ, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā kataṁ, yaṁ ekassapi adassanīyaṁ, taṁ dassentenā”ti. |
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“Na, mahārāja, bhagavā guyhaṁ dassesi, iddhiyā pana chāyaṁ dassesī”ti. |
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“Chāyāyapi, bhante, diṭṭhāya diṭṭhaṁyeva hoti guyhaṁ, yaṁ disvā niṭṭhaṁ gato”ti. |
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“Dukkarañcāpi, mahārāja, tathāgato karoti bodhaneyye satte bodhetuṁ. |
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Yadi, mahārāja, tathāgato kiriyaṁ hāpeyya, bodhaneyyā sattā na bujjheyyuṁ. |
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Yasmā ca kho, mahārāja, yogaññū tathāgato bodhaneyye satte bodhetuṁ, tasmā tathāgato yena yena yogena bodhaneyyā bujjhanti, tena tena yogena bodhaneyye bodheti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, bhisakko sallakatto yena yena bhesajjena āturo arogo hoti, tena tena bhesajjena āturaṁ upasaṅkamati, vamanīyaṁ vameti, virecanīyaṁ vireceti, anulepanīyaṁ anulimpeti, anuvāsanīyaṁ anuvāseti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato yena yena yogena bodhaneyyā sattā bujjhanti, tena tena yogena bodheti. |
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Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, itthī mūḷhagabbhā bhisakkassa adassanīyaṁ guyhaṁ dasseti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato bodhaneyye satte bodhetuṁ adassanīyaṁ guyhaṁ iddhiyā chāyaṁ dassesi. |
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Natthi, mahārāja, adassanīyo nāma okāso puggalaṁ upādāya. |
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Yadi, mahārāja, koci bhagavato hadayaṁ disvā bujjheyya, tassapi bhagavā yogena hadayaṁ dasseyya, yogaññū, mahārāja, tathāgato desanākusalo. |
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Nanu, mahārāja, tathāgato therassa nandassa adhimuttiṁ jānitvā taṁ devabhavanaṁ netvā devakaññāyo dassesi ‘imināyaṁ kulaputto bujjhissatī’ti, tena ca so kulaputto bujjhi. |
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Iti kho, mahārāja, tathāgato anekapariyāyena subhanimittaṁ hīḷento garahanto jigucchanto tassa bodhanahetu kakuṭapādiniyo accharāyo dassesi. |
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Evampi tathāgato yogaññū desanākusalo. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgato therassa cūḷapanthakassa bhātarā nikkaḍḍhitassa dukkhitassa dummanassa upagantvā sukhumaṁ coḷakhaṇḍaṁ adāsi ‘imināyaṁ kulaputto bujjhissatī’ti, so ca kulaputto tena kāraṇena jinasāsane vasībhāvaṁ pāpuṇi. |
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Evampi, mahārāja, tathāgato yogaññū desanākusalo. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgato brāhmaṇassa mogharājassa yāva tatiyaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho na byākāsi ‘evamimassa kulaputtassa māno upasamissati, mānūpasamā abhisamayo bhavissatī’ti, tena ca tassa kulaputtassa māno upasami, mānūpasamā so brāhmaṇo chasu abhiññāsu vasībhāvaṁ pāpuṇi. |
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Evampi, mahārāja, tathāgato yogaññū desanākusalo”ti. |
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“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, sunibbeṭhito pañho bahuvidhehi kāraṇehi, gahanaṁ agahanaṁ kataṁ, andhakāro āloko kato, gaṇṭhi bhinno, bhaggā paravādā, jinaputtānaṁ cakkhuṁ tayā uppāditaṁ, nippaṭibhānā titthiyā, tvaṁ gaṇivarapavaramāsajjā”ti. |
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Vatthaguyhanidassanapañho tatiyo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
4. Pharusavācābhāvapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā parisuddhavacīsamācāro āvuso tathāgato, natthi tathāgatassa vacīduccaritaṁ, yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya ‘mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī’ti. |
5.3.4. The Foolish Fellow |
Puna ca tathāgato therassa sudinnassa kalandaputtassa aparādhe pārājikaṁ paññapento pharusāhi vācāhi moghapurisavādena samudācari, tena ca so thero moghapurisavādena maṅkucittavasena rundhitattā vippaṭisārī nāsakkhi ariyamaggaṁ paṭivijjhituṁ. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Elder Sāriputta, the commander of the faith: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, parisuddhavacīsamācāro tathāgato, natthi tathāgatassa vacīduccaritaṁ, tena hi tathāgatena therassa sudinnassa kalandaputtassa aparādhe moghapurisavādena samudāciṇṇanti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“The Tathāgata, brethren, is perfect in courtesy of speech. |
Yadi bhagavatā therassa sudinnassa kalandaputtassa aparādhe moghapurisavādena samudāciṇṇaṁ, tena hi parisuddhavacīsamācāro tathāgato, natthi tathāgatassa vacīduccaritanti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
There is no fault of speech in the Tathāgata concerning which he should have to take care that no one else should know it.” |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
And on the other hand the Tathāgata, when promulgating the first Pārājika on the occasion of the offence of Sudinna the Kalanda, addressed him with harsh words, calling him a useless fellow. |
| And that Elder, on being so called, terrified with the fear of his teacher, and overcome with remorse, was unable to comprehend the Excellent Way. | |
| Now if the first statement be correct, the allegation that the Tathāgata called Sudinna the Kalanda a useless fellow must be false. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā—‘parisuddhavacīsamācāro āvuso tathāgato, natthi tathāgatassa vacīduccaritaṁ, yaṁ tathāgato rakkheyya “mā me idaṁ paro aññāsī”’ti. |
But if that be true, then the first statement must be false. |
Āyasmato ca sudinnassa kalandaputtassa aparādhe pārājikaṁ paññapentena bhagavatā moghapurisavādena samudāciṇṇaṁ, tañca pana aduṭṭhacittena asārambhena yāthāvalakkhaṇena. |
This too is a double-pointed problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Kiñca tattha yāthāvalakkhaṇaṁ, yassa, mahārāja, puggalassa imasmiṁ attabhāve catusaccābhisamayo na hoti, tassa purisattanaṁ moghaṁ aññaṁ kayiramānaṁ aññena sambhavati, tena vuccati ‘moghapuriso’ti. |
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Iti, mahārāja, bhagavatā āyasmato sudinnassa kalandaputtassa sabhāvavacanena samudāciṇṇaṁ, no abhūtavādenā”ti. |
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| ‘What Sāriputta the Elder said is true, O king. | |
| And the Blessed One called Sudinna a useless fellow on that occasion. | |
“Sabhāvampi, bhante nāgasena, yo akkosanto bhaṇati, tassa mayaṁ kahāpaṇaṁ daṇḍaṁ dhārema, aparādhoyeva so vatthuṁ nissāya visuṁ vohāraṁ ācaranto akkosatī”ti. |
But that was not out of rudeness of disposition, it was merely pointing out the real nature (of his conduct) in a way that would do him no harm. |
“Atthi pana, mahārāja, sutapubbaṁ tayā khalitassa abhivādanaṁ vā paccuṭṭhānaṁ vā sakkāraṁ vā upāyanānuppadānaṁ vā”ti? |
And what herein is meant by “pointing out the real nature.” |
“Na hi, bhante, yato kutoci yattha katthaci khalito, so paribhāsanāraho hoti tajjanāraho, uttamaṅgampissa chindanti hanantipi bandhantipi ghātentipi jhāpentipī”ti. |
If any man, O king, in this birth does not attain to the perception of the Four Truths, then is his manhood (his being born as a man) in vain, but if he acts differently he will become different. |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, bhagavatā kiriyāyeva katā, no akiriyā”ti. |
Therefore is it that he is called a useless fellow. |
| And so the Blessed One addressed Sudinna the Kalanda with words of truth, and not with words apart from the facts.’ | |
“Kiriyampi, bhante nāgasena, kurumānena patirūpena kātabbaṁ anucchavikena, savanenapi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatassa sadevako loko ottappati hiriyati bhiyyo dassanena tatuttariṁ upasaṅkamanena payirupāsanenā”ti. |
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“Api nu kho, mahārāja, tikicchako abhisanne kāye kupite dose sinehanīyāni bhesajjāni detī”ti? |
‘But, Nāgasena, though a man in abusing another speaks the truth, still we should inflict a small fine upon him. |
“Na hi, bhante, tiṇhāni lekhanīyāni bhesajjāni detī”ti. |
For he is guilty of an offence, inasmuch as he, although for something real, abused him by the use of words that might lead to a breach (of the peace).’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato sabbakilesabyādhivūpasamāya anusiṭṭhiṁ deti, pharusāpi, mahārāja, tathāgatassa vācā satte sinehayati, muduke karoti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, uṇhampi udakaṁ yaṁ kiñci sinehanīyaṁ sinehayati, mudukaṁ karoti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, pharusāpi tathāgatassa vācā atthavatī hoti karuṇāsahagatā. |
‘Have you ever heard, O king, of a people bowing down before, or rising up from their seats in respect for, or showing honour to, or bringing the complimentary presents (usually given to officials) to a criminal?’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, pituvacanaṁ puttānaṁ atthavantaṁ hoti karuṇāsahagataṁ; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, pharusāpi tathāgatassa vācā atthavatī hoti karuṇāsahagatā. |
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Pharusāpi, mahārāja, tathāgatassa vācā sattānaṁ kilesappahānā hoti. |
‘No, if a man have committed a crime of whatever sort or kind, if he be really worthy of reproof and punishment, they would rather behead him, or torture him, or bind him with bonds, or put him to death, or deprive him of his goods.’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, duggandhampi gomuttaṁ pītaṁ virasampi agadaṁ khāyitaṁ sattānaṁ byādhiṁ hanati; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, pharusāpi tathāgatassa vācā atthavatī karuṇāsahagatā. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, mahantopi tūlapuñjo parassa kāye nipatitvā rujaṁ na karoti; |
‘Did then the Blessed One, O king, act with justice or not?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, pharusāpi tathāgatassa vācā na kassaci dukkhaṁ uppādetī”ti. |
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“Suvinicchito, bhante nāgasena, pañho bahūhi kāraṇehi. |
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Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
‘With justice, Sir, and in a most fit and proper way. |
| And when, Nāgasena, they hear of it the world of men and gods will be made tender of conscience, and afraid of falling into sin, struck with awe at the sight of it, and still more so when they themselves associate with wrong-doers, or do wrong.’ | |
Pharusavācābhāvapañho catuttho. |
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| ‘Now would a physician, O king, administer pleasant things as a medicine in a case where all the humours of the body were affected, and the whole frame was disorganised and full of disease?’ | |
| ‘No. | |
| Wishing to put an end to the disease he would give sharp and scarifying drugs.’ | |
| ‘In the same way, O king, the Tathāgata bestows admonition for the sake of suppressing all the diseases of sin. | |
| And the words of the Tathāgata, even when stern, soften men and make them tender. | |
| Just as hot water, O king, softens and makes tender anything capable of being softened, so are the words of the Tathāgata, even when stern, yet as full of benefit, and as full of pity as the words of a father would be to his children. | |
| Just, O king, as the drinking of evil-smelling decoctions, the swallowing of nasty drugs, destroys the weaknesses of men’s bodies, so are the words of the Tathāgata even when stern, bringers of advantage and laden with pity. | |
| And just, O king, as a ball of cotton falling on a man raises no bruise, so do the words of the Tathāgata, even when stern, do no harm.’ | |
| ‘Well have you made this problem clear by many a simile, Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| [End of the dilemma as to the Buddha’s harsh words to Sudinna. | |
| ] |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
5. Rukkhaacetanābhāvapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ tathāgatena— |
5.3.5. The Tree Talking |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Tathāgata said: | |
‘Acetanaṁ brāhmaṇa assuṇantaṁ, |
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Jāno ajānantamimaṁ palāsaṁ; |
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| “Brahman! | |
Āraddhavīriyo dhuvaṁ appamatto, |
why do you ask an unconscious thing, |
Sukhaseyyaṁ pucchasi kissa hetūti. |
Which cannot hear you, how it does to-day? |
| Active, intelligent, and full of life, | |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ— |
How can you speak to this so senseless thing— |
| This wild Palāsa tree ?” | |
Iti phandanarukkhopi, |
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tāvade ajjhabhāsatha; |
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| And on the other hand he said: | |
Mayhampi vacanaṁ atthi, |
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bhāradvāja suṇohi me’ti. |
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| “And thus the Aspen tree then made reply: | |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, rukkho acetano, tena hi phandanena rukkhena bhāradvājena saha sallapitanti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
’I, Bhāradvāja, can speak too. |
Yadi phandanena rukkhena bhāradvājena saddhiṁ sallapitaṁ, tena hi rukkho acetanoti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
Listen to me.’ |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
” |
| ‘Now if, Nāgasena, a tree is an unconscious thing, it must be false that the Aspen tree spoke to Bhāradvāja. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘rukkho acetano’ti, phandanena ca rukkhena bhāradvājena saddhiṁ sallapitaṁ, tañca pana vacanaṁ lokasamaññāya bhaṇitaṁ. |
But if that is true, it must be false to say that a tree is unconscious. |
Natthi, mahārāja, acetanassa rukkhassa sallāpo nāma, api ca, mahārāja, tasmiṁ rukkhe adhivatthāya devatāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ rukkhoti, rukkho sallapatīti cesā lokapaṇṇatti, yathā, mahārāja, sakaṭaṁ dhaññassa paripūritaṁ dhaññasakaṭanti jano voharati, na ca taṁ dhaññamayaṁ sakaṭaṁ, rukkhamayaṁ sakaṭaṁ, tasmiṁ sakaṭe dhaññassa pana ākiritattā dhaññasakaṭanti jano voharati; |
This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, na rukkho sallapati, rukkho acetano, yā pana tasmiṁ rukkhe adhivatthā devatā, tassāyeva taṁ adhivacanaṁ rukkhoti, rukkho sallapatīti cesā lokapaṇṇatti. |
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| The Master said, O king, that a tree is unconscious. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, dadhiṁ manthayamāno takkaṁ manthemīti voharati, na taṁ takkaṁ, yaṁ so mantheti, dadhiṁyeva so manthento takkaṁ manthemīti voharati; |
And the Aspen tree conversed with Bhāradvāja. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, na rukkho sallapati, rukkho acetano. |
But that last is said, O king, by a common form of speech. |
Yā pana tasmiṁ rukkhe adhivatthā devatā, tassāyeva taṁ adhivacanaṁ rukkhoti, rukkho sallapatīti cesā lokapaṇṇatti. |
For though a tree being unconscious cannot talk, yet the word “tree” is used as a designation of the dryad who dwells therein, and in that sense that “the tree talks” is a well-known expression. |
| just, O king, as a waggon laden with corn is called a corn-waggon. | |
| But it is not made of corn, it is made of wood, yet because of the corn being heaped up in it the people use the expression “corn-waggon.” | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, asantaṁ sādhetukāmo santaṁ sādhemīti voharati, asiddhaṁ siddhanti voharati, evamesā lokasamaññā; |
Or just, O king, as when a man is churning sour milk the common expression is that he is churning butter. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, na rukkho sallapati, rukkho acetano. |
But it is not butter that he is churning, but milk. |
Yā pana tasmiṁ rukkhe adhivatthā devatā, tassāyeva taṁ adhivacanaṁ rukkhoti, rukkho sallapatīti cesā lokapaṇṇatti, yāya, mahārāja, lokasamaññāya jano voharati, tathāgatopi tāyeva lokasamaññāya sattānaṁ dhammaṁ desetī”ti. |
Or just, O king, as when a man is making something that does not exist the common expression is that he is making that thing which all the while as yet is not, but people talk of the work as accomplished before it is done. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
And the Tathāgata, when expounding the Dhamma, does so by means of the phraseology which is in common use among the people.’ |
Rukkhaacetanābhāvapañho pañcamo. |
‘Very good, Nāgasena! |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the talking tree. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
6. Piṇḍapātamahapphalapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ dhammasaṅgītikārakehi therehi— |
5.3.6. The Buddha’s Last Illness |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Elders who held the Recitation: | |
‘Cundassa bhattaṁ bhuñjitvā, |
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Kammārassāti me sutaṁ; |
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| “When he had eaten Cunda’s alms, | |
Ābādhaṁ samphusī dhīro, |
The coppersmith’s—thus have I heard— |
Pabāḷhaṁ māraṇantikan’ti. |
The Buddha felt that sickness dire, |
| That sharp pain even unto death.” | |
Puna ca bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘dveme, ānanda, piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā ca. |
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Katame dve? |
And afterwards the Blessed One said: |
Yañca piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjitvā tathāgato anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambujjhi, yañca piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjitvā tathāgato anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbāyati. |
“These two offerings of food, Ānanda, equal, of equal fruit, and of equal result, are of much greater fruit and much greater result than any others.” |
Ime dve piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā, ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā cā’ti. |
Now if sharp sickness fell upon the Blessed One, Nāgasena, after he had partaken of Kunda’s alms, and sharp pains arose within him even unto death, then that other statement must be wrong. |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavato cundassa bhattaṁ bhuttāvissa kharo ābādho uppanno, pabāḷhā ca vedanā pavattā māraṇantikā, tena hi ‘dveme, ānanda, piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā cā’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
But if that is right then the first must be wrong. |
Yadi dveme piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā ca, tena hi bhagavato cundassa bhattaṁ bhuttāvissa kharo ābādho uppanno, pabāḷhā ca vedanā pavattā māraṇantikāti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
How could that alms, Nāgasena, be of great fruit when it turned to poison, gave rise to disease, put an end to the period of his then existence, took away his life? |
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, so piṇḍapāto visagatatāya mahapphalo, roguppādakatāya mahapphalo, āyuvināsakatāya mahapphalo, bhagavato jīvitaharaṇatāya mahapphalo? |
Explain this to me to the refutation of the adversaries. |
Tattha me kāraṇaṁ brūhi paravādānaṁ niggahāya, etthāyaṁ jano sammūḷho lobhavasena atibahuṁ khāyitena lohitapakkhandikā uppannāti. |
The people are in bewilderment about this, thinking that the dysentery must have been caused by his eating too much, out of greediness.’ |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
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| 1 the Blessed One said, O king, that there were two almsgivings equal, of equal fruit, and equal result, and of much greater fruit, and much greater result than any others—that which, when a Tathāgata has partaken of it, he attains to supreme and perfect Buddhahood (Enlightenment), and that when he has partaken of which, he passes away by that utter passing away in which nothing whatever remains behind. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, dhammasaṅgītikārakehi therehi— |
For that alms is full of virtue, full of advantage. |
| The gods, O king, shouted in joy and gladness at the thought: | |
‘Cundassa bhattaṁ bhuñjitvā, |
“This is the last meal the Tathāgata will take,” and communicated a divine power of nourishment to that tender pork. |
kammārassāti me sutaṁ; |
And that was itself in good condition, light, pleasant, full of flavour, and good for digestion. |
| It was not because of it that any sickness fell upon the Blessed One, but it was because of the extreme weakness of his body, and because of the period of life he had to live having been exhausted, that the disease arose, and grew worse and worse—just as when, O king, an ordinary fire is burning, if fresh fuel be supplied, it will burn up still more—or as when a stream is flowing along as usual, if a heavy rain falls, it will become a mighty river with a great rush of water—or as when the body is of its ordinary girth, if more food be eaten, it becomes broader than before. | |
Ābādhaṁ samphusī dhīro, |
So this was not, O king, the fault of the food that was presented, and you can not impute any harm to it.’ |
pabāḷhaṁ māraṇantikan’ti. |
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| ‘But, venerable Nāgasena, why is it that those two gifts of food are so specially meritorious?’ | |
Bhagavatā ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘dveme, ānanda, piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā ca. |
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Katame dve? |
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Yañca piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjitvā tathāgato anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambujjhi, yañca piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjitvā tathāgato anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbāyati, ime dve piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā, ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā cā’ti. |
‘Because of the attainment of the exalted conditions which resulted from them.’ |
So pana piṇḍapāto bahuguṇo anekānisaṁso. |
‘Of what conditions, Nāgasena, are you speaking?’ |
Devatā, mahārāja, haṭṭhā pasannamānasā ‘ayaṁ bhagavato pacchimo piṇḍapāto’ti dibbaṁ ojaṁ sūkaramaddave ākiriṁsu. |
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Tañca pana sammāpākaṁ lahupākaṁ manuññaṁ bahurasaṁ jaṭṭharaggitejassa hitaṁ. |
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Na, mahārāja, tatonidānaṁ bhagavato koci anuppanno rogo uppanno, api ca, mahārāja, bhagavato pakatidubbale sarīre khīṇe āyusaṅkhāre uppanno rogo bhiyyo abhivaḍḍhi. |
‘Of the attainment of the nine successive states which were passed through at first in one order, and then in the reverse order.’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, pakatiyā jalamāno aggi aññasmiṁ upādāne dinne bhiyyo pajjalati; |
‘It was on two days, was it not, Nāgasena, that the Tathāgata attained to those conditions in the highest degree?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavato pakatidubbale sarīre khīṇe āyusaṅkhāre uppanno rogo bhiyyo abhivaḍḍhi. |
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| ‘Yes, O king.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, soto pakatiyā sandamāno abhivuṭṭhe mahāmeghe bhiyyo mahogho udakavāhako hoti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavato pakatidubbale sarīre khīṇe āyusaṅkhāre uppanno rogo bhiyyo abhivaḍḍhi. |
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| ‘It is a most wonderful thing, Nāgasena, and a most strange, that of all the great and glorious gifts which were bestowed upon our Blessed One not one can be compared with these two almsgivings. | |
| Most marvellous is it, that even as those nine successive conditions are glorious, even so are those gifts made, by their glory, of greater fruit, and of greater advantage than any others. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, pakatiyā abhisannadhātu kucchi aññasmiṁ ajjhoharite bhiyyo āyameyya; |
Very good, Nāgasena! |
evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavato pakatidubbale sarīre khīṇe āyusaṅkhāre uppanno rogo bhiyyo abhivaḍḍhi, natthi, mahārāja, tasmiṁ piṇḍapāte doso, na ca tassa sakkā dosaṁ āropetun”ti. |
That is so, and I accept it as you say. |
“Bhante nāgasena, kena kāraṇena te dve piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā cā”ti? |
Here ends the dilemma as to the Buddha’s last illness. |
“Dhammānumajjanasamāpattivasena, mahārāja, te dve piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā cā”ti. |
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“Bhante nāgasena, katamesaṁ dhammānaṁ anumajjanasamāpattivasena te dve piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā cā”ti? |
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“Navannaṁ, mahārāja, anupubbavihārasamāpattīnaṁ anulomappaṭilomasamāpajjanavasena te dve piṇḍapātā samasamaphalā samavipākā ativiya aññehi piṇḍapātehi mahapphalatarā ca mahānisaṁsatarā cā”ti. |
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“Bhante nāgasena, dvīsuyeva divasesu adhimattaṁ tathāgato navānupubbavihārasamāpattiyo anulomappaṭilomaṁ samāpajjī”ti? |
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“Āma, mahārājā”ti. |
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“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena. |
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Yaṁ imasmiṁ buddhakkhette asadisaṁ paramadānaṁ, tampi imehi dvīhi piṇḍapātehi agaṇitaṁ. |
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Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena. |
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Yāva mahantā navānupubbavihārasamāpattiyo, yatra hi nāma navānupubbavihārasamāpattivasena dānaṁ mahapphalataraṁ hoti mahānisaṁsatarañca. |
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Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
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Piṇḍapātamahapphalapañho chaṭṭho. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
7. Buddhapūjanapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ tathāgatena ‘abyāvaṭā tumhe, ānanda, hotha tathāgatassa sarīrapūjāyā’ti. |
5.3.7. Adoration Of Relics |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ— |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Tathāgata said: |
| “Hinder not yourselves, Ānanda, by honouring the remains of the Tathāgata.” | |
‘Pūjetha naṁ pūjaniyassa dhātuṁ, |
And on the other hand he said: |
Evaṁ kira saggamito gamissathā’ti. |
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| “Honour that relic of him who is worthy of honour, | |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘abyāvaṭā tumhe, ānanda, hotha tathāgatassa sarīrapūjāyā’ti, tena hi ‘pūjetha naṁ pūjaniyassa dhātuṁ, evaṁ karā saggamito gamissathā’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
Acting in that way you go from this world to heaven.” |
Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘pūjetha naṁ pūjaniyassa dhātuṁ, evaṁ karā saggamito gamissathā’ti, tena hi ‘abyāvaṭā tumhe, ānanda, hotha tathāgatassa sarīrapūjāyā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
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Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
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| ‘Now if the first injunction was right the second must be wrong, and if the second is right the first must be wrong. | |
| This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘abyāvaṭā tumhe, ānanda, hotha tathāgatassa sarīrapūjāyā’ti, puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘pūjetha naṁ pūjaniyassa dhātuṁ, evaṁ karā saggamito gamissathā’ti, tañca pana na sabbesaṁ jinaputtānaṁyeva ārabbha bhaṇitaṁ—‘abyāvaṭā tumhe, ānanda, hotha tathāgatassa sarīrapūjāyā’ti. |
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Akammaṁ hetaṁ, mahārāja, jinaputtānaṁ yadidaṁ pūjā, sammasanaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ, yoniso manasikāro, satipaṭṭhānānupassanā, ārammaṇasāraggāho, kilesayuddhaṁ, sadatthamanuyuñjanā, etaṁ jinaputtānaṁ karaṇīyaṁ, avasesānaṁ devamanussānaṁ pūjā karaṇīyā. |
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| ‘Both the passages you quote were spoken by the Blessed One. | |
| But it was not to all men, it was to the sons of the Conqueror that it was said: | |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahiyā rājaputtānaṁ hatthiassarathadhanutharulekhamuddāsikkhākhaggamantasutisammutiyuddhayujjhāpanakiriyā karaṇīyā, avasesānaṁ puthuvessasuddānaṁ kasi vaṇijjā gorakkhā karaṇīyā; |
“Hinder not yourselves, Ānanda, by honouring the remains of the Tathāgata “. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, akammaṁ hetaṁ jinaputtānaṁ yadidaṁ pūjā, sammasanaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ, yoniso manasikāro, satipaṭṭhānānupassanā, ārammaṇasāraggāho, kilesayuddhaṁ, sadatthamanuyuñjanā, etaṁ jinaputtānaṁ karaṇīyaṁ, avasesānaṁ devamanussānaṁ pūjā karaṇīyā. |
Paying reverence is not the work of the sons of the Conqueror, but rather the grasping of the true nature of all compounded things, the practice of thought, contemplation in accordance with the rules of Satipaṭṭhāna, the seizing of the real essence of all objects of thought, the struggle against evil, and devotion to their own (spiritual) good. |
| These are things which the sons of the Conqueror ought to do, leaving to others, whether gods or men, the paying of reverence.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, brāhmaṇamāṇavakānaṁ iruvedaṁ yajuvedaṁ sāmavedaṁ athabbaṇavedaṁ lakkhaṇaṁ itihāsaṁ purāṇaṁ nighaṇḍu keṭubhaṁ akkharappabhedaṁ padaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ bhāsamaggaṁ uppātaṁ supinaṁ nimittaṁ chaḷaṅgaṁ candaggāhaṁ sūriyaggāhaṁ sukkarāhucaritaṁ uḷuggahayuddhaṁ devadundubhissaraṁ okkanti ukkāpātaṁ bhūmikammaṁ disādāhaṁ bhummantalikkhaṁ jotisaṁ lokāyatikaṁ sācakkaṁ migacakkaṁ antaracakkaṁ missakuppādaṁ sakuṇarutaravitaṁ sikkhā karaṇīyā, avasesānaṁ puthuvessasuddānaṁ kasi vaṇijjā gorakkhā karaṇīyā; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, akammaṁ hetaṁ jinaputtānaṁ yadidaṁ pūjā, sammasanaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ, yoniso manasikāro, satipaṭṭhānānupassanā, ārammaṇasāraggāho, kilesayuddhaṁ, sadatthamanuyuñjanā, etaṁ jinaputtānaṁ karaṇīyaṁ, avasesānaṁ devamanussānaṁ pūjā karaṇīyā, tasmā, mahārāja, tathāgato ‘mā ime akamme yuñjantu, kamme ime yuñjantū’ti—āha—‘abyāvaṭā tumhe, ānanda, hotha tathāgatassa sarīrapūjāyā’ti. |
‘And that is so, O king, just as it is the business of the princes of the earth to learn all about elephants, and horses, and chariots, and bows, and rapiers, and documents, and the law of property, to carry on the traditions of the Khattiya clans, and to fight themselves and to lead others in war, while husbandry, merchandise, and the care of cattle are the business of other folk, ordinary Vessas and Suddas. |
Yadetaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgato na bhaṇeyya, pattacīvarampi attano pariyādāpetvā bhikkhū buddhapūjaṁyeva kareyyun”ti. |
—Or just as the business of Brahmins and their sons is concerned with the Rig-veda, the Yajur-veda, the Sama-veda, the Atharva-veda, with the knowledge of lucky marks (on the body), of legends, Purānas, lexicography, prosody, phonology, verses. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
grammar, etymology, astrology, interpretation of omens, and of dreams, and of signs, study of the six Vedāṅgas, of eclipses of the sun and moon, of the prognostications to be drawn from the flight of comets, the thunderings of the gods, the junctions of planets, the fall of meteors, earthquakes, conflagrations, and signs in the heavens and on the earth, the study of arithmetic, of casuistry, of the interpretation of the omens to be drawn from dogs, and deer, and rats, and mixtures of liquids, and the sounds and cries of birds-while husbandry, merchandise, and the care of cattle are the business of other folk, ordinary Vessas and Suddas. |
| So it was, O king, in the sense of “Devote not yourselves to such things as are not your business, but to such things as are so” that the Tathāgata was speaking when he said: | |
| “Hinder not yourselves, Ānanda, by honouring the remains of the Tathāgata.” | |
Buddhapūjanapañho sattamo. |
And if, O king, he had not said so, then would the Bhikkhus have taken his bowl and his robe, and occupied themselves with paying reverence to the Buddha through them!’ |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to reverence to relics. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
8. Pādasakalikāhatapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘bhagavato gacchantassa ayaṁ acetanā mahāpathavī ninnaṁ unnamati, unnataṁ onamatī’ti, puna ca bhaṇatha—‘bhagavato pādo sakalikāya khato’ti. |
5.3.8. The Splinter Of Rock |
Yā sā sakalikā bhagavato pāde patitā, kissa pana sā sakalikā bhagavato pādā na nivattā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, you Bhikkhus say that: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavato gacchantassa ayaṁ acetanā mahāpathavī ninnaṁ unnamati, unnataṁ onamati, tena hi ‘bhagavato pādo sakalikāya khato’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“When the Blessed One walked along, the earth, unconscious though it is, filled up its deep places, and made its steep places plain.” |
Yadi bhagavato pādo sakalikāya khato, tena hi ‘bhagavato gacchantassa ayaṁ acetanā mahāpathavī ninnaṁ unnamati unnataṁ onamatī’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
And on the other hand you say that a splinter of rock grazed his foot. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
When that splinter was falling on his foot why did it not, then, turn aside? |
| If it be true that the unconscious earth makes its deep places full and its steep places plain for him, then it must be untrue that the splinter of rock hurt his foot. | |
| But if the latter statement be true, then the first must be false. | |
“Saccaṁ, mahārāja, atthetaṁ bhagavato gacchantassa ayaṁ acetanā mahāpathavī ninnaṁ unnamati unnataṁ onamati, bhagavato ca pādo sakalikāya khato, na ca pana sā sakalikā attano dhammatāya patitā, devadattassa upakkamena patitā. |
This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Devadatto, mahārāja, bahūni jātisatasahassāni bhagavati āghātaṁ bandhi, so tena āghātena ‘mahantaṁ kūṭāgārappamāṇaṁ pāsāṇaṁ bhagavato upari pātessāmī’ti muñci. |
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Atha dve selā pathavito uṭṭhahitvā taṁ pāsāṇaṁ sampaṭicchiṁsu, atha nesaṁ sampahārena pāsāṇato papaṭikā bhijjitvā yena vā tena vā patantī bhagavato pāde patitā”ti. |
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| ‘Both statements, O king, are true. | |
| But that splinter of rock did not fall of itself, it was cast down through the act of Devadatta. | |
“Yathā ca, bhante nāgasena, dve selā pāsāṇaṁ sampaṭicchiṁsu, tatheva papaṭikāpi sampaṭicchitabbā”ti? |
Through hundreds of thousands of existences, O king, had Devadatta borne a grudge against the Blessed One. |
“Sampaṭicchitampi, mahārāja, idhekaccaṁ paggharati pasavati na ṭhānamupagacchati, yathā, mahārāja, udakaṁ pāṇinā gahitaṁ aṅgulantarikāhi paggharati pasavati na ṭhānamupagacchati, khīraṁ takkaṁ madhuṁ sappi telaṁ maccharasaṁ maṁsarasaṁ pāṇinā gahitaṁ aṅgulantarikāhi paggharati pasavati na ṭhānamupagacchati; |
It was through that hatred that he seized hold of a mighty mass of rock, and pushed it over with the hope that it would fall upon the Buddha’s head. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sampaṭicchanatthaṁ upagatānaṁ dvinnaṁ selānaṁ sampahārena pāsāṇato papaṭikā bhijjitvā yena vā tena vā patantī bhagavato pāde patitā. |
But two other rocks came together, and intercepted it before it reached the Tathāgata, and by the force of their impact a splinter was torn off, and fell in such a direction that it struck The Blessed One’s foot.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, saṇhasukhumaaṇurajasamaṁ puḷinaṁ muṭṭhinā gahitaṁ aṅgulantarikāhi paggharati pasavati na ṭhānamupagacchati; |
‘But, Nāgasena, just as two rocks intercepted that mighty mass, so could the splinter have been intercepted.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sampaṭicchanatthaṁ upagatānaṁ dvinnaṁ selānaṁ sampahārena pāsāṇato papaṭikā bhijjitvā yena vā tena vā patantī bhagavato pāde patitā. |
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| ‘But a thing intercepted, O king, can escape, slip through, or be lost—as water does, through the fingers, when it is taken into the hand—or milk, or buttermilk, or honey, or ghee, or oil, or fish curry, or gravy—or as fine, subtle, minute, dusty grains of sand do, through the fingers, if you close your fist on them—or as rice will escape sometimes when you have taken it into your fingers, and are putting it into your mouth.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kabaḷo mukhena gahito idhekaccassa mukhato muccitvā paggharati pasavati na ṭhānamupagacchati; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, sampaṭicchanatthaṁ upagatānaṁ dvinnaṁ selānaṁ sampahārena pāsāṇato papaṭikā bhijjitvā yena vā tena vā patantī bhagavato pāde patitā”ti. |
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| ‘Well, let that be so, Nāgasena. | |
| I admit that the rock was intercepted. | |
“Hotu, bhante nāgasena, selehi pāsāṇo sampaṭicchito, atha papaṭikāyapi apaciti kātabbā yatheva mahāpathaviyā”ti? |
But the splinter ought at least to have paid as much respect to the Buddha as the earth did.’ |
“Dvādasime, mahārāja, apacitiṁ na karonti. |
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Katame dvādasa? |
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Ratto rāgavasena apacitiṁ na karoti, duṭṭho dosavasena, mūḷho mohavasena, unnato mānavasena, nigguṇo avisesatāya, atithaddho anisedhanatāya, hīno hīnasabhāvatāya, vacanakaro anissaratāya, pāpo kadariyatāya, dukkhāpito paṭidukkhāpanatāya, luddho lobhābhibhūtatāya, āyūhito atthasādhanatāya apacitiṁ na karoti. |
‘There are these twelve kinds of persons, O king, who pay no respect—the lustful man in his lust, and the angry man in his malice, and the dull man in his stupidity, and the puffed-up man in his pride, and the bad man in his want of discrimination, and the obstinate man in his want of docility, and the mean man in his littleness, and the talkative man in his vanity, and the wicked man in his cruelty, and the wretched man in his misery, and the gambler because he is overpowered by greed, and the busy man in his search after gain. |
Ime kho, mahārāja, dvādasa apacitiṁ na karonti. |
But that splinter, just as it was broken off by the impact of the rocks, fell by chance in such a direction that it struck against the foot of the Blessed One—just as fine, subtle, and minute grains of sand, when carried away by the force of the wind, are sprinkled down by chance in any direction they may happen to take. |
Sā ca pana papaṭikā pāsāṇasampahārena bhijjitvā animittakatadisā yena vā tena vā patamānā bhagavato pāde patitā. |
If the splinter, O king, had not been separated from the rock of which it formed a part, it too would have been intercepted by their meeting together. |
| But, as it was, it was neither fixed on the earth, nor did it remain stationary in the air, but fell whithersoever chance directed it, and happened to strike against the Blessed One’s foot—just as dried leaves might fall if caught up in a whirlwind. | |
| And the real cause of its so striking against his foot was the sorrow-working deed of that ungrateful, wicked, Devadatta.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, saṇhasukhumaaṇurajo anilabalasamāhato animittakatadiso yena vā tena vā abhikirati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, sā papaṭikā pāsāṇasampahārena bhijjitvā animittakatadisā yena vā tena vā patamānā bhagavato pāde patitā. |
|
Yadi pana, mahārāja, sā papaṭikā pāsāṇato visuṁ na bhaveyya, tampi te selā pāsāṇapapaṭikaṁ uppatitvā gaṇheyyuṁ. |
‘Very good, Nāgasena! |
Esā pana, mahārāja, papaṭikā na bhūmaṭṭhā na ākāsaṭṭhā, pāsāṇasampahāravegena bhijjitvā animittakatadisā yena vā tena vā patamānā bhagavato pāde patitā. |
That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, vātamaṇḍalikāya ukkhittaṁ purāṇapaṇṇaṁ animittakatadisaṁ yena vā tena vā patati; |
Here ends the dilemma as to the splinter grazing the Buddha’s foot. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, esā papaṭikā pāsāṇasampahāravegena animittakatadisā yena vā tena vā patamānā bhagavato pāde patitā. |
|
Api ca, mahārāja, akataññussa kadariyassa devadattassa dukkhānubhavanāya papaṭikā bhagavato pāde patitā”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
Pādasakalikāhatapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
9. Aggaggasamaṇapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hotī’ti. |
5.3.9. The Samaṇa |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ— |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said: |
| “A man becomes a Samaṇa by the destruction of the āsavas.” | |
‘Catubbhi dhammehi samaṅgibhūtaṁ, |
But on the other hand he said: |
Taṁ ve naraṁ samaṇaṁ āhu loke’ti. |
|
| “The man who has these dispositions four | |
Tatrime cattāro dhammā khanti appāhāratā rativippahānaṁ ākiñcaññaṁ. |
Is he whom the world knows as Samaṇa.” |
Sabbāni panetāni aparikkhīṇāsavassa sakilesasseva honti. |
|
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hoti, tena hi ‘catubbhi dhammehi samaṅgibhūtaṁ, taṁ ve naraṁ samaṇaṁ āhu loke’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
|
Yadi catubbhi dhammehi samaṅgibhūto samaṇo hoti, tena hi ‘āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hotī’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā, ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
And in that passage these are the four dispositions referred to—long-suffering, temperance in food, renunciation, and the being without the attachments (arising from lust, ill-will, and dulness). |
| Now these four dispositions are equally found in those who are still defective, in whom The āsavas have not yet been completely destroyed. | |
| So that if the first statement be correct, the second is wrong, and if the second be right the first must be wrong. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā ‘āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hotī’ti. |
This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘catubbhi dhammehi samaṅgibhūtaṁ, taṁ ve naraṁ samaṇaṁ āhu loke’ti. |
|
Tadidaṁ, mahārāja, vacanaṁ tesaṁ tesaṁ puggalānaṁ guṇavasena bhaṇitaṁ—‘catubbhi dhammehi samaṅgibhūtaṁ, taṁ ve naraṁ samaṇaṁ āhu loke’ti, idaṁ pana niravasesavacanaṁ ‘āsavānaṁ khayā samaṇo hotī’ti. |
|
| ‘Both statements, O king, were made by the Blessed One. | |
| But the second was said of the characteristics of such and such men; | |
Api ca, mahārāja, ye keci kilesūpasamāya paṭipannā, te sabbe upādāyupādāya samaṇo khīṇāsavo aggamakkhāyati. |
the first is an inclusive statement—that all in whom the āsavas are destroyed are Samaṇas. |
Yathā, mahārāja, yāni kānici jalajathalajapupphāni, vassikaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, avasesāni yāni kānici vividhāni pupphajātāni, sabbāni tāni pupphāniyeva, upādāyupādāya pana vassikaṁyeva pupphaṁ janassa patthitaṁ pihayitaṁ; |
And moreover, of all those who are made perfect by the suppression of evil, if you take them in regular order one after the other, then the Samaṇa in whom the āsavas are destroyed is acknowledged to be the chief—just, O king, as of all flowers produced in the water or on the land, the double jasmine is acknowledged to be the chief, all other kinds of flowers of whatever sort are merely flowers, and taking them in order it is the double jasmine that people most desire and like. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, ye keci kilesūpasamāya paṭipannā, te sabbe upādāyupādāya samaṇo khīṇāsavo aggamakkhāyati. |
Or just, O king, as of all kinds of grain, rice is acknowledged to be the chief, all other kinds of grain, of whatever sort, are useful for food and for the support of the body, but if you take them in order, rice is acknowledged as the best.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, sabbadhaññānaṁ sāli aggamakkhāyati, yā kāci avasesā vividhā dhaññajātiyo, tā sabbā upādāyupādāya bhojanāni sarīrayāpanāya, sāliyeva tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati; |
‘Very good, Nāgasena! |
evameva kho, mahārāja, ye keci kilesūpasamāya paṭipannā, te sabbe upādāyupādāya samaṇo khīṇāsavo aggamakkhāyatī”ti. |
That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| Here ends the dilemma as to what constitutes a Samaṇa. | |
Aggaggasamaṇapañho navamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
10. Vaṇṇabhaṇanapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā, saṅghassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra tumhehi na ānando, na somanassaṁ, na cetaso uppilāvitattaṁ karaṇīyan’ti puna ca tathāgato selassa brāhmaṇassa yathābhucce vaṇṇe bhaññamāne ānandito sumano uppilāvito bhiyyo uttariṁ sakaguṇaṁ pakittesi— |
5.3.10. The Buddha’s Exultation |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said: | |
‘Rājāhamasmi selāti, |
“If, O Bhikkhus, any one should speak in praise of me, or of our religion (Dhamma), or of the Order, you should not thereupon indulge in joy, or delight, or exultation of mind “. |
dhammarājā anuttaro; |
And on the other hand the Tathāgata was so delighted, and pleased, and exultant at the deserved praise bestowed on him by Sela the Brahman, that he still further magnified his own goodness in that he said: |
Dhammena cakkaṁ vattemi, |
|
cakkaṁ appaṭivattiyan’ti. |
“A king am I, Sela, the king supreme |
| Of righteousness. | |
| The royal chariot wheel | |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā saṅghassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra tumhehi na ānando, na somanassaṁ, na cetaso uppilāvitattaṁ karaṇīyan’ti, tena hi selassa brāhmaṇassa yathābhucce vaṇṇe bhaññamāne ānandito sumano uppilāvito bhiyyo uttariṁ sakaguṇaṁ pakittesīti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
In righteousness do I set rolling on— |
Yadi selassa brāhmaṇassa yathābhucce vaṇṇe bhaññamāne ānandito sumano uppilāvito bhiyyo uttariṁ sakaguṇaṁ pakittesi, tena hi ‘mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā saṅghassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra tumhehi na ānando, na somanassaṁ, na cetaso uppilāvitattaṁ karaṇīyan’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
That wheel that no one can turn back again!” |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
|
| Now if the passage first quoted be right then must the second be wrong, but if that be right then must the first be wrong. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā saṅghassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra tumhehi na ānando, na somanassaṁ, na cetaso uppilāvitattaṁ karaṇīyan’ti. |
This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Selassa ca brāhmaṇassa yathābhucce vaṇṇe bhaññamāne bhiyyo uttariṁ sakaguṇaṁ pakittitaṁ— |
|
‘Rājāhamasmi selāti, |
‘Both your quotations, O king, are correct. |
dhammarājā anuttaro; |
But the first passage was spoken by the Blessed One with the intention of setting forth truthfully, exactly, in accordance with reality, and fact, and sense, the real nature, and essence, and characteristic marks of the Dhamma. |
| And the second passage was not spoken for the sake of gain or fame, nor out of party spirit, nor in the lust of winning over men to become his followers. | |
Dhammena cakkaṁ vattemi, |
But it was in mercy and love, and with the welfare of others in view, conscious that thereby three hundred young Brahmans would attain to the knowledge of the truth, that he said: |
cakkaṁ appaṭivattiyan’ti. |
“A king am I, Sela, the king supreme of righteousness.” |
| ’ | |
Paṭhamaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā dhammassa sabhāvasarasalakkhaṇaṁ sabhāvaṁ avitathaṁ bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ tathatthaṁ paridīpayamānena bhaṇitaṁ—‘mamaṁ vā bhikkhave, pare vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā saṅghassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra tumhehi na ānando, na somanassaṁ, na cetaso uppilāvitattaṁ karaṇīyan’ti. |
‘Very good, Nāgasena! |
Yaṁ pana bhagavatā selassa brāhmaṇassa yathābhucce vaṇṇe bhaññamāne bhiyyo uttariṁ sakaguṇaṁ pakittitaṁ—‘rājāhamasmi selāti, dhammarājā anuttaro’ti taṁ na lābhahetu, na yasahetu, na attahetu, na pakkhahetu, na antevāsikamyatāya, atha kho anukampāya kāruññena hitavasena evaṁ imassa dhammābhisamayo bhavissati tiṇṇañca māṇavakasatānanti, evaṁ bhiyyo uttariṁ sakaguṇaṁ bhaṇitaṁ—‘rājāhamasmi selāti, dhammarājā anuttaro’”ti. |
That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| Here ends the problem as to exultation of mind. | |
Vaṇṇabhaṇanapañho dasamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
11. Ahiṁsāniggahapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘ahiṁsāya cara loke, piyo hohisi maṁmivā’ti. |
5.3.11. Kindness And Punishment |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘niggaṇhe niggahārahaṁ, paggaṇhe paggahārahan’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said: |
Niggaho nāma, bhante nāgasena, hatthacchedo pādacchedo vadho bandhanaṁ kāraṇā māraṇaṁ santativikopanaṁ, na etaṁ vacanaṁ bhagavato yuttaṁ, na ca bhagavā arahati etaṁ vacanaṁ vattuṁ. |
|
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘ahiṁsāya cara loke, piyo hohisi maṁmivā’ti, tena hi ‘niggaṇhe niggahārahaṁ, paggaṇhe paggahārahan’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
|
Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘niggaṇhe niggahārahaṁ, paggaṇhe paggahārahan’ti, tena hi ‘ahiṁsāya cara loke, piyo hohisi maṁmivā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
“Doing no injury to any one |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
Dwell full of love and kindness in the world.” |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘ahiṁsāya cara loke, piyo hohisi maṁmivā’ti, bhaṇitañca—‘niggaṇhe niggahārahaṁ, paggaṇhe paggahārahan’ti. |
And on the other hand he said: |
‘Ahiṁsāya cara loke, piyo hohisi maṁmivā’ti sabbesaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgatānaṁ anumataṁ etaṁ, esā anusiṭṭhi, esā dhammadesanā, dhammo hi, mahārāja, ahiṁsālakkhaṇo, sabhāvavacanaṁ etaṁ. |
“Punish him who deserves punishment, favour him who is worthy of favour.” |
Yaṁ pana, mahārāja, tathāgato āha—‘niggaṇhe niggahārahaṁ, paggaṇhe paggahārahan’ti, bhāsā esā, uddhataṁ, mahārāja, cittaṁ niggahetabbaṁ, līnaṁ cittaṁ paggahetabbaṁ. |
Now punishment, Nāgasena, means the cutting off of hands or feet, flogging, casting into bonds, torture, execution, degradation in rank. |
Akusalaṁ cittaṁ niggahetabbaṁ, kusalaṁ cittaṁ paggahetabbaṁ. |
Such a saying is therefore not worthy of the Blessed One, and he ought not to have made use of it. |
Ayoniso manasikāro niggahetabbo, yoniso manasikāro paggahetabbo. |
For if the first injunction be right then this must be wrong, and if this be right then the injunction to do no injury to any one, but to dwell full of love and kindness in the world, must be wrong. |
Micchāpaṭipanno niggahetabbo, sammāpaṭipanno paggahetabbo. |
This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Anariyo niggahetabbo ariyo paggahetabbo. |
|
Coro niggahetabbo, acoro paggahetabbo”ti. |
|
| ‘The Blessed One, great king, gave both the commands you quote. | |
| As to the first, to do no injury to any one, but to live full of love and kindness in the world—that is a doctrine approved by all the Buddhas. | |
“Hotu, bhante nāgasena, idāni tvaṁ paccāgatosi mama visayaṁ, yamahaṁ pucchāmi, so me attho upagato. |
And that verse is an injunction, an unfolding of the Dhamma, for the Dhamma has as its characteristic that it works no ill. |
Coro pana, bhante nāgasena, niggaṇhantena kathaṁ niggahetabbo”ti? |
And the saying is thus in thorough accord with it. |
“Coro, mahārāja, niggaṇhantena evaṁ niggahetabbo, paribhāsanīyo paribhāsitabbo, daṇḍanīyo daṇḍetabbo, pabbājanīyo pabbājetabbo, bandhanīyo bandhitabbo, ghātanīyo ghātetabbo”ti. |
But as to the second command you quote that is a special use of terms [which you have misunderstood. |
“Yaṁ pana, bhante nāgasena, corānaṁ ghātanaṁ, taṁ tathāgatānaṁ anumatan”ti? |
The real meaning of them is: |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
“Subdue that which ought to be subdued, strive after, cultivate, favour what is worthy of effort, cultivation, and approval”]. |
“Kissa pana coro anusāsanīyo anumato tathāgatānan”ti? |
The proud heart, great king, is to be subdued, and the lowly heart cultivated—the wicked heart to be subdued, and the good heart to be cultivated—carelessness of thought is to. |
“Yo so, mahārāja, ghātīyati, na so tathāgatānaṁ anumatiyā ghātīyati, sayaṅkatena so ghātīyati, api ca dhammānusiṭṭhiyā anusāsīyati, sakkā pana, mahārāja, tayā purisaṁ akārakaṁ anaparādhaṁ vīthiyaṁ carantaṁ gahetvā ghātayitun”ti? |
be subdued, and exactness of thought to be cultivated— he who is given over to wrong views is to be subdued, and he who has attained to right views is to be cultivated—he who is not noble is to be subdued, and the noble one is to be cultivated—the robber is to be subdued, and the honest brother is to be cultivated.’ |
“Na sakkā, bhante”ti. |
|
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
|
“Akārakattā, bhante”ti. |
‘Let that be so, Nāgasena. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, na coro tathāgatānaṁ anumatiyā haññati, sayaṅkatena so haññati, kiṁ panettha anusāsako kiñci dosaṁ āpajjatī”ti? |
But now, in that last word of yours, you have put yourself into my power, you have come round to the sense in which I put my question. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
For how, venerable Nāgasena, is the robber to be subdued by him who sets to work to subdue him?’ |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, tathāgatānaṁ anusiṭṭhi sammānusiṭṭhi hotī”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘Thus, great king—if deserving of rebuke let him be rebuked, if of a fine let him be fined, if of banishment let him be banished, if of death let him be put to death.’ | |
Ahiṁsāniggahapañho ekādasamo. |
|
| ‘Is then, Nāgasena, the execution of robbers part of the doctrine laid down by the Tathāgatas?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, O king.’ | |
| ‘Then why have the Tathāgatas laid down that the robber is to be taught better?’ | |
| ‘Whosoever, great king, may be put to death, he does not suffer execution by reason of the opinion put forth by the Tathāgatas. | |
| He suffers by reason of what he himself has done. | |
| But notwithstanding that the doctrine of the Dhamma has been taught (by the Buddhas), would it be possible, great king, for a man who had done nothing wrong, and was walking innocently along the streets, to be seized and put to death by any wise person?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not.’ | |
| ‘But why?’ | |
| ‘Because of his innocence.’ | |
| ‘Just so, great king, since the thief is not put to death through the word of the Tathāgata, but only through his own act, how can any fault be rightly found on that account with the Teacher?’ | |
| ‘It could not be, Sir.’ | |
| ‘So you see the teaching of the Tathāgatas is a righteous teaching.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to kindness and punishment. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Paṇāmitavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
12. Bhikkhupaṇāmitapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘akkodhano vigatakhilohamasmī’ti, puna ca tathāgato there sāriputtamoggallāne saparise paṇāmesi, kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato kupito parisaṁ paṇāmesi, udāhu tuṭṭho paṇāmesi, etaṁ tāva jānāhi imaṁ nāmāti? |
5.3.12. The Dismissal Of the Elders |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, kupito parisaṁ paṇāmesi, tena hi tathāgatassa kodho appaṭivattito, yadi tuṭṭho paṇāmesi, tena hi avatthusmiṁ ajānantena paṇāmitā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
|
| “Anger I harbour not, nor sulkiness.” | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘akkodhano vigatakhilohamasmī’ti, paṇāmitā ca therā sāriputtamoggallānā saparisā, tañca pana na kopena. |
|
Idha, mahārāja, kocideva puriso mahāpathaviyā mūle vā khāṇuke vā pāsāṇe vā kaṭhale vā visame vā bhūmibhāge khalitvā patati, api nu kho, mahārāja, mahāpathavī kupitā taṁ pātetī”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante, natthi mahāpathaviyā kopo vā pasādo vā, anunayappaṭighavippamuttā mahāpathavī, sayameva so alaso khalitvā patito”ti. |
But on the other hand the Tathāgata dismissed the Elders Sāriputta and Moggallāna, together with the brethren who formed their company of disciples. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi tathāgatānaṁ kopo vā pasādo vā, anunayappaṭighavippamuttā tathāgatā arahanto sammāsambuddhā, atha kho sayaṁ kateneva te attano aparādhena paṇāmitā. |
How now, Nāgasena, was it in anger that the Tathāgata sent away the disciples, or was it in pleasure? |
| Be so good as to explain to me how this was. | |
| For if, Nāgasena, he dismissed them in anger, then had the Tathāgata not subdued all liability to anger in himself. | |
Idha pana, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo na matena kuṇapena saṁvasati, yaṁ hoti mahāsamudde mataṁ kuṇapaṁ, taṁ khippameva nicchubhati thalaṁ ussāreti. |
But if it was in pleasure, then he did so ignorantly, and without due cause. |
Api nu kho, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo kupito taṁ kuṇapaṁ nicchubhatī”ti? |
This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
“Na hi, bhante, natthi mahāsamuddassa kopo vā pasādo vā, anunayappaṭighavippamutto mahāsamuddo”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi tathāgatānaṁ kopo vā pasādo vā, anunayappaṭighavippamuttā tathāgatā arahanto sammāsambuddhā, atha kho sayaṁ kateneva te attano aparādhena paṇāmitā. |
|
| ‘The Blessed One did say, O king: | |
Yathā, mahārāja, pathaviyā khalito patīyati, evaṁ jinasāsanavare khalito paṇāmīyati. |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, samudde mataṁ kuṇapaṁ nicchubhīyati, evaṁ jinasāsanavare khalito paṇāmīyati. |
“Anger I harbour not, nor sulkiness.” |
Yaṁ pana te, mahārāja, tathāgato paṇāmesi, tesaṁ atthakāmo hitakāmo sukhakāmo visuddhikāmo ‘evaṁ ime jātijarābyādhimaraṇehi parimuccissantī’ti—paṇāmesī”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| And he did dismiss the Elders with their disciples. | |
| But that was not in anger. | |
Bhikkhupaṇāmitapañho dvādasamo. |
Suppose, O king, that a man were to stumble against some root, or stake, or stone, or potsherd, or on uneven ground, and fall upon the broad earth. |
| Would it be that the broad earth, angry with him, had made him fall?’ | |
Paṇāmitavaggo tatiyo. |
|
| ‘No, indeed, Sir. | |
| The broad earth feels neither anger against any man nor delight. | |
Imasmiṁ vagge dvādasa pañhā. |
It is altogether free from ill-will, neither needs it to fawn on any one. |
| It would be by reason of his own carelessness that that man stumbled and fell.’ | |
| ‘Just so, great king, do the Tathāgatas experience neither anger against, nor pride in any man. | |
| Altogether free are the Tathāgatas, the Arahat-Buddhas, alike from ill-will, and from the need to fawn on any one. | |
| And those disciples were sent away by reason of what they themselves had done. | |
| So also the great ocean endures not association with any corpse. | |
| Any dead body there may be in it that does it promptly cast up, and leave high and dry on the shore. | |
| But is it in anger that it casts it up?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir. | |
| The broad ocean feels neither anger against any, nor does it take delight in any. | |
| It seeks not in the least to please any, and is altogether free from the desire to harm.’ | |
| ‘Just so, great king, do the Tathāgatas feel neither anger against any man, nor do they place their faith in any man. | |
| The Tathāgatas, the Arahat-Buddhas, are quite set free from the desire either to gain the goodwill of any man, or to do him harm, And it was by reason of what they themselves had done that those disciples were sent away. | |
| Just as a man, great king, who stumbles against the ground is made to fall, so is he who stumbles in the excellent teaching of the Conqueror made to go away. | |
| just as a corpse in the great ocean is cast up, so is he who stumbles in the excellent teaching of the Conqueror sent away. | |
| And when the Tathāgata sent those disciples away it was for their good, and their gain, their happiness, and their purification, and in order that in that way they should be delivered from birth, old age, disease, and death.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the dismissal of the Elders. | |
| Here ends the Third Chapter. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
1 Iddhikammavipākapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ iddhimantānaṁ yadidaṁ mahāmoggallāno’ti. |
5.4.1. The Murder Of Moggallāna |
Puna ca kira so laguḷehi paripothito bhinnasīso sañcuṇṇitaṭṭhimaṁsadhamanichinnaparigatto parinibbuto. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, thero mahāmoggallāno iddhiyā koṭiṁ gato, tena hi laguḷehi pothito parinibbutoti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“This is the chief, O Bhikkhus, of those of my disciples in the Order who are possessed of the power of Iddhi, I mean Moggallāna.” |
Yadi laguḷehi paripothito parinibbuto, tena hi iddhiyā koṭiṁ gatoti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
But on the other hand they say his death took place by his being beaten to death with clubs, so that his skull was broken, and his bones ground to powder, and all his flesh and nerves bruised and pounded together. |
Kiṁ na samattho iddhiyā attano upaghātaṁ apanayituṁ, sadevakassapi lokassa paṭisaraṇaṁ bhavituṁ arahoti? |
Now, Nāgasena, if the Elder, the great Moggallāna, had really attained to supremacy in the magical power of Iddhi, then it cannot be true that he was beaten to death with clubs. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
But if his death was on that wise, then the saying that he was chief of those possessed of Iddhi must be wrong. |
| How could he who was not even able, by his power of Iddhi, to prevent his own murder, be worthy nevertheless to stand as succour to the world of gods and men? | |
| This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ iddhimantānaṁ yadidaṁ mahāmoggallāno’ti. |
|
Āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno laguḷahato parinibbuto, tañca pana kammādhiggahitenā”ti. |
|
| ‘The Blessed One did declare, O king, that Moggallāna was chief among the disciples in power of Iddhi. | |
| And he was nevertheless beaten to death by clubs. | |
“Nanu, bhante nāgasena, iddhimato iddhivisayopi kammavipākopi dve acintiyā, acintiyena acintiyaṁ apanayitabbaṁ. |
But that was through his being then possessed by the still greater power of Karma.’ |
Yathā nāma, bhante, keci phalakāmā kapitthena kapitthaṁ pothenti, ambena ambaṁ pothenti; |
|
evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, acintiyena acintiyaṁ pothayitvā apanetabban”ti? |
|
“Acintiyānampi, mahārāja, ekaṁ adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ. |
‘But, venerable Nāgasena, are not both of these things appurtenant to him who has the power of Iddhi—that is the extent of his power, and the result of his Karma—both alike unthinkable? |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahiyā rājāno honti samajaccā, samajaccānampi tesaṁ eko sabbe abhibhavitvā āṇaṁ pavatteti; |
And cannot the unthinkable be held back by the unthinkable? |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ acintiyānaṁ kammavipākaṁyeva adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ, kammavipākaṁ yeva sabbe abhibhaviya āṇaṁ pavatteti, kammādhiggahitassa avasesā kiriyā okāsaṁ na labhanti. |
Just, Sir, as those who want the fruits will knock a wood apple down with a wood apple, or a mango with a mango, so ought not the unthinkable in like manner to be subject to restraint by the unthinkable?’ |
Idha pana, mahārāja, koci puriso kismiñcideva pakaraṇe aparajjhati, na tassa mātā vā pitā vā bhaginī vā bhātaro vā sakhī vā sahāyakā vā tāyanti, atha kho rājāyeva tattha abhibhaviya āṇaṁ pavatteti. |
‘Even among things beyond the reach of the imagination, great king, still one is in excess above the other, one more powerful than the other. |
Kiṁ tattha kāraṇaṁ? |
Just, O king, as the monarchs of the world are alike in kind, but among them, so alike in kind, one may overcome the rest, and bring them under his command—just so among things beyond the grasp of the imagination is the productive effect of Karma by far the most powerful. |
Aparādhikatā. Evameva kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ acintiyānaṁ kammavipākaṁyeva adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ, kammavipākaṁyeva sabbe abhibhaviya āṇaṁ pavatteti, kammādhiggahitassa avasesā kiriyā okāsaṁ na labhanti. |
It is precisely the effect of Karma which overcomes all the rest, and has them under its rule; |
| and no other influence is of any avail to the man in whom Karma is working out its inevitable end. | |
| It is as when, O king, any man has committed an offence against the law. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, mahiyā davaḍāhe samuṭṭhite ghaṭasahassampi udakaṁ na sakkoti nibbāpetuṁ, atha kho aggiyeva tattha abhibhaviya āṇaṁ pavatteti. |
Neither his mother nor his father, neither his sisters nor his brother, neither his friends nor his intimate associates can protect him then. |
Kiṁ tattha kāraṇaṁ? |
He has fallen therein under the power of the king who will issue his command respecting him. |
Balavatā tejassa. |
And why is that so? |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ acintiyānaṁ kammavipākaṁ yeva adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ, kammavipākaṁyeva sabbe abhibhaviya āṇaṁ pavatteti, kammādhiggahitassa avasesā kiriyā okāsaṁ na labhanti, tasmā, mahārāja, āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa kammādhiggahitassa laguḷehi pothiyamānassa iddhiyā samannāhāro nāhosī”ti. |
Because of the wrong that he has done. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
So is it precisely the effect of Karma which overcomes all other influences, and has them under its command, and no other influence can avail the man in whom Karma is working out its inevitable end. |
| It is as when a jungle fire has arisen on the earth, then can not even a thousand pots of water avail to put it out, but the conflagration overpowers all, and brings it under its control. | |
| And why is that so? | |
Iddhikammavipākapañho paṭhamo. |
Because of the fierceness of its heat. |
| So is it precisely the effect of Karma which overcomes all other influences, and has them under its command; | |
| and no other influence can avail the man in whom Karma is working out its inevitable end. | |
| That is why the venerable one, great king, the great Moggallāna, when, at a time when he was possessed by Karma, he was being beaten to death with clubs, was yet unable to make use of his power of Iddhi.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the murder of Moggallāna. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
2. Dhammavinayapaṭicchannāpaṭicchannapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘tathāgatappavedito, bhikkhave, dhammavinayo vivaṭo virocati no paṭicchanno’ti. |
5.4.2. On Secret Doctrine |
Puna ca pātimokkhuddeso kevalañca vinayapiṭakaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannaṁ. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, jinasāsane yuttaṁ vā pattaṁ vā samayaṁ labhetha, vinayapaṇṇatti vivaṭā sobheyya. |
“The Dhamma and the Vinaya (Doctrine and Canon Law) proclaimed by the Tathāgata shine forth when they are displayed, and not when they are concealed.” |
Kena kāraṇena? |
But on the other hand the recitation of the Pātimokkha and the whole of the Vinaya Piṭaka are closed and kept secret. |
Kevalaṁ tattha sikkhā saṁyamo niyamo sīlaguṇaācārapaṇṇatti attharaso dhammaraso vimuttiraso. |
So that if, Nāgasena, you (members of the Order) carried out what is just, and right, and held of faith in the teaching of the Conqueror then would the Vinaya shine forth as an open thing. |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘tathāgatappavedito, bhikkhave, dhammavinayo vivaṭo virocati no paṭicchanno’ti, tena hi ‘pātimokkhuddeso kevalañca vinayapiṭakaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannan’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
And why would that be so? |
Yadi pātimokkhuddeso kevalañca vinayapiṭakaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannaṁ, tena hi ‘tathāgatappavedito, bhikkhave, dhammavinayo vivaṭo virocati no paṭicchanno’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
Because all the instruction therein, the discipline, the self-control, the regulations as to moral and virtuous conduct, are in their essence full of truth and righteousness, and redounding to emancipation of heart. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
But if the Blessed One really said that the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata shine forth when displayed and not when kept secret, then the saying that the recitation of the Pātimokkha and the whole of the Vinaya must be kept secret must be wrong. |
| And if that be right, then the saying of the Blessed One must be wrong. | |
| This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘tathāgatappavedito, bhikkhave, dhammavinayo vivaṭo virocati no paṭicchanno’ti. |
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Puna ca pātimokkhuddeso kevalañca vinayapiṭakaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannaṁ, tañca pana na sabbesaṁ, sīmaṁ katvā pihitaṁ. |
|
| ‘It was said, O king, by the Blessed One that the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata shine forth when displayed, and not when kept secret. | |
| And on the other hand the recitation of the Pātimokkha and the whole of the Vinaya Piṭaka are kept close and secret. | |
Tividhena, mahārāja, bhagavatā pātimokkhuddeso sīmaṁ katvā pihito, pubbakānaṁ tathāgatānaṁ vaṁsavasena pātimokkhuddeso sīmaṁ katvā pihito, dhammassa garukattā pihito, bhikkhubhūmiyā garukattā pihito. |
But this last is not the case as regards all men. |
| They are only kept secret up to a certain limit. | |
| And the recitation of the Pātimokkha is kept secret up to that certain limit on three grounds—firstly because that is the traditional custom of previous Tathāgatas, secondly out of respect for the Truth (Dhamma), and thirdly out of respect for the position of a member of the Order.’ | |
Kathaṁ pubbakānaṁ tathāgatānaṁ vaṁsavasena pātimokkhuddeso sīmaṁ katvā pihito? |
|
Eso vaṁso, mahārāja, sabbesaṁ pubbakānaṁ tathāgatānaṁ yadidaṁ bhikkhumajjhe pātimokkhuddeso avasesānaṁ pihito. |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, khattiyānaṁ khattiyamāyā khattiyesuyeva carati, evametaṁ khattiyānaṁ lokassa paveṇī avasesānaṁ pihitā; |
‘And as to the first it was the universal custom, O king, of previous Tathāgatas for the recitation of the Pātimokkha to take place in the midst of the members of the Order only, to the exclusion of all others. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, eso vaṁso sabbesaṁ pubbakānaṁ tathāgatānaṁ yadidaṁ bhikkhumajjhe pātimokkhuddeso avasesānaṁ pihito. |
Just, O king, as the Kshatriya secret formulas (of the nobles) are handed down among the nobles alone, and that this or that is so is common tradition among the nobles of the world and kept secret from all others— so was this the universal custom of previous Tathāgatas, that the recitation of the Pātimokkha should take place among the members of the Order only, and be kept secret from all others. |
| And again, just as there are several classes of people, O king, known as distinct in the world—-such as wrestlers, tumblers, jugglers, actors, ballet-dancers, and followers of the mystic cult of the sun and moon, of the goddess of fortune and other gods. | |
| And the secrets of each of these sects are handed on in the sect itself, and kept hidden from all others. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, mahiyā gaṇā vattanti, seyyathidaṁ—mallā atoṇā pabbatā dhammagiriyā brahmagiriyā naṭakā naccakā laṅghakā pisācā maṇibhaddā puṇṇabaddhā candimasūriyā siridevatā kālidevatā, sivā vasudevā ghanikā asipāsā bhaddiputtāti, tesaṁ tesaṁ rahassaṁ tesu tesu gaṇesuyeva carati, avasesānaṁ pihitaṁ; |
just so with the universal custom of all the Tathāgatas that the recitation of the Pātimokkha should take place before the members of the Order only, and be kept secret from all others. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, eso vaṁso sabbesaṁ pubbakānaṁ tathāgatānaṁ yadidaṁ bhikkhumajjhe pātimokkhuddeso avasesānaṁ pihito. |
This is why the recitation of the Pātimokkha is, up to that extent, kept secret in accordance with the habit of previous Tathāgatas.’ |
Evaṁ pubbakānaṁ tathāgatānaṁ vaṁsavasena pātimokkhuddeso sīmaṁ katvā pihito. |
|
| ‘And how is it that the Pātimokkha is kept secret, up to that extent, out of reverence for the Dhamma? | |
Kathaṁ dhammassa garukattā pātimokkhuddeso sīmaṁ katvā pihito? |
the Dhamma, great king, is venerable and weighty. |
Dhammo, mahārāja, garuko bhāriyo, tattha sammattakārī aññaṁ ārādheti, taṁ tattha paramparāsammattakāritāya pāpuṇāti, na taṁ tattha paramparāsammattakāritāya pāpuṇāti, mā cāyaṁ sāradhammo varadhammo asammattakārīnaṁ hatthagato oññāto avaññāto hīḷito khīḷito garahito bhavatu, mā cāyaṁ sāradhammo varadhammo dujjanagato oññāto avaññāto hīḷito khīḷito garahito bhavatūti. |
He who has attained to proficiency in it may exhort another in this wise: |
Evaṁ dhammassa garukattā pātimokkhuddeso sīmaṁ katvā pihito. |
“Let not this Dhamma so full of truth, so excellent, fall into the hands of those unversed in it, where it would be despised and contemned, treated shamefully, made a game of, and found fault with. |
| Nor let it fall into the hands of the wicked who would deal with it in all respects as badly as they.” | |
| It is thus, O king, that the recitation of the Pātimokkha is, up to that extent, kept secret out of reverence for the Dhamma. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, sāravarapavaraabhijātajātimantarattalohitacandanaṁ nāma savarapuramanugataṁ oññātaṁ avaññātaṁ hīḷitaṁ khīḷitaṁ garahitaṁ bhavati; |
For if not, then it would be like the best, most costly, and most rare red sandal wood of the finest kind, which when brought to Savara (that city of the outcast Kaṇḍālas) is despised and contemned, treated shamefully, made game of, and found fault with.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, mā cāyaṁ sāradhammo varadhammo paramparāasammattakārīnaṁ hatthagato oññāto avaññāto hīḷito khīḷito garahito bhavatu, mā cāyaṁ sāradhammo varadhammo dujjanagato oññāto avaññāto hīḷito khīḷito garahito bhavatūti. |
|
Evaṁ dhammassa garukattā pātimokkhuddeso sīmaṁ katvā pihito. |
|
| ‘And how is it that the Pātimokkha is kept secret, up to that extent, out of reverence for the position of a member of the Order? | |
| the condition of a Bhikkhu, great king, is in glory beyond the reach of calculation by weight, or measure, or price. | |
Kathaṁ bhikkhubhūmiyā garukattā pātimokkhuddeso sīmaṁ katvā pihito? |
None can value it, weigh it, measure it. |
Bhikkhubhāvo kho, mahārāja, loke atuliyo appamāṇo anagghiyo, na sakkā kenaci agghāpetuṁ tuletuṁ parimetuṁ, māyaṁ evarūpe bhikkhubhāve ṭhito lokena samasamo bhavatūti bhikkhūnaṁyeva antare pātimokkhuddeso carati. |
And the recitation of the Pātimokkha, is carried on before the Bhikkhus alone, lest any one who has occupied that position should be brought down to a level with the men of the world. |
Yathā, mahārāja, loke varapavarabhaṇḍaṁ vatthaṁ vā attharaṇaṁ vā gajaturaṅgarathasuvaṇṇarajatamaṇimuttāitthiratanādīni vā vijitakammasūrā vā sabbe te rājānamupagacchanti; |
just, O king, as if there be any priceless thing, in vesture or floor covering, in elephants, chargers, or chariots, in gold or silver or jewels or pearls or women, or in unsurpassable strong drink, all such things are the appanage of kings—just so, O king, whatever is most priceless in the way of training, of the traditions of the Blessed One, of learning, of conduct, and of the virtues of righteousness and self-control—all these are the appanages of the Order of Bhikkhus. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yāvatā loke sugatāgamapariyattiācārasaṁyamasīlasaṁvaraguṇā, sabbe te bhikkhusaṅghamupagatā bhavanti. |
This is why the recitation of the Pātimokkha is, to that extent, kept secret.’ |
Evaṁ bhikkhubhūmiyā garukattā pātimokkhuddeso sīmaṁ katvā pihito”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say. | |
Dhammavinayapaṭicchannāpaṭicchannapañho dutiyo. |
) |
| Here ends the problem as to the secrecy in which the Vinaya is kept. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
3. Musāvādagarulahubhāvapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘sampajānamusāvāde pārājiko hotī’ti. |
5.4.3. The Two Kinds Of Falsehood |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘sampajānamusāvāde lahukaṁ āpattiṁ āpajjati ekassa santike desanāvatthukan’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One that a deliberate lie is an offence of the greatest kind (involving exclusion from the Order). |
Bhante nāgasena, ko panettha viseso, kiṅkāraṇaṁ, yañcekena musāvādena ucchijjati, yañcekena musāvādena satekiccho hoti? |
And again he said: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘sampajānamusāvāde pārājiko hotī’ti, tena hi ‘sampajānamusāvāde lahukaṁ āpattiṁ āpajjati ekassa santike desanāvatthukan’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“By a deliberate lie a Bhikkhu commits a minor offence, one that ought to be the subject of confession made before another (member of the Order).” |
Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘sampajānamusāvāde lahukaṁ āpattiṁ āpajjati ekassa santike desanāvatthukan’ti, tena hi ‘sampajānamusāvāde pārājiko hotī’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
Now, venerable Nāgasena, what is herein the distinction, what the reason, that by one lie a Bhikkhu is cast out of the Order, and by another he is guilty only of an offence that can be atoned for. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
If the first decision be right, then the second must be wrong; |
| but if the second be right, then the first must be wrong. | |
| This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘sampajānamusāvāde pārājiko hotī’ti. |
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Bhaṇitañca—‘sampajānamusāvāde lahukaṁ āpattiṁ āpajjati ekassa santike desanāvatthukan’ti, tañca pana vatthuvasena garukalahukaṁ hoti. |
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Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, idha koci puriso parassa pāṇinā pahāraṁ dadeyya, tassa tumhe kiṁ daṇḍaṁ dhārethā”ti? |
‘Both your quotations, O king, are correct. |
“Yadi so, bhante, āha—‘nakkhamāmī’ti, tassa mayaṁ akkhamamāne kahāpaṇaṁ harāpemā”ti. |
But a falsehood is a light or heavy offence according to the subject matter. |
“Idha pana, mahārāja, soyeva puriso tava pāṇinā pahāraṁ dadeyya, tassa pana ko daṇḍo”ti? |
For what do you think, great king? |
“Hatthampissa, bhante, chedāpeyyāma, pādampi chedāpeyyāma, yāva sīsaṁ kaḷīracchejjaṁ chedāpeyyāma, sabbampi taṁ gehaṁ vilumpāpeyyāma, ubhatopakkhe yāva sattamaṁ kulaṁ samugghātāpeyyāmā”ti. |
Suppose a man were to give another a slap with his hand, what punishment would you inflict upon him?’ |
“Ko panettha, mahārāja, viseso, kiṅkāraṇaṁ, yaṁ ekassa pāṇippahāre sukhumo kahāpaṇo daṇḍo, yaṁ tava pāṇippahāre hatthacchejjaṁ pādacchejjaṁ yāva kaḷīracchejjaṁ sabbagehādānaṁ ubhatopakkhe yāva sattamakulā samugghāto”ti? |
|
“Manussantarena, bhante”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sampajānamusāvādo vatthuvasena garukalahuko hotī”ti. |
‘If the other refused to overlook the matter, then neither should we be able to pardon his assailant, but should mulct him in a penny or so.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘But on the other hand, suppose it had been you yourself that he had given the blow to, what would then be the punishment?’ | |
Musāvādagarulahubhāvapañho tatiyo. |
|
| ‘We should condemn him to have his hands cut off, and his feet cut off, and to be skinned alive, and we should confiscate all the goods in his house, and put to death all his family to the seventh generation on both sides.’ | |
| ‘But, great king, what is the distinction? | |
| Why is it that for one slap of the hand there should be a gentle fine of a penny, while for a slap given to you there should be so fearful a retribution?’ | |
| ‘Because of the difference in the person (assaulted).’ | |
| ‘Well! | |
| just so, great king, is a falsehood a light or a heavy offence according to the attendant circumstances.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the degree of offence in falsehood. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
4. Bodhisattadhammatāpañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā dhammatādhammapariyāye ‘pubbeva bodhisattānaṁ mātāpitaro niyatā honti, bodhi niyatā hoti, aggasāvakā niyatā honti, putto niyato hoti, upaṭṭhāko niyato hotī’ti. |
5.4.4. The Bodisat’s Consideration |
Puna ca tumhe bhaṇatha—‘tusite kāye ṭhito bodhisatto aṭṭha mahāvilokanāni viloketi, kālaṁ viloketi, dīpaṁ viloketi, desaṁ viloketi, kulaṁ viloketi, janettiṁ viloketi, āyuṁ viloketi, māsaṁ viloketi, nekkhammaṁ viloketī’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One in the discourse on the essential conditions: |
Bhante nāgasena, aparipakke ñāṇe bujjhanaṁ natthi, paripakke ñāṇe na sakkā nimesantarampi āgametuṁ, anatikkamanīyaṁ paripakkamānasaṁ. |
“Long ago have his parents been destined for each Bodisat, and the kind of tree he is to select for his Bo tree, and the Bhikkhus who are to be his two chief disciples, and the lad who is to be his son, and the member of the Order who is to be his special attendant.” |
Kasmā bodhisatto kālaṁ viloketi ‘kamhi kāle uppajjāmī’ti. |
But on the other hand he said: |
Aparipakke ñāṇe bujjhanaṁ natthi, paripakke ñāṇe na sakkā nimesantarampi āgametuṁ, kasmā bodhisatto kulaṁ viloketi ‘kamhi kule uppajjāmī’ti. |
“When yet in the condition of a god in the Tusita heaven the Bodisat makes the eight Great Investigations—he investigates the time (whether the right moment had come at which he ought to be re-born as a man), and the continent (in which his birth is to take place), and the country (where he is to be re-born), and the family (to which he is to belong), and the mother (who is to bear him), and the period (during which he was to remain in the womb), and the month (in which his birthday shall come), and his renunciation (when it shall be). |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, pubbeva bodhisattassa mātāpitaro niyatā, tena hi ‘kulaṁ viloketī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
Now, Nāgasena, before knowledge is ripe there is no understanding, but when it has reached its summit there is no longer any need to wait for thinking a matter over, for there is nothing outside the ken of the omniscient mind. |
Yadi kulaṁ viloketi, tena hi ‘pubbeva bodhisattassa mātāpitaro niyatā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
Why then should the Bodisat investigate the time, thinking to himself: |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
“In what moment shall I be born ?” |
| And for the same reason why should he investigate the family, thinking to himself: | |
| “In what family shall I be born?” | |
“Niyatā, mahārāja, pubbeva bodhisattassa mātāpitaro, kulañca bodhisatto viloketi. |
And if, Nāgasena, it is a settled matter who shall be the parents of the Bodisat, then it must be false that he “investigated the family.” |
Kinti pana kulaṁ viloketi ‘ye me mātāpitaro, te khattiyā udāhu brāhmaṇā’ti. |
But if that be true, then must the other saying be wrong. |
Evaṁ kulaṁ viloketi. |
This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
Aṭṭhannaṁ, mahārāja, pubbeva anāgataṁ oloketabbaṁ hoti. |
‘It was both a settled matter, O king, who should be the parents of the Bodisat, and he did investigate into the question as to which family he was to be born into. |
Katamesaṁ aṭṭhannaṁ? |
But how did he do so? |
Vāṇijassa, mahārāja, pubbeva vikkayabhaṇḍaṁ oloketabbaṁ hoti, hatthināgassa pubbeva soṇḍāya anāgato maggo oloketabbo hoti, sākaṭikassa pubbeva anāgataṁ titthaṁ oloketabbaṁ hoti, niyāmakassa pubbeva anāgataṁ tīraṁ oloketvā nāvā pesetabbā hoti, bhisakkassa pubbeva āyuṁ oloketvā āturo upasaṅkamitabbo hoti, uttarasetussa pubbeva thirāthirabhāvaṁ jānitvā abhiruhitabbaṁ hoti, bhikkhussa pubbeva anāgataṁ kālaṁ paccavekkhitvā bhojanaṁ bhuñjitabbaṁ hoti, bodhisattānaṁ pubbeva kulaṁ oloketabbaṁ hoti ‘khattiyakulaṁ vā brāhmaṇakulaṁ vā’ti. |
He thought over the matter as to whether his parents should be nobles or Brahmans. |
Imesaṁ kho, mahārāja, aṭṭhannaṁ pubbeva anāgataṁ oloketabbaṁ hotī”ti. |
With respect to eight things, O king, should the future be investigated before it comes to pass. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
A merchant, O king, should investigate goods before he buys them—an elephant should try with its trunk a path it has not yet trod—a cartman should try a ford he has not yet crossed over—a pilot should test a shore he has not yet arrived at, and so guide the ship—a physician should find out the period of life which his patient has lasted before he treats his disease—a traveller should test the stability of a bambū bridge before he mounts on to it—a Bhikkhu should find out how much time has yet to run before sun turn before he begins to eat his meal—and Bodisats, before they are born, should investigate the question whether it would be right for them to be born in the family of a noble or of a Brahman. |
| These are the eight occasions on which investigation ought to precede action.’ | |
Bodhisattadhammatāpañho catuttho. |
|
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the Bodisat’s consideration. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
5. Attanipātanapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘na, bhikkhave, attānaṁ pātetabbaṁ, yo pāteyya, yathādhammo kāretabbo’ti. |
5.4.5. On Suicide |
Puna ca tumhe bhaṇatha—‘yattha katthaci bhagavā sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ desayamāno anekapariyāyena jātiyā jarāya byādhino maraṇassa samucchedāya dhammaṁ deseti, yo hi koci jātijarābyādhimaraṇaṁ samatikkamati, taṁ paramāya pasaṁsāya pasaṁsatī’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘na, bhikkhave, attānaṁ pātetabbaṁ, yo pāteyya, yathādhammo kāretabbo’ti, tena hi ‘jātiyā jarāya byādhino maraṇassa samucchedāya dhammaṁ desetī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“A brother is not, O Bhikkhus, to commit suicide. |
Yadi jātiyā jarāya byādhino maraṇassa samucchedāya dhammaṁ deseti, tena hi ‘na, bhikkhave, attānaṁ pātetabbaṁ, yo pāteyya, yathādhammo kāretabbo’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
Whosoever does so shall be dealt with according to the law.” |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
And on the other hand you (members of the Order) say: |
| “On whatsoever subject the Blessed One was addressing the disciples, he always, and with various similes, preached to them in order to bring about the destruction of birth, of old age, of disease, and of death. | |
| And whosoever overcame birth, old age, disease, and death, him did he honour with the highest praise.” | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘na, bhikkhave, attānaṁ pātetabbaṁ, yo pāteyya, yathādhammo kāretabbo’ti. |
Now if the Blessed One forbade suicide that saying of yours must be wrong, but if not then the prohibition of suicide must be wrong. |
Yattha katthaci bhagavatā sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ desayamānena ca anekapariyāyena jātiyā jarāya byādhino maraṇassa samucchedāya dhammo desito, tattha pana kāraṇaṁ atthi, yena bhagavā kāraṇena paṭikkhipi samādapesi cā”ti. |
This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ |
“Kiṁ panettha, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇaṁ, yena bhagavā kāraṇena paṭikkhipi samādapesi cā”ti? |
‘The regulation you quote, O king, was laid down by the Blessed One, and yet is our saying you refer to true. |
“Sīlavā, mahārāja, sīlasampanno agadasamo sattānaṁ kilesavisavināsane, osadhasamo sattānaṁ kilesabyādhivūpasame, udakasamo sattānaṁ kilesarajojallāpaharaṇe, maṇiratanasamo sattānaṁ sabbasampattidāne, nāvāsamo sattānaṁ caturoghapāragamane, satthavāhasamo sattānaṁ jātikantāratāraṇe, vātasamo sattānaṁ tividhaggisantāpanibbāpane, mahāmeghasamo sattānaṁ mānasaparipūraṇe, ācariyasamo sattānaṁ kusalasikkhāpane, sudesakasamo sattānaṁ khemapathamācikkhaṇe. |
And there is a reason for this, a reason for which the Blessed One both prohibited (the destruction of life), and also (in another sense) instigated us to it.’ |
Evarūpo, mahārāja, bahuguṇo anekaguṇo appamāṇaguṇo guṇarāsi guṇapuñjo sattānaṁ vaḍḍhikaro sīlavā ‘mā vinassī’ti sattānaṁ anukampāya bhagavā sikkhāpadaṁ paññapesi ‘na, bhikkhave, attānaṁ pātetabbaṁ, yo pāteyya, yathādhammo kāretabbo’ti. |
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Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena bhagavā paṭikkhipi. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena kumārakassapena vicitrakathikena pāyāsirājaññassa paralokaṁ dīpayamānena ‘yathā yathā kho, rājañña, samaṇabrāhmaṇā sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭhanti tathā tathā bahuṁ puññaṁ pasavanti, bahujanahitāya ca paṭipajjanti bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānan’ti. |
‘What, Nāgasena, may that reason be?’ |
Kena pana kāraṇena bhagavā samādapesi? |
‘The good man, O king, perfect in uprightness, is like a medicine to men in being an antidote to the poison of evil, he is like water to men in laying the dust and the impurities of evil dispositions, he is like a jewel treasure to men in bestowing upon them all attainments in righteousness, he is like a boat to men inasmuch as he conveys them to the further shore of the four flooded streams (of lust, individuality, delusion, and ignorance), he is like a caravan owner to men in that he brings them beyond the sandy desert of rebirths, he is like a mighty rain cloud to men in that he fills their hearts with satisfaction, he is like a teacher to men in that he trains them in all good, he is like a good guide to men in that he points out to them the path of peace. |
Jātipi, mahārāja, dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, byādhipi dukkho, maraṇampi dukkhaṁ, sokopi dukkho, paridevopi dukkho, dukkhampi dukkhaṁ, domanassampi dukkhaṁ, upāyāsopi dukkho, appiyehi sampayogopi dukkho, piyehi vippayogopi dukkho, mātumaraṇampi dukkhaṁ, pitumaraṇampi dukkhaṁ, bhātumaraṇampi dukkhaṁ, bhaginimaraṇampi dukkhaṁ, puttamaraṇampi dukkhaṁ, dāramaraṇampi dukkhaṁ, dāsamaraṇampi dukkhaṁ, ñātimaraṇampi dukkhaṁ, ñātibyasanampi dukkhaṁ, rogabyasanampi dukkhaṁ, bhogabyasanampi dukkhaṁ, sīlabyasanampi dukkhaṁ, diṭṭhibyasanampi dukkhaṁ, rājabhayampi dukkhaṁ, corabhayampi dukkhaṁ, veribhayampi dukkhaṁ, dubbhikkhabhayampi dukkhaṁ, aggibhayampi dukkhaṁ, udakabhayampi dukkhaṁ, ūmibhayampi dukkhaṁ, āvaṭṭabhayampi dukkhaṁ, kumbhīlabhayampi dukkhaṁ, susukābhayampi dukkhaṁ, attānuvādabhayampi dukkhaṁ, parānuvādabhayampi dukkhaṁ, daṇḍabhayampi dukkhaṁ, duggatibhayampi dukkhaṁ, parisāsārajjabhayampi dukkhaṁ, ājīvakabhayampi dukkhaṁ, maraṇabhayampi dukkhaṁ, vettehi tāḷanampi dukkhaṁ, kasāhi tāḷanampi dukkhaṁ, addhadaṇḍakehi tāḷanampi dukkhaṁ, hatthacchedanampi dukkhaṁ, pādacchedanampi dukkhaṁ, hatthapādacchedanampi dukkhaṁ, kaṇṇacchedanampi dukkhaṁ, nāsacchedanampi dukkhaṁ, kaṇṇanāsacchedanampi dukkhaṁ, bilaṅgathālikampi dukkhaṁ, saṅkhamuṇḍikampi dukkhaṁ, rāhumukhampi dukkhaṁ, jotimālikampi dukkhaṁ, hatthapajjotikampi dukkhaṁ, erakavattikampi dukkhaṁ, cīrakavāsikampi dukkhaṁ, eṇeyyakampi dukkhaṁ, baḷisamaṁsikampi dukkhaṁ, kahāpaṇikampi dukkhaṁ, khārāpatacchikampi dukkhaṁ, palighaparivattikampi dukkhaṁ, palālapīṭhakampi dukkhaṁ, tattena telena osiñcanampi dukkhaṁ, sunakhehi khādāpanampi dukkhaṁ, jīvasūlāropanampi dukkhaṁ, asinā sīsacchedanampi dukkhaṁ, evarūpāni, mahārāja, bahuvidhāni anekavidhāni dukkhāni saṁsāragato anubhavati. |
It was in order that so good a man as that, one whose good qualities are so many, so various, so immeasurable, in order that so great a treasure mine of good things, so full of benefit to all beings, might not be done away with, that the Blessed One, O king, out of his mercy towards all beings, laid down that injunction, when he said: |
| “A brother is not, O Bhikkhus, to commit suicide. | |
| Whosoever does so shall be dealt with according to the law.” | |
Yathā, mahārāja, himavantapabbate abhivuṭṭhaṁ udakaṁ gaṅgāya nadiyā pāsāṇasakkharakharamarumbaāvaṭṭagaggalakaūmikavaṅkacadika-āvaraṇanīvaraṇamūlakasākhāsu pariyottharati; |
This is the reason for which the Blessed One prohibited (self-slaughter). |
evameva kho, mahārāja, evarūpāni bahuvidhāni anekavidhāni dukkhāni saṁsāragato anubhavati. |
And it was said, O king, by the Elder Kumāra Kassapa, the eloquent, when he was describing to Pāyāsi the Rājanya the other world: |
Pavattaṁ, mahārāja, dukkhaṁ, appavattaṁ sukhaṁ. |
“So long as Samaṇas and Brahmans of uprightness of life, and beauty of character, continue to exist—however long that time may be—just so long do they conduct themselves to the advantage and happiness of the great masses of the people, to the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men!” |
Appavattassa guṇaṁ pavatte ca bhayaṁ dīpayamāno, mahārāja, bhagavā appavattassa sacchikiriyāya jātijarābyādhimaraṇasamatikkamāya samādapesi, idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena bhagavā samādapesī”ti. |
’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, sunibbeṭhito pañho, sukathitaṁ kāraṇaṁ, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘And what is the reason for which the Blessed One instigated us (to put an end to life)? | |
| Birth, O king, is full of pain, and so is old age, and disease, and death. | |
Attanipātanapañho pañcamo. |
Sorrow is painful, and so is lamentation, and pain, and grief, and despair. |
| Association with the unpleasant is painful, and separation from the pleasant. | |
| The death of a mother is painful, or of a father, or a brother, or a sister, or a son, or a wife, or of any relative. | |
| Painful is the ruin of one’s family, and the suffering of disease, and the loss of wealth, and decline in goodness, and the loss of insight. | |
| Painful is the fear produced by despots, or by robbers, or by enemies, or by famine, or by fire, or by flood, or by the tidal wave, or by earthquake, or by crocodiles or alligators. | |
| Painful is the fear of possible blame attaching to oneself, or to others, the fear of punishment, the fear of misfortune. | |
| Painful is the fear arising from shyness in the presence of assemblies of one’s fellows, painful is anxiety as to one’s means of livelihood, painful the foreboding of death. | |
| Painful are (the punishments inflicted on criminals), such as being flogged with whips, or with sticks, or with split rods, having one’s hands cut off, or one’s feet, or one’s hands and feet, or one’s ears, or one’s nose, or one’s ears and nose. | |
| Painful are (the tortures inflicted on traitors)—being subjected to the Gruel Pot (that is, having boiling gruel poured into one’s head from the top of which the skull bone has been removed)—or to the Chank Crown (that is, having the scalp rubbed with gravel till it becomes smooth like a polished shell)—or to the Rāhu’s Mouth (that is, having one’s mouth held open by iron pins, and oil put in it, and a wick lighted therein)—or to the Fire Garland or to the Hand Torch, (that is, being made a living torch, the whole body, or the arms only, being wrapped up in oily cloths, and set on fire)—or to the Snake Strips (that is, being skinned in strips from the neck to the hips, so that the skin falls in strips round the legs)or to the Bark Dress (that is, being skinned alive from the neck downwards, and having each strip of skin as soon as removed tied to the hair, so that these strips form a veil around one)—or to the Spotted Antelope (that is, having one’s knees and elbows tied together, and being made to squat on a plate of iron under which a fire is lit)—or to the Flesh-hooks (that is, being hung up on a row of iron hooks)—or to the Pennies (that is, having bits cut out of the flesh, all over the body, of the size of pennies)—or to the Brine Slits (that is, having cuts made all over one’s body by means of knives or sharp points, and then having salt and caustic liquids poured over the wounds)—or to the Bar Turn (that is, being transfixed to the ground by a bar of iron passing through the root of the ear, and then being dragged round and round by the leg)—or to the Straw Seat (that is, being so beaten with clubs that The bones are broken, and the body becomes like a heap of straw)—or to be anointed with boiling oil, or to be eaten by dogs, or to be impaled alive, or to be beheaded. | |
| Such and such, O king, are the manifold and various pains which a being caught in the whirlpool of births and rebirths has to endure. | |
| just, O king, as the water rained down upon the Himālaya mountain flows, in its course along the Ganges, through and over rocks and pebbles and gravel, whirlpools and eddies and rapids, and the stumps and branches of trees which obstruct and oppose its passage—just so has each being caught in the succession of births and rebirths to endure such and such manifold and various pains. | |
| Full of pain, then, is the continual succession of rebirths, a joy is it when that succession ends. | |
| And it was in pointing out the advantage of that end, the disaster involved in that succession, that the Blessed One, great king, instigated us to get beyond birth, and old age, and disease, and death by the realisation of the final end of that succession of rebirths. | |
| This is the sense, O king, which led the Blessed One to instigate us (to put an end to life).’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| Well solved is the puzzle (I put), well set forth are the reasons (you alleged). | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to suicide. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas Chapter 4 |
6. Mettābhāvanānisaṁsapañha |
5.4.6. Benefits of developing metta |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā— |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: |
“Mettāya, bhikkhave, ceto-vimuttiyā |
“The mind’s liberation by Friendly-kindness; when |
āsevitāya bhāvitāya bahulī-katāya |
cultivated, developed, frequently done, |
yānī-katāya |
made into a vehicle, |
vatthu-katāya |
A basis, |
anu-ṭ-ṭhitāya |
Kept up, |
paricitāya |
consolidated, |
su-samāraddhāya |
Properly implemented, |
Ekā-dasā-nisaṃsā pāṭi-kaṅkhā. |
then these eleven benefits can be expected. |
Katame ekā-dasa? |
What eleven? |
Sukhaṃ supati, |
1. Pleasurably you sleep. |
sukhaṃ paṭi-bujjhati, |
2. Pleasurably you wake. |
na pāpakaṃ supinaṃ passati, |
3. You have no bad dreams. |
manussānaṃ piyo hoti, |
4. You are dear to humans. |
a-manussānaṃ piyo hoti, |
5. You are dear to non-humans. |
devatā rakkhanti, |
6. Deities protect you. |
nāssa aggi vā visaṃ vā satthaṃ vā kamati, |
7. Neither fire nor poison nor blades injure you. |
tuvaṭaṃ cittaṃ samādhiyati, |
8. The mind quickly becomes undistractible-and-lucid, |
mukha-vaṇṇo vi-p-pasīdati, |
9. Your face becomes clear-and-bright. |
a-sam-mūḷho kālaṃ karoti, |
10. At the time of your death, you aren’t confused. |
uttariṃ ap-paṭi-vijjhanto brahma-lok-ūpago hoti. |
11. If you have not penetrated higher knowledges, you are reborn in the Brahma world. |
’ti. |
|
Puna ca tumhe bhaṇatha— |
But on the other hand you (members of The Order) say that |
‘sāmo kumāro mettāvihārī migasaṅghena parivuto pavane vicaranto |
“Sāma the Prince, while dwelling in the cultivation of a friendly disposition toward all beings, and when he was (in consequence thereof) wandering in the forest followed by a herd of deer, |
pīḷiyakkhena raññā viddho visapītena sallena tattheva mucchito patito’ti. |
was hit by a poisoned arrow shot by Piliyakkha the king, and there, on the spot, fainted and fell.” |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘mettāya bhikkhave …pe… brahmalokūpago hotī’ti, tena hi ‘sāmo kumāro mettāvihārī migasaṅghena parivuto pavane vicaranto pīḷiyakkhena raññā viddho visapītena sallena tattheva mucchito patito’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
Now, venerable Nāgasena, if the passage I have quoted from the words of the Blessed One be right, then this statement of yours must be wrong. |
Yadi sāmo kumāro mettāvihārī migasaṅghena parivuto pavane vicaranto pīḷiyakkhena raññā viddho visapītena sallena tattheva mucchito patito, tena hi ‘mettāya, bhikkhave …pe… satthaṁ vā kamatī’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
But if the story of Prince Sāma be right, then it cannot be true that neither fire, nor poison, nor sword can work harm to him who cultivates the habit of friendly-kindness to all beings. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho sunipuṇo parisaṇho sukhumo gambhīro, |
This too is a double-edged problem, so subtle, so abstruse, so delicate, and so profound, |
api sunipuṇānaṁ manujānaṁ gatte sedaṁ moceyya, |
that the thought of having to solve it might well bring out sweat over the body even of the most subtle-minded of mortals. |
so tavānuppatto, |
This problem is now put to you. |
vijaṭehi taṁ mahājaṭājaṭitaṁ, |
Unravel this mighty knot. |
anāgatānaṁ jinaputtānaṁ cakkhuṁ dehi nibbāhanāyā”ti. |
Throw light upon this matter to the accomplishment of the desire of those sons of the Conqueror who shall arise hereafter.’ |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘mettāya bhikkhave …pe… satthaṁ vā kamatī’ti. |
‘The Blessed One spake, O king, as you have quoted. |
Sāmo ca kumāro mettāvihārī migasaṅghena parivuto pavane vicaranto pīḷiyakkhena raññā viddho visapītena sallena tattheva mucchito patito, tattha pana, mahārāja, |
And Prince Sama dwelling in the cultivation of friendly-kindness, and thus followed by a herd of deer when he was wandering in the forest, was hit by the poisoned arrow shot by king Piliyakkha, and then and there fainted and fell. |
kāraṇaṁ atthi. |
But there is a reason for that. |
Katamaṁ tattha kāraṇaṁ? |
And what is the reason? |
Nete, mahārāja, guṇā puggalassa, mettābhāvanāyete guṇā, sāmo, mahārāja, |
Simply that those virtues (said in the passage you quoted to be in the habit of friendly-kindness) are virtues not attached to the personality of the one who friendly-kindnesss, but to the actual presence of the friendly-kindness that he has called up in his heart. |
kumāro ghaṭaṁ ukkhipanto tasmiṁ khaṇe mettābhāvanāya pamatto ahosi. |
And when Prince Sāma was upsetting the water-pot, that moment he lapsed from the actual feeling of friendly-kindness. |
Yasmiṁ, mahārāja, khaṇe puggalo mettaṁ samāpanno hoti, |
At the moment, O king, in which an individual has realised the sense of friendly-kindness, |
na tassa puggalassa tasmiṁ khaṇe aggi vā visaṁ vā satthaṁ vā kamati. |
that moment neither fire, nor poison, nor sword can do him harm. |
Tassa ye keci ahitakāmā upagantvā taṁ na passanti, na tasmiṁ okāsaṁ labhanti. |
If any men bent on doing him an injury come up, they will not see him, neither will they have a chance of hurting him. |
Nete, mahārāja, guṇā puggalassa, mettābhāvanāyete guṇā. |
But these virtues, O king, are not inherent in the individual, they are in the actual felt presence of the friendly-kindness that he is calling up in his heart.’ |
Idha, mahārāja, puriso saṅgāmasūro abhejjakavacajālikaṁ sannayhitvā saṅgāmaṁ otareyya, |
‘Suppose, O king, a man were to take into his hand a Vanishing Root of supernatural power; |
tassa sarā khittā upagantvā patanti vikiranti, |
and that, so long as it was actually in his hand, no other ordinary person would be able to see him. |
na tasmiṁ okāsaṁ labhanti, neso, mahārāja, |
The virtue, then, would not be in the man. |
guṇo saṅgāmasūrassa, abhejjakavacajālikāyeso guṇo, yassa sarā khittā upagantvā patanti vikiranti. |
It would be in the root that such virtue would reside that an object in the very line of sight of ordinary mortals could, nevertheless, not be seen. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, nete guṇā puggalassa, mettābhāvanāyete guṇā. |
just so, O king, is it with the virtue inherent in the felt presence of friendly-kindness that a man has called up in his heart.’ |
Yasmiṁ, mahārāja, khaṇe puggalo mettaṁ samāpanno hoti, na tassa puggalassa tasmiṁ khaṇe aggi vā visaṁ vā satthaṁ vā kamati. |
‘Or it is like the case of a man who has entered into a well-formed mighty cave. |
Tassa ye keci ahitakāmā upagantvā taṁ na passanti, tasmiṁ okāsaṁ na labhanti, nete, mahārāja, guṇā puggalassa, mettābhāvanāyete guṇā. |
No storm of rain, however mightily it might pour down, would be able to wet him. |
Idha pana, mahārāja, puriso dibbaṁ antaradhānaṁ mūlaṁ hatthe kareyya, yāva taṁ mūlaṁ tassa hatthagataṁ hoti, tāva na añño koci pakatimanusso taṁ purisaṁ passati. |
But that would be by no virtue inherent in the man. |
Neso, mahārāja, guṇo purisassa, mūlasseso guṇo antaradhānassa, yaṁ so pakatimanussānaṁ cakkhupathe na dissati. |
It would be a virtue inherent in the cave that so mighty a downpour of rain could not wet the man. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, nete guṇā puggalassa, mettābhāvanāyete guṇā. |
And just so, O king, is it with the virtue inherent in the felt presence of friendly-kindness that a man has called up in his heart.’ |
Yasmiṁ, mahārāja, khaṇe puggalo mettaṁ samāpanno hoti, na tassa puggalassa tasmiṁ khaṇe aggi vā visaṁ vā satthaṁ vā kamati. |
‘Most wonderful is it, Nāgasena, and most strange how the felt presence of friendly-kindness has the power of warding off all evil states of mind.’ |
Tassa ye keci ahitakāmā upagantvā taṁ na passanti, na tasmiṁ okāsaṁ labhanti. |
|
Nete, mahārāja, guṇā puggalassa, mettābhāvanāyete guṇā. |
|
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, purisaṁ sukataṁ mahāleṇamanuppaviṭṭhaṁ mahatimahāmegho abhivassanto na sakkoti temayituṁ, neso, mahārāja, guṇo purisassa, mahāleṇasseso guṇo, yaṁ mahāmegho abhivassamāno na taṁ temeti. |
‘Yes! |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, nete guṇā puggalassa, mettābhāvanāyete guṇā. |
the practice of friendly-kindness is productive of all virtuous conditions of mind both in good (beings) and in evil ones. |
| To all beings whatsoever, who are in the bonds of conscious existence, is this practice of friendly-kindness of great advantage, and therefore ought it to be sedulously cultivated.’ | |
Yasmiṁ, mahārāja, khaṇe puggalo mettaṁ samāpanno hoti, na tassa puggalassa tasmiṁ khaṇe aggi vā visaṁ vā satthaṁ vā kamati. |
|
Tassa ye keci ahitakāmā upagantvā taṁ na passanti, na tassa sakkonti ahitaṁ kātuṁ, nete, mahārāja, guṇā puggalassa, mettābhāvanāyete guṇā”ti. |
Here ends the problem as to the power of friendly-kindness. |
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, sabbapāpanivāraṇā mettābhāvanā”ti. |
|
“Sabbakusalaguṇāvahā, mahārāja, mettābhāvanā hitānampi ahitānampi, ye te sattā viññāṇabaddhā, sabbesaṁ mahānisaṁsā mettābhāvanā saṁvibhajitabbā”ti. |
|
Mettābhāvanānisaṁsapañho chaṭṭho. |
(end of 6th sutta in chapter) |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
7 Kusalākusalasamavisamapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena kusalakārissapi akusalakārissapi vipāko samasamo, udāhu koci viseso atthī”ti? |
5.4.7. Devadatta |
“Atthi, mahārāja, kusalassa ca akusalassa ca viseso, kusalaṁ, mahārāja, sukhavipākaṁ saggasaṁvattanikaṁ, akusalaṁ dukkhavipākaṁ nirayasaṁvattanikan”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, is the consequence the same to him who does good and to him who does evil, or is there any difference in the two cases?’ |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘devadatto ekantakaṇho, ekantakaṇhehi dhammehi samannāgato, bodhisatto ekantasukko, ekantasukkehi dhammehi samannāgato’ti. |
‘There is a difference, O king, between good and evil. |
Puna ca devadatto bhave bhave yasena ca pakkhena ca bodhisattena samasamo hoti, kadāci adhikataro vā. |
Good works have a happy result, and lead to Sagga, and evil works have an unhappy result, and lead to Niraya.’ |
Yadā devadatto nagare bārāṇasiyaṁ brahmadattassa rañño purohitaputto ahosi, tadā bodhisatto chavakacaṇḍālo ahosi vijjādharo, vijjaṁ parijappitvā akāle ambaphalāni nibbattesi, ettha tāva bodhisatto devadattato jātiyā nihīno yasena ca nihīno. |
|
| ‘But, venerable Nāgasena, your people say that Devadatta was altogether wicked, full of wicked dispositions, and that the Bodisat was altogether pure, full of pure dispositions. | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto rājā ahosi mahā mahīpati sabbakāmasamaṅgī, tadā bodhisatto tassūpabhogo ahosi hatthināgo sabbalakkhaṇasampanno, tassa cārugativilāsaṁ asahamāno rājā vadhamicchanto hatthācariyaṁ evamavoca ‘asikkhito te, ācariya, hatthināgo, tassa ākāsagamanaṁ nāma kāraṇaṁ karohī’ti, tatthapi tāva bodhisatto devadattato jātiyā nihīno lāmako tiracchānagato. |
And yet Devadatta, through successive existences, was not only quite equal to the Bodisat, but even sometimes superior to him, both in reputation and in the number of his adherents. |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto manusso ahosi pavane naṭṭhāyiko, tadā bodhisatto mahāpathavī nāma makkaṭo ahosi, etthapi tāva dissati viseso manussassa ca tiracchānagatassa ca, tatthapi tāva bodhisatto devadattato jātiyā nihīno. |
‘Thus, Nāgasena, when Devadatta became the Purohita (family Brāhman, royal chaplain) of Brahmadatta, the king, in the city of Benares, then the Bodisat was a wretched Kaṇḍāla (outcast) who knew by heart a magic spell. |
| And by repeating his spell he produced mango fruits out of season. | |
| This is one case in which the Bodisat was inferior to Devadatta in birth, inferior to him in reputation.’ | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto manusso ahosi soṇuttaro nāma nesādo balavā balavataro nāgabalo, tadā bodhisatto chaddanto nāma nāgarājā ahosi, tadā so luddako taṁ hatthināgaṁ ghātesi, tatthapi tāva devadattova adhikataro. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a king, a mighty monarch of the earth, living in the enjoyment of all the pleasures of sense, then the Bodisat was an elephant, decked with all manner of ornaments that the king might make use of them. | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto manusso ahosi vanacarako aniketavāsī, tadā bodhisatto sakuṇo ahosi tittiro mantajjhāyī, tadāpi so vanacarako taṁ sakuṇaṁ ghātesi, tatthapi tāva devadattova jātiyā adhikataro. |
And the king, being put out of temper at the sight of his graceful and pleasant style of pace and motion, said to the elephant trainer with the hope of bringing about the death of the elephant: |
| “Trainer, this elephant has not been properly trained, make him perform the trick called ‘Sky walking.’ | |
| ” In that case too the Bodisat was inferior to Devadatta—was a mere foolish animal.’ | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto (…) kalābu nāma kāsirājā ahosi, tadā bodhisatto tāpaso ahosi khantivādī, tadā so rājā tassa tāpasassa kuddho hatthapāde vaṁsakaḷīre viya chedāpesi, tatthapi tāva devadattoyeva adhikataro jātiyā ca yasena ca. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a man who gained his living by winnowing grain, then The Bodisat was a monkey called “the broad earth.” | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto manusso ahosi vanacaro, tadā bodhisatto nandiyo nāma vānarindo ahosi, tadāpi so vanacaro taṁ vānarindaṁ ghātesi saddhiṁ mātarā kaniṭṭhabhātikena ca, tatthapi tāva devadattoyeva adhikataro jātiyā. |
Here again we have the difference between an animal and a man, and the Bodisat was inferior in birth to Devadatta.’ |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto manusso ahosi acelako kārambhiyo nāma, tadā bodhisatto paṇḍarako nāma nāgarājā ahosi, tatthapi tāva devadattoyeva adhikataro jātiyā. |
‘And again, when Devadatta became a man, by name Soṇuttara, a Nesāda (one of an outcast tribe of aborigines, who lived by hunting), and was of great strength and bodily power, like an elephant, then the Bodisat was the king of elephants under the name of the “Six-tusked.” |
| And in that birth, the hunter slew the elephant. | |
| In that case too Devadatta was the superior.’ | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto manusso ahosi pavane jaṭilako, tadā bodhisatto tacchako nāma mahāsūkaro ahosi, tatthapi tāva devadattoyeva jātiyā adhikataro. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a man, a wanderer in the woods, without a home, then the Bodisat was a bird, a partridge who knew the Vedic hymns. | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto cetīsu sūraparicaro nāma rājā ahosi upari purisamatte gagane vehāsaṅgamo, tadā bodhisatto kapilo nāma brāhmaṇo ahosi, tatthapi tāva devadattoyeva adhikataro jātiyā ca yasena ca. |
And in that birth too the woodman killed the bird. |
| So in that case also Devadatta was the superior by birth.’ | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto manusso ahosi sāmo nāma, tadā bodhisatto ruru nāma migarājā ahosi, tatthapi tāva devadatto yeva jātiyā adhikataro. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became the king of Benares, by name Kalābu, then the Bodisat was an ascetic who preached kindness to animals. | |
| And the king (who was fond of sport), enraged with the ascetic, had his hands and feet cut off like so many bambū sprouts. | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto manusso ahosi luddako pavanacaro, tadā bodhisatto hatthināgo ahosi, so luddako tassa hatthināgassa sattakkhattuṁ dante chinditvā hari, tatthapi tāva devadatto yeva yoniyā adhikataro. |
In that birth, too, Devadatta was the superior, both in birth and in reputation among men.’ |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto siṅgālo ahosi khattiyadhammo, so yāvatā jambudīpe padesarājāno te sabbe anuyutte akāsi, tadā bodhisatto vidhuro nāma paṇḍito ahosi, tatthapi tāva devadattoyeva yasena adhikataro. |
‘And again, when Devadatta became a man, a woodman, then the Bodisat was Nandiya the monkey king. |
| And in that birth too the man killed the monkey, and his mother besides, and his younger brother. | |
| So in that case also it was Devadatta who was the superior in birth.’ | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto hatthināgo hutvā laṭukikāya sakuṇikāya puttake ghātesi, tadā bodhisattopi hatthināgo ahosi yūthapati, tattha tāva ubhopi te samasamā ahesuṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a man, a naked ascetic, by name Kārambhiya, then the Bodisat was a snake king called “the Yellow one.” | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto yakkho ahosi adhammo nāma, tadā bodhisattopi yakkho ahosi dhammo nāma, tatthapi tāva ubhopi samasamā ahesuṁ. |
So in that case too it was Devadatta who was the superior in birth.’ |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto nāviko ahosi pañcannaṁ kulasatānaṁ issaro, tadā bodhisattopi nāviko ahosi pañcannaṁ kulasatānaṁ issaro, tatthapi tāva ubhopi samasamā ahesuṁ. |
‘And again, when Devadatta became a man, a crafty ascetic with long matted hair, then the Bodisat was a famous pig, by name “the Carpenter.” |
| So in that case too it was Devadatta who was the superior in birth.’ | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto satthavāho ahosi pañcannaṁ sakaṭasatānaṁ issaro, tadā bodhisattopi satthavāho ahosi pañcannaṁ sakaṭasatānaṁ issaro, tatthapi tāva ubhopi samasamā ahesuṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a king among the cetas, by name Sura Paricara, who had the power of travelling through the air at a level above men’s heads, then the Bodisat was a Brahman named Kapila. | |
| So in that case too it was Devadatta who was the superior in birth and in reputation.’ | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto sākho nāma migarājā ahosi, tadā bodhisattopi nigrodho nāma migarājā ahosi, tatthapi tāva ubhopi samasamā ahesuṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a man, by name Sāma, then the Bodisat was a king among the deer, by name Ruru. | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto sākho nāma senāpati ahosi, tadā bodhisattopi nigrodho nāma rājā ahosi, tatthapi tāva ubhopi samasamā ahesuṁ. |
So in that case too it was Devadatta who was the superior in birth.’ |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto khaṇḍahālo nāma brāhmaṇo ahosi, tadā bodhisatto cando nāma rājakumāro ahosi, tadā so khaṇḍahāloyeva adhikataro. |
‘And again, when Devadatta became a man, a hunter wandering in the woods, then the Bodisat was a male elephant, and that hunter seven times broke off and took away the teeth of the elephant. |
| So in that case too it was Devadatta who was the superior in respect of the class of beings into which he was born.’ | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto brahmadatto nāma rājā ahosi, tadā bodhisatto tassa putto mahāpadumo nāma kumāro ahosi, tadā so rājā sakaputtaṁ corapapāte khipāpesi, yato kutoci pitāva puttānaṁ adhikataro hoti visiṭṭhoti, tatthapi tāva devadattoyeva adhikataro. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a jackal who wanted to conquer the world, and brought the kings of all the countries in India under his control, then the Bodisat was a wise man, by name Vidhura. | |
| So in that case too it was Devadatta who was the superior in glory.’ | |
Puna caparaṁ yadā devadatto mahāpatāpo nāma rājā ahosi, tadā bodhisatto tassa putto dhammapālo nāma kumāro ahosi, tadā so rājā sakaputtassa hatthapāde sīsañca chedāpesi, tatthapi tāva devadattoyeva uttaro adhikataro. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became the elephant who destroyed the young of the Chinese partridge, then the Bodisat was also an elephant, the leader of his herd. | |
Ajjetarahi ubhopi sakyakule jāyiṁsu. |
So in that case they were both on a par.’ |
Bodhisatto buddho ahosi sabbaññū lokanāyako, devadatto tassa devātidevassa sāsane pabbajitvā iddhiṁ nibbattetvā buddhālayaṁ akāsi. |
|
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, yaṁ mayā bhaṇitaṁ, taṁ sabbaṁ tathaṁ udāhu vitathan”ti? |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a, yakkha, by name Unrighteous, then the Bodisat too was a yakkha, by name Righteous. | |
| So in that case too they were both on a par.’ | |
“Yaṁ tvaṁ, mahārāja, bahuvidhaṁ kāraṇaṁ osāresi, sabbaṁ taṁ tatheva, no aññathā”ti. |
|
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, kaṇhopi sukkopi samasamagatikā honti, tena hi kusalampi akusalampi samasamavipākaṁ hotī”ti? |
|
“Na hi, mahārāja, kusalampi akusalampi samasamavipākaṁ hoti, na hi, mahārāja, devadatto sabbajanehi paṭiviruddho, bodhisatteneva paṭiviruddho. |
‘And again, when Devadatta became a sailor, the chief of five hundred families, then the Bodisat too was a sailor, the chief of five hundred families. |
Yo tassa bodhisattena paṭiviruddho, so tasmiṁ tasmiṁyeva bhave paccati phalaṁ deti. |
So in that case too they were both on a par.’ |
Devadattopi, mahārāja, issariye ṭhito janapadesu ārakkhaṁ deti, setuṁ sabhaṁ puññasālaṁ kāreti, samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ kapaṇaddhikavaṇibbakānaṁ nāthānāthānaṁ yathāpaṇihitaṁ dānaṁ deti. |
|
Tassa so vipākena bhave bhave sampattiyo paṭilabhati. |
|
Kassetaṁ, mahārāja, sakkā vattuṁ vinā dānena damena saṁyamena uposathakammena sampattiṁ anubhavissatīti? |
‘And again, when Devadatta became a caravan leader, the lord of five hundred waggons, then the Bodisat too was a caravan leader, the lord of five hundred waggons. |
| So in that case too they were both on a par.’ | |
Yaṁ pana tvaṁ, mahārāja, evaṁ vadesi ‘devadatto ca bodhisatto ca ekato anuparivattantī’ti, so na jātisatassa accayena samāgamo ahosi, na jātisahassassa accayena, na jātisatasahassassa accayena, kadāci karahaci bahūnaṁ ahorattānaṁ accayena samāgamo ahosi. |
|
Yaṁ panetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā kāṇakacchapopamaṁ upadassitaṁ manussattappaṭilābhāya, tathūpamaṁ, mahārāja, imesaṁ samāgamaṁ dhārehi. |
‘And again, when Devadatta became a king of deer, by name Sākha, then the Bodisat was a king of deer, by name Nigrodha. |
| So in that case too they were both on a par.’ | |
Na, mahārāja, bodhisattassa devadatteneva saddhiṁ samāgamo ahosi, theropi, mahārāja, sāriputto anekesu jātisatasahassesu bodhisattassa pitā ahosi, mahāpitā ahosi, cūḷapitā ahosi, bhātā ahosi, putto ahosi, bhāgineyyo ahosi, mitto ahosi. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a commander-in-chief by name Sākha, then the Bodisat was a king, by name Nigrodha. | |
| So in that case too they were both on a par.’ | |
Bodhisattopi, mahārāja, anekesu jātisatasahassesu therassa sāriputtassa pitā ahosi, mahāpitā ahosi, cūḷapitā ahosi, bhātā ahosi, putto ahosi, bhāgineyyo ahosi, mitto ahosi, sabbepi, mahārāja, sattanikāyapariyāpannā saṁsārasotamanugatā saṁsārasotena vuyhantā appiyehipi piyehipi samāgacchanti. |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, udakaṁ sotena vuyhamānaṁ suciasucikalyāṇapāpakena samāgacchati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, sabbepi sattanikāyapariyāpannā saṁsārasotamanugatā saṁsārasotena vuyhantā appiyehipi piyehipi samāgacchanti. |
‘And again, when Devadatta became a brahman, by name Khaṇḍahāla, then the Bodisat was a prince, by name canda. |
Devadatto, mahārāja, yakkho samāno attanā adhammo pare adhamme niyojetvā sattapaññāsavassakoṭiyo saṭṭhi ca vassasatasahassāni mahāniraye pacci, bodhisattopi, mahārāja, yakkho samāno attanā dhammo pare dhamme niyojetvā sattapaññāsavassakoṭiyo saṭṭhi ca vassasatasahassāni sagge modi sabbakāmasamaṅgī, api ca, mahārāja, devadatto imasmiṁ bhave buddhaṁ anāsādanīyamāsādayitvā samaggañca saṅghaṁ bhinditvā pathaviṁ pāvisi, tathāgato bujjhitvā sabbadhamme parinibbuto upadhisaṅkhaye”ti. |
So in that case that Khaṇḍahāla was the superior.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a king, by name Brahmadatta, then the Bodisat was his son, the prince called Mahā Paduma. | |
Kusalākusalasamavisamapañho sattamo. |
In that case the king had his son cast down seven times, from the precipice from which robbers were thrown down. |
| And inasmuch as fathers are superior to and above their sons, in that case too it was Devadatta was the superior.’ | |
| ‘And again, when Devadatta became a king, by name Mahā Patāpa, then the Bodisat was his son, Prince Dhamma-pāla; | |
| and that king had the hands and feet and head of his son cut off. | |
| So in that case too Devadatta was the superior.’ | |
| ‘And now again, in this life, they were in the Sākya clan, and the Bodisat became a Buddha, all wise, the leader of the world, and Devadatta having left the world to join the Order founded by Him who is above the god of gods, and having attained to the powers of Iddhi, was filled with lust to become himself the Buddha. | |
| Come now, most venerable Nāgasena! | |
| Is not all that I have said true, and just, and accurate?’ | |
| ‘All the many things which you, great king, have now propounded, are so, and not otherwise.’ | |
| ‘Then, Nāgasena, unless black and white are the same in kind, it follows that good and evil bear equal fruit.’ | |
| ‘Nay, not so, great king! | |
| Good and evil have not the same result. | |
| Devadatta was opposed by everybody. | |
| No one was hostile to the Bodisat. | |
| And the hostility which Devadatta felt towards the Bodisat, that came to maturity and bore fruit in each successive birth. | |
| And so also as Devadatta, when he was established in lordship over the world, was a protection to the poor, put up bridges and courts of justice and rest-houses for the people, and gave gifts according to his bent to Samanas and Brahmans, to the poor and needy and the wayfarers, it was by the result of that conduct that, from existence to existence, he came into the enjoyment of so much prosperity. | |
| For of whom, O king, can it be said that without generosity and self-restraint, without self-control and the observance of the Uposatha, he can reach prosperity? | |
| ‘And when, O king, you say that Devadatta and the Bodisat accompanied one another in the passage from birth to birth, that meeting together of theirs took place not, only at the end of a hundred, or a thousand, or a hundred thousand births, but was in fact constantly and frequently taking place through an immeasurable period of time. | |
| For you should regard that matter in the light of the comparison drawn by the Blessed One between the case of the purblind tortoise and the attainment of the condition of a human being. | |
| And it was not only with Devadatta that such union took place. | |
| Sāriputta the Elder also, O king, was through thousands of births the father, or the grandfather, or the uncle, or the brother, or the son, or the nephew, or the friend of the Bodisat; | |
| and the Bodisat was the father, or the grandfather, or the uncle, or the brother, or the son, or the nephew, or the friend of Sāriputta the Elder. | |
| ‘All beings in fact, O king, who, in various forms as creatures, are carried down the stream of transmigration, meet, as they are whirled along in it, both with pleasant companions and with disagreeable ones-just as water whirled along in a stream meets with pure and impure substances, with the beautiful and with the ugly. | |
| ‘And when, O king, Devadatta as the god, had been himself Unrighteous, and had led others into unrighteousness of life, he was burnt in purgatory for an immeasurable period of time. | |
| But the Bodisat, who, as the god, had been himself Righteous, and had led others into righteousness of life, lived in all the bliss of heaven for a like immeasurable period of time. | |
| And whilst in this life, Devadatta, who had plotted injury against the Buddha, and had created a schism in the Order, was swallowed up by the earth, the Tathāgata, knowing all that can be known, arrived at the insight of Buddhahood, and was completely set free (from the necessity of becoming) by the destruction of all that leads to re-existence.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to Devadatta’s superiority to the Bodisat in previous births. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
8. Amarādevīpañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā— |
5.4.8. Women’s Wiles |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: | |
‘Sace labhetha khaṇaṁ vā raho vā, |
|
Nimantakaṁ vāpi labhetha tādisaṁ; |
|
| “With opportunity, and secrecy, | |
Sabbāva itthī kayiruṁ nu pāpaṁ, |
And the right woo’r, all women will go wrong— |
Aññaṁ aladdhā pīṭhasappinā saddhin’ti. |
Aye, failing others, with a cripple even.” |
Puna ca kathīyati ‘mahosadhassa bhariyā amarā nāma itthī gāmake ṭhapitā pavutthapatikā raho nisinnā vivittā rājappaṭisamaṁ sāmikaṁ karitvā sahassena nimantīyamānā pāpaṁ nākāsī’ti. |
But on the other hand it is said: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘sace …pe… saddhin’ti tena hi ‘mahosadhassa bhariyā …pe… nākāsī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
“Mahosadha’s wife, Amarā, when left behind in the village while her husband was away on a journey, remained alone and in privacy, and regarding her husband as a man would regard his sovran lord, she refused to do wrong, even when tempted with a thousand pieces.” |
Yadi mahosadhassa bhariyā …pe… nākāsi, tena hi ‘sace …pe… saddhin’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
Now if the first of these passages be correct, the second must be wrong; |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
and if the second be right, The first must be wrong. |
| This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘sace …pe… saddhin’ti. |
|
Kathīyati ca ‘mahosadhassa bhariyā …pe… nākāsī’ti. |
‘It is so said, O king, as you have quoted, touching the conduct of Amarā, Mahosadha’s wife. |
Kareyya sā, mahārāja, itthī sahassaṁ labhamānā tādisena purisena saddhiṁ pāpakammaṁ, na sā kareyya sace khaṇaṁ vā raho vā nimantakaṁ vāpi tādisaṁ labheyya, vicinantī sā, mahārāja, amarā itthī na addasa khaṇaṁ vā raho vā nimantakaṁ vāpi tādisaṁ. |
But the question is would she have done wrong, on receipt of those thousand pieces, with the right man: |
| or would she not have done so, if she had had the opportunity, and the certainty of secrecy, and a suitable wooer? | |
| Now, on considering the matter, that lady Amarā was not certain of any of these things. | |
Idha loke garahabhayā khaṇaṁ na passi, paraloke nirayabhayā khaṇaṁ na passi, kaṭukavipākaṁ pāpanti khaṇaṁ na passi, piyaṁ amuñcitukāmā khaṇaṁ na passi, sāmikassa garukatāya khaṇaṁ na passi, dhammaṁ apacāyantī khaṇaṁ na passi, anariyaṁ garahantī khaṇaṁ na passi, kiriyaṁ abhinditukāmā khaṇaṁ na passi. |
Through her fear of censure in this world the opportunity seemed to her not fit, and through her fear of the sufferings of purgatory in the next world. |
Evarūpehi bahūhi kāraṇehi khaṇaṁ na passi. |
And because she knew how bitter is the fruit of wrong-doing, and because she did not wish to lose her loved one, and because of the high esteem in which she held her husband, and because she honoured goodness, and despised ignobleness of life, and because she did not want to break with her customary mode of life—for all these reasons the opportunity seemed to her not fit. |
Rahopi sā loke vicinitvā apassantī pāpaṁ nākāsi. |
‘And, further, she refused to do wrong because, on consideration, she was not sure of keeping the thing secret from the world. |
Sace sā manussehi raho labheyya, atha amanussehi raho na labheyya. |
For even could she have kept it secret from men, yet she could not have concealed it from spirits —even could she have kept it secret from spirits, yet she could not have concealed it from those recluses who have the power of knowing the thoughts of others-even could she have kept it secret from them, yet she could not have concealed it from those of the gods who can read the hearts of men—even could she have kept it secret from the gods, yet she could not have escaped, herself, from the knowledge of her sin—even could she have remained ignorant of it herself, yet she could not have kept it secret from (the law of the result which follows on) unrighteousness. |
Sace amanussehi raho labheyya, atha paracittavidūhi pabbajitehi raho na labheyya. |
Such were the various reasons which led her to abstain from doing wrong because she could not be sure of secrecy. |
Sace paracittavidūhi pabbajitehi raho labheyya, atha paracittavidūnīhi devatāhi raho na labheyya. |
|
Sace paracittavidūnīhi devatāhi raho labheyya, attanāva pāpehi raho na labheyya. |
|
Sace attanāva pāpehi raho labheyya, atha adhammena raho na labheyya. |
‘And, further, she refused to do wrong because, on consideration, she found no right wooer. |
Evarūpehi bahuvidhehi kāraṇehi raho alabhitvā pāpaṁ nākāsi. |
Mahosadha the wise, O king, was endowed with the eight and twenty qualities. |
| And which are those twenty-eight? | |
| He was brave, O king, and full of modesty, and ashamed to do wrong, he had many adherents, and many friends, he was forgiving, he was upright in life, he was truthful, he was pure in word, and deed and heart, he was free from malice, he was not puffed up, he felt no jealousy, he was full of energy, he strove after all good things, he was popular with all men, he was generous, he was friendly, he was humble in disposition, he was free from guile, he was free from deceit, he was full of insight, he was of high reputation, he had much knowledge, he sought after the good of those dependent on him, his praise was in all men’s mouths, great was his wealth, and great his fame. | |
Nimantakampi sā loke vicinitvā tādisaṁ alabhantī pāpaṁ nākāsi. |
Such were the twenty-eight qualities, O king, with which ‘Mahosadha, the wise, was endowed. |
Mahosadho, mahārāja, paṇḍito aṭṭhavīsatiyā aṅgehi samannāgato. |
And it was because she found no wooer like unto him that she did no wrong.’ |
Katamehi aṭṭhavīsatiyā aṅgehi samannāgato? |
|
Mahosadho, mahārāja, sūro hirimā ottappī sapakkho mittasampanno khamo sīlavā saccavādī soceyyasampanno akkodhano anatimānī anusūyako vīriyavā āyūhako saṅgāhako saṁvibhāgī sakhilo nivātavutti saṇho asaṭho amāyāvī atibuddhisampanno kittimā vijjāsampanno hitesī upanissitānaṁ patthito sabbajanassa dhanavā yasavā. |
|
Mahosadho, mahārāja, paṇḍito imehi aṭṭhavīsatiyā aṅgehi samannāgato. |
‘Very good, Nāgasena! |
Sā aññaṁ tādisaṁ nimantakaṁ alabhitvā pāpaṁ nākāsī”ti. |
That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| Here ends the dilemma as to the wickedness of women. | |
Amarādevīpañho aṭṭhamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
9. Arahantaabhāyanapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti. |
5.4.9. On the Fearlessness Of the Arahats |
Puna ca nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: |
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, te arahanto bhayā pakkantā, paññāyissati sakena kammenāti dasabalaṁ pātetukāmā pakkantā, udāhu tathāgatassa atulaṁ vipulamasamaṁ pāṭihāriyaṁ daṭṭhukāmā pakkantā? |
“The Arahats have laid aside all fear and trembling.” |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti, tena hi ‘nagare …pe… ānandan’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ taṁ micchā. |
But on the other hand when, in the city of Rājagaha, they saw Dhana-pālaka, the man-slaying elephant, bearing down upon the Blessed One, all the five hundred Arahats forsook the Conqueror and fled, one only excepted, Ānanda the Elder. |
Yadi nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ, tena hi ‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
Now how was it, Nāgasena? |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
Did those Arahats run away from fear—or did they run away willing to let the Blessed One be destroyed, and thinking: |
| “(Our conduct) will be clear (to him) from the way in which he himself will act,” or did they run away with the hope of watching the immense and unequalled mighty power which the Tathāgata would exhibit? | |
| If, Nāgasena, what the Blessed One said as to the Arahats being devoid of fear be true, then this story must be false. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto’ti, nagare rājagahe dhanapālakaṁ hatthiṁ bhagavati opatantaṁ disvā pañca khīṇāsavasatāni pariccajitvā jinavaraṁ pakkantāni disāvidisaṁ ekaṁ ṭhapetvā theraṁ ānandaṁ, tañca pana na bhayā, nāpi bhagavantaṁ pātetukāmatāya. |
But if the story be true, then the statement that the Arahats have put away fear and trembling must be false. |
| This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
Yena pana, mahārāja, hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā, so hetu arahantānaṁ samucchinno, tasmā vigatabhayasantāsā arahanto, bhāyati nu, mahārāja, mahāpathavī khaṇantepi bhindantepi dhārentepi samuddapabbatagirisikhare”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
‘The Blessed One did say, O king, that Arahats have put away all fear and trembling, and five hundred Arahats, save only Ānanda, did, as you say, run away when the elephant Dhana-pālaka bore down upon the Tathāgata that day in Rājagaha. |
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
But that was neither out of fear, nor from willingness to let the Blessed One be destroyed. |
“Natthi, bhante, mahāpathaviyā so hetu, yena hetunā mahāpathavī bhāyeyya vā tāseyya vā”ti. |
For the cause by which Arahats could be made to fear or tremble has been destroyed in them, and therefore are they free from fear or trembling. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi arahantānaṁ so hetu, yena hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā. |
Is the broad earth, O king, afraid at people digging into it, or breaking it up, or at having to bear the weight of the mighty oceans and the peaked mountain ranges?’ |
Bhāyati nu, mahārāja, girisikharaṁ chindante vā bhindante vā patante vā agginā dahante vā”ti? |
‘Certainly not, Sir.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
|
“Natthi, bhante, girisikharassa so hetu, yena hetunā girisikharaṁ bhāyeyya vā tāseyya vā”ti. |
‘But why not?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi arahantānaṁ so hetu, yena hetunā arahanto bhāyeyyuṁ vā tāseyyuṁ vā. |
|
| ‘Because there is no cause in the broad earth which could produce fear or trembling.’ | |
Yadipi, mahārāja, lokadhātusatasahassesu ye keci sattanikāyapariyāpannā sabbepi te sattihatthā ekaṁ arahantaṁ upadhāvitvā tāseyyuṁ, na bhaveyya arahato cittassa kiñci aññathattaṁ. |
|
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Aṭṭhānamanavakāsatāya. |
|
| ‘Just so, O king. | |
| And neither is there any such cause in Arahats. | |
Api ca, mahārāja, tesaṁ khīṇāsavānaṁ evaṁ cetoparivitakko ahosi ‘ajja naravarapavare jinavaravasabhe nagaravaramanuppaviṭṭhe vīthiyā dhanapālako hatthī āpatissati, asaṁsayamatidevadevaṁ upaṭṭhāko na pariccajissati, yadi mayaṁ sabbepi bhagavantaṁ na pariccajissāma, ānandassa guṇo pākaṭo na bhavissati, na heva ca tathāgataṁ samupagamissati hatthināgo, handa mayaṁ apagacchāma, evamidaṁ mahato janakāyassa kilesabandhanamokkho bhavissati, ānandassa ca guṇo pākaṭo bhavissatī’ti. |
And would a mountain peak be afraid of being split up, or broken down, or made to fall, or burnt with fire?’ |
Evaṁ te arahanto ānisaṁsaṁ disvā disāvidisaṁ pakkantā”ti. |
|
“Suvibhatto, bhante nāgasena, pañho, evametaṁ natthi arahantānaṁ bhayaṁ vā santāso vā, ānisaṁsaṁ disvā arahanto pakkantā disāvidisan”ti. |
|
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
Arahantaabhāyanapañho navamo. |
|
| ‘But why not?’ | |
| ‘The cause of fear or trembling does not exist within it.’ | |
| ‘And just so, O king, with Arahats. | |
| If all the creatures of various outward form in the whole universe were, together, to attack one Arahat in order to put him to fear, yet would they bring about no variation in his heart. | |
| And why? | |
| Because there is neither condition nor cause for fear (in him, whence fear could arise). | |
| Rather, O king, was it these considerations that arose in the minds of those Arahats: | |
| “To-day when the best of the best of men, the hero among conquerors, has entered into the famous city, Dhana-pālaka the elephant will rush down the street. | |
| But to a certainty the brother who is his special attendant will not forsake him who is above the god of gods. | |
| But if we should not go away, then neither will the goodness of Ānanda be made manifest, nor will the elephant actually approach the Tathāgata. | |
| Let us then withdraw. | |
| Thus will great masses of the people attain to emancipation from the bonds of evil, and the goodness of Ānanda be made manifest.” | |
| It was on the realisation of the fact that those advantages would arise from their doing so, that the Arahats withdrew to every side.’ | |
| ‘Well, Nāgasena, have you solved the puzzle. | |
| That is so. | |
| The Arahats feared not, nor did they tremble. | |
| But for the advantages that they foresaw they withdrew on every side.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the panic of the Arahats. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Sabbaññutañāṇavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
10 Buddhasabbaññubhāvapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘tathāgato sabbaññū’ti. |
5.4.10. On Causing the Omniscient One To Change His Mind |
Puna ca bhaṇatha—‘tathāgatena sāriputtamoggallānappamukhe bhikkhusaṅghe paṇāmite cātumeyyakā ca sakyā brahmā ca sahampati bījūpamañca vacchataruṇūpamañca upadassetvā bhagavantaṁ pasādesuṁ khamāpesuṁ nijjhattaṁ akaṁsū’ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say that the Tathāgata is all wise. |
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, aññātā tā upamā tathāgatassa, yāhi tathāgato upamāhi orato khamito upasanto nijjhattaṁ gato? |
And on the other hand they say: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatassa tā upamā aññātā, tena hi buddho asabbaññū, yadi ñātā, tena hi okassa pasayha vīmaṁsāpekkho paṇāmesi, tena hi tassa akāruññatā sambhavati. |
“When the company of the members of the Order presided over by Sāriputta and Moggallāna had been dismissed by the Blessed One, then the Sākyas of Kātumā and Brahmā Sabanipati, by means of the parables of the seed and of the calf, gained the Buddha over, and obtained his forgiveness, and made him see the thing in the right light.” |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
Now how was that, Nāgasena? |
| Were those two parables unknown to him that he should be appeased and gained over to their side, and brought to see the matter in a new light? | |
| But if he did not already know them, then, Nāgasena, he was not all-wise. | |
“Sabbaññū, mahārāja, tathāgato, tāhi ca upamāhi bhagavā pasanno orato khamito upasanto nijjhattaṁ gato. |
If he did know them, then he must have dismissed those brethren rudely and violently in order to try them; |
Dhammassāmī, mahārāja, tathāgato, tathāgatappavediteheva te opammehi tathāgataṁ ārādhesuṁ tosesuṁ pasādesuṁ, tesañca tathāgato pasanno ‘sādhū’ti abbhānumodi. |
and therein is his unkindness made manifest. |
| This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, itthī sāmikassa santakeneva dhanena sāmikaṁ ārādheti toseti pasādeti, tañca sāmiko ‘sādhū’ti abbhānumodati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, cātumeyyakā ca sakyā brahmā ca sahampati tathāgatappavediteheva opammehi tathāgataṁ ārādhesuṁ tosesuṁ pasādesuṁ, tesañca tathāgato pasanno ‘sādhū’ti abbhānumodi. |
‘The Tathāgata, O king, was all-wise, and yet, pleased at those parables, he was gained over by them, he granted pardon to the brethren he had sent away, and he saw the matter in the light (in which the intercessors on their behalf wished him to see it). |
| For the Tathāgata, O king, is lord of the Scriptures. | |
| It was with parables that had been first preached by the Tathāgata himself that they conciliated him, pleased him, gained him over, and it was on being thus gained over that he signified his approval (of what they had said). | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kappako rañño santakeneva suvaṇṇaphaṇakena rañño uttamaṅgaṁ pasādhayamāno rājānaṁ ārādheti toseti pasādeti, tassa ca rājā pasanno ‘sādhū’ti abbhānumodati, yathicchitamanuppadeti; |
It was, O king, as when a wife conciliates, and pleases, and gains over her husband by means of things that belong to the husband himself; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, cātumeyyakā ca sakyā brahmā ca sahampati tathāgatappavediteheva opammehi tathāgataṁ ārādhesuṁ tosesuṁ pasādesuṁ, tesañca tathāgato pasanno ‘sādhū’ti abbhānumodi. |
and the husband signifies his approval thereof. |
| Or it was, O king, as when the royal barber conciliates and pleases and gains over the king when he dresses the king’s head with the golden comb which belongs to the king himself, and the king then signifies his approval thereof, Or it was, O king, as when an attendant novice, when he serves his teacher with the food given in alms which his teacher has himself brought home, conciliates him and pleases him and gains him over, and the teacher then signifies his approval thereof.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, saddhivihāriko upajjhāyābhataṁ piṇḍapātaṁ gahetvā upajjhāyassa upanāmento upajjhāyaṁ ārādheti toseti pasādeti, tañca upajjhāyo pasanno ‘sādhū’ti abbhānumodati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, cātumeyyakā ca sakyā brahmā ca sahampati tathāgatappavediteheva opammehi tathāgataṁ ārādhesuṁ tosesuṁ pasādesuṁ, tesañca tathāgato pasanno ‘sādhū’ti abbhānumoditvā sabbadukkhaparimuttiyā dhammaṁ desesī”ti. |
‘Very good, Nāgasena! |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ |
Buddhasabbaññubhāvapañho dasamo. |
Here ends the problem as to the all-wise Buddha being gained over by intercession. |
Sabbaññutañāṇavaggo catuttho. |
Here ends the Fourth Chapter. |
Imasmiṁ vagge dasa pañhā. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
1. Santhavapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā— |
5.5.1. Dilemma the Forty-First. |
| On Dwelling-Places | |
‘Santhavato bhayaṁ jātaṁ, |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said: |
niketā jāyate rajo; |
|
| In friendship of the world anxiety is born, | |
Aniketamasanthavaṁ, |
In household life distraction’s dust springs up, |
etaṁ ve munidassanan’ti. |
The state set free from home and friendship’s ties, |
| That, and that only, is the recluse’s aim.” | |
Puna ca bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘vihāre kāraye ramme, vāsayettha bahussute’ti. |
|
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘santhavato bhayaṁ jātaṁ, niketā jāyate rajo. |
‘But on the other hand he said: |
Aniketamasanthavaṁ, etaṁ ve munidassanan’ti, tena hi ‘vihāre kāraye ramme, vāsayettha bahussute’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
|
Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘vihāre kāraye ramme, vāsayettha bahussute’ti, tena hi ‘santhavato bhayaṁ jātaṁ, niketā jāyate rajo. |
|
Aniketamasanthavaṁ, etaṁ ve munidassanan’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
“Let therefore the wise man, |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
Regarding his own weal, |
| Have pleasant dwelling-places built, | |
| And lodge there learned men.” | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘santhavato bhayaṁ jātaṁ, niketā jāyate rajo. |
|
Aniketamasanthavaṁ, etaṁ ve munidassanan’ti. |
|
Bhaṇitañca—‘vihāre kāraye ramme, vāsayettha bahussute’ti. |
Now, venerable Nāgasena, if the former of these two passages was really spoken by the Tathāgata, then the second must be wrong. |
Yaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘santhavato bhayaṁ jātaṁ, niketā jāyate rajo. |
But if the Tathāgata really said: |
Aniketamasanthavaṁ, etaṁ ve munidassanan’ti, taṁ sabhāvavacanaṁ asesavacanaṁ nissesavacanaṁ nippariyāyavacanaṁ samaṇānucchavaṁ samaṇasāruppaṁ samaṇappatirūpaṁ samaṇārahaṁ samaṇagocaraṁ samaṇappaṭipadā samaṇappaṭipatti. |
“Have pleasant dwelling-places built,” then the former statement must be wrong. |
Yathā, mahārāja, āraññako migo araññe pavane caramāno nirālayo aniketo yathicchakaṁ sayati; |
This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, bhikkhunā ‘santhavato bhayaṁ jātaṁ, niketā jāyate rajo. |
|
Aniketamasanthavaṁ, etaṁ ve munidassanan’ti cintetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Both the passages you have quoted, O king, were spoken by the Tathāgata. | |
| And the former is a statement as to the nature of things, an inclusive statement, a statement which leaves no room for anything to be supplemented to it, or to be added to it in the way of gloss, as to what is seemly and appropriate and proper for a recluse, and as to the mode of life which a recluse should adopt, the path he should walk along, and the practice he should follow. | |
Yaṁ pana, mahārāja, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘vihāre kāraye ramme, vāsayettha bahussute’ti, taṁ dve atthavase sampassamānena bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ. |
For just, O king, as a deer in the forest, wandering in the woods, sleeps wherever he desires, having no home and no dwelling-place, so also should the recluse be of opinion that |
Katame dve? |
|
Vihāradānaṁ nāma sabbabuddhehi vaṇṇitaṁ anumataṁ thomitaṁ pasatthaṁ, taṁ te vihāradānaṁ datvā jātijarāmaraṇā parimuccissantīti. |
“In friendship of the world anxiety is born, |
Ayaṁ tāva paṭhamo ānisaṁso vihāradāne. |
In household life distraction’s dust springs up.” |
Puna caparaṁ vihāre vijjamāne bhikkhuniyo byattasaṅketā bhavissanti, sulabhaṁ dassanaṁ dassanakāmānaṁ, anikete duddassanā bhavissantīti. |
‘But when the Blessed One said: |
Ayaṁ dutiyo ānisaṁso vihāradāne. |
|
Ime dve atthavase sampassamānena bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘vihāre kāraye ramme, vāsayettha bahussute’ti, na tattha buddhaputtena ālayo karaṇīyo nikete”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
“Have pleasant dwelling-places built, |
| And lodge there learned men,” | |
Santhavapañho paṭhamo. |
that was said with respect to two matters only. |
| And what are those two? | |
| the gift of a dwelling-place (Vihāra) has been praised and approved, esteemed and highly spoken of, by all the Buddhas. | |
| And those who have made such a gift shall be delivered from rebirth, old age, and death. | |
| This is the first of the advantages in the gift of a dwelling-place. | |
| And again, if there be a common dwelling place (a Vihāra) the sisters of the Order will have a clearly ascertained place of rendezvous, and those who wish to visit (the brethren of the Order) will find it an easy matter to do so. | |
| Whereas if there were no homes for the members of the Order it would be difficult to visit them. | |
| This is the second of the advantages in the gift of a dwelling-place (a Vihāra). | |
| It was with reference to these two matters only that it was said by the Blessed One: | |
| “Have pleasant dwelling-places built, | |
| And lodge there learned men.” | |
| ‘And it does not follow from that that the sons of the Buddha should harbour longings after the household life.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to dwelling-places. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
2. Udarasaṁyatapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā— |
5.5.2. Dilemma the Forty-Second. |
| Moderation In Food | |
‘Uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya, |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said: |
udare saṁyato siyā’ti. |
|
| “Be not remiss as to (the rules to be observed) when standing up (to beg for food). | |
Puna ca bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘ahaṁ kho panudāyi, appekadā iminā pattena samatitthikampi bhuñjāmi, bhiyyopi bhuñjāmī’ti. |
Be restrained in (matters relating to) the stomach.” |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya, udare saṁyato siyā’ti, tena hi ‘ahaṁ kho panudāyi, appekadā iminā pattena samatitthikampi bhuñjāmi, bhiyyopi bhuñjāmī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
|
Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘ahaṁ kho panudāyi, appekadā iminā pattena samatitthikampi bhuñjāmi, bhiyyopi bhuñjāmī’ti, tena hi ‘uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya, udare saṁyato siyā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
|
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
But on the other hand he said: |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya, udare saṁyato siyā’ti, bhaṇitañca—‘ahaṁ kho panudāyi, appekadā iminā pattena samatitthikampi bhuñjāmi, bhiyyopi bhuñjāmī’ti. |
Now there were several days, Udāyin, on which I ate out of this bowl when it was full to the brim, and ate even more.” |
Yaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya, udare saṁyato siyā’ti, taṁ sabhāvavacanaṁ asesavacanaṁ nissesavacanaṁ nippariyāyavacanaṁ bhūtavacanaṁ tacchavacanaṁ yāthāvavacanaṁ aviparītavacanaṁ isivacanaṁ munivacanaṁ bhagavantavacanaṁ arahantavacanaṁ paccekabuddhavacanaṁ jinavacanaṁ sabbaññuvacanaṁ tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa vacanaṁ. |
|
| ‘Now if the first rule be true, then the second statement must be false. | |
Udare asaṁyato, mahārāja, pāṇampi hanati, adinnampi ādiyati, paradārampi gacchati, musāpi bhaṇati, majjampi pivati, mātarampi jīvitā voropeti, pitarampi jīvitā voropeti, arahantampi jīvitā voropeti, saṅghampi bhindati, duṭṭhena cittena tathāgatassa lohitampi uppādeti. |
But if the statement be true, then the rule first quoted must be wrong. |
Nanu, mahārāja, devadatto udare asaṁyato saṅghaṁ bhinditvā kappaṭṭhiyaṁ kammaṁ āyūhi. |
|
Evarūpāni, mahārāja, aññānipi bahuvidhāni kāraṇāni disvā bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya, udare saṁyato siyā’ti. |
|
| . This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ | |
Udare saṁyato, mahārāja, catusaccābhisamayaṁ abhisameti, cattāri sāmaññaphalāni sacchikaroti, catūsu paṭisambhidāsu aṭṭhasu samāpattīsu chasu abhiññāsu vasībhāvaṁ pāpuṇāti, kevalañca samaṇadhammaṁ pūreti. |
|
Nanu, mahārāja, sukapotako udare saṁyato hutvā yāva tāvatiṁsabhavanaṁ kampetvā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ upaṭṭhānamupanesi, evarūpāni, mahārāja, aññānipi bahuvidhāni kāraṇāni disvā bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya, udare saṁyato siyā’ti. |
‘Both the passages you have quoted, O king, were spoken by the Blessed One. |
| But the former passage is a statement as to the nature of things, an inclusive statement, a statement which leaves no room for anything to be supplemented to it, or added to it in the way of gloss, a statement of what is true and real and in accordance with the facts, and that cannot be proved wrong, a declaration made by the prophets, and sages, and teachers, and Arahats, and by the Buddhas who are wise for themselves alone (Pacceka-Buddhas), a declaration made by the Conquerors, and by the All-wise Ones, a declaration made too by the Tathāgata, the Arahat, the Supreme Buddha himself. | |
| He who has no self-control as regards the stomach, O king, will destroy living creatures, will take possession of what has not been given to him, will be unchaste, will speak lies, will drink strong drink, will put his mother or his father to death, will slay an Arahat, will create a schism in the Order, will even with malice aforethought wound a Tathāgata. | |
Yaṁ pana, mahārāja, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘ahaṁ kho panudāyi appekadā iminā pattena samatitthikampi bhuñjāmi, bhiyyopi bhuñjāmī’ti, taṁ katakiccena niṭṭhitakiriyena siddhatthena vusitavosānena nirāvaraṇena sabbaññunā sayambhunā tathāgatena attānaṁ upādāya bhaṇitaṁ. |
Was it not, O king, when without restraint as to his stomach, that Devadatta by breaking up the Order, heaped up for himself karma that would endure for a kalpa ? |
| It was on calling to mind this, O king, and many other things of the same kind, that the Blessed One declared: | |
Yathā, mahārāja, vantassa virittassa anuvāsitassa āturassa sappāyakiriyā icchitabbā hoti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, sakilesassa adiṭṭhasaccassa udare saṁyamo karaṇīyo hoti. |
Be not remiss as to (the rules to be observed) when standing up (to beg for food). |
Yathā, mahārāja, maṇiratanassa sappabhāsassa jātimantassa abhijātiparisuddhassa majjananighaṁsanaparisodhanena karaṇīyaṁ na hoti; |
Be restrained in (matters relating to) the stomach.” |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgatassa buddhavisaye pāramiṁ gatassa kiriyākaraṇesu āvaraṇaṁ na hotī”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘And he who has self-control as regards the stomach gains a clear insight into the Four Truths, realises the Four Fruits of the life of renunciation, and attains to mastery over the Four Discriminations, the Eight Attainments, and the Six Modes of Higher Knowledge, and fulfils all that goes to constitute the life of the recluse. | |
| Did not the parrot fledgling, O king, by self-restraint as to his stomach, cause the very heaven of the great Thirty-Three to shake, and bring down Sakka, the king of the gods, to wait upon him ? | |
Udarasaṁyatapañho dutiyo. |
It was on calling to mind this, O king, and many other things of a similar kind, that the Blessed One declared: |
| “Be not remiss as to (the rules to be observed) when standing up (to beg for food). | |
| Be restrained in (matters relating to) the stomach.” | |
| ‘But when, O king, the Blessed One said: | |
| “Now there were several days, Udāyi, on which I ate out of this bowl when it was full to the brim, and ate even more,” that was said by him who had completed his task, who had finished all that he had to do, who had accomplished the end he set before him, who had overcome every obstruction, by the self-dependent Tathāgata himself about himself. | |
| Just, O king, as it is desirable that a sick man to whom an emetic, or a purge, or a clyster has been administered, should be treated with a tonic; | |
| just so, O king, should the man who is full of evil, and who has not perceived the Four Truths, adopt the practice of restraint in the matter of eating. | |
| But just, O king, as there is no necessity of polishing, and rubbing down, and purifying a diamond gem of great brilliancy, of the finest water, and of natural purity; | |
| just so, O king, is there no restraint as to what actions he should perform, on the Tathāgata, on him who hath attained to perfection in all that lies within the scope of a Buddha.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| [Here ends the dilemma as to restraint in eating. | |
| ] |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
3. Buddhaappābādhapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘ahamasmi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇo yācayogo sadā payatapāṇi antimadehadharo anuttaro bhisakko sallakatto’ti. |
5.5.3. Dilemma the Forty-Third. |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ bhagavatā—‘etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ appābādhānaṁ yadidaṁ bākulo’ti. |
Bakkula’s Superiority To the Buddha |
Bhagavato ca sarīre bahukkhattuṁ ābādho uppanno dissati. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato anuttaro, tena hi ‘etadaggaṁ …pe… bākulo’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
|
Yadi thero bākulo appābādhānaṁ aggo, tena hi ‘ahamasmi …pe… sallakatto’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
|
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
“A Brahman am I, O brethren, devoted to self-sacrifice, pure-handed at every time; |
| this body that I bear with me is my last, I am the supreme Healer and Physician.” | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘ahamasmi …pe… sallakatto’ti, bhaṇitañca—‘etadaggaṁ …pe… bākulo’ti, tañca pana bāhirānaṁ āgamānaṁ adhigamānaṁ pariyattīnaṁ attani vijjamānataṁ sandhāya bhāsitaṁ. |
|
| ‘But on the other hand the Blessed One said: | |
Santi kho pana, mahārāja, bhagavato sāvakā ṭhānacaṅkamikā, te ṭhānena caṅkamena divārattiṁ vītināmenti, bhagavā pana, mahārāja, ṭhānena caṅkamena nisajjāya sayanena divārattiṁ vītināmeti, ye te, mahārāja, bhikkhū ṭhānacaṅkamikā, te tena aṅgena atirekā. |
|
| “The chief, O brethren, among those who are disciples of mine, in the matter of bodily health, is Bakkula.” | |
Santi kho pana, mahārāja, bhagavato sāvakā ekāsanikā, te jīvitahetupi dutiyaṁ bhojanaṁ na bhuñjanti, bhagavā pana, mahārāja, dutiyampi yāva tatiyampi bhojanaṁ bhuñjati, ye te, mahārāja, bhikkhū ekāsanikā, te tena aṅgena atirekā, anekavidhāni, mahārāja, tāni kāraṇāni tesaṁ tesaṁ taṁ taṁ sandhāya bhaṇitāni. |
|
Bhagavā pana, mahārāja, anuttaro sīlena samādhinā paññāya vimuttiyā vimuttiñāṇadassanena dasahi ca balehi catūhi vesārajjehi aṭṭhārasahi buddhadhammehi chahi asādhāraṇehi ñāṇehi, kevale ca buddhavisaye taṁ sandhāya bhaṇitaṁ—‘ahamasmi …pe… sallakatto’ti. |
‘Now it is well known that diseases arose several times in the body of the Blessed One. |
| So that if, Nāgasena, the Tathāgata was supreme, then the statement he made about Bakkula’s bodily health must be wrong. | |
| But if the Elder named Bakkula was really chief among those who were healthy, then that statement which I first quoted must be wrong. | |
Idha, mahārāja, manussesu eko jātimā hoti, eko dhanavā, eko vijjavā, eko sippavā, eko sūro, eko vicakkhaṇo, sabbepete abhibhaviya rājāyeva tesaṁ uttamo hoti; |
This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā sabbasattānaṁ aggo jeṭṭho seṭṭho. |
|
| ‘Both the quotations you have made, O king, are correct. | |
Yaṁ pana āyasmā bākulo appābādho ahosi, taṁ abhinīhāravasena, so hi, mahārāja, anomadassissa bhagavato udaravātābādhe uppanne vipassissa ca bhagavato aṭṭhasaṭṭhiyā ca bhikkhusatasahassānaṁ tiṇapupphakaroge uppanne sayaṁ tāpaso samāno nānābhesajjehi taṁ byādhiṁ apanetvā appābādhataṁ patto, bhaṇito ca ‘etadaggaṁ …pe… bākulo’ti. |
But what the Blessed One said about Bakkula was said of those disciples who had learnt by heart the sacred words, and studied them, and handed down the tradition, which in reference to the characteristics (each of them in some one point) had in addition to those which were found in him himself. |
| For there were certain of the disciples of the Blessed One, O king, who were “meditators on foot,” spending a whole day and night in walking up and down in meditation. | |
| But the Blessed One was in the habit of spending the day and night in meditation, not only walking up and down but also sitting and lying down. | |
Bhagavato, mahārāja, byādhimhi uppajjantepi anuppajjantepi dhutaṅgaṁ ādiyantepi anādiyantepi natthi bhagavatā sadiso koci satto. |
So such, O king, of the disciples as were “meditators on foot “ surpassed him in that particular. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavaralañchake— |
And there were certain of the disciples of the Blessed One, O king, who were “eaters at one sitting,” who would not, even to save their lives, take more than one meal a day. |
| But the Blessed One was in the habit of taking a second, or even a third. | |
‘Yāvatā, bhikkhave, sattā apadā vā dvipadā vā catuppadā vā bahuppadā vā rūpino vā arūpino vā saññino vā asaññino vā nevasaññīnāsaññino vā, tathāgato tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho’”ti. |
So such, O king, of the disciples as were “eaters at one sitting” surpassed him in that particular. |
| And in a similar way, O king, a number of different things have been told, each one of one or other of the disciples. | |
| But the Blessed One, O king, surpassed them all in respect of uprightness, and of power of meditation, and of wisdom, and of emancipation, and of that insight which arises out of the knowledge of emancipation, and in all that lies within the scope of a Buddha. | |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
It was with reference to that, O king, that he said: |
Buddhaappābādhapañho tatiyo. |
“A Brahman am I, O brethren, devoted to self-sacrifice, pure-handed at every time; |
| this body that I bear with me is my last, I am the supreme Healer and Physician.” | |
| ‘Now one man, O king, may be of good birth, and another may be wealthy, and another full of wisdom, and another well educated, and another brave, and another adroit; | |
| but a king, surpassing all these, is reckoned supreme. | |
| just in that way, O king, is the Blessed One the highest, the most worthy of respect, the best of all beings. | |
| And in so far as the venerable Bakkula was healthy in body, that was by reason of an aspiration (he had formed in a previous birth). | |
| For, O king, when Anoma-dassī, the Blessed One, was afflicted with a disease, with wind in his stomach, and again when Vipassī, the Blessed One, and sixty-eight thousand of his disciples, were afflicted with a disease, with greenness of blood, he, being at those times an ascetic, had cured that disease with various medicines, and attained (thereby) to such healthiness of body (in this life) that it was said of him: | |
| “The chief, O brethren, among those who are disciples of mine, in the matter of bodily health, is Bakkula.” | |
| ‘But the Blessed One, O king, whether he be suffering, or not suffering from disease; | |
| whether he have taken, or not taken, upon himself the observance of special vows—there is no being like unto the Blessed One. | |
| For this, O king, has been said by the Blessed One, the god of gods, in the most excellent Saṁyutta Nikāya: | |
| “Whatsoever beings, O brethren, there may be whether without feet, or bipeds, or four-footed things, whether with a body, or without a body, whether conscious or unconscious, or neither conscious nor not—the Tathāgata is acknowledged to be the chief of all, the Arahat, the Buddha Supreme.” | |
| ’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the superiority of Bakkula to the Buddha. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
4. Magguppādanapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘tathāgato bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā’ti. |
5.5.4. Dilemma the Forty-Fourth. |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘addasaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇaṁ añjasaṁ pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātan’ti. |
The Originality Of the Buddha’s Teaching |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā, tena hi ‘addasaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇaṁ añjasaṁ pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātan’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘addasaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇaṁ añjasaṁ pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātan’ti, tena hi ‘tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
|
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
|
| “The Tathāgata, O brethren, the Arahat, the Buddha supreme, is the discoverer of a way that was unknown.” | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā’ti. |
|
Bhaṇitañca—‘addasaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇaṁ añjasaṁ pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātan’ti, taṁ dvayampi sabhāvavacanameva, pubbakānaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgatānaṁ antaradhānena asati anusāsake maggo antaradhāyi, taṁ tathāgato maggaṁ luggaṁ paluggaṁ gūḷhaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannaṁ asañcaraṇaṁ paññācakkhunā sampassamāno addasa pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātaṁ, taṅkāraṇā āha—‘addasaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇaṁ añjasaṁ pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātan’ti. |
‘But on the other hand he said: |
Pubbakānaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgatānaṁ antaradhānena asati anusāsake luggaṁ paluggaṁ gūḷhaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannaṁ asañcaraṇaṁ maggaṁ yaṁ dāni tathāgato sañcaraṇaṁ akāsi, taṅkāraṇā āha—‘tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā’ti. |
“Now I perceived, O brethren, the ancient way, the ancient path, along which the previous Buddhas walked.” |
Idha, mahārāja, rañño cakkavattissa antaradhānena maṇiratanaṁ girisikhantare nilīyati, aparassa cakkavattissa sammāpaṭipattiyā upagacchati, api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanaṁ tassa pakatan”ti? |
‘If, Nāgasena, the Tathāgata be the discoverer of a way not previously found out, then it must be wrong that it was an ancient way that he perceived, an ancient path along which previous Buddhas walked. |
“Na hi, bhante, pākatikaṁyeva taṁ maṇiratanaṁ, tena pana nibbattitan”ti. |
But if the way he perceived were an ancient way, then the statement that it was unknown must be wrong. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, pākatikaṁ pubbakehi tathāgatehi anuciṇṇaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ sivaṁ maggaṁ asati anusāsake luggaṁ paluggaṁ gūḷhaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannaṁ asañcaraṇaṁ bhagavā paññācakkhunā sampassamāno uppādesi, sañcaraṇaṁ akāsi, taṅkāraṇā āha—‘tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā’ti. |
This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, santaṁyeva puttaṁ yoniyā janayitvā mātā ‘janikā’ti vuccati; |
‘Both the quotations you make, O king, are accurate. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato santaṁyeva maggaṁ luggaṁ paluggaṁ gūḷhaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannaṁ asañcaraṇaṁ paññācakkhunā sampassamāno uppādesi, sañcaraṇaṁ akāsi, taṅkāraṇā āha—‘tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā’ti. |
And both the statements so made are correct. |
| When the previous Tathāgatas, O king, had disappeared, then, there being no teacher left, their way too disappeared. | |
| And it was that way—though then broken up, crumbled away, gone to ruin, closed in, no longer passable, quite lost to view— that the Tathāgata, having gained a thorough knowledge of it, saw by the eye of his wisdom, (and knew it) as the way that previous Buddhas trod. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, koci puriso yaṁ kiñci naṭṭhaṁ passati, ‘tena taṁ bhaṇḍaṁ nibbattitan’ti jano voharati; |
And therefore is it that he said: |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato santaṁyeva maggaṁ luggaṁ paluggaṁ gūḷhaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannaṁ asañcaraṇaṁ paññācakkhunā sampassamāno uppādesi, sañcaraṇaṁ akāsi, taṅkāraṇā āha—‘tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā’ti. |
|
| “Now I perceived, O brethren, the ancient way, the ancient path along which previous Buddhas walked.” | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, koci puriso vanaṁ sodhetvā bhūmiṁ nīharati, ‘tassa sā bhūmī’ti jano voharati, na cesā bhūmi tena pavattitā, taṁ bhūmiṁ kāraṇaṁ katvā bhūmisāmiko nāma hoti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato santaṁyeva maggaṁ luggaṁ paluggaṁ gūḷhaṁ pihitaṁ paṭicchannaṁ asañcaraṇaṁ paññāya sampassamāno uppādesi, sañcaraṇaṁ akāsi, taṅkāraṇā āha—‘tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā’”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
‘And it was a way which—there being, through the disappearance of previous Tathāgatas, no teacher left—was a way then broken up, crumbled away, gone to ruin, closed in, and lost to view, that the Tathāgata made now passable again. |
| And therefore is it that he said: | |
Magguppādanapañho catuttho. |
|
| “The Tathāgata, O brethren, the Arahat, the Buddha supreme, is the discoverer of a way that was unknown.” | |
| ‘Suppose, O king, that on the disappearance of a sovran overlord, the mystic Gem of Sovranty lay concealed in a cleft on the mountain peak, and that on another sovran overlord arriving at his supreme dignity, it should appear to him. | |
| Would you then say, O king, that the Gem was produced by him ?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir! | |
| the Gem would be in its original condition. | |
| But it has received, as it were, a new birth through him.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, is it that the Blessed One, gaining a thorough knowledge of it by the eye of’ his wisdom, brought back to life and made passable again the most excellent eightfold way in its original condition as when it was walked along by the previous Tathāgatas—though that way, when there was no teacher more, had become broken up, had crumbled away, had gone to ruin, was closed in, and lost to view. | |
| And therefore is it that he said: | |
| “The Tathāgata, O brethren, the Arahat, the Buddha supreme, is the discoverer of a way that was unknown.” | |
| ‘It is, O king, as when a mother brings forth from her womb the child that is already there, and the saying is that the mother has given birth to the child. | |
| Just so, O king, did the Tathāgata, having gained a thorough knowledge of it by the eye of his wisdom, bring into life, and make passable again, a way that was already there, though then broken up, crumbled away, gone to ruin, closed in, and lost to view. | |
| ‘It is as when some man or other finds a thing that has been lost, and the people use the phrase: | |
| “He has brought it back to life.” | |
| And it is as when a man clears away the jungle, and sets free a piece of land, and the people use the phrase: | |
| “That is his land.” | |
| But that land is not made by him. | |
| It is because he has brought the land into use that he is called the owner of the land. | |
| Just so, O king, did the Tathāgata, having gained a thorough knowledge of it by the eye of his wisdom, bring back to life, and make passable again, a way that was already there, though then broken up, crumbled away, gone to ruin, closed in, no longer passable, and lost to view. | |
| And therefore is it that he said: | |
| “The Tathāgata, O brethren, the Arahat, the Buddha supreme, is the discoverer of a way that was unknown.” | |
| ’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the way of Nirvāṇa. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
5. Buddhaaviheṭhakapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘pubbe vāhaṁ manussabhūto samāno sattānaṁ aviheṭhakajātiko ahosin’ti. |
5.5.5. Dilemma the Forty-Fifth. |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘lomasakassapo nāma isi samāno anekasate pāṇe ghātayitvā vājapeyyaṁ mahāyaññaṁ yajī’ti. |
The Buddha’s Kindness |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘pubbe vāhaṁ manussabhūto samāno sattānaṁ aviheṭhakajātiko ahosin’ti, tena hi ‘lomasakassapena isinā anekasate pāṇe ghātayitvā vājapeyyaṁ mahāyaññaṁ yajitan’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi ‘lomasakassapena isinā anekasate pāṇe ghātayitvā vājapeyyaṁ mahāyaññaṁ yajitaṁ’, tena hi ‘pubbe vāhaṁ manussabhūto samāno sattānaṁ aviheṭhakajātiko ahosin’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
|
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
|
| “Already in former births when I was a man had I acquired the habit of inflicting no hurt on living beings.” | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘pubbe vāhaṁ manussabhūto samāno sattānaṁ aviheṭhakajātiko ahosin’ti, ‘lomasakassapena isinā anekasate pāṇe ghātayitvā vājapeyyaṁ mahāyaññaṁ yajitaṁ’, tañca pana rāgavasena visaññinā, no sacetanenā”ti. |
|
| But on the other hand it is said: | |
“Aṭṭhime, bhante nāgasena, puggalā pāṇaṁ hananti. |
|
Katame aṭṭha? |
When he was Lomasa Kassapa, the Rishi, he had hundreds of living creatures slain and offered the great sacrifice, the ‘Drink of Triumph.’ |
Ratto rāgavasena pāṇaṁ hanati, duṭṭho dosavasena pāṇaṁ hanati, mūḷho mohavasena pāṇaṁ hanati, mānī mānavasena pāṇaṁ hanati, luddho lobhavasena pāṇaṁ hanati, akiñcano jīvikatthāya pāṇaṁ hanati, bālo hassavasena pāṇaṁ hanati, rājā vinayanavasena pāṇaṁ hanati. |
” |
Ime kho, bhante nāgasena, aṭṭha puggalā pāṇaṁ hananti. |
|
Pākatikaṁyeva, bhante nāgasena, bodhisattena katan”ti. |
‘Now, Nāgasena, if it is true what the Buddha said, that, in his former births as a man, he inflicted no hurt on living beings, then the saying that, as Lomasa Kassapa, he had hundreds of living creatures slain must be false. |
“Na, mahārāja, pākatikaṁ bodhisattena kataṁ, yadi, mahārāja, bodhisatto pakatibhāvena onameyya mahāyaññaṁ yajituṁ, na yimaṁ gāthaṁ bhaṇeyya— |
But if he had, then the saying that he inflicted no hurt on living beings must be false. |
| This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ | |
‘Sasamuddapariyāyaṁ, |
|
mahiṁ sāgarakuṇḍalaṁ; |
|
| ‘The Blessed One did say, O king, that already in former births, when he was a man, he had acquired the habit of inflicting no hurt on living beings. | |
Na icche saha nindāya, |
And Lomasa Kassapa, the Rishi, did have hundreds of living creatures slain, and offered the great sacrifice, the “Drink of Triumph.” |
evaṁ seyha vijānahī’ti. |
But that was done when he was out of his mind through lust, and not when he was conscious of what he was doing.’ |
Evaṁvādī, mahārāja, bodhisatto saha dassanena candavatiyā rājakaññāya visaññī ahosi khittacitto ratto visaññibhūto ākulākulo turitaturito tena vikkhittabhantaluḷitacittena mahatimahāpasughātagalaruhirasañcayaṁ vājapeyyaṁ mahāyaññaṁ yaji. |
‘There are these eight classes of men, Nāgasena, who kill living beings—the lustful man through his lust, and the cruel man through his anger, and the dull man through his stupidity, and the proud man through his pride, and the avaricious man through his greed, and the needy man for the sake of a livelihood, and the fool in joke, and the king in the way of punishment. |
| These, Nāgasena, are the eight classes of men who, kill living beings. | |
| The Bodisat, venerable Nāgasena, must have been acting in accordance with his natural disposition when he did so.’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, ummattako khittacitto jalitampi jātavedaṁ akkamati, kupitampi āsīvisaṁ gaṇhāti, mattampi hatthiṁ upeti, samuddampi atīradassiṁ pakkhandati, candanikampi oḷigallampi omaddati, kaṇṭakādhānampi abhiruhati, papātepi patati, asucimpi bhakkheti, naggopi rathiyā carati, aññampi bahuvidhaṁ akiriyaṁ karoti. |
|
Evameva kho, mahārāja, bodhisatto saha dassanena candavatiyā rājakaññāya visaññī ahosi khittacitto ratto visaññibhūto ākulākulo turitaturito, tena vikkhittabhantaluḷitacittena mahatimahāpasughātagalaruhirasañcayaṁ vājapeyyaṁ mahāyaññaṁ yaji. |
|
| ‘No, it was not, O king, an act natural to him that the Bodisat did then. | |
| If the Bodisat had been led, by natural inclination, to offer the great sacrifice, he would not have uttered the verse: | |
Khittacittena, mahārāja, kataṁ pāpaṁ diṭṭhadhammepi na mahāsāvajjaṁ hoti, samparāye vipākenapi no tathā. |
|
Idha, mahārāja, koci ummattako vajjhamāpajjeyya, tassa tumhe kiṁ daṇḍaṁ dhārethā”ti? |
|
“Ko, bhante, ummattakassa daṇḍo bhavissati, taṁ mayaṁ pothāpetvā nīharāpema, esova tassa daṇḍo”ti. |
“Not the whole world, Sayha, the ocean girt, |
“Iti kho, mahārāja, ummattakassa aparādhe daṇḍopi na bhavati, tasmā ummattakassa katepi na doso bhavati satekiccho. |
With all the seas and hills that girdle it, |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, lomasakassapo isi saha dassanena candavatiyā rājakaññāya visaññī ahosi khittacitto ratto visaññibhūto visaṭapayāto ākulākulo turitaturito, tena vikkhittabhantaluḷitacittena mahatimahāpasughātagalaruhirasañcayaṁ vājapeyyaṁ mahāyaññaṁ yaji. |
Would I desire to have, along with shame.” |
Yadā ca pana pakaticitto ahosi paṭiladdhassati, tadā punadeva pabbajitvā pañcābhiññāyo nibbattetvā brahmalokūpago ahosī”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘But though, O king, the Bodisat had said that, yet at the very sight of candavatī (Moon-face), the princess, he went out of his mind and lost command of himself through love. | |
| And it was when thus out of his mind, confused and agitated, that he, with his thoughts all perplexed, scattered and wandering, thus offered the great sacrifice, the “Drink of Triumph,"—and mighty was the outpour of blood from the necks of the slaughtered beasts! | |
Buddhaaviheṭhakapañho pañcamo. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as a madman, when out of his senses, will step into a fiery furnace, and take hold of an infuriated venomous snake, and go up to a rogue elephant, and plunge forwards into great waters, the further shore of which he cannot see, and trample through dirty pools and muddy places, and rush into thorny brakes, and fall down precipices, and feed himself on filth, and go naked through the streets, and do many other things improper to be done—just so was it, O king, that at the very sight of candavatī, the princess, the Bodisat went out of his mind, and then only acted as I have said. | |
| ‘Now an evil act done, O king, by one out of his mind, is even in this present world not considered as a grievous offence, nor is it so in respect of the fruit that it brings about in a future life. | |
| Suppose, O king, that a madman had been guilty of a capital offence, what punishment would you inflict upon him?’ | |
| ‘What punishment is due to a madman? | |
| We should order him to be beaten and set free. | |
| That is all the punishment he would have.’ | |
| ‘So then, O king, there is no punishment according to the offence of a madman. | |
| It follows that there is no sin in the act done by a madman, it is a pardonable act. | |
| And just so, O king, is it with respect to Lomasa Kassapa, the Rishi, who at the mere sight of candavatī, the princess, went out of his mind, and lost command of himself through love. | |
| It was when thus out of his mind, confused and agitated, that he, with his thoughts all perplexed, scattered and wandering, thus offered the great sacrifice, the “Drink of Triumph,"—and mighty was the outpour of blood from the necks of the slaughtered beasts! | |
| But when he returned again to his natural state, and recovered his presence of mind, then did he again renounce the world, and having regained the five powers of insight, became assured of rebirth in the Brahmā world.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma about Lomasa Kassapa. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
6. Chaddantajotipālārabbhapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā chaddanto nāgarājā— |
5.5.6. Dilemma the Forty-Sixth. |
| The Mocking Of the Buddha | |
‘Vadhissametanti parāmasanto, |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One of Six-tusks, the elephant king, |
Kāsāvamaddakkhi dhajaṁ isīnaṁ; |
|
| “When he sought to slay him, and had reached him with his trunk, | |
Dukkhena phuṭṭhassudapādi saññā, |
He perceived the yellow robe, the badge of a recluse, |
Arahaddhajo sabbhi avajjharūpo’ti. |
Then, though smarting with the pain, the thought possessed his heart— |
| ’He who wears the outward garb the Arahats wear | |
| Must be scatheless held, and sacred, by the good.’ | |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘jotipālamāṇavo samāno kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ muṇḍakavādena samaṇakavādena asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosi paribhāsī’ti. |
” |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bodhisatto tiracchānagato samāno kāsāvaṁ abhipūjayi, tena hi ‘jotipālena māṇavena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho muṇḍakavādena samaṇakavādena asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkuṭṭho paribhāsito’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
|
Yadi jotipālena māṇavena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho muṇḍakavādena samaṇakavādena asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkuṭṭho paribhāsito, tena hi ‘chaddantena nāgarājena kāsāvaṁ pūjitan’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
‘But on the other hand it is said: |
Yadi tiracchānagatena bodhisattena kakkhaḷakharakaṭukavedanaṁ vedayamānena luddakena nivatthaṁ kāsāvaṁ pūjitaṁ, kiṁ manussabhūto samāno paripakkañāṇo paripakkāya bodhiyā kassapaṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ dasabalaṁ lokanāyakaṁ uditoditaṁ jalitabyāmobhāsaṁ pavaruttamaṁ pavararucirakāsikakāsāvamabhipārutaṁ disvā na pūjayi? |
|
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabboti. |
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| “When he was jotipāla, the young Brahman, he reviled and abused Kassapa the Blessed One, the Arahat, the Buddha supreme, with vile and bitter words, calling him a shaveling and a good-for-nothing monk.” | |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā chaddanto nāgarājā ‘vadhissametanti …pe… avajjharūpo’ti. |
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Jotipālena ca māṇavena kassapo bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho muṇḍakavādena samaṇakavādena asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkuṭṭho paribhāsito, tañca pana jātivasena kulavasena. |
‘Now if, Nāgasena, the Bodisat, even when he was an animal, respected the yellow robe, Then the statement that as jotipāla, a Brahman, he reviled and abused the Blessed One of that time, must be false. |
Jotipālo, mahārāja, māṇavo assaddhe appasanne kule paccājāto, tassa mātāpitaro bhaginibhātaro dāsidāsaceṭakaparivārakamanussā brahmadevatā brahmagarukā, te ‘brāhmaṇā eva uttamā pavarā’ti avasese pabbajite garahanti jigucchanti, tesaṁ taṁ vacanaṁ sutvā jotipālo māṇavo ghaṭikārena kumbhakārena satthāraṁ dassanāya pakkosito evamāha—‘kiṁ pana tena muṇḍakena samaṇakena diṭṭhenā’ti. |
But if as a Brahman, he reviled and abused the Blessed One, the statement that when he was Six-tusks, the elephant king, he respected the yellow robe, must be false. |
| If when the Bodisat was an animal, though he was suffering severe and cruel and bitter pain, he respected the yellow robe which the hunter had put on, how was it that when he was a man, a man arrived at discretion, with all his knowledge mature, he did not pay reverence, on seeing him, to Kassapa the Blessed One, the Arahat, the Buddha supreme, one endowed with the ten powers, the leader of the world, the highest of the high, round whom effulgence spread a fathom on every side, and who was clad in most excellent and precious and delicate Benares cloth made into yellow robes? | |
| This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, amataṁ visamāsajja tittakaṁ hoti, yathā ca sītodakaṁ aggimāsajja uṇhaṁ hoti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, jotipālo māṇavo assaddhe appasanne kule paccājāto, so kulavasena andho hutvā tathāgataṁ akkosi paribhāsi. |
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| ‘The verse you have quoted, O king, was spoken by the Blessed One. | |
| And Kassapa the Blessed One, the Arahat, the Buddha supreme, was abused and reviled by Gotipāla the young Brahman with vile and bitter words, with the epithets of shaveling and good-for-nothing monk. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, jalitapajjalito mahāaggikkhandho sappabhāso udakamāsajja upahatappabhātejo sītalo kāḷako bhavati paripakkanigguṇḍiphalasadiso; |
But that was owing to his birth and family surroundings. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, jotipālo māṇavo puññavā saddho ñāṇavipulasappabhāso assaddhe appasanne kule paccājāto, so kulavasena andho hutvā tathāgataṁ akkosi paribhāsi, upagantvā ca buddhaguṇamaññāya ceṭakabhūto viya ahosi, jinasāsane pabbajitvā abhiññā ca samāpattiyo ca nibbattetvā brahmalokūpago ahosī”ti. |
For jotipāla, O king, was descended from a family of unbelievers, men void of faith. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
His mother and father, his sisters and brothers, the bondswomen and bondsmen, the hired servants and dependents in the house, were worshippers of Brahmā, reverers of Brahmā; |
| and harbouring the idea that Brahmans were the highest and most honourable among men, they reviled and loathed those others who had renounced the world. | |
| It was through hearing what they said that jotipāla, when invited by Ghaṭīkāra the potter to visit the teacher, replied: | |
Chaddantajotipālārabbhapañho chaṭṭho. |
“What’s the good to you of visiting that shaveling, that good-for-nothing monk?” |
| ‘Just, O king, as even nectar when mixed with poison will turn sour, just as the coolest water in contact with fire will become warm, so was it that jotipāla, the young Brahman, having been born and brought up in a family of unbelievers, men void of faith, thus reviled and abused the Tathāgata after the manner of his kind. | |
| And just, O king, as a flaming and burning mighty fire, if, even when at the height of its glory, it should come into contact with water, would cool down, with its splendour and glory spoilt, and turn to cinders, black as rotten blighted fruits-just so, O king, jotipāla, full as he was of merit and faith, mighty as was the glory of his knowledge, yet when reborn into a family of unbelievers, of men void of faith, he became, as it were, blind, and reviled and abused the Tathāgata. | |
| But when he had gone to him, and had come to know the virtues of the Buddhas which he had, then did he become as his hired servant; | |
| and having renounced the world and entered the Order under the system of the Conqueror, he gained the fivefold power of insight, and the eightfold power of ecstatic meditation, and became assured of rebirth into the Brahmā heaven.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma about Gotipāla. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
7. Ghaṭikārapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa āvesanaṁ sabbaṁ temāsaṁ ākāsacchadanaṁ aṭṭhāsi, na devotivassī’ti. |
5.5.7. Dilemma the Forty-Seventh. |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘kassapassa tathāgatassa kuṭi ovassatī’ti. |
The Helplessness Of A Buddha |
Kissa pana, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatassa evamussannakusalamūlassa kuṭi ovassati, tathāgatassa nāma so ānubhāvo icchitabbo? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, this too has been said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa āvesanaṁ anovassaṁ ākāsacchadanaṁ ahosi, tena hi ‘tathāgatassa kuṭi ovassatī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
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Yadi tathāgatassa kuṭi ovassati, tena hi ‘ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa āvesanaṁ anovassakaṁ ahosi ākāsacchadanan’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
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Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
“Ghaṭīkāra the potter’s dwelling-place remained, the whole of it, for three months open to the sky, and no rain fell upon it.” |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘ghaṭikārassa kumbhakārassa āvesanaṁ sabbaṁ temāsaṁ ākāsacchadanaṁ aṭṭhāsi, na devotivassī’ti. |
‘But on the other hand it is said: |
Bhaṇitañca—‘kassapassa tathāgatassa kuṭi ovassatī’ti. |
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Ghaṭikāro, mahārāja, kumbhakāro sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo ussannakusalamūlo andhe jiṇṇe mātāpitaro poseti, tassa asammukhā anāpucchāyevassa ghare tiṇaṁ haritvā bhagavato kuṭiṁ chādesuṁ, so tena tiṇaharaṇena akampitaṁ asañcalitaṁ susaṇṭhitaṁ vipulamasamaṁ pītiṁ paṭilabhati, bhiyyo somanassañca atulaṁ uppādesi ‘aho vata me bhagavā lokuttamo suvissattho’ti, tena tassa diṭṭhadhammiko vipāko nibbatto. |
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Na hi, mahārāja, tathāgato tāvatakena vikārena calati. |
“Rain fell on the hut of Kassapa the Tathāgata.” |
Yathā, mahārāja, sineru girirājā anekasatasahassavātasampahārenapi na kampati na calati, mahodadhi varappavarasāgaro anekasatanahutamahāgaṅgāsatasahassehipi na pūrati na vikāramāpajjati; |
‘How was it, venerable Nāgasena, that the hut of a Tathāgata, the roots of whose merits were so widely spread, got wet? |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato na tāvatakena vikārena calati. |
One would think that a Tathāgata should have the power to prevent that. |
| If, Nāgasena, Ghaṭīkāra the potter’s dwelling was kept dry when it was open to the sky, it cannot be true that a Tathāgata’s hut got wet. | |
| But if it did, then it must be false that the potter’s dwelling was kept dry. | |
Yaṁ pana, mahārāja, tathāgatassa kuṭi ovassati, taṁ mahato janakāyassa anukampāya. |
This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ |
Dveme, mahārāja, atthavase sampassamānā tathāgatā sayaṁ nimmitaṁ paccayaṁ nappaṭisevanti, ‘ayaṁ aggadakkhiṇeyyo satthā’ti bhagavato paccayaṁ datvā devamanussā sabbaduggatito parimuccissantīti, pāṭihīraṁ dassetvā vuttiṁ pariyesantīti ‘mā aññe upavadeyyun’ti. |
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Ime dve atthavase sampassamānā tathāgatā sayaṁ nimmitaṁ paccayaṁ nappaṭisevanti. |
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Yadi, mahārāja, sakko vā taṁ kuṭiṁ anovassaṁ kareyya brahmā vā sayaṁ vā, sāvajjaṁ bhaveyya taṁyeva karaṇaṁ sadosaṁ saniggahaṁ, ime vibhūtaṁ katvā lokaṁ sammohenti adhikataṁ karontīti, tasmā taṁ karaṇaṁ vajjanīyaṁ. |
‘Both the quotations you have made, O king, are correct. |
Na, mahārāja, tathāgatā vatthuṁ yācanti, tāya avatthuyācanāya aparibhāsiyā bhavantī”ti. |
Ghaṭīkāra the potter was a good man, beautiful in character, deeply rooted in merit, who supported his old and blind mother and father. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
And when he was absent, the people, without so much as asking his leave, took away the thatch from his dwelling to roof in with it the hut of the Tathāgata. |
| Then, unmoved and unshaken at his thatch being thus removed, but filled rather with a well-grounded and great joy the like of which cannot be found, an immeasurable bliss sprang up in his heart at the thought: | |
| “May the Blessed One, the chief of the world, have full confidence in me.” | |
Ghaṭikārapañho sattamo. |
And thereby did he obtain merit which brought forth its good result even in this present life. |
| ‘And the Tathāgata, O king, was not disturbed by that temporary inconvenience (of the falling rain). | |
| Just, O king, as Sineru, the king of the mountains, moves not, neither is shaken, by the onslaught of innumerable gales —just as the mighty ocean, the home of the great waters, is not filled up, neither is disturbed at all, by the inflow of innumerable great rivers—just so, O king, is a Tathāgata unmoved at temporary inconvenience. | |
| ‘And that the rain fell upon the Tathāgata’s hut happened out of consideration for the great masses of the people. | |
| For there are two circumstances, O king, which prevent the Tathāgatas from themselves supplying (by creative power) any requisite of which they may be in need. | |
| And what are the two? | |
| Men and gods, by supplying the requisites of a Buddha on the ground that he is a teacher worthy of gifts, will thereby be set free from rebirth in states of woe. | |
| And lest others should find fault, saying: | |
| “They seek their livelihood by the working of miracles.” | |
| If, O king, Sakka had kept that hut dry, or even Brahmā himself, even then that action would have been faulty, wrong, and worthy of censure. | |
| For people might then say: | |
| “These Buddhas by Their dexterity befool and lord it over the world.” | |
| That is the reason why such action would have been better left undone. | |
| The Tathāgatas, O king, do not ask for any advantage; | |
| and it is because they ask for nothing that they are held blameless.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma about Ghaṭīkāra the potter. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
8. Brāhmaṇarājavādapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ tathāgatena ‘ahamasmi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇo yācayogo’ti. |
5.5.8. Dilemma the Forty-Eighth. |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘rājāhamasmi selā’ti. |
Why Gotama Claimed To Be A Brahman |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘ahamasmi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇo yācayogo’ti, tena hi ‘rājāhamasmi selā’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, this too was said by the Blessed One: |
Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘rājāhamasmi selā’ti, tena hi ‘ahamasmi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇo yācayogo’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
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Khattiyo vā hi bhaveyya brāhmaṇo vā, natthi ekāya jātiyā dve vaṇṇā nāma, ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
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| “A Brahman am I, O brethren, devoted to self-sacrifice.” | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘ahamasmi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇo yācayogo’ti, puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘rājāhamasmi selā’ti, tattha kāraṇaṁ atthi, yena kāraṇena tathāgato brāhmaṇo ca rājā ca hotī”ti. |
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| ‘But on the other hand he declared: | |
“Kiṁ pana taṁ, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena tathāgato brāhmaṇo ca rājā ca hoti”? |
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“Sabbe, mahārāja, pāpakā akusalā dhammā tathāgatassa bāhitā pahīnā apagatā byapagatā ucchinnā khīṇā khayaṁ pattā nibbutā upasantā, tasmā tathāgato ‘brāhmaṇo’ti vuccati. |
“A king am I, Sela.” |
Brāhmaṇo nāma saṁsayamanekaṁsaṁ vimatipathaṁ vītivatto, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, saṁsayamanekaṁsaṁ vimatipathaṁ vītivatto, tena kāraṇena tathāgato ‘brāhmaṇo’ti vuccati. |
‘If, Nāgasena, the Blessed One were a Brahman, then he must have spoken falsely when he said he was a king. |
| But if he were a king, then he must have spoken falsely when he said he was a Brahman. | |
| He must have been either a Khattiya or a Brahman. | |
Brāhmaṇo nāma sabbabhavagatiyoninissaṭo malarajagatavippamutto asahāyo, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, sabbabhavagatiyoninissaṭo malarajagatavippamutto asahāyo, tena kāraṇena tathāgato ‘brāhmaṇo’ti vuccati. |
For he could not have belonged, in the same birth, to two castes. |
| This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ | |
Brāhmaṇo nāma aggaseṭṭhavarapavaradibbavihārabahulo, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, aggaseṭṭhavarapavaradibbavihārabahulo, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato ‘brāhmaṇo’ti vuccati. |
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| ‘Both the quotations you have made, O king, are correct. | |
| But there is good reason why the Tathāgata, should have been both Brahman and also king.’ | |
Brāhmaṇo nāma ajjhayanaajjhāpanadānappaṭiggahaṇadamasaṁyamaniyamapubbamanusiṭṭhipaveṇivaṁsadharaṇo, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, ajjhayanaajjhāpanadānappaṭiggahaṇadamasaṁyamaniyamapubbajināciṇṇaanusiṭṭhipaveṇivaṁsadharaṇo, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato ‘brāhmaṇo’ti vuccati. |
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| ‘Pray what, Nāgasena, can be that reason?’ | |
Brāhmaṇo nāma brahāsukhavihārajjhānajhāyī; |
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bhagavāpi, mahārāja, brahāsukhavihārajjhānajhāyī, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato ‘brāhmaṇo’ti vuccati. |
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| ‘Because all evil qualities, not productive of merit, are in the Tathāgata suppressed, abandoned, put away, dispelled, rooted out, destroyed, come to an end, gone out, and ceased, therefore is it that the Tathāgata is called a Brahman. | |
| A Brahman, O king, means one who has passed beyond hesitation, perplexity, and doubt. | |
Brāhmaṇo nāma sabbabhavābhavagatīsu abhijātivattitamanucaritaṁ jānāti, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, sabbabhavābhavagatīsu abhijātivattitamanucaritaṁ jānāti, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato ‘brāhmaṇo’ti vuccati. |
And it is because the Tathāgata has done all this, that therefore also is he called a Brahman. |
| A Brahman, O king, means one who has escaped from every sort and class of becoming, who is entirely set free from evil and from stain, who is dependent on himself, and it is because the Tathāgata is all of these things, that therefore also is he called a Brahman. | |
| A Brahman, O king, means one who cultivates within himself the highest and best of the excellent and supreme conditions of heart. | |
Brāhmaṇoti, mahārāja, bhagavato netaṁ nāmaṁ mātarā kataṁ, na pitarā kataṁ, na bhātarā kataṁ, na bhaginiyā kataṁ, na mittāmaccehi kataṁ, na ñātisālohitehi kataṁ, na samaṇabrāhmaṇehi kataṁ, na devatāhi kataṁ, vimokkhantikametaṁ buddhānaṁ bhagavantānaṁ nāmaṁ bodhiyāyeva mūle mārasenaṁ vidhamitvā atītānāgatapaccuppanne pāpake akusale dhamme bāhetvā saha sabbaññutañāṇassa paṭilābhā paṭiladdhapātubhūtasamuppannamatte sacchikā paññatti yadidaṁ brāhmaṇoti, tena kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘brāhmaṇo’”ti. |
And it is because the Tathāgata does this that therefore also is he called a Brahman. |
| A Brahman, O king, means one who carries on the line of the tradition of the ancient instructions concerning the learning and the teaching of sacred writ, concerning the acceptance of gifts, concerning subjugation of the senses, self-control in conduct, and performance of duty. | |
| And it is because the Tathāgata carries on the line of the tradition of the ancient rules enjoined by the Conquerors regarding all these things, that therefore also is he called a Brahman. | |
“Kena pana, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘rājā’”ti? |
A Brahman, O king, means one who enjoys the supreme bliss of the ecstatic meditation. |
“Rājā nāma, mahārāja, yo koci rajjaṁ kāreti lokamanusāsati, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā dhammena rajjaṁ kāreti, sadevakaṁ lokaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ anusāsati, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘rājā’ti. |
And it is because the Tathāgata does this, that therefore also is he called a Brahman. |
| A Brahman, O king, means one who knows the course and revolution of births in all forms of existence. | |
| And it is because the Tathāgata knows this, that therefore also is he called a Brahman. | |
Rājā nāma, mahārāja, sabbajanamanusse abhibhavitvā nandayanto ñātisaṅghaṁ, socayanto amittasaṅghaṁ, mahatimahāyasasiriharaṁ thirasāradaṇḍaṁ anūnasatasalākālaṅkataṁ ussāpeti paṇḍaravimalasetacchattaṁ, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, socayanto mārasenaṁ micchāpaṭipannaṁ, nandayanto devamanusse sammāpaṭipanne dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā mahatimahāyasasiriharaṁ khantithirasāradaṇḍaṁ ñāṇavarasatasalākālaṅkataṁ ussāpeti aggavaravimuttipaṇḍaravimalasetacchattaṁ, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘rājā’ti. |
The appellation “Brahman,” O king, was not given to the Blessed One by his mother, nor his father, not by his brother, nor his sister, not by his friends, nor his relations, not by spiritual teachers of any sort, no, not by the gods. |
| It is by reason of their emancipation that this is the name of the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones. | |
| From the moment when, under the Tree of Wisdom, they had overthrown the armies of the Evil One, had suppressed in themselves all evil qualities not productive of merit, and had attained to the knowledge of the Omniscient Ones, it was from the acquisition of this insight, the appearance in them of this enlightenment, that this true designation became applied to them—the name of “Brahman.” | |
Rājā nāma upagatasampattajanānaṁ bahūnamabhivandanīyo bhavati, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, upagatasampattadevamanussānaṁ bahūnamabhivandanīyo, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘rājā’ti. |
And that is the reason why the Tathāgata is called a Brahman.’ |
Rājā nāma yassa kassaci ārādhakassa pasīditvā varitaṁ varaṁ datvā kāmena tappayati, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, yassa kassaci kāyena vācāya manasā ārādhakassa pasīditvā varitaṁ varamanuttaraṁ sabbadukkhaparimuttiṁ datvā asesakāmavarena ca tappayati, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘rājā’ti. |
‘Then what is the reason why the Tathāgata is called a king?’ |
Rājā nāma āṇaṁ vītikkamantaṁ vigarahati jhāpeti dhaṁseti, bhagavatopi, mahārāja, sāsanavare āṇaṁ atikkamanto alajjī maṅkubhāvena oññāto hīḷito garahito bhavitvā vajjati jinasāsanavaramhā, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘rājā’ti. |
‘A king means, O king, one who rules and guides the world, and the Blessed One rules in righteousness over the ten thousand world systems, he guides the whole world with its men and gods, its evil spirits and its good ones, and its teachers, whether Samaṇas or Brahmans. |
| That is the reason why the Tathāgata is called a king. | |
| A king means, O king, one who, exalted above all ordinary men, making those related to him rejoice, and those opposed to him mourn; | |
Rājā nāma pubbakānaṁ dhammikānaṁ rājūnaṁ paveṇimanusiṭṭhiyā dhammādhammamanudīpayitvā dhammena rajjaṁ kārayamāno pihayito piyo patthito bhavati janamanussānaṁ, ciraṁ rājakulavaṁsaṁ ṭhapayati dhammaguṇabalena, bhagavāpi, mahārāja, pubbakānaṁ sayambhūnaṁ paveṇimanusiṭṭhiyā dhammādhammamanudīpayitvā dhammena lokamanusāsamāno pihayito piyo patthito devamanussānaṁ ciraṁ sāsanaṁ pavatteti dhammaguṇabalena, tenāpi kāraṇena tathāgato vuccati ‘rājā’ti. |
raises aloft the Sunshade of Sovranty, of pure and stainless white, with its handle of firm hard wood, and its many hundred ribs—the symbol of his mighty fame and glory. |
Evamanekavidhaṁ, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena tathāgato brāhmaṇopi bhaveyya rājāpi bhaveyya, sunipuṇo bhikkhu kappampi no naṁ sampādeyya, kiṁ atibahuṁ bhaṇitena, saṅkhittaṁ sampaṭicchitabban”ti. |
And the Blessed One, O king, making the army of the Evil One, those given over to false doctrine, mourn; |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
filling the hearts of those, among gods or men, devoted to sound doctrine, with joy; |
| raises aloft over the ten thousand world systems the Sunshade of his Sovranty, pure and stainless in the whiteness of emancipation, with its hundreds of ribs fashioned out of the highest wisdom, with its handle firm and strong through long suffering—the symbol of his mighty fame and glory. | |
| That too is the reason why the Tathāgata is called a king. | |
Brāhmaṇarājavādapañho aṭṭhamo. |
A king is one who is held worthy of homage by the multitudes who approach him, who come into his presence. |
| And the Blessed One, O king, is held worthy of homage by multitudes of beings, whether gods or men, who approach him, who come into his presence. | |
| That too is the reason why the Tathāgata is called a king. | |
| A king is one who, when pleased with a strenuous servant, gladdens his heart by bestowing upon him, at his own good pleasure, any costly gift the officer may choose. | |
| And the Blessed One, O king, when pleased with any one who has been strenuous in word or deed or thought, gladdens his heart by bestowing upon him, as a selected gift, the supreme deliverance from all sorrow—far beyond all material gifts. | |
| That too is the reason why the Tathāgata is called a king. | |
| A king is one who censures, fines, or executes the man who transgresses The royal commands. | |
| And so, O king, the man who, in shamelessness or discontent, transgresses the command of the Blessed One, as laid down in the rules of his Order, that man, despised, disgraced and censured, is expelled from the religion of the Conqueror. | |
| That too is the reason why the Tathāgata is called a king. | |
| A king is one who in his turn proclaiming laws and regulations according to the instructions laid down in succession by the righteous kings of ancient times, and thus carrying on his rule in righteousness, becomes beloved and dear to the people, desired in the world, and by the force of his righteousness establishes his dynasty long in the land. | |
| And the Blessed One, O king, proclaiming in his turn laws and regulations according to the instructions laid down in succession by the Buddhas of ancient times, and thus in righteousness being teacher of the world—he too is beloved and dear to both gods and men, desired by them, and by the force of his righteousness he makes his religion last long in the land. | |
| That too is the reason why the Tathāgata is called a king. | |
| ‘Thus, O king, so many are the reasons why the Tathāgata should be both Brahman and also king, that the ablest of the brethren could scarcely in an aeon enumerate them all. | |
| Why then should I dilate any further? | |
| Accept what I have said only in brief.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the Buddha belonging to two castes. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
9. Gāthābhigītabhojanakathāpañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā— |
5.5.9. Dilemma the Forty-Ninth. |
| Gifts To the Buddha | |
‘Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ, |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: |
Sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa dhammo; |
|
Gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti buddhā, |
“Gifts chaunted for in sacred hymns |
Dhamme satī brāhmaṇa vuttiresā’ti. |
Are gifts I must not take. |
| All those who see into the Truth | |
Puna ca bhagavā parisāya dhammaṁ desento kathento anupubbikathaṁ paṭhamaṁ tāva dānakathaṁ katheti, pacchā sīlakathaṁ, tassa bhagavato sabbalokissarassa bhāsitaṁ sutvā devamanussā abhisaṅkharitvā dānaṁ denti, tassa taṁ uyyojitaṁ dānaṁ sāvakā paribhuñjanti. |
Do this their practice make. |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, bhagavatā bhaṇitaṁ—‘gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyan’ti, tena hi ‘bhagavā dānakathaṁ paṭhamaṁ kathetī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
|
Yadi dānakathaṁ paṭhamaṁ katheti, tena hi ‘gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyan’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
The Buddhas all refused to chaunt for wage; |
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Yo so, bhante, dakkhiṇeyyo gihīnaṁ piṇḍapātadānassa vipākaṁ katheti, tassa te dhammakathaṁ sutvā pasannacittā aparāparaṁ dānaṁ denti, ye taṁ dānaṁ paribhuñjanti, sabbe te gāthābhigītaṁ paribhuñjanti. |
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Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho nipuṇo gambhīro tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
This was their conduct still |
| Whene’er the Truth prevailed | |
| Through every age.” | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ, sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa dhammo. |
|
Gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti buddhā, dhamme satī brāhmaṇa vuttiresā’ti, katheti ca bhagavā paṭhamaṁ dānakathaṁ, tañca pana kiriyaṁ sabbesaṁ tathāgatānaṁ paṭhamaṁ dānakathāya, tattha cittaṁ abhiramāpetvā pacchā sīle niyojenti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, manussā taruṇadārakānaṁ paṭhamaṁ tāva kīḷābhaṇḍakāni denti. |
‘But on the other hand the Blessed One, when preaching the Truth, or talking of it, was in the habit of beginning with the so-called “preliminary discourse,” in which giving has the first place, and goodness only the second. |
Seyyathidaṁ—vaṅkakaṁ ghaṭikaṁ ciṅgulakaṁ pattāḷhakaṁ rathakaṁ dhanukaṁ, pacchā te sake sake kamme niyojenti. |
So that when gods and men heard this discourse of the Blessed One, the lord of the whole world, they prepared and gave gifts, and the disciples partook of the alms thus brought about. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato paṭhamaṁ dānakathāya cittaṁ abhiramāpetvā pacchā sīle niyojeti. |
Now if, Nāgasena, it be true what the Blessed One said, that he accepted no gifts earned by the chaunting of sacred words, then it was wrong that the Blessed One put giving thus into the foreground. |
| But if he did rightly in so emphasizing the giving of gifts, then it is not true that he accepted no gifts earned by the utterance of sacred words. | |
| And why so? | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, bhisakko nāma āturānaṁ paṭhamaṁ tāva catūhapañcāhaṁ telaṁ pāyeti balakaraṇāya sinehanāya, pacchā vireceti; |
Because if any one worthy of offerings should praise to the laity the good results to them of the bestowal of alms, they, hearing that discourse, and pleased with it, will proceed to give alms again and again. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato paṭhamaṁ tāva dānakathāya cittaṁ abhiramāpetvā pacchā sīle niyojeti. |
And then, whosoever enjoy that gift, they are really enjoying that which has been earned by the utterance of sacred words. |
Dāyakānaṁ, mahārāja, dānapatīnaṁ cittaṁ mudukaṁ hoti maddavaṁ siniddhaṁ, tena te dānasetusaṅkamena dānanāvāya saṁsārasāgarapāramanugacchanti, tasmā tesaṁ paṭhamaṁ kammabhūmimanusāsati, na ca kenaci viññattimāpajjatī”ti. |
This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘viññattin’ti yaṁ vadesi, kati pana tā viññattiyo”ti? |
‘The stanza you quote, O king, was spoken by the Blessed One. |
“Dvemā, mahārāja, viññattiyo kāyaviññatti vacīviññatti cāti. |
And yet he used to put the giving of alms into the forefront of his discourse. |
Tattha atthi kāyaviññatti sāvajjā, atthi anavajjā. |
But this is the custom of all the Tathāgatas—first by discourse on almsgiving to make the hearts of hearers inclined towards it, and then afterwards to urge them to righteousness. |
Atthi vacīviññatti sāvajjā, atthi anavajjā. |
This is as when men, O king, give first of all to young children things to play with— such as toy ploughs, tip-cat sticks, toy wind-mills, measures made of leaves, toy carts, and bows and arrows—and afterwards appoint to each his separate task. |
| Or it is as when a physician first causes his patients to drink oil for four or five days in order to strengthen them, and to soften their bodies; | |
| and then afterwards administers a purge. | |
Katamā kāyaviññatti sāvajjā? |
The supporters of the faith, O king, the lordly givers, have their hearts thus softened, made tender, affected. |
Idhekacco bhikkhu kulāni upagantvā anokāse ṭhito ṭhānaṁ bhañjati, ayaṁ kāyaviññatti sāvajjā. |
Thereby do they cross over to the further shore of the ocean of transmigration by the aid of the boat of their gifts, by the support of the causeway of their gifts. |
Tāya ca viññāpitaṁ ariyā na paribhuñjanti, so ca puggalo ariyānaṁ samaye oññāto hoti hīḷito khīḷito garahito paribhūto acittīkato, bhinnājīvotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. |
And (the Buddha), by this (method in his teaching), is not guilty of “intimation.” |
| ’ | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, idhekacco bhikkhu kulāni upagantvā anokāse ṭhito galaṁ paṇāmetvā morapekkhitaṁ pekkhati ‘evaṁ ime passantī’ti, tena ca te passanti, ayampi kāyaviññatti sāvajjā, tāya ca viññāpitaṁ ariyā na paribhuñjanti, so ca puggalo ariyānaṁ samaye oññāto hoti hīḷito khīḷito garahito paribhūto acittīkato, bhinnājīvotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, when you say “intimation” what are these intimations?’ |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, idhekacco bhikkhu hanukāya vā bhamukāya vā aṅguṭṭhena vā viññāpeti, ayampi kāyaviññatti sāvajjā, tāya ca viññāpitaṁ ariyā na paribhuñjanti, so ca puggalo ariyānaṁ samaye oññāto hoti hīḷito khīḷito garahito paribhūto acittīkato, bhinnājīvotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. |
‘There are two sorts, O king, of intimation—bodily and verbal. |
| And there is one bodily intimation which is wrong, and one that is not; | |
| and there is one verbal intimation which is wrong, and one that is not. | |
Katamā kāyaviññatti anavajjā? |
Which is the bodily intimation which is wrong? |
Idha bhikkhu kulāni upagantvā sato samāhito sampajāno ṭhānepi aṭṭhānepi yathānusiṭṭhiṁ gantvā ṭhāne tiṭṭhati, dātukāmesu tiṭṭhati, adātukāmesu pakkamati. |
Suppose any member of the Order, in going his rounds for alms, should, when choosing a spot to stand on, stand where there is no room, that is a bodily intimation which is wrong. |
Ayaṁ kāyaviññatti anavajjā, tāya ca viññāpitaṁ ariyā paribhuñjanti, so ca puggalo ariyānaṁ samaye vaṇṇito hoti thuto pasattho sallekhitācāro, parisuddhājīvotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. |
The true members of the Order will not accept any alms so asked for, and the individual who thus acts is despised, looked down upon, not respected, held blameworthy, disregarded, not well thought of, in the religion of the Noble Ones; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
he is reckoned as one of those who have broken their (vows as to) means of livelihood. |
| And again, O king, suppose any member of the Order, in going his round for alms, should stand where there is no room, and stretch out his neck like a peacock on the gaze, in the hope: | |
‘Na ve yācanti sappaññā, |
“Thus will the folk see me"—that too is a bodily intimation which is wrong. |
Dhīro ca veditumarahati; |
True brethren will not accept an alms so asked for, and he who thus acts is regarded like the last. |
| And again, O king, suppose any member of the Order should make a sign with his jaw, or with his eyebrow, or with his finger— that too is a bodily intimation which is wrong. | |
Uddissa ariyā tiṭṭhanti, |
True brethren will not accept an alms so asked for, and he who thus acts is regarded the same way. |
Esā ariyāna yācanā’ti. |
|
| ‘And which is the bodily intimation which is not wrong? | |
Katamā vacīviññatti sāvajjā? |
If a brother, on going his round for alms, be self-possessed, tranquil, conscious of his acts; |
Idha, mahārāja, bhikkhu vācāya bahuvidhaṁ viññāpeti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ, ayaṁ vacīviññatti sāvajjā, tāya ca viññāpitaṁ ariyā na paribhuñjanti, so ca puggalo ariyānaṁ samaye oññāto hoti hīḷito khīḷito garahito paribhūto acittīkato, bhinnājīvotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. |
if he stand, wherever he may go, in the kind of spot that is lawful; |
| if he stand still where there are people desirous to give, and where they are not so desirous, if he pass on ; | |
| —that is a bodily intimation which is not wrong. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, idhekacco bhikkhu paresaṁ sāvento evaṁ bhaṇati ‘iminā me attho’ti, tāya ca vācāya paresaṁ sāvitāya tassa lābho uppajjati, ayampi vacīviññatti sāvajjā, tāya ca viññāpitaṁ ariyā na paribhuñjanti, so ca puggalo ariyānaṁ samaye oññāto hoti hīḷito khīḷito garahito paribhūto acittīkato, bhinnājīvotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. |
Of an alms so stood for the true members of the Order will partake; |
| and the individual who thus asks is, in the religion of the Noble Ones, praised, thought highly of, esteemed, and reckoned among those whose behaviour is without guile, whose mode of livelihood is pure. | |
| For thus has it been said by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, idhekacco bhikkhu vacīvipphārena parisāya sāveti ‘evañca evañca bhikkhūnaṁ dātabban’ti, tañca te vacanaṁ sutvā parikittitaṁ abhiharanti, ayampi vacīviññatti sāvajjā, tāya ca viññāpitaṁ ariyā na paribhuñjanti, so ca puggalo ariyānaṁ samaye oññāto hoti hīḷito khīḷito garahito paribhūto acittīkato, bhinnājīvotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. |
|
| “The truly wise beg not, for Arahats scorn to beg. | |
Nanu, mahārāja, theropi sāriputto atthaṅgate sūriye rattibhāge gilāno samāno therena mahāmoggallānena bhesajjaṁ pucchīyamāno vācaṁ bhindi, tassa tena vacībhedena bhesajjaṁ uppajji. |
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Atha thero sāriputto ‘vacībhedena me imaṁ bhesajjaṁ uppannaṁ, mā me ājīvo bhijjī’ti ājīvabhedabhayā taṁ bhesajjaṁ pajahi na upajīvi. |
The good stand for their alms, thus only do they beg.” |
Evampi vacīviññatti sāvajjā, tāya ca viññāpitaṁ ariyā na paribhuñjanti. |
|
So ca puggalo ariyānaṁ samaye oññāto hoti hīḷito khīḷito garahito paribhūto acittīkato, bhinnājīvotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. |
|
| ‘Which is the verbal intimation which is wrong? | |
| In case, O king, a brother intimate his wish for a number of things, requisites of a member of the Order—robes and bowls and bedding and medicine for the sick—that is a verbal intimation which is wrong. | |
Katamā vacīviññatti anavajjā? |
Things so asked for the true members of the Order (Ariyā) will not accept; |
Idha, mahārāja, bhikkhu sati paccaye bhesajjaṁ viññāpeti ñātipavāritesu kulesu, ayaṁ vacīviññatti anavajjā, tāya ca viññāpitaṁ ariyā paribhuñjanti, so ca puggalo ariyānaṁ samaye vaṇṇito hoti thomito pasattho, parisuddhājīvotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati, anumato tathāgatehi arahantehi sammāsambuddhehi. |
and in the religion of the Noble Ones the individual who acts thus is despised, looked down upon, not respected, held blameworthy, disregarded, not well thought of—reckoned rather as one who has broken his (vows as to) means of livelihood. |
| And again, O king, in case a brother should, in the hearing of others, speak thus: | |
| “I am in want of such and such a thing; | |
Yaṁ pana, mahārāja, tathāgato kasibhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa bhojanaṁ pajahi, taṁ āveṭhanaviniveṭhanakaḍḍhananiggahappaṭikammena nibbatti, tasmā tathāgato taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ paṭikkhipi na upajīvī”ti. |
” and in consequence of that saying being heard by the others he should then get that thing—that too is a verbal intimation which is wrong. |
| True members of the Order will not use a thing so obtained, and he who acts thus is regarded like the last. | |
| And again, O king, in case a brother, dilating in his talk, give the people about him to understand: | |
“Sabbakālaṁ, bhante nāgasena, tathāgate bhuñjamāne devatā dibbaṁ ojaṁ patte ākiranti, udāhu ‘sūkaramaddave ca madhupāyāse cā’ti dvīsuyeva piṇḍapātesu ākiriṁsū”ti? |
“Thus and thus should gifts be given to the Bhikkhus,” and in case they, on hearing that saying, should bring forth from their store anything so referred to—that too is a verbal intimation which is wrong. |
“Sabbakālaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgate bhuñjamāne devatā dibbaṁ ojaṁ gahetvā upatiṭṭhitvā uddhaṭuddhaṭe ālope ākiranti. |
True members of the Order will not use a thing so obtained, and he who acts thus is regarded like the last. |
| For when Sāriputta, the Elder, O king, being ill in the night-time, after the sun had set, and being questioned by Moggallāna, the Elder, as to what medicine would do him good, broke silence; | |
| and through that breach of silence obtained the medicine—did not Sāriputta then, saying to himself: | |
Yathā, mahārāja, rañño sūdo rañño bhuñjantassa sūpaṁ gahetvā upatiṭṭhitvā kabaḷe kabaḷe sūpaṁ ākirati; |
“This medicine has come through breach of silence; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sabbakālaṁ tathāgate bhuñjamāne devatā dibbaṁ ojaṁ gahetvā upatiṭṭhitvā uddhaṭuddhaṭe ālope dibbaṁ ojaṁ ākiranti. |
let not my (adherence to the rules regarding) livelihood be broken,” reject that medicine, and use it not ? |
Verañjāyampi, mahārāja, tathāgatassa sukkhayavapulake bhuñjamānassa devatā dibbena ojena temayitvā temayitvā upasaṁhariṁsu, tena tathāgatassa kāyo upacito ahosī”ti. |
So that too is a verbal intimation which is wrong. |
“Lābhā vata, bhante nāgasena, tāsaṁ devatānaṁ, yā tathāgatassa sarīrappaṭijaggane satataṁ samitaṁ ussukkamāpannā. |
True members of the Order will not use a thing so obtained, and he who acts thus is regarded like the last. |
Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘And what is the verbal intimation which is right? | |
Gāthābhigītabhojanakathāpañho navamo. |
Suppose a brother, O king, when there is necessity for it, should intimate among families either related to him, or which had invited him to spend the season of Was with him, that he is in want of medicines—this is a verbal intimation which is not wrong. |
| True members of the Order will partake of things so asked for; | |
| and the individual who acts thus is, in the religion of the Noble Ones, praised, thought highly of, esteemed, reckoned among those whose mode of livelihood is pure, approved of the Tathāgatas, the Arahats, the Supreme Buddhas. | |
| And the alms that the Tathāgata, O king, refused to accept of Kasī-Bhāradvāja, the Brahman, that was presented for the sake of testing him with an intricate puzzle which he would have to unwind, for the sake of pulling him away, of convicting him of error, of making him acknowledge himself in the wrong. | |
| Therefore was it that the Tathāgata refused that alms, and would not partake thereof.’ | |
| ‘Nāgasena, was it always, whenever the Tathāgata was eating, that the gods infused the Sap of Life from heaven into the contents of his bowl, or was it only into those two dishes—the tender boar’s flesh, and the rice porridge boiled in milk—that they infused it ? | |
| ‘Whenever he was eating, O king, and into each morsel of food as he picked it up—just as the royal cook takes the sauce and pours it over each morsel in the dish while the king is partaking of it. | |
| And so at Verañjā, when the Tathāgata was eating the cakes made of dried barley, the gods moistened each one with the Sap of Life, as they placed it near him. | |
| And thus was the body of the Tathāgata fully refreshed.’ | |
| ‘Great indeed was the good fortune, Nāgasena, of those gods that they were ever and always so zealous in their care for the body of the Tathāgata! | |
| Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the Buddha’s mode of livelihood. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
10. Dhammadesanāyaappossukkapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘tathāgatena catūhi ca asaṅkhyeyyehi kappānaṁ satasahassena ca etthantare sabbaññutañāṇaṁ paripācitaṁ mahato janakāyassa samuddharaṇāyā’ti. |
5.5.10. Dilemma the Fiftieth. |
Puna ca ‘sabbaññutaṁ pattassa appossukkatāya cittaṁ nami, no dhammadesanāyā’ti. |
On the Buddha’s After-Doubt |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say: | |
Yathā nāma, bhante nāgasena, issāso vā issāsantevāsī vā bahuke divase saṅgāmatthāya upāsanaṁ sikkhitvā sampatte mahāyuddhe osakkeyya; |
|
evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatena catūhi ca asaṅkhyeyyehi kappānaṁ satasahassena ca etthantare sabbaññutañāṇaṁ paripācetvā mahato janakāyassa samuddharaṇāya sabbaññutaṁ pattena dhammadesanāya osakkitaṁ. |
“The Tathāgata gradually, through millions of years, through aeon after aeon, brought his omniscient wisdom to perfection for the sake of the salvation of the great masses of the people.” |
Yathā vā pana, bhante nāgasena, mallo vā mallantevāsī vā bahuke divase nibbuddhaṁ sikkhitvā sampatte mallayuddhe osakkeyya; |
‘But on the other hand (they say): |
evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatena catūhi ca asaṅkhyeyyehi kappānaṁ satasahassena ca etthantare sabbaññutañāṇaṁ paripācetvā mahato janakāyassa samuddharaṇāya sabbaññutaṁ pattena dhammadesanāya osakkitaṁ. |
|
| “Just after he had attained to omniscience his heart inclined, not to the proclamation of the Truth, but to rest in peace.” | |
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatena bhayā osakkitaṁ, udāhu apākaṭatāya osakkitaṁ, udāhu dubbalatāya osakkitaṁ, udāhu asabbaññutāya osakkitaṁ, kiṁ tattha kāraṇaṁ, iṅgha me tvaṁ kāraṇaṁ brūhi kaṅkhāvitaraṇāya. |
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Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatena catūhi ca asaṅkhyeyyehi kappānaṁ satasahassena ca etthantare sabbaññutañāṇaṁ paripācitaṁ mahato janakāyassa samuddharaṇāya, tena hi ‘sabbaññutaṁ pattassa appossukkatāya cittaṁ nami, no dhammadesanāyā’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
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Yadi sabbaññutaṁ pattassa appossukkatāya cittaṁ nami no dhammadesanāya, tena hi ‘tathāgatena catūhi ca asaṅkhyeyyehi kappānaṁ satasahassena ca etthantare sabbaññutañāṇaṁ paripācitaṁ mahato janakāyassa samuddharaṇāyā’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
‘So that, Nāgasena, just as if an archer, or an archer’s pupil, who had practised archery for many days with the object of fighting, should, when the day of the great battle had come, draw back—just so did the Tathāgata, who through countless ages had gradually matured his omniscience for the sake of bringing safe to the shore (of salvation) the great masses of the people, turn back, on the day when that omniscience had been reached, from proclaiming the Truth. |
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho gambhīro dunnibbeṭho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
just as if a wrestler who through many days had practised wrestling should, when the day of the wrestling match had come, draw back—just so did the Tathāgata, who through countless ages had gradually matured his omniscience for the sake of bringing safe to the shore (of salvation) the great masses of the people, turn back, on the day when that omniscience had been reached, from proclaiming the Truth. |
“Paripācitañca, mahārāja, tathāgatena catūhi ca asaṅkhyeyyehi kappānaṁ satasahassena ca etthantare sabbaññutañāṇaṁ mahato janakāyassa samuddharaṇāya, pattasabbaññutassa ca appossukkatāya cittaṁ nami, no dhammadesanāya. |
‘Now was it from fear, Nāgasena, that the Tathāgata drew back, or was it from inability to preach, or was it from weakness, or was it because he had not, after all, attained to omniscience? |
Tañca pana dhammassa gambhīranipuṇaduddasaduranubodhasukhumaduppaṭivedhataṁ sattānañca ālayārāmataṁ sakkāyadiṭṭhiyā daḷhasuggahitatañca disvā ‘kiṁ nu kho, kathaṁ nu kho’ti appossukkatāya cittaṁ nami, no dhammadesanāya, sattānaṁ paṭivedhacintanamānasaṁ yevetaṁ. |
What was the reason of this? |
| Tell me, I pray, the reason, that my doubts may be removed. | |
| For if for so long a time he had perfected his wisdom with the object of saving the people, then the statement that he hesitated to announce the Truth must be wrong. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, bhisakko sallakatto anekabyādhiparipīḷitaṁ naraṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ cintayati ‘kena nu kho upakkamena katamena vā bhesajjena imassa byādhi vūpasameyyā’ti; |
But if that be true, then the other statement must be false. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgatassa sabbakilesabyādhiparipīḷitaṁ janaṁ dhammassa ca gambhīranipuṇaduddasaduranubodhasukhumaduppaṭivedhataṁ disvā ‘kiṁ nu kho, kathaṁ nu kho’ti appossukkatāya cittaṁ nami, no dhammadesanāya, sattānaṁ paṭivedhacintanamānasaṁ yevetaṁ. |
This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you—a problem profound, a knot hard to unravel—which you have to solve.’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa dovārikaanīkaṭṭhapārisajjanegamabhaṭabalaamaccarājaññarājūpajīvine jane disvā evaṁ cittamuppajjeyya ‘kiṁ nu kho, kathaṁ nu kho ime saṅgaṇhissāmī’ti; |
‘The statements in both the passages you quote, O king, are correct. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgatassa dhammassa gambhīranipuṇaduddasaduranubodhasukhumaduppaṭivedhataṁ sattānañca ālayārāmataṁ sakkāyadiṭṭhiyā daḷhasuggahitatañca disvā ‘kiṁ nu kho, kathaṁ nu kho’ti appossukkatāya cittaṁ nami, no dhammadesanāya, sattānaṁ paṭivedhacintanamānasaṁ yevetaṁ. |
But that his heart inclined, not to the preaching of the truth, but to inaction, was because he saw, on the one hand, how profound and abstruse was the Doctrine, how hard to grasp and understand, how subtle, how difficult to penetrate into; |
| and, on the other, how devoted beings are to the satisfaction of their lusts, how firmly possessed by false notions of Individualism. | |
| And so (he wavered) at the thought: | |
Api ca, mahārāja, sabbesaṁ tathāgatānaṁ dhammatā esā, yaṁ brahmunā āyācitā dhammaṁ desenti. |
“Whom shall I teach? |
Tattha pana kiṅkāraṇaṁ? |
And how can I teach him?" |
Ye tena samayena manussā tāpasaparibbājakā samaṇabrāhmaṇā, sabbete brahmadevatā honti brahmagarukā brahmaparāyaṇā, tasmā tassa balavato yasavato ñātassa paññātassa uttarassa accuggatassa onamanena sadevako loko onamissati okappessati adhimuccissatīti iminā ca, mahārāja, kāraṇena tathāgatā brahmunā āyācitā dhammaṁ desenti. |
—his mind being directed to the idea of the powers of penetration which beings possessed. |
Yathā, mahārāja, koci rājā vā rājamahāmatto vā yassa onamati apacitiṁ karoti, balavatarassa tassa onamanena avasesā janatā onamati apacitiṁ karoti; |
‘Just, O king, as an able physician, when called in to a patient suffering from a complication of diseases, might reflect: |
evameva kho, mahārāja, brahme onamite tathāgatānaṁ sadevako loko onamissati, pūjitapūjako, mahārāja, loko, tasmā so brahmā sabbesaṁ tathāgatānaṁ āyācati dhammadesanāya, tena ca kāraṇena tathāgatā brahmunā āyācitā dhammaṁ desentī”ti. |
“What can be the treatment, what the drug, by which this man’s sickness can be allayed?" |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, sunibbeṭhito pañho, atibhadrakaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
—just so, O king, when the Tathāgata called to mind how afflicted were the people by all the kinds of malady which arise from sin, and how profound and abstruse was the Doctrine, how subtle, and how difficult to grasp, then at the thought: |
| “Whom can I teach? | |
| And how shall I teach him?” | |
Dhammadesanāya appossukkapañho dasamo. |
did his heart incline rather to inaction than to preaching— his mind being directed to the powers of penetration which beings possessed. |
| ‘And just, O king, as a king, of royal blood, an anointed monarch, when he calls to mind the many people who gain their livelihood in dependence on the king—the sentries and the body-guard, the retinue of courtiers, the trading folk, the soldiers and the royal messengers, the ministers and the nobles —might be exercised at the thought: | |
| “How now, in what way, shall I be able to conciliate them all?" | |
| —just so when the Tathāgata called to mind how profound and abstruse was the Doctrine, how subtle, and how difficult to grasp, and how devoted beings were to the satisfaction of their lusts, how firmly possessed by false notions of Individualism, then at the thought: | |
| “Whom shall I teach? | |
| And how shall I teach him?” | |
| did his heart incline rather to inaction than to preaching—his mind being directed to the powers of penetration which beings possessed. | |
| ‘And this, too, is an inherent necessity in all Tathāgatas that it should be on the request of Brahmā that they should proclaim the Dhamma. | |
| And what is the reason for that? | |
| All men in those times, with the ascetics and the monks, the wandering teachers and the Brahmans, were worshippers of Brahmā, reverers of Brahmā, placed their reliance on Brahmā. | |
| And therefore, at the thought: | |
| “When so powerful and glorious, so famous and renowned, so high and mighty a one has shown himself inclined (to the Dhamma), then will the whole world of gods and men become inclined to it, hold it fitting, have faith in it"—on this ground, O king, the Tathāgatas preached the Dhamma when requested to do so by Brahmā. | |
| For just, O king, as what a sovran or a minister of state shows homage to, or offers worship to, that will the rest of mankind, on The ground of the homage of so powerful a personage, show homage to and worship—just so, O king, when Brahmā had paid homage to the Tathāgatas, so would the whole world of gods and men. | |
| For the world, O king, is a reverer of what is revered. | |
| And that is why Brahmā asks of all Tathāgatas that they should make known the Doctrine, and why, on so being asked, they make it known.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| the puzzle has been well unravelled, most able has been your exposition. | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the Buddha’s hesitation to make the Doctrine known. | |
| Here ends the Fifth Chapter. | |
| ‘Then shall they preach to him the Truth, | |
| The Truth dispelling every grief, | |
| Which Truth when here a man perceives, | |
| He’s freed from stains, and dies away.’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Meṇḍakapañha |
Book 4: |
Santhavavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
11. Ācariyānācariyapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā— |
5.5.11. Dilemma the Fifty-First. |
| Contradictory Statements As To the Buddha’s Teacher | |
‘Na me ācariyo atthi, |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, this too has been said by the Blessed One: |
sadiso me na vijjati; |
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Sadevakasmiṁ lokasmiṁ, |
“I have no teacher, and the man |
natthi me paṭipuggalo’ti. |
Equal to me does not exist. |
| No rival to me can be found | |
Puna ca bhaṇitaṁ—‘iti kho, bhikkhave, āḷāro kālāmo ācariyo me samāno antevāsiṁ maṁ samānaṁ attanā samasamaṁ ṭhapesi, uḷārāya ca maṁ pūjāya pūjesī’ti. |
In the whole world of gods and men.” |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘na me ācariyo atthi, sadiso me na vijjati. |
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Sadevakasmiṁ lokasmiṁ, natthi me paṭipuggalo’ti, tena hi ‘iti kho, bhikkhave, āḷāro kālāmo ācariyo me samāno antevāsiṁ maṁ samānaṁ attanā samasamaṁ ṭhapesī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā. |
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Yadi tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ—‘iti kho, bhikkhave, āḷāro kālāmo ācariyo me samāno antevāsiṁ maṁ samānaṁ attanā samasamaṁ ṭhapesī’ti, tena hi ‘na me ācariyo atthi, sadiso me na vijjati. |
‘But on the other hand he said: |
Sadevakasmiṁ lokasmiṁ, natthi me paṭipuggalo’ti tampi vacanaṁ micchā. |
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Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho tavānuppatto, so tayā nibbāhitabbo”ti. |
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| “Thus then, O brethren, Āḷāra Kālāma, when he was my teacher and I was his pupil, placed me on an equality with himself, and honoured me with exceeding great honour.” | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgatena |
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| ‘Now if the former of these statements be right, then the second must be wrong. | |
‘Na me ācariyo atthi, |
But if the second be right, then the first must be wrong. |
sadiso me na vijjati; |
This too is a double-edged problem, now put to you, which you have to solve.’ |
Sadevakasmiṁ lokasmiṁ, |
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natthi me paṭipuggalo’ti. |
‘Both the quotations you have made, O king, are accurate. |
| But when he spoke of Āḷāra Kālāma as his teacher, that was a statement made with reference to the fact of his having been his teacher while he (Gotama) was still a Bodisat and before he had attained to insight and to Buddhahood; | |
| and there were five such teachers, O king, under whose tuition the Bodisat spent his time in various places—his teachers when he was still a Bodisat, before he had attained to insight and to Buddhahood. | |
Bhaṇitañca—‘iti kho, bhikkhave, āḷāro kālāmo ācariyo me samāno antevāsiṁ maṁ samānaṁ attanā samasamaṁ ṭhapesi, uḷārāya ca maṁ pūjāya pūjesī’ti. |
And who were these five? |
Tañca pana vacanaṁ pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ācariyabhāvaṁ sandhāya bhāsitaṁ. |
‘Those eight Brahmans who, just after the birth of the Bodisat, took note of the marks on his body— Rāma, and Dhaja, and Lakkhaṇa, and Mantī, and Yañña, and Suyāma, and Subhoja, and Sudatta —they who then made known his future glory, and marked him out as one to be carefully guarded-these were first his teachers. |
Pañcime, mahārāja, pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattassa sato ācariyā, yehi anusiṭṭho bodhisatto tattha tattha divasaṁ vītināmesi. |
‘And again, O king, the Brahman Sabbamitta of distinguished descent, who was of high lineage in the land of Udicca, a philologist and grammarian, well read in the six Vedaṅgas, whom Suddhodana the king, the Bodisat’s father, sent for, and having poured out the water of dedication from a golden vase, handed over the boy to his charge, to be taught—this was his second teacher. |
Katame pañca? |
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Ye te, mahārāja, aṭṭha brāhmaṇā jātamatte bodhisatte lakkhaṇāni pariggaṇhiṁsu, seyyathidaṁ—rāmo dhajo lakkhaṇo mantī yañño suyāmo subhojo sudattoti. |
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Te tassa sotthiṁ pavedayitvā rakkhākammaṁ akaṁsu, te ca paṭhamaṁ ācariyā. |
‘And again, O king, the god who raised the agitation in the Bodisat’s heart, at the sound of whose speech the Bodisat, moved and anxious, that very moment went out from the world in his Great Renunciation—this was his third teacher. |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bodhisattassa pitā suddhodano rājā yaṁ tena samayena abhijātaṁ udiccajātimantaṁ padakaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ chaḷaṅgavantaṁ sabbamittaṁ nāma brāhmaṇaṁ upanetvā sovaṇṇena bhiṅgārena udakaṁ oṇojetvā ‘imaṁ kumāraṁ sikkhāpehī’ti adāsi, ayaṁ dutiyo ācariyo. |
‘And again, O king, Āḷāra Kālāma—he was his fourth teacher. |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, yā sā devatā bodhisattaṁ saṁvejesi, yassā vacanaṁ sutvā bodhisatto saṁviggo ubbiggo tasmiṁyeva khaṇe nekkhammaṁ nikkhamitvā pabbaji, ayaṁ tatiyo ācariyo. |
‘And again, O king, Uddaka the son of Rāma—he was his fifth teacher. |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, āḷāro kālāmo ākiñcaññāyatanassa parikammaṁ ācikkhi, ayaṁ catuttho ācariyo. |
‘These, O king, are the five who were his teachers when he was still a Bodisat, before he had attained to insight and to Buddhahood. |
| But they were teachers in worldly wisdom. | |
| And in this Doctrine that is transcendental, in the penetrating into the wisdom of the omniscient ones—in that there is no one who is above the Tathāgata to teach him. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, udako rāmaputto nevasaññānāsaññāyatanassa parikammaṁ ācikkhi, ayaṁ pañcamo ācariyo. |
Self-dependent for his knowledge is the Tathāgata, without a master, and that is why it was said by the Tathāgata: |
Ime kho, mahārāja, pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattassa sato pañca ācariyā. |
“I have no teacher, and the man |
Te ca pana ācariyā lokiye dhamme. |
Equal to me does not exist. |
Imasmiñca pana, mahārāja, lokuttare dhamme sabbaññutañāṇappaṭivedhāya natthi tathāgatassa anuttaro anusāsako, sayambhū, mahārāja, tathāgato anācariyako, tasmā kāraṇā tathāgatena bhaṇitaṁ— |
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| No rival to me can be found | |
‘Na me ācariyo atthi, |
In the whole world of gods and men.” |
sadiso me na vijjati; |
’ |
Sadevakasmiṁ lokasmiṁ, |
‘Very good, Nāgasena! |
natthi me paṭipuggalo’”ti. |
That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
Here ends the dilemma as to the Buddha’s teachers. |
Ācariyānācariyapañho ekādasamo. |
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Santhavavaggo pañcamo. |
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Tassuddānaṁ |
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Imasmiṁ vagge ekādasa pañhā. |
|
Meṇḍakapañho niṭṭhito. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Buddhavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
1 Dvinnaṁbuddhānaṁanuppajjamānapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘aṭṭhānametaṁ, bhikkhave, anavakāso, yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā dve arahanto sammāsambuddhā apubbaṁ acarimaṁ uppajjeyyuṁ, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti. |
6.1.1. Dilemma the Fifty-Second. |
Desentā ca, bhante nāgasena, sabbepi tathāgatā sattatiṁsa bodhipakkhiyadhamme desenti, kathayamānā ca cattāri ariyasaccāni kathenti, sikkhāpentā ca tīsu sikkhāsu sikkhāpenti, anusāsamānā ca appamādappaṭipattiyaṁ anusāsanti. |
Why Must There Be Only One Buddha At A Time? |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, sabbesampi tathāgatānaṁ ekā desanā ekā kathā ekā sikkhā ekā anusiṭṭhi, kena kāraṇena dve tathāgatā ekakkhaṇe nuppajjanti? |
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Ekenapi tāva buddhuppādena ayaṁ loko obhāsajāto, yadi dutiyo buddho bhaveyya, dvinnaṁ pabhāya ayaṁ loko bhiyyoso mattāya obhāsajāto bhaveyya, ovadamānā ca dve tathāgatā sukhaṁ ovadeyyuṁ, anusāsamānā ca sukhaṁ anusāseyyuṁ, tattha me kāraṇaṁ brūhi, yathāhaṁ nissaṁsayo bhaveyyan”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, this too was said by the Blessed One: |
“Ayaṁ, mahārāja, dasasahassī lokadhātu ekabuddhadhāraṇī, ekasseva tathāgatassa guṇaṁ dhāreti, yadi dutiyo buddho uppajjeyya, nāyaṁ dasasahassī lokadhātu dhāreyya, caleyya kampeyya nameyya onameyya vinameyya vikireyya vidhameyya viddhaṁseyya, na ṭhānamupagaccheyya. |
“This is an impossibility, an occurrence for which there can be no cause, that in one world two Arahat Buddhas supreme should arise at one and the same time —such a thing can in no wise be.” |
Yathā, mahārāja, nāvā ekapurisasandhāraṇī bhaveyya, ekasmiṁ purise abhirūḷhe sā nāvā samupādikā bhaveyya. |
‘But, Nāgasena, when they are preaching, all the Tathāgatas preach (the Doctrine as to) the thirty-seven constituent elements of insight ; |
Atha dutiyo puriso āgaccheyya tādiso āyunā vaṇṇena vayena pamāṇena kisathūlena sabbaṅgapaccaṅgena, so taṁ nāvaṁ abhirūheyya, api nu sā, mahārāja, nāvā dvinnampi dhāreyyā”ti? |
when they are talking, it is of the Four Noble Truths that they talk; |
“Na hi, bhante, caleyya kampeyya nameyya onameyya vinameyya vikireyya vidhameyya viddhaṁseyya, na ṭhānamupagaccheyya, osīdeyya udake”ti. |
when they are instructing, it is in the three Trainings that they instruct; |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ayaṁ dasasahassī lokadhātu ekabuddhadhāraṇī, ekasseva tathāgatassa guṇaṁ dhāreti, yadi dutiyo buddho uppajjeyya, nāyaṁ dasasahassī lokadhātu dhāreyya, caleyya kampeyya nameyya onameyya vinameyya vikireyya vidhameyya viddhaṁseyya, na ṭhānamupagaccheyya. |
when they are teaching, it is the practice of zeal that they teach. |
| If, Nāgasena, the preaching of all the Tathāgatas is one, and their talk of the same thing, and their training the same, and their teaching one, why then should not two Tathāgatas arise at the same time? | |
| Already by the appearance of one Buddha has this world become flooded with light. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, puriso yāvadatthaṁ bhojanaṁ bhuñjeyya chādentaṁ yāva kaṇṭhamabhipūrayitvā, so dhāto pīṇito paripuṇṇo nirantaro tandikato anonamitadaṇḍajāto punadeva tattakaṁ bhojanaṁ bhuñjeyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, puriso sukhito bhaveyyā”ti? |
If there should be a second Buddha the world would be still more illuminated by the glory of them both. |
“Na hi, bhante, sakiṁ bhuttova mareyyā”ti. |
When they were exhorting two Tathāgatas would exhort at ease; |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ayaṁ dasasahassī lokadhātu ekabuddhadhāraṇī, ekasseva tathāgatassa guṇaṁ dhāreti, yadi dutiyo buddho uppajjeyya, nāyaṁ dasasahassī lokadhātu dhāreyya, caleyya kampeyya nameyya onameyya vinameyya vikireyya vidhameyya viddhaṁseyya, na ṭhānamupagaccheyyā”ti. |
when they were instructing two Tathāgatas would instruct at ease. |
| Tell me the reason of this, that I may put away my doubt.’ | |
“Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, atidhammabhārena pathavī calatī”ti? |
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“Idha, mahārāja, dve sakaṭā ratanaparipūritā bhaveyyuṁ yāva mukhasamā, ekasmā sakaṭato ratanaṁ gahetvā ekasmiṁ sakaṭe ākireyyuṁ, api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, sakaṭaṁ dvinnampi sakaṭānaṁ ratanaṁ dhāreyyā”ti? |
‘This world system, O king, is a one-Buddha-supporting world; |
“Na hi, bhante, nābhipi tassa phaleyya, arāpi tassa bhijjeyyuṁ, nemipi tassa opateyya, akkhopi tassa bhijjeyyā”ti. |
that is, it can bear the virtue of only a single Tathāgata. |
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, atiratanabhārena sakaṭaṁ bhijjatī”ti? |
If a second Tathāgata were to arise the world could not bear him, it would shake and tremble, it would bend, this way and that, it would disperse, scatter into pieces, dissolve, be utterly destroyed. |
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
just as a boat, O king, might be able to carry one passenger across. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, atidhammabhārena pathavī calati. |
Then, when one man had got on board, it would be well trimmed and able to bear his weight. |
| But if a second man were to come like to the first in age and caste and strength and size and stoutness of body and build of frame, and he too should get on board the boat—would that boat be able, O king, to carry them both? | |
Api ca, mahārāja, imaṁ kāraṇaṁ buddhabalaparidīpanāya osāritaṁ. |
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Aññampi tattha abhirūpaṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena dve sammāsambuddhā ekakkhaṇe nuppajjanti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir! |
Yadi, mahārāja, dve sammāsambuddhā ekakkhaṇe uppajjeyyuṁ, tesaṁ parisāya vivādo uppajjeyya ‘tumhākaṁ buddho, amhākaṁ buddho’ti, ubhato pakkhajātā bhaveyyuṁ, yathā, mahārāja, dvinnaṁ balavāmaccānaṁ parisāya vivādo uppajjeyya ‘tumhākaṁ amacco, amhākaṁ amacco’ti, ubhato pakkhajātā honti; |
it would shake and tremble; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yadi dve sammāsambuddhā ekakkhaṇe uppajjeyyuṁ, tesaṁ parisāya vivādo uppajjeyya ‘tumhākaṁ buddho, amhākaṁ buddho’ti, ubhato pakkhajātā bhaveyyuṁ. |
it would bend, this way and that; |
Idaṁ tāva, mahārāja, ekaṁ kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena dve sammāsambuddhā ekakkhaṇe nuppajjanti. |
it would break into pieces, be shattered, dissolved, and utterly destroyed; |
| it would sink into the waves.’ | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena dve sammāsambuddhā ekakkhaṇe nuppajjanti. |
|
Yadi, mahārāja, dve sammāsambuddhā ekakkhaṇe uppajjeyyuṁ, ‘aggo buddho’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā bhaveyya, ‘jeṭṭho buddho’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā bhaveyya, ‘seṭṭho buddho’ti, ‘visiṭṭho buddho’ti, ‘uttamo buddho’ti, ‘pavaro buddho’ti, ‘asamo buddho’ti, ‘asamasamo buddho’ti, ‘appaṭimo buddho’ti, ‘appaṭibhāgo buddho’ti, ‘appaṭipuggalo buddho’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā bhaveyya. |
‘Just so, O king, with this world, if a second Tathāgata were to appear. |
Idampi kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ atthato sampaṭiccha, yena kāraṇena dve sammāsambuddhā ekakkhaṇe nuppajjanti. |
Or suppose, O king, that a man had eaten as much food as he wanted, even so that he had filled himself with nourishment up to the throat, and he—thus satiated, regaled, filled with good cheer, with no room left for more, drowsy and stiff as a stick one cannot bend—were again to eat as much food as he had eaten before—would such a man, O king, then be at ease?’ |
Api ca kho, mahārāja, buddhānaṁ bhagavantānaṁ sabhāvapakati esāyaṁ, ekoyeva buddho loke uppajjati. |
‘Certainly not, Sir! |
Kasmā kāraṇā? |
If he were to eat again, but once more, he would die.’ |
Mahantatāya sabbaññubuddhaguṇānaṁ. |
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Aññampi, mahārāja, yaṁ loke mahantaṁ, taṁ ekaṁyeva hoti. |
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Pathavī, mahārāja, mahantī, sā ekā yeva. |
‘Well, no more could this world bear a second Tathāgata, than that man could bear a second meal.’ |
Sāgaro mahanto, so ekoyeva. |
|
Sineru girirājā mahanto, so ekoyeva. |
|
Ākāso mahanto, so ekoyeva. |
‘But how is that, Nāgasena? |
Sakko mahanto, so ekoyeva. |
Would the earth tremble at a too great weight of goodness?’ |
Māro mahanto, so ekoyeva. |
|
Mahābrahmā mahanto, so ekoyeva. |
|
Tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho mahanto, so eko yeva lokasmiṁ. |
‘Suppose, O king, there were two carts quite filled with precious things up to the top, and people were to take the things from the one cart and pile them up on the other, would that one be able to carry the weight of both?’ |
Yattha te uppajjanti, tattha aññassa okāso na hoti, tasmā, mahārāja, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho ekoyeva lokasmiṁ uppajjatī”ti. |
|
| ‘Certainly not, Sir! | |
“Sukathito, bhante nāgasena, pañho opammehi kāraṇehi. |
the nave of its wheels would split, and the spokes would break, and the circumference would fall to pieces, and the axle-tree would break in twain.’ |
Anipuṇopetaṁ sutvā attamano bhaveyya, kiṁ pana mādiso mahāpañño. |
|
Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘But how is that, O king? | |
| Would the cart come to pieces owing to the too great weight of goods?’ | |
Dvinnaṁ buddhānaṁ anuppajjamānapañho paṭhamo. |
|
| ‘Yes, it would.’ | |
| ‘Well, just so, O king, would the earth tremble owing to the too great weight of goodness. | |
| But that argument has been adduced to make the power of the Buddhas known. | |
| Hear another fitting reason why two Buddhas could not appear at the same time. | |
| If, O king, two Buddhas were to arise together, then would disputes arise between their followers, and at the words: | |
| “Your Buddha, our Buddha,” they would divide off into two parties—just as would the followers of two rival powerful ministers of state. | |
| This is the other reason, O king, why two Buddhas could not appear at the same time. | |
| ‘Hear a further reason, O king, why two Buddhas could not appear at the same time. | |
| If that were so, then the passage (of Scripture) that the Buddha is the chief would become false, and the passage that the Buddha takes precedence of all would become false, and the passage that the Buddha is the best of all would become false. | |
| And so all those passages where the Buddha is said to be the most excellent, the most exalted, the highest of all, the peerless one, without an equal, the matchless one, who hath neither counterpart nor rival—all would be proved false. | |
| Accept this reason too as in truth a reason why two Buddhas cannot arise at once. | |
| ‘But besides that, O king, this is a natural characteristic of the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, that one Buddha only should arise in the world. | |
| And why? | |
| By reason of the greatness of the virtue of the all-knowing Buddhas. | |
| Of other things also, whatever is mighty in the world is singular. | |
| The broad earth is great, O king, and it is only one. | |
| The ocean is mighty, and it is only one. | |
| Sineru, the king of the mountains, is great; | |
| and it is only one. | |
| Space is mighty, and it is only one. | |
| Sakka (the king of the gods) is great, and he is only one. | |
| Mara (the Evil One, Death) is great, and he is only one. | |
| Mahā-Brahmā is mighty, and he is only one. | |
| A Tathāgata, an Arahat Buddha supreme, is great, and he is alone in the world. | |
| Wherever any one of these spring up, then there is no room for a second. | |
| And therefore, O king, is it that only one Tathāgata, an Arahat Buddha supreme, can appear at one time in the world.’ | |
| ‘Well has the puzzle, Nāgasena, been discussed by simile adduced and reason given. | |
| Even an unintelligent man on hearing this would be satisfied; | |
| how much rather one great in wisdom as myself. | |
| Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say. | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to why there should be only one Buddha at a time in the world. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Buddhavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
2. Gotamivatthadānapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā mātucchāya mahāpajāpatiyā gotamiyā vassikasāṭikāya dīyamānāya ‘saṅghe, gotami, dehi, saṅghe te dinne ahañceva pūjito bhavissāmi saṅgho cā’ti. |
6.1.2. Dilemma the Fifty-Third. |
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato saṅgharatanato na bhāriko na garuko na dakkhiṇeyyo, yaṁ tathāgato sakāya mātucchāya sayaṁ piñjitaṁ sayaṁ luñcitaṁ sayaṁ pothitaṁ sayaṁ kantitaṁ sayaṁ vāyitaṁ vassikasāṭikaṁ attano dīyamānaṁ saṅghassa dāpesi. |
Why Should Gifts Be Given To the Order Rather Than To the Buddha? |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, tathāgato saṅgharatanato uttaro bhaveyya adhiko vā visiṭṭho vā, ‘mayi dinne mahapphalaṁ bhavissatī’ti na tathāgato mātucchāya sayaṁ piñjitaṁ sayaṁ luñcitaṁ sayaṁ pothitaṁ vassikasāṭikaṁ saṅghe dāpeyya, yasmā ca kho, bhante nāgasena tathāgato attānaṁ na patthayati na upanissayati, tasmā tathāgato mātucchāya taṁ vassikasāṭikaṁ saṅghassa dāpesī”ti. |
|
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said to his mother’s sister, Mahā-Pajāpatī the Gotamī, when she was about to give him a cloth wrapper for use in the rainy season: | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā mātucchāya mahāpajāpatiyā gotamiyā vassikasāṭikāya dīyamānāya ‘saṅghe, gotami, dehi, saṅghe te dinne ahañceva pūjito bhavissāmi saṅgho cā’ti. |
|
Taṁ pana na attano patimānanassa avipākatāya na adakkhiṇeyyatāya, api ca kho, mahārāja, hitatthāya anukampāya anāgatamaddhānaṁ saṅgho mamaccayena cittīkato bhavissatīti vijjamāneyeva guṇe parikittayanto evamāha—‘saṅghe, gotami, dehi, saṅghe te dinne ahañceva pūjito bhavissāmi saṅgho cā’ti. |
“Give it, O Gotamā, to the Order. |
| If the Order is presented by you with it, then will you have paid homage: | |
| thereby alike to the Order and to me.” | |
Yathā, mahārāja, pitā dharamānoyeva amaccabhaṭabaladovārikaanīkaṭṭhapārisajjajanamajjhe rañño santike puttassa vijjamānaṁyeva guṇaṁ pakitteti ‘idha ṭhapito anāgatamaddhānaṁ janamajjhe pūjito bhavissatī’ti. |
|
Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato hitatthāya anukampāya anāgatamaddhānaṁ saṅgho mamaccayena cittīkato bhavissatīti vijjamāneyeva guṇe pakittayanto evamāha—‘saṅghe, gotami, dehi, saṅghe te dinne ahañceva pūjito bhavissāmi saṅgho cā’ti. |
|
| ‘But what, Nāgasena? | |
| Is not the Tathāgata of greater weight and importance, and more worthy of gifts than even the jewel treasure of the Order, that the Tathāgata should have told his aunt, when about to present him with a wrapper for the rainy season which she herself had carded and pressed and beaten and cut and woven, to give it to the Order! | |
Na kho, mahārāja, tāvatakena vassikasāṭikānuppadānamattakena saṅgho tathāgatato adhiko nāma hoti visiṭṭho vā. |
If, Nāgasena, the Tathāgata were really higher and greater and more excellent than the Order, then he would have known that a gift given to him would be most meritorious, and therefore would not have told her to give it to the Order. |
Yathā, mahārāja, mātāpitaro puttānaṁ ucchādenti parimaddanti nahāpenti sambāhenti, api nu kho, mahārāja, tāvatakena ucchādanaparimaddananahāpanasambāhanamattakena ‘putto mātāpitūhi adhiko nāma hoti visiṭṭho vā’”ti? |
But inasmuch as the Tathāgata, Nāgasena, puts himself not in the way of gifts to himself, gives no occasion for such gifts, you see that he then told his aunt to give that wrapper rather to the Order.’ |
“Na hi, bhante, akāmakaraṇīyā, bhante, puttā mātāpitūnaṁ, tasmā mātāpitaro puttānaṁ ucchādanaparimaddananahāpanasambāhanaṁ karontī”ti. |
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“Evameva kho, mahārāja, na tāvatakena vassikasāṭikānuppadānamattakena saṅgho tathāgatato adhiko nāma hoti visiṭṭho vāti. |
|
Api ca tathāgato akāmakaraṇīyaṁ karonto mātucchāya taṁ vassikasāṭikaṁ saṅghassa dāpesi. |
‘The quotation you make, O king, is correct, and the Blessed One did so direct his aunt’s gifts. |
| But that was not because an act of reverence paid to himself would bear no fruit, or because he was unworthy to receive gifts, but it was out of kindness and mercy that he, thinking: | |
| “Thus will the Order in times to come, when I am gone, be highly thought of; | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kocideva puriso rañño upāyanaṁ āhareyya, taṁ rājā upāyanaṁ aññatarassa bhaṭassa vā balassa vā senāpatissa vā purohitassa vā dadeyya. |
” magnified the excellence which the Order really had, in that he said: |
Api nu kho so, mahārāja, puriso tāvatakena upāyanapaṭilābhamattakena raññā adhiko nāma hoti visiṭṭho vā”ti? |
“Give it, O Gotamī, to the Order. |
“Na hi, bhante, rājabhattiko, bhante, so puriso rājūpajīvī, taṭṭhāne ṭhapento rājā upāyanaṁ detī”ti. |
If you present the Order with it, thus will you have paid homage alike to the Order and to me.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, na tāvatakena vassikasāṭikānuppadānamattakena saṅgho tathāgatato adhiko nāma hoti visiṭṭho vā, atha kho tathāgatabhattiko tathāgatūpajīvī. |
Just as a father, O king, while he is yet alive, exalts in the midst of the assembly of ministers, soldiers, and royal messengers, of sentries, body guards, and courtiers —yea, in the presence of the king himself—the virtues which his son really possesses, thinking: |
Taṭṭhāne ṭhapento tathāgato saṅghassa vassikasāṭikaṁ dāpesi. |
“If established here he will be honoured of the people in times to come; |
| ” so was it out of mercy and kindness that the Tathāgata, thinking: | |
| “Thus will the Order, in times to come, when I am gone, be highly thought of; | |
Api ca, mahārāja, tathāgatassa evaṁ ahosi ‘sabhāvapaṭipūjanīyo saṅgho, mama santakena saṅghaṁ paṭipūjessāmī’ti saṅghassa vassikasāṭikaṁ dāpesi, na, mahārāja, tathāgato attano yeva paṭipūjanaṁ vaṇṇeti, atha kho ye loke paṭipūjanārahā, tesampi tathāgato paṭipūjanaṁ vaṇṇeti. |
” magnified the excellence which the Order really had, in that he said: |
| “Give it, O Gotamī, to the Order. | |
| If you present the Order with it, thus will you have paid homage alike to the Order and to me.” | |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena majjhimanikāyavaralañchake dhammadāyādadhammapariyāye appicchappaṭipattiṁ pakittayamānena ‘asuyeva me purimo bhikkhu pujjataro ca pāsaṁsataro cā’ti. |
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Natthi, mahārāja, bhavesu koci satto tathāgatato dakkhiṇeyyo vā uttaro vā adhiko vā visiṭṭho vā, tathāgatova uttaro adhiko visiṭṭho. |
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| ‘And by the mere gift of a wrapper for the rainy season, the Order, O king, did not become greater than, or superior to, the Tathāgata. | |
| just, O king, as when parents anoint their children with perfumes, rub them, bathe them, or shampoo them, does the son by that mere service of theirs become greater than, or superior to, his parents?’ | |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, saṁyuttanikāyavare māṇavagāmikena devaputtena bhagavato purato ṭhatvā devamanussamajjhe— |
|
‘Vipulo rājagahīyānaṁ, |
‘Certainly not, sir! |
giri seṭṭho pavuccati; |
Parents deal with their children as they will, whether the children like it or not. |
| And therefore do they anoint them with perfumes, shampoo, or bathe them.’ | |
Seto himavataṁ seṭṭho, |
|
ādicco aghagāminaṁ. |
|
| ‘And just so, O king, the Order did not become greater than, or superior to, the Tathāgata merely by the fact of that gift; | |
| and although the Tathāgata, whether the Order liked it or not, told his aunt to give the wrapper to the Order. | |
Samuddo udadhinaṁ seṭṭho, |
|
nakkhattānañca candimā; |
|
| ‘Or suppose, O king, some man should bring a complimentary present to a king, and the king should present that gift to some one else—to a soldier or a messenger, to a general or a chaplain—would that man become greater than, or superior to, the king, merely by the fact that it was he who got the present ?’ | |
Sadevakassa lokassa, |
|
buddho aggo pavuccatī’ti. |
|
| ‘Certainly not, Sir! | |
| That man receives his wage from the king, from the king he gains his livelihood; | |
Tā kho panetā, mahārāja, māṇavagāmikena devaputtena gāthā sugītā na duggītā, subhāsitā na dubbhāsitā, anumatā ca bhagavatā, nanu, mahārāja, therenapi sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā bhaṇitaṁ— |
it was the king who, having placed him in that office, gave him the present.’ |
‘Eko manopasādo, |
|
Saraṇagamanamañjalipaṇāmo vā; |
‘And just so, O king, the Order did not become greater than, or superior to, the Tathāgata merely by the fact of that gift. |
| The Order is, as it were, the hired servant of the Tathāgata, and gains its livelihood through the Tathāgata. | |
Ussahate tārayituṁ, |
And it was the Tathāgata who, having placed it in that position, caused the gift to be given it. |
Mārabalanisūdane buddhe’ti. |
|
| ‘And further the Tathāgata, O king, thought thus: | |
Bhagavatā ca bhaṇitaṁ devātidevena ‘ekapuggalo, bhikkhave, loke uppajjamāno uppajjati bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ. |
“The Order is by its very nature worthy of gifts. |
Katamo ekapuggalo? |
I will therefore have this thing, my property though it be, presented to it,” and so he had the wrapper given to the Order. |
Tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho …pe… devamanussānan’”ti. |
For the Tathāgata, O king, magnifies not the offering of gifts to himself, but rather to whomsoever in the world is worthy of having gifts presented to him. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
For this was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Majjhima Nikāya, in the religious discourse entitled Dhamma-dāyāda, when he was exalting the attainment of being content with little: |
Gotamivatthadānapañho dutiyo. |
“He would become the first of my Bhikkhus, the most worthy of presents and of praise.” |
| ‘And there is not, O king, in the three worlds any being whatever more worthy of gifts, greater or more exalted or better, than the Tathāgata. | |
| It is the Tathāgata who was greatest and highest and best. | |
| As it was said, O king, by Māṇava-gāmika the god, in the most excellent Samyutta Nikāya, as he stood before the Blessed One in the midst of the assembly of gods and men: | |
| “Of all the Rājagaha hills Mount Vipula’s acknowledged chief, | |
| Of the Himalayas Mount White, of planetary orbs the sun, | |
| The ocean of all waters, of constellations bright the moon — | |
| In all the world of gods and men the Buddha’s the acknowledged Lord!” | |
| And those verses of Māṇava the god, O king, were well sung, not wrongly sung, well spoken, not wrongly spoken, and approved by the Blessed One. | |
| And was it not said by Sāriputta, the Commander of the faith: | |
| “There is but one Confession, one true Faith, | |
| One Adoration of clasped hands stretched forth | |
| —That paid to Him who routs the Evil One, | |
| And helps us cross the ocean of our ills!” | |
| ‘And it was said by the Blessed One himself, the god over all gods: | |
| “There is one being, O brethren, who is born into the world for the good and for the weal of the great multitudes, out of mercy to the world, for the advantage and the good and the weal of gods and men. | |
| And what is that being? | |
| A Tathāgata, an Arahat Buddha supreme.” | |
| ’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the precedence of the Order over the Buddha. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Buddhavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
3. Gihipabbajitasammāpaṭipattipañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘gihino vāhaṁ, bhikkhave, pabbajitassa vā sammāpaṭipattiṁ vaṇṇemi, gihī vā, bhikkhave, pabbajito vā sammāpaṭipanno sammāpaṭipattādhikaraṇahetu ārādhako hoti ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalan’ti. |
6.1.3. Dilemma the Fifty-Fourth. |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, gihī odātavasano kāmabhogī puttadārasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasanto kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhonto mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārento jātarūparajataṁ sādiyanto maṇikuṇḍalavicittamoḷibaddho sammāpaṭipanno ārādhako hoti ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ, pabbajitopi bhaṇḍukāsāvavatthavasano parapiṇḍamajjhupagato catūsu sīlakkhandhesu sammāparipūrakārī diyaḍḍhesu sikkhāpadasatesu samādāya vattanto terasasu dhutaguṇesu anavasesaṁ vattanto sammāpaṭipanno ārādhako hoti ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ. |
Is It More Advantageous To Be A Layman, Or To Enter the Order? |
Tattha, bhante, ko viseso gihino vā pabbajitassa vā? |
|
Aphalaṁ hoti tapokammaṁ, niratthakā pabbajjā. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: |
Vañjhā sikkhāpadagopanā, moghaṁ dhutaguṇasamādānaṁ, kiṁ tattha dukkhamanuciṇṇena, nanu nāma sukheneva sukhaṁ adhigantabban”ti. |
|
| “I would magnify, O brethren, the Supreme Attainment either in a layman or in a recluse. | |
“Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā—‘gihino vāhaṁ, bhikkhave, pabbajitassa vā sammāpaṭipattiṁ vaṇṇemi, gihī vā, bhikkhave, pabbajito vā sammāpaṭipanno sammāpaṭipattādhikaraṇahetu ārādhako hoti ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalan’ti. |
Whether he be a layman. |
Evametaṁ, mahārāja, sammāpaṭipannova seṭṭho, pabbajitopi, mahārāja, ‘pabbajitomhī’ti na sammā paṭipajjeyya, atha kho so ārakāva sāmaññā, ārakāva brahmaññā, pageva gihī odātavasano. |
, O brethren, or a recluse, the man who has reached the Supreme Attainment shall overcome all the difficulties inherent therein, shall win his way even to the excellent condition of Arahatship.” |
Gihīpi, mahārāja, sammāpaṭipanno ārādhako hoti ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ, pabbajitopi, mahārāja, sammāpaṭipanno ārādhako hoti ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ kusalaṁ. |
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| ‘Now, Nāgasena, if a layman, clad in white robes, enjoying the pleasures of sense, dwelling in a habitation encumbered with wife and children, making constant use of the sandal wood of Benares, of garlands and perfumes and unguents, accepting gold and silver, wearing a turban inlaid with jewels and gold, can, having reached the Supreme Attainment, win his way to the excellent condition of Arahatship—and if a recluse, with his shaven head and yellow robes, dependent for his livelihood on the alms of other men, perfectly fulfilling the fourfold code of morality, taking upon himself and carrying out the hundred and fifty precepts, conducting himself according to the thirteen extra vows without omitting any one of them, can also, having reached the Supreme Attainment, win his way to the excellent condition of Arahatship—then, Sir, what is the distinction between the layman and the recluse? | |
Api ca kho, mahārāja, pabbajitova sāmaññassa issaro adhipati; |
Your austerity is without effect, your renunciation is useless, your observance of the precepts is barren, your taking of the extra vows is vain. |
pabbajjā, mahārāja, bahuguṇā anekaguṇā appamāṇaguṇā, na sakkā pabbajjāya guṇaṁ parimāṇaṁ kātuṁ. |
What is the good of your therein heaping up woes to yourselves, if thus in comfort the condition of bliss can be reached?’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, kāmadadassa maṇiratanassa na sakkā dhanena aggho parimāṇaṁ kātuṁ ‘ettakaṁ maṇiratanassa mūlan’ti; |
‘The words you ascribe to the Blessed One, O king, are rightly quoted. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, pabbajjā bahuguṇā anekaguṇā appamāṇaguṇā, na sakkā pabbajjāya guṇaṁ parimāṇaṁ kātuṁ. |
And that is even so. |
| It is the man who has reached to the Supreme Attainment who bears the palm. | |
| If the recluse, O king, because he knows that he is a recluse, should neglect the Attainments, then is he far from the fruits of renunciation, far from Arahatship—how much more if a layman, still wearing the habit of the world, should do so! | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, mahāsamudde ūmiyo na sakkā parimāṇaṁ kātuṁ ‘ettakā mahāsamudde ūmiyo’ti; |
But whether he be a layman, O king, or a recluse, he who attains to the supreme insight, to the supreme conduct of life, he too will win his way to the excellent condition of Arahatship. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, pabbajjā bahuguṇā anekaguṇā appamāṇaguṇā, na sakkā pabbajjāya guṇaṁ parimāṇaṁ kātuṁ. |
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| ‘But nevertheless, O king, it is the recluse who is the lord and master of the fruit of renunciation. | |
Pabbajitassa, mahārāja, yaṁ kiñci karaṇīyaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ khippameva samijjhati no cirarattāya. |
And renunciation of the world, O king, is full of gain, many and immeasurable are its advantages, its profit can no man calculate. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
just, O king, as no man can put a measure, in wealth, on the value of a wish-conferring gem, Saying: |
Pabbajito, mahārāja, appiccho hoti santuṭṭho pavivitto asaṁsaṭṭho āraddhavīriyo nirālayo aniketo paripuṇṇasīlo sallekhitācāro dhutappaṭipattikusalo hoti, taṁ kāraṇā pabbajitassa yaṁ kiñci karaṇīyaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ khippameva samijjhati no cirarattāya. |
“Such and such is the price of the gem"—just so, O king, is the renunciation of the world full of gain, many and immeasurable are its advantages, its profit can no man calculate—no more, O king, than he could count the number of the waves in the great ocean, and say: |
Yathā, mahārāja, niggaṇṭhisamasudhotaujuvimalanārāco susajjito sammā vahati; |
“So and so many are the waves in the sea!” |
evameva kho, mahārāja, pabbajitassa yaṁ kiñci karaṇīyaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ khippameva samijjhati no cirarattāyā”ti. |
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“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
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| ‘Whatsoever the recluse, O king, may have yet to do, all that doth he accomplish straightway, without delay. | |
| And why is that? | |
Gihipabbajitasammāpaṭipattipañho tatiyo. |
the recluse, O king, is content with little, joyful in heart, detached from the world, apart from society, earnest in zeal, without a home, without a dwelling-place, righteous in conduct, in action without guile, skilled in duty and in the attainments—that is why whatsoever may lie before him yet to do, that can he accomplish straightway, without delay—just as, the flight of your javelin, O king, is rapid because it is of pure metal, smooth, and burnished, and straight, and without a stain.’ |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the recluse having no advantages over the layman. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Buddhavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
4. Paṭipadādosapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, yadā bodhisatto dukkarakārikaṁ akāsi, netādiso aññatra ārambho ahosi nikkamo kilesayuddhaṁ maccusenaṁ vidhamanaṁ āhārapariggaho dukkarakārikā, evarūpe parakkame kiñci assādaṁ alabhitvā tameva cittaṁ parihāpetvā evamavoca ‘na kho panāhaṁ imāya kaṭukāya dukkarakārikāya adhigacchāmi uttari manussadhammaṁ alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ, siyā nu kho añño maggo bodhāyā’ti, tato nibbinditvā aññena maggena sabbaññutaṁ patto, puna tāya paṭipadāya sāvake anusāsati samādapeti. |
6.1.4. Dilemma the Fifty-Fifth. |
| Asceticism | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, when the Bodisat was practising austerity, then there was found no other exertion the like of his, no such power, no such battling against evil, no such putting to rout of the armies of the Evil One, no such abstinence in food, no such austerity of life. | |
‘Ārambhatha nikkhamatha, |
But finding no satisfaction in strife like that, he abandoned that idea, saying: |
yuñjatha buddhasāsane; |
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Dhunātha maccuno senaṁ, |
“Not even by this cruel asceticism am I reaching the peculiar faculty, beyond the power of man, arising from insight into the knowledge of that which is fit and noble. |
naḷāgāraṁva kuñjaro’ti. |
May there not be now some other way to wisdom ?” |
Kena nu kho, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇena tathāgato yāya paṭipadāya attanā nibbinno virattarūpo, tattha sāvake anusāsati samādapetī”ti? |
‘But then, when weary of that path he had by another way attained to omniscience, he, on the other hand, thus again exhorted and instructed his disciple in that path (he had left, saying): |
“Tadāpi, mahārāja, etarahipi sāyeva paṭipadā, taṁyeva paṭipadaṁ paṭipajjitvā bodhisatto sabbaññutaṁ patto. |
“Exert yourselves, be strong, and to the faith |
Api ca, mahārāja, bodhisatto ativīriyaṁ karonto niravasesato āhāraṁ uparundhi. |
The Buddhas taught devote yourselves with zeal. |
Tassa āhārūparodhena cittadubbalyaṁ uppajji. |
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So tena dubbalyena nāsakkhi sabbaññutaṁ pāpuṇituṁ, so mattamattaṁ kabaḷīkārāhāraṁ sevanto tāyeva paṭipadāya nacirasseva sabbaññutaṁ pāpuṇi. |
As a strong elephant a house of reeds, |
Sāyeva, mahārāja, paṭipadā sabbesaṁ tathāgatānaṁ sabbaññutañāṇappaṭilābhāya. |
Shake down the armies of the Evil One. |
Yathā, mahārāja, sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ āhāro upatthambho, āhārūpanissitā sabbe sattā sukhaṁ anubhavanti; |
‘Now what, Nāgasena, is the reason that the Tathāgata exhorted and led his disciples to that path which he had himself abandoned, which he loathed?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sāyeva paṭipadā sabbesaṁ tathāgatānaṁ sabbaññutañāṇappaṭilābhāya, neso, mahārāja, doso ārambhassa, na nikkamassa, na kilesayuddhassa, yena tathāgato tasmiṁ samaye na pāpuṇi sabbaññutañāṇaṁ, atha kho āhārūparodhasseveso doso, sadā paṭiyattā yevesā paṭipadā. |
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| ‘Both then also, O king, and now too, that is still the only path. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso addhānaṁ ativegena gaccheyya, tena so pakkhahato vā bhaveyya pīṭhasappī vā asañcaro pathavitale. |
And it is along that path that the Bodisat attained to Buddhahood. |
Api nu kho, mahārāja, mahāpathaviyā doso atthi, yena so puriso pakkhahato ahosī”ti? |
Although the Bodisat, O king, exerting himself strenuously, reduced the food he took till he had decreased it to nothing at all, and by that disuse of food he became weak in mind, yet when he returned little by little to the use of solid food, it was by that path that before long he attained to Buddhahood. |
“Na hi, bhante; |
And that only has been the path along which all the Tathāgatas reached to the attainment of the insight of omniscience. |
sadā paṭiyattā, bhante, mahāpathavī, kuto tassā doso? |
Just as food is the support of all beings, as it is in dependence on food that all beings live at ease, just so is that the path of all the Tathāgatas to the attainment of the insight of omniscience. |
Vāyāmasseveso doso, yena so puriso pakkhahato ahosī”ti. |
The fault was not, O king, in the exertion, was not in the power, not in the battle waged against evil, that the Tathāgata did not then, at once, attain to Buddhahood. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, neso doso ārambhassa, na nikkamassa, na kilesayuddhassa, yena tathāgato tasmiṁ samaye na pāpuṇi sabbaññutañāṇaṁ, atha kho āhārūparodhasseveso doso sadā paṭiyattā yevesā paṭipadā. |
But the fault was in the disuse of food, and the path itself (of austerity) was always ready for use. |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, puriso kiliṭṭhaṁ sāṭakaṁ nivāseyya, na so taṁ dhovāpeyya, neso doso udakassa, sadā paṭiyattaṁ udakaṁ. |
‘Suppose, O king, that a man should follow a path in great haste, and by that haste his sides should give way, or he should fall a cripple on the ground, unable to move, would there then be any fault, O king, in the broad earth that that man’s sides had given way?’ |
Purisasseveso doso. |
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Evameva kho, mahārāja, neso doso ārambhassa, na nikkamassa, na kilesayuddhassa, yena tathāgato tasmiṁ samaye na pāpuṇi sabbaññutañāṇaṁ, atha kho āhārūparodhasseveso doso, sadā paṭiyattā yevesā paṭipadā, tasmā tathāgato tāyeva paṭipadāya sāvake anusāsati samādapeti, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, sadā paṭiyattā anavajjā sā paṭipadā”ti. |
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“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir! |
| the great earth is always ready. | |
| How should it be in fault? | |
Paṭipadādosapañho catuttho. |
the fault was in the man’s own zeal which made him fail.’ |
| ‘And just even so, O king, the fault was not in the exertion, not in the power, not in the battle waged against evil, that the Tathāgata did not then, at once, attain to Buddhahood. | |
| But the fault was in the disuse of food, and the path itself was always ready— just as if a man should wear a robe, and never have it washed, the fault would not be in the water, which would always be ready for use, but in the man himself. | |
| That is why the Tathāgata exhorted and led his disciples along that very path. | |
| For that path, O king, is always ready, always right.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the path. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Buddhavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
5. Hīnāyāvattanapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, mahantaṁ idaṁ tathāgatasāsanaṁ sāraṁ varaṁ seṭṭhaṁ pavaraṁ anupamaṁ parisuddhaṁ vimalaṁ paṇḍaraṁ anavajjaṁ, na yuttaṁ gihiṁ tāvatakaṁ pabbajetuṁ, gihīyeva ekasmiṁ phale vinetvā yadā apunarāvattī hoti tadā so pabbājetabbo. |
6.1.5. Dilemma the Fifty-Sixth. |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
The Backsliders |
Ime dujjanā tāva tattha sāsane visuddhe pabbajitvā paṭinivattitvā hīnāyāvattanti, tesaṁ paccāgamanena ayaṁ mahājano evaṁ vicinteti ‘tucchakaṁ vata bho etaṁ samaṇassa gotamassa sāsanaṁ bhavissati, yaṁ ime paṭinivattantī’ti, idamettha kāraṇan”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, this doctrine of the Tathāgatas is mighty, essentially true, precious, excellent, noble, peerless, pure and stainless, clear and faultless. |
| It is not right to admit a layman who is merely a disciple into the Order. | |
| He should be instructed as a layman still, till he have attained to the Fruit of the First Path, and then be admitted. | |
“Yathā, mahārāja, taḷāko bhaveyya sampuṇṇasucivimalasītalasalilo, atha yo koci kiliṭṭho malakaddamagato taṁ taḷākaṁ gantvā anahāyitvā kiliṭṭhova paṭinivatteyya, tattha, mahārāja, katamaṁ jano garaheyya kiliṭṭhaṁ vā taḷākaṁ vā”ti? |
And why is this? |
“Kiliṭṭhaṁ, bhante, jano garaheyya ‘ayaṁ taḷākaṁ gantvā anahāyitvā kiliṭṭhova paṭinivatto, kiṁ imaṁ anahāyitukāmaṁ taḷāko sayaṁ nahāpessati, ko doso taḷākassā’”ti. |
When these men, still being evil, have been admitted into a religion so pure, they give it up, and return again to the lower state, and by their backsliding the people is led to think: |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato vimuttivarasalilasampuṇṇaṁ saddhammavarataḷākaṁ māpesi ‘ye keci kilesamalakiliṭṭhā sacetanā budhā, te idha nahāyitvā sabbakilese pavāhayissantī’ti. |
“Vain must be this religion of the Samaṇa Gotama, which these men have given up.” |
Yadi koci taṁ saddhammavarataḷākaṁ gantvā anahāyitvā sakilesova paṭinivattitvā hīnāyāvattati taṁyeva jano garahissati ‘ayaṁ jinasāsane pabbajitvā tattha patiṭṭhaṁ alabhitvā hīnāyāvatto, kiṁ imaṁ appaṭipajjantaṁ jinasāsanaṁ sayaṁ bodhessati, ko doso jinasāsanassā’ti? |
This is the reason for what I say.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, puriso paramabyādhito roguppattikusalaṁ amoghadhuvasiddhakammaṁ bhisakkaṁ sallakattaṁ disvā atikicchāpetvā sabyādhikova paṭinivatteyya, tattha katamaṁ jano garaheyya āturaṁ vā bhisakkaṁ vā”ti? |
‘Suppose, O king, there were a bathing tank, full of pure clear cold water. |
“Āturaṁ, bhante, jano garaheyya ‘ayaṁ roguppattikusalaṁ amoghadhuvasiddhakammaṁ bhisakkaṁ sallakattaṁ disvā atikicchāpetvā sabyādhikova paṭinivatto, kiṁ imaṁ atikicchāpentaṁ bhisakko sayaṁ tikicchissati, ko doso bhisakkassā’”ti? |
And some man, dirty, covered with stains and mud, should come there, and without bathing in it should turn back again, still dirty as before. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato antosāsanasamugge kevalaṁ sakalakilesabyādhivūpasamanasamatthaṁ amatosadhaṁ pakkhipi, ‘ye keci kilesabyādhipīḷitā sacetanā budhā, te imaṁ amatosadhaṁ pivitvā sabbakilesabyādhiṁ vūpasamessantī’ti. |
Now in that matter whom would the people blame, the dirty man, or the bathing tank?’ |
Yadi koci taṁ amatosadhaṁ apivitvā sakilesova paṭinivattitvā hīnāyāvattati, taṁyeva jano garahissati ‘ayaṁ jinasāsane pabbajitvā tattha patiṭṭhaṁ alabhitvā hīnāyāvatto, kiṁ imaṁ appaṭipajjantaṁ jinasāsanaṁ sayaṁ bodhessati, ko doso jinasāsanassā’ti? |
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| ‘The dirty man, Sir, would the people blame, saying: | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, chāto puriso mahatimahāpuññabhattaparivesanaṁ gantvā taṁ bhattaṁ abhuñjitvā chātova paṭinivatteyya, tattha katamaṁ jano garaheyya chātaṁ vā puññabhattaṁ vā”ti? |
“This fellow came to the bathing tank, and has gone back as dirty as before. |
“Chātaṁ, bhante, jano garaheyya ‘ayaṁ khudāpīḷito puññabhattaṁ paṭilabhitvā abhuñjitvā chātova paṭinivatto, kiṁ imassa abhuñjantassa bhojanaṁ sayaṁ mukhaṁ pavisissati, ko doso bhojanassā’”ti? |
How could the bathing tank, of itself, cleanse a man who did not care to bathe? |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tathāgato antosāsanasamugge paramapavaraṁ santaṁ sivaṁ paṇītaṁ amataṁ paramamadhuraṁ kāyagatāsatibhojanaṁ ṭhapesi ‘ye keci kilesachātajjhattā taṇhāparetamānasā sacetanā budhā, te imaṁ bhojanaṁ bhuñjitvā kāmarūpārūpabhavesu sabbaṁ taṇhamapanessantī’ti. |
What fault is there in the tank?” |
Yadi koci taṁ bhojanaṁ abhuñjitvā taṇhāsitova paṭinivattitvā hīnāyāvattati, taññeva jano garahissati ‘ayaṁ jinasāsane pabbajitvā tattha patiṭṭhaṁ alabhitvā hīnāyāvatto, kiṁ imaṁ appaṭipajjantaṁ jinasāsanaṁ sayaṁ bodhessasi, ko doso jinasāsanassā’ti? |
’ |
| ‘Just so, O king, has the Tathāgata constructed a bathing tank full of the excellent waters of emancipation—the bath of the good law. | |
Yadi, mahārāja, tathāgato gihiṁyeva ekasmiṁ phale vinītaṁ pabbājeyya, na nāmāyaṁ pabbajjā kilesappahānāya visuddhiyā vā, natthi pabbajjāya karaṇīyaṁ. |
Whosoever of conscious discerning beings are polluted with the stains of sin, they, bathing in it, can wash away all their sins. |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso anekasatena kammena taḷākaṁ khaṇāpetvā parisāya evamanussāveyya ‘mā me, bhonto, keci saṅkiliṭṭhā imaṁ taḷākaṁ otaratha, pavāhitarajojallā parisuddhā vimalamaṭṭhā imaṁ taḷākaṁ otarathā’ti. |
And if any one, having gone to that bathing tank of the good law, should not bathe in it, but turn back polluted as before, and return again to the lower state, it is him the people would blame, and say: |
Api nu kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ pavāhitarajojallānaṁ parisuddhānaṁ vimalamaṭṭhānaṁ tena taḷākena karaṇīyaṁ bhaveyyā”ti? |
“This man entered religion according to the doctrine of the Conquerors, and finding no resting-place within it, has returned again to the lower state. |
“Na hi, bhante, yassatthāya te taṁ taḷākaṁ upagaccheyyuṁ, taṁ aññatreva tesaṁ kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, kiṁ tesaṁ tena taḷākenā”ti? |
How could the religion of the Conquerors, of itself, cleanse him who would not regulate his life in accordance with it? |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yadi tathāgato gihiṁyeva ekasmiṁ phale vinītaṁ pabbājeyya, tattheva tesaṁ kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, kiṁ tesaṁ pabbajjāya. |
What fault is there in the system?” |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, sabhāvaisibhattiko sutamantapadadharo atakkiko roguppattikusalo amoghadhuvasiddhakammo bhisakko sallakatto sabbarogūpasamabhesajjaṁ sannipātetvā parisāya evamanussāveyya ‘mā kho, bhonto, keci sabyādhikā mama santike upagacchatha, abyādhikā arogā mama santike upagacchathā’ti. |
‘Or suppose, O king, that a man afflicted with dire disease should visit a physician skilled in diagnosis, knowing an efficacious and lasting method of cure, and that that man should then not let himself be treated, but go back again as ill as before. |
Api nu kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ abyādhikānaṁ arogānaṁ paripuṇṇānaṁ udaggānaṁ tena bhisakkena karaṇīyaṁ bhaveyyā”ti? |
Now therein whom would the people blame, the sick man or the doctor?’ |
“Na hi, bhante, yassatthāya te taṁ bhisakkaṁ sallakattaṁ upagaccheyyuṁ, taṁ aññatreva tesaṁ kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, kiṁ tesaṁ tena bhisakkenā”ti? |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yadi tathāgato gihiṁyeva ekasmiṁ phale vinītaṁ pabbājeyya, tattheva tesaṁ kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, kiṁ tesaṁ pabbajjāya? |
|
| It is the sick man, Sir, they would blame, saying: | |
| “How could the physician, of himself, cure this man, who would not let himself be treated? | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, koci puriso anekathālipākasataṁ bhojanaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā parisāya evamanussāveyya ‘mā me, bhonto, keci chātā imaṁ parivesanaṁ upagacchatha, subhuttā tittā suhitā dhātā pīṇitā paripuṇṇā imaṁ parivesanaṁ upagacchathā’ti. |
What fault is there in the doctor?” |
Api nu kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ bhuttāvīnaṁ tittānaṁ suhitānaṁ dhātānaṁ pīṇitānaṁ paripuṇṇānaṁ tena bhojanena karaṇīyaṁ bhaveyyā”ti? |
’ |
“Na hi, bhante, yassatthāya te taṁ parivesanaṁ upagaccheyyuṁ, taṁ aññatreva tesaṁ kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, kiṁ tesaṁ tāya parivesanāyā”ti? |
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“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yadi tathāgato gihiṁyeva ekasmiṁ phale vinītaṁ pabbājeyya, tattheva tesaṁ kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, kiṁ tesaṁ pabbajjāya? |
‘Just so, O king, has the Tathāgata deposited in the casket of his religion the ambrosial medicine (of Nirvāṇa) which is able to entirely suppress all the sickness of sin, thinking: |
| “May all those of conscious sentient beings who are afflicted with the sickness of sin drink of this ambrosia, and so allay all their disease.” | |
| And if any one, without drinking the ambrosia, should turn back again with the evil still within him, and return once more to the lower state, it is he whom the people will blame, saying: | |
Api ca, mahārāja, ye hīnāyāvattanti, te jinasāsanassa pañca atuliye guṇe dassenti. |
“This man entered religion according to the doctrine of the Conquerors, and finding no resting-place within it, has returned again to the lower state. |
Katame pañca? |
How could the religion of the Conquerors, of itself, cure him who would not regulate his life in accordance with it? |
Bhūmimahantabhāvaṁ dassenti, parisuddhavimalabhāvaṁ dassenti, pāpehi asaṁvāsiyabhāvaṁ dassenti, duppaṭivedhabhāvaṁ dassenti, bahusaṁvararakkhiyabhāvaṁ dassenti. |
What fault is there in the system?” |
Kathaṁ bhūmimahantabhāvaṁ dassenti? |
26. ‘Or suppose, O king, a starving man were to attend at a place where a mighty largesse of food given for charity was being distributed, and then should go away again, still starving, without eating anything. |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso adhano hīnajacco nibbiseso buddhiparihīno mahārajjaṁ paṭilabhitvā na cirasseva paripatati paridhaṁsati parihāyati yasato, na sakkoti issariyaṁ sandhāretuṁ. |
Whom then would the people blame, the starving man, or the feast of piety?’ |
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Mahantattā issariyassa. |
|
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye keci nibbisesā akatapuññā buddhiparihīnā jinasāsane pabbajanti, te taṁ pabbajjaṁ pavaruttamaṁ sandhāretuṁ avisahantā na cirasseva jinasāsanā paripatitvā paridhaṁsitvā parihāyitvā hīnāyāvattanti, na sakkonti jinasāsanaṁ sandhāretuṁ. |
|
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Mahantattā jinasāsanabhūmiyā. |
‘It is the starving man, Sir, they would blame, saying: |
Evaṁ bhūmimahantabhāvaṁ dassenti. |
“This fellow, though tormented with hunger, still when the feast of piety was provided for him, partook of nothing, and went back as hungry as before. |
| How could the meal, of which he would not eat, enter, of itself, into his mouth? | |
| What fault is there in the food? | |
Kathaṁ parisuddhavimalabhāvaṁ dassenti? |
“’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, vāri pokkharapatte vikirati vidhamati vidhaṁseti, na ṭhānamupagacchati nūpalimpati. |
|
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Parisuddhavimalattā padumassa. |
‘Just so, O king, has the Tathāgata placed the most excellent, good, auspicious, delicate ambrosial food, surpassing sweet, of the realisation of the impermanency of all things, into the casket of his religion, thinking: |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye keci saṭhā kūṭā vaṅkā kuṭilā visamadiṭṭhino jinasāsane pabbajanti, te parisuddhavimalanikkaṇṭakapaṇḍaravarappavarasāsanato na cirasseva vikiritvā vidhamitvā vidhaṁsetvā asaṇṭhahitvā anupalimpitvā hīnāyāvattanti. |
“May all those of conscious sentient beings who feel within them the torment of sin, whose hearts are deadened by cravings, feeding upon this food, allay every longing that they have for future life in any form, in any world.” |
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Parisuddhavimalattā jinasāsanassa. |
And if any one, without enjoying this food, should turn back, still dominated by his cravings, and return once more to the lower state, it is he whom the people will blame, saying: |
Evaṁ parisuddhavimalabhāvaṁ dassenti. |
“This man entered religion according to the doctrine of the Conquerors, and finding no resting-place within it, has returned again to the lower state. |
| How could the religion of the Conquerors, of itself, purify him who would not regulate his life in accordance with it? | |
| What fault is there in the system?” | |
Kathaṁ pāpehi asaṁvāsiyabhāvaṁ dassenti? |
’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo na matena kuṇapena saṁvasati, yaṁ hoti mahāsamudde mataṁ kuṇapaṁ, taṁ khippameva tīraṁ upaneti thalaṁ vā ussāreti. |
|
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Mahābhūtānaṁ bhavanattā mahāsamuddassa. |
‘If the Tathāgata, O king, had let a householder be received into the Order only after he had been trained in the first stage of the Excellent Way, then would renunciation of the world no longer indeed be said to avail for the putting away of evil qualities, for purification of heart—then would there be no longer any use in renunciation. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye keci pāpakā asaṁvutā ahirikā akiriyā osannavīriyā kusītā kiliṭṭhā dujjanā manussā jinasāsane pabbajanti, te na cirasseva jinasāsanato arahantavimalakhīṇāsavamahābhūtabhavanato nikkhamitvā asaṁvasitvā hīnāyāvattanti. |
It would be as if a man were to have a bathing tank excavated by the labour of hundreds (of workpeople), and were then to have a public announcement made: |
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Pāpehi asaṁvāsiyattā jinasāsanassa. |
“Let no one who is dirty go down into this tank! |
Evaṁ pāpehi asaṁvāsiyabhāvaṁ dassenti. |
Let only those whose dust and dirt have been washed away, who are purified and stainless, go down into this tank!” |
| Now would that bath, O king, be of any use to those thus purified and stainless? | |
Kathaṁ duppaṭivedhabhāvaṁ dassenti? |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, ye keci achekā asikkhitā asippino mativippahīnā issāsā vālaggavedhaṁ avisahantā vigaḷanti pakkamanti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir! |
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Saṇhasukhumaduppaṭivedhattā vālaggassa. |
the advantage they would have sought in going into the bath they would have already gained elsewhere. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye keci duppaññā jaḷā eḷamūgā mūḷhā dandhagatikā janā jinasāsane pabbajanti, te taṁ paramasaṇhasukhumacatusaccappaṭivedhaṁ paṭivijjhituṁ avisahantā jinasāsanā vigaḷitvā pakkamitvā na cirasseva hīnāyāvattanti. |
Of what use would the bath be to them then?’ |
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Paramasaṇhasukhumaduppaṭivedhatāya saccānaṁ. |
|
Evaṁ duppaṭivedhabhāvaṁ dassenti. |
|
| ‘Just so, O king, had the Tathāgata ordained that only laymen who had already entered the first stage of the Excellent Way should be received into the Order, then would the advantage they seek in it have been already gained. | |
| Of what use would the renunciation be to them then? | |
Kathaṁ bahusaṁvararakkhiyabhāvaṁ dassenti? |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso mahatimahāyuddhabhūmimupagato parasenāya disāvidisāhi samantā parivārito sattihatthaṁ janamupentaṁ disvā bhīto osakkati paṭinivattati palāyati. |
|
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Bahuvidhayuddhamukharakkhaṇabhayā. |
‘Or suppose, O king, that a physician, a true follower of the sages of old, one who carries (in his memory) the ancient traditions and verses, a practical man, skilled in diagnosis, and master of an efficacious and lasting system of treatment, who had collected (from medicinal herbs) a medicine able to cure every disease, were to have it announced: |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye keci pāpakā asaṁvutā ahirikā akiriyā akkhantī capalā calitā ittarā bālajanā jinasāsane pabbajanti, te bahuvidhaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ parirakkhituṁ avisahantā osakkitvā paṭinivattitvā palāyitvā na cirasseva hīnāyāvattanti. |
“Let none, Sirs, who are ill come to visit me! |
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? Bahuvidhasaṁvararakkhiyabhāvattā jinasāsanassa. |
Let the healthy and the strong visit me!” |
Evaṁ bahuvidhasaṁvararakkhiyabhāvaṁ dassenti. |
Now, would then, O king, those men free from illness and disease, healthy and jubilant, get what they wanted from that physician?’ |
Thalajuttamepi, mahārāja, vassikāgumbe kimividdhāni pupphāni honti, tāni aṅkurāni saṅkuṭitāni antarāyeva paripatanti, na ca tesu paripatitesu vassikāgumbo hīḷito nāma hoti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir! |
Yāni tattha ṭhitāni pupphāni, tāni sammā gandhena disāvidisaṁ abhibyāpenti. |
What men want from a physician, that would they have already obtained otherwise. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te jinasāsane pabbajitvā hīnāyāvattanti, te jinasāsane kimividdhāni vassikāpupphāni viya vaṇṇagandharahitā nibbaṇṇākārasīlā abhabbā vepullāya, na ca tesaṁ hīnāyāvattanena jinasāsanaṁ hīḷitaṁ nāma hoti. |
What use would the physician be to them?’ |
Ye tattha ṭhitā bhikkhū, te sadevakaṁ lokaṁ sīlavaragandhena abhibyāpenti. |
|
| ‘Just so, O king, had the Tathāgata ordained that only those laymen who had already entered the first stage of the Excellent Way should be received into the Order, then would the advantages they seek in it have been already gained elsewhere. | |
Sālīnampi, mahārāja, nirātaṅkānaṁ lohitakānaṁ antare karumbhakaṁ nāma sālijāti uppajjitvā antarā yeva vinassati, na ca tassā vinaṭṭhattā lohitakasālī hīḷitā nāma honti. |
Of what use would the renunciation be to them then? |
Ye tattha ṭhitā sālī, te rājūpabhogā honti. |
|
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te jinasāsane pabbajitvā hīnāyāvattanti, te lohitakasālīnamantare karumbhakā viya jinasāsane na vaḍḍhitvā vepullataṁ na pāpuṇitvā antarāyeva hīnāyāvattanti, na ca tesaṁ hīnāyāvattanena jinasāsanaṁ hīḷitaṁ nāma hoti. |
|
Ye tattha ṭhitā bhikkhū te arahattassa anucchavikā honti. |
‘Or suppose, O king, that some had had many hundreds of dishes of boiled milk-rice prepared, and were to have it announced to those about him: |
| ‘Let not, Sirs, any hungry man approach to this feast of charity. | |
| Let those who have well fed, the satisfied, refreshed, and satiated, those who have regaled themselves, and are filled with good cheer—let them come to the feast.” | |
Kāmadadassāpi, mahārāja, maṇiratanassa ekadesaṁ kakkasaṁ uppajjati, na ca tattha kakkasuppannattā maṇiratanaṁ hīḷitaṁ nāma hoti. |
Now would any advantage, O king, be derived from the feast by those men thus well fed, satisfied, refreshed, satiated, regaled, and filled with good cheer?’ |
Yaṁ tattha parisuddhaṁ maṇiratanassa, taṁ janassa hāsakaraṁ hoti. |
|
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te jinasāsane pabbajitvā hīnāyāvattanti, kakkasā te jinasāsane papaṭikā, na ca tesaṁ hīnāyāvattanena jinasāsanaṁ hīḷitaṁ nāma hoti. |
|
Ye tattha ṭhitā bhikkhū, te devamanussānaṁ hāsajanakā honti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir! |
| the very advantage they would seek in going to the feast, that would they have already attained elsewhere. | |
| What good would the feast be to them?’ | |
Jātisampannassapi, mahārāja, lohitacandanassa ekadesaṁ pūtikaṁ hoti appagandhaṁ. |
|
Na tena lohitacandanaṁ hīḷitaṁ nāma hoti. |
|
Yaṁ tattha apūtikaṁ sugandhaṁ, taṁ samantā vidhūpeti abhibyāpeti. |
‘Just so, O king, had the Tathāgata, ordained that only those laymen who had already entered the first stage of the Excellent Way should be received into the Order, thus would the advantages they seek in it have been already gained elsewhere. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te jinasāsane pabbajitvā hīnāyāvattanti, te lohitacandanasārantare pūtikadesamiva chaḍḍanīyā jinasāsane, na ca tesaṁ hīnāyāvattanena jinasāsanaṁ hīḷitaṁ nāma hoti. |
Of what use would the renunciation be to them? |
Ye tattha ṭhitā bhikkhū, te sadevakaṁ lokaṁ sīlavaracandanagandhena anulimpayantī”ti. |
|
| ‘But notwithstanding that, O king, they who return to the lower state manifest thereby five immeasurably good qualities in the religion of the Conquerors. | |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, tena tena anucchavikena tena tena sadisena kāraṇena niravajjamanupāpitaṁ jinasāsanaṁ seṭṭhabhāvena paridīpitaṁ, hīnāyāvattamānāpi te jinasāsanassa seṭṭhabhāvaṁyeva paridīpentī”ti. |
And what are the five? |
| They show how glorious is the state (which those have reached who have entered the Order), how purified it is from every stain, how impossible it is for the sinful to dwell within it together (with the good), how difficult it is to realise (its glory), how many are the restraints to be observed within it. | |
Hīnāyāvattanapañho pañcamo. |
|
| ‘And how do they show the mighty glory of that state? | |
| just, O king, as if a man, poor, and of low birth, without distinction, deficient in wisdom, were to come into possession of a great and mighty kingdom, it would not be long before he would be overthrown, utterly destroyed, and deprived of his glory. | |
| For he would be unable to support his dignity. | |
| And why so? | |
| Because of the greatness thereof. | |
| just so is it, O king, that whosoever are without distinction, have acquired no merit, and are devoid of wisdom, when they renounce the world according to the religion of the Conquerors, then, unable to bear that most excellent renunciation, overthrown, fallen, and deprived of their glory, they return to the lower state. | |
| For they are unable to carry out the doctrine of the Conquerors. | |
| And why so? | |
| Because of the exalted nature of the condition which that doctrine brings about. | |
| Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the mighty glory of that state. | |
| ‘And how do they show how purified that state is from every stain? | |
| just, O king, as water, when it has fallen upon a lotus, flows away, disperses, scatters, disappears, adheres not to it. | |
| And why so? | |
| Because of the lotus being pure from any spot. | |
| Just so, O king, when whosoever are deceitful, tricky, crafty, treacherous, holders of lawless opinions, have been admitted into the religion of the Conquerors, it is not long before they disperse, and scatter, and fall from that pure and stainless, clear and faultless, most high and excellent religion, and finding no standing-place in it, adhering no longer to it, they return to the lower state. | |
| And why so? | |
| Because the religion of the Conquerors has been purified from every stain. | |
| Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the purity of that state from every stain. | |
| ‘And how do they show how impossible it is for the sinful to dwell within it together with the good? | |
| just, O king, as the great ocean does not tolerate the continuance in it of a dead corpse, but whatever corpse may be in the sea, that does it bring quickly to the shore, and cast it out on to the dry land. | |
| And why so? | |
| Because the ocean is The abode of mighty creatures. | |
| Just so, O king, when whosoever are sinful, foolish, with their zeal evaporated, distressed, impure, and bad, have been admitted into the religion of the Conquerors, it is not long before they abandon that religion, and dwelling no longer in it—the abode of the mighty, the Arahats, purified, and free from the Great Evils —they return to the lower state. | |
| And why so? | |
| Because it is impossible for the wicked to dwell in the religion of the Conquerors. | |
| Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the impossibility of the sinful to abide within it together with the good. | |
| ‘And how do they show how difficult a state it is to grasp? | |
| just, O king, as archers who are clumsy, untrained, ignorant, and bereft of skill, are incapable of high feats of archery, such as hairsplitting, but miss the object, and shoot beyond the mark. | |
| And why so? | |
| Because of the fineness and minuteness of the horse-hair. | |
| just so, O king, when foolish, stupid, imbecile, dull, slow-minded fellows renounce the world according to the doctrine of the Conquerors, then they, unable to grasp the exquisitely fine and subtle distinctions of the Four Truths, missing them, going beyond them, turn back before long to the lower state. | |
| And why so? | |
| Because it is so difficult to penetrate into the finenesses and subtleties of the Truths. | |
| This is how they show forth the difficulty of its realisation. | |
| ‘And how do they show how many are the restraints to be observed within it? | |
| just, O king, as a man who had gone to a place where a mighty battle was going on, when, surrounded on all sides by the forces of the enemy, he sees the armed hosts crowding in upon him, will give way, turn back, and take to flight. | |
| And why so? | |
| Out of fear lest he should not be saved in the midst of so hot a fight. | |
| Just so, O king, when whosoever are wicked, unrestrained, shameless, foolish, full of ill-will, fickle, unsteady, mean and stupid, renounce the world under the system of the Conquerors, then they, unable to carry out the manifold precepts, give way, turn back, and take to flight, and so before long return to the lower state. | |
| And why so? | |
| Because of the multiform nature of the restraints to be observed in the religion of the Conquerors. | |
| Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the manifoldness of the restraints to be observed. | |
| ‘As on that best of flowering shrubs, O king, the double jasmine, there may be flowers that have been pierced by insects, and their tender stalks being cut to pieces, they may occasionally fall down. | |
| But by their having fallen is not the jasmine bush disgraced. | |
| For the flowers that still remain upon it pervade every direction with their exquisite perfume. | |
| Just so, O king, whosoever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors, return again to the lower state, are, like jasmine flowers bitten by the insects and deprived of their colour and their smell, colourless as it were in their behaviour, and incapable of development. | |
| But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Conquerors put to shame. | |
| For the members of the Order who remain in the religion pervade the world of gods and men with the exquisite perfume of their right conduct. | |
| ‘Among rice plants that are healthy and ruddy there may spring up a kind of rice plant called Karumbhaka, and that may occasionally fade. | |
| But by its fading are not the red rice plants disgraced. | |
| For those that remain become the food of kings. | |
| Just so, O king, whosoever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors return again to the lower state, they, like Karumbhaka plants among the red rice, may grow not, nor attain development, and may even occasionally relapse into the lower state. | |
| But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Conquerors put to shame, for the brethren that remain stedfast become fitted even for Arahatship. | |
| ‘On one side, O king, of a wish conferring gem a roughness may arise. | |
| But by the appearance of that roughness is not the gem disgraced. | |
| For the purity that remains in the gem fills the people with gladness. | |
| And just so, O king, whosoever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors return again to the lower state, they may be rough ones and fallen ones in the religion. | |
| But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Conquerors put to shame, for the brethren who remain stedfast are the cause of joy springing up in the hearts of gods and men. | |
| ‘Even red sandal wood of the purest sort, O king, may become in some portion of it rotten and scentless. | |
| But thereby is not the sandal wood disgraced. | |
| For that portion which remains wholesome and sweet scatters and diffuses its perfume all around. | |
| And just so, O king, whosoever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors return again to the lower state, they, like the rotten part of the sandal wood, may be as it were thrown away in the religion. | |
| But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Conquerors put to shame. | |
| For the brethren who remain stedfast pervade, with the sandal wood perfume of their right conduct, the world of gods and men.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| By one appropriate simile after another, by one correct analogy after another have you most excellently made clear the faultlessness of the system of the Conquerors, and shown it free from blame. | |
| And even those who have lapsed make evident how excellent that system is.’ | |
| (Here ends the dilemma as to those who have lapsed. | |
| ] |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Buddhavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
6. Arahantavedanāvediyanapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘arahā ekaṁ vedanaṁ vedayati kāyikaṁ, na cetasikan’ti. |
6.1.6. Dilemma the Fifty-Seventh. |
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, arahato cittaṁ yaṁ kāyaṁ nissāya pavattati, tattha arahā anissaro assāmī avasavattī”ti? |
Why Have Arahats No Power Over Their Bodies? |
“Āma, mahārājā”ti. |
|
“Na kho, bhante nāgasena, yuttametaṁ, yaṁ so sakacittassa pavattamāne kāye anissaro hoti assāmī avasavattī; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, your (members of the Order) say: |
sakuṇopi tāva, bhante, yasmiṁ kulāvake paṭivasati, tattha so issaro hoti sāmī vasavattī”ti. |
|
| “There is one kind of pain only which an Arahat suffers, bodily pain, that is, and not mental.” | |
“Dasayime, mahārāja, kāyānugatā dhammā bhave bhave kāyaṁ anudhāvanti anuparivattanti. |
|
Katame dasa? |
|
Sītaṁ uṇhaṁ jighacchā pipāsā uccāro passāvo middhaṁ jarā byādhi maraṇaṁ. |
‘How is this, Nāgasena? |
Ime kho, mahārāja, dasa kāyānugatā dhammā bhave bhave kāyaṁ anudhāvanti anuparivattanti, tattha arahā anissaro assāmī avasavattī”ti. |
the Arahat keeps his mind going by means of the body. |
| Has the Arahat no lordship, no mastery, no power over the body?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, kena kāraṇena arahato kāye āṇā nappavattati issariyaṁ vā, tattha me kāraṇaṁ brūhī”ti? |
|
“Yathā, mahārāja, ye keci pathavinissitā sattā, sabbe te pathaviṁ nissāya caranti viharanti vuttiṁ kappenti, api nu kho, mahārāja, tesaṁ pathaviyā āṇā pavattati issariyaṁ vā”ti? |
‘No, he has not, O king.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, arahato cittaṁ kāyaṁ nissāya pavattati, na ca arahato kāye āṇā pavattati issariyaṁ vā”ti. |
|
| ‘That, Sir, is not right that over the body, by which he keeps his mind going, he should have neither lordship, nor mastery, nor power. | |
| Even a bird, Sir, is lord and master and ruler over the nest in which he dwells.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, kena kāraṇena puthujjano kāyikampi cetasikampi vedanaṁ vedayatī”ti? |
|
“Abhāvitattā, mahārāja, cittassa puthujjano kāyikampi cetasikampi vedanaṁ vedayati. |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, goṇo chāto paritasito abaladubbalaparittakatiṇesu vā latāya vā upanibaddho assa, yadā so goṇo parikupito hoti, tadā saha upanibandhanena pakkamati. |
‘There are these ten qualities, O king, inherent in the body, which run after it, as it were, and accompany it from existence to existence. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, abhāvitacittassa vedanā uppajjitvā cittaṁ parikopeti, cittaṁ parikupitaṁ kāyaṁ ābhujati nibbhujati samparivattakaṁ karoti. |
And what are the ten? |
Atha kho so abhāvitacitto tasati ravati bheravarāvamabhiravati, idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena puthujjano kāyikampi cetasikampi vedanaṁ vedayatī”ti. |
Cold and heat, hunger and thirst, The necessity of voiding excreta, fatigue and sleepiness, old age, disease, and death. |
| And in respect thereof, the Arahat is without lordship, without mastery, without power.’ | |
“Kiṁ pana taṁ kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena arahā ekaṁ vedanaṁ vedayati kāyikaṁ, na cetasikan”ti? |
|
“Arahato, mahārāja, cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ hoti subhāvitaṁ dantaṁ sudantaṁ assavaṁ vacanakaraṁ, so dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno ‘aniccan’ti daḷhaṁ gaṇhāti, samādhithambhe cittaṁ upanibandhati, tassa taṁ cittaṁ samādhithambhe upanibandhanaṁ na vedhati na calati, ṭhitaṁ hoti avikkhittaṁ, tassa vedanāvikāravipphārena kāyo ābhujati nibbhujati samparivattati, idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena arahā ekaṁ vedanaṁ vedayati kāyikaṁ, na cetasikan”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, what is the reason why the commands of the Arahat have no power over his body, neither has he any mastery over it? |
| Tell me that. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, taṁ nāma loke acchariyaṁ yaṁ kāye calamāne cittaṁ na calati, tattha me kāraṇaṁ brūhī”ti. |
|
“Yathā, mahārāja, mahatimahārukkhe khandhasākhāpalāsasampanne anilabalasamāhate sākhā calati, api nu tassa khandhopi calatī”ti? |
‘Just, O king, as whatever beings are dependent on the land, they all walk, and dwell, and carry on their business in dependence upon it. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
But do their commands have force, does their mastery extend over it?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, arahā dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno ‘aniccan’ti daḷhaṁ gaṇhāti, samādhithambhe cittaṁ upanibandhati, tassa taṁ cittaṁ samādhithambhe upanibandhanaṁ na vedhati na calati, ṭhitaṁ hoti avikkhittaṁ, tassa vedanāvikāravipphārena kāyo ābhujati nibbhujati samparivattati, cittaṁ pana tassa na vedhati na calati khandho viya mahārukkhassā”ti. |
|
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, na me evarūpo sabbakāliko dhammapadīpo diṭṭhapubbo”ti. |
|
| ‘Certainly not, Sir!’ | |
Arahantavedanāvediyanapañho chaṭṭho. |
|
| ‘Just so, O king, the Arahat keeps his mind going through the body. | |
| And yet his commands have no authority over it, nor power.’ | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, why is it that the ordinary man suffers both bodily and mental pain?’ | |
| ‘By reason, O king, of the untrained state of his mind. | |
| just, O king, as an ox when trembling with starvation might be tied up with a weak and fragile and tiny rope of grass or creeper. | |
| But if the ox were excited then would he escape, dragging the fastening with him. | |
| Just so, O king, when pain comes upon him whose mind is untrained, then is his mind excited, and the mind so excited bends his body this way and that and makes it grovel on the ground, and he, being thus untrained in mind, trembles and cries, and gives forth terrible groans. | |
| This is why the ordinary man, O king, suffers pain as well in body as in mind.’ | |
| ‘Then why, Sir, does the Arahat only suffer one kind of pain—bodily, that is, and not mental?’ | |
| ‘The mind of the Arahat, O king, is trained, well practised, tamed, brought into subjection, and obedient, and it hearkens to his word. | |
| When affected with feelings of pain, he grasps firmly the idea of the impermanence of all things, so ties his mind as it were to the post of contemplation, and his mind, bound to the post of contemplation, remains unmoved, unshaken, becomes stedfast, wanders not—though his body the while may bend this way and that and roll in agony by the disturbing influence of the pain. | |
| This is why it is only one kind of pain that the Arahat suffers—bodily pain, that is, and not mental.’ | |
| 44., Venerable Nāgasena, that verily is a most marvellous thing that when the body is trembling the mind should not be shaken. | |
| Give me a reason for that.’ | |
| ‘Suppose, O king, there were a noble tree, mighty in trunk and branches and leaves. | |
| And when agitated by the force of the wind its branches should wave. | |
| Would the trunk also move | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir!’ | |
| ‘Well, O king, the mind of the Arahat is as the trunk of that noble tree.’ | |
| ‘ Most wonderful, Nāgasena, and most strange! | |
| Never before have I seen a lamp of the law that burned thus brightly through all time.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the Arahat’s power over his body. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Buddhavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
7. Abhisamayantarāyakarapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, idha yo koci gihī pārājikaṁ ajjhāpanno bhaveyya, so aparena samayena pabbājeyya, attanāpi so na jāneyya ‘gihipārājikaṁ ajjhāpannosmī’ti, napi tassa añño koci ācikkheyya ‘gihipārājikaṁ ajjhāpannosī’ti. |
6.1.7. Dilemma the Fifty-Eighth. |
So ca tathattāya paṭipajjeyya, api nu tassa dhammābhisamayo bhaveyyā”ti? |
The Layman’s Sin |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, suppose a layman had been guilty of a Pārājika offence, and some time after should enter the Order. |
“Kena, bhante, kāraṇenā”ti? |
And neither he himself should be aware that when still a layman he had so been guilty, nor should any one else inform him, saying: |
“Yo tassa hetu dhammābhisamayāya, so tassa samucchinno, tasmā dhammābhisamayo na bhavatī”ti. |
“When a layman you were guilty of such an offence.” |
| Now if he were to devote himself to the attainment of Arahatship, would he be able so to comprehend the Truth as to succeed in entering upon the Excellent Way?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘jānantassa kukkuccaṁ hoti, kukkucce sati āvaraṇaṁ hoti, āvaṭe citte dhammābhisamayo na hotī’ti. |
|
Imassa pana ajānantassa akukkuccajātassa santacittassa viharato kena kāraṇena dhammābhisamayo na hoti, visamena visameneso pañho gacchati, cintetvā visajjethā”ti. |
‘No, O king, he would not.’ |
“Ruhati, mahārāja, sukaṭṭhe sukalale maṇḍakhette sāradaṁ sukhasayitaṁ bījan”ti? |
‘But why not, Sir?’ |
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Api nu, mahārāja, taññeva bījaṁ ghanaselasilātale ruheyyā”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
‘That, in him, which might have been the cause of his grasping the Truth has been, in him, destroyed. |
“Kissa pana, mahārāja, taññeva bījaṁ kalale ruhati, kissa ghanasele na ruhatī”ti? |
No comprehension can therefore take place.’ |
“Natthi, bhante, tassa bījassa ruhanāya ghanasele hetu, ahetunā bījaṁ na ruhatī”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yena hetunā tassa dhammābhisamayo bhaveyya, so tassa hetu samucchinno, ahetunā dhammābhisamayo na hoti. |
|
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say: | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, daṇḍaleḍḍulaguḷamuggarā pathaviyā ṭhānamupagacchanti, api nu, mahārāja, teyeva daṇḍaleḍḍulaguḷamuggarā gagane ṭhānamupagacchantī”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
“To him who is aware (of an offence) there comes remorse. |
“Kiṁ panettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena teyeva daṇḍaleḍḍulaguḷamuggarā pathaviyā ṭhānamupagacchanti, kena kāraṇena gagane na tiṭṭhantī”ti? |
When remorse has arisen there is an obstruction in the heart. |
“Natthi, bhante, tesaṁ daṇḍaleḍḍulaguḷamuggarānaṁ patiṭṭhānāya ākāse hetu, ahetunā na tiṭṭhantī”ti. |
To him whose heart is obstructed there is no comprehension of the Truth.” |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tassa tena dosena abhisamayahetu samucchinno, hetusamugghāte ahetunā abhisamayo na hotīti. |
|
| ‘Why should there then be no such comprehension to one not aware of his offence, feeling no remorse, remaining with a quiet heart. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, thale aggi jalati, api nu kho, mahārāja, soyeva aggi udake jalatī”ti? |
This dilemma touches on two irreconcilable statements. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
Think well before you solve it.’ |
“Kiṁ panettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena soyeva aggi thale jalati, kena kāraṇena udake na jalatī”ti? |
|
“Natthi, bhante, aggissa jalanāya udake hetu, ahetunā na jalatī”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, tassa tena dosena abhisamayahetu samucchinno, hetusamugghāte ahetunā dhammābhisamayo na hotī”ti. |
‘Would selected seed, O king, successfully sown in a well-ploughed, well-watered, fertile soil, come to maturity?’ |
“Bhante nāgasena, punapetaṁ atthaṁ cintehi, na me tattha cittasaññatti bhavati, ajānantassa asati kukkucce āvaraṇaṁ hotīti, kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehī”ti. |
‘Certainly, Sir!’ |
“Api nu, mahārāja, visaṁ halāhalaṁ ajānantena khāyitaṁ jīvitaṁ haratī”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ajānantenapi kataṁ pāpaṁ abhisamayantarāyakaraṁ hoti. |
‘But would the same seed grow on the surface of a thick slab of rock?’ |
Api nu, mahārāja, aggi ajānitvā akkamantaṁ ḍahatī”ti? |
‘Of course not.’ |
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ajānantenapi kataṁ pāpaṁ abhisamayantarāyakaraṁ hoti. |
|
| ‘Why then should the same seed grow in the mud, and not on the rock?’ | |
Api nu, mahārāja, ajānantaṁ āsīviso ḍaṁsitvā jīvitaṁ haratī”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
‘Because on the rock the cause for its growth does not exist. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ajānantenapi kataṁ pāpaṁ abhisamayantarāyakaraṁ hoti. |
Seeds cannot grow without a cause.’ |
Nanu, mahārāja, kāliṅgarājā samaṇakolañño sattaratanaparikiṇṇo hatthiratanamabhiruyha kuladassanāya gacchanto ajānantopi nāsakkhi bodhimaṇḍassa uparito gantuṁ, idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena ajānantenapi kataṁ pāpaṁ abhisamayantarāyakaraṁ hotī”ti? |
‘Just so, O king, the cause by reason of which his comprehension of the Truth (his conversion) might have been brought about, has been rooted out in him. |
“Jinabhāsitaṁ, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇaṁ na sakkā paṭikkosituṁ, esovetassa attho tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
Conversion cannot take place without a cause.’ |
Abhisamayantarāyakarapañho sattamo. |
‘[Give me, Sir, another simile.’ |
| ] | |
| ‘Well, O king, will sticks and clods and cudgels and clubs find a resting-place in the air, in the same way as they do on the ground?’ | |
| ‘No, Sir.’ | |
| ‘But what is the reason why they come to rest on the earth, when they will not stand in the air?’ | |
| ‘There is no cause in the air for their stability, and without a cause they will not stand.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, by that fault of his the cause for his conversion has been removed. | |
| And without a cause there can be no conversion. | |
| Now will fire, O king, burn in water in the same way as it will on land?’ | |
| ‘No, Sir.’ | |
| ‘But why not?’ | |
| ‘Because in water the conditions precedent for burning do not exist. | |
| And there can be no burning without them.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, are the conditions precedent to conversion destroyed in him by that offence of his. | |
| And when the conditions which would bring it about are destroyed there can be no conversion.’ | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, think over this matter once more. | |
| I am not yet convinced about it. | |
| Persuade me by some reason how such obstruction can occur in the case of one not aware of his offence, and feeling therefore no remorse.’ | |
| ‘Would the Halāhala poison, O king, if eaten by a man who did not know he had eaten it, take away his life?’ | |
| ‘Yes, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, is there an obstruction to his comprehension of the Truth, who, without being aware of it, has committed a sin. | |
| And would fire, O king, burn a man who walked into it unawares?’ | |
| ‘Yes, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Well, just so in the case you put. | |
| Or would a venomous snake, if it bit a man without his knowing it, kill him?’ | |
| ‘Yes, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Well, just so in the case you put. | |
| And is it not true that Samaṇa Kolañña, the king of Kaliṅga—when surrounded by the seven treasures of a sovereign overlord he went mounted on his state elephant to pay a visit to his relatives—was not able to pass the Tree of Wisdom, though he was not aware that it was there ? | |
| Well, of the same kind is the reason why one who has committed an offence, even though he know it not, is nevertheless incapable of rising to the knowledge of the Truth.’ | |
| ‘Verily, Nāgasena, this must be the word of the Conqueror. | |
| To find any fault with it were vain. | |
| And this (explanation of yours) must be the meaning of it. | |
| I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma of the layman’s sin. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Buddhavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
8. Dussīlapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, gihidussīlassa ca samaṇadussīlassa ca ko viseso, kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ, ubhopete samasamagatikā, ubhinnampi samasamo vipāko hoti, udāhu kiñci nānākāraṇaṁ atthī”ti? |
6.1.8. Dilemma the Fifty-Ninth. |
| The Guilty Recluse | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinction, what the difference, between a layman who has done wrong, and a Samaṇa (member of the Order) who has done wrong? | |
“Dasayime, mahārāja, guṇā samaṇadussīlassa gihidussīlato visesena atirekā, dasahi ca kāraṇehi uttariṁ dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti. |
Will they both be reborn in like condition? |
| Will the like retribution happen to both? | |
| Or is there any difference?’ | |
Katame dasa guṇā samaṇadussīlassa gihidussīlato visesena atirekā? |
|
Idha, mahārāja, samaṇadussīlo buddhe sagāravo hoti, dhamme sagāravo hoti, saṅghe sagāravo hoti, sabrahmacārīsu sagāravo hoti, uddesaparipucchāya vāyamati, savanabahulo hoti, bhinnasīlopi, mahārāja, dussīlo parisagato ākappaṁ upaṭṭhapeti, garahabhayā kāyikaṁ vācasikaṁ rakkhati, padhānābhimukhañcassa hoti cittaṁ, bhikkhusāmaññaṁ upagato hoti. |
|
Karontopi, mahārāja, samaṇadussīlo pāpaṁ paṭicchannaṁ ācarati. |
‘There are, O king, ten qualities which abound in the guilty Samaṇa, distinguishing him from the guilty layman. |
Yathā, mahārāja, itthī sapatikā nilīyitvā rahasseneva pāpamācarati; |
And besides that, in ten ways does the Samaṇa purify the gifts that may be given him. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, karontopi samaṇadussīlo pāpaṁ paṭicchannaṁ ācarati. |
|
Ime kho, mahārāja, dasa guṇā samaṇadussīlassa gihidussīlato visesena atirekā. |
|
| ‘And what are the ten qualities which abound in the guilty Samaṇa, distinguishing him from the guilty layman? | |
| the guilty Samaṇa, O king, is full of reverence for the Buddha, for the Law, for the Order, and for his fellow-disciples; | |
Katamehi dasahi kāraṇehi uttariṁ dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti? |
he exerts himself in putting questions about, and in recitation of (the sacred texts); |
Anavajjakavacadhāraṇatāyapi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti, isisāmaññabhaṇḍuliṅgadhāraṇatopi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti, saṅghasamayamanuppaviṭṭhatāyapi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti, buddhadhammasaṅghasaraṇagatatāyapi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti, padhānāsayaniketavāsitāyapi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti, jinasāsanadharapariyesanatopi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti, pavaradhammadesanatopi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti, dhammadīpagatiparāyaṇatāyapi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti, ‘aggo buddho’ti ekantaujudiṭṭhitāyapi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti, uposathasamādānatopi dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti. |
he is devoted to learning, though he has done wrong. |
Imehi kho, mahārāja, dasahi kāraṇehi uttariṁ dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti. |
Then, O king, the guilty one entering the assembly, enters it decently clad, he guards himself alike in body and mind through fear of rebuke, his mind is set upon exerting himself (towards the attainment of Arahatship), he is of the companionship of the brethren. |
| And even, O king, if he does wrong he lives discreetly. | |
| just, O king, as a married woman sins only in secret and in privacy, so does the guilty Samaṇa walk discreetly in his wrongdoing. | |
Suvipannopi hi, mahārāja, samaṇadussīlo dāyakānaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti. |
These are the ten qualities, O king, found in the guilty Samaṇa, distinguishing him from the guilty layman. |
Yathā, mahārāja, udakaṁ subahalampi kalalakaddamarajojallaṁ apaneti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, suvipannopi samaṇadussīlo dāyakānaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti. |
|
| ‘And what are the ten ways in which, besides, he purifies a gift given to him? | |
| He purifies it in that he wears an invulnerable coat of mail ; | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, uṇhodakaṁ sukudhitampi pajjalantaṁ mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ nibbāpeti; |
in that he is shorn in the fashion of the characteristic mark of renunciation used by the seers of old ; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, suvipannopi samaṇadussīlo dāyakānaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti. |
in that he is one who is included in the multitude of the brethren; |
| in that he has taken his refuge in the Buddha, the Law, and the Order; | |
| in that he dwells in a lonely spot suitable for the exertion (after Arahatship); | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ virasampi khudādubbalyaṁ apaneti; |
in that he seeks after the treasure of the teaching of the Conquerors; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, suvipannopi samaṇadussīlo dāyakānaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ visodheti. |
in that he preaches the most excellent law (Dhamma); |
| in that his final destiny is to be reborn in the island of truth ; | |
| in that he is possessed of an honest belief that the Buddha is the chief of all beings; | |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgatena devātidevena majjhimanikāyavaralañchake dakkhiṇavibhaṅge veyyākaraṇe— |
in that he has taken upon himself the keeping of the Uposatha day. |
| These, O king, are the ten ways in which, besides, he purifies a gift given to him. | |
‘Yo sīlavā dussīlesu dadāti dānaṁ, |
|
Dhammena laddhaṁ supasannacitto; |
|
| ‘Even, O king, when thoroughly fallen, a guilty Samaṇa yet sanctifies the gifts of the supporters of the faith—just as water, however thick, will wash away slush and mud and dirt and stains—just as hot, and even boiling water will put a mighty blazing fire out—just as food, however nasty, will allay the faintness of hunger. | |
Abhisaddahaṁ kammaphalaṁ uḷāraṁ, |
For thus, O king, hath it been said by the god over all gods in the most excellent Majjhima Nikāya in the chapter “On gifts: |
Sā dakkhiṇā dāyakato visujjhatī’”ti. |
” |
| “Whene’er a good man, with believing heart, | |
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, tāvatakaṁ mayaṁ pañhaṁ apucchimha, taṁ tvaṁ opammehi kāraṇehi vibhāvento amatamadhuraṁ savanūpagaṁ akāsi. |
Presents what he hath earned in righteousness |
Yathā nāma, bhante, sūdo vā sūdantevāsī vā tāvatakaṁ maṁsaṁ labhitvā nānāvidhehi sambhārehi sampādetvā rājūpabhogaṁ karoti; |
To th’ unrighteous—in full confidence |
evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, tāvatakaṁ mayaṁ pañhaṁ apucchimha, taṁ tvaṁ opammehi kāraṇehi vibhāvetvā amatamadhuraṁ savanūpagaṁ akāsī”ti. |
On the great fruit to follow the good act— |
| Such gift is, by the giver, sanctified.” | |
| ’ | |
Dussīlapañho aṭṭhamo. |
|
| ‘Most wonderful, Nāgasena, and most strange! | |
| We asked you a mere ordinary question, and you, expounding it with reasons and with similes, have filled, as it were, the hearer with the sweet taste of the nectar (of Nirvāṇa). | |
| just as a cook, or a cook’s apprentice, taking a piece of ordinary nutmeg, will, treating it with various ingredients, prepare a dish for a king—so, Nāgasena, when we asked you an ordinary question, have you, expounding it with reasons and similes, filled the hearer with the sweet taste of the nectar of Nirvāṇa.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the guilty recluse. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Buddhavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
9. Udakasattajīvapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, imaṁ udakaṁ aggimhi tappamānaṁ cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati saddāyati bahuvidhaṁ, kiṁ nu kho, bhante nāgasena, udakaṁ jīvati, kiṁ kīḷamānaṁ saddāyati, udāhu aññena paṭipīḷitaṁ saddāyatī”ti? |
6.1.9. Dilemma the Sixtieth. |
“Na hi, mahārāja, udakaṁ jīvati, natthi udake jīvo vā satto vā, api ca, mahārāja, aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya udakaṁ cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati saddāyati bahuvidhan”ti. |
The Soul In Water |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, this water when boiling over the fire gives forth many a sound, hissing and simmering. | |
| Is then, Nāgasena, the water alive? | |
“Bhante nāgasena, idhekacce titthiyā udakaṁ jīvatīti sītodakaṁ paṭikkhipitvā udakaṁ tāpetvā vekatikavekatikaṁ paribhuñjanti, te tumhe garahanti paribhavanti ‘ekindriyaṁ samaṇā sakyaputtiyā jīvaṁ viheṭhentī’ti, taṁ tesaṁ garahaṁ paribhavaṁ vinodehi apanehi nicchārehī”ti. |
Is it shouting at play? |
“Na hi, mahārāja, udakaṁ jīvati, natthi, mahārāja, udake jīvo vā satto vā, api ca, mahārāja, aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya udakaṁ cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati saddāyati bahuvidhaṁ. |
or is it crying out at the torment inflicted on it?’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, udakaṁ sobbhasarasaritadahataḷākakandarapadaraudapānaninnapokkharaṇigataṁ vātātapavegassa mahantatāya pariyādiyati parikkhayaṁ gacchati, api nu tattha udakaṁ cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati saddāyati bahuvidhan”ti? |
‘It is not alive, O king, there is no soul or being in water. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
It is by reason of the greatness of the shock of the heat of the fire that it gives forth sounds, hissing and simmering.’ |
“Yadi, mahārāja, udakaṁ jīveyya, tatthāpi udakaṁ saddāyeyya, imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena jānāhi ‘natthi udake jīvo vā satto vā, aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya udakaṁ cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati saddāyati bahuvidhan’ti. |
|
| ‘Now, venerable Nāgasena, there are false teachers who on the ground that the water is alive reject the use of cold water, and warming the water feed themselves on tepid foods of various kinds. | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi ‘natthi udake jīvo vā satto vā, aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya udakaṁ saddāyatī’ti. |
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Yadā pana, mahārāja, udakaṁ taṇḍulehi sammissitaṁ bhājanagataṁ hoti pihitaṁ uddhane aṭhapitaṁ, api nu tattha udakaṁ saddāyatī”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante, acalaṁ hoti santasantan”ti. |
‘These men find fault with you and revile you, saying: |
“Taṁyeva pana, mahārāja, udakaṁ bhājanagataṁ aggiṁ ujjāletvā uddhane ṭhapitaṁ hoti, api nu tattha udakaṁ acalaṁ hoti santasantan”ti? |
“The Sakyaputtiya Samaṇas do injury to the souls of one function.” |
“Na hi, bhante, calati khubbhati luḷati āvilati ūmijātaṁ hoti, uddhamadho disāvidisaṁ gacchati, uttarati patarati pheṇamālī hotī”ti. |
Dispel, remove, get rid of this their censure and blame.’ |
“Kissa pana taṁ, mahārāja, pākatikaṁ udakaṁ na calati santasantaṁ hoti, kissa pana aggigataṁ calati khubbhati luḷati āvilati ūmijātaṁ hoti, uddhamadho disāvidisaṁ gacchati, uttarati patarati pheṇamālī hotī”ti? |
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“Pākatikaṁ, bhante, udakaṁ na calati, aggikataṁ pana udakaṁ aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati saddāyati bahuvidhan”ti. |
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“Imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena jānāhi ‘natthi udake jīvo vā satto vā, aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya udakaṁ saddāyatī’ti. |
‘The water is not alive, O king. |
| Neither is there therein either soul or being. | |
| And it is the great shock of the heat of the fire that makes it sound, hissing and simmering. | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, natthi udake jīvo vā satto vā, aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya udakaṁ saddāyati. |
It is like the water in holes in the ground, in ponds and pools and lakes, in reservoirs, in crevices and chasms, in wells, in low-lying places, and in lotus-tanks, which before the mighty onset of the hot winds is so deeply affected that it vanishes away. |
Hoti taṁ, mahārāja, udakaṁ ghare ghare udakavārakagataṁ pihitan”ti? |
But does the water in that case, O king, give forth many a sound, hissing and simmering?’ |
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
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“Api nu taṁ, mahārāja, udakaṁ calati khubbhati luḷati āvilati ūmijātaṁ hoti, uddhamadho disāvidisaṁ gacchati, uttarati patarati pheṇamālī hotī”ti. |
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“Na hi, bhante, acalaṁ taṁ hoti pākatikaṁ udakavārakagataṁ udakan”ti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir.’ |
“Sutapubbaṁ pana tayā, mahārāja, ‘mahāsamudde udakaṁ calati khubbhati luḷati āvilati ūmijātaṁ hoti, uddhamadho disāvidisaṁ gacchati, uttarati patarati pheṇamālī hoti, ussakkitvā ossakkitvā velāya paharati saddāyati bahuvidhan’”ti? |
‘But, if it were alive, the water would then also make some sound. |
“Āma, bhante, sutapubbaṁ etaṁ mayā diṭṭhapubbañca ‘mahāsamudde udakaṁ hatthasatampi dvepi hatthasatāni gagane ussakkatī’”ti. |
Know therefore, O king, that there is no soul, neither being, in water; |
“Kissa, mahārāja, udakavārakagataṁ udakaṁ na calati na saddāyati, kissa pana mahāsamudde udakaṁ calati saddāyatī”ti? |
and that it is the greatness of the shock of the heat of the water that makes it give forth sounds. |
“Vātavegassa mahantatāya, bhante, mahāsamudde udakaṁ calati saddāyati, udakavārakagataṁ udakaṁ aghaṭṭitaṁ kehici na calati na saddāyatī”ti. |
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“Yathā, mahārāja, vātavegassa mahantatāya mahāsamudde udakaṁ calati saddāyati; |
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evameva aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya udakaṁ saddāyatīti. |
‘And hear another reason, O king, for the same thing. |
| If water, O king, with grains of rice in it, is put in a vessel and covered up, but not placed over the fireplace, would it then give forth sound?’ | |
Nanu, mahārāja, bheripokkharaṁ sukkhaṁ sukkhena gocammena onandhantī”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante”. |
‘No, Sir. |
“Api nu, mahārāja, bheriyā jīvo vā satto vā atthī”ti. |
It would remain quiet and unmoved.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
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“Kissa pana, mahārāja, bherī saddāyatī”ti? |
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“Itthiyā vā, bhante, purisassa vā tajjena vāyāmenā”ti. |
‘But if you were to put the same water, just as it is in the vessel, over a fireplace, and then light up the fire, would the water remain quiet and motionless?’ |
“Yathā, mahārāja, itthiyā vā purisassa vā tajjena vāyāmena bherī saddāyati; |
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evameva aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya udakaṁ saddāyati. |
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Imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena jānāhi ‘natthi udake jīvo vā satto vā, aggisantāpavegassa mahantatāya udakaṁ saddāyatī’ti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir. |
| It would move and be agitated, become perturbed and all in commotion, waves would arise in it, it would rush up and down and in every direction , it would roll up and boil over, and a garland of foam would be formed above it.’ | |
Mayhampi tāva, mahārāja, tava pucchitabbaṁ atthi, evameso pañho suvinicchito hoti, kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, sabbehipi bhājanehi udakaṁ tappamānaṁ saddāyati, udāhu ekaccehiyeva bhājanehi tappamānaṁ saddāyatī”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante, sabbehipi bhājanehi udakaṁ tappamānaṁ saddāyati, ekaccehiyeva bhājanehi udakaṁ tappamānaṁ saddāyatī”ti. |
‘But why so, O king, when water in its ordinary state remains quiet and motionless?’ |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, jahitosi sakasamayaṁ, paccāgatosi mama visayaṁ, natthi udake jīvo vā satto vā. |
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Yadi, mahārāja, sabbehipi bhājanehi udakaṁ tappamānaṁ saddāyeyya, yuttamidaṁ ‘udakaṁ jīvatī’ti vattuṁ. |
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Na hi, mahārāja, udakaṁ dvayaṁ hoti, yaṁ saddāyati, taṁ jīvati, yaṁ na saddāyati, taṁ na jīvatīti. |
‘It is because of the powerful impulse of the heat of the fire that the water, usually so still, gives forth many a sound, bubbling and hissing.’ |
Yadi, mahārāja, udakaṁ jīveyya, mahantānaṁ hatthināgānaṁ ussannakāyānaṁ pabhinnānaṁ soṇḍāya ussiñcitvā mukhe pakkhipitvā kucchiṁ pavesayantānaṁ, tampi udakaṁ tesaṁ dantantare cippiyamānaṁ saddāyeyya. |
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Hatthasatikāpi mahānāvā garukā bhārikā anekasatasahassabhāraparipūrā mahāsamudde vicaranti, tāhipi cippiyamānaṁ udakaṁ saddāyeyya. |
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Mahatimahantāpi macchā anekasatayojanikakāyā timī timiṅgalā timirapiṅgalā abbhantare nimuggā mahāsamudde nivāsaṭṭhānatāya paṭivasantā mahāudakadhārā ācamanti dhamanti ca, tesampi taṁ dantantarepi udarantarepi cippiyamānaṁ udakaṁ saddāyeyya. |
‘Then thereby know, O king, that there is no soul in water, neither being; |
Yasmā ca kho, mahārāja, evarūpehi evarūpehi mahantehi paṭipīḷanehi paṭipīḷitaṁ udakaṁ na saddāyati tasmāpi natthi udake jīvo vā satto vāti, evametaṁ, mahārāja, dhārehī”ti. |
and that it is the strong heat of the fire that causes it to make sounds. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, dosāgato pañho anucchavikāya vibhattiyā vibhatto, yathā nāma, bhante nāgasena, mahagghaṁ maṇiratanaṁ chekaṁ ācariyaṁ kusalaṁ sikkhitaṁ maṇikāraṁ pāpuṇitvā kittiṁ labheyya thomanaṁ pasaṁsaṁ, muttāratanaṁ vā muttikaṁ dussaratanaṁ vā dussikaṁ, lohitacandanaṁ vā gandhikaṁ pāpuṇitvā kittiṁ labheyya thomanaṁ pasaṁsaṁ. |
‘And hear another reason, O king, for the same thing. |
Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, dosāgato pañho anucchavikāya vibhattiyā vibhatto, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
Is there not water to be found in every house put into water-pots with their mouths closed up?’ |
Udakasattajīvapañho navamo. |
‘Yes, Sir.’ |
Buddhavaggo paṭhamo. |
‘Well, does that water move, is it agitated, perturbed, in commotion, does it form into waves, does it rush up and down and in every direction, does it roll up and roll over, is it covered with foam?’ |
Imasmiṁ vagge nava pañhā. |
‘No! |
| That water is in its ordinary state. | |
| It remains still and quiet.’ | |
| ‘But have you ever heard that all this is true of the water in the great ocean? | |
| and that rearing up it breaks against the strand with a mighty roar?’ | |
| ‘Yes, I have both heard of it, and have seen it myself—how the water in the great ocean lifts itself up a hundred, two hundred, cubits high, towards the sky.’ | |
| ‘But why, whereas water in its ordinary state remains motionless and still, does the water in the ocean both move and roar?’ | |
| ‘That is by reason of the mighty force of the onset of the wind, whereas the water in the water-jars neither moves nor makes any noise, because nothing shakes it.’ | |
| ‘Well, the sounds given forth by boiling water are the result, in a similar way, of the great heat of the fire.’ | |
| ‘Do not people cover over the dried-up mouth of a drum with dried cow-leather?’ | |
| ‘Yes, they do.’ | |
| ‘Well, is there any soul or being, O king, in a drum?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Then how is it that a drum makes sounds?’ | |
| ‘By the action or effort of a woman or a man.’ | |
| ‘Well, just as that is why the drum sounds, so is it by the effect of the heat of the fire that the water sounds. | |
| And for this reason also you might know, O king, that there is no soul, neither being, in water; | |
| and that it is the heat of the fire which causes it to make sounds. | |
| ‘And I, too, O king, have something yet further to ask of you—thus shall this puzzle be thoroughly threshed out. | |
| How is it? | |
| Is it true of every kind of vessel that water heated in it makes noises, or only of some kinds of vessels?’ | |
| ‘Not of all, Sir. | |
| Only of some.’ | |
| ‘But then you have yourself, O king, abandoned the position you took up. | |
| You have come over to my side-that there is no soul, neither being, in water. | |
| For only if it made noises in whatever vessel it were heated could it be right to say that it had a soul. | |
| There cannot be two kinds of water—that which speaks, as it were, which is alive, and that which does not speak, and does not live. | |
| If all water were alive, then that which the great elephants, when they are in rut, suck up in their trunks, and pour out over their towering frames, or putting into their mouths take right into their stomachs—that water, too, when crushed flat between their teeth, would make a sound. | |
| And great ships, a hundred cubits long, heavily laden, full of hundreds of packages of goods, pass over the sea—the water crushed by them, too, would make sounds. | |
| And mighty fish, leviathans with bodies hundreds of leagues long, since they dwell in the great ocean, immersed in the depths of it, must, so living in it, be constantly taking into their mouths and spouting out the ocean—and that water, too, crushed between their gills or in their stomach, would make sounds. | |
| But as, even when tormented with the grinding and crushing of all such mighty things, the water gives no sound, therefore, O king, you may take it that there is no soul, neither being, in water.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| With fitting discrimination has the puzzle put to you been solved. | |
| just, Nāgasena, as a gem of inestimable value which had come into the hands of an able master goldsmith, clever and well trained, would meet with due appreciation, estimation, and praise-just as a rare pearl at the hands of a dealer in pearls, a fine piece of woven stuff at the hands of a cloth merchant, or red sandal wood at the hands of a perfumer—just so in that way has this puzzle put to you been solved with the discrimination it deserved.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the water-life. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
1. Nippapañcapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, bhāsitampetaṁ bhagavatā—‘nippapañcārāmā, bhikkhave, viharatha nippapañcaratino’ti, katamaṁ taṁ nippapañcan”ti? |
6.2.1. Dilemma the Sixty-First. |
“Sotāpattiphalaṁ, mahārāja, nippapañcaṁ, sakadāgāmiphalaṁ nippapañcaṁ, anāgāmiphalaṁ nippapañcaṁ, arahattaphalaṁ nippapañcan”ti. |
The Obstacles |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said: | |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, sotāpattiphalaṁ nippapañcaṁ, sakadāgāmianāgāmiarahattaphalaṁ nippapañcaṁ, kissa pana ime bhikkhū uddisanti paripucchanti suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthaṁ udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ, navakammena palibujjhanti dānena ca pūjāya ca, nanu te jinappaṭikkhittaṁ kammaṁ karontī”ti? |
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| “Live, O brethren, devoted to and taking delight in that which has no Papañcas (none of those states of mind which delay or obstruct a man in his spiritual growth).” | |
“Ye te, mahārāja, bhikkhū uddisanti paripucchanti suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthaṁ udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ, navakammena palibujjhanti dānena ca pūjāya ca, sabbe te nippapañcassa pattiyā karonti. |
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Ye te, mahārāja, sabhāvaparisuddhā pubbe vāsitavāsanā, te ekacittakkhaṇena nippapañcā honti. |
‘What is that which has no Papañcas?’ |
Ye pana te bhikkhū mahārajakkhā, te imehi payogehi nippapañcā honti. |
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| ‘The fruit of Conversion has no Papañcas, O king, the fruit of that stage of the Path in which those live who will be only once, or not all reborn, the fruit of Arahatship has no Papañcas.’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, eko puriso khette bījaṁ ropetvā attano yathābalavīriyena vinā pākāravatiyā dhaññaṁ uddhareyya, eko puriso khette bījaṁ ropetvā vanaṁ pavisitvā kaṭṭhañca sākhañca chinditvā vatipākāraṁ katvā dhaññaṁ uddhareyya. |
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Yā tattha tassa vatipākārapariyesanā, sā dhaññatthāya. |
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Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te sabhāvaparisuddhā pubbe vāsitavāsanā, te ekacittakkhaṇena nippapañcā honti, vinā vatipākāraṁ puriso viya dhaññuddhāro. |
‘But if that be so, Nāgasena, Then why do the brethren concern themselves with recitation of, with asking questions about the discourses, and the pieces in mixed prose and verse, and the expositions, and the poems, and the outbursts of emotion, and the passages beginning “Thus he said,” and the birth-stories, and the tales of wonder, and the extended treatises ? |
Ye pana te bhikkhū mahārajakkhā, te imehi payogehi nippapañcā honti, vatipākāraṁ katvā puriso viya dhaññuddhāro. |
Why do they trouble themselves about new buildings about gifts and offerings to the order?’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, puriso mahatimahante ambarukkhamatthake phalapiṇḍi bhaveyya, atha tattha yo koci iddhimā āgantvā tassa phalaṁ hareyya, yo pana tattha aniddhimā, so kaṭṭhañca valliñca chinditvā nisseṇiṁ bandhitvā tāya taṁ rukkhaṁ abhiruhitvā phalaṁ hareyya. |
‘They who do all these things, O king, are working towards attainment of freedom from the Papañcas, (that is of Arahatship). |
Yā tattha tassa nisseṇipariyesanā, sā phalatthāya. |
For whereas, O king, all those of the brethren who are pure by nature, those upon whose hearts an impression has been left by good deeds done in a former birth, can (get rid of the Papañcas, can) become Arahats, in a moment—those on the other hand whose minds are much darkened by evil can only become Arahats by such means as these. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te sabhāvaparisuddhā pubbe vāsitavāsanā, te ekacittakkhaṇena nippapañcā honti, iddhimā viya rukkhaphalaṁ haranto. |
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Ye pana te bhikkhū mahārajakkhā, te iminā payogena saccāni abhisamenti, nisseṇiyā viya puriso rukkhaphalaṁ haranto. |
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| ‘Just, O king, as while one man who has sown a field and got the seed to grow can, by the exertion of his own power, and without any rampart or fence, reap the crop—whereas another man when he has got the seed to grow must go into the woods, and cut down sticks and branches and make a fence of them, and thus only reap the crop—in the same way those who are pure by nature, upon whose hearts an impression has been left by good deeds done in a former birth, can, in a moment, become Arahats, like the man who gathers the crop without a fence. | |
| But those, on the other hand, whose minds are darkened by the evil they have done can only become Arahats by such means as these—like the man who can only reap his crop if he builds the fence. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, eko puriso atthakaraṇiko ekakoyeva sāmikaṁ upagantvā atthaṁ sādheti. |
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Eko dhanavā dhanavasena parisaṁ vaḍḍhetvā parisāya atthaṁ sādheti. |
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Yā tattha tassa parisapariyesanā, sā atthatthāya. |
‘Or just, O king, as there might be a bunch of fruits on the summit of a lofty mango tree. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te sabhāvaparisuddhā pubbe vāsitavāsanā, te ekacittakkhaṇena chasu abhiññāsu vasibhāvaṁ pāpuṇanti, puriso viya ekako atthasiddhiṁ karonto. |
Then whoever possesses the power of Iddhi could take those fruits, but whoever had not, he would have first to cut sticks and creepers and construct a ladder, and by its means climb up the tree and so get at the fruit. |
Ye pana te bhikkhū mahārajakkhā, te imehi payogehi sāmaññatthamabhisādhenti, parisāya viya puriso atthasiddhiṁ karonto. |
In the same way those who are by nature pure, and upon whose hearts an impression has been left by good deeds done in a former birth, may attain, in a moment, to Arahatship, like the man getting the fruit by the power of Iddhi. |
| But those, on the other hand, whose minds are darkened by the evil they have done can only become Arahats by such means as these, like the man who only gets the fruit by means of the ladder he has made. | |
Uddesopi, mahārāja, bahukāro, paripucchāpi bahukārā, navakammampi bahukāraṁ, dānampi bahukāraṁ, pūjāpi bahukārā tesu tesu karaṇīyesu. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, puriso rājūpasevī katāvī amaccabhaṭabaladovārikaanīkaṭṭhapārisajjajanehi, te tassa karaṇīye anuppatte sabbepi upakārā honti. |
‘Or just, O king, as while one man who is clever in business will go alone to his lord and conclude any business he has to do, another man, rich though he may be, must by his riches bring others to his service, and by their help get the business done—and it is for the business’ sake that he has to seek after them. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, uddesopi bahukāro, paripucchāpi bahukārā, navakammampi bahukāraṁ, dānampi bahukāraṁ, pūjāpi bahukārā tesu tesu karaṇīyesu. |
In the same way those who are by nature pure, upon whose hearts an impression has been left by good deeds done in a former birth, may reach, in a moment, to the attainment of the Six Transcendent Qualities, like the man who does the business alone by himself Whereas those brethren whose minds are darkened by the evil they have done can only by such means as these realise the gains of renunciation, like the man who through others’ help brings his business to the desired end. |
Yadi, mahārāja, sabbepi abhijātiparisuddhā bhaveyyuṁ, anusāsanena karaṇīyaṁ na bhaveyya. |
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Yasmā ca kho, mahārāja, savanena karaṇīyaṁ hoti, thero, mahārāja, sāriputto aparimitamasaṅkheyyakappaṁ upādāya upacitakusalamūlo paññāya koṭiṁ gato, sopi vinā savanena nāsakkhi āsavakkhayaṁ pāpuṇituṁ, tasmā, mahārāja, bahukāraṁ savanaṁ, tathā uddesopi paripucchāpi, tasmā uddesaparipucchāpi nippapañcā saṅkhatā”ti. |
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“Sunijjhāpito, bhante nāgasena, pañho, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
‘For recitation is of great good, O king, and asking questions, and superintending building work, and seeing to gifts and offerings is of great good—each of them to one or other of the spiritual objects which the brethren seek to obtain. |
| just, O king, as there might be some one of the ministers or soldiers or messengers or sentries or body-guards or attendants who was especially serviceable and useful to the king, but when he had any business given him to do they would all help him—just so are all these things of assistance when those objects have to be attained. | |
| When all men, O king, shall have become by nature pure, then will there be nothing left for a teacher to accomplish. | |
Nippapañcapañho paṭhamo. |
But so long as there is still need of discipleship, so long will even such a man, O king, as the Elder Sāriputta himself (though he had attained to the summit of wisdom by reason of his having been, through countless ages, deeply rooted in merit), yet find it impossible, without discipleship, to attain to Arahatship. |
| Therefore is it, O king, that hearing (the Scriptures) is of use, and recitation of them, and asking questions about them. | |
| And therefore is it that those also who are addicted to These things, becoming free from the obstacles thereto, attain to Arahatship.’ | |
| ‘Right well have you made me understand this puzzle, Nāgasena. | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say. | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the obstacles. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
2. Khīṇāsavabhāvapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘yo gihī arahattaṁ patto, dve vāssa gatiyo bhavanti anaññā, tasmiṁyeva divase pabbajati vā parinibbāyati vā. |
6.2.2. Dilemma the Sixty-Second. |
Na so divaso sakkā atikkametun’ti. |
The Lay Arahat |
Sace so, bhante nāgasena, tasmiṁ divase ācariyaṁ vā upajjhāyaṁ vā pattacīvaraṁ vā na labhetha, api nu kho so arahā sayaṁ vā pabbajeyya divasaṁ vā atikkameyya, añño koci arahā iddhimā āgantvā taṁ pabbājeyya vā parinibbāyeyya vā”ti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say: |
“Na so, mahārāja, arahā sayaṁ pabbajeyya, sayaṁ pabbajanto theyyaṁ āpajjati, na ca divasaṁ atikkameyya, aññassa arahantassa āgamanaṁ bhaveyya vā na vā bhaveyya, tasmiṁyeva divase parinibbāyeyyā”ti. |
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“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, arahattassa santabhāvo vijahito hoti, yena adhigatassa jīvitahāro bhavatī”ti. |
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| “Whosoever has attained, as a layman, to Arahatship, one of two conditions are possible to him, and no other—either that very day he enters the Order, or he dies away, for beyond that day he cannot last.” | |
“Visamaṁ, mahārāja, gihiliṅgaṁ, visame liṅge liṅgadubbalatāya arahattaṁ patto gihī tasmiṁyeva divase pabbajati vā parinibbāyati vā. |
|
Neso, mahārāja, doso arahattassa, gihiliṅgasseveso doso yadidaṁ liṅgadubbalatā. |
‘Now if, Nāgasena, he could not, on that day, procure a teacher or preceptor, or a bowl and set of robes, would he then, being an Arahat, admit himself, or would he live over the day, or would some other Arahat suddenly appear by the power of Iddhi and admit him, or would he die away?’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbasattānaṁ āyupālakaṁ jīvitarakkhakaṁ visamakoṭṭhassa mandadubbalagahaṇikassa avipākena jīvitaṁ harati. |
‘He could not, O king, because he is an Arahat, admit himself. |
Neso, mahārāja, doso bhojanassa, koṭṭhasseveso doso yadidaṁ aggidubbalatā. |
For any one admitting himself to The Order is guilty of theft. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, visame liṅge liṅgadubbalatāya arahattaṁ patto gihī tasmiṁyeva divase pabbajati vā parinibbāyati vā. |
And he could not last beyond that day. |
Neso, mahārāja, doso arahattassa, gihiliṅgasseveso doso yadidaṁ liṅgadubbalatā. |
Whether another Arahat should happen, or not, to arrive, on that very day would he die away.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, parittaṁ tiṇasalākaṁ upari garuke pāsāṇe ṭhapite dubbalatāya bhijjitvā patati; |
‘Then, Nāgasena, by whatever means attained, the holy condition of Arahatship is thereby also lost, for destruction of life is involved in it.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, arahattaṁ patto gihī tena liṅgena arahattaṁ dhāretuṁ asakkonto tasmiṁyeva divase pabbajati vā parinibbāyati vā. |
|
| ‘It is the condition of laymanship which is at fault, O king. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, puriso abalo dubbalo nihīnajacco parittapuñño mahatimahārajjaṁ labhitvā khaṇena paripatati paridhaṁsati osakkati, na sakkoti issariyaṁ dhāretuṁ; |
In that faulty condition, and by reason of the weakness of the condition itself, the layman who, as such, has attained to Arahatship must either, that very day, enter the Order or die away. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, arahattaṁ patto gihī tena liṅgena arahattaṁ dhāretuṁ na sakkoti, tena kāraṇena tasmiṁyeva divase pabbajati vā parinibbāyati vā”ti. |
That is not the fault of Arahatship, O king. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
It is laymanship that is at fault, through not being strong enough. |
Khīṇāsavabhāvapañho dutiyo. |
‘Just, O king, as food, that guards the growth and protects the life of all beings, will, through indigestion, take away the life of one whose stomach is unequal to it, whose internal fire is low and weak—just so if a layman attains Arahatship when in that condition unequal to it, then by reason of the weakness of the condition he must, that very day, either enter the Order or die away. |
| ‘Or just, O king, as a tiny blade of grass when a heavy rock is placed upon it will, through its weakness, break off and give way—just so when a layman attains Arahatship, then, unable to support Arahatship in that condition, he must, that very day, either enter the Order or die away. | |
| ‘Or just, O king, as a poor weak fellow of low birth and little ability, if he came into possession of a great and mighty kingdom, would be unable to support the dignity of it —just so if a layman attains to Arahatship, then is he unable, in that condition, to support it. | |
| And that is the reason why he must, on that very day, either enter the Order or die away.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the lay Arahat. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
3. Khīṇāsavasatisammosapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, atthi arahato satisammoso”ti? |
6.2.3. Dilemma the Sixty-Third. |
“Vigatasatisammosā kho, mahārāja, arahanto, natthi arahantānaṁ satisammoso”ti. |
The Faults Of the Arahat |
“Āpajjeyya pana, bhante, arahā āpattin”ti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, can an Arahat be thoughtless ?’ |
“Āma, mahārājā”ti. |
|
“Kismiṁ vatthusmin”ti? |
|
“Kuṭikāre, mahārāja, sañcaritte, vikāle kālasaññāya, pavārite appavāritasaññāya, anatiritte atirittasaññāyā”ti. |
‘The Arahats, O king, have put thoughtlessness far from them. |
| They are never inadvertent.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘ye āpattiṁ āpajjanti, te dvīhi kāraṇehi āpajjanti anādariyena vā ajānanena vā’ti. |
|
Api nu kho, bhante, arahato anādariyaṁ hoti, yaṁ arahā āpattiṁ āpajjatī”ti? |
‘But can an Arahat be guilty of an offence?’ |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
|
| ‘Yes, O king.’ | |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, arahā āpattiṁ āpajjati, natthi ca arahato anādariyaṁ, tena hi atthi arahato satisammoso”ti? |
|
“Natthi, mahārāja, arahato satisammoso, āpattiñca arahā āpajjatī”ti. |
|
| ‘In what respect?’ | |
“Tena hi, bhante, kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehi, kiṁ tattha kāraṇan”ti? |
|
“Dveme, mahārāja, kilesā lokavajjaṁ paṇṇattivajjañcāti. |
‘In the construction of his cell, or in his intercourse (with the other sex), or in imagining the wrong time (for the midday meal) to be the right time, or when he has been invited (to a meal) forgetting the invitation, or in taking to be “left over “ food which has not been left over.’ |
Katamaṁ, mahārāja, lokavajjaṁ? |
|
Dasa akusalakammapathā, idaṁ vuccati lokavajjaṁ. |
|
Katamaṁ paṇṇattivajjaṁ? |
‘But, venerable Nāgasena, your people say: |
Yaṁ loke atthi samaṇānaṁ ananucchavikaṁ ananulomikaṁ, gihīnaṁ anavajjaṁ. |
|
Tattha bhagavā sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññapeti ‘yāvajīvaṁ anatikkamanīyan’ti. |
|
Vikālabhojanaṁ, mahārāja, lokassa anavajjaṁ, taṁ jinasāsane vajjaṁ. |
“Those who commit offences do so from one of two reasons, either out of carelessness or out of ignorance.” |
Bhūtagāmavikopanaṁ, mahārāja, lokassa anavajjaṁ, taṁ jinasāsane vajjaṁ. |
|
Udake hassadhammaṁ, mahārāja, lokassa anavajjaṁ, taṁ jinasāsane vajjaṁ. |
|
Iti evarūpāni evarūpāni, mahārāja, jinasāsane vajjāni, idaṁ vuccati paṇṇattivajjaṁ. |
‘Now, is the Arahat careless that he commits offences?’ |
Lokavajjaṁ abhabbo khīṇāsavo taṁ ajjhācarituṁ. |
|
| ‘No, O king.’ | |
Yaṁ kilesaṁ paṇṇattivajjaṁ, taṁ ajānanto āpajjeyya. |
|
Avisayo, mahārāja, ekaccassa arahato sabbaṁ jānituṁ, na hi tassa balaṁ atthi sabbaṁ jānituṁ. |
|
Anaññātaṁ, mahārāja, arahato itthipurisānaṁ nāmampi gottampi, maggopi tassa mahiyā anaññāto; |
‘Then if the Arahat commits offences, and yet is not careless, he must be capable of thoughtlessness.’ |
vimuttiṁyeva, mahārāja, ekacco arahā jāneyya; |
|
chaḷabhiñño arahā sakavisayaṁ jāneyya; |
|
sabbaññū, mahārāja, tathāgatova sabbaṁ jānātī”ti. |
‘He is not capable of thoughtlessness, and yet the Arahat may be guilty of offences.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘Convince me then by a reason. | |
Khīṇāsavasatisammosapañho tatiyo. |
What is the reason of this?’ |
| ‘There are two kinds of sins, O king—those which are a breach of the ordinary moral law, and those which are a breach of the Rules (of the Order). | |
| And what is a breach of the ordinary moral law? | |
| the ten modes of evil action (killing, theft, unchastity, lying, slander, harsh language, frivolous talk, covetousness, malice, and false doctrine). | |
| These things are against the moral law. | |
| And what is a breach of the Rules? | |
| Whatever is held in the world as unfitting and improper for Samanas, but is not wrong for laymen—things concerning which the Blessed One laid down rules for his disciples, not to be transgressed by them their lives long. | |
| Eating after sunturn, O king, is not wrong to those in the world, but is wrong to those in the religion (the Order) of the Conquerors. | |
| Doing injury to trees and shrubs is no offence in the eyes of the world, but it is wrong in the religion. | |
| The habit of sporting in the water is no offence to a layman, but it is wrong in the religion. | |
| And many other things of a similar kind, O king, are right in the world, but wrong in the religion of the Conquerors. | |
| This is what I mean by a breach of the Rules. | |
| Now the Arahat (he in whom the Great Evils are destroyed) is incapable of sinning against whatever is moral law, but he may unawares be guilty of an offence against the rules of the Order. | |
| It is not within the province of every Arahat to know everything, nor indeed in his power. | |
| He may be ignorant of the personal or family name of some woman or some man. | |
| He may be ignorant of some road over the earth. | |
| But every Arahat would know about emancipation, and the Arahat gifted with the six modes of transcendental knowledge would know what lies within their scope, and an omniscient Tathāgata, O king, would know all things.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the faults of the Arahat. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
4. Lokenatthibhāvapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, dissanti loke buddhā, dissanti paccekabuddhā, dissanti tathāgatassa sāvakā, dissanti cakkavattirājāno, dissanti padesarājāno, dissanti devamanussā, dissanti sadhanā, dissanti adhanā, dissanti sugatā, dissanti duggatā, dissati purisassa itthiliṅgaṁ pātubhūtaṁ, dissati itthiyā purisaliṅgaṁ pātubhūtaṁ, dissati sukataṁ dukkataṁ kammaṁ, dissanti kalyāṇapāpakānaṁ kammānaṁ vipākūpabhogino sattā, atthi loke sattā aṇḍajā jalābujā saṁsedajā opapātikā, atthi sattā apadā dvipadā catuppadā bahuppadā, atthi loke yakkhā rakkhasā kumbhaṇḍā asurā dānavā gandhabbā petā pisācā, atthi kinnarā mahoragā nāgā supaṇṇā siddhā vijjādharā, atthi hatthī assā gāvo mahiṁsā oṭṭhā gadrabhā ajā eḷakā migā sūkarā sīhā byagghā dīpī acchā kokā taracchā soṇā siṅgālā, atthi bahuvidhā sakuṇā, atthi suvaṇṇaṁ rajataṁ muttā maṇi saṅkho silā pavāḷaṁ lohitaṅko masāragallaṁ veḷuriyo vajiraṁ phalikaṁ kāḷalohaṁ tambalohaṁ vaṭṭalohaṁ kaṁsalohaṁ, atthi khomaṁ koseyyaṁ kappāsikaṁ sāṇaṁ bhaṅgaṁ kambalaṁ, atthi sāli vīhi yavo kaṅgu kudrūso varako godhūmo muggo, māso tilaṁ kulatthaṁ, atthi mūlagandho sāragandho pheggugandho tacagandho pattagandho pupphagandho phalagandho sabbagandho, atthi tiṇalatāgaccharukkhaosadhivanappatinadīpabbatasamuddamacchakacchapā sabbaṁ loke atthi. |
6.2.4. Dilemma the Sixty-Fourth. |
Yaṁ, bhante, loke natthi, taṁ me kathehī”ti. |
What Is, But Not In the World |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, there are to be seen in the world Buddhas, and Pacceka-Buddhas, and disciples of the Tathāgatas, and sovran overlords, and kings over one country, and gods and men; | |
| —we find rich and poor, happy and miserable; | |
“Tīṇimāni, mahārāja, loke natthi. |
—we find men who have become women, and women who have become men—there are good deeds and evil, and beings experiencing the result of their virtue or their vice; |
Katamāni tīṇi? |
—we find creatures born from eggs, and in the water, and in sediment, or springing into life by the mere apparitional birth; |
Sacetanā vā acetanā vā ajarāmarā loke natthi, saṅkhārānaṁ niccatā natthi, paramatthena sattūpaladdhi natthi, imāni kho, mahārāja, tīṇi loke natthī”ti. |
creatures without feet, bipeds and quadrupeds, and creatures with many feet; |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
—we find Yakkhas and Rakkhasas, and Kumbhaṇḍas, and Asuras, and Dānavas, and Gandhabbas, and Petas and Pisācas, and Kinnaras, and Mahoragas, and Nāgas and Supaṇṇas, and magicians and sorcerers; |
| —there are elephants, and horses, and cattle, and buffaloes, and camels, and asses, and goats, and sheep, and deer, and swine, and lions, and tigers, and leopards, and bears, and wolves, and hyenas, and dogs, and jackals, and many kinds of birds; | |
| —there is gold and silver, and the pearl, and The diamond, and the chauk, and rock, and coral, and the ruby, and the Masāra stone, and the cat’s-eye, and crystal, and quartz, and iron ore, and copper, and brass, and bronze; | |
Loke natthibhāvapañho catuttho. |
—there is flax, and silk, and cotton, and hemp, and wool; |
| —there is rice, and paddy, and barley, and millet, and kudrūsa grain, and beans, and wheat, and oilseed, and vetches; | |
| —there are perfumes prepared from roots, and sap, and pith, and bark, and leaves, and flowers, and fruit, and of all other sorts; | |
| —we find grass, and creepers, and shrubs, and trees, and medicinal herbs, and forests, and rivers, and mountains, and seas, and fish, and tortoises—all is in the world. | |
| Tell me, Sir, what there is, then, which is not in the world.’ | |
| ‘There are three things, O king, which you cannot find in the world. | |
| And what are the three? | |
| That which, whether conscious or unconscious, is not subject to decay and death—that you will not find. | |
| That quality of anything, (organic or inorganic), which is not impermanent—that you will not find. | |
| And in the highest sense there is no such thing as being possessed of being.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the puzzle as to what is not in the world. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
5. Akammajādipañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, dissanti loke kammanibbattā, dissanti hetunibbattā, dissanti utunibbattā, yaṁ loke akammajaṁ ahetujaṁ anutujaṁ, taṁ me kathehī”ti. |
6.2.5. Dilemma the Sixty-Fifth. |
“Dveme, mahārāja, lokasmiṁ akammajā ahetujā anutujā. |
Things Without A Cause |
Katame dve? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, there are found beings in the world who have come into existence through Karma, and others who are the result of a cause, and others produced by the seasons. |
Ākāso, mahārāja, akammajo ahetujo anutujo; |
Tell me—is there any thing that does not fall under any one of these three heads?’ |
nibbānaṁ, mahārāja, akammajaṁ ahetujaṁ anutujaṁ. |
|
Ime kho, mahārāja, dve akammajā ahetujā anutujā”ti. |
|
| ‘ There are two such things, O king. | |
| And what are the two? | |
“Mā, bhante nāgasena, jinavacanaṁ makkhehi, mā ajānitvā pañhaṁ byākarohī”ti. |
Space, O king, and Nirvāṇa.’ |
“Kiṁ kho, mahārāja, ahaṁ vadāmi, yaṁ maṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadesi ‘mā, bhante nāgasena, jinavacanaṁ makkhehi, mā ajānitvā pañhaṁ byākarohī’”ti? |
|
“Bhante nāgasena, yuttamidaṁ tāva vattuṁ ‘ākāso akammajo ahetujo anutujo’ti. |
|
Anekasatehi pana, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇehi bhagavatā sāvakānaṁ nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya maggo akkhāto, atha ca pana tvaṁ evaṁ vadesi ‘ahetujaṁ nibbānan’”ti. |
‘Now do not spoil the word of the Conquerors, Nāgasena, nor answer a question without knowing what you say!’ |
“Saccaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā anekasatehi kāraṇehi sāvakānaṁ nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya maggo akkhāto, na ca pana nibbānassa uppādāya hetu akkhāto”ti. |
|
| ‘What, pray, is it I have said, O king, that you should address me thus?’ | |
“Ettha mayaṁ, bhante nāgasena, andhakārato andhakārataraṁ pavisāma, vanato vanataraṁ pavisāma, gahanato gahanataraṁ pavisāma, yatra hi nāma nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya hetu atthi, tassa pana dhammassa uppādāya hetu natthi. |
|
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya hetu atthi, tena hi nibbānassa uppādāyapi hetu icchitabbo. |
|
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, that is right what you said in respect of space. | |
| But with hundreds of reasons did the Blessed One proclaim to his disciples the way to the realisation of Nirvāṇa. | |
Yathā pana, bhante nāgasena, puttassa pitā atthi, tena kāraṇena pitunopi pitā icchitabbo. |
And yet you say that Nirvāṇa is not the result of any cause!’ |
Yathā antevāsikassa ācariyo atthi, tena kāraṇena ācariyassapi ācariyo icchitabbo. |
|
Yathā aṅkurassa bījaṁ atthi, tena kāraṇena bījassapi bījaṁ icchitabbaṁ. |
|
Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, yadi nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya hetu atthi, tena kāraṇena nibbānassa uppādāyapi hetu icchitabbo. |
‘No doubt, O king, the Blessed One gave hundreds of reasons for our entering on the way to the realisation of Nirvāṇa. |
| But he never told us of a cause out of which Nirvāṇa could be said to be produced.’ | |
Yathā rukkhassa vā latāya vā agge sati tena kāraṇena majjhampi atthi, mūlampi atthi. |
|
Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, yadi nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya hetu atthi, tena kāraṇena nibbānassa uppādāyapi hetu icchitabbo”ti. |
‘Now in this, Nāgasena, we have passed from darkness into greater darkness, from a jungle into a denser jungle, from a thicket into a deeper thicket—inasmuch as you say there is a cause for the realisation of Nirvāṇa, but no cause from which it can arise. |
| If, Nāgasena, there be a cause of the realisation of Nirvāṇa, then we must expect to find a cause of the origin of Nirvāṇa. | |
| just, Nāgasena, as because the son has a father, therefore we ought to expect that that father had a father—or because the pupil has a teacher, therefore we ought to expect that the teacher had a teacher—or because the plant came from a seed, therefore we ought to expect that the seed too had come from a seed —just so, Nāgasena, if there be a reason for the realisation of Nirvāṇa, we ought to expect that there is a reason too for its origin—just as if we saw the top of a tree, or of a creeper, we should conclude that it had a middle part, and a root.’ | |
“Anuppādanīyaṁ, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ, tasmā na nibbānassa uppādāya hetu akkhāto”ti. |
|
“Iṅgha, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇaṁ dassetvā kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehi, yathāhaṁ jāneyyaṁ nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya hetu atthi, nibbānassa uppādāya hetu natthī”ti. |
|
| ‘Nirvāṇa, O king, is unproduceable, and no cause for its origin has been declared.’ | |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, sakkaccaṁ sotaṁ odaha, sādhukaṁ suṇohi, vakkhāmi tattha kāraṇaṁ, sakkuṇeyya, mahārāja, puriso pākatikena balena ito himavantaṁ pabbatarājaṁ upagantun”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
‘Come now, Nāgasena, give me a reason for this. |
“Sakkuṇeyya pana so, mahārāja, puriso pākatikena balena himavantaṁ pabbatarājaṁ idha āharitun”ti? |
Convince me by argument, so that I may know how it is that while there is a cause that will bring about the realisation of Nirvāṇa, there is no cause that will bring about Nirvāṇa itself.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sakkā nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya maggo akkhātuṁ, na sakkā nibbānassa uppādāya hetu dassetuṁ. |
|
| ‘Then, O king, give ear attentively, and listen well, and I will tell you what the reason is. | |
| Could a man, O king, by his ordinary power, go up from hence to the Himālaya, the king of mountains?’ | |
Sakkuṇeyya, mahārāja, puriso pākatikena balena mahāsamuddaṁ nāvāya uttaritvā pārimatīraṁ gantun”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante”ti? |
|
“Sakkuṇeyya pana so, mahārāja, puriso pākatikena balena mahāsamuddassa pārimatīraṁ idha āharitun”ti? |
‘Yes, Sir, he could.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sakkā nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya maggo akkhātuṁ, na sakkā nibbānassa uppādāya hetu dassetuṁ. |
|
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
‘But could a man, by his ordinary power, bring the Himālaya mountains here?’ |
Asaṅkhatattā dhammassā”ti. |
|
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
“Asaṅkhataṁ, bhante nāgasena, nibbānan”ti? |
|
“Āma, mahārāja, asaṅkhataṁ nibbānaṁ na kehici kataṁ, nibbānaṁ, mahārāja, na vattabbaṁ uppannanti vā anuppannanti vā uppādanīyanti vā atītanti vā anāgatanti vā paccuppannanti vā cakkhuviññeyyanti vā sotaviññeyyanti vā ghānaviññeyyanti vā jivhāviññeyyanti vā kāyaviññeyyanti vā”ti. |
|
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, nibbānaṁ na uppannaṁ na anuppannaṁ na uppādanīyaṁ na atītaṁ na anāgataṁ na paccuppannaṁ na cakkhuviññeyyaṁ na sotaviññeyyaṁ na ghānaviññeyyaṁ na jivhāviññeyyaṁ na kāyaviññeyyaṁ, tena hi, bhante nāgasena, tumhe natthidhammaṁ nibbānaṁ apadisatha ‘natthi nibbānan’”ti. |
‘Well! |
“Atthi, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ, manoviññeyyaṁ nibbānaṁ, visuddhena mānasena paṇītena ujukena anāvaraṇena nirāmisena sammāpaṭipanno ariyasāvako nibbānaṁ passatī”ti. |
therefore is it that while a cause for the realisation of Nirvāṇa can be declared, the cause of its origin can not. |
| And could a man, O king, by his ordinary power cross over the great ocean in a ship, and so go to the further shore of it?’ | |
“Kīdisaṁ pana taṁ, bhante, nibbānaṁ, yaṁ taṁ opammehi ādīpanīyaṁ kāraṇehi maṁ saññāpehi, yathā atthidhammaṁ opammehi ādīpanīyan”ti. |
|
“Atthi, mahārāja, vāto nāmā”ti? |
‘Yes, Sir, he could.’ |
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Iṅgha, mahārāja, vātaṁ dassehi vaṇṇato vā saṇṭhānato vā aṇuṁ vā thūlaṁ vā dīghaṁ vā rassaṁ vā”ti. |
|
“Na sakkā, bhante nāgasena, vāto upadassayituṁ, na so vāto hatthaggahaṇaṁ vā nimmaddanaṁ vā upeti, api ca atthi so vāto”ti. |
‘But could a man by his ordinary power bring the further shore of the ocean here?’ |
“Yadi, mahārāja, na sakkā vāto upadassayituṁ, tena hi natthi vāto”ti? |
|
“Jānāmahaṁ, bhante nāgasena, vāto atthīti me hadaye anupaviṭṭhaṁ, na cāhaṁ sakkomi vātaṁ upadassayitun”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, atthi nibbānaṁ, na ca sakkā nibbānaṁ upadassayituṁ vaṇṇena vā saṇṭhānena vā”ti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, sūpadassitaṁ opammaṁ, suniddiṭṭhaṁ kāraṇaṁ, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmi ‘atthi nibbānan’”ti. |
|
| ‘Well! | |
Akammajādipañho pañcamo. |
so is it that while a cause for the realisation of Nirvāṇa can be declared, the cause of its origin can not. |
| And why not? | |
| Because Nirvāṇa is not put together of any qualities.’ | |
| ‘What, Sir! | |
| is it not put together?’ | |
| ‘No, O king. | |
| It is uncompounded, not made of anything. | |
| Of Nirvāṇa, O king, it cannot be said that it has been produced, or not been produced, or that it can be produced, that it is past or future or present, that it is perceptible by the eye or the ear or the nose or the tongue, or by the sense of touch.’ | |
| ‘But if so, Nāgasena, then you are only showing us how Nirvāṇa is a condition that does not exist. | |
| There can be no such thing as Nirvāṇa.’ | |
| ‘Nirvāṇa exists, O king. | |
| And it is perceptible to the mind. | |
| By means of his pure heart, refined and straight, free from the obstacles, free from low cravings, that disciple of the Noble Ones who has fully attained can see Nirvāṇa.’ | |
| ‘Then what, Sir, is Nirvāṇa? | |
| Such a Nirvāṇa (I mean) as can be explained by similes. | |
| Convince me by argument how far the fact of its existence can be explained by similes.’ | |
| ‘Is there such a thing, O king, as wind?’ | |
| ‘Yes, of course.’ | |
| ‘Show it me then, I pray you, O king—whether by its colour, or its form, whether as thin or thick, or short or long!’ | |
| ‘But wind, Nāgasena, cannot be pointed out in that way. | |
| It is not of such a nature that it can be taken into the hand or squeezed. | |
| But it exists all the same.’ | |
| ‘If you can’t show me the wind, then there can’t be such a thing.’ | |
| ‘But I know there is, Nāgasena. | |
| That wind exists I am convinced, though I cannot show it you.’ | |
| ‘Well! | |
| just so, O king, does Nirvāṇa exist, though it cannot be shown to you in colour or in form.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to Nirvāṇa. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
6. Kammajādipañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, katame ettha kammajā, katame hetujā, katame utujā, katame na kammajā, na hetujā, na utujā”ti? |
6.2.6. Dilemma the Sixty-Sixth. |
“Ye keci, mahārāja, sattā sacetanā, sabbe te kammajā; |
Modes Of Production |
aggi ca sabbāni ca bījajātāni hetujāni; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, what are they who are said, in this connection, to be “Karma-born,” and “cause-born,” and “season-born”? |
pathavī ca pabbatā ca udakañca vāto ca, sabbe te utujā; |
And what is it that is none of these?’ |
ākāso ca nibbānañca ime dve akammajā ahetujā anutujā. |
|
Nibbānaṁ pana, mahārāja, na vattabbaṁ kammajanti vā hetujanti vā utujanti vā uppannanti vā anuppannanti vā uppādanīyanti vā atītanti vā anāgatanti vā paccuppannanti vā cakkhuviññeyyanti vā sotaviññeyyanti vā ghānaviññeyyanti vā jivhāviññeyyanti vā kāyaviññeyyanti vā, api ca, mahārāja, manoviññeyyaṁ nibbānaṁ, yaṁ so sammāpaṭipanno ariyasāvako visuddhena ñāṇena passatī”ti. |
|
“Ramaṇīyo, bhante nāgasena, pañho suvinicchito nissaṁsayo ekantagato, vimati uppacchinnā, tvaṁ gaṇivarapavaramāsajjā”ti. |
‘All beings, O king, who are conscious, are Karma-born (spring into existence as the result of Karma). |
| Fire, and all things growing out of seeds, are cause-born (the result of a pre-existing material cause). | |
| The earth, and the hills, water, and wind—all these are season-born (depend for their existence on reasons connected with weather). | |
Kammajādipañho chaṭṭho. |
Space and Nirvāṇa exist independently alike of Karma, and cause, and seasons. |
| Of Nirvāṇa, O king, it cannot be said that it is Karma-born or cause-born or season-born; | |
| that it has been, or has not been, or can be produced, that it is past or future or present, that it is perceptible by the eye or the nose or the ear or the tongue or by the sense of touch. | |
| But it is perceptible, O king, by the mind. | |
| By means of his pure heart, refined and straight, free from the obstacles, free from low cravings, that disciple of the Noble Ones who has fully attained can see Nirvāṇa.’ | |
| ‘Well has this delightful puzzle, venerable Nāgasena, been examined into, cleared of doubt, brought into certitude. | |
| My perplexity has been put an end to as soon as I consulted you, O best of the best of the leaders of schools!’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to modes of production. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
7. Yakkhapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, atthi loke yakkhā nāmā”ti? |
6.2.7. Dilemma the Sixty-Seventh. |
“Āma, mahārāja, atthi loke yakkhā nāmā”ti. |
Dead Demons |
“Cavanti pana te, bhante, yakkhā tamhā yoniyā”ti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, are there such things as demons (Yakkhā) in the world?’ |
“Āma, mahārāja, cavanti te yakkhā tamhā yoniyā”ti. |
|
“Kissa pana, bhante nāgasena, tesaṁ matānaṁ yakkhānaṁ sarīraṁ na dissati, kuṇapagandhopi na vāyatī”ti? |
|
“Dissati, mahārāja, matānaṁ yakkhānaṁ sarīraṁ, kuṇapagandhopi tesaṁ vāyati, matānaṁ, mahārāja, yakkhānaṁ sarīraṁ kīṭavaṇṇena vā dissati, kimivaṇṇena vā dissati, kipillikavaṇṇena vā dissati, paṭaṅgavaṇṇena vā dissati, ahivaṇṇena vā dissati, vicchikavaṇṇena vā dissati, satapadivaṇṇena vā dissati, dijavaṇṇena vā dissati, migavaṇṇena vā dissatī”ti. |
‘Yes, O king.’ |
“Ko hi, bhante nāgasena, añño idaṁ pañhaṁ puṭṭho visajjeyya aññatra tavādisena buddhimatā”ti. |
|
| ‘Do they ever leave that condition’ (fall out of that phase of existence)? | |
Yakkhapañho sattamo. |
|
| ‘Yes, they do.’ | |
| ‘But, if so, why is it that the remains of those dead Yakkhas are never found, nor any odour of their corpses smelt? | |
| ’ | |
| ‘ Their remains are found, O king, and an odour does arise from their dead bodies. | |
| The remains of bad Yakkhas can be seen in the form of worms and beetles and ants and moths and snakes and scorpions and centipedes, and birds and wild beasts.’ | |
| ‘Who else, O Nāgasena, could have solved this puzzle except one as wise as you!’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to dead demons. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
8 Anavasesasikkhāpadapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ye te ahesuṁ tikicchakānaṁ pubbakā ācariyā seyyathidaṁ—nārado dhammantarī aṅgiraso kapilo kaṇḍaraggi sāmo atulo pubbakaccāyano, sabbepete ācariyā sakiṁyeva roguppattiñca nidānañca sabhāvañca samuṭṭhānañca tikicchañca kiriyañca siddhāsiddhañca sabbaṁ taṁ niravasesaṁ jānitvā ‘imasmiṁ kāye ettakā rogā uppajjissantī’ti ekappahārena kalāpaggāhaṁ karitvā suttaṁ bandhiṁsu, asabbaññuno ete sabbe, kissa pana tathāgato sabbaññū samāno anāgataṁ kiriyaṁ buddhañāṇena jānitvā ‘ettake nāma vatthusmiṁ ettakaṁ nāma sikkhāpadaṁ paññapetabbaṁ bhavissatī’ti paricchinditvā anavasesato sikkhāpadaṁ na paññapesi, uppannuppanne vatthusmiṁ ayase pākaṭe dose vitthārike puthugate ujjhāyantesu manussesu tasmiṁ tasmiṁ kāle sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññapesī”ti? |
6.2.8. Dilemma the Sixty-Eighth. |
| The Method Of Promulgating the Rules | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, those who were teachers of the doctors in times gone by—Nārada, and Dhammantari, and Aṅgīrasa, and Kapila, and Kaṇḍaraggisāma, and Atula, and Pubba Kaccāyana —all these teachers knowing thoroughly, and of themselves, and without any omission, the rise of disease and its cause and nature and progress and cure and treatment and management —each of them composed his treatise en bloc, taking time by the forelock, and pointing out that in such and such a body such and such a disease would arise. | |
“Ñātametaṁ, mahārāja, tathāgatassa ‘imasmiṁ samaye imesu manussesu sādhikaṁ diyaḍḍhasikkhāpadasataṁ paññapetabbaṁ bhavissatī’ti, api ca tathāgatassa evaṁ ahosi ‘sace kho ahaṁ sādhikaṁ diyaḍḍhasikkhāpadasataṁ ekappahāraṁ paññapessāmi, mahājano santāsamāpajjissati “bahukaṁ idha rakkhitabbaṁ, dukkaraṁ vata bho samaṇassa gotamassa sāsane pabbajitun”ti, pabbajitukāmāpi na pabbajissanti, vacanañca me na saddahissanti, asaddahantā te manussā apāyagāmino bhavissanti uppannuppanne vatthusmiṁ dhammadesanāya viññāpetvā pākaṭe dose sikkhāpadaṁ paññapessāmī’”ti. |
Now no one of these was omniscient. |
| Why then did not the Tathāgata, who was omniscient, and who knew by his insight of a Buddha what would happen in the future, determining in advance that for such and such an occasion such and such a rule would be required, lay down the whole code of rules at once; | |
| instead of laying them down to his disciples from time to time as each occasion arose, when the disgrace (of the wrong act) had been already noised abroad, when the evil was already wide spread and grown great, when the people were already filled with indignation ?’ | |
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, buddhānaṁ, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, buddhānaṁ, yāva mahantaṁ tathāgatassa sabbaññutañāṇaṁ, evametaṁ, bhante nāgasena, suniddiṭṭho eso attho tathāgatena, ‘bahukaṁ idha sikkhitabban’ti sutvā sattānaṁ santāso uppajjeyya, ekopi jinasāsane na pabbajeyya, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘The Tathāgata, O king, knew very well that in fulness of time the whole of the hundred and fifty Rules would have to be laid down to those men. | |
Anavasesasikkhāpadapañho aṭṭhamo. |
But the Tathāgata, O king, thought thus: |
| “If I were to lay down the whole of the hundred and fifty Rules at once the people would be filled with fear , those of them who were willing to enter the Order would refrain from doing so, saying, ‘How much is there here to be observed! | |
| how difficult a thing is it to enter religion according to the system of the Samaṇa Gotama’—they would not trust my words, and through their want of faith they would be liable to rebirth in states of woe. | |
| As occasion arises therefore, illustrating it with a religious discourse, will I lay down, when the evil has become manifest, each Rule.” | |
| ’ | |
| ‘A wonderful thing is it in the Buddhas, Nāgasena, and a most marvellous that the omniscience of the Tathāgata should be so great. | |
| That is just so, venerable Nāgasena. | |
| This matter was well understood by the Tathāgata—how that hearing that so much was to be observed, men would have been so filled with fear that not a single one would have entered religion according to the system of the Conquerors. | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the method in which the Rules were laid down. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
9. Sūriyatapanapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ayaṁ sūriyo sabbakālaṁ kaṭhinaṁ tapati, udāhu kiñcikālaṁ mandaṁ tapatī”ti? |
6.2.9. Dilemma the Sixty-Ninth. |
“Sabbakālaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyo kaṭhinaṁ tapati, na kiñcikālaṁ mandaṁ tapatī”ti. |
The Heat Of the Sun |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, sūriyo sabbakālaṁ kaṭhinaṁ tapati, kissa pana appekadā sūriyo kaṭhinaṁ tapati, appekadā mandaṁ tapatī”ti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, does this sun always burn fiercely, or are there times when it shines with diminished heat?’ |
“Cattārome, mahārāja, sūriyassa rogā, yesaṁ aññatarena rogena paṭipīḷito sūriyo mandaṁ tapati. |
|
Katame cattāro? |
|
Abbhaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyassa rogo, tena rogena paṭipīḷito sūriyo mandaṁ tapati. |
‘It always burns fiercely, O king, never gently.’ |
Mahikā, mahārāja, sūriyassa rogo, tena rogena paṭipīḷito sūriyo mandaṁ tapati. |
|
Megho, mahārāja, sūriyassa rogo, tena rogena paṭipīḷito sūriyo mandaṁ tapati. |
|
Rāhu, mahārāja, sūriyassa rogo, tena rogena paṭipīḷito sūriyo mandaṁ tapati. |
‘But if that be so, how is it that the heat of the sun is sometimes fierce, and sometimes not ?’ |
Ime kho, mahārāja, cattāro sūriyassa rogā, yesaṁ aññatarena rogena paṭipīḷito sūriyo mandaṁ tapatī”ti. |
|
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, sūriyassapi tāva tejosampannassa rogo uppajjissati, kimaṅgaṁ pana aññesaṁ sattānaṁ, natthi, bhante, esā vibhatti aññassa aññatra tavādisena buddhimatā”ti. |
|
| ‘There are four derangements, O king, which happen to the sun, and affected by one or other of these its heat is allayed. | |
| And what are the four? | |
Sūriyatapanapañho navamo. |
the clouds, O king, and fog, and smoke, and eclipses —these are the four derangements which happen to the sun, and it is when affected by one or other of these that its heat is allayed.’ |
| ‘Most wonderful, Nāgasena, and most strange that even the sun, so transcendent in glory, should suffer from derangement-how much more then other, lesser, creatures. | |
| No one else could have made this explanation except one wise like you!’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the heat of the sun. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Nippapañcavagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
10. Kaṭhinatapanapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, kissa hemante sūriyo kaṭhinaṁ tapati, no tathā gimhe”ti? |
6.2.10. Dilemma the Seventieth. |
“Gimhe, mahārāja, anupahataṁ hoti rajojallaṁ, vātakkhubhitā reṇū gaganānugatā honti, ākāsepi abbhā subahalā honti, mahāvāto ca adhimattaṁ vāyati, te sabbe nānākulā samāyutā sūriyaraṁsiyo pidahanti, tena gimhe sūriyo mandaṁ tapati. |
The Seasons |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, why is it that the heat of the sun is more fierce in winter than in summer?’ | |
Hemante pana, mahārāja, heṭṭhā pathavī nibbutā hoti, upari mahāmegho upaṭṭhito hoti, upasantaṁ hoti rajojallaṁ, reṇu ca santasantaṁ gagane carati, vigatavalāhako ca hoti ākāso, vāto ca mandamandaṁ vāyati, etesaṁ uparatiyā visuddhā honti sūriyaraṁsiyo, upaghātavimuttassa sūriyassa tāpo ativiya tapati. |
|
Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena sūriyo hemante kaṭhinaṁ tapati, no tathā gimhe”ti. |
‘In the hot season, O king, dust is blown up into clouds, and pollen agitated by the winds rises up into the sky, and clouds multiply in the heavens, and gales blow with exceeding force. |
“Sabbītimutto, bhante, sūriyo kaṭhinaṁ tapati, meghādisahagato kaṭhinaṁ na tapatī”ti. |
All these crowded and heaped together shut off the rays of the sun, and so in the hot season the heat of the sun is diminished. |
| But in the cold season, O king, the earth below is at rest, the rains above are in reserve, the dust is quiet, the pollen wanders gently through the air, the sky is free from clouds, and very gently do the breezes blow. | |
| Since all these have ceased to act the rays of the sun become clear, and freed from every obstruction the sun’s heat glows and burns. | |
Kaṭhinatapanapañho dasamo. |
This, O king, is the reason why the heat of the sun is more fierce in winter than in summer. |
Nippapañcavaggo dutiyo. |
‘So it is when set free from the obstacles besetting it that the sun burns fiercely, which it cannot do when the rains and so on are present with it.’ |
Imasmiṁ vagge dasa pañhā. |
[‘Very good, Nāgasena! |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| ] | |
| Here ends the dilemma of the seasons. | |
| Here ends the Seventh Chapter. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
1. Vessantarapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, sabbeva bodhisattā puttadāraṁ denti, udāhu vessantareneva raññā puttadāraṁ dinnan”ti? |
6.3.1. Dilemma the Seventy-First. |
“Sabbepi, mahārāja, bodhisattā puttadāraṁ denti, na vessantareneva raññā puttadāraṁ dinnan”ti. |
Vessantara’s Giving |
“Api ca kho, bhante nāgasena, tesaṁ anumatena dentī”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, do all the Bodisats give away their wives and children, or was it only Vessantara the king who did so?’ |
“Bhariyā, mahārāja, anumatā, dārakā pana bālatāya vilapiṁsu, yadi te atthato jāneyyuṁ, tepi anumodeyyuṁ, na te vilapeyyun”ti. |
|
| ‘All of them do so, not Vessantara only.’ | |
“Dukkaraṁ, bhante nāgasena, bodhisattena kataṁ, yaṁ so attano orase piye putte brāhmaṇassa dāsatthāya adāsi. |
|
| ‘Do they then give them away with their own consent?’ | |
Idampi dutiyaṁ dukkarato dukkarataraṁ, yaṁ so attano orase piye putte bālake taruṇake latāya bandhitvā tena brāhmaṇena latāya anumajjīyante disvā ajjhupekkhi. |
|
| ‘The wife, O king, was a consenting party. | |
Idampi tatiyaṁ dukkarato dukkarataraṁ, yaṁ so sakena balena bandhanā muccitvā āgate dārake sārajjamupagate punadeva latāya bandhitvā adāsi. |
But the children, by reason of their tender age, lamented. |
| Had they thoroughly understood, they too would have approved.’ | |
Idampi catutthaṁ dukkarato dukkarataraṁ, yaṁ so dārake ‘ayaṁ kho, tāta, yakkho khādituṁ neti amhe’ti vilapante ‘mā bhāyitthā’ti na assāsesi. |
|
| ‘A hard thing, Nāgasena, was it that the Bodisat carried out, in that he gave away his own children, his only ones, dearly beloved, into slavery to the Brahman. | |
| And this second action was harder still, that he bound his own children, his only ones, and dearly beloved, young and tender though they were, with the jungle rope, and then, when he saw them being dragged along by the Brahman—their hands bruised by the creeper—yet could look on at the sight. | |
Idampi pañcamaṁ dukkarato dukkarataraṁ, yaṁ so jālissa kumārassa rudamānassa pādesu nipatitvā ‘alaṁ, tāta, kaṇhājinaṁ nivattehi, ahameva gacchāmi yakkhena saha, khādatu maṁ yakkho’ti yācamānassa evaṁ na sampaṭicchi. |
And this third action was even harder still, that when his boy ran back to him, after loosing the bonds by his own exertion, then he bound him again with the jungle rope and again gave him away. |
| And this fourth action was even harder still, that when the children, weeping, cried: | |
| “Father dear, this ogre is leading us away to eat us!” | |
Idampi chaṭṭhaṁ dukkarato dukkarataraṁ, yaṁ so jālissa kumārassa ‘pāsāṇasamaṁ nūna te, tāta, hadayaṁ, yaṁ tvaṁ amhākaṁ dukkhitānaṁ pekkhamāno nimmanussake brahāraññe yakkhena nīyamāne na nivāresī’ti vilapamānassa kāruññaṁ nākāsi. |
he should have appeased them by saying: |
| “Don’t be afraid.” | |
| And this fifth action was even harder still, that when the prince, Jāli, fell weeping at his feet, and besought him, saying: | |
Idampi sattamaṁ dukkarato dukkarataraṁ, yaṁ tassa ruḷaruḷassa bhīmabhīmassa nīte dārake adassanaṁ gamite na phali hadayaṁ satadhā vā sahassadhā vā, puññakāmena manujena kiṁ paradukkhāpanena, nanu nāma sakadānaṁ dātabbaṁ hotī”ti? |
“Be satisfied, father dear, only keep Kaṇhāginā (his little sister). |
| I will go away with the ogre. | |
| Let him eat me!" | |
“Dukkarassa, mahārāja, katattā bodhisattassa kittisaddo dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā sadevamanussesu abbhuggato, devā devabhavane pakittenti, asurā asurabhavane pakittenti, garuḷā garuḷabhavane pakittenti, nāgā nāgabhavane pakittenti, yakkhā yakkhabhavane pakittenti, anupubbena tassa kittisaddo paramparāya ajjetarahi idha amhākaṁ samayaṁ anuppatto, taṁ mayaṁ dānaṁ pakittentā vikopentā nisinnā sudinnaṁ, udāhu duddinnanti. |
—that even then he would not yield. |
So kho panāyaṁ, mahārāja, kittisaddo nipuṇānaṁ viññūnaṁ vidūnaṁ vibhāvīnaṁ bodhisattānaṁ dasa guṇe anudassati. |
And this sixth action was even harder still, that when the boy Jāli, lamenting, exclaimed: |
Katame dasa? |
“Have you a heart of stone then, father, that you can look upon us, miserable, being led away by the ogre into the dense and haunted jungle, and not call us back?" |
Agedhatā nirālayatā cāgo pahānaṁ apunarāvattitā sukhumatā mahantatā duranubodhatā dullabhatā asadisatā buddhadhammassa, so kho panāyaṁ, mahārāja, kittisaddo nipuṇānaṁ viññūnaṁ vidūnaṁ vibhāvīnaṁ bodhisattānaṁ ime dasa guṇe anudassatī”ti. |
—that he still had no pity. |
| And this seventh action was even harder still, that when his children were thus led away to nameless horrors until they passed gradually to their bitter fate, out of sight—that then his heart did not break, utterly break! | |
| What, pray, has the man who seeks to gain merit to do with bringing sorrow on others! | |
“Bhante nāgasena, yo paraṁ dukkhāpetvā dānaṁ deti, api nu taṁ dānaṁ sukhavipākaṁ hoti saggasaṁvattanikan”ti? |
Should he not rather give himself away?’ |
“Āma, mahārāja, kiṁ vattabban”ti. |
|
“Iṅgha, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇaṁ upadassehī”ti. |
|
“Idha, mahārāja, koci samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo, so bhaveyya pakkhahato vā pīṭhasappī vā aññataraṁ vā byādhiṁ āpanno, tamenaṁ yo koci puññakāmo yānaṁ āropetvā patthitaṁ desamanupāpeyya, api nu kho, mahārāja, tassa purisassa tatonidānaṁ kiñci sukhaṁ nibbatteyya saggasaṁvattanikaṁ taṁ kamman”ti? |
‘It is because what he did, O king, was so difficult, that the sound of the fame of the Bodisat was spread abroad among gods and men through the ten thousand world systems— that the gods exalt him in heaven; |
“Āma, bhante, kiṁ vattabbaṁ? |
and the Titans in the Titan-world, and the Garudas in their abodes, and the Nāgas in the Nāga-world, and the Yakshas where they dwell—that through the ages the reputation of this his glory has been handed down by successive tradition—till now, to-day, it has reached to this meeting of ours, at which we sitting are, forsooth, disparaging and casting a slur on that gift, debating whether it were well given or ill! |
Hatthiyānaṁ vā so, bhante, puriso labheyya assayānaṁ vā rathayānaṁ vā, thale thalayānaṁ jale jalayānaṁ devesu devayānaṁ manussesu manussayānaṁ, tadanucchavikaṁ tadanulomikaṁ bhave bhave nibbatteyya, tadanucchavikāni tadanulomikāni cassa sukhāni nibbatteyyuṁ, sugatito sugatiṁ gaccheyya, teneva kammābhisandena iddhiyānaṁ abhiruyha patthitaṁ nibbānanagaraṁ pāpuṇeyyā”ti. |
But that high praise, O king, shows forth the ten great qualities of the intelligent, and wise, and able, and subtle-minded Bodisats. |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, paradukkhāpanena dinnadānaṁ sukhavipākaṁ hoti saggasaṁvattanikaṁ, yaṁ so puriso balībadde dukkhāpetvā evarūpaṁ sukhaṁ anubhavati. |
And what are the ten? |
| Freedom from greed, the not clinging (to any worldly aim), self-sacrifice, renunciation, the never turning back again (to the lower state), the equal delicacy and greatness, the incomprehensibility, the rarity, and the peerlessness of Buddhahood. | |
| In all these respects is it that the fame of that giving shows forth the great qualities of the Bodisats.’ | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yathā paradukkhāpanena dinnadānaṁ sukhavipākaṁ hoti saggasaṁvattanikaṁ. |
|
Idha, mahārāja, yo koci rājā janapadato dhammikaṁ baliṁ uddharāpetvā āṇāpavattanena dānaṁ dadeyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, rājā tatonidānaṁ kiñci sukhaṁ anubhaveyya saggasaṁvattanikaṁ taṁ dānan”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante, kiṁ vattabbaṁ, tatonidānaṁ so, bhante, rājā uttariṁ anekasatasahassaguṇaṁ labheyya. |
‘What, venerable Nāgasena? |
Rājūnaṁ atirājā bhaveyya, devānaṁ atidevo bhaveyya, brahmānaṁ atibrahmā bhaveyya, samaṇānaṁ atisamaṇo bhaveyya, brāhmaṇānaṁ atibrāhmaṇo bhaveyya, arahantānaṁ atiarahā bhaveyyā”ti. |
he who gives gifts in such a way as to bring sorrow upon others—does that giving of his bring forth fruit in happiness, does it lead to rebirth in states of bliss?’ |
“Tena hi, mahārāja, paradukkhāpanena dinnadānaṁ sukhavipākaṁ hoti saggasaṁvattanikaṁ, yaṁ so rājā balinā janaṁ pīḷetvā dinnadānena evarūpaṁ uttariṁ yasasukhaṁ anubhavatī”ti. |
|
| ‘Yes, O king. | |
“Atidānaṁ, bhante nāgasena, vessantarena raññā dinnaṁ, yaṁ so sakaṁ bhariyaṁ parassa bhariyatthāya adāsi, sake orase putte brāhmaṇassa dāsatthāya adāsi, atidānaṁ nāma, bhante nāgasena, loke vidūhi ninditaṁ garahitaṁ, yathā nāma, bhante nāgasena, atibhārena sakaṭassa akkho bhijjati, atibhārena nāvā osīdati, atibhuttena bhojanaṁ visamaṁ pariṇamati, ativassena dhaññaṁ vinassati, atidānena bhogakkhayaṁ upeti, atitāpena pathavī upaḍayhati, atirāgena ummattako hoti, atidosena vajjho hoti, atimohena anayaṁ āpajjati, atilobhena coraggahaṇamupagacchati, atibhayena nirujjhati, atipūrena nadī uttarati, ativātena asani patati, atiagginā odanaṁ uttarati, atisañcaraṇena na ciraṁ jīvati. |
What can be said (to the contrary)?’ |
Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, atidānaṁ nāma loke vidūhi ninditaṁ garahitaṁ, atidānaṁ, bhante nāgasena, vessantarena raññā dinnaṁ, na tattha kiñci phalaṁ icchitabban”ti. |
|
| ‘I pray you, Nāgasena, give me a reason for this.’ | |
“Atidānaṁ, mahārāja, loke vidūhi vaṇṇitaṁ thutaṁ pasatthaṁ, ye keci yādisaṁ kīdisaṁ dānaṁ denti, atidānadāyī loke kittiṁ pāpuṇāti. |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, atipavaratāya dibbaṁ vanamūlaṁ gahitampi hatthapāse ṭhitānaṁ parajanānaṁ na dassayati, agado atijaccatāya pīḷāya samugghātako rogānaṁ antakaro, aggi atijotitāya ḍahati, udakaṁ atisītatāya nibbāpeti, padumaṁ parisuddhatāya na upalimpati vārikaddamena, maṇi atiguṇatāya kāmadado, vajiraṁ atitikhiṇatāya vijjhati maṇimuttāphalikaṁ, pathavī atimahantatāya naroragamigapakkhijalaselapabbatadume dhāreti, samuddo atimahantatāya aparipūraṇo, sineru atibhāratāya acalo, ākāso ativitthāratāya ananto, sūriyo atippabhatāya timiraṁ ghāteti, sīho atijātitāya vigatabhayo, mallo atibalavatāya paṭimallaṁ khippaṁ ukkhipati, rājā atipuññatāya adhipati, bhikkhu atisīlavantatāya nāgayakkhanaramarūhi namassanīyo, buddho atiaggatāya anupamo. |
|
Evameva kho, mahārāja, atidānaṁ nāma loke vidūhi vaṇṇitaṁ thutaṁ pasatthaṁ, ye keci yādisaṁ kīdisaṁ dānaṁ denti, atidānadāyī loke kittiṁ pāpuṇāti, atidānena vessantaro rājā dasasahassiyā lokadhātuyā vaṇṇito thuto pasattho mahito kittito, teneva atidānena vessantaro rājā ajjetarahi buddho jāto aggo sadevake loke. |
‘Suppose, O king, there were some virtuous Samaṇa or Brahman, of high character, and he were paralysed, or a cripple, or suffering from some disease or other, and some man desirous of merit were to have him put into a carriage, and taken to the place he wished to go to. |
| Would happiness accrue to that man by reason thereof, would that be an act leading to rebirth in states of bliss?’ | |
Atthi pana, mahārāja, loke ṭhapanīyaṁ dānaṁ, yaṁ dakkhiṇeyye anuppatte na dātabban”ti? |
|
“Dasa kho panimāni, bhante nāgasena, dānāni, yāni loke adānasammatāni, yo tāni dānāni deti, so apāyagāmī hoti. |
‘Yes, Sir. |
Katamāni dasa? |
What can be said (to the contrary)? |
Majjadānaṁ, bhante nāgasena, loke adānasammataṁ, yo taṁ dānaṁ deti, so apāyagāmī hoti. |
That man would thereby acquire a trained elephant, or a riding-horse, or a bullock-carriage, on land a land-vehicle and on water a water-vehicle, in heaven a vehicle of the gods and on earth one that men could use—from birth to birth there would accrue to him that which in each would be appropriate and fit—and joys appropriate would come to him, and he would pass from state to state of bliss, and by the efficacy of that act mounting on the vehicle of Iddhi he would arrive at the longed-for goal, the city of Nirvāṇa itself.’ |
Samajjadānaṁ …pe… itthidānaṁ … usabhadānaṁ … cittakammadānaṁ … satthadānaṁ … visadānaṁ … saṅkhalikadānaṁ … kukkuṭasūkaradānaṁ … tulākūṭamānakūṭadānaṁ, bhante nāgasena, loke adānasammataṁ hoti, yo taṁ dānaṁ deti, so apāyagāmī hoti. |
|
Imāni kho, bhante nāgasena, dasa dānāni loke adānasammatāni, yo tāni dānāni deti, so apāyagāmī hotī”ti. |
|
| ‘But then, O king, a gift given in such a way as to bring sorrow upon others does bring forth fruit in happiness, does lead to rebirth in states of bliss —inasmuch as that man by putting the cart-bullocks to pain would attain such bliss. | |
“Nāhaṁ taṁ, mahārāja, adānasammataṁ pucchāmi, imaṁ khvāhaṁ, mahārāja, taṁ pucchāmi ‘atthi pana, mahārāja, loke ṭhapanīyaṁ dānaṁ, yaṁ dakkhiṇeyye anuppatte na dātabban’”ti. |
|
“Natthi, bhante nāgasena, loke ṭhapanīyaṁ dānaṁ. |
‘And hear another reason, O king, for the same thing. |
Yaṁ dakkhiṇeyye anuppatte na dātabbaṁ, cittappasāde uppanne keci dakkhiṇeyyānaṁ bhojanaṁ denti, keci acchādanaṁ, keci sayanaṁ, keci āvasathaṁ, keci attharaṇapāvuraṇaṁ, keci dāsidāsaṁ, keci khettavatthuṁ, keci dvipadacatuppadaṁ, keci sataṁ sahassaṁ satasahassaṁ, keci mahārajjaṁ, keci jīvitampi dentī”ti. |
Suppose some monarch were to raise from his subjects a righteous tax, and then by the issue of a command were to bestow thereout a gift, would that monarch, O king, enjoy any happiness on that account, would that be a gift leading to rebirth in states of bliss |
“Yadi pana, mahārāja, keci jīvitampi denti, kiṁ kāraṇā vessantaraṁ dānapatiṁ atibāḷhaṁ paripātesi sudinne putte ca dāre ca? |
|
| ‘Certainly, Sir. | |
| What can be said against it? | |
Api nu kho, mahārāja, atthi lokapakati lokāciṇṇaṁ, labhati pitā puttaṁ iṇaṭṭo vā ājīvikapakato vā āvapituṁ vā vikkiṇituṁ vā”ti? |
On that account the monarch would receive a hundred thousandfold, he might become a king of kings, a god above the gods, or Brahmā lord of the Brahmā gods, or a chief among the Samanas, or a leader of the Brahmans, or the most excellent among the Arahats.’ |
“Āma, bhante, labhati pitā puttaṁ iṇaṭṭo vā ājīvikapakato vā āvapituṁ vā vikkiṇituṁ vā”ti. |
|
“Yadi, mahārāja, labhati pitā puttaṁ iṇaṭṭo vā ājīvikapakato vā āvapituṁ vā vikkiṇituṁ vā, vessantaropi, mahārāja, rājā alabhamāno sabbaññutañāṇaṁ upadduto dukkhito tassa dhammadhanassa paṭilābhāya puttadāraṁ āvapesi ca vikkiṇi ca. |
|
Iti, mahārāja, vessantarena raññā aññesaṁ dinnaṁyeva dinnaṁ, kataṁyeva kataṁ. |
‘Then, O king, a gift given in such a way as to bring sorrow upon others does bring forth fruit in happiness, does lead to rebirth in states of bliss—inasmuch as that monarch by giving as a gift what was gained by harassing his people with taxation would enjoy such exceeding fame and glory.’ |
Kissa pana tvaṁ, mahārāja, tena dānena vessantaraṁ dānapatiṁ atibāḷhaṁ apasādesī”ti? |
|
| ‘But, venerable Nāgasena, what was given by Vessantara the king was an excessive gift; | |
“Nāhaṁ, bhante nāgasena, vessantarassa dānapatino dānaṁ garahāmi, api ca puttadāraṁ yācante niminitvā attānaṁ dātabban”ti. |
in that he gave his own wife as wife to another man, and his own children, his only ones, into slavery to a Brahman. |
“Etaṁ kho, mahārāja, asabbhikāraṇaṁ, yaṁ puttadāraṁ yācante attānaṁ dadeyya, yaṁ yaṁ hi yācante taṁ tadeva dātabbaṁ, etaṁ sappurisānaṁ kammaṁ. |
And excessive giving is by the wise in the world held worthy of censure and of blame. |
Yathā, mahārāja, koci puriso pānīyaṁ āharāpeyya, tassa yo bhojanaṁ dadeyya, api nu so, mahārāja, puriso tassa kiccakārī assā”ti? |
Just, Nāgasena, as under too much weight the axle-tree of a cart would break, or a ship would sink, as his food would disagree with him who ate too much, or the crops would be ruined by too heavy rain, or bankruptcy would follow too lavish generosity, or fever would come from too much heat, or a man would go mad from excessive lust, or become guilty of an offence through excessive anger, or fall into sin through excessive stupidity, or into the power of robbers through too much avarice, or be ruined by needless fear, or as a river would overflow through excessive inflow, or a thunderbolt fall through too much wind, or porridge boil over through too hot a fire, or a man who wandered about too much would not live long-just, so, Nāgasena, is excessive giving held by the wise in the world as worthy of censure and of blame. |
“Na hi, bhante, yaṁ so āharāpeti, tameva tassa dento kiccakārī assā”ti. |
And as king Vessantara’s gift was excessive no good result could be expected from it.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, vessantaro rājā brāhmaṇe puttadāraṁ yācante puttadāraṁ yeva adāsi. |
|
Sace, mahārāja, brāhmaṇo vessantarassa sarīraṁ yāceyya, na so, mahārāja, attānaṁ rakkheyya na kampeyya na rajjeyya, tassa dinnaṁ pariccattaṁyeva sarīraṁ bhaveyya. |
|
Sace, mahārāja, koci vessantaraṁ dānapatiṁ upagantvā yāceyya ‘dāsattaṁ me upehī’ti, dinnaṁ pariccattaṁyevassa sarīraṁ bhaveyya, na so datvā tapeyya, rañño, mahārāja, vessantarassa kāyo bahusādhāraṇo. |
‘Giving exceedingly, O king, is praised, applauded, and approved by the wise in the world; |
| and they who give away anything as a gift just as it may occur to them, acquire fame in the world as very generous givers. | |
| Just, O king, as when a man has taken hold of a wild root which by its extraordinary virtues is divine, that moment he becomes invisible even to those standing within arm’s length—just as a medicinal herb by the exceeding power of its nature will utterly kill pain, and put an end to disease—just as fire burns by its exceeding heat, and water puts that fire out by its exceeding cold—just as by its exceeding purity a lotus remains undefiled by water or by mud—just as a (magic) gem by the extraordinary virtue inherent in it procures the granting of every wish—just as lightning by its marvellous quick sharpness cleaves asunder even the diamonds, pearls, and crystals—just as the earth by its exceeding size can support men, and snakes, and wild beasts, and birds, and the waters, and rocks, and hills, and trees—just as the ocean by its exceeding greatness can never be quite filled—just as Sineru by its mighty weight remains immoveable, and space by the greatness of its wide extent is infinite, and the sun by its mighty glory dissipates the darkness—just as the lion in the greatness of its lineage is free from fear—just as a wrestler in the greatness of his might easily lifts up his foe-just as a king by the excellence of his justice becomes overlord, and a Bhikkhu by reason of his very righteousness becomes an object of reverence to Nāgas, and Yakshas, and men, and Māras—just as a Buddha by the excellence of his supremacy is peerless—just so, O king, is exceeding generosity praised, applauded, and approved by the wise in the world; | |
Yathā, mahārāja, pakkā maṁsapesi bahusādhāraṇā; |
and they who give away anything as a gift, just as it may occur to them, acquire in the world the fame of being nobly generous. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, rañño vessantarassa kāyo bahusādhāraṇo. |
And by his mighty giving Vessantara the king, O king, was praised, and lauded, and exalted, and magnified, and famous throughout the ten thousand world systems, and by reason, too, of that mighty giving is it that he, the king Vessantara, has, now in our days, become the Buddha, the chief of gods and men. |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, phalito rukkho nānādijagaṇasādhāraṇo; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, rañño vessantarassa kāyo bahusādhāraṇo. |
|
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
‘And now, O king, tell me—is there anything in the world which should be withheld as a gift, and not bestowed, when one worthy of a gift, one to whom it is one’s duty to give, is there?’ |
‘Evāhaṁ paṭipajjanto sammāsambodhiṁ pāpuṇissāmī’ti. |
|
| ‘There are ten sorts of gifts, Nāgasena, in the world that are commonly disapproved of as gifts. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso adhano dhanatthiko dhanapariyesanaṁ caramāno ajapathaṁ saṅkupathaṁ vettapathaṁ gacchati, jalathalavāṇijjaṁ karoti, kāyena vācāya manasā dhanaṁ ārādheti, dhanappaṭilābhāya vāyamati; |
And what are the ten? |
evameva kho, mahārāja, vessantaro dānapati adhano buddhadhanena sabbaññutañāṇaratanappaṭilābhāya yācakānaṁ dhanadhaññaṁ dāsidāsaṁ yānavāhanaṁ sakalasāpateyyaṁ sakaṁ puttadāraṁ attānañca cajitvā sammāsambodhiṁyeva pariyesati. |
Strong drink, Nāgasena, and festivals in high places, and women, and buffaloes, and suggestive paintings, and weapons, and poison, and chains, and fowls, and swine, and false weights and measures. |
| All these, Nāgasena, are disapproved of in the world as gifts, and those who give such presents become liable to rebirth in states of woe.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, amacco muddakāmo muddādhikaraṇaṁ yaṁ kiñci gehe dhanadhaññaṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ, taṁ sabbaṁ datvāpi muddappaṭilābhāya vāyamati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, vessantaro dānapati sabbaṁ taṁ bāhirabbhantaradhanaṁ datvā jīvitampi paresaṁ datvā sammāsambodhiṁyeva pariyesati. |
‘I did not ask you, O king, what kinds of gifts are not approved of. |
| But this, O king, I asked: | |
| “Is there anything in the world which ought to be withheld, and not bestowed as a gift, if one worthy of a gift were present?” | |
Api ca, mahārāja, vessantarassa dānapatino evaṁ ahosi ‘yaṁ so brāhmaṇo yācati, tamevāhaṁ tassa dento kiccakārī nāma homī’ti, evaṁ so tassa puttadāramadāsi. |
’ |
Na kho, mahārāja, vessantaro dānapati dessatāya brāhmaṇassa puttadāramadāsi, na adassanakāmatāya puttadāramadāsi, na atibahukā me puttadārā, ‘na sakkomi te posetun’ti puttadāramadāsi, na ukkaṇṭhito ‘appiyā me’ti nīharitukāmatāya puttadāramadāsi. |
|
Atha kho sabbaññutañāṇaratanasseva piyattā sabbaññutañāṇassa kāraṇā vessantaro rājā evarūpaṁ atulaṁ vipulamanuttaraṁ piyaṁ manāpaṁ dayitaṁ pāṇasamaṁ puttadāradānavaraṁ brāhmaṇassa adāsi. |
‘No, Sir. |
| When faith arises in their hearts some give food to those worthy of gifts, and some give clothes, and some give bedding, and some give dwellings, and some give mats or robes, and some give slave girls or slaves, and some give fields or premises, and some give bipeds or quadrupeds, and some give a hundred or a thousand or a hundred thousand, and some give the kingdom itself, and some give away even their own life.’ | |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena cariyāpiṭake— |
|
| ‘But then, O king, if some give away even their own lives, why do you so violently attack Vessantara, that king of givers, for the virtuous bestowal of his child and wife? | |
‘Na me dessā ubho puttā, |
Is there not a general practice in the world, an acknowledged custom, according to which it is allowable for a father who has fallen into debt, or lost his livelihood, to deposit his son in pledge, or sell him?’ |
maddī devī na dessiyā; |
|
Sabbaññutaṁ piyaṁ mayhaṁ, |
‘Yes, that is so.’ |
tasmā piye adāsahan’ti. |
|
| ‘Well, in accordance therewith was it that Vessantara, O king, in suffering and distress at not having obtained the insight of the Omniscient Ones, pledged and sold his wife and children for that spiritual treasure. | |
Tasmā, mahārāja, vessantaro rājā puttadānaṁ datvā paṇṇasālaṁ pavisitvā nipajji. |
So that he gave away what other people had given away, he did what other people had done. |
Tassa atipemena dukkhitassa balavasoko uppajji, hadayavatthu uṇhamahosi. |
Why then do you, O king, so violently attack him, the king of givers?’ |
Nāsikāya appahontiyā mukhena uṇhe assāsapassāse vissajjesi, assūni parivattitvā lohitabindūni hutvā nettehi nikkhamiṁsu. |
|
Evameva kho, mahārāja, dukkhena vessantaro rājā brāhmaṇassa puttadāramadāsi ‘mā me dānapatho parihāyī’ti. |
|
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, I don’t blame him for giving, but for not having made a barter with the beggar, and given away himself rather, instead of his wife and children.’ | |
Api ca, mahārāja, vessantaro rājā dve atthavase paṭicca brāhmaṇassa dve dārake adāsi. |
|
Katame dve? |
‘That, O king, would be an act of a wrong doer, to give himself when he was asked for his wife and children. |
Dānapatho ca me aparihīno bhavissati, dukkhite ca me puttake vanamūlaphalehi itonidānaṁ ayyako mocessatīti. |
For the thing asked for, whatever it is, is that which ought to be given. |
Jānāti hi, mahārāja, vessantaro rājā ‘na me dārakā sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ, ime ca dārake ayyako nikkiṇissati, evaṁ amhākampi gamanaṁ bhavissatī’ti. |
And such is the practice of the good. |
Ime kho, mahārāja, dve atthavase paṭicca brāhmaṇassa dve dārake adāsi. |
Suppose, O king, a man were to ask that water should be brought, would any one who then brought him food have done what he wanted?’ |
Api ca, mahārāja, vessantaro rājā jānāti ‘ayaṁ kho brāhmaṇo jiṇṇo vuḍḍho mahallako dubbalo bhaggo daṇḍaparāyaṇo khīṇāyuko parittapuñño, neso samattho ime dārake dāsabhogena bhuñjitun’ti. |
‘No, Sir. |
Sakkuṇeyya pana, mahārāja, puriso pākatikena balena ime candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve gahetvā peḷāya vā samugge vā pakkhipitvā nippabhe katvā thālakaparibhogena paribhuñjitun”ti? |
The man who should have given what he first asked to be brought would have done what he wanted.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, imasmiṁ loke candimasūriyappaṭibhāgassa vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjitunti. |
|
| ‘Just so, O king, when the Brahman asked Vessantara the king for his wife and children, it was his wife and children that he gave. | |
| If the Brahman, O king, had asked for Vessantara’s body, then would Vessantara have not saved his body, he would neither have trembled nor been stained (by the love of self), but would have given away and abandoned his own body. | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
If, O king, any one had come up to Vessantara the king, and asked of him, saying: |
Yathā, mahārāja, rañño cakkavattissa maṇiratanaṁ subhaṁ jātimantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsaṁ suparikammakataṁ catuhatthāyāmaṁ sakaṭanābhipariṇāhaṁ na sakkā kenaci pilotikāya veṭhetvā peḷāya pakkhipitvā satthakanisānaparibhogena paribhuñjituṁ; |
“Become my slave,” then would he have given away and abandoned his own self, and in so giving would he have felt no pain. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, loke cakkavattirañño maṇiratanappaṭibhāgassa vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
|
| ‘Now the life of king Vessantara, O king, was a good thing shared in by many—just as meats when cooked are shared in by many, or as a tree covered with fruit is shared in by many flocks of birds. | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
And why so? |
Yathā, mahārāja, tidhā pabhinno sabbaseto sattappatiṭṭhito aṭṭharatanubbedho navaratanāyāmapariṇāho pāsādiko dassanīyo uposatho nāgarājā na sakkā kenaci suppena vā sarāvena vā pidahituṁ, govacchako viya vacchakasālāya pakkhipitvā pariharituṁ vā; |
Because he had said to himself: |
evameva kho, mahārāja, loke uposathanāgarājappaṭibhāgassa vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
“Thus acting may I attain to Buddhahood.” |
| As a man in need, O king, who is wandering about in his search after wealth, will have to pass along goat-tracks, and through jungles full of stakes and sticks, and doing merchandise by sea and land, will devote his actions, words, and thoughts to the attainment of wealth—just so, O king, did Vessantara, the king of givers, who was longing for the treasure of Buddhahood, for the attainment of the insight of the Omniscient Ones, by offering up to anyone who begged of him his property and his corn, his slave girls and his slaves, his riding animals and carriages, all that he possessed, his wife and children and himself, seek after the Supreme Enlightenment. | |
| Just, O king, as an official who is anxious for the seal, and for the office of the custody thereof , will exert himself to the attainment of the seal by sacrificing everything in his house—property and corn, gold and silver, everything—just so, O king, did Vessantara, the king of givers, by giving away all that he had, inside his house and out, by giving even his life for others, seek after the Supreme Enlightenment. | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo dīghaputhulavitthiṇṇo gambhīro appameyyo duruttaro apariyogāḷho anāvaṭo na sakkā kenaci sabbattha pidahitvā ekatitthena paribhogaṁ kātuṁ; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, loke mahāsamuddappaṭibhāgassa vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
‘And further, O king, Vessantara, the king of givers, thought thus: |
| “It is by giving to him precisely what he asks for, that I shall be of service to the Brahman: | |
| ” and therefore did he bestow upon him his wife and children. | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
It was not, O king, out of dislike to them that he gave them away, not because he did not care to see them more, not because he considered them an encumbrance or thought he could no longer support them, not (in annoyance) with the wish of being relieved of what was not pleasant to him—but because the jewel treasure of omniscience was dear to him, for the sake of the insight of the Omniscient Ones, did he bestow that glorious gift—immeasurable, magnificent, unsurpassed—of what was near and dear to him, greatly beloved, cherished as his own life, his own children and his wife! |
Yathā, mahārāja, himavanto pabbatarājā pañcayojanasataṁ accuggato nabhe tisahassayojanāyāmavitthāro caturāsītikūṭasahassappaṭimaṇḍito pañcannaṁ mahānadīsatānaṁ pabhavo mahābhūtagaṇālayo nānāvidhagandhadharo dibbosadhasatasamalaṅkato nabhe valāhako viya accuggato dissati; |
For it has been said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god of gods, in the cariyā Piṭaka: |
evameva kho, mahārāja, loke himavantapabbatarājappaṭibhāgassa vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
|
| “’Twas not through hatred of my children sweet, | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
’Twas not through hatred of my queen, Maddī, |
Yathā, mahārāja, rattandhakāratimisāyaṁ uparipabbatagge jalamāno mahāaggikkhandho suvidūrepi paññāyati; |
Thraller of hearts —not that I loved them less— |
evameva kho, mahārāja, vessantaro rājā pabbatagge jalamāno mahāaggikkhandho viya suvidūrepi pākaṭo paññāyati, tassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
But Buddhahood more, that I renounced them all.” |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, yena kāraṇena vessantarassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
‘Now at that time, O king, Vessantara, when he had given away his wife and children, entered the leaf hut, and sat down there. |
Yathā, mahārāja, himavante pabbate nāgapupphasamaye ujuvāte vāyante dasa dvādasa yojanāni pupphagandho vāyati; |
And heavy grief fell upon him distressed by his exceeding love for them, and his very heart became hot, and hot breath, too much to find its way through the nose, came and went through his mouth, and tears rolled in drops of blood from his eyes. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, vessantarassa rañño api yojanasahassehipi yāva akaniṭṭhabhavanaṁ etthantare surāsuragaruḷagandhabbayakkharakkhasamahoragakinnaraindabhavanesu kittisaddo abbhuggato, sīlavaragandho cassa sampavāyati, tena tassa dārakā na sakkā kenaci dāsabhogena bhuñjituṁ. |
Such was the grief, O king, with which Vessantara gave to the Brahman his wife and children in the thought that his practice of giving should not be broken in upon. |
Anusiṭṭho, mahārāja, jālī kumāro pitarā vessantarena raññā ‘ayyako te, tāta, tumhe brāhmaṇassa dhanaṁ datvā nikkiṇanto taṁ nikkhasahassaṁ datvā nikkiṇātu, kaṇhājinaṁ nikkiṇanto dāsasataṁ dāsisataṁ hatthisataṁ assasataṁ dhenusataṁ usabhasataṁ nikkhasatanti sabbasataṁ datvā nikkiṇātu, yadi te, tāta, ayyako tumhe brāhmaṇassa hatthato āṇāya balasā mudhā gaṇhāti, mā tumhe ayyakassa vacanaṁ karittha, brāhmaṇasseva anuyāyino hothā’ti, evamanusāsitvā putte pesesi, tato jālīkumāro gantvā ayyakena puṭṭho kathesi— |
But there were two reasons, O king, why he thus gave them away. |
| What are those two? | |
‘Sahassagghañhi maṁ tāta, |
That his practice of giving should not be interrupted was one; |
brāhmaṇassa pitā adā; |
the other was that as a result of his so doing his children, distressed by living with him only on wild roots and fruits, should eventually be set free by their new master. |
| For Vessantara knew, O king: | |
Atho kaṇhājinaṁ kaññaṁ, |
“No one is capable of keeping my children as slaves. |
hatthīnañca satena cā’”ti. |
Their grandfather will ransom the children, and so they will come back to me.” |
| These are the two reasons why he gave his children away to the Brahman. | |
“Sunibbeṭhito, bhante nāgasena, pañho; |
|
subhinnaṁ diṭṭhijālaṁ; |
‘And further, O king, Vessantara knew: |
sumaddito paravādo; |
|
sakasamayo sudīpito; |
|
byañjanaṁ suparisodhitaṁ; |
“This Brahman is worn out, aged, well stricken in years, weak and broken, leaning on a stick, he has drawn near the end of his days, his merit is small, he will not be capable of keeping my children as slaves.” |
suvibhatto attho; |
Would a man be able, O king, by his ordinary power, to seize the moon and the sun, mighty and powerful as they are, keeping them in a basket or a box, to use them, deprived of their light, as plates?’ |
evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
Vessantarapañho paṭhamo. |
|
| ‘Neither, O king, could any one whatever keep in use, as his slaves, the children of Vessantara, who were to the world like the moon and the sun in glory. | |
| ‘And hear another reason, O king, for the same thing. | |
| That wondrous gem, O king of a sovran overlord, bright and beautiful, with its eight facets so well cut, four cubits in thickness, and in circumference as the nave of a cart-wheel, could no man, wrapping it up in a cloth and putting it into a basket, keep and use as a hone to grind his scissors upon. | |
| And neither, O king, could any one soever keep in use, as his slaves, the children of Vessantara, like to the jewels of the lord of the world in glory. | |
| ‘And hear, O king, another reason. | |
| just as the elephant king Uposatha, gentle and handsome, eight cubits in height and nine in girth and length, showing the signs of rut in three places on his body, all white, sevenfold firm, could never by any one be covered up with a saucer or a winnowing fan, could never be put into a cowpen like a calf, or made use of as one ; | |
| just so could no one whatever keep in use, as his slaves, the children of Vessantara, who were, in the world, like Uposatha the elephant king. | |
| ‘And hear, O king, another reason. | |
| Just, O king, as the mighty ocean is great in length and breadth, and deep, not to be measured, and hard to cross, impossible to fathom or to cover up, and no one could close it in and make use of it as a single ferry, just so could no one whatever keep in use, as his slaves, the children of Vessantara, as esteemed in the world as the mighty ocean. | |
| ‘And hear another reason, O king. | |
| Just as the Himālaya, the king of the mountains, five leagues high, and three thousand leagues in extent at the circumference, with its ranges of eight and forty thousand peaks, the source of five hundred rivers, the dwelling-place of multitudes of mighty—creatures, the producer of manifold perfumes, enriched with hundreds of magical drugs, is seen to rise aloft, like a cloud, in the centre (of the earth); | |
| like it, O king, could no one whatever keep in use, as his slaves, the children of Vessantara, as esteemed in the world as Himālaya, the mountain king. | |
| ‘And hear another reason, O king. | |
| Just as a mighty bonfire burning on a mountain top would be visible afar off in the darkness and the gloom of night, so was Vessantara the king well known among men, and therefore could no one whatever keep in use, as his slaves, the children of so distinguished a man—for just as at the time of the flowering of the Nāga trees in the Himālaya mountains, when the soft winds (of spring) are blowing, the perfume of the flowers is wafted for ten leagues, or for twelve , so was the sound of the fame of king Vessantara noised abroad, and the sweet perfume of his righteousness wafted along for thousands of leagues, even up to the abodes of the Akaniṭṭha, (the highest of all) gods, passing on its way the dwelling places of the gods and Asuras, of the Garudas and Gandhabbas, of the Yakshas and Rākshasas, of the Mahoragas and Kinnaras, and of Indra the monarch of the gods! | |
| Therefore is it that no one could keep his children as slaves. | |
| ‘And the young prince Jāli, O king, was instructed by his father, Vessantara, in these words: | |
| “When your grandfather, my child, shall ransom you with wealth that he gives to the Brahman, let him buy you back for a thousand ounces of gold, and when he ransoms your sister Kaṇhājinā let him buy her back for a hundred slaves and a hundred slave girls and a hundred elephants and a hundred horses and a hundred cows and a hundred buffaloes and a hundred ounces of gold. | |
| And if, my child, your grandfather should take you out of the hands of the Brahman by word of command, or by force, paying nothing, then obey not the words of your grandfather, but remain still in subjection to the Brahman.” | |
| Such was his instruction as he sent him away. | |
| And young Jāli went accordingly, and when asked by his grandfather, said: | |
| “As worth a thousand ounces, Sir, | |
| My father gave me to this man; | |
| As worth a hundred elephants, | |
| He gave the girl Kaṇhājinā.” | |
| ’ | |
| ‘Well has this puzzle, Nāgasena, been unravelled, well has the net of heresy been torn to pieces, well has the argument of the adversaries been overcome and your own doctrine been made evident, well has the letter (of the Scriptures) been maintained while you have thus explained its spirit! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to Vessantara’s gift of his wife and children. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
2. Dukkarakārikapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, sabbeva bodhisattā dukkarakārikaṁ karonti, udāhu gotameneva bodhisattena dukkarakārikā katā”ti? |
6.3.2. Dilemma the Seventy-Second. |
“Natthi, mahārāja, sabbesaṁ bodhisattānaṁ dukkarakārikā, gotameneva bodhisattena dukkarakārikā katā”ti. |
Penance |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, did all the Bodisats go through a period of penance, or only Gotama?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, yadi evaṁ ayuttaṁ, yaṁ bodhisattānaṁ bodhisattehi vemattatā hotī”ti. |
|
“Catūhi, mahārāja, ṭhānehi bodhisattānaṁ bodhisattehi vemattatā hoti. |
‘Not all, O king, but Gotama did.’ |
Katamehi catūhi? |
|
Kulavemattatā padhānavemattatā āyuvemattatā pamāṇavemattatāti. |
|
Imehi kho, mahārāja, catūhi ṭhānehi bodhisattānaṁ bodhisattehi vemattatā hoti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, if that be so, it is not right that there should be a difference between Bodisat and Bodisat.’ |
Sabbesampi, mahārāja, buddhānaṁ rūpe sīle samādhimhi paññāya vimuttiyā vimuttiñāṇadassane catuvesārajje dasatathāgatabale chaasādhāraṇañāṇe cuddasabuddhañāṇe aṭṭhārasabuddhadhamme kevale ca buddhaguṇe natthi vemattatā, sabbepi buddhā buddhadhammehi samasamā”ti. |
|
| ‘There are four matters, O king, in which there is such difference. | |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, sabbepi buddhā buddhadhammehi samasamā, kena kāraṇena gotameneva bodhisattena dukkarakārikā katā”ti? |
And what are the four? |
“Aparipakke, mahārāja, ñāṇe aparipakkāya bodhiyā gotamo bodhisatto nekkhammamabhinikkhanto aparipakkaṁ ñāṇaṁ paripācayamānena dukkarakārikā katā”ti. |
There is a difference as to the kind of family (in which they are born), there is a difference as to their place in the period (which has elapsed since the succession of Buddhas began), there is a difference as to the length of their individual lives, there is a difference as to their individual size. |
| In these four respects, O king, there is a difference between Bodisat and Bodisat. | |
| But there is no difference between any of the Buddhas, who are alike in bodily beauty, in goodness of character, in power of contemplation and of reasoning, in emancipation, in the insight arising from the knowledge of emancipation, in The four bases of confidence, in the ten powers of a Tathāgata, in the sixfold special knowledge, in the fourteenfold knowledge of Buddha, in the eighteen characteristics of a Buddha —in a word, in all the qualities of a Buddha. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, kena kāraṇena bodhisatto aparipakke ñāṇe aparipakkāya bodhiyā mahābhinikkhamanaṁ nikkhanto, nanu nāma ñāṇaṁ paripācetvā paripakke ñāṇe nikkhamitabban”ti? |
For all the Buddhas are exactly alike in all the Buddha-qualities.’ |
“Bodhisatto, mahārāja, viparītaṁ itthāgāraṁ disvā vippaṭisārī ahosi, tassa vippaṭisārissa arati uppajji, araticittaṁ uppannaṁ disvā aññataro mārakāyiko devaputto ‘ayaṁ kho kālo araticittassa vinodanāyā’ti vehāse ṭhatvā idaṁ vacanamabravi— |
‘But if, Nāgasena, that be so, what is the reason that it was only the Gotama Bodisat who carried out the penance?’ |
‘Mārisa, mā kho tvaṁ ukkaṇṭhito ahosi, ito te sattame divase dibbaṁ cakkaratanaṁ pātubhavissati sahassāraṁ sanemikaṁ sanābhikaṁ sabbākāraparipūraṁ, pathavigatāni ca te ratanāni ākāsaṭṭhāni ca sayameva upagacchissanti, dvisahassaparittadīpaparivāresu catūsu mahādīpesu ekamukhena āṇā pavattissati, parosahassañca te puttā bhavissanti sūrā vīraṅgarūpā parasenappamaddanā, tehi puttehi parikiṇṇo sattaratanasamannāgato catuddīpamanusāsissasī’ti. |
|
| ‘Gotama the Bodisat had gone forth from the world, O king, when his knowledge was immature, and his wisdom was immature. | |
| And it was when he was bringing that immature knowledge to maturity that he carried out the penance.’ | |
Yathā nāma divasasantattaṁ ayosūlaṁ sabbattha upaḍahantaṁ kaṇṇasotaṁ paviseyya; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, bodhisattassa taṁ vacanaṁ kaṇṇasotaṁ pavisittha, iti so pakatiyāva ukkaṇṭhito tassā devatāya vacanena bhiyyoso mattāya ubbijji saṁvijji saṁvegamāpajji. |
|
| ‘Why then, Nāgasena, was it that he thus went forth with knowledge and with wisdom immatured? | |
| Why did he not first mature his knowledge, and then, with his knowledge matured, renounce the world?’ | |
Yathā pana, mahārāja, mahatimahāaggikkhandho jalamāno aññena kaṭṭhena upaḍahito bhiyyoso mattāya jaleyya; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, bodhisatto pakatiyāva ukkaṇṭhito tassā devatāya vacanena bhiyyoso mattāya ubbijji saṁvijji saṁvegamāpajji. |
|
| ‘When the Bodisat, O king, saw the women of his harem all in disorder, then did he become disgusted, and in him thus disgusted discontent sprang up. | |
| And on perceiving that his heart was filled with discontent, a certain god of those that wait on Death (Māra) thought: | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, mahāpathavī pakatitintā nibbattaharitasaddalā āsittodakā cikkhallajātā punadeva mahāmeghe abhivuṭṭhe bhiyyoso mattāya cikkhallatarā assa; |
“This now is the time to dispel that discontent of his heart,” and standing in the air he gave utterance to these words: |
evameva kho, mahārāja, bodhisatto pakatiyāva ukkaṇṭhito tassā devatāya vacanena bhiyyoso mattāya ubbijji saṁvijji saṁvegamāpajjī”ti. |
“O honourable one! |
| O fortunate one! | |
| Be not thou distressed. | |
“Api nu kho, bhante nāgasena, bodhisattassa yadi sattame divase dibbaṁ cakkaratanaṁ nibbatteyya, paṭinivatteyya bodhisatto dibbe cakkaratane nibbatte”ti? |
On the seventh day from this the heavenly treasure of the Wheel shall appear to thee, with its thousand spokes, its tire, and its nave, complete and perfect; |
“Na hi, mahārāja, sattame divase bodhisattassa dibbaṁ cakkaratanaṁ nibbatteyya, api ca palobhanatthāya tāya devatāya musā bhaṇitaṁ, yadipi, mahārāja, sattame divase dibbaṁ cakkaratanaṁ nibbatteyya, bodhisatto na nivatteyya. |
and the other treasures, those that walk on earth and those that travel through the sky, shall come to thee of their own accord; |
Kiṅkāraṇaṁ? ‘Aniccan’ti, mahārāja, bodhisatto daḷhaṁ aggahesi, ‘dukkhaṁ anattā’ti daḷhaṁ aggahesi, upādānakkhayaṁ patto. |
and the words of command of thy mouth shall bear sway over the four great continents and the two thousand dependent isles; |
| and thou shalt have above a thousand sons, heroes mighty in strength to the crushing out of the armies of the foe; | |
| and with those sons surrounding thee thou, master of the Seven Treasures, shalt rule the world!” | |
Yathā, mahārāja, anotattadahato udakaṁ gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ pavisati, gaṅgāya nadiyā mahāsamuddaṁ pavisati, mahāsamuddato pātālamukhaṁ pavisati, api nu, mahārāja, taṁ udakaṁ pātālamukhagataṁ paṭinivattitvā mahāsamuddaṁ paviseyya, mahāsamuddato gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ paviseyya, gaṅgāya nadiyā puna anotattaṁ paviseyyā”ti? |
But even as if a bar of iron, heated the livelong day and glowing throughout, had entered the orifice of his ear, so was it that those words, O king, entered the ear of the Bodisat. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
And to the natural distress he already felt there was added, by that utterance of the god, a further emotion, anxiety, and fear. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, bodhisattena kappānaṁ satasahassaṁ caturo ca asaṅkhyeyye kusalaṁ paripācitaṁ imassa bhavassa kāraṇā, soyaṁ antimabhavo anuppatto paripakkaṁ bodhiñāṇaṁ chahi vassehi buddho bhavissati sabbaññū loke aggapuggalo, api nu kho, mahārāja, bodhisatto cakkaratanakāraṇā paṭinivatteyyā”ti? |
just as a mighty fiery furnace, were fresh fuel thrown on it, would the more furiously burn—just as the broad earth, by nature moist, and already swampy through the water dripping on it from the vegetation and the grass that have arisen on it, would become more muddy still when a great rain cloud had poured out rain upon it—so to the distress that he already felt there was added, by that utterance of the god, a further emotion, anxiety, and fear.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
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| ‘But tell me, Nāgasena, if the heavenly Wheel-treasure had, on the seventh day, appeared to the Bodisat, would he, the Wheel having appeared, have been turned back from his purpose?’ | |
“Api ca, mahārāja, mahāpathavī parivatteyya sakānanā sapabbatā, na tveva bodhisatto paṭinivatteyya apatvā sammāsambodhiṁ. |
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Āroheyyapi ce, mahārāja, gaṅgāya udakaṁ paṭisotaṁ, na tveva bodhisatto paṭinivatteyya apatvā sammāsambodhiṁ; |
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visusseyyapi ce, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo aparimitajaladharo gopade udakaṁ viya, na tveva bodhisatto paṭinivatteyya apatvā sammāsambodhiṁ; |
‘No Wheel-treasure appeared, O king, on the seventh day to the Bodisat. |
phaleyyapi ce, mahārāja, sinerupabbatarājā satadhā vā sahassadhā vā, na tveva bodhisatto paṭinivatteyya apatvā sammāsambodhiṁ; |
For rather that was a lie that was told by that god with the object of tempting him. |
pateyyumpi ce, mahārāja, candimasūriyā satārakā leḍḍu viya chamāyaṁ, na tveva bodhisatto paṭinivatteyya apatvā sammāsambodhiṁ; |
And even had it appeared, yet would not the Bodisat have turned aside. |
saṁvatteyyapi ce, mahārāja, ākāso kilañjamiva, na tveva bodhisatto paṭinivatteyya apatvā sammāsambodhiṁ. |
And why not? |
Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
Because the Bodisat, O king, had firmly grasped (the facts of) the impermanence (of all things, of) the suffering (inherent in existence as an individual, of) the absence of a soul (in any being made up of the five Skandhas), and had thus arrived at the destruction of the attachment (to individuality which arises from lust, or from heresy, or from dependence upon outward acts, or from delusions as to the possession of a permanent soul). |
Padālitattā sabbabandhanānan”ti. |
The water, O king, which flows into the river Ganges from the Anottata lake, and from the Ganges river into the great ocean, and from the great ocean into the openings into the regions under the earth —would that water, after it had once entered that opening, turn back and flow again into the great ocean, and from the great ocean into the Ganges river, and from the Ganges river into the Anottata lake?’ |
“Bhante nāgasena, kati loke bandhanānī”ti? |
‘Certainly not, Sir.’ |
“Dasa kho panimāni, mahārāja, loke bandhanāni, yehi bandhanehi baddhā sattā na nikkhamanti, nikkhamitvāpi paṭinivattanti. |
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Katamāni dasa? |
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Mātā, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, pitā, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, bhariyā, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, puttā, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, ñātī, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, mittaṁ, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, dhanaṁ, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, lābhasakkāro, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, issariyaṁ, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, pañca kāmaguṇā, mahārāja, loke bandhanaṁ, imāni kho, mahārāja, dasa loke bandhanāni, yehi bandhanehi baddhā sattā na nikkhamanti, nikkhamitvāpi paṭinivattanti, tāni dasa bandhanāni bodhisattassa chinnāni padālitāni, tasmā, mahārāja, bodhisatto na paṭinivattatī”ti. |
‘In the same way, O king, it was for the sake of that last existence of his that the Bodisat had matured merit through the immeasurable aeons of the past. |
| He had now reached that last birth, the knowledge of the Buddhas had grown mature in him, in six years he would become a Buddha, all-knowing, the highest being in the world. | |
| Would then the Bodisat, for the sake of the Wheel-treasure, turn back?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, yadi bodhisatto uppanne araticitte devatāya vacanena aparipakke ñāṇe aparipakkāya bodhiyā nekkhammamabhinikkhanto, kiṁ tassa dukkarakārikāya katāya, nanu nāma sabbabhakkhena bhavitabbaṁ ñāṇaparipākaṁ āgamayamānenā”ti? |
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| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
“Dasa kho panime, mahārāja, puggalā lokasmiṁ oññātā avaññātā hīḷitā khīḷitā garahitā paribhūtā acittīkatā. |
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Katame dasa? |
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Itthī, mahārāja, vidhavā lokasmiṁ oññātā avaññātā hīḷitā khīḷitā garahitā paribhūtā acittīkatā. |
‘No! |
Dubbalo, mahārāja, puggalo …pe… amittañāti, mahārāja, puggalo … mahagghaso, mahārāja, puggalo … agarukulavāsiko, mahārāja, puggalo … pāpamitto, mahārāja, puggalo … dhanahīno, mahārāja, puggalo … ācārahīno, mahārāja, puggalo … kammahīno, mahārāja, puggalo … payogahīno, mahārāja, puggalo lokasmiṁ oññāto avaññāto hīḷito khīḷito garahito paribhūto acittīkato. |
Though the great earth, O king, with all its peaks and mountain ranges, should turn back, yet the Bodisat would not before he had attained to Buddhahood. |
Ime kho, mahārāja, dasa puggalā lokasmiṁ oññātā avaññātā hīḷitā khīḷitā garahitā paribhūtā acittīkatā. |
Though the water of the Ganges should flow backwards up the stream, yet the Bodisat would not turn back before he had attained to Buddhahood. |
Imāni kho, mahārāja, dasa ṭhānāni anussaramānassa bodhisattassa evaṁ saññā uppajji ‘māhaṁ kammahīno assaṁ payogahīno garahito devamanussānaṁ, yannūnāhaṁ kammassāmī assaṁ kammagaru kammādhipateyyo kammasīlo kammadhorayho kammaniketavā appamatto vihareyyan’ti, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, bodhisatto ñāṇaṁ paripācento dukkarakārikaṁ akāsī”ti. |
Though the mighty ocean with its immeasurable waters should dry up like the water in the footprint of a cow, yet would not the Bodisat turn back before he had attained to Buddhahood. |
| Though Sineru, the king of the mountains, should split up into a hundred or a thousand fragments, yet would not the Bodisat turn back before he had attained to Buddhahood. | |
| Though the moon and sun with all the stars should fall, like a clod, upon the ground, yet would not the Bodisat turn back before he had attained to Buddhahood. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, bodhisatto dukkarakārikaṁ karonto evamāha ‘na kho panāhaṁ imāya kaṭukāya dukkarakārikāya adhigacchāmi uttari manussadhammaṁ alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ, siyā nu kho añño maggo bodhāyā’ti. |
Though the expanse of heaven should be rolled up like a mat, yet would not the Bodisat turn back before he had attained to Buddhahood! |
Api nu tasmiṁ samaye bodhisattassa maggaṁ ārabbha satisammoso ahosī”ti? |
And why not? |
| Because he had torn asunder every bond.’ | |
“Pañcavīsati kho panime, mahārāja, cittadubbalīkaraṇā dhammā, yehi dubbalīkataṁ cittaṁ na sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya. |
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Katame pañcavīsati? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, how many bonds are there in the world?’ |
Kodho, mahārāja, cittadubbalīkaraṇo dhammo, yena dubbalīkataṁ cittaṁ na sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya, upanāho …pe… makkho … paḷāso … issā … macchariyaṁ … māyā … sāṭheyyaṁ … thambho … sārambho … māno … atimāno … mado … pamādo … thinamiddhaṁ … tandi … ālasyaṁ … pāpamittatā … rūpā … saddā … gandhā … rasā … phoṭṭhabbā … khudāpipāsā … arati, mahārāja, cittadubbalīkaraṇo dhammo, yena dubbalīkataṁ cittaṁ na sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya. |
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Ime kho, mahārāja, pañcavīsati cittadubbalīkaraṇā dhammā, yehi dubbalīkataṁ cittaṁ na sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya. |
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| ‘There are these ten bonds in the world, O king, bound by which men renounce not the world, or turn back again to it. | |
| And what are the ten? | |
Bodhisattassa kho, mahārāja, khudāpipāsā kāyaṁ pariyādiyiṁsu, kāye pariyādinne cittaṁ na sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya. |
A mother, O king, is often a bond, and a father, and a wife, and children, and relations, and friends, and wealth, and easy income, and sovranty, and the five pleasures of sense. |
Satasahassaṁ, mahārāja, kappānaṁ caturo ca asaṅkhyeyye kappe bodhisatto catunnaṁyeva ariyasaccānaṁ abhisamayaṁ anvesi tāsu tāsu jātīsu, kiṁ panassa pacchime bhave abhisamayajātiyaṁ maggaṁ ārabbha satisammoso hessati? |
These are the ten bonds common in the world, bonds bound by which men renounce not the world or turn back to it. |
Api ca, mahārāja, bodhisattassa saññāmattaṁ uppajji ‘siyā nu kho añño maggo bodhāyā’ti. |
And all these bonds had the Bodisat, O king, burst through. |
Pubbe kho, mahārāja, bodhisatto ekamāsiko samāno pitu sakkassa kammante sītāya jambucchāyāya sirisayane pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā nisinno vivicceva kāmehi vicicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsi …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsī”ti. |
And therefore could he not, O king, turn back.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmi, ñāṇaṁ paripācento bodhisatto dukkarakārikaṁ akāsī”ti. |
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| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, if the Bodisat, on discontent arising in his heart at the words of the god, though his knowledge (of the four Truths) was yet imperfect, and his insight of a Buddha not mature, did nevertheless go forth into renunciation of the world, of what advantage was penance to him then? | |
Dukkarakārikapañho dutiyo. |
Ought he not rather, awaiting the maturity of his knowledge, to have lived in the enjoyment of all (suitable) foods?’ |
| ‘There are, O king, these ten sorts of individuals who are despised and contemned in the world, thought shameful, looked down upon, held blameworthy, treated with contumely, not loved. | |
| And what are the ten? | |
| A woman without a husband, O king, and a weak creature, and one without friends or relatives, and a glutton, and one dwelling in a disreputable family, and the friend of sinners, and he whose wealth has been dissipated, and he who has no character, and he who has no occupation, and he who has no means. | |
| These are the ten despised and contemned in the world, thought shameful, looked down upon, held blameworthy, treated with contumely, not loved. | |
| It was on calling these conditions to mind, O king, that this idea occurred to the Bodisat: | |
| “Let me not incur blame among gods and men as being without occupation or without means! | |
| Let me as a master in action, held in respect by reason of action, one having the supremacy which arises from action, one whose conduct is based upon action, one who carries action (into every concern of life), one who has his dwelling in action, be constant in earnestness.” | |
| That was the spirit, O king, in which the Bodisat, when he was bringing his knowledge to maturity, undertook the practice of penance.’ | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, the Bodisat, when he was undergoing penance, said thus to himself: | |
| “But it is not by this penance severe that I shall reach the peculiar faculty of the insight arising from the knowledge of that which is fit and noble—that insight beyond the powers of ordinary men, May there not be now some other way to the wisdom (of Buddhahood) ?” | |
| ‘Was then the Bodisat, at that time, confused in his mind about the way ?’ | |
| ‘There are twenty-five qualities, O king, which are causes of weakness of mind, weakened by which the mind cannot successfully be devoted to the destruction of the āsavas (the Great Evils—lust, becoming, delusion, and ignorance). | |
| And what are the twenty-five? | |
| Anger, O king, and enmity, and hypocrisy, and conceit, and envy, and avarice, and deceit, and treachery, and obstinacy, and perverseness, and pride, and vainglory, and the intoxication (of exalted ideas about birth or health or wealth), and negligence in (well-doing), and intellectual inertness or bodily sloth, and drowsiness, and idleness, and friendship with sinners, and forms, and sounds, and odours, and tastes, and sensations of touch, and hunger, and thirst, and discontent. | |
| These are the twenty-five qualities, O king, which are causes of weakness of mind, weakened by which the mind cannot successfully be devoted to the destruction of the āsavas. | |
| (And of these it was) hunger and thirst, O king, which had then seized hold of the body of the Bodisat. | |
| And his body being thus, as it were, “possessed,” his mind was not rightly devoted to the destruction of the āsavas. | |
| Now the Bodisat, O king, through the immeasurable aeons of the past, had followed after the perception of the Four Noble Truths through all of his successive births. | |
| Is it then possible that in his last existence, in the birth in which that perception was to arise, there should be any confusion in his mind as to the way? | |
| But nevertheless there arose, O king, in the Bodisat’s mind the thought: | |
| “May there not now be some other way to the wisdom (of a Buddha)?” | |
| And already before that, O king, when he was only one month old, when his father the Sakya was at work (ploughing), the Bodisat, placed in his sacred cot for coolness under the shade of the jambu tree, sat up crosslegged, and putting away passion, free from all evil conditions of heart, he entered into and remained in the first Ghāna—a state of joy and ease, born of seclusion, full of reflection, full of investigation, and so into the second, and so into the third, and so into the fourth Ghāna.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say. | |
| It was whilst he was bringing his knowledge to maturity that the Bodisat underwent the penance.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the penance undergone by the Bodisat. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
3. Kusalākusalabalavatarapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, katamaṁ adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ kusalaṁ vā akusalaṁ vā”ti? |
6.3.3. Dilemma the Seventy-Third. |
“Kusalaṁ, mahārāja, adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ, no tathā akusalan”ti. |
Virtue Stronger Than Vice |
“Nāhaṁ, bhante nāgasena, taṁ vacanaṁ sampaṭicchāmi ‘kusalaṁ adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ, no tathā akusalan’ti, dissanti, bhante nāgasena, idha pāṇātipātino adinnādāyino kāmesumicchācārino musāvādino gāmaghātikā panthadūsakā nekatikā vañcanikā, sabbe te tāvatakena pāpena labhanti hatthacchedaṁ pādacchedaṁ hatthapādacchedaṁ kaṇṇacchedaṁ nāsacchedaṁ kaṇṇanāsacchedaṁ bilaṅgathālikaṁ saṅkhamuṇḍikaṁ rāhumukhaṁ jotimālikaṁ hatthapajjotikaṁ erakavattikaṁ cīrakavāsikaṁ eṇeyyakaṁ baḷisamaṁsikaṁ kahāpaṇikaṁ khārāpatacchikaṁ palighaparivattikaṁ palālapīṭhakaṁ tattenapi telena osiñcanaṁ sunakhehipi khādāpanaṁ jīvasūlāropanaṁ asināpi sīsacchedaṁ, keci rattiṁ pāpaṁ katvā rattiṁ yeva vipākaṁ anubhavanti, keci rattiṁ katvā divāyeva anubhavanti, keci divā katvā divāyeva anubhavanti, keci divā katvā rattiṁ yeva anubhavanti, keci dve tayo divase vītivatte anubhavanti, sabbepi te diṭṭheva dhamme vipākaṁ anubhavanti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, which is the more powerful, virtue or vice?’ |
Atthi pana, bhante nāgasena, koci ekassa vā dvinnaṁ vā tiṇṇaṁ vā catunnaṁ vā pañcannaṁ vā dasannaṁ vā satassa vā sahassassa vā satasahassassa vā saparivāraṁ dānaṁ datvā diṭṭhadhammikaṁ bhogaṁ vā yasaṁ vā sukhaṁ vā anubhavitā sīlena vā uposathakammena vā”ti? |
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| ‘Virtue, O king.’ | |
“Atthi, mahārāja, cattāro purisā dānaṁ datvā sīlaṁ samādiyitvā uposathakammaṁ katvā diṭṭheva dhamme teneva sarīradehena tidasapure samanuppattā”ti. |
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“Ko ca ko ca, bhante”ti? |
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“Mandhātā, mahārāja, rājā, nimi rājā, sādhīno rājā, guttilo ca gandhabbo”ti. |
‘That is a saying, Nāgasena, which I cannot believe-that virtue is more powerful than vice. |
| For there are to be seen here (in the world) men who destroy living creatures, who take to themselves what has not been given, who walk in evil in their lusts, who speak lies, who commit gang robberies on whole villages, who are highwaymen, sharpers, and swindlers, and these all according to their crime suffer the cutting off of their hands, or their feet, or their hands and feet, or their ears, or Their nose, or their ears and nose, or the Gruel Pot, or the Chank Crown, or the Rāhu’s Mouth, or the Fire Garland, or the Hand Torch, or the Snake Strips, or the Bark Dress, or the Spotted Antelope, or the Flesh Hooks, or the Penny Cuts, or the Brine Slits, or the Bar Turn, or the Straw Seat, or they are anointed with boiling oil, or eaten by dogs, or are impaled alive, or are beheaded with a sword. | |
| Some of them sin one night and that night experience the fruit of their sin, some sinning by night experience the next day, some sinning one day experience that day, some sinning by day experience that night, some experience when two days or three have elapsed. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, anekehi taṁ bhavasahassehi antaritaṁ, dvinnampetaṁ amhākaṁ parokkhaṁ, yadi samatthosi vattamānake bhave bhagavato dharamānakāle kathehī”ti? |
But all experience in this present visible world the result of their iniquity. |
“Vattamānakepi, mahārāja, bhave puṇṇako dāso therassa sāriputtassa bhojanaṁ datvā tadaheva seṭṭhiṭṭhānaṁ ajjhupagato, so etarahi puṇṇako seṭṭhīti paññāyi, gopālamātā devī attano kese vikkiṇitvā laddhehi aṭṭhahi kahāpaṇehi therassa mahākaccāyanassa attaṭṭhamakassa piṇḍapātaṁ datvā tadaheva rañño candapajjotassa aggamahesiṭṭhānaṁ pattā. |
And is there any one, Nāgasena, who from having provided a meal with all its accessories for one, or two, or three, or four, or five, or ten, or a hundred, or a thousand (members of the Order), has enjoyed in this present visible world wealth or fame or happiness—(is there any one who) from righteousness of life, or from observance of the Uposatha, (has received bliss even in this life)?’ |
Suppiyā upāsikā aññatarassa gilānabhikkhuno attano ūrumaṁsena paṭicchādanīyaṁ datvā dutiyadivaseyeva rūḷhavaṇā sañchavī arogā jātā. |
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Mallikā devī bhagavato ābhidosikaṁ kummāsapiṇḍaṁ datvā tadaheva rañño kosalassa aggamahesī jātā. |
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Sumano mālākāro aṭṭhahi sumanapupphamuṭṭhīhi bhagavantaṁ pūjetvā taṁ divasaṁyeva mahāsampattiṁ patto. |
‘There are , O king, four men who by giving gifts, and by the practice of uprightness, and by the keeping of Uposatha, even in their earthly bodies attained to glory in Tidasapura (the city of the gods).’ |
Ekasāṭako brāhmaṇo uttarasāṭakena bhagavantaṁ pūjetvā taṁ divasaṁ yeva sabbaṭṭhakaṁ labhi, sabbepete, mahārāja, diṭṭhadhammikaṁ bhogañca yasañca anubhaviṁsū”ti. |
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| ‘And who, Sir, were they ?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, vicinitvā pariyesitvā cha janeyeva addasāsī”ti. |
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“Āma, mahārājā”ti. |
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“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, akusalaṁyeva adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ, no tathā kusalaṁ. |
‘Mandhātā the king, and Nimi the king, and Sādhīna the king, and Guttila the musician.’ |
Ahañhi, bhante nāgasena, ekadivasaṁyeva dasapi purise passāmi pāpassa kammassa vipākena sūlesu āropente, vīsampi tiṁsampi cattālīsampi paññāsampi purisasatampi purisasahassampi passāmi pāpassa kammassa vipākena sūlesu āropente. |
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Nandakulassa, bhante nāgasena, bhaddasālo nāma senāpatiputto ahosi. |
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Tena ca raññā candaguttena saṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, this happened thousands of births ago, and is beyond the ken of either of us two. |
Tasmiṁ kho pana, bhante nāgasena, saṅgāme ubhato balakāye asītikabandharūpāni ahesuṁ, ekasmiṁ kira sīsakabandhe paripāte ekaṁ kabandharūpaṁ uṭṭhahati, sabbepete pāpasseva kammassa vipākena anayabyasanaṁ āpannā. |
Give me, if you can, some examples from that period (of the world) which is now elapsing in which the Blessed One has been alive.’ |
Imināpi, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇena bhaṇāmi akusalaṁyeva adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ, no tathā kusalanti. |
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| ‘In this present period, O king, the slave Puṇṇaka, on giving a meal to Sāriputta the Elder, attained that day to the dignity of a treasurer (Seṭṭhi), and he is now generally known as Puṇṇaka the Seṭṭhi. | |
Suyyati, bhante nāgasena, imasmiṁ buddhasāsane kosalena raññā asadisadānaṁ dinnan”ti? |
The queen, the mother of Gopāla, who (being the daughter of poor peasant folk) sold her hair for eight pennies, and therewith gave a meal to Mahā Kaccāyana the Elder and his seven companions, became that very day the chief queen of king Udena. |
“Āma, mahārāja, suyyatī”ti. |
Suppiyā, the believing woman, cut flesh from her own thigh to provide broth for a sick Bhikkhu, and on the very next day the wound closed up, and the place became cured, with skin grown over it. |
“Api nu kho, bhante nāgasena, kosalarājā taṁ asadisaṁ dānaṁ datvā tatonidānaṁ kañci diṭṭhadhammikaṁ bhogaṁ vā yasaṁ vā sukhaṁ vā paṭilabhī”ti? |
Mallikā, the queen who (when a poor flower girl) gave the last night’s gruel (she had reserved for her own dinner) to the Blessed One, became that very day the chief queen of the king of Kosala. |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
Sumana, the garland maker, when he had presented to the Blessed One eight bunches of jessamine flowers, came that very day into great prosperity. |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, kosalarājā evarūpaṁ anuttaraṁ dānaṁ datvāpi na labhi tatonidānaṁ kañci diṭṭhadhammikaṁ bhogaṁ vā yasaṁ vā sukhaṁ vā, tena hi, bhante nāgasena, akusalaṁyeva adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ, no tathā kusalan”ti. |
Eka-sāṭaka the Brahman, who gave to the Blessed One his only garment, received that very day the office of Sabbaṭṭhaka (Minister in general). |
| All these, O king, came into the enjoyment of wealth and glory in their then existing lives.’ | |
“Parittattā, mahārāja, akusalaṁ khippaṁ pariṇamati, vipulattā kusalaṁ dīghena kālena pariṇamati, upamāyapi, mahārāja, etaṁ upaparikkhitabbaṁ. |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, aparante janapade kumudabhaṇḍikā nāma dhaññajāti māsalūnā antogehagatā hoti, sālayo chappañcamāsehi pariṇamanti, kiṁ panettha, mahārāja, antaraṁ ko viseso kumudabhaṇḍikāya ca sālīnañcā”ti? |
‘So then, Nāgasena, with all your searching and enquiry you have only found six cases ?’ |
“Parittattā, bhante, kumudabhaṇḍikāya, vipulattā ca sālīnaṁ. |
|
Sālayo, bhante nāgasena, rājārahā rājabhojanaṁ, kumudabhaṇḍikā dāsakammakarānaṁ bhojanan”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, parittattā akusalaṁ khippaṁ pariṇamati, vipulattā kusalaṁ dīghena kālena pariṇamatī”ti. |
‘That is so, O king.’ |
“Yaṁ tattha, bhante nāgasena, khippaṁ pariṇamati, taṁ nāma loke adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ, tasmā akusalaṁ balavataraṁ, no tathā kusalaṁ. |
‘Then it is vice, Nāgasena, and not virtue which is the more powerful. |
Yathā nāma, bhante nāgasena, yo koci yodho mahatimahāyuddhaṁ pavisitvā paṭisattuṁ upakacchake gahetvā ākaḍḍhitvā khippataraṁ sāmino upaneyya, so yodho loke samattho sūro nāma. |
For on one day alone I have seen ten men expiating their crimes by being impaled alive, and thirty even, and forty, and fifty, , and a hundred, and a thousand. |
Yo ca bhisakko khippaṁ sallaṁ uddharati rogamapaneti, so bhisakko cheko nāma. |
And further, there was Bhaddasāla, the soldier in the service of the royal family of Nanda, and he waged war against king candagutta. |
Yo gaṇako sīghasīghaṁ gaṇetvā khippaṁ dassayati, so gaṇako cheko nāma. |
Now in that war, Nāgasena, there were eighty Corpse Dances. |
Yo mallo khippaṁ paṭimallaṁ ukkhipitvā uttānakaṁ pāteti, so mallo samattho sūro nāma. |
For they say that when one great Head Holocaust has taken place (by which is meant the slaughter of ten thousand elephants, and a lac of horses, and five thousand charioteers, and a hundred koṭis of soldiers on foot), then the headless corpses arise and dance in frenzy over the battle-field. |
Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, yaṁ khippaṁ pariṇamati kusalaṁ vā akusalaṁ vā, taṁ loke adhimattaṁ balavataran”ti. |
And all the men thus slain came to destruction through the fruit of the Karma of their evil deeds. |
| And therefore, too, do I say, Nāgasena, that vice is more powerful than virtue. | |
| And have you heard, Nāgasena, that in all this dispensation (since the time of Gotama the Buddha) the giving by the Kosala king has been unequalled?’ | |
“Ubhayampi taṁ, mahārāja, kammaṁ samparāyavedanīyameva, api ca kho akusalaṁ sāvajjatāya khaṇena diṭṭhadhammavedanīyaṁ hoti, pubbakehi, mahārāja, khattiyehi ṭhapito eso niyamo ‘yo pāṇaṁ hanati, so daṇḍāraho … yo adinnaṁ ādiyati … yo paradāraṁ gacchati … yo musā bhaṇati … yo gāmaṁ ghāteti … yo panthaṁ dūseti … yo nikatiṁ karoti … yo vañcanaṁ karoti, so daṇḍāraho vadhitabbo chettabbo bhettabbo hantabbo’ti. |
|
Taṁ te upādāya vicinitvā vicinitvā daṇḍenti vadhenti chindanti bhindanti hananti ca, api nu, mahārāja, atthi kehici ṭhapito niyamo ‘yo dānaṁ vā deti, sīlaṁ vā rakkhati, uposathakammaṁ vā karoti, tassa dhanaṁ vā yasaṁ vā dātabban’ti; |
|
api nu taṁ vicinitvā vicinitvā dhanaṁ vā yasaṁ vā denti, corassa katakammassa vadhabandhanaṁ viyā”ti? |
‘Yes, I have heard so, O king.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Yadi, mahārāja, dāyakānaṁ vicinitvā vicinitvā dhanaṁ vā yasaṁ vā dadeyyuṁ, kusalampi diṭṭhadhammavedanīyaṁ bhaveyya, yasmā ca kho, mahārāja, dāyake na vicinanti ‘dhanaṁ vā yasaṁ vā dassāmā’ti, tasmā kusalaṁ na diṭṭhadhammavedanīyaṁ. |
|
Iminā, mahārāja, kāraṇena akusalaṁ diṭṭhadhammavedanīyaṁ, samparāyeva so adhimattaṁ balavataraṁ vedanaṁ vedayatī”ti. |
‘But did he, Nāgasena, on account of his having given gifts so unequalled, receive in this present life wealth, or glory, or happiness?’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, tavādisena buddhimantena vinā neso pañho sunibbeṭhiyo, lokikaṁ, bhante nāgasena, lokuttarena viññāpitan”ti. |
|
| ‘No, O king, he did not.’ | |
Kusalākusalabalavatarapañho tatiyo. |
|
| ‘Then, in that case, surely, Nāgasena, vice is more powerful than virtue?’ | |
| ‘Vice, O king, by reason of its meanness, dies quickly away. | |
| But virtue, by reason of its grandeur, takes a long time to die. | |
| And this can be further examined into by a metaphor. | |
| just, O king, as in the West Country the kind of corn called Kumuda-bhaṇḍikā, ripening quickly and being garnered in a month, is called Māsalu (got in a month), but the rices only come to perfection in six months or five. | |
| What then is the difference, what the distinction herein between Kumuda-bhaṇḍikā and rice? | |
| ‘The one is a mean plant, Sir, the other a grand one. | |
| The rices are worthy of kings, meet for The king’s table; | |
| the other is the food of servants and of slaves. | |
| ‘Just so, O king, it is by reason of its meanness that vice dies quickly away. | |
| But virtue, by its grandeur, takes a long time to die.’ | |
| ‘But, Nāgasena, it is just those things which come most quickly to their end which are in the world considered the most powerful. | |
| And so still vice must be the more powerful, not virtue. | |
| just, Nāgasena, as the strong man who, when he enters into a terrible battle, is able the most quickly to get hold of his enemies’ heads under his armpit, and dragging them along to bring them prisoners to his lord, that is the champion who is regarded, in the world, as the ablest hero—just as that surgeon who is able the most quickly to extract the dart, and allay the disease, is considered the most clever—just as the accountant who is able with the greatest speed to make his calculations, and with most rapidity to show the result, is considered the cleverest counter—just as the wrestler who is able the most quickly to lift his opponent up, and make him fall flat on his back, is considered the ablest hero—just so, Nāgasena, it is that one of these two things—virtue and vice—which most quickly reaches its end that is, in the world, the more powerful of the two.’ | |
| ‘The Karma of both the two, O king, will be made evident in future births; | |
| but vice besides that will by reason of its guilt be made evident at once, and in this present life. | |
| The rulers (Kshatriyas) of old, O king, established this decree: | |
| “Whosoever takes life shall be subject to a fine, and whosoever takes to himself what has not been given, and whosoever commits adultery,, and whosoever speaks lies, and whosoever is a dacoit, and whosoever is a highwayman, and whosoever cheats and swindles. | |
| Such men shall be liable to be fined or beaten or mutilated or broken or executed.” | |
| And in pursuance thereof they held repeated enquiry, and then adjudged one or other punishment accordingly. | |
| But, O king, has there ever been by any one a decree promulgated: | |
| “Whosoever gives gifts, or observes a virtuous life, or keeps Uposatha, to him shall wealth be given, or honours?” | |
| And do they make continued enquiry, and bestow wealth or honours accordingly, as they do stripes or bonds upon a thief?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Well, if they did so then would virtue too be made evident even in this life. | |
| But as they neither make such enquiry concerning givers, nor bestow wealth and honours upon them, therefore is virtue not manifested now. | |
| And this is the reason, O king, why vice is made known in this life, whereas he (the giver) receives the more abundantly in the lives to come. | |
| And therefore it is virtue which, through the distinctions brought about by Karma, is by far the more powerful of the two.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| Only by one wise as you could this puzzle have been so well solved. | |
| the problem put by me in worldly sense have you in transcendental sense made clear.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to virtue and vice. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
4. Pubbapetādisapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ime dāyakā dānaṁ datvā pubbapetānaṁ ādisanti ‘idaṁ tesaṁ pāpuṇātū’ti, api nu te kiñci tatonidānaṁ vipākaṁ paṭilabhantī”ti? |
6.3.4. Dilemma the Seventy-Fourth. |
“Keci, mahārāja, paṭilabhanti, keci nappaṭilabhantī”ti. |
Offerings To the Dead |
“Ke, bhante, paṭilabhanti, ke nappaṭilabhantī”ti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, these givers when they bestow their offerings, devote them specifically to former (relatives) now departed, saying: |
“Nirayūpapannā, mahārāja, nappaṭilabhanti, saggagatā nappaṭilabhanti, tiracchānayonigatā nappaṭilabhanti, catunnaṁ petānaṁ tayo petā nappaṭilabhanti vantāsikā khuppipāsino nijjhāmataṇhikā, labhanti petā paradattūpajīvino, tepi saramānāyeva labhantī”ti. |
“May this gift benefit such and such.” |
| Now do they (the dead) derive any benefit therefrom?’ | |
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, dāyakānaṁ dānaṁ visositaṁ hoti aphalaṁ, yesaṁ uddissa kataṁ yadi te nappaṭilabhantī”ti? |
|
“Na hi taṁ, mahārāja, dānaṁ aphalaṁ hoti avipākaṁ, dāyakāyeva tassa phalaṁ anubhavantī”ti. |
‘Some do, O king, and some do not.’ |
“Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehī”ti. |
|
“Idha, mahārāja, keci manussā macchamaṁsasurābhattakhajjakāni paṭiyādetvā ñātikulaṁ gacchanti, yadi te ñātakā taṁ upāyanaṁ na sampaṭiccheyyuṁ, api nu taṁ upāyanaṁ visositaṁ gaccheyya vinasseyya vā”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante, sāmikānaṁyeva taṁ hotī”ti. |
‘Which then are they that do, and which do not?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, dāyakāyeva tassa phalaṁ anubhavanti. |
|
Yathā pana, mahārāja, puriso gabbhaṁ paviṭṭho asati purato nikkhamanamukhe kena nikkhameyyā”ti. |
|
“Paviṭṭheneva, bhante”ti. |
‘Those who have been reborn in purgatory, O king, do not; |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, dāyakāyeva tassa phalaṁ anubhavantī”ti. |
nor those reborn in heaven; |
“Hotu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmi, dāyakāyeva tassa phalaṁ anubhavanti, na mayaṁ taṁ kāraṇaṁ vilomemāti. |
nor those reborn as animals. |
(…) |
And of those reborn as Pretas three kinds do not-the Vantāsikā (who feed on vomit), the Khuppipāsino (who hunger and thirst. |
| ), the Nijjhāma-taṇhikā (who are consumed by thirst). | |
Bhante nāgasena, yadi imesaṁ dāyakānaṁ dinnadānaṁ pubbapetānaṁ pāpuṇāti, te ca tassa vipākaṁ anubhavanti. |
But the Paradattūpajīvino (who live on the gifts of others) they do derive profit, and those who bear them in remembrance do so too.’ |
Tena hi yo pāṇātipātī luddo lohitapāṇī paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo manusse ghātetvā dāruṇaṁ kammaṁ katvā pubbapetānaṁ ādiseyya ‘imassa me kammassa vipāko pubbapetānaṁ pāpuṇātū’ti, api nu tassa vipāko pubbapetānaṁ pāpuṇātī”ti? |
|
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
|
| ‘Then, Nāgasena, offerings given by the givers have run to waste, and are fruitless, since those for whose benefit they are given derive no profit therefrom.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ko tattha hetu kiṅkāraṇaṁ, yena kusalaṁ pāpuṇāti akusalaṁ na pāpuṇātī”ti? |
|
“Neso, mahārāja, pañho pucchitabbo, mā ca tvaṁ, mahārāja, ‘visajjako atthī’ti apucchitabbaṁ pucchi, ‘kissa ākāso nirālambo, kissa gaṅgā uddhammukhā na sandati, kissa ime manussā ca dijā ca dvipadā migā catuppadā’ti tampi maṁ tvaṁ pucchissasī”ti. |
‘No, O king. |
“Nāhaṁ taṁ, bhante nāgasena, vihesāpekkho pucchāmi, api ca nibbāhanatthāya sandehassa pucchāmi, bahū manussā loke vāmagāmino vicakkhukā, ‘kinti te otāraṁ na labheyyun’ti evāhaṁ taṁ pucchāmī”ti. |
They run not to waste, neither are fruitless. |
“Na sakkā, mahārāja, saha akatena ananumatena saha pāpaṁ kammaṁ saṁvibhajituṁ. |
The givers themselves derive profit from them.’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, manussā udakanibbāhanena udakaṁ suvidūrampi haranti, api nu, mahārāja, sakkā ghanamahāselapabbato nibbāhanena yathicchitaṁ haritun”ti? |
‘Then convince me of this by a simile.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sakkā kusalaṁ saṁvibhajituṁ, na sakkā akusalaṁ saṁvibhajituṁ. |
|
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, sakkā telena padīpo jāletuṁ, api nu, mahārāja, sakkā udakena padīpo jāletun”ti? |
‘Suppose, O king, people were to get ready fish and meat and strong drinks and rice and cakes, and make a visit on a family related to them. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
If their relatives should not accept their complimentary present, would that present be wasted or fruitless?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sakkā kusalaṁ saṁvibhajituṁ, na sakkā akusalaṁ saṁvibhajituṁ. |
|
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, kassakā taḷākato udakaṁ nīharitvā dhaññaṁ paripācenti, api nu kho, mahārāja, sakkā mahāsamuddato udakaṁ nīharitvā dhaññaṁ paripācetun”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
No, Sir, it would go to the owners of it.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, sakkā kusalaṁ saṁvibhajituṁ, na sakkā akusalaṁ saṁvibhajitun”ti. |
|
| ‘Well, just so the givers themselves derive the profit. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, kena kāraṇena sakkā kusalaṁ saṁvibhajituṁ, na sakkā akusalaṁ saṁvibhajituṁ? |
Or just, O king, as if a man were to enter an inner chamber, and there were no exit in front of him, how would he get out?’ |
Kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehi, nāhaṁ andho anāloko sutvā vedissāmī”ti. |
|
“Akusalaṁ, mahārāja, thokaṁ, kusalaṁ bahukaṁ, thokattā akusalaṁ kattāraṁyeva pariyādiyati, bahukattā kusalaṁ sadevakaṁ lokaṁ ajjhottharatī”ti. |
|
| ‘By the way he entered.’ | |
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
|
“Yathā, mahārāja, parittaṁ ekaṁ udakabindu pathaviyaṁ nipateyya, api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, udakabindu dasapi dvādasapi yojanāni ajjhotthareyyā”ti? |
‘Well, just so the givers themselves derive the profit.’ |
“Na hi, bhante, yattha taṁ udakabindu nipatitaṁ, tattheva pariyādiyatī”ti. |
|
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
|
“Parittattā, bhante, udakabindussā”ti. |
‘Let that pass, Nāgasena. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, parittaṁ akusalaṁ parittattā kattāraṁyeva pariyādiyati, na sakkā saṁvibhajituṁ. |
That is so, and I accept it as you say. |
| We will not dispute your argument. | |
| But, venerable Nāgasena, if the offerings made by such givers do advantage certain of the departed, and they do reap the result of the gifts, then if a man who destroys living creatures and drinks blood and is of cruel heart, were after committing murder or any other dreadful act, to dedicate it to the departed, saying: | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, mahatimahāmegho abhivasseyya tappayanto dharaṇitalaṁ, api nu kho so, mahārāja, mahāmegho samantato otthareyyā”ti? |
“May the result of this act of mine accrue to the departed"—would it then be transferred to them?’ |
“Āma, bhante, pūrayitvā so mahāmegho sobbhasarasaritasākhākandarapadaradahataḷākaudapānapokkharaṇiyo dasapi dvādasapi yojanāni ajjhotthareyyā”ti. |
|
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
|
“Mahantattā, bhante, meghassā”ti. |
‘No, O king.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, kusalaṁ bahukaṁ, bahukattā sakkā devamanussehipi saṁvibhajitun”ti. |
|
| ‘But what is the reason, what is the cause, that a good deed can accrue to them, and not an evil one?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, kena kāraṇena akusalaṁ thokaṁ kusalaṁ bahutaran”ti? |
|
“Idha, mahārāja, yo koci dānaṁ deti, sīlaṁ samādiyati, uposathakammaṁ karoti, so haṭṭho pahaṭṭho hasito pamudito pasannamānaso vedajāto hoti, tassa aparāparaṁ pīti uppajjati, pītimanassa bhiyyo bhiyyo kusalaṁ pavaḍḍhati. |
|
| ‘This is really not a question you should ask, O king. | |
| Ask me no foolish question, O king, in the idea that an answer will be forthcoming. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, udapāne bahusalilasampuṇṇe ekena desena udakaṁ paviseyya, ekena nikkhameyya, nikkhamantepi aparāparaṁ uppajjati, na sakkā hoti khayaṁ pāpetuṁ; |
You will be asking me next why space is boundless, why the Ganges does not flow up stream, why men and birds are bipeds, and the animals quadrupeds!’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, kusalaṁ bhiyyo bhiyyo pavaḍḍhati. |
|
Vassasatepi ce, mahārāja, puriso kataṁ kusalaṁ āvajjeyya, āvajjite āvajjite bhiyyo bhiyyo kusalaṁ pavaḍḍhati. |
|
Tassa taṁ kusalaṁ sakkā hoti yathicchakehi saddhiṁ saṁvibhajituṁ, idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena kusalaṁ bahutaraṁ. |
‘It is not to annoy you that I ask this question, Nāgasena, but for the sake of resolving a doubt. |
| There are many people in the world who are left-handed or squint. | |
| I put that question to you, thinking: | |
Akusalaṁ pana, mahārāja, karonto pacchā vippaṭisārī hoti, vippaṭisārino cittaṁ paṭilīyati paṭikuṭati paṭivattati na sampasārīyati socati tappati hāyati khīyati na parivaḍḍhati tattheva pariyādiyati. |
“Why should not also these unlucky ones have a chance of bettering themselves?” |
Yathā, mahārāja, sukkhāya nadiyā mahāpuḷināya unnatāvanatāya kuṭilasaṅkuṭilāya uparito parittaṁ udakaṁ āgacchantaṁ hāyati khīyati na parivaḍḍhati tattheva pariyādiyati. |
’ |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, akusalaṁ karontassa cittaṁ paṭilīyati paṭikuṭati paṭivattati na sampasārīyati socati tappati hāyati khīyati na parivaḍḍhati tattheva pariyādiyati, idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena akusalaṁ thokan”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
‘An evil deed, O king, cannot be shared with one who has not done it, and has not consented to it. |
| People convey water long distances by an aqueduct. | |
| But could they in the same way remove a great mountain of solid rock?’ | |
Pubbapetādisapañho catuttho. |
|
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Well, just in that way can a good deed be shared, but a bad one cannot. | |
| And one can light a lamp with oil, but could one in the same way, O king, light it with water?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Well, so is it that a good deed can be shared, but not an evil one. | |
| And husbandmen take water from a reservoir to bring their crops to maturity, but could they for the same purpose, O king, take water from the sea?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘So again is it that though a good deed can be shared, an evil one cannot.’ | |
| ‘But, venerable Nāgasena, why is that? | |
| Convince me of this by a reason. | |
| I am not blind, or unobservant. | |
| I shall understand when I have heard.’ | |
| ‘Vice, O king, is a mean thing, virtue is great and grand. | |
| By its meanness vice affects only the doer, but virtue by its grandeur overspreads the whole world of gods and men.’ | |
| ‘Show me this by a metaphor.’ | |
| ‘Were a tiny drop of water to fall on the ground, O king, would it flow on over ten leagues or twelve?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not. | |
| It would only have effect on that very spot of ground on which it fell.’ | |
| ‘But why so?’ | |
| ‘Because o its minuteness.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, is vice minute. | |
| And by reason of its littleness it affects the doer only, and cannot possibly be shared. | |
| But if a mighty rain cloud were to pour out rain satisfying the surface of the earth, would that water spread round about?’ | |
| ‘Certainly, Sir. | |
| That thunderstorm would fill up the depressions in the ground and the pools and ponds, and the gullies and crevices and chasms, and the lakes and reservoirs and wells and lotus-tanks, and the water would spread abroad for ten leagues or for twelve.’ | |
| ‘But why so, O king?’ | |
| ‘Because of the greatness of the storm.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, is virtue great. | |
| And by reason of its abundance it can be shared by gods and men. | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, why is it that vice is so limited, and virtue so much more wide-reaching?’ | |
| ‘Whosoever, O king, in this world gives gifts, and lives in righteousness, and keeps Uposatha, he, glad, right glad, joyful, cheerful, happy, becomes filled with a sweet sense of trust and bliss, and bliss ruling in his heart his goodness grows still more and more abundantly. | |
| Like a deep pool of clear water, O king, and into which on one side the spring pours, while on the other the water flows away; | |
| so as it flows away it comes again, and there can be no failure there—so, O king, does his goodness grow more and more abundantly. | |
| If even through a hundred years, O king, a man were to keep on transferring to others (the merit of) any good he had done, the more he gave it away the more would his goodness grow, and he would still be able to share it with whomsoever he would. | |
| This, O king, is the reason why virtue is so much the greater of the two. | |
| ‘But on doing evil, O king, a man becomes filled with remorse, and the heart of him who feels remorse cannot get away (from the thought of the evil he has done), it is forcibly bent back on it, thrown back on it, obtains no peace ; | |
| miserable, burning, abandoned of hope, he wastes away, and gaining no relief from depression, he is, as it were, possessed with his woe! | |
| just, O king, as a drop of water, falling on a dry river bed with its mighty sandbanks rising and falling in undulations along its crooked and shifty course, gains not in volume, but is swallowed up on the very spot where it fell, just so, O king, is a man, when he has done wrong, overcome with remorse, and the heart of him who feels remorse cannot get away from the thought of the evil he has done, it is forcibly bent back on it, thrown back on it, obtains no peace; | |
| miserable, burning, abandoned of hope, he wastes away, and gaining no release from his depression, he is, as it were, swallowed up of his woe. | |
| This is the reason, O king, why vice is so mean.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to virtue and vice. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
5. Supinapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, imasmiṁ loke naranāriyo supinaṁ passanti kalyāṇampi pāpakampi, diṭṭhapubbampi adiṭṭhapubbampi, katapubbampi akatapubbampi, khemampi sabhayampi, dūrepi santikepi, bahuvidhānipi anekavaṇṇasahassāni dissanti, kiñcetaṁ supinaṁ nāma, ko cetaṁ passatī”ti? |
6.3.5. Dilemma the Seventy-Fifth. |
“Nimittametaṁ, mahārāja, supinaṁ nāma, yaṁ cittassa āpātamupagacchati. |
Dreams |
Chayime, mahārāja, supinaṁ passanti, vātiko supinaṁ passati, pittiko supinaṁ passati, semhiko supinaṁ passati, devatūpasaṁhārato supinaṁ passati, samudāciṇṇato supinaṁ passati, pubbanimittato supinaṁ passati, tatra, mahārāja, yaṁ pubbanimittato supinaṁ passati, taṁyeva saccaṁ, avasesaṁ micchā”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, men and women in this world see dreams pleasant and evil, things they have seen before and things they have not, things they have done before and things they have not, dreams peaceful and terrible, dreams of matters near to them and distant from them, full of many shapes and innumerable colours. |
| What is this that men call a dream, and who is it who dreams it?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, yo pubbanimittato supinaṁ passati, kiṁ tassa cittaṁ sayaṁ gantvā taṁ nimittaṁ vicināti, taṁ vā nimittaṁ cittassa āpātamupagacchati, añño vā āgantvā tassa ārocetī”ti? |
|
“Na, mahārāja, tassa cittaṁ sayaṁ gantvā taṁ nimittaṁ vicināti, nāpi añño koci āgantvā tassa āroceti, atha kho taṁyeva nimittaṁ cittassa āpātamupagacchati. |
‘It is a suggestion, O king, coming across the path of the mind which is what is called a dream. |
Yathā, mahārāja, ādāso na sayaṁ kuhiñci gantvā chāyaṁ vicināti, nāpi añño koci chāyaṁ ānetvā ādāsaṁ āropeti, atha kho yato kutoci chāyā āgantvā ādāsassa āpātamupagacchati; |
And there are six kinds of people who see dreams—the man who is of a windy humour, or of a bilious one, or of a phlegmatic one, the man who dreams dreams by the influence of a god, the man who does so by the influence of his own habits, and the man who does so in the way of prognostication. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, na tassa cittaṁ sayaṁ gantvā taṁ nimittaṁ vicināti, nāpi añño koci āgantvā āroceti, atha kho yato kutoci nimittaṁ āgantvā cittassa āpātamupagacchatī”ti. |
And of these, O king, only the last kind of dreams is true; |
| all the rest are false.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, yaṁ taṁ cittaṁ supinaṁ passati, api nu taṁ cittaṁ jānāti ‘evaṁ nāma vipāko bhavissati khemaṁ vā bhayaṁ vā’ti? |
|
Na hi, mahārāja, taṁ cittaṁ jānāti ‘evaṁvipāko bhavissati khemaṁ vā bhayaṁ vā’ti, nimitte pana uppanne aññesaṁ katheti, tato te atthaṁ kathentī”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, when a man dreams a dream that is a prognostication, how is it? |
| Does his own mind set out itself to seek the omen, or does the prognostication come of its own accord into the path of his mind, or does some one else come and tell him of it?’ | |
“Iṅgha, bhante nāgasena, kāraṇaṁ me dassehī”ti. |
|
“Yathā, mahārāja, sarīre tilakā pīḷakā daddūni uṭṭhahanti lābhāya vā alābhāya vā, yasāya vā ayasāya vā, nindāya vā pasaṁsāya vā, sukhāya vā dukkhāya vā, api nu tā, mahārāja, pīḷakā jānitvā uppajjanti ‘imaṁ nāma mayaṁ atthaṁ nipphādessāmā’”ti? |
‘His own mind does not itself seek the omen, neither does any one else come and tell him of it. |
“Na hi, bhante, yādise tā okāse pīḷakā sambhavanti, tattha tā pīḷakā disvā nemittakā byākaronti ‘evaṁ nāma vipāko bhavissatī’”ti. |
The prognostication comes of its own accord into his mind. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yaṁ taṁ cittaṁ supinaṁ passati, na taṁ cittaṁ jānāti ‘evaṁ nāma vipāko bhavissati khemaṁ vā bhayaṁ vā’ti, nimitte pana uppanne aññesaṁ katheti, tato te atthaṁ kathentī”ti. |
It is like the case of a looking-glass, which does not go anywhere to seek for the reflection; |
| neither does any one else come and put the reflection on to the looking-glass. | |
| But the object reflected comes from somewhere or other across the sphere over which the reflecting power of the looking-glass extends.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, yo supinaṁ passati, so niddāyanto, udāhu jāgaranto passatī”ti? |
|
“Yo so, mahārāja, supinaṁ passati, na so niddāyanto passati, nāpi jāgaranto passati. |
|
Api ca okkante middhe asampatte bhavaṅge etthantare supinaṁ passati. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, does the same mind which sees the dream also know: |
Middhasamārūḷhassa, mahārāja, cittaṁ bhavaṅgagataṁ hoti, bhavaṅgagataṁ cittaṁ nappavattati, appavattaṁ cittaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ nappajānāti, appaṭivijānantassa supino na hoti, pavattamāne citte supinaṁ passati. |
“Such and such a result, auspicious or terrible, will follow?” |
| ’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, timire andhakāre appabhāse suparisuddhepi ādāse chāyā na dissati; |
‘No, that is not so, O king. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, middhasamārūḷhe citte bhavaṅgagate tiṭṭhamānepi sarīre cittaṁ appavattaṁ hoti, appavatte citte supinaṁ na passati. |
After the omen has occurred he tells others, and then they explain the meaning of it.’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, ādāso, evaṁ sarīraṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ; |
|
yathā andhakāro, evaṁ middhaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ; |
|
yathā āloko, evaṁ cittaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
‘Come, now, Nāgasena, give me a simile to explain this.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, mahikotthaṭassa sūriyassa pabhā na dissati santāyeva sūriyarasmi appavattā hoti, appavattāya sūriyarasmiyā āloko na hoti; |
‘It is like the marks, O king, and pimples, and cutaneous eruptions which arise on a man’s body to his profit or loss, to his fame or dishonour, to his praise or blame, to his happiness or woe. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, middhasamārūḷhassa cittaṁ bhavaṅgagataṁ hoti, bhavaṅgagataṁ cittaṁ nappavattati, appavatte citte supinaṁ na passati. |
Do in that case the pimples come because they know: |
Yathā, mahārāja, sūriyo, evaṁ sarīraṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ; |
“Such and such is the event which we shall bring about?” |
yathā mahikottharaṇaṁ, evaṁ middhaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ; |
’ |
yathā sūriyarasmi, evaṁ cittaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Certainly not, Sir. | |
| But according to the place on which the pimples have arisen, the fortune-tellers, making their observations, give decision, saying: | |
Dvinnaṁ, mahārāja, santepi sarīre cittaṁ appavattaṁ hoti, middhasamārūḷhassa bhavaṅgagatassa santepi sarīre cittaṁ appavattaṁ hoti, nirodhasamāpannassa santepi sarīre cittaṁ appavattaṁ hoti, jāgarantassa, mahārāja, cittaṁ lolaṁ hoti vivaṭaṁ pākaṭaṁ anibaddhaṁ, evarūpassa citte nimittaṁ āpātaṁ na upeti. |
Such and such will be the result.” |
Yathā, mahārāja, purisaṁ vivaṭaṁ pākaṭaṁ akiriyaṁ arahassaṁ rahassakāmā parivajjenti; |
’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, jāgarantassa dibbo attho āpātaṁ na upeti, tasmā jāgaranto supinaṁ na passati. |
|
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, bhikkhuṁ bhinnājīvaṁ anācāraṁ pāpamittaṁ dussīlaṁ kusītaṁ hīnavīriyaṁ kusalā bodhipakkhiyā dhammā āpātaṁ na upenti; |
‘Well, in the same way, O king, it is not the same mind which dreams the dream which also knows: |
evameva kho, mahārāja, jāgarantassa dibbo attho āpātaṁ na upeti, tasmā jāgaranto supinaṁ na passatī”ti. |
“Such and such a result, conspicuous or terrible, will follow.” |
| But after the omen has occurred he tells others, and they then explain the meaning of it.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, atthi middhassa ādimajjhapariyosānan”ti? |
|
“Āma, mahārāja, atthi middhassa ādimajjhapariyosānan”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, when a man dreams a dream, is he awake or asleep?’ |
“Katamaṁ ādi, katamaṁ majjhaṁ, katamaṁ pariyosānan”ti? |
|
“Yo, mahārāja, kāyassa onāho pariyonāho dubbalyaṁ mandatā akammaññatā kāyassa, ayaṁ middhassa ādi; |
|
yo, mahārāja, kapiniddāpareto vokiṇṇakaṁ jaggati, idaṁ middhassa majjhaṁ; |
‘Neither the one, O king; |
bhavaṅgagati pariyosānaṁ. |
nor yet the other. |
Majjhūpagato, mahārāja, kapiniddāpareto supinaṁ passati. |
But when his sleep has become light, and he is not yet fully conscious, in that interval it is that dreams are dreamt. |
Yathā, mahārāja, koci yatacārī samāhitacitto ṭhitadhammo acalabuddhi pahīnakotūhalasaddaṁ vanamajjhogāhitvā sukhumaṁ atthaṁ cintayati, na ca so tattha middhaṁ okkamati, so tattha samāhito ekaggacitto sukhumaṁ atthaṁ paṭivijjhati; |
When a man is in deep sleep, O king, his mind has returned home (has entered again into the Bhavaṅga), and a mind thus shut in does not act, and a mind hindered in its action knows not the evil and the good, and he who knows not has no dreams. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, jāgaro na middhasamāpanno, majjhūpagato kapiniddāpareto supinaṁ passati. |
It is when the mind is active that dreams are dreamt. |
Yathā, mahārāja, kotūhalasaddo, evaṁ jāgaraṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ; |
just, O king, as in the darkness and gloom, where no light is, no shadow will fall even on the most burnished mirror, so when a man is in deep sleep his mind has returned into itself, and a mind shut in does not act, and a mind inactive knows not the evil and the good, and he who knows not does not dream. |
yathā vivittaṁ vanaṁ, evaṁ kapiniddāpareto daṭṭhabbo; |
For it is when the mind is active that dreams are dreamt. |
yathā so kotūhalasaddaṁ ohāya middhaṁ vivajjetvā majjhattabhūto sukhumaṁ atthaṁ paṭivijjhati, evaṁ jāgaro na middhasamāpanno kapiniddāpareto supinaṁ passatī”ti. |
As the mirror, O king, are you to regard the body, as the darkness sleep, as the light the mind. |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
Or again, O king, just as the glory of a sun veiled in fog is imperceptible, as its rays, though they do exist, are unable to pierce through, and as when its rays act not there is no light, so when a man is in deep sleep his mind has returned into itself, and a mind shut in does not act, and a mind inactive knows not the evil and the good, and he who knows not does not dream. |
| For it is when the mind is active that dreams are dreamt. | |
| As the sun, O king, are you to regard the body, as the veil of fog sleep, as the rays the mind. | |
Supinapañho pañcamo. |
|
| ‘Under two conditions, O king, is the mind inactive though the body is there—when a man being in deep sleep the mind has returned into itself, and when the man has fallen into a trance. | |
| The mind of a man who is awake, O king, is excited, open, clear, untrammelled, and no prognostication occurs to one whose mind is so. | |
| Just, O king, as men seeking concealment avoid the man who is open, candid, unoccupied, and unreserved—just so is it that the divine intention is not manifested to the wakeful man, and the man who is awake therefore sees no dream. | |
| Or again, O king, just as the qualities which lead to wisdom are found not in that brother whose mode of livelihood and conduct are wrong, who is the friend of sinners, wicked, insolent, devoid of zeal—just so is it that the divine intention is not manifested to the wakeful man, and the man who is awake, therefore, sees no dream.’ | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, is there a beginning, a middle, and an end in sleep?’ | |
| ‘Yes, O king, there is.’ | |
| ‘Which then is the beginning, which the middle, and which the end?’ | |
| ‘The feeling of oppression and inability in the body, O king, of weakness, slackness, inertness—that is the beginning of sleep. | |
| The light “monkey’s sleep” in which a man still guards his scattered thoughts —that is the middle of sleep. | |
| When the mind has entered into itself—that is the end of sleep. | |
| And it is in the middle stage, O king, in the “monkey’s sleep” that dreams are dreamt. | |
| Just, O king, as when a man self-restrained with collected thoughts, stedfast in the faith, unshaken in wisdom, plunges deep into the woods far from the sound of strife, and thinks over some subtle matter, he there, tranquil and at peace, will master the meaning of it—just so a man still watchful, not fallen into sleep, but dozing in a “monkey’s sleep,” will dream a dream. | |
| As the sound of strife, so, O king, are you to regard wakefulness, and as the lonely wood the “monkey’s sleep.” | |
| And as that man avoiding the sound of strife, keeping out of sleep, remaining in the middle stage, will master the meaning of that subtle matter, so the still watchful man, not fallen into sleep, but dozing in a “monkey’s sleep,” will dream a dream.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to dreams. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
6. Akālamaraṇapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ye te sattā maranti, sabbe te kāleyeva maranti, udāhu akālepi marantī”ti? |
6.3.6. Dilemma the Seventy-Sixth. |
“Atthi, mahārāja, kālepi maraṇaṁ, atthi akālepi maraṇan”ti. |
Premature Death |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, when beings die, do they all die in fullness of time, or do some die out of due season?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ke kāle maranti, ke akāle marantī”ti? |
|
“Diṭṭhapubbā pana, mahārāja, tayā ambarukkhā vā jamburukkhā vā, aññasmā vā pana phalarukkhā phalāni patantāni āmāni ca pakkāni cā”ti? |
‘There is such a thing, O king, as death at the due time, and such a thing as premature death.’ |
“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Yāni tāni, mahārāja, phalāni rukkhato patanti, sabbāni tāni kāleyeva patanti, udāhu akālepī”ti? |
|
“Yāni tāni, bhante nāgasena, phalāni paripakkāni vilīnāni patanti, sabbāni tāni kāle patanti. |
‘Then who are they whose decease is at the due time, and who are they whose decease is premature?’ |
Yāni pana tāni avasesāni phalāni tesu kānici kimividdhāni patanti, kānici laguḷahatāni patanti, kānici vātappahatāni patanti, kānici antopūtikāni hutvā patanti, sabbāni tāni akāle patantī”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te jarāvegahatā maranti, teyeva kāle maranti, avasesā keci kammappaṭibāḷhā maranti, keci gatippaṭibāḷhā maranti, keci kiriyappaṭibāḷhā marantī”ti. |
|
| ‘Have you ever noticed, O king, in the case of mango trees or Gambu trees or other fruit-bearing trees, that their fruits fall both when they are ripe and when they are not ripe?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ye te kammappaṭibāḷhā maranti, yepi te gatippaṭibāḷhā maranti, yepi te kiriyappaṭibāḷhā maranti, yepi te jarāvegappaṭibāḷhā maranti, sabbe te kāleyeva maranti, yopi mātukucchigato marati, so tassa kālo, kāleyeva so marati. |
|
Yopi vijātaghare marati, so tassa kālo, sopi kāleyeva marati. |
‘Yes, I have.’ |
Yopi māsiko marati …pe… yopi vassasatiko marati, so tassa kālo, kāleyeva so marati, tena hi, bhante nāgasena, akāle maraṇaṁ nāma na hoti, ye keci maranti, sabbe te kāleyeva marantī”ti. |
|
| ‘Well, those fallen fruits, do they all fall at the due time, or do some fall prematurely?’ | |
“Sattime, mahārāja, vijjamānepi uttariṁ āyusmiṁ akāle maranti. |
|
Katame satta? |
|
Jighacchito, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ alabhamāno upahatabbhantaro vijjamānepi uttariṁ āyusmiṁ akāle marati; |
‘Such of those fruits, Nāgasena, as are ripe and mature when they fall, fall in fullness of time. |
pipāsito, mahārāja, pānīyaṁ alabhamāno parisukkhahadayo vijjamānepi uttariṁ āyusmiṁ akāle marati; |
But of the rest some fall because they are bored into by worms, some because they are knocked down by a long stick, some because they are blown down by the wind, some because they have become rotten—and all these fall out of due season.’ |
ahinā daṭṭho, mahārāja, visavegābhihato tikicchakaṁ alabhamāno vijjamānepi uttariṁ āyusmiṁ akāle marati; |
|
visamāsito, mahārāja, ḍayhantesu aṅgapaccaṅgesu agadaṁ alabhamāno vijjamānepi uttariṁ āyusmiṁ akāle marati; |
|
aggigato, mahārāja, jhāyamāno nibbāpanaṁ alabhamāno vijjamānepi uttariṁ āyusmiṁ akāle marati; |
‘Just so, O king, those men who die of the effect of old age, they die in fullness of time. |
udakagato, mahārāja, patiṭṭhaṁ alabhamāno vijjamānepi uttariṁ āyusmiṁ akāle marati; |
But of the rest some die of the dire effect of the Karma (of evil deeds), some of excessive journeying, some of excessive activity.’ |
sattihato, mahārāja, ābādhiko bhisakkaṁ alabhamāno vijjamānepi uttariṁ āyusmiṁ akāle marati; |
|
ime kho, mahārāja, satta vijjamānepi uttariṁ āyusmiṁ akāle maranti. |
|
Tatrāpāhaṁ, mahārāja, ekaṁsena vadāmi. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those who die of Karma, or of journeying, or of activity, or of old age, they all die in fullness of time: |
| and even he who dies in the womb, that is his appointed time, so that he too dies in fullness of time; | |
| and so of him who dies in the birth chamber , or when he is a month old, or at any age up to a hundred years. | |
Aṭṭhavidhena, mahārāja, sattānaṁ kālaṅkiriyā hoti, vātasamuṭṭhānena pittasamuṭṭhānena semhasamuṭṭhānena sannipātikena utuvipariṇāmena visamaparihārena opakkamikena kammavipākena, mahārāja, sattānaṁ kālaṅkiriyā hoti. |
It is always his appointed time, and it is in the fullness of time that he dies. |
Tatra, mahārāja, yadidaṁ kammavipākena kālaṅkiriyā, sāyeva tattha sāmayikā kālaṅkiriyā, avasesā asāmayikā kālaṅkiriyāti. |
So, Nāgasena, there is no such thing as death out of due season. |
Bhavati ca— |
For all who die, die at the appointed time.’ |
‘Jighacchāya pipāsāya, |
|
ahidaṭṭhā visena ca; |
‘There are seven kinds of persons, O king, who, there being still a portion of their appointed age to run, die out of time. |
| And which are the seven? | |
Aggiudakasattīhi, |
the starving man, O king, who can get no food, whose inwards are consumed —and the thirsty man who can get no water, whose heart is dried up—and the man bitten by a snake, who, when consumed by the fierce energy of poison, can find no cure and he who has taken poison, and when all his limbs are burning, is unable to procure medicine—and one fallen into fire, who when he is aflame, can find no means of putting out the fire—and he who having fallen into water can find no firm ground to stand on—and the man wounded by a dart, who in his illness can find no surgeon—all these seven, there being still a portion of their appointed time to run, die out of due season. |
akāle tattha mīyati; |
And herein (in all these seven cases) I declare that they are all of one nature. |
| In eight ways, O king, does the death of mortals take place—through excess of windy humour, or of bilious humour, or of phlegmatic humour, through the adverse union of these three, through variations in temperature, through inequality in protection, through (medical) treatment, and through the working of Karma. | |
Vātapittena semhena, |
And of these, O king, it is only death by the working of Karma that is death at the due season, all the rest are cases of death out of due season. |
sannipātenutūhi ca; |
For it is said: |
Visamopakkamakammehi, |
|
akāle tattha mīyatī’ti. |
“By hunger, thirst, by poison, and by bites, |
| Burnt, drowned, or slain, men out of time do die; | |
Keci, mahārāja, sattā pubbe katena tena tena akusalakammavipākena maranti. |
By the three humours, and by three combined, |
Idha, mahārāja, yo pubbe pare jighacchāya māreti, so bahūni vassasatasahassāni jighacchāya paripīḷito chāto parikilanto sukkhamilātahadayo bubhukkhito visukkhito jhāyanto abbhantaraṁ pariḍayhanto jighacchāyayeva marati daharopi majjhimopi mahallakopi, idampi tassa sāmayikamaraṇaṁ. |
By heats, by inequalities, by aids, |
| By all these seven men die out of time.” | |
Yo pubbe pare pipāsāya māreti, so bahūni vassasatasahassāni peto hutvā nijjhāmataṇhiko samāno lūkho kiso parisukkhitahadayo pipāsāyayeva marati daharopi majjhimopi mahallakopi, idampi tassa sāmayikamaraṇaṁ. |
|
| ‘But there are some men, O king, who die through the working of some evil deed or other they have committed in a former birth. | |
| And of These, O king, whosoever has starved others to death, after having been himself through many hundreds of thousands of years tormented by hunger, famished, exhausted, emaciated, and withered of heart, dried up, wasted away, heated, and all on fire within, will, either as youth or man or old man, die of hunger too. | |
Yo pubbe pare ahinā ḍaṁsāpetvā māreti, so bahūni vassasatasahassāni ajagaramukheneva ajagaramukhaṁ kaṇhasappamukheneva kaṇhasappamukhaṁ parivattitvā tehi khāyitakhāyito ahīhi daṭṭhoyeva marati daharopi majjhimopi mahallakopi, idampi tassa sāmayikamaraṇaṁ. |
And that death will be to him a death at the appointed time. |
| Whosoever has put others to death by thirst, after having through many hundreds of thousands of years become a Preta consumed by thirst, thin and miserable, will himself too, either as youth or man or old man, die of thirst. | |
| And that death will be to him a death at the appointed time. | |
Yo pubbe pare visaṁ datvā māreti, so bahūni vassasatasahassāni ḍayhantehi aṅgapaccaṅgehi bhijjamānena sarīrena kuṇapagandhaṁ vāyanto viseneva marati daharopi majjhimopi mahallakopi, idampi tassa sāmayikamaraṇaṁ. |
Whosoever has put others to death by having them bitten by snakes, will, after wandering through many hundreds of thousands of years from existence to existence, in which he is constantly bitten by boa constrictors and black snakes, himself too, either as youth or man or old man, die of snake bite. |
| And that will be to him a death at the appointed time. | |
| Whosoever has put others to death by poison will, after existing for many hundreds of thousands of years with burning limbs and broken body, and exhaling the odour of a corpse, himself too, either as youth or man or old man, die of poison. | |
Yo pubbe pare agginā māreti, so bahūni vassasatasahassāni aṅgārapabbateneva aṅgārapabbataṁ yamavisayeneva yamavisayaṁ parivattitvā daḍḍhavidaḍḍhagatto aggināyeva marati daharopi majjhimopi mahallakopi, idampi tassa sāmayikamaraṇaṁ. |
And that will be to him a death at the appointed time. |
| Whosoever has put others to death by fire, he having wandered from purgatory to purgatory, from one mass of burning charcoal to another, with burning and tortured limbs, for many hundreds of thousands of years, will himself too, either as youth or man or old man, be burnt to death. | |
| And that will be to him a death at the appointed time. | |
Yo pubbe pare udakena māreti, so bahūni vassasatasahassāni hataviluttabhaggadubbalagatto khubbhitacitto udakeneva marati daharopi majjhimopi mahallakopi, idampi tassa sāmayikamaraṇaṁ. |
Whosoever has put others to death by drowning, he having suffered many hundreds of thousands of years as a being disabled, ruined, broken, weak in limb, and anxious in heart, will himself too, either as youth or man or old man, die by drowning. |
| And that will be to him a death at the appointed time. | |
| Whosoever has put others to death by the sword, he having suffered for many hundreds of thousands of years (in repeated births as an animal) from cuts and wounds and blows and bruises, or (when born as a man) ever destroyed by weapons, will himself too, either as youth or man or old man, perish by the sword. | |
Yo pubbe pare sattiyā māreti, so bahūni vassasatasahassāni chinnabhinnakoṭṭitavikoṭṭito sattimukhasamāhato sattiyāyeva marati daharopi majjhimopi mahallakopi, idampi tassa sāmayikamaraṇaṁ”. |
And that will be to him a death at the appointed time.’ |
“Bhante nāgasena, akāle maraṇaṁ atthīti yaṁ vadesi, iṅgha me tvaṁ tattha kāraṇaṁ atidisāti”. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the death out of due time that you also speak of—come now, tell me the reason for that.’ |
“Yathā, mahārāja, mahatimahāaggikkhandho ādinnatiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāso pariyādinnabhakkho upādānasaṅkhayā nibbāyati, so aggi vuccati ‘anītiko anupaddavo samaye nibbuto nāmā’ti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci bahūni divasasahassāni jīvitvā jarājiṇṇo āyukkhayā anītiko anupaddavo marati, so vuccati ‘samaye maraṇamupagato’ti. |
|
| ‘As a great and mighty fire, O king, on to which dry grass and sticks and branches and leaves have been heaped, will nevertheless, when this its food has been consumed, die out by the exhaustion of the fuel. | |
| Yet such a fire is said to have gone out in fullness of time, without any calamity or accident (having happened to it). | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, mahatimahāaggikkhandho ādinnatiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāso assa, taṁ apariyādinneyeva tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāse mahatimahāmegho abhippavassitvā nibbāpeyya, api nu kho, mahārāja, mahāaggikkhandho samaye nibbuto nāma hotī”ti? |
Just so, O king, the man who, when he has lived many thousands of days, when he is old and stricken in years, dies at last of old age, without any calamity or accident having happened to him, is said to have reached death in the fullness of time. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
But if there were a great and mighty fire, O king, on to which dry grass and sticks and branches and leaves had been heaped, then if a mighty rain cloud were to pour out rain upon it, and it were thus to be put out, even before the fuel was consumed, could it be said, O king, that that great fire had gone out in fullness of time?’ |
“Kissa pana so, mahārāja, pacchimo aggikkhandho purimakena aggikkhandhena samasamagatiko nāhosī”ti? |
|
“Āgantukena, bhante, meghena paṭipīḷito so aggikkhandho asamaye nibbuto”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci akāle marati, so āgantukena rogena paṭipīḷito vātasamuṭṭhānena vā pittasamuṭṭhānena vā semhasamuṭṭhānena vā sannipātikena vā utupariṇāmajena vā visamaparihārajena vā opakkamikena vā jighacchāya vā pipāsāya vā sappadaṭṭhena vā visamāsitena vā agginā vā udakena vā sattivegappaṭipīḷito vā akāle marati. |
‘No, Sir, it could not.’ |
Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena akāle maraṇaṁ atthi. |
|
| ‘But wherein would the second fire differ, in its nature, from the first?’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, gagane mahatimahāvalāhako uṭṭhahitvā ninnañca thalañca paripūrayanto abhivassati, so vuccati ‘megho anītiko anupaddavo vassatī’ti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci ciraṁ jīvitvā jarājiṇṇo āyukkhayā anītiko anupaddavo marati, so vuccati ‘samaye maraṇamupagato’ti. |
|
| ‘The second one, Sir, which suffered from the onset of the rain—that fire would have gone out before its time.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, gagane mahatimahāvalāhako uṭṭhahitvā antarāyeva mahatā vātena abbhatthaṁ gaccheyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, mahāvalāhako samaye vigato nāma hotī”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
‘Just so, O king, whosoever dies before his time does so in consequence of suffering from the attack of some disease—from excess of windy humour, or of bilious humour, or of phlegmatic humour, or from the union of the three, or from variations in temperature, or from inequality in protection, or from treatment, or from hunger, or from thirst, or from fire, or from water, or from the sword. |
“Kissa pana so, mahārāja, pacchimo valāhako purimena valāhakena samasamagatiko nāhosī”ti? |
This, O king, is the reason why there is such a thing as dying before one’s time. |
“Āgantukena, bhante, vātena paṭipīḷito so valāhako asamayappattoyeva vigato”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci akāle marati, so āgantukena rogena paṭipīḷito vātasamuṭṭhānena vā …pe… sattivegappaṭipīḷito vā akāle marati. |
|
Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena akāle maraṇaṁ atthīti. |
‘Or again, O king, it is like a mighty storm cloud which, rising up into the heavens, should pour out rain, filling the valleys and the plains. |
| That cloud would be said to have rained without calamity or accident. | |
| Just so, O king, the man who after having lived long, dies at last, when he is old and well stricken in years, without any calamity or accident having happened to him, of old age, is said to have reached death in the fullness of time. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, balavā āsīviso kupito kiñcideva purisaṁ ḍaṁseyya, tassa taṁ visaṁ anītikaṁ anupaddavaṁ maraṇaṁ pāpeyya, taṁ visaṁ vuccati ‘anītikamanupaddavaṁ koṭigatan’ti; |
But if, O king, a mighty storm cloud were to rise up into the heavens, and as it did so were to be dissipated by a mighty wind, could it be said, O king, that that cloud had perished in due time?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci ciraṁ jīvitvā jarājiṇṇo āyukkhayā anītiko anupaddavo marati, so vuccati ‘anītiko anupaddavo jīvitakoṭigato sāmayikaṁ maraṇamupagato’ti. |
|
| ‘No, Sir, it could not.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, balavatā āsīvisena daṭṭhassa antarāyeva āhituṇḍiko agadaṁ datvā avisaṁ kareyya, api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, visaṁ samaye vigataṁ nāma hotī”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Kissa pana taṁ, mahārāja, pacchimaṁ visaṁ purimakena visena samasamagatikaṁ nāhosī”ti? |
‘But wherein would the second cloud differ, in its nature, from the first?’ |
“Āgantukena, bhante, agadena paṭipīḷitaṁ visaṁ akoṭigataṁyeva vigatan”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci akāle marati, so āgantukena rogena paṭipīḷito vātasamuṭṭhānena vā …pe… sattivegappaṭipīḷito vā akāle marati. |
|
Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena akāle maraṇaṁ atthīti. |
‘The second one, Sir, which suffered from the onset of the whirlwind, would have been dissipated before its time.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, issāso saraṁ pāteyya, sace so saro yathāgatigamanapathamatthakaṁ gacchati, so saro vuccati ‘anītiko anupaddavo yathāgatigamanapathamatthakaṁ gato nāmā’ti; |
‘Just so, O king, whosoever dies before his time does so in consequence of suffering from the attack of some disease—from excess of windy humour, or of bilious humour, or of phlegmatic humour, or from the union of the three, or from variations in temperature, or from inequality in protection, or from treatment, or from hunger, or from thirst, or from fire, or from water, or from the sword. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci ciraṁ jīvitvā jarājiṇṇo āyukkhayā anītiko anupaddavo marati, so vuccati ‘anītiko anupaddavo samaye maraṇamupagato’ti. |
This, O king, is the reason why there is such a thing as dying before one’s time. |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, issāso saraṁ pāteyya, tassa taṁ saraṁ tasmiṁyeva khaṇe koci gaṇheyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, saro yathāgatigamanapathamatthakaṁ gato nāma hotī”ti? |
‘Or again, O king, it is like a powerful and deadly snake, which being angered should bite a man, and to him that poison, no impediment and no accident happening to it, should bring death. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
That poison would be said, without impediment or accident, to have reached its aim. |
“Kissa pana so, mahārāja, pacchimo saro purimakena sarena samasamagatiko nāhosī”ti? |
Just so, O king, the man who, having lived long, dies at last, when he is old and well stricken in years, without any calamity or accident having happened to him, of old age, he is said to have reached, unimpeded and uninterrupted, to the goal of his life, to have died in the fullness of time. |
“Āgantukena, bhante, gahaṇena tassa sarassa gamanaṁ upacchinnan”ti. |
But if a snake charmer were to give a drug to the man while he was suffering from The bite, and thus get rid of the poison, could it be said that the poison was removed in the fullness of time?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci akāle marati, so āgantukena rogena paṭipīḷito vātasamuṭṭhānena vā …pe… sattivegappaṭipīḷito vā akāle marati. |
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Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena akāle maraṇaṁ atthīti. |
|
| ‘No, Sir, it could not.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, yo koci lohamayaṁ bhājanaṁ ākoṭeyya, tassa ākoṭanena saddo nibbattitvā yathāgatigamanapathamatthakaṁ gacchati, so saddo vuccati ‘anītiko anupaddavo yathāgatigamanapathamatthakaṁ gato nāmā’ti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci bahūni divasasahassāni jīvitvā jarājiṇṇo āyukkhayā anītiko anupaddavo marati, so vuccati ‘anītiko anupaddavo samaye maraṇamupagato’ti. |
‘But wherein, O king, would the second poison differ, in its nature, from the first?’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, yo koci lohamayaṁ bhājanaṁ ākoṭeyya, tassa ākoṭanena saddo nibbatteyya, nibbatte sadde adūragate koci āmaseyya, saha āmasanena saddo nirujjheyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, saddo yathāgatigamanapathamatthakaṁ gato nāma hotī”ti? |
‘The second one, Sir, which was acted upon by the introduction of the drug, would have been removed before its end was attained.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Kissa pana, mahārāja, pacchimo saddo purimakena saddena samasamagatiko nāhosī”ti? |
|
“Āgantukena, bhante, āmasanena so saddo uparato”ti. |
‘Just so, O king, whosoever dies before his time does so in consequence of suffering from the attack of some disease—from excess of windy humour, or of bilious humour, or of phlegmatic humour, or from the union of the three, or from variations in temperature, or from inequality in protection, or from treatment, or from hunger, or from thirst, or from fire, or from water, or from the sword. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci akāle marati, so āgantukena rogena paṭipīḷito vātasamuṭṭhānena vā …pe… sattivegappaṭipīḷito vā akāle marati. |
This, O king, is the reason why there is such a thing as dying before one’s time. |
Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena akāle maraṇaṁ atthīti. |
|
| ‘Or again, O king, it is like the arrow discharged by an archer. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, khette suvirūḷhaṁ dhaññabījaṁ sammā pavattamānena vassena otatavitataākiṇṇabahuphalaṁ hutvā sassuṭṭhānasamayaṁ pāpuṇāti, taṁ dhaññaṁ vuccati ‘anītikamanupaddavaṁ samayasampattaṁ nāma hotī’ti; |
If that arrow should go to the very end of the line of the path along which it was natural for it to go, then it would be said to have reached that aim, without let or hindrance. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci bahūni divasasahassāni jīvitvā jarājiṇṇo āyukkhayā anītiko anupaddavo marati, so vuccati ‘anītiko anupaddavo samaye maraṇamupagato’ti. |
Just so, O king, the man who, having lived long, dies at last, when he is old and well stricken in years, without any calamity or accident having happened to him, of old age, is said to have reached death, unimpeded and uninterrupted, in the fullness of time. |
| But if, at the moment when the archer was discharging the arrow, some one should catch hold of it, could that arrow be said to have reached the end of the line of the path along which it was shot?’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, khette suvirūḷhaṁ dhaññabījaṁ udakena vikalaṁ mareyya, api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, dhaññaṁ samayasampattaṁ nāma hotī”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
‘No, Sir, it could not.’ |
“Kissa pana taṁ, mahārāja, pacchimaṁ dhaññaṁ purimakena dhaññena samasamagatikaṁ nāhosī”ti? |
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“Āgantukena, bhante, uṇhena paṭipīḷitaṁ taṁ dhaññaṁ matan”ti. |
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“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci akāle marati, so āgantukena rogena paṭipīḷito vātasamuṭṭhānena vā …pe… sattivegappaṭipīḷito vā akāle marati. |
‘But wherein, O king, would the second arrow differ, in its nature, from the first?’ |
Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena akāle maraṇaṁ atthīti. |
|
| ‘By the seizure which intervened, Sir, the course of the second arrow was arrested.’ | |
Sutapubbaṁ pana tayā, mahārāja, ‘sampannataruṇasassaṁ kimayo uṭṭhahitvā samūlaṁ nāsentī’”ti? |
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“Sutapubbañceva taṁ, bhante, amhehi diṭṭhapubbañcā”ti. |
|
“Kiṁ nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, sassaṁ kāle naṭṭhaṁ, udāhu akāle naṭṭhan”ti? |
‘Just so, O king, whosoever dies before his time does so in consequence of suffering from the attack of some disease—from excess of windy humour, or of bilious humour, or of phlegmatic humour, or from the union of the three, or from variations in temperature, or from inequality in protection, or from treatment, or from hunger, or from thirst, or from fire, or from water, or from the sword. |
“Akāle, bhante, yadi kho taṁ, bhante, sassaṁ kimayo na khādeyyuṁ, sassuddharaṇasamayaṁ pāpuṇeyyā”ti. |
This, O king, is the reason why there is such a thing as dying before one’s time. |
“Kiṁ pana, mahārāja, āgantukena upaghātena sassaṁ vinassati, nirupaghātaṁ sassaṁ sassuddharaṇasamayaṁ pāpuṇātī”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci akāle marati, so āgantukena rogena paṭipīḷito vātasamuṭṭhānena vā …pe… sattivegappaṭipīḷito vā marati. |
‘Or again, O king, it is like the brazen vessel which a man should strike. |
Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena akāle maraṇaṁ atthīti. |
And by his striking thereof a note should be produced, and sound to the very end of the line of the path along which it was its nature to sound. |
| It would then be said to have reached that aim without let or hindrance. | |
| Just so, O king, the man who, having lived long, dies at last, when he is old and well stricken in years, without any calamity or accident having happened to him, of old age, is said to have reached death, without let or hindrance, in the fullness of time. | |
Sutapubbaṁ pana tayā, mahārāja, ‘sampanne sasse phalabhāranamite mañjaritapatte karakavassaṁ nāma vassajāti nipatitvā vināseti aphalaṁ karotī’”ti? |
But if a man were to strike a brazen vessel, and by his striking thereof a note should be produced, but some one, before it had reached any distance, were to touch the vessel, and at his touching thereof the sound should cease, could then that sound be said to have reached the end of the line of the path along which it was its nature to sound |
“Sutapubbañceva taṁ, bhante, amhehi diṭṭhapubbañcā”ti. |
|
“Api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, sassaṁ kāle naṭṭhaṁ, udāhu akāle naṭṭhan”ti? |
‘No, Sir, it could not.’ |
“Akāle, bhante, yadi kho taṁ, bhante, sassaṁ karakavassaṁ na vasseyya sassuddharaṇasamayaṁ pāpuṇeyyā”ti. |
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“Kiṁ pana, mahārāja, āgantukena upaghātena sassaṁ vinassati, nirupaghātaṁ sassaṁ sassuddharaṇasamayaṁ pāpuṇātī”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante”ti. |
‘But wherein, O king, would the second sound differ, in its nature, from the first?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci akāle marati, so āgantukena rogena paṭipīḷito vātasamuṭṭhānena vā pittasamuṭṭhānena vā semhasamuṭṭhānena vā sannipātikena vā utupariṇāmajena vā visamaparihārajena vā opakkamikena vā jighacchāya vā pipāsāya vā sappadaṭṭhena vā visamāsitena vā agginā vā udakena vā sattivegappaṭipīḷito vā akāle marati. |
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Yadi pana āgantukena rogena paṭipīḷito na bhaveyya, samayeva maraṇaṁ pāpuṇeyya. |
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Idamettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena akāle maraṇaṁ atthī”ti. |
‘By the touching which intervened, Sir, that sound was suppressed.’ |
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, sudassitaṁ kāraṇaṁ, sudassitaṁ opammaṁ akāle maraṇassa paridīpanāya, ‘atthi akāle maraṇan’ti uttānīkataṁ pākaṭaṁ kataṁ vibhūtaṁ kataṁ, acittavikkhittakopi, bhante nāgasena, manujo ekamekenapi tāva opammena niṭṭhaṁ gaccheyya ‘atthi akāle maraṇan’ti, kiṁ pana manujo sacetano? |
‘Just so, O king, whosoever dies before his time does so in consequence of suffering from the attack of some disease—from excess of windy humour, or of bilious humour, or of phlegmatic humour, or from the union of the three, or from variations in temperature, or from inequality in protection, or from treatment, or from hunger, or from thirst, or from fire, or from water, or from the sword. |
Paṭhamopammenevāhaṁ, bhante, saññatto ‘atthi akāle maraṇan’ti, api ca aparāparaṁ nibbāhanaṁ sotukāmo na sampaṭicchin”ti. |
This, O king, is the reason why there is such a thing as dying before one’s time. |
Akālamaraṇapañho chaṭṭho. |
‘Or again, O king, it is like the corn seed which had sprung up well in the field, and by means of a plentiful downpour of rain had become well laden far and wide with many seeds, and had survived in safety to the time of standing crops, that corn would be said to have reached, without let or hindrance, to its due season. |
| Just so, O king, the man who, having lived long, dies at last, when he is old and well stricken in years, without any calamity or accident having happened to him, of old age, is said to have reached death, without let or hindrance, in the fullness of time. | |
| But if that corn, after it had sprung up well in the field, should, deprived of water, die, could it be said to have reached its due season?’ | |
| ‘No, Sir, it could not.’ | |
| ‘But wherein, O king, would the second crop differ, in its nature, from the first?’ | |
| ‘Oppressed by the heat which intervened, that crop, Sir, perished.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, whosoever dies before his time does so in consequence of suffering from the attack of some disease—from excess of windy humour, or of bilious humour, or of phlegmatic humour, or from the union of the three, or from variations in temperature, or from inequality in protection, or from treatment, or from hunger, or from thirst, or from fire, or from water, or from the sword. | |
| This, O king, is the reason why there is such a thing as dying before one’s time. | |
| ‘And have you ever heard, O king, of a young crop that, after it had come to ear, worms sprung up and destroyed down to the roots?’ | |
| ‘We have both heard of such a thing, Sir, and have seen it, too.’ | |
| ‘Well, O king, was that crop destroyed in season, or out of season?’ | |
| ‘Out of season, Sir. | |
| For surely if worms had not destroyed the crop it would have survived to harvest time.’ | |
| ‘What then, O king! | |
| on a disaster intervening the crop is lost, but if no injury is done it, it survives to the harvest?’ | |
| ‘That is so, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, whosoever dies before his time does so in consequence of suffering from the attack of some disease—from excess of windy humour, or of bilious humour, or of phlegmatic humour, or from the union of the three, or from variations in temperature, or from inequality in protection, or from treatment, or from hunger, or from thirst, or from fire, or from water, or from the sword. | |
| This, O king, is the reason why there is such a thing as dying before one’s time. | |
| ‘And have you ever heard, O king, of a crop that had grown, and was bent down by the weight of the grains of corn, the ears having duly formed, when a so-called Karaka rain (hail-storm) falling on it, destroyed it?’ | |
| ‘We have both heard of such a thing, Sir, and have seen it, too.’ | |
| ‘Well, O king! | |
| would you say the crop was destroyed in season or out of season?’ | |
| ‘Out of season, Sir. | |
| For if the hail-storm had not come the crop would have lasted to harvest time.’ | |
| ‘What then, O king! | |
| on a disaster intervening the crop is lost, but if no injury is done it, it survives to the harvest?’ | |
| ‘That is so, Sir.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, whosoever dies before his time does so in consequence of suffering from the attack of some disease—from excess of windy humour, or of bilious humour, or of phlegmatic humour, or from the union of the three, or from variations in temperature, or from inequality in protection, or from treatment, or from hunger, or from thirst, or from fire, or from water, or from the sword. | |
| This, O king, is the reason why there is such a thing as dying before one’s time.’ | |
| ‘Most wonderful, Nāgasena, most strange! | |
| Right well have you explained, by reason and by simile, how it is that people die before their time. | |
| That there is such a thing as premature death have you made clear and plain and evident. | |
| A thoughtless man even, Nāgasena, a puzzle-headed fellow, could by any one of your comparisons have come to the conclusion that premature deaths do occur; | |
| — how much more an able man! | |
| I was convinced already, Sir, by the first of your similes, that such deaths happen, but nevertheless, out of the wish to hear still further and further solutions, I would not give in.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to premature deaths. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
7. Cetiyapāṭihāriyapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, sabbesaṁ parinibbutānaṁ cetiye pāṭihīraṁ hoti, udāhu ekaccānaṁyeva hotī”ti? |
6.3.7. Dilemma the Seventy-Seventh. |
“Ekaccānaṁ, mahārāja, hoti, ekaccānaṁ na hotī”ti. |
Wonders At the Grave |
“Katamesaṁ, bhante, hoti, katamesaṁ na hotī”ti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, are there wonders at the cetiyas (the mounds raised over the ashes) of all who have passed entirely away (of all the Arahats deceased) ? |
“Tiṇṇannaṁ, mahārāja, aññatarassa adhiṭṭhānā parinibbutassa cetiye pāṭihīraṁ hoti. |
|
Katamesaṁ tiṇṇannaṁ? |
|
Idha, mahārāja, arahā devamanussānaṁ anukampāya tiṭṭhantova adhiṭṭhāti ‘evaṁnāma cetiye pāṭihīraṁ hotū’ti, tassa adhiṭṭhānavasena cetiye pāṭihīraṁ hoti, evaṁ arahato adhiṭṭhānavasena parinibbutassa cetiye pāṭihīraṁ hoti. |
‘Of some, O king, but not of others.’ |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, devatā manussānaṁ anukampāya parinibbutassa cetiye pāṭihīraṁ dassenti ‘iminā pāṭihīrena saddhammo niccasampaggahito bhavissati, manussā ca pasannā kusalena abhivaḍḍhissantī’ti, evaṁ devatānaṁ adhiṭṭhānavasena parinibbutassa cetiye pāṭihīraṁ hoti. |
‘But of which, Sir, is this the case, and of which not?’ |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, itthī vā puriso vā saddho pasanno paṇḍito byatto medhāvī buddhisampanno yoniso cintayitvā gandhaṁ vā mālaṁ vā dussaṁ vā aññataraṁ vā kiñci adhiṭṭhahitvā cetiye ukkhipati ‘evaṁnāma hotū’ti, tassapi adhiṭṭhānavasena parinibbutassa cetiye pāṭihīraṁ hoti, evaṁ manussānaṁ adhiṭṭhānavasena parinibbutassa cetiye pāṭihīraṁ hoti. |
‘It is by the stedfast resolve, O king, of three kinds of people, that wonders take place at the cetiya of some person deceased who has been entirely set free. |
| And who are the three? | |
| In the first place, O king, an Arahat, when still alive, may, out of pity for gods and men, make the resolve: | |
Imesaṁ kho, mahārāja, tiṇṇannaṁ aññatarassa adhiṭṭhānavasena parinibbutassa cetiye pāṭihīraṁ hoti. |
“Let there be such and such wonders at my cetiya.” |
| Then, by reason of his resolve, wonders happen there. | |
| Thus is it that wonders occur by the resolve of an Arahat at the cetiya of one entirely set free. | |
Yadi, mahārāja, tesaṁ adhiṭṭhānaṁ na hoti, khīṇāsavassapi chaḷabhiññassa cetovasippattassa cetiye pāṭihīraṁ na hoti, asatipi, mahārāja, pāṭihīre caritaṁ disvā suparisuddhaṁ okappetabbaṁ niṭṭhaṁ gantabbaṁ saddahitabbaṁ ‘suparinibbuto ayaṁ buddhaputto’”ti. |
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“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, the gods, out of pity for men, show wonders at the cetiya of one who has been entirely set free, thinking: | |
| “By this wonder may the true faith remain always established on the earth, and may mankind, believing, grow in grace!” | |
Cetiyapāṭihāriyapañho sattamo. |
Thus is it that wonders occur by the resolve of a god at the Ketiya of one entirely set free. |
| ‘And again, O king, some woman or some man of believing heart, able, intelligent, wise, endowed with insight, may deliberately take perfumes, or a garland, or a cloth, and place it on the Ketiya, making the resolve: | |
| “May such and such a wonder take place!” | |
| Thus is it that wonders occur by the resolve of human beings at the cetiya of one entirely set free. | |
| ‘These, O king, are the three kinds of people by whose stedfast resolve wonders take place at the cetiyas of Arahats deceased. | |
| And if there has been no such resolve, O king, by one of these, then is there no wonder at the cetiya even of one whose āsavas had been destroyed, who had attained to the sixfold insight, who was master of himself. | |
| And if there be no such wonder, then, O king, one should call to mind the purity of conduct one has seen, and draw in trusting faith the conclusion: | |
| “Verily, this child of the Buddhas has been entirely set free!” | |
| ’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to wonders at the grave. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
8. Dhammābhisamayapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ye te sammā paṭipajjanti, tesaṁ sabbesaṁyeva dhammābhisamayo hoti, udāhu kassaci na hotī”ti? |
6.3.8. Dilemma the Seventy-Eighth. |
“Kassaci, mahārāja, hoti, kassaci na hotī”ti. |
Conversion And Conduct |
“Kassa, bhante, hoti, kassa na hotī”ti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those who regulate their lives aright—do they all attain to insight into the Truth, or are there some of them who do not?’ |
“Tiracchānagatassa, mahārāja, suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hoti, pettivisayūpapannassa … micchādiṭṭhikassa … kuhakassa … mātughātakassa … pitughātakassa … arahantaghātakassa … saṅghabhedakassa … lohituppādakassa … theyyasaṁvāsakassa … titthiyapakkantassa … bhikkhunidūsakassa … terasannaṁ garukāpattīnaṁ aññataraṁ āpajjitvā avuṭṭhitassa … paṇḍakassa … ubhatobyañjanakassa suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hoti … yopi manussadaharako ūnakasattavassiko, tassa suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hoti. |
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Imesaṁ kho, mahārāja, soḷasannaṁ puggalānaṁ suppaṭipannānampi dhammābhisamayo na hotī”ti. |
|
| ‘Some do, O king, and some do not.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ye te pannarasa puggalā viruddhāyeva, tesaṁ dhammābhisamayo hotu vā mā vā hotu, atha kena kāraṇena manussadaharakassa ūnakasattavassikassa suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hoti? |
|
Ettha tāva pañho bhavati ‘nanu nāma daharakassa na rāgo hoti, na doso hoti, na moho hoti, na māno hoti, na micchādiṭṭhi hoti, na arati hoti, na kāmavitakko hoti, amissito kilesehi, so nāma daharako yutto ca patto ca arahati ca cattāri saccāni ekappaṭivedhena paṭivijjhitun’”ti. |
‘Then which do, Sir, and which do not?’ |
“Taññevettha, mahārāja, kāraṇaṁ, yenāhaṁ kāraṇena bhaṇāmi ‘ūnakasattavassikassa suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hotī’ti. |
‘He who is born as an animal, O king, even though he regulate his life aright, will not attain to insight into the Truth, nor he who is born in The Preta world, nor he who holds wrong views, nor the deceitful man, nor he who has slain his mother, or his father, or an Arahat, nor he who has raised up a schism in the Order, nor he who has shed a Buddha’s blood, nor he who has furtively attached himself to the Order, nor he who has become a pervert, nor he who has violated a sister of the Order, nor he who, having been guilty of one or other of the thirteen grievous offences, has not been rehabilitated, nor a eunuch, nor an hermaphrodite—and whosoever is a human child under seven years of age, even though he regulate his life aright, will not attain to insight into the Truth. |
Yadi, mahārāja, ūnakasattavassiko rajanīye rajjeyya, dussanīye dusseyya, mohanīye muyheyya, madanīye majjeyya, diṭṭhiṁ vijāneyya, ratiñca aratiñca vijāneyya, kusalākusalaṁ vitakkeyya, bhaveyya tassa dhammābhisamayo, api ca, mahārāja, ūnakasattavassikassa cittaṁ abalaṁ dubbalaṁ parittaṁ appaṁ thokaṁ mandaṁ avibhūtaṁ, asaṅkhatā nibbānadhātu garukā bhārikā vipulā mahatī. |
To these sixteen individuals there is no attainment of insight, O king, even though they regulate their life aright.’ |
Ūnakasattavassiko, mahārāja, tena dubbalena cittena parittakena mandena avibhūtena na sakkoti garukaṁ bhārikaṁ vipulaṁ mahatiṁ asaṅkhataṁ nibbānadhātuṁ paṭivijjhituṁ. |
|
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, there may or may not be a possibility of insight to the fifteen you have first singled out for opposition. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, sinerupabbatarājā garuko bhāriko vipulo mahanto, api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, puriso attano pākatikena thāmabalavīriyena sakkuṇeyya sinerupabbatarājānaṁ uddharitun”ti? |
But what is the reason why an infant, one under seven years of age, should not, even though he regulate his life aright, attain to insight? |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
Therein there is still a puzzle left. |
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
For is it not admitted that in a child there is not passion, neither malice, nor dullness, nor pride, nor heresy, nor discontent, nor lustful thoughts? |
“Dubbalattā, bhante, purisassa, mahantattā sinerupabbatarājassā”ti. |
Being undefiled by sin, that which we call an infant is fit and ready (to the attainment even of Arahatship—how much more) is he worthy to penetrate at a glance into the four truths!’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ūnakasattavassikassa cittaṁ abalaṁ dubbalaṁ parittaṁ appaṁ thokaṁ mandaṁ avibhūtaṁ, asaṅkhatā nibbānadhātu garukā bhārikā vipulā mahatī. |
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Ūnakasattavassiko tena dubbalena cittena parittena mandena avibhūtena na sakkoti garukaṁ bhārikaṁ vipulaṁ mahatiṁ asaṅkhataṁ nibbānadhātuṁ paṭivijjhituṁ, tena kāraṇena ūnakasattavassikassa suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hoti. |
|
| ‘The following is the reason, O king, for my saying that an infant, even though he regulate his life aright, cannot attain to insight. | |
| If, O king, one under seven years of age could feel passion about things exciting to passion, could go wrong in things leading to iniquity, could be befooled in matters that mislead, could be maddened as to things that infatuate, could understand a heresy, could distinguish between content and discontent, could think out virtue and vice, then might insight be possible to him. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, ayaṁ mahāpathavī dīghā āyatā puthulā vitthatā visālā vitthiṇṇā vipulā mahantā, api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, mahāpathaviṁ sakkā parittakena udakabindukena temetvā udakacikkhallaṁ kātun”ti? |
But the mind of one under seven years of age, O king, is powerless and weak, mean, small, slight, obscure, and dull, whereas the essential principle of Nirvāṇa is transcendental, important, weighty, wide-reaching, and extensive. |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
Therefore is it, O king, that the infant, with so imperfect a mind, is unable to grasp an idea so great. |
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
It is like the case of Sineru, O king, the king of the mountains, heavy and ponderous, wide-reaching and mighty as it is—could now a man, by his ordinary strength and power and energy, root that mountain up ?’ |
“Parittattā, bhante, udakabindussa, mahantattā mahāpathaviyā”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ūnakasattavassikassa cittaṁ abalaṁ dubbalaṁ parittaṁ appaṁ thokaṁ mandaṁ avibhūtaṁ, asaṅkhatā nibbānadhātu dīghā āyatā puthulā vitthatā visālā vitthiṇṇā vipulā mahantā. |
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Ūnakasattavassiko tena dubbalena cittena parittakena mandena avibhūtena na sakkoti mahatiṁ asaṅkhataṁ nibbānadhātuṁ paṭivijjhituṁ, tena kāraṇena ūnakasattavassikassa suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hoti. |
‘Certainly not, Sir.’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, abaladubbalaparittaappathokamandaggi bhaveyya, api nu kho, mahārāja, tāvatakena mandena agginā sakkā sadevake loke andhakāraṁ vidhamitvā ālokaṁ dassetun”ti? |
‘But why not?’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
|
“Mandattā, bhante, aggissa, lokassa mahantattā”ti. |
‘Because of the weakness of the man, and because of the mightiness of Sineru, the mountain king.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ūnakasattavassikassa cittaṁ abalaṁ dubbalaṁ parittaṁ appaṁ thokaṁ mandaṁ avibhūtaṁ, mahatā ca avijjandhakārena pihitaṁ. |
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Tasmā dukkaraṁ ñāṇālokaṁ dassayituṁ, tena kāraṇena ūnakasattavassikassa suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hoti. |
|
| ‘Just so, O king, is the relation of the infant’s mind to Nirvāṇa.’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, āturo kiso aṇuparimitakāyo sālakakimi hatthināgaṁ tidhā pabhinnaṁ navāyataṁ tivitthataṁ dasapariṇāhaṁ aṭṭharatanikaṁ sakaṭṭhānamupagataṁ disvā gilituṁ parikaḍḍheyya, api nu kho so, mahārāja, sālakakimi sakkuṇeyya taṁ hatthināgaṁ gilitun”ti? |
|
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
‘And again, it is like the broad earth, O king, long and wide, great in expanse and extension, large and mighty—would now a tiny drop of water be able to wet and turn to mud that broad earth ?’ |
“Kena kāraṇena, mahārājā”ti? |
|
“Parittattā, bhante, sālakakimissa, mahantattā hatthināgassā”ti. |
|
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ūnakasattavassikassa cittaṁ abalaṁ dubbalaṁ parittaṁ appaṁ thokaṁ mandaṁ avibhūtaṁ, mahatī asaṅkhatā nibbānadhātu. |
‘Certainly not, Sir.’ |
So tena dubbalena cittena parittakena mandena avibhūtena na sakkoti mahatiṁ asaṅkhataṁ nibbānadhātuṁ paṭivijjhituṁ, tena kāraṇena ūnakasattavassikassa suppaṭipannassāpi dhammābhisamayo na hotī”ti. |
|
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘But why not, O king?’ | |
Dhammābhisamayapañho aṭṭhamo. |
|
| ‘Because of the minuteness of the drop of water, and because of the greatness of the broad earth.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, is the relation of the infant’s mind to Nirvāṇa. | |
| ‘Or again, O king, suppose there were weak and powerless, minute, tiny, limited, and dull fire—would it be possible, with so insignificant a fire, to overcome darkness and make light appear over the whole world of gods and men?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘But why not, O king?’ | |
| ‘Because of the dullness of the fire, and because of the greatness of the world.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, the mind of one under seven years of age is powerless and weak, limited, insignificant, obscure, and dull; | |
| it is veiled, moreover, with the thick darkness of ignorance. | |
| Hard would it be, therefore, for it to shine forth with the light of knowledge. | |
| And that is the reason, O king, why to an infant, to one under seven years of age, even though he order his conduct aright, there can be no attainment of insight into the Truth. | |
| ‘Or again, O king, suppose there were a Sālaka, minute in the measure of its body, and rendered lean by disease, and it on seeing an elephant king, which showed the signs of rut in three places, and was nine cubits in length, and three in breadth, and ten in girth, and seven in height, coming to its lair, were to begin to drag the elephant towards it with the view of swallowing it—now would the Sālaka, O king, be able to do ?’ | |
| ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ | |
| ‘But why not, O king?’ | |
| ‘Because of the minuteness of the Sālaka’s body, and because of the magnitude of the elephant king.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, the mind of one under seven years of age is powerless and weak, limited, insignificant, obscure, and dull. | |
| Grand and transcendental is the ambrosial essence of Nirvāṇa. | |
| With that mind so powerless and weak, so limited, insignificant, obscure, and dull, he cannot penetrate into the grand and transcendental essence of Nirvāṇa. | |
| And that is the reason, O king, why to an infant, one under seven years of age, even though he order his conduct aright, there can be no attainment to insight of the Truth.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma on conversion and conduct. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
9. Ekantasukhanibbānapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁ ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ, udāhu dukkhena missan”ti? |
6.3.9. Dilemma the Seventy-Ninth. |
“Ekantasukhaṁ, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ, dukkhena amissan”ti. |
The Pain Of Nirvāṇa |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, how is it? | |
| Is Nirvāṇa all bliss, or is it partly pain. | |
“Na mayaṁ taṁ, bhante nāgasena, vacanaṁ saddahāma ‘ekantasukhaṁ nibbānan’ti, evamettha mayaṁ, bhante nāgasena, paccema ‘nibbānaṁ dukkhena missan’ti, kāraṇañcettha upalabhāma ‘nibbānaṁ dukkhena missan’ti. |
? |
Katamaṁ ettha kāraṇaṁ? |
|
Ye te, bhante nāgasena, nibbānaṁ pariyesanti, tesaṁ dissati kāyassa ca cittassa ca ātāpo paritāpo ṭhānacaṅkamanisajjāsayanāhārapariggaho middhassa ca uparodho āyatanānañca paṭipīḷanaṁ dhanadhaññapiyañātimittappajahanaṁ. |
‘Nirvāṇa is all bliss, O king. |
Ye keci loke sukhitā sukhasamappitā, te sabbepi pañcahi kāmaguṇehi āyatane ramenti brūhenti, manāpikamanāpikabahuvidhasubhanimittena rūpena cakkhuṁ ramenti brūhenti, manāpikamanāpikagītavāditabahuvidhasubhanimittena saddena sotaṁ ramenti brūhenti, manāpikamanāpikapupphaphalapattatacamūlasārabahuvidhasubhanimittena gandhena ghānaṁ ramenti brūhenti, manāpikamanāpikakhajjabhojjaleyyapeyyasāyanīyabahuvidhasubhanimittena rasena jivhaṁ ramenti brūhenti, manāpikamanāpikasaṇhasukhumamudumaddavabahuvidhasubhanimittena phassena kāyaṁ ramenti brūhenti, manāpikamanāpikakalyāṇapāpakasubhāsubhabahuvidhavitakkamanasikārena manaṁ ramenti brūhenti. |
There is no intermingling of pain in it.’ |
Tumhe taṁ cakkhusotaghānajivhākāyamanobrūhanaṁ hanatha upahanatha, chindatha upacchindatha, rundhatha uparundhatha. |
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Tena kāyopi paritapati, cittampi paritapati, kāye paritatte kāyikadukkhavedanaṁ vediyati, citte paritatte cetasikadukkhavedanaṁ vedayati. |
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Nanu māgaṇḍiyopi paribbājako bhagavantaṁ garahamāno evamāha ‘bhūnahu samaṇo gotamo’ti. |
‘That, Sir, is a saying we cannot believe—that Nirvāṇa is all bliss. |
Idamettha kāraṇaṁ, yenāhaṁ kāraṇena brūmi ‘nibbānaṁ dukkhena missan’”ti. |
On this point, Nāgasena, we maintain that Nirvāṇa must be alloyed with pain. |
| And there is a reason for our adopting that view. | |
| What is that reason? | |
“Na hi, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ dukkhena missaṁ, ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ. |
Those, Nāgasena, who seek after Nirvāṇa are seen to practise exertion and application both of body and of mind, restraint in standing, walking, sitting, lying, and eating, suppression of sleep, subjugation of the organs of sense, renunciation of wealth and corn, of dear relatives and friends. |
Yaṁ pana tvaṁ, mahārāja, brūsi ‘nibbānaṁ dukkhan’ti, netaṁ dukkhaṁ nibbānaṁ nāma, nibbānassa pana sacchikiriyāya pubbabhāgo eso, nibbānapariyesanaṁ etaṁ, ekantasukhaṁyeva, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ, na dukkhena missaṁ. |
But all those who are joyful and happy in the world take delight in, are devoted to, the five pleasures of sense—they practise and delight their eyes in many kinds of pleasurable forms, such as at any time they like the best—they practise and delight their ears in many kinds of pleasurable sounds of revelry and song, such as at any time they like the best—they practise and delight their sense of smell with many kinds of perfumes of flowers, and fruits, and leaves, and bark, and roots, and sap, such as at any time they like the best—they practise and delight their tongue with many kinds of pleasurable tastes of hard foods and of soft, of syrups, drinks, and beverages, such as at any time they like the best—they practise and delight their sense of touch with many kinds of pleasurable feelings, tender and delicate, exquisite and soft, such as at any time they like the best—they practise and delight their minds with many sorts of conceptions and ideas, pure and impure, good and bad, such as at any time they like the best. |
Ettha kāraṇaṁ vadāmi. |
You, on the other hand, put a stop to and destroy, maim and mangle, put a drag on and restrain the development of your eye, and ear, and nose, and tongue, and body, and mind. |
Atthi, mahārāja, rājūnaṁ rajjasukhaṁ nāmā”ti? |
Therefore is your body afflicted and your mind afflicted too, and your body being afflicted you feel bodily discomfort and pain, and your minds being afflicted you feel mental discomfort too and pain. |
“Āma, bhante, atthi rājūnaṁ rajjasukhan”ti. |
Did not even Māgandiya, the ascetic, find fault with the Blessed One, and say: |
“Api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, rajjasukhaṁ dukkhena missan”ti? |
“The Samaṇa Gotama is a destroyer of increase ?” |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
’ |
“Kissa pana te, mahārāja, rājāno paccante kupite tesaṁ paccantanissitānaṁ paṭisedhāya amaccehi pariṇāyakehi bhaṭehi balatthehi parivutā pavāsaṁ gantvā ḍaṁsamakasavātātapapaṭipīḷitā samavisame paridhāvanti, mahāyuddhañca karonti, jīvitasaṁsayañca pāpuṇantī”ti? |
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“Netaṁ, bhante nāgasena, rajjasukhaṁ nāma, rajjasukhassa pariyesanāya pubbabhāgo eso, dukkhena, bhante nāgasena, rājāno rajjaṁ pariyesitvā rajjasukhaṁ anubhavanti, evaṁ, bhante nāgasena, rajjasukhaṁ dukkhena amissaṁ, aññaṁ taṁ rajjasukhaṁ, aññaṁ dukkhan”ti. |
‘Nirvāṇa, O king, has no pain in it. |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ, na dukkhena missaṁ. |
It is bliss unalloyed. |
Ye pana taṁ nibbānaṁ pariyesanti, te kāyañca cittañca ātāpetvā ṭhānacaṅkamanisajjāsayanāhāraṁ pariggahetvā middhaṁ uparundhitvā āyatanāni paṭipīḷetvā kāyañca jīvitañca pariccajitvā dukkhena nibbānaṁ pariyesitvā ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ anubhavanti, nihatapaccāmittā viya rājāno rajjasukhaṁ. |
When you, O king, maintain that Nirvāṇa is painful, that which you call “painful” is not Nirvāṇa. |
Evaṁ, mahārāja, ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ, na dukkhena missaṁ, aññaṁ nibbānaṁ, aññaṁ dukkhanti. |
It is the preliminary stage to the realisation of Nirvāṇa, it is the process of seeking after Nirvāṇa. |
| Nirvāṇa itself is bliss pure and simple, there is no pain mixed with it. | |
| And I will give you an explanation of this. | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ, na dukkhena missaṁ, aññaṁ dukkhaṁ, aññaṁ nibbānanti. |
Is there such a thing, O king, as the bliss of sovranty which kings enjoy?’ |
Atthi, mahārāja, ācariyānaṁ sippavantānaṁ sippasukhaṁ nāmā”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante, atthi ācariyānaṁ sippavantānaṁ sippasukhan”ti. |
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“Api nu kho taṁ, mahārāja, sippasukhaṁ dukkhena missan”ti? |
‘Most certainly.’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Kissa pana te, mahārāja, ācariyā ācariyānaṁ abhivādanapaccuṭṭhānena udakāharaṇagharasammajjanadantakaṭṭhamukhodakānuppadānena ucchiṭṭhapaṭiggahaṇaucchādananahāpanapādaparikammena sakacittaṁ nikkhipitvā paracittānuvattanena dukkhaseyyāya visamabhojanena kāyaṁ ātāpentī”ti? |
|
“Netaṁ, bhante nāgasena, sippasukhaṁ nāma, sippapariyesanāya pubbabhāgo eso, dukkhena, bhante nāgasena, ācariyā sippaṁ pariyesitvā sippasukhaṁ anubhavanti, evaṁ, bhante nāgasena, sippasukhaṁ dukkhena amissaṁ, aññaṁ taṁ sippasukhaṁ, aññaṁ dukkhan”ti. |
‘And is there no pain, O king, mingled with that bliss?’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ, na dukkhena missaṁ. |
|
Ye pana taṁ nibbānaṁ pariyesanti, te kāyañca cittañca ātāpetvā ṭhānacaṅkamanisajjāsayanāhāraṁ pariggahetvā middhaṁ uparundhitvā āyatanāni paṭipīḷetvā kāyañca jīvitañca pariccajitvā dukkhena nibbānaṁ pariyesitvā ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ anubhavanti, ācariyā viya sippasukhaṁ. |
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Evaṁ, mahārāja, ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ, na dukkhena missaṁ, aññaṁ dukkhaṁ, aññaṁ nibbānan”ti. |
‘No, Sir.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
|
| ‘But surely then, O king, why is it that when their frontier provinces have broken out in revolt, the kings, to the end that they may bring the inhabitants of those provinces into subjection again, leave their homes, attended by their ministers and chiefs, their soldiers and their guards, and marching over ground even and uneven, tormented the while by gnats and mosquitoes and hot winds, engage in fierce fights, and suffer the presentiment of death?’ | |
Ekantasukhanibbānapañho navamo. |
|
| ‘That, venerable Nāgasena, is not what is called the bliss of sovranty. | |
| It is only the preliminary stage in the pursuit of that bliss. | |
| It is after they have thus, in pain, sought after sovranty, that they enjoy the bliss thereof. | |
| And thus that bliss, Nāgasena, is itself unmixed with pain, for the bliss of sovranty is one thing, and the pain another.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, is Nirvāṇa all bliss, and there is no pain mingled with it. | |
| Those who are in quest of Nirvāṇa afflict their minds and bodies it is true, restrain themselves in standing, walking, sitting, lying, and in food, suppress their sleep, keep their senses in subjection, abandon their very body and their life. | |
| But it is after they have thus, in pain, sought after Nirvāṇa, that they enjoy the Nirvāṇa which is bliss unalloyed—as kings do the bliss of sovranty after their foes have been put down. | |
| Thus is it, O king, that Nirvāṇa is all bliss, and there is no pain mingled with it. | |
| For Nirvāṇa is one thing, and the pain another. | |
| ‘And hear another explanation, O king, of the same thing. | |
| Is there such a thing, O king, as the bliss of knowledge which those teachers have who have passed through their course?’ | |
| ‘Yes, Sir, there is.’ | |
| ‘Well, is that bliss of knowledge alloyed with pain?’ | |
| ‘No.’ | |
| ‘What then, O king, is the good of their afflicting Themselves by bowing down before and standing up in the presence of their teachers; | |
| by drawing water, and sweeping out the cell, and placing tooth-sticks and washing-water ready; | |
| by living upon scraps left over; | |
| by doing service in shampooing, and bathing, and washing of the feet; | |
| by suppressing their own will, and acting according to the will of others; | |
| by sleeping in discomfort, and feeding on distasteful food?’ | |
| ‘That, Nāgasena, is not the bliss of knowledge, it is a preliminary stage in the pursuit thereof. | |
| It is after the teachers have, in pain, sought after knowledge, that they enjoy its bliss. | |
| Thus is it, Nāgasena, that the bliss of knowledge is unalloyed with pain. | |
| For that bliss of knowledge is one thing, and the pain another.’ | |
| ‘Just so, O king, is Nirvāṇa all bliss, and there is no pain mingled with it. | |
| Those who are in quest of Nirvāṇa afflict their minds and bodies it is true, restrain themselves in standing, walking, sitting, lying, and in food, suppress their sleep, keep their senses in subjection, abandon their very body and their life. | |
| But it is after they have thus, in pain, sought after Nirvāṇa, that they enjoy the Nirvāṇa which is bliss unalloyed—as teachers do the bliss of knowledge. | |
| Thus is it, O king, that Nirvāṇa is all bliss, and there is no pain mingled with it. | |
| For Nirvāṇa is one thing, and the pain another.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the dilemma as to the pain of Nirvāṇa. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
10. Nibbānarūpasaṇṭhānapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘nibbānaṁ nibbānan’ti yaṁ vadesi, sakkā pana tassa nibbānassa rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayitun”ti? |
6.3.10. Dilemma the Eightieth. |
“Appaṭibhāgaṁ, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ, na sakkā nibbānassa rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayitun”ti. |
The Outward Form Of Nirvāṇa |
“Etampāhaṁ, bhante nāgasena, na sampaṭicchāmi, yaṁ atthidhammassa nibbānassa rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā apaññāpanaṁ, kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehī”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, this Nirvāṇa that you are always talking of—can you make clear by metaphor, or explanation, or reason, or argument, the form, or figure, or duration, or measure of it?’ |
“Hotu, mahārāja, kāraṇena taṁ saññāpessāmi. |
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Atthi, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo nāmā”ti? |
|
“Āma, bhante, attheso mahāsamuddo”ti. |
‘Nirvāṇa, O king, has nothing similar to it. |
“Sace taṁ, mahārāja, koci evaṁ puccheyya ‘kittakaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamudde udakaṁ, kati pana te sattā, ye mahāsamudde paṭivasantī’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho tvaṁ, mahārāja, kinti tassa byākareyyāsī”ti? |
By no metaphor, or explanation, or reason, or argument can its form, or figure, or duration, or measure be made clear.’ |
“Sace maṁ, bhante, koci evaṁ puccheyya ‘kittakaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamudde udakaṁ, kati pana te sattā, ye mahāsamudde paṭivasantī’ti, tamahaṁ, bhante, evaṁ vadeyyaṁ ‘apucchitabbaṁ maṁ tvaṁ, ambho purisa, pucchasi, nesā pucchā kenaci pucchitabbā, ṭhapanīyo eso pañho. |
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Avibhatto lokakkhāyikehi mahāsamuddo, na sakkā mahāsamudde udakaṁ pariminituṁ sattā vā ye tattha vāsamupagatāti evāhaṁ, bhante tassa paṭivacanaṁ dadeyyan’”ti. |
|
| ‘That I cannot believe, Nāgasena—that of Nirvāṇa, which really after all is a condition that exists, it should be so impossible in any way to make us understand either the form, or figure, or duration, or measure! | |
| Give me some explanation of this.’ | |
“Kissa pana tvaṁ, mahārāja, atthidhamme mahāsamudde evaṁ paṭivacanaṁ dadeyyāsi, nanu vigaṇetvā tassa ācikkhitabbaṁ ‘ettakaṁ mahāsamudde udakaṁ, ettakā ca sattā mahāsamudde paṭivasantī’”ti? |
|
“Na sakkā, bhante, avisayo eso pañho”ti. |
|
| ‘Very well, O king, I will do so. | |
| Is there such a thing, O king, as the great ocean?’ | |
“Yathā, mahārāja, atthidhammeyeva mahāsamudde na sakkā udakaṁ parigaṇetuṁ sattā vā ye tattha vāsamupagatā; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, atthidhammasseva nibbānassa na sakkā rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayituṁ, vigaṇeyya, mahārāja, iddhimā cetovasippatto mahāsamudde udakaṁ tatrāsaye ca satte, na tveva so iddhimā cetovasippatto sakkuṇeyya nibbānassa rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayituṁ. |
|
| ‘Yes, the ocean exists.’ | |
Aparampi, mahārāja, uttariṁ kāraṇaṁ suṇohi, atthidhammasseva nibbānassa na sakkā rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayitunti. |
|
Atthi, mahārāja, devesu arūpakāyikā nāma devā”ti. |
‘Well, suppose some one were to ask you, saying: |
“Āma, bhante, suyyati ‘atthi devesu arūpakāyikā nāma devā’”ti. |
“How much water is there, your majesty, in the sea, and how many are the creatures that dwell therein?” |
“Sakkā pana, mahārāja, tesaṁ arūpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayitun”ti? |
When that question had been put, how would you answer him?’ |
“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
|
“Tena hi, mahārāja, natthi arūpakāyikā devā”ti? |
|
“Atthi, bhante, arūpakāyikā devā, na ca sakkā tesaṁ rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayitun”ti. |
‘I should reply thus to such a question: |
“Yathā, mahārāja, atthisattānaṁyeva arūpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ na sakkā rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayituṁ; |
“My good fellow! |
evameva kho, mahārāja, atthidhammasseva nibbānassa na sakkā rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayitun”ti. |
this is an unaskable thing that you ask me. |
| No one ought to ask such a question. | |
| It is a point that should be left alone. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, hotu ekantasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ, na ca sakkā tassa rūpaṁ vā saṇṭhānaṁ vā vayaṁ vā pamāṇaṁ vā opammena vā kāraṇena vā hetunā vā nayena vā upadassayituṁ. |
The physicists have never examined into the ocean in that way. |
Atthi pana, bhante, nibbānassa guṇaṁ aññehi anupaviṭṭhaṁ kiñci opammanidassanamattan”ti? |
And no one can measure the water there, or count the creatures who dwell therein.” |
“Sarūpato, mahārāja, natthi, guṇato pana sakkā kiñci opammanidassanamattaṁ upadassayitun”ti. |
Thus, Sir, should I make reply.’ |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, yathāhaṁ labhāmi nibbānassa guṇatopi ekadesaparidīpanamattaṁ, tathā sīghaṁ brūhi, nibbāpehi me hadayapariḷāhaṁ vinaya sītalamadhuravacanamālutenā”ti. |
|
| ‘But why, O king, would you make such a reply about the ocean which, after all, is really an existing condition of things. | |
“Padumassa, mahārāja, eko guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho, udakassa dve guṇā, agadassa tayo guṇā, mahāsamuddassa cattāro guṇā, bhojanassa pañca guṇā, ākāsassa dasa guṇā, maṇiratanassa tayo guṇā, lohitacandanassa tayo guṇā, sappimaṇḍassa tayo guṇā, girisikharassa pañca guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
Ought you not rather to count and tell him, saying: |
| “So and so much is the water in the sea, and so and so many are the creatures that dwell therein?” | |
| ’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘padumassa eko guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamo padumassa eko guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho”ti? |
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“Yathā, mahārāja, padumaṁ anupalittaṁ udakena; |
‘That would be impossible, Sir. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sabbakilesehi anupalittaṁ. |
The question is beyond one’s power.’ |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, padumassa eko guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho”ti. |
|
| ‘As impossible as it is, O king, to tell the measure of the water in the sea, or the number of the creatures dwelling therein, though after all the sea exists, so impossible is it in any of the ways you suggest to tell the form, or figure, or duration, or measure of Nirvāṇa, though after all it is a condition that does exist. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘udakassa dve guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā’ti yaṁ vadesi, katame udakassa dve guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti? |
And even, O king, if one of magical powers, master over mind, were to be able to count the water and the creatures in the sea, even he could not tell the form or the figure, the duration or the measure of Nirvāṇa. |
“Yathā, mahārāja, udakaṁ sītalaṁ pariḷāhanibbāpanaṁ; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sītalaṁ sabbakilesapariḷāhanibbāpanaṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, udakassa paṭhamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
‘And hear another explanation of the same thing, O king. |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, udakaṁ kilantatasitapipāsitaghammābhitattānaṁ janapasupajānaṁ pipāsāvinayanaṁ; |
Are there, O king, among the gods certain of them called “The Formless Ones ? |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ kāmataṇhābhavataṇhāvibhavataṇhāpipāsāvinayanaṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, udakassa dutiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Ime kho, mahārāja, udakassa dve guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
‘Yes, Sir. |
| I have heard there are such.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘agadassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā’ti yaṁ vadesi, katame agadassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti? |
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“Yathā, mahārāja, agado visapīḷitānaṁ sattānaṁ paṭisaraṇaṁ; |
‘Well, O king, can you make clear by metaphor, or explanation, or reason, or argument the form, or figure, or duration, or size of these gods, the “Formless Ones?” |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ kilesavisapīḷitānaṁ sattānaṁ paṭisaraṇaṁ. |
’ |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, agadassa paṭhamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, agado rogānaṁ antakaro; |
‘No, I cannot.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sabbadukkhānaṁ antakaraṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, agadassa dutiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, agado amataṁ; |
‘Then, O king, there are none.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ amataṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, agadassa tatiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Ime kho, mahārāja, agadassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
‘The Formless Ones, Sir, do exist; |
| and yet it is impossible in any of the ways you suggest to explain either their form or figure, either their duration or their size.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘mahāsamuddassa cattāro guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā’ti yaṁ vadesi, katame mahāsamuddassa cattāro guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti? |
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“Yathā, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo suñño sabbakuṇapehi; |
‘As impossible as it is, O king, to tell the form or figure, the duration or the size of the gods called “Formless Ones,” though they after all are beings that exist, so impossible is it in any of the ways you suggest to explain the form or the figure, the duration or the measure of Nirvāṇa, though after all it is a condition that does exist.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ suññaṁ sabbakilesakuṇapehi. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddassa paṭhamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo mahanto anorapāro, na paripūrati sabbasavantīhi; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, I will grant you that Nirvāṇa is bliss unalloyed, and yet that is impossible to make clear, either by simile or explanation, by reason or by argument, either its form or its figure, either its duration or its size. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ mahantaṁ anorapāraṁ, na pūrati sabbasattehi. |
But is there no quality of Nirvāṇa which is inherent also in other things, and is such that it can be made evident by metaphor ?’ |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddassa dutiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo mahantānaṁ bhūtānaṁ āvāso; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ mahantānaṁ arahantānaṁ vimalakhīṇāsavabalappattavasībhūtamahābhūtānaṁ āvāso. |
‘Though there is nothing as to its form which can be so explained, there is something, O king, as to its qualities which can.’ |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddassa tatiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo aparimitavividhavipulavīcipupphasaṅkusumito; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ aparimitavividhavipulaparisuddhavijjāvimuttipupphasaṅkusumitaṁ. |
‘O happy word, Nāgasena! |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddassa catuttho guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
Speak then, quickly, that I may have an explanation of even one point in the characteristics of Nirvāṇa. |
Ime kho, mahārāja, mahāsamuddassa cattāro guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
Appease the fever of my heart. |
| Allay it by the cool sweet breezes of your words!’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘bhojanassa pañca guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā’ti yaṁ vadesi, katame bhojanassa pañca guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti? |
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“Yathā, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbasattānaṁ āyudhāraṇaṁ; |
‘There is one quality of the lotus, O king, inherent in Nirvāṇa, and two qualities of water, and three of medicine, and four of the ocean, and five of food, and ten of space, and three of the wish-conferring gem, and three of red sandal wood, and three of the froth of ghee, and five of a mountain peak.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sacchikataṁ jarāmaraṇanāsanato āyudhāraṇaṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanassa paṭhamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbasattānaṁ balavaḍḍhanaṁ; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the lotus which you said was inherent in Nirvāṇa—which is that?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sacchikataṁ sabbasattānaṁ iddhibalavaḍḍhanaṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanassa dutiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbasattānaṁ vaṇṇajananaṁ; |
‘As the lotus, O king, is untarnished by the water, so is Nirvāṇa untarnished by any evil dispositions. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sacchikataṁ sabbasattānaṁ guṇavaṇṇajananaṁ. |
This is the one quality of the lotus inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanassa tatiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbasattānaṁ darathavūpasamanaṁ; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sacchikataṁ sabbasattānaṁ sabbakilesadarathavūpasamanaṁ. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of water which you said were inherent in Nirvāṇa—which are they?’ |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanassa catuttho guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbasattānaṁ jighacchādubbalyapaṭivinodanaṁ; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sacchikataṁ sabbasattānaṁ sabbadukkhajighacchādubbalyapaṭivinodanaṁ. |
‘As water, O king, is cool and assuages heat, so also is Nirvāṇa cool, and assuages the fever arising from all evil dispositions. |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanassa pañcamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
This is the first quality of water inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
Ime kho, mahārāja, bhojanassa pañca guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
And again, O king, as water allays the thirst of men and beasts when they are exhausted and anxious, craving for drink, and tormented by thirst, so does Nirvāṇa allay the thirst of the craving after lusts, the craving after future life, and the craving after worldly prosperity. |
| This is the second quality of water inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘ākāsassa dasa guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā’ti yaṁ vadesi, katame ākāsassa dasa guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti? |
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“Yathā, mahārāja, ākāso na jāyati, na jīyati, na mīyati, na cavati, na uppajjati, duppasaho, acorāharaṇo, anissito, vihagagamano, nirāvaraṇo, ananto. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of medicine, which you said were inherent in Nirvāṇa—which are they?’ |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ na jāyati, na jīyati, na mīyati, na cavati, na uppajjati, duppasahaṁ, acorāharaṇaṁ, anissitaṁ, ariyagamanaṁ, nirāvaraṇaṁ, anantaṁ. |
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Ime kho, mahārāja, ākāsassa dasa guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
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| ‘As medicine, O king, is the refuge of beings tormented by poison, so is Nirvāṇa the refuge of beings tormented with the poison of evil dispositions. | |
| This is the first quality of medicine inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘maṇiratanassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā’ti yaṁ vadesi, katame maṇiratanassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti? |
And again, O king, as medicine puts an end to diseases, so does Nirvāṇa put an end to griefs. |
“Yathā, mahārāja, maṇiratanaṁ kāmadadaṁ; |
This is the second quality of medicine inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ kāmadadaṁ. |
And again, O king, as medicine is ambrosia, so also is Nirvāṇa ambrosia. |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanassa paṭhamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
This is the third quality of medicine inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanaṁ hāsakaraṁ; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ hāsakaraṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanassa dutiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those four qualities of the ocean which you said were inherent in Nirvāṇa—which are they?’ |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanaṁ ujjotattakaraṁ; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ ujjotattakaraṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanassa tatiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
‘As the ocean, O king, is free from (empty of) corpses, so also is Nirvāṇa free from (empty of) the dead bodies of all evil dispositions. |
Ime kho, mahārāja, maṇiratanassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
This, O king, is the first quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
| And again, O king, as the ocean is mighty and boundless, and fills not with all the rivers that flow in to it; | |
| so is Nirvāṇa mighty and boundless, and fills not with all beings (who enter in to it). | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘lohitacandanassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā’ti yaṁ vadesi, katame lohitacandanassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti? |
This is the second quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
“Yathā, mahārāja, lohitacandanaṁ dullabhaṁ; |
And again, O king, as the ocean is the abode of mighty creatures, so is Nirvāṇa the abode of great men—Arahats, in whom the Great Evils and all stains have been destroyed, endowed with power, masters of themselves. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ dullabhaṁ. |
This is the third quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, lohitacandanassa paṭhamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
And again, O king, as the ocean is all in blossom, as it were, with the innumerable and various and fine flowers of the ripple of its waves, so is Nirvāṇa all in blossom, as it were, with the innumerable and various and fine flowers of purity, of knowledge, and of emancipation. |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, lohitacandanaṁ asamasugandhaṁ; |
This is the fourth quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ asamasugandhaṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, lohitacandanassa dutiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, lohitacandanaṁ sajjanapasatthaṁ; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of food which you said were inherent in Nirvāṇa—which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ ariyasajjanapasatthaṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, lohitacandanassa tatiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Ime kho, mahārāja, lohitacandanassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
‘As food, O king, is the support of the life of all beings, so is Nirvāṇa, when it has been realised, the support of life, for it puts an end to old age and death. |
| This is the first quality of food inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
| And again, O king, as food increases the strength of all beings, so does Nirvāṇa, when it has been realised, increase the power of Iddhi of all beings. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘sappimaṇḍassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā’ti yaṁ vadesi, katame sappimaṇḍassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti? |
This is the second quality of food inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
“Yathā, mahārāja, sappimaṇḍo vaṇṇasampanno; |
And again, O king, as food is the source of the beauty of all beings, so is Nirvāṇa, when it has been realised, the source to all beings of the beauty of holiness. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ guṇavaṇṇasampannaṁ. |
This is the third quality of food inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, sappimaṇḍassa paṭhamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
And again, O king, as food puts a stop to suffering in all beings, so does Nirvāṇa, when it has been realised, put a stop in all beings to the suffering arising from every evil disposition. |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sappimaṇḍo gandhasampanno; |
This is the fourth quality of food inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sīlagandhasampannaṁ. |
And again, O king, as food overcomes in all beings the weakness of hunger, so does Nirvāṇa, when it has been realised, overcome in all beings the weakness which arises from hunger and every sort of pain. |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, sappimaṇḍassa dutiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
This is the fifth quality of food inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sappimaṇḍo rasasampanno; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ rasasampannaṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, sappimaṇḍassa tatiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those ten qualities of space which you said were inherent in Nirvāṇa—which are they?’ |
Ime kho, mahārāja, sappimaṇḍassa tayo guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
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| ‘As space, O king, neither is born nor grows old, neither dies nor passes away nor is reborn (has a future life to spring up into), as it is incompressible, cannot be carried off by thieves, rests on nothing, is the sphere in which birds fly, is unobstructed, and is infinite; | |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘girisikharassa pañca guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā’ti yaṁ vadesi, katame girisikharassa pañca guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti? |
so, O king, Nirvāṇa is not born, neither does it grow old, it dies not, it passes not away, it has no rebirth (no future life to spring up into), it is unconquerable, thieves carry it not off, it is not attached to anything, it is the sphere in which Arahats move, nothing can obstruct it, and it is infinite. |
“Yathā, mahārāja, girisikharaṁ accuggataṁ; |
These are the ten qualities of space inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ accuggataṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, girisikharassa paṭhamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, girisikharaṁ acalaṁ; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the wish-conferring gem which you said were inherent in Nirvāṇa—which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ acalaṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, girisikharassa dutiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
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Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, girisikharaṁ duradhirohaṁ; |
‘As the wishing-gem, O king, satisfies every desire, so also does Nirvāṇa. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ duradhirohaṁ sabbakilesānaṁ. |
This is the first quality of the wishing-gem inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, girisikharassa tatiyo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
And again, O king, as the wishing-gem causes delight, so also does Nirvāṇa. |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, girisikharaṁ sabbabījānaṁ avirūhanaṁ; |
This is the second quality of the wishing-gem inherent in Nirvāṇa. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ sabbakilesānaṁ avirūhanaṁ. |
And again, O king, as the wishing-gem is full of lustre, so also is Nirvāṇa. |
Ayaṁ, mahārāja, girisikharassa catuttho guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
This is the third quality of the wishing-gem inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, girisikharaṁ anunayappaṭighavippamuttaṁ; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, nibbānaṁ anunayappaṭighavippamuttaṁ. |
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Ayaṁ, mahārāja, girisikharassa pañcamo guṇo nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭho. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of red sandal wood which you said were inherent in Nirvāṇa—which are they?’ |
Ime kho, mahārāja, girisikharassa pañca guṇā nibbānaṁ anupaviṭṭhā”ti. |
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“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
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| ‘As red sandal wood, O king, is hard to get, so is Nirvāṇa hard to attain to. | |
| This is the first quality of red sandal wood inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
Nibbānarūpasaṇṭhānapañho dasamo. |
And again, O king, as red sandal wood is unequalled in the beauty of its perfume, so is Nirvāṇa. |
| This is the second quality of red sandal wood inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
| And again, O king, as red sandal wood is praised by all the good, so is Nirvāṇa praised by all the Noble Ones. | |
| This is the third quality of red sandal wood inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the skimmings of ghee which you said were inherent in Nirvāṇa—which are they?’ | |
| ‘As ghee is beautiful in colour, O king, so also is Nirvāṇa beautiful in righteousness. | |
| This is the first quality of the ghee inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
| And again, O king, as ghee has a pleasant perfume, so also has Nirvāṇa the pleasant perfume of righteousness. | |
| This is the second quality of ghee inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
| And again, O king, as ghee has a pleasant taste, so also has Nirvāṇa. | |
| This is the third quality of ghee inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ | |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of a mountain peak which you said were inherent in Nirvāṇa—which are they?’ | |
| ‘As a mountain peak is very lofty, so also is Nirvāṇa very exalted. | |
| This is the first quality of a mountain peak inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
| And again, O king, as a mountain peak is immoveable, so also is Nirvāṇa. | |
| This is the second quality of a mountain peak inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
| And again, O king, as a mountain peak is inaccessible, so also is Nirvāṇa inaccessible to all evil dispositions. | |
| This is the third quality of a mountain peak inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
| And again, O king, as a mountain peak is a place where no plants can grow, so also is Nirvāṇa a condition in which no evil dispositions can grow. | |
| This is the fourth quality of a mountain peak inherent in Nirvāṇa. | |
| And again, O king, as a mountain peak is free alike from desire to please and from resentment, so also is Nirvāṇa. | |
| This is the fifth quality of a mountain peak inherent in Nirvāṇa.’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the form of Nirvāṇa. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
11. Nibbānasacchikaraṇapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe bhaṇatha—‘nibbānaṁ na atītaṁ, na anāgataṁ, na paccuppannaṁ, na uppannaṁ na anuppannaṁ na uppādanīyan’ti. |
6.3.11. Dilemma the Eighty-First. |
Idha, bhante nāgasena, yo koci sammāpaṭipanno nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti, so uppannaṁ sacchikaroti, udāhu uppādetvā sacchikarotī”ti? |
The Time Of Nirvana |
“Yo koci, mahārāja, sammāpaṭipanno nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti, so na uppannaṁ sacchikaroti, na uppādetvā sacchikaroti, api ca, mahārāja, atthesā nibbānadhātu, yaṁ so sammāpaṭipanno sacchikarotī”ti. |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, your people say: |
“Mā, bhante nāgasena, imaṁ pañhaṁ paṭicchannaṁ katvā dīpehi, vivaṭaṁ pākaṭaṁ katvā dīpehi chandajāto ussāhajāto, yaṁ te sikkhitaṁ, taṁ sabbaṁ etthevākirāhi, etthāyaṁ jano sammūḷho vimatijāto saṁsayapakkhando, bhindetaṁ antodosasallan”ti. |
“Nirvāṇa is not past, nor future, nor present, nor produced, nor not produced, nor producible.” |
“Atthesā, mahārāja, nibbānadhātu santā sukhā paṇītā, taṁ sammāpaṭipanno jinānusiṭṭhiyā saṅkhāre sammasanto paññāya sacchikaroti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, antevāsiko ācariyānusiṭṭhiyā vijjaṁ paññāya sacchikaroti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, sammāpaṭipanno jinānusiṭṭhiyā paññāya nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti. |
‘In that case, Nāgasena, does the man who, having ordered his life aright, realises Nirvāṇa, realise something already produced, or does he himself produce it first, and then realise it?’ |
Kathaṁ pana taṁ nibbānaṁ daṭṭhabbanti? |
‘Neither the one, O king, nor the other. |
Anītito nirupaddavato abhayato khemato santato sukhato sātato paṇītato sucito sītalato daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
And nevertheless, O king, that principle of Nirvāṇa (nibbāna-dhātu) which he, so ordering his life aright, realises—that exists.’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso bahukaṭṭhapuñjena jalitakaṭṭhitena agginā dayhamāno vāyāmena tato muñcitvā niraggikokāsaṁ pavisitvā tattha paramasukhaṁ labheyya; |
‘Do not, venerable Nāgasena, clear up this puzzle by making it dark! |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo sammāpaṭipanno, so yoniso manasikārena byapagatatividhaggisantāpaṁ paramasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti. |
Make it open and plain as you elucidate it. |
Yathā, mahārāja, aggi, evaṁ tividhaggi daṭṭhabbo; |
With a will, strenuous in endeavour, pour out upon it all that has been taught you. |
yathā aggigato puriso, evaṁ sammāpaṭipanno daṭṭhabbo; |
It is a point on which this people is bewildered, plunged into perplexity, lost in doubt. |
yathā niraggikokāso, evaṁ nibbānaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
Dissipate this guilty uncertainty; |
| it pierces like a dart!’ | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, puriso ahikukkuramanussakuṇapasarīravaḷañjakoṭṭhāsarāsigato kuṇapajaṭājaṭitantaramanupaviṭṭho vāyāmena tato muñcitvā nikkuṇapokāsaṁ pavisitvā tattha paramasukhaṁ labheyya; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, yo sammāpaṭipanno, so yoniso manasikārena byapagatakilesakuṇapaṁ paramasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti. |
‘That principle of Nirvāṇa, O king, so peaceful, so blissful, so delicate, exists. |
Yathā, mahārāja, kuṇapaṁ, evaṁ pañca kāmaguṇā daṭṭhabbā; |
And it is that which he who orders his life aright, grasping the idea of all things (of the conditions, Saṁkhāras) according to the teachings of the Conquerors, realises by his wisdom—even as a pupil, by his knowledge, makes himself, according to the instruction of his teacher, master of an art. |
yathā kuṇapagato puriso, evaṁ sammāpaṭipanno daṭṭhabbo; |
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yathā nikkuṇapokāso, evaṁ nibbānaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
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| ‘And if you ask: | |
| “How is Nirvāṇa to be known ?” | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, puriso bhīto tasito kampito viparītavibbhantacitto vāyāmena tato muñcitvā daḷhaṁ thiraṁ acalaṁ abhayaṭṭhānaṁ pavisitvā tattha paramasukhaṁ labheyya; |
it is by freedom from distress and danger, by confidence, by peace, by calm, by bliss, by happiness, by delicacy, by purity, by freshness. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo sammāpaṭipanno, so yoniso manasikārena byapagatabhayasantāsaṁ paramasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, bhayaṁ, evaṁ jātijarābyādhimaraṇaṁ paṭicca aparāparaṁ pavattabhayaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ; |
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yathā bhīto puriso, evaṁ sammāpaṭipanno daṭṭhabbo; |
‘Just, O king, as a man being burnt in a blazing fiery furnace heaped up with many faggots of dry sticks, when he has freed himself from it by a violent effort, and escaped into a cool place, would experience supreme bliss—just so whosoever orders his life aright, he by his careful thinking will realise the supreme bliss of Nirvāṇa, in which the burning heat of the threefold fire (of lust, malice, and delusion) has all gone out. |
yathā abhayaṭṭhānaṁ, evaṁ nibbānaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
As the furnace, O king, so should you regard this threefold fire, as the man fallen into the fire the man who is ordering his life aright, as the cool place Nirvāṇa. |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, puriso kiliṭṭhamalinakalalakaddamadese patito vāyāmena taṁ kalalakaddamaṁ apavāhetvā parisuddhavimaladesamupagantvā tattha paramasukhaṁ labheyya; |
‘Or again, O king, as a man fallen into a pit full of the dead bodies of snakes and dogs and men, of ordure, and of refuse, when, finding himself in the midst of it entangled in the hair of the corpses, he had by a violent effort escaped into a place where no dead bodies were, would experience supreme bliss—just so whosoever orders his life aright, he by his careful thinking will realise the supreme bliss of Nirvāṇa, from which the corpses of all evil dispositions have been removed. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo sammāpaṭipanno, so yoniso manasikārena byapagatakilesamalakaddamaṁ paramasukhaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti. |
As a corpse, O king, so should you regard the four pleasures of sense, as the man fallen among corpses the man who is ordering his life aright, as the place free from corpses Nirvāṇa. |
Yathā, mahārāja, kalalaṁ, evaṁ lābhasakkārasiloko daṭṭhabbo; |
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yathā kalalagato puriso, evaṁ sammāpaṭipanno daṭṭhabbo; |
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yathā parisuddhavimaladeso, evaṁ nibbānaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. |
‘Or again, O king, as a man (fallen among enemies with drawn swords in their hands), quaking with fear and terror, agitated and upset in mind, when with a violent effort he has freed himself from them, and escaped into a strong refuge, a firm place of security, experiences supreme bliss—just so whosoever orders his life aright, he by his careful thinking will realise the supreme bliss of Nirvāṇa, in which fear and terror have been put away. |
| As the terror, O king, so should you regard the anxiety which arises again and again on account of birth, old age, disease, and death, as the terrified man the man who is ordering his life aright, as the place of refuge Nirvāṇa. | |
Tañca pana nibbānaṁ sammāpaṭipanno kinti sacchikaroti? |
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Yo so, mahārāja, sammāpaṭipanno, so saṅkhārānaṁ pavattaṁ sammasati. |
‘Or again, O king, as a man fallen on a spot filthy with dirt, and slime, and mud, when with a violent effort he has got rid of the mud, and escaped to a clean and spotless place, would experience supreme bliss-just so whosoever orders his life aright, he by his careful thinking will realise the supreme bliss of Nirvāṇa, from which the stains and mud of evil dispositions have been removed. |
Pavattaṁ sammasamāno tattha jātiṁ passati jaraṁ passati byādhiṁ passati maraṇaṁ passati, na tattha kiñci sukhaṁ sātaṁ passati āditopi majjhatopi pariyosānatopi. |
As the mud, O king, so should you regard income, and honour, and praise, as the man fallen into the mud the man who is ordering his life aright, as the clean and spotless place Nirvāṇa. |
So tattha kiñci na gayhūpagaṁ passati. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, puriso divasasantatte ayoguḷe jalite tatte kaṭhite āditopi majjhatopi pariyosānatopi na kiñci gayhūpagaṁ padesaṁ passati; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, yo saṅkhārānaṁ pavattaṁ sammasati, so pavattaṁ sammasamāno tattha jātiṁ passati jaraṁ passati byādhiṁ passati maraṇaṁ passati, na tattha kiñci sukhaṁ sātaṁ passati āditopi majjhatopi pariyosānatopi. |
‘And if again you should ask: |
So tattha na kiñci gayhūpagaṁ passati, tassa gayhūpagaṁ apassantassa citte arati saṇṭhāti, kāyasmiṁ ḍāho okkamati, so atāṇo asaraṇo asaraṇībhūto bhavesu nibbindati. |
“How does he who orders his life aright realise that Nirvāṇa?” |
| (I should reply), He, O king, who orders his life aright grasps the truth as to the development of all things, and when he is doing so he perceives therein birth, he perceives old age, he perceives disease, he perceives death. | |
| But he perceives not therein either happiness or bliss, he perceives not therein, whether in the beginning, or the middle, or the end, anything worthy of being laid hold of (as lasting satisfaction). | |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso jalitajālaṁ mahantaṁ aggikkhandhaṁ paviseyya, so tattha atāṇo asaraṇo asaraṇībhūto aggimhi nibbindeyya; |
As a man, O king, if a mass of iron had been heated the livelong day, and were all glowing, scorching, and red hot, would find no spot on it, whether at one end or in the middle or at the other end, fit to be taken hold of—just so, O king, he who orders his life aright grasps the truth of the development of things, and in doing so he perceives therein birth, he perceives old age, he perceives disease, he perceives death. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, tassa gayhūpagaṁ apassantassa citte arati saṇṭhāti, kāyasmiṁ ḍāho okkamati, so atāṇo asaraṇo asaraṇībhūto bhavesu nibbindati. |
But he perceives not therein either happiness or bliss, he perceives not therein, whether in the beginning, or in the middle, or in the end, anything fit to be taken hold of (as a lasting satisfaction). |
Tassa pavatte bhayadassāvissa evaṁ cittaṁ uppajjati ‘santattaṁ kho panetaṁ pavattaṁ ādittaṁ sampajjalitaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahūpāyāsaṁ, yadi koci labhetha appavattaṁ etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ, yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhakkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti. |
‘And discontent arises in his mind when he thus finds nothing fit to be relied on as a lasting satisfaction, and a fever takes possession of his body, and without a refuge or protection, hopeless, he becomes weary of repeated lives. |
Iti hetaṁ tassa appavatte cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati pahaṁsayati tusayati ‘paṭiladdhaṁ kho me nissaraṇan’ti. |
As if a man had fallen into a burning and blazing mighty fiery furnace, and saw no refuge from it, no way of escape, he would, hopeless, be weary of the fire—just so, O king, discontent arises in his mind when he thus finds nothing fit to be relied on as a lasting satisfaction, and a fever takes possession of his body, and without a refuge or protection, hopeless, he becomes weary of repeated births. |
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso vippanaṭṭho videsapakkhando nibbāhanamaggaṁ disvā tattha pakkhandati pasīdati pahaṁsayati tusayati ‘paṭiladdho me nibbāhanamaggo’ti; |
‘And in the mind of him who thus perceives |
evameva kho, mahārāja, pavatte bhayadassāvissa appavatte cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati pahaṁsayati tusayati ‘paṭiladdhaṁ kho me nissaraṇan’ti. |
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| The insecurity of transitory life, (of starting afresh ha innumerable births) the thought arises: | |
| “All on fire is this endless becoming, burning, and blazing! | |
So appavattatthāya maggaṁ āyūhati gavesati bhāveti bahulīkaroti, tassa tadatthaṁ sati santiṭṭhati, tadatthaṁ vīriyaṁ santiṭṭhati, tadatthaṁ pīti santiṭṭhati, tassa taṁ cittaṁ aparāparaṁ manasikaroto pavattaṁ samatikkamitvā appavattaṁ okkamati, appavattamanuppatto, mahārāja, sammāpaṭipanno ‘nibbānaṁ sacchikarotī’ti vuccatī”ti. |
Full of pain is it, of despair! |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
If only one could reach a state in which there were no becoming, there would there be calm, that would be sweet-the cessation of all these conditions, the getting rid of all these defects (of lusts, of evil, and of Karma), the end of cravings, the absence of passion, peace, Nirvāṇa!” |
| And therewith does his mind leap forward into that state in which there is no becoming, and then has he found peace, Then does he exult and rejoice at the thought: | |
| “A refuge have I gained at last!” | |
Nibbānasacchikaraṇapañho ekādasamo. |
Just, O king, as a man who, venturing into a strange land, has lost his way, on becoming aware of a path, free from jungle, that will lead him home, bounds forward along it, contented in mind, exulting and rejoicing at the thought: |
| “I have found the way at last!" | |
| —just so in him who thus perceives the insecurity of transitory births there arises the thought: | |
| “All on fire is this endless becoming, burning, and blazing! | |
| Full of pain is it, and despair! | |
| If only one could reach a state in which there were no becoming, there would there be calm, that would be sweet-the cessation of all these conditions, the getting rid of all these defects, the end of cravings, the absence of passion, peace, Nirvāṇa!” | |
| And therewith does his mind leap forward into that state in which there is no becoming, and then has he found peace, then does he exult and rejoice at the thought: | |
| “A refuge have I found at last!” | |
| And he strives with might and main along that path, searches it out, accustoms himself thoroughly to it, to that end does he make firm his self-possession, to that end does he hold fast in effort, to that end does he remain stedfast in love (toward all beings in all the worlds), and still to that does he direct his mind again and again, until gone far beyond the transitory, he gains the Real, the highest fruit (of Arahatship). | |
| And when he has gained that, O king, the man who has ordered his life aright has realised, (seen face to face,) Nirvāṇa!’ | |
| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem as to the time of Nirvāṇa. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 4: |
Vessantaravagga |
The solving of dilemmas |
12. Nibbānasannihitapañha |
Chapter 8 |
“Bhante nāgasena, atthi so padeso puratthimāya vā disāya dakkhiṇāya vā disāya pacchimāya vā disāya uttarāya vā disāya uddhaṁ vā adho vā tiriyaṁ vā, yattha nibbānaṁ sannihitan”ti? |
6.3.12. Dilemma the Eighty-Second. |
“Natthi, mahārāja, so padeso puratthimāya vā disāya dakkhiṇāya vā disāya pacchimāya vā disāya uttarāya vā disāya uddhaṁ vā adho vā tiriyaṁ vā, yattha nibbānaṁ sannihitan”ti. |
The Place Of Nirvana |
| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, does there exist the spot—either in the direction of the East, or of the South, or of the West, or of the North, either above, or below, or on the horizon-where Nirvāṇa is stored up ?’ | |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, natthi nibbānassa sannihitokāso, tena hi natthi nibbānaṁ? |
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Yesañca taṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikataṁ, tesampi sacchikiriyā micchā, kāraṇaṁ tattha vakkhāmi. |
‘There is no spot, O king—either in the East, or the South, or in the West, or the North, either above, or below, or on the horizon—where Nirvāṇa is.’ |
Yathā, bhante nāgasena, mahiyā dhaññuṭṭhānaṁ khettaṁ atthi, gandhuṭṭhānaṁ pupphaṁ atthi, pupphuṭṭhānaṁ gumbo atthi, phaluṭṭhānaṁ rukkho atthi, ratanuṭṭhānaṁ ākaro atthi, tattha yo koci yaṁ yaṁ icchati, so tattha gantvā taṁ taṁ harati; |
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evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, yadi nibbānaṁ atthi, tassa nibbānassa uṭṭhānokāsopi icchitabbo, yasmā ca kho, bhante nāgasena, nibbānassa uṭṭhānokāso natthi, tasmā natthi nibbānanti brūmi, yesañca nibbānaṁ sacchikataṁ, tesampi sacchikiriyā micchā”ti. |
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| ‘But if so, Nāgasena, then neither can Nirvāṇa exist, and those who realise it, their realisation is vain. | |
| And I will give you an explanation of this. | |
“Natthi, mahārāja, nibbānassa sannihitokāso, atthi cetaṁ nibbānaṁ, sammāpaṭipanno yoniso manasikārena nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti. |
Just, Sir, as there are on the earth fields in which crops can be grown, flowers from which perfumes come, bushes on which flowers can grow, trees on which fruits can ripen, mines from which gems can be dug, so that whosoever desires any of these things can go there and get it—just so, Nāgasena, if Nirvāṇa exists one must expect there to be some place, where it is produced. |
Yathā pana, mahārāja, atthi aggi nāma, natthi tassa sannihitokāso, dve kaṭṭhāni saṅghaṭṭento aggiṁ adhigacchati; |
But since there is not, therefore I declare that there can be no Nirvāṇa, and those who realise it, their realisation is vain.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, atthi nibbānaṁ, natthi tassa sannihitokāso, sammāpaṭipanno yoniso manasikārena nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti. |
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| ‘There is no spot, O king, where Nirvāṇa is situate, and yet Nirvāṇa is, and he who orders his life right will, by careful attention, realise Nirvāṇa. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, atthi satta ratanāni nāma. |
Just as fire exists, and yet there is no place where fire (by itself) is stored up. |
Seyyathidaṁ—cakkaratanaṁ hatthiratanaṁ assaratanaṁ maṇiratanaṁ itthiratanaṁ gahapatiratanaṁ pariṇāyakaratanaṁ. |
But if a man rubs two sticks together the fire comes; |
Na ca tesaṁ ratanānaṁ sannihitokāso atthi, khattiyassa pana sammāpaṭipannassa paṭipattibalena tāni ratanāni upagacchanti. |
—just so, O king, Nirvāṇa exists, though there is no spot where it is stored up. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, atthi nibbānaṁ, natthi tassa sannihitokāso, sammāpaṭipanno yoniso manasikārena nibbānaṁ sacchikarotī”ti. |
And he who orders his life aright will, by careful attention, realise Nirvāṇa. |
“Bhante nāgasena, nibbānassa sannihitokāso mā hotu, atthi pana taṁ ṭhānaṁ, yattha ṭhito sammāpaṭipanno nibbānaṁ sacchikarotī”ti? |
‘Or again, O king, just as there are the seven treasures of the king of kings—the treasure of the wheel, and the treasure of the elephant, and the treasure of the horse, and the treasure of the gem, and the treasure of the woman, and the treasure of the finance minister, and the treasure of the adviser. |
“Āma, mahārāja, atthi taṁ ṭhānaṁ, yattha ṭhito sammāpaṭipanno nibbānaṁ sacchikarotī”ti. |
But there is no spot where these treasures are laid up. |
| When a sovran conducts himself aright they appear to him of their own accord —just so, O king, Nirvāṇa, exists, though there is no place where it is stored up. | |
| And he who orders his life aright will, by careful attention, realise Nirvāṇa.’ | |
“Katamaṁ pana, bhante, taṁ ṭhānaṁ, yattha ṭhito sammāpaṭipanno nibbānaṁ sacchikarotī”ti? |
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“Sīlaṁ, mahārāja, ṭhānaṁ, sīle patiṭṭhito yoniso manasikaronto sakkayavanepi cīnavilātepi alasandepi nigumbepi kāsikosalepi kasmīrepi gandhārepi nagamuddhanipi brahmalokepi yattha katthacipi ṭhito sammāpaṭipanno nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti. |
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Yathā, mahārāja, yo koci cakkhumā puriso sakayavanepi cīnavilātepi alasandepi nigumbepi kāsikosalepi kasmīrepi gandhārepi nagamuddhanipi brahmalokepi yattha katthacipi ṭhito ākāsaṁ passati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, let it be granted that there is no place where Nirvāṇa, is stored up. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sīle patiṭṭhito yoniso manasikaronto sakayavanepi …pe… yattha katthacipi ṭhito sammāpaṭipanno nibbānaṁ sacchikaroti. |
But is there any place on which a man may stand and, ordering his life aright, realise Nirvāṇa?’ |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, sakayavanepi …pe… yattha katthacipi ṭhitassa pubbadisā atthi; |
‘Yes, O king, there is such a place.’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sīle patiṭṭhitassa yoniso manasikarontassa sakkayavanepi …pe… yattha katthacipi ṭhitassa sammāpaṭipannassa atthi nibbānasacchikiriyā”ti. |
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“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, desitaṁ tayā nibbānaṁ, desitā nibbānasacchikiriyā, parikkhatā sīlaguṇā, dassitā sammāpaṭipatti, ussāpito dhammaddhajo, saṇṭhapitā dhammanetti, avañjho suppayuttānaṁ sammāpayogo, evametaṁ gaṇivarapavara tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. |
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| ‘Which then, Nāgasena, is that place | |
Nibbānasannihitapañho dvādasamo. |
‘Virtue, O king, is the place. |
| For if grounded in virtue, and careful in attention—whether in the land of the Scythians or the Greeks, whether in China or Tartary, whether in Alexandria or in Nikumba, whether in Benares or in Kosala, whether in Kashmir or in Gandhāra, whether on a mountain top or in the highest heavens —wheresoever he may be, the man who orders his life aright will realise Nirvāṇa. | |
| Just, O king, as the man who has eyes wherever he may be—in the land of the Scythians or the Greeks, in China or in Tartary, in Alexandria, Nikumba, Benares, or Kosala, in Kashmir or in Gandhāra, on a mountain top or in the highest heavens—will be able to behold the expanse of heaven and to see the horizon facing him—just so, O king, will he who orders his conduct aright and is careful in attention—whether in the land of the Scythians or the Greeks, whether in China or Tartary, whether in Alexandria, or Benares, or Kosala, or Nikumba, whether in Kashmir or in Gandhāra, whether on a mountain top or in the highest heavens—wheresoever he may be, attain to the realisation of Nirvāṇa.’ | |
Vessantaravaggo tatiyo. |
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| ‘Very good, Nāgasena! | |
Imasmiṁ vagge dvādasa pañhā. |
You have preached to me of Nirvāṇa, and of the realisation thereof, you have set forth the advantages of virtue, you have explained the supreme attainment, you have raised aloft the standard of the Truth, you have established the eye of Truth, you have shown how right means adopted by those of high aims will be neither barren nor unfruitful. |
| That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ | |
| Here ends the problem of the place of Nirvāṇa. | |
| Here ends the Eighth Chapter. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānavagga |
Book 5 |
1. Anumānapañha |
6.4.1. The Problem of Inference |
Atha kho milindo rājā yenāyasmā nāgaseno tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, ekamantaṁ nisinno kho milindo rājā ñātukāmo sotukāmo dhāretukāmo ñāṇālokaṁ daṭṭhukāmo aññāṇaṁ bhinditukāmo ñāṇālokaṁ uppādetukāmo avijjandhakāraṁ nāsetukāmo adhimattaṁ dhitiñca ussāhañca satiñca sampajaññañca upaṭṭhapetvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—“bhante nāgasena, kiṁ pana buddho tayā diṭṭho”ti. |
How can you know that the Buddha ever lived? |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
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“Kiṁ pana te ācariyehi buddho diṭṭho”ti? |
Now Milinda the king went up to the place where Nāgasena was, and bowed down before him, and took his seat on one side. |
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. |
And when so seated he, longing to know, to hear, and to remember, and longing to make the light of knowledge arise and to break in pieces his ignorance, roused up in himself courage and zeal, and, full of self-possession and thoughtfulness, spake thus to Nāgasena: |
“Bhante nāgasena, na kira tayā buddho diṭṭho, nāpi kira te ācariyehi buddho diṭṭho. |
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Tena hi, bhante nāgasena, natthi buddho, na hettha buddho paññāyatī”ti. |
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| ‘Venerable Nāgasena, tell me, have you ever seen the Buddha ?’ | |
“Atthi pana te, mahārāja, pubbakā khattiyā, ye te tava khattiyavaṁsassa pubbaṅgamā”ti? |
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“Āma, bhante. |
‘No, O king.’ |
Ko saṁsayo, atthi pubbakā khattiyā, ye mama khattiyavaṁsassa pubbaṅgamā”ti. |
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“Diṭṭhapubbā tayā, mahārāja, pubbakā khattiyā”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
‘Then have your teachers ever seen the Buddha?’ |
“Ye pana taṁ, mahārāja, anusāsanti purohitā senāpatino akkhadassā mahāmattā, tehi pubbakā khattiyā diṭṭhapubbā”ti? |
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“Na hi, bhante”ti. |
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“Yadi pana te, mahārāja, pubbakā khattiyā na diṭṭhā, nāpi kira te anusāsakehi pubbakā khattiyā diṭṭhā, tena hi natthi pubbakā khattiyā, na hettha pubbakā khattiyā paññāyantī”ti. |
‘No, Sire.’ |
“Dissanti, bhante nāgasena, pubbakānaṁ khattiyānaṁ anubhūtāni paribhogabhaṇḍāni. |
‘So you say, venerable Nāgasena, that you have never seen the Buddha, and that your teachers have never seen the Buddha. |
Seyyathidaṁ—setacchattaṁ uṇhīsaṁ pādukā vālabījanī khaggaratanaṁ mahārahāni ca sayanāni. |
Therefore, Nāgasena, the Buddha did not exist. |
Yehi mayaṁ jāneyyāma saddaheyyāma ‘atthi pubbakā khattiyā’”ti. |
There is no clear evidence, in that case, of a Buddha.’ |
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, mayampetaṁ bhagavantaṁ jāneyyāma saddaheyyāma. |
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Atthi taṁ kāraṇaṁ, yena mayaṁ kāraṇena jāneyyāma saddaheyyāma ‘atthi so bhagavā’ti. |
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Katamaṁ taṁ kāraṇaṁ? |
‘But did those Kshatriyas of old exist, who were the founders of the line of kings from which you come?’ |
Atthi kho, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena anubhūtāni paribhogabhaṇḍāni. |
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Seyyathidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā cattāro sammappadhānā cattāro iddhipādā pañcindriyāni pañca balāni satta bojjhaṅgā ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, yehi sadevako loko jānāti saddahati ‘atthi so bhagavā’ti. |
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Iminā, mahārāja, kāraṇena iminā hetunā iminā nayena iminā anumānena ñātabbo ‘atthi so bhagavā’ti. |
‘Certainly, Sir. |
| How can there be any doubt about that?’ | |
‘Bahū jane tārayitvā, |
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nibbuto upadhikkhaye; |
‘Well, O king. |
| Have you ever seen them?’ | |
Anumānena ñātabbaṁ, |
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atthi so dvipaduttamo’”ti. |
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| ‘No, Sir.’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, opammaṁ karohī”ti. |
|
“Yathā, mahārāja, nagaravaḍḍhakī nagaraṁ māpetukāmo paṭhamaṁ tāva samaṁ anunnatamanonataṁ asakkharapāsāṇaṁ nirupaddavamanavajjaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ bhūmibhāgaṁ anuviloketvā yaṁ tattha visamaṁ, taṁ samaṁ kārāpetvā khāṇukaṇṭakaṁ visodhāpetvā tattha nagaraṁ māpeyya sobhanaṁ vibhattaṁ bhāgaso mitaṁ ukkiṇṇaparikhāpākāraṁ daḷhagopuraṭṭālakoṭṭakaṁ puthucaccaracatukkasandhisiṅghāṭakaṁ sucisamatalarājamaggaṁ suvibhattaantarāpaṇaṁ ārāmuyyānataḷākapokkharaṇiudapānasampannaṁ bahuvidhadevaṭṭhānappaṭimaṇḍitaṁ sabbadosavirahitaṁ, so tasmiṁ nagare sabbathā vepullattaṁ patte aññaṁ desaṁ upagaccheyya, atha taṁ nagaraṁ aparena samayena iddhaṁ bhaveyya phītaṁ subhikkhaṁ khemaṁ samiddhaṁ sivaṁ anītikaṁ nirupaddavaṁ nānājanasamākulaṁ, puthū khattiyā brāhmaṇā vessā suddā hatthārohā assārohā rathikā pattikā dhanuggahā tharuggahā celakā calakā piṇḍadāyakā uggā rājaputtā pakkhandino mahānāgā sūrā vammino yodhino dāsikaputtā bhaṭiputtā mallakā gaṇakā āḷārikā sūdā kappakā nahāpakā cundā mālākārā suvaṇṇakārā sajjhukārā sīsakārā tipukārā lohakārā vaṭṭakārā ayokārā maṇikārā pesakārā kumbhakārā veṇukārā loṇakārā cammakārā rathakārā dantakārā rajjukārā kocchakārā suttakārā vilīvakārā dhanukārā jiyakārā usukārā cittakārā raṅgakārā rajakā tantavāyā tunnavāyā heraññikā dussikā gandhikā tiṇahārakā kaṭṭhahārakā bhatakā paṇṇikā phalikā mūlikā odanikā pūvikā macchikā maṁsikā majjikā naṭakā naccakā laṅghakā indajālikā vetālikā mallā chavaḍāhakā pupphachaḍḍakā venā nesādā gaṇikā lāsikā kumbhadāsiyo sakkayavanacīnavilātā ujjenakā bhārukacchakā kāsikosalā parantakā māgadhakā sāketakā soreyyakā pāveyyakā koṭumbaramāthurakā alasandakasmīragandhārā taṁ nagaraṁ vāsāya upagatā nānāvisayino janā navaṁ suvibhattaṁ adosamanavajjaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ taṁ nagaraṁ passitvā anumānena jānanti ‘cheko vata bho so nagaravaḍḍhakī, yo imassa nagarassa māpetā’ti. |
‘And those who instructed you—the family chaplains, and officers of the staff, and those who lay down the law, and ministers of state—have they ever seen those Kshatriyas of old?’ |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, so bhagavā asamo asamasamo appaṭisamo asadiso atulo asaṅkhyeyyo appameyyo aparimeyyo amitaguṇo guṇapāramippatto anantadhiti anantatejo anantavīriyo anantabalo buddhabalapāramiṁ gato sasenamāraṁ parājetvā diṭṭhijālaṁ padāletvā avijjaṁ khepetvā vijjaṁ uppādetvā dhammukkaṁ dhārayitvā sabbaññutaṁ pāpuṇitvā vijitasaṅgāmo dhammanagaraṁ māpesi. |
|
| ‘No, Sir.’ | |
Bhagavato kho, mahārāja, dhammanagaraṁ sīlapākāraṁ hiriparikhaṁ ñāṇadvārakoṭṭhakaṁ vīriyaaṭṭālakaṁ saddhāesikaṁ satidovārikaṁ paññāpāsādaṁ suttantacaccaraṁ abhidhammasiṅghāṭakaṁ vinayavinicchayaṁ satipaṭṭhānavīthikaṁ, tassa kho pana, mahārāja, satipaṭṭhānavīthiyaṁ evarūpā āpaṇā pasāritā honti. |
|
Seyyathidaṁ—pupphāpaṇaṁ gandhāpaṇaṁ phalāpaṇaṁ agadāpaṇaṁ osadhāpaṇaṁ amatāpaṇaṁ ratanāpaṇaṁ sabbāpaṇan”ti. |
|
| ‘If then neither have you seen them, nor your teachers, where are they? | |
| There is no clear evidence, in that case, of those Kshatriyas of old!’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, katamaṁ buddhassa bhagavato pupphāpaṇan”ti? |
|
“Atthi kho pana, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ārammaṇavibhattiyo akkhātā. |
|
Seyyathidaṁ—aniccasaññā dukkhasaññā anattasaññā asubhasaññā ādīnavasaññā pahānasaññā virāgasaññā nirodhasaññā sabbaloke anabhiratisaññā sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccasaññā ānāpānassati uddhumātakasaññā vinīlakasaññā vipubbakasaññā vicchiddakasaññā vikkhāyitakasaññā vikkhittakasaññā hatavikkhittakasaññā lohitakasaññā puḷavakasaññā aṭṭhikasaññā mettāsaññā karuṇāsaññā muditāsaññā upekkhāsaññā maraṇānussati kāyagatāsati, ime kho, mahārāja, buddhena bhagavatā ārammaṇavibhattiyo akkhātā. |
‘But, Nāgasena, the royal insignia they used are still to be seen— The white sunshade of state, and the crown, and the slippers, and the fan with the yak’s tail, and the sword of state, and the priceless throne—and by these can we know and believe that the Kshatriyas of old lived once.’ |
Tattha yo koci jarāmaraṇā muccitukāmo, so tesu aññataraṁ ārammaṇaṁ gaṇhāti, tena ārammaṇena rāgā vimuccati, dosā vimuccati, mohā vimuccati, mānato vimuccati, diṭṭhito vimuccati, saṁsāraṁ tarati, taṇhāsotaṁ nivāreti, tividhaṁ malaṁ visodheti, sabbakilese upahantvā amalaṁ virajaṁ suddhaṁ paṇḍaraṁ ajātiṁ ajaraṁ amaraṁ sukhaṁ sītibhūtaṁ abhayaṁ nagaruttamaṁ nibbānanagaraṁ pavisitvā arahatte cittaṁ vimoceti, idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato pupphāpaṇan’ti. |
|
| ‘Just so, O king, can we know that Blessed One and believe in him. | |
‘Kammamūlaṁ gahetvāna, |
For there is a reason for our knowledge and belief that the Blessed One was. |
āpaṇaṁ upagacchatha; |
And what is that reason? |
| —The royal insignia used by that Blessed One, by him of knowledge and insight, the Arahat, the Buddha Supreme, are still to be seen-the four Means of keeping oneself ready and mindful, and the fourfold Great Struggle, and the four steps to Iddhi, and the five Organs of the moral sense, and the five moral Powers, and the seven forms of the wisdom of the Arahats, and the Noble Eightfold Path —and by these can the whole world of gods and men know and believe that that Blessed One existed once. | |
Ārammaṇaṁ kiṇitvāna, |
By this reason, on this ground, by this argument, through this inference, can it be known that the Blessed One lived. |
tato muccatha muttiyā’”ti. |
|
| “He who, himself set free in that bless’d state | |
“Bhante nāgasena, katamaṁ buddhassa bhagavato gandhāpaṇan”ti? |
In which the Upadhis have ceased to be, |
“Atthi kho pana, mahārāja, tena bhagavatā sīlavibhattiyo akkhātā, yena sīlagandhena anulittā bhagavato puttā sadevakaṁ lokaṁ sīlagandhena dhūpenti sampadhūpenti, disampi anudisampi anuvātampi paṭivātampi vāyanti ativāyanti, pharitvā tiṭṭhanti. |
—Lusts, sin, and Karma—has brought safe ashore, |
Katamā tā sīlavibhattiyo? |
Saved from the sea of woe, great multitudes— |
Saraṇasīlaṁ pañcaṅgasīlaṁ aṭṭhaṅgasīlaṁ dasaṅgasīlaṁ pañcuddesapariyāpannaṁ pātimokkhasaṁvarasīlaṁ. |
Only by inference can it be known |
Idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato gandhāpaṇan’ti. |
That he, the best of men, existed once.” |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
’ |
‘Na pupphagandho paṭivātameti, |
The ordinary city, and its architect, shops, and inhabitants |
Na candanaṁ taggaramallikā vā; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, give me an illustration.’ |
Satañca gandho paṭivātameti, |
|
Sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyati. |
‘Just, O king, as the architect of a City, when he wants to build one, would first search out a pleasant spot of ground, with which no fault can be found, even, with no hills or gullies in it, free from rough ground and rocks, not open to the danger of attack. |
| And then, when he has made plain any rough places there may still be on it, he would clear it thoroughly of all stumps and stakes, and would proceed to build there a city fine and regular, measured out into suitable quarters, with trenches and ramparts thrown up around it, with strong gateways, watch-towers, and battlements, with wide squares and open places and junctions (where two roads meet) and cross-ways (where four roads meet), with cleanly and even high roads, with regular lines of open shops (bazaars), well provided with parks, and gardens, and lakes, and lotus-ponds, and wells, adorned with many kinds of temples to the gods, free from every fault. | |
| And then when the city stood there in all its glory, he would go away to some other land. | |
Candanaṁ tagaraṁ vāpi, |
And in course of time that city might become mighty and prosperous, filled with stores of food, peaceful, glorious, happy, free from distress and calamity, the meeting-place of all sorts and conditions of men. |
uppalaṁ atha vassikī; |
Then nobles and brahmans, merchants and work-people; |
| soldiers mounted on elephants, and on horses, and on chariots; | |
Etesaṁ gandhajātānaṁ, |
infantry, and bowmen, and swordsmen; |
sīlagandho anuttaro. |
standard-bearers, officers, and camp-followers ; |
| highborn warriors whose delight is in war, fighting champions, men mighty as elephants, heroes, men who fight in buckskin, devoted fighting-men born of slaves in great houses or of the privates in the royal army ; | |
| troops of professional wrestlers ; | |
Appamatto ayaṁ gandho, |
cooks and curry makers, barbers and bathing attendants, smiths and florists, workers in gold and silver and lead and tin and copper and brass and iron, and jewellers; |
yvāyaṁ tagaracandanaṁ; |
messengers; |
| potters, salt gatherers, tanners, carriage builders, carvers in ivory, rope makers, comb makers, cotton-thread spinners, basket makers, bow manufacturers, bowstring makers, arrow fletchers, painters, dye manufacturers, dyers, weavers, tailors, assayers of gold, cloth merchants, dealers in perfumes, grass cutters ` hewers of wood, hired servants, people who live by gathering flowers and fruits and roots in the woods, hawkers of boiled rice, sellers of cakes, fishmongers, butchers, dealers in strong drinks, play actors, dancers, acrobats, conjurors, professional bards, wrestlers (boxers), corpse burners, casters out of rotten flowers, savages, wild men of the woods, prostitutes, swingers and jumpers, and the slave girls of bullies—people of many countries, people from Scythia, Bactria, China, and Vilāta; | |
Yo ca sīlavataṁ gandho, |
people of Ujjeni, of Bhārukaccha, of Benares, of Kosala, and of the border lands; |
vāti devesu uttamo’”ti. |
people from Magadha, and Sāketa, and Suraṭṭha, and the West; |
| from Koṭumbara and Madhura, from Alexandria, Kashmīr, and Gandhāra—all these coming to take up their residence there, and finding the new city to be regular, faultless, perfect, and pleasant, would know: | |
| “Able indeed must that architect have been by whom this city was built!” | |
“Bhante nāgasena, katamaṁ buddhassa bhagavato phalāpaṇan”ti? |
|
“Phalāni kho, mahārāja, bhagavatā akkhātāni. |
|
Seyyathidaṁ—sotāpattiphalaṁ sakadāgāmiphalaṁ anāgāmiphalaṁ arahattaphalaṁ suññataphalasamāpatti animittaphalasamāpatti appaṇihitaphalasamāpatti. |
The City of Righteousness, and its architect |
Tattha yo koci yaṁ phalaṁ icchati, so kammamūlaṁ datvā patthitaṁ phalaṁ kiṇāti. |
‘Just so, O king that Blessed One, peerless, unequalled, unapproached, incomparable, admirable beyond all measure by weight or calculation, of infinite virtue, full of virtue and perfection, boundless in wisdom and glory and zeal and power, who, when he had attained to the summit of all the perfections of the Buddhas, overthrew Māra and all his hosts—he, bursting asunder the net of heresy, and casting aside ignorance, and causing wisdom to arise, and bearing aloft the torch of Truth, reached forward to Buddhahood itself, and so, unconquered and unconquerable in the fight, built this city of Righteousness. |
Yadi sotāpattiphalaṁ, yadi sakadāgāmiphalaṁ, yadi anāgāmiphalaṁ, yadi arahattaphalaṁ, yadi suññataphalasamāpattiṁ, yadi animittaphalasamāpattiṁ, yadi appaṇihitaphalasamāpattiṁ. |
And the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness, O king, has righteousness for its rampart, and fear of sin for its moat, and knowledge for the battlement over its city gate, and zeal for the watch-tower above that, and faith for the pillars at its base, and mindfulness for the watchman at the gate, and wisdom for the terrace above, and the Suttantas for its market-place, and the Abhidhamma for its cross-ways, and the Vinaya (the Canon Law) for its judgment hall, and constant self-possession for its chief street. |
Yathā, mahārāja, kassaci purisassa dhuvaphalo ambo bhaveyya, so na tāva tato phalāni pāteti, yāva kayikā na āgacchanti, anuppatte pana kayike mūlaṁ gahetvā evaṁ ācikkhati ‘ambho purisa, eso kho dhuvaphalo ambo, tato yaṁ icchasi, ettakaṁ phalaṁ gaṇhāhi salāṭukaṁ vā dovilaṁ vā kesikaṁ vā āmaṁ vā pakkaṁ vā’ti, so tena attanā dinnamūlena yadi salāṭukaṁ icchati, salāṭukaṁ gaṇhāti, yadi dovilaṁ icchati, dovilaṁ gaṇhāti, yadi kesikaṁ icchati, kesikaṁ gaṇhāti, yadi āmakaṁ icchati, āmakaṁ gaṇhāti, yadi pakkaṁ icchati, pakkaṁ gaṇhāti. |
And in that street, O king, these bazaars are open—a flower bazaar, and a fruit bazaar, and an antidote bazaar, and a medicine bazaar, and an ambrosia bazaar, and a bazaar for precious stones, and a bazaar for all manner of merchandise.’ |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo yaṁ phalaṁ icchati, so kammamūlaṁ datvā patthitaṁ phalaṁ gaṇhāti, yadi sotāpattiphalaṁ …pe… yadi appaṇihitaphalasamāpattiṁ, idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato phalāpaṇan’ti. |
|
| The flower bazaar therein | |
‘Kammamūlaṁ janā datvā, |
‘But what, venerable Nāgasena, is the flower bazaar of the Blessed One, the Buddha?’ |
gaṇhanti amatapphalaṁ; |
|
Tena te sukhitā honti, |
‘There are certain subjects for meditation, O king, that have been made known by the Blessed One, by him of knowledge and insight, by the Arahat, the Buddha Supreme. |
ye kītā amatapphalan’”ti. |
And they are these. |
| The idea of the impermanence (of every thing and of every being), the idea of the absence of any abiding principle (any soul in any thing or any being), the idea of the impurity and the idea of the danger connected with the body, the idea of getting rid of evil dispositions, the idea of freedom from passion, the idea of peace, the idea of dissatisfaction with the things of the world, the idea of the transitory nature of all conditions, the idea of ecstatic trance, the ideas of a corpse in the various stages of decay, the ideas of a place of execution in all its various horrors, the idea of love to all beings, the idea of pity for all beings, the idea of sympathy with all beings, the idea of equanimity in all the changing circumstances of life, the idea of death, and the idea of the body. | |
| These, O king, are the subjects for meditation prescribed by the Blessed One. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, katamaṁ buddhassa bhagavato agadāpaṇan”ti? |
And of these, whoever, longing to be delivered from old age and death, takes any one as the subject of his meditation, by that meditation does he become set free from passion, set free from malice, set free from dullness, set free from pride, set free from wrong views, by that does he cross the ocean of Saṁsāra, and stem the torrent of cravings, and cleanse himself of the threefold stain, and destroy within himself all evil; |
“Agadāni kho, mahārāja, bhagavatā akkhātāni, yehi agadehi so bhagavā sadevakaṁ lokaṁ kilesavisato parimoceti. |
and so, entering that glorious city, spotless and stainless, pure and white, ageless and deathless, where all is security and calm and bliss—the city of Nirvāṇa—he emancipates his mind in Arahatship! |
Katamāni pana tāni agadāni? |
And this, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s bazaar of flowers.” |
Yānimāni, mahārāja, bhagavatā cattāri ariyasaccāni akkhātāni. |
|
Seyyathidaṁ—dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ, tattha ye keci aññāpekkhā catusaccaṁ dhammaṁ suṇanti, te jātiyā parimuccanti, jarāya parimuccanti, maraṇā parimuccanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccanti, idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato agadāpaṇan’ti. |
|
| “Take with you Karma as the price, | |
| And go ye up to that bazaar, | |
‘Ye keci agadā loke, |
Buy there an object for your thought, |
visānaṁ paṭibāhakā; |
Emancipate yourselves. |
| Be free!” | |
Dhammāgadasamaṁ natthi, |
’ |
etaṁ pivatha bhikkhavo’”ti. |
|
| The perfume bazaar therein | |
| ‘And what, venerable Nāgasena, is the perfume bazaar of the Blessed One, the Buddha?’ | |
“Bhante nāgasena, katamaṁ buddhassa bhagavato osadhāpaṇan”ti? |
|
“Osadhāni kho, mahārāja, bhagavatā akkhātāni, yehi osadhehi so bhagavā devamanusse tikicchati. |
|
Seyyathidaṁ—cattāro satipaṭṭhānā cattāro sammappadhānā cattāro iddhipādā pañcindriyāni pañca balāni satta bojjhaṅgā ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etehi osadhehi bhagavā micchādiṭṭhiṁ vireceti, micchāsaṅkappaṁ vireceti, micchāvācaṁ vireceti, micchākammantaṁ vireceti, micchāājīvaṁ vireceti, micchāvāyāmaṁ vireceti, micchāsatiṁ vireceti, micchāsamādhiṁ vireceti, lobhavamanaṁ kāreti, dosavamanaṁ kāreti, mohavamanaṁ kāreti, mānavamanaṁ kāreti, diṭṭhivamanaṁ kāreti, vicikicchāvamanaṁ kāreti, uddhaccavamanaṁ kāreti, thinamiddhavamanaṁ kāreti, ahirikānottappavamanaṁ kāreti, sabbakilesavamanaṁ kāreti, idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato osadhāpaṇan’ti. |
‘There are certain categories of virtue, O king, that have been made known by the Blessed One, and anointed by the perfume of that righteousness the children of the Blessed One fill with the fumes of the fragrant incense of the perfume of goodness the whole world of gods and men, in every direction, and to windward and to leeward, continuing to pervade it again and yet again. |
| And which are those categories? | |
| the virtue of taking refuge, The virtue that is fivefold and eightfold and tenfold, and the virtue of self-restraint tabulated in the five recitations that compose the Pātimokkha. | |
‘Ye keci osadhā loke, |
And this, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s bazaar of perfumes.” |
vijjanti vividhā bahū; |
For it has been said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: |
Dhammosadhasamaṁ natthi, |
|
etaṁ pivatha bhikkhavo. |
“No flower’s scent can go against the wind, |
| Not sandal wood’s, nor musk’s, nor jasmine flower’s: | |
Dhammosadhaṁ pivitvāna, |
But the sweet perfume of the good doth go |
ajarāmaraṇā siyuṁ; |
Against the wind, and the good man pervades, |
| On every side, the sweetness of his life.” | |
Bhāvayitvā ca passitvā, |
|
nibbutā upadhikkhaye’”ti. |
|
| “Red sandal wood, musk, and the lotus, and jasmine— | |
| The perfume of goodness surpasseth them all. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, katamaṁ buddhassa bhagavato amatāpaṇan”ti? |
|
“Amataṁ kho, mahārāja, bhagavatā akkhātaṁ, yena amatena so bhagavā sadevakaṁ lokaṁ abhisiñci, yena amatena abhisittā devamanussā jātijarābyādhimaraṇasokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimucciṁsu. |
Abundant the sweet scent of musk and of sandal wood— |
Katamaṁ taṁ amataṁ? |
Still stronger, the scent of the good mounts to heaven!” |
Yadidaṁ kāyagatāsati. |
’ |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena ‘amataṁ te, bhikkhave, paribhuñjanti, ye kāyagatāsatiṁ paribhuñjantī’ti. |
|
Idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato amatāpaṇan’ti. |
The fruit bazaar therein |
| ‘And what, venerable Nāgasena, is the fruit bazaar of the Blessed One, the Buddha?’ | |
‘Byādhitaṁ janataṁ disvā, |
|
Amatāpaṇaṁ pasārayi; |
‘Certain fruits have been made known, O king, by the Blessed One. |
| And they are these: | |
Kammena taṁ kiṇitvāna, |
—The fruit of the first stage of the Excellent Way (conversion), and of the second stage, and of the third stage, and of the fourth (Arahatship)—the fruit of the attainment of emptiness —the fruit of the attainment of the absence of the three signs (of an unconverted life, lust, malice, and dullness)—and the truth of the attainment of that state in which no low aspirations survive. |
Amataṁ ādetha bhikkhavo’”ti. |
And whosoever desires any one of these, he gives his Karma as the price, and buys the fruit he longs for—either conversion or any other. |
“Bhante nāgasena, katamaṁ buddhassa bhagavato ratanāpaṇan”ti? |
‘Just, O king, as any man who has a mango-tree bearing fruit all the year round, he does not knock down the fruits until buyers come. |
“Ratanāni kho, mahārāja, bhagavatā akkhātāni, yehi ratanehi vibhūsitā bhagavato puttā sadevakaṁ lokaṁ virocanti obhāsenti pabhāsenti jalanti pajjalanti uddhaṁ adho tiriyaṁ ālokaṁ dassenti. |
But when a buyer has come, and the fruit-grower has taken the price, then he says: |
Katamāni tāni ratanāni? |
“Come, my good man, this tree is always in bearing (it has therefore fruits in all stages of growth), take from it the kind of fruit you prefer, whether unripe, or decayed, or hairy, or sour, or ripe.” |
Sīlaratanaṁ samādhiratanaṁ paññāratanaṁ vimuttiratanaṁ vimuttiñāṇadassanaratanaṁ paṭisambhidāratanaṁ bojjhaṅgaratanaṁ. |
And the buyer, for the price paid, takes the kind he likes the best-if that be unripe fruit then he takes that, if it be decayed fruit then that, if it be hairy fruit then that, if it be sour fruit then that, if it be ripe fruit then he takes a ripe one. |
| Just so, O king, whosoever desires any one of those other fruits, he gives his Karma as the price, and buys the fruit he longs for- either conversion or any other. | |
| And this, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s bazaar of fruits.” | |
Katamaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato sīlaratanaṁ? |
|
Pātimokkhasaṁvarasīlaṁ indriyasaṁvarasīlaṁ ājīvapārisuddhisīlaṁ paccayasannissitasīlaṁ cūḷasīlaṁ majjhimasīlaṁ mahāsīlaṁ maggasīlaṁ phalasīlaṁ. |
|
Sīlaratanena kho, mahārāja, vibhūsitassa puggalassa sadevako loko samārako sabrahmako sassamaṇabrāhmaṇī pajā pihayati pattheti, sīlaratanapiḷandho kho, mahārāja, bhikkhu disampi anudisampi uddhampi adhopi tiriyampi virocati ativirocati, heṭṭhato avīciṁ uparito bhavaggaṁ upādāya etthantare sabbaratanāni atikkamitvā abhibhavitvā ajjhottharitvā tiṭṭhati, evarūpāni kho, mahārāja, sīlaratanāni bhagavato ratanāpaṇe pasāritāni, idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato sīlaratanan’ti. |
“Men give their Karma as the price, |
| And buy the fruit ambrosia; | |
‘Evarūpāni sīlāni, |
And happiness is theirs, and peace, |
santi buddhassa āpaṇe; |
Who’ve bought the fruit ambrosia.” |
Kammena taṁ kiṇitvāna, |
|
ratanaṁ vo piḷandhathā’ti. |
The antidote bazaar therein |
| ‘And what, venerable Nāgasena, is the antidote bazaar of the Blessed One, the Buddha?’ | |
Katamaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato samādhiratanaṁ? |
|
Savitakkasavicāro samādhi, avitakkavicāramatto samādhi, avitakkaavicāro samādhi, suññato samādhi, animitto samādhi, appaṇihito samādhi. |
‘Certain drugs, O king, have been made known by the Blessed One; |
Samādhiratanaṁ kho, mahārāja, piḷandhassa bhikkhuno ye te kāmavitakkabyāpādavitakkavihiṁsāvitakkamānuddhaccadiṭṭhivicikicchākilesavatthūni vividhāni ca kuvitakkāni, te sabbe samādhiṁ āsajja vikiranti vidhamanti viddhaṁsanti na saṇṭhanti na upalimpanti. |
drugs by which the Blessed One delivers the whole world of gods and men from the poison of evil dispositions. |
Yathā, mahārāja, vāri pokkharapatte vikirati vidhamati viddhaṁsati na saṇṭhāti na upalimpati. |
And what are these drugs? |
Taṁ kissa hetu? |
the four Noble Truths made known by the Blessed One, that is to say, the truth as to sorrow, and the truth as to the origin of sorrow, and the truth as to the cessation of sorrow, and the truth as to that path which leads to the cessation of sorrow. |
Parisuddhattā padumassa. |
And whosoever, longing for the highest insight (the insight of Arahatship), hear this doctrine of the four truths, they are set quite free from rebirth, They are set quite free from old age, they are set quite free from death, they are set quite free from grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair. |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, samādhiratanaṁ piḷandhassa bhikkhuno ye te kāmavitakkabyāpādavitakkavihiṁsāvitakkamānuddhaccadiṭṭhivicikicchākilesavatthūni vividhāni ca kuvitakkāni, te sabbe samādhiṁ āsajja vikiranti vidhamanti viddhaṁsanti na saṇṭhanti na upalimpanti. |
And this, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s bazaar of antidotes.” |
Taṁ kissa hetu? |
|
Parisuddhattā samādhissa. |
|
Idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato samādhiratanan’ti, evarūpāni kho, mahārāja, samādhiratanāni bhagavato ratanāpaṇe pasāritāni. |
“Of all the drugs, in all the world, |
| The antidotes of poison dire, | |
| Not one equals that Doctrine sweet. | |
‘Samādhiratanamālassa, |
|
kuvitakkā na jāyare; |
Drink that, O brethren. |
| Drink and live!” | |
Na ca vikkhipate cittaṁ, |
’ |
etaṁ tumhe piḷandhathā’ti. |
|
| The medicine bazaar therein | |
| ‘And what, venerable Nāgasena, is the medicine bazaar of the Blessed One, the Buddha?’ | |
Katamaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato paññāratanaṁ? |
|
Yāya, mahārāja, paññāya ariyasāvako ‘idaṁ kusalan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘idaṁ akusalan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘idaṁ sāvajjaṁ, idaṁ anavajjaṁ, idaṁ sevitabbaṁ, idaṁ na sevitabbaṁ, idaṁ hīnaṁ, idaṁ paṇītaṁ, idaṁ kaṇhaṁ, idaṁ sukkaṁ, idaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. |
|
Idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato paññāratanan’ti. |
‘Certain medicines, O king, have been made known by the Blessed One, medicines by which he cures the whole world of gods and men. |
| And they are these: | |
| —"The four Means of keeping oneself ready and mindful, and the fourfold Great Struggle, and the four Steps to Iddhi, and the five Organs of the moral sense, and the five moral Powers, and the seven Forms of the Wisdom of the Arahats, and the Noble Eightfold Path.” | |
‘Paññāratanamālassa, |
By these medicines the Blessed One purges men of wrong views, purges them of low aspirations, purges them of evil speaking, purges them of evil deeds, purges them of evil modes of livelihood, purges them of wrong endeavours, purges them of evil thoughts, purges them of erroneous meditation; |
na ciraṁ vattate bhavo; |
and he gives emetics to the vomiting up of lusts, and of malice, and of dullness, and of doubt, and of self-righteousness, and of sloth of body and inertness of mind, and of shamelessness and hardness of heart, and of all evil. |
| And this, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s bazaar of medicine.” | |
Khippaṁ phasseti amataṁ, |
|
na ca so rocate bhave’ti. |
|
| “Of all the medicines found in all the world, | |
| Many in number, various in their powers, | |
Katamaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato vimuttiratanaṁ? |
Not one equals this medicine of the Truth. |
Vimuttiratanaṁ kho, mahārāja, arahattaṁ vuccati, arahattaṁ patto kho, mahārāja, bhikkhu ‘vimuttiratanaṁ piḷandho’ti vuccati. |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, puriso muttākalāpamaṇikalāpapavāḷakalāpābharaṇappaṭimaṇḍito agalutagaratālīsakalohitacandanānulittagatto nāgapunnāgasālasalaḷacampakayūthikātimuttakapāṭaluppalavassikamallikāvicitto sesajane atikkamitvā virocati ativirocati obhāsati pabhāsati sampabhāsati jalati pajjalati abhibhavati ajjhottharati mālāgandharatanābharaṇehi; |
Drink that, O brethren. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, arahattaṁ patto khīṇāsavo vimuttiratanapiḷandho upādāyupādāya vimuttānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ atikkamitvā samatikkamitvā virocati ativirocati obhāsati pabhāsati sampabhāsati jalati pajjalati abhibhavati ajjhottharati vimuttiyā. |
Drink, and drinking, live! |
Taṁ kissa hetu? |
|
Aggaṁ, mahārāja, etaṁ piḷandhanaṁ sabbapiḷandhanānaṁ, yadidaṁ vimuttipiḷandhanaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato vimuttiratanan’ti. |
For having drunk that medicine of the Truth, |
| Ye shall have past beyond old age and death, | |
| And—evil, lusts, and Karma rooted out— | |
‘Maṇimālādharaṁ geha, |
Thoughtful and seeing, ye shall be at rest!” |
jano sāmiṁ udikkhati; |
’ |
Vimuttiratanamālantu, |
‘And what, venerable Nāgasena, is the ambrosia bazaar of the Blessed One, the Buddha?’ |
udikkhanti sadevakā’ti. |
|
| The ambrosia bazaar therein | |
Katamaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato vimuttiñāṇadassanaratanaṁ? |
‘An ambrosia, O king, has been made known by the Blessed One, that ambrosia with which he besprinkles the whole world of gods and men—as men anoint a king on his coronation day— and men and gods, when sprinkled with that ambrosia, are set free from rebirths, old age, disease, and death, from grief, and lamentation, and pain, and sorrow, and despair. |
Paccavekkhaṇañāṇaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato vimuttiñāṇadassanaratananti vuccati, yena ñāṇena ariyasāvako maggaphalanibbānāni pahīnakilesāvasiṭṭhakilese ca paccavekkhati. |
And what is that ambrosia? |
| That meditation which consists in active attention to, and leads to a true grasp of, the real conditions of corporeal things. | |
| For it has been said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: | |
‘Yena ñāṇena bujjhanti, |
|
ariyā katakiccataṁ; |
|
| “They, O brethren, feed on ambrosia who feed on active attention directed to corporeal things.” | |
Taṁ ñāṇaratanaṁ laddhuṁ, |
This, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s ambrosia bazaar.” |
vāyametha jinorasā’ti. |
|
| “He saw mankind afflicted with disease, | |
Katamaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato paṭisambhidāratanaṁ? |
He opened freely his ambrosia shop; |
Catasso kho, mahārāja, paṭisambhidāyo atthapaṭisambhidā dhammapaṭisambhidā niruttipaṭisambhidā paṭibhānapaṭisambhidāti. |
|
Imehi kho, mahārāja, catūhi paṭisambhidāratanehi samalaṅkato bhikkhu yaṁ yaṁ parisaṁ upasaṅkamati, yadi khattiyaparisaṁ, yadi brāhmaṇaparisaṁ, yadi gahapatiparisaṁ, yadi samaṇaparisaṁ, visārado upasaṅkamati amaṅkubhūto abhīru acchambhī anutrāsī vigatalomahaṁso parisaṁ upasaṅkamati. |
Go, then, O brethren, give your Karma for it, |
| And buy, and feed on, that ambrosial food.” | |
| ’ | |
Yathā, mahārāja, yodho saṅgāmasūro sannaddhapañcāvudho acchambhito saṅgāmaṁ otarati, ‘sace amittā dūre bhavissanti usunā pātayissāmi, tato orato bhavissanti sattiyā paharissāmi, tato orato bhavissanti kaṇayena paharissāmi, upagataṁ santaṁ maṇḍalaggena dvidhā chindissāmi, kāyūpagataṁ churikāya vinivijjhissāmī’ti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, catupaṭisambhidāratanamaṇḍito bhikkhu acchambhito parisaṁ upasaṅkamati. |
The jewel bazaar therein, and the seven jewels of the Truth |
| ‘And what, venerable Nāgasena, is the jewel bazaar of the Blessed One, the Buddha?’ | |
‘Yo koci maṁ atthapaṭisambhide pañhaṁ pucchissati, tassa atthena atthaṁ kathayissāmi, kāraṇena kāraṇaṁ kathayissāmi, hetunā hetuṁ kathayissāmi, nayena nayaṁ kathayissāmi, nissaṁsayaṁ karissāmi, vimatiṁ vivecessāmi, tosayissāmi pañhaveyyākaraṇena. |
|
| ‘Certain jewels, O king, have been made known by the Blessed One, and adorned with those jewels the children of the Blessed One shine forth in splendour, illuminating the whole world of gods and men, brightening it in its heights, in its depths, from horizon to horizon, with a brilliant glory. | |
| And those jewels are these—the jewel of right conduct, and the jewel of meditation, and the jewel of knowledge, and the jewel of emancipation, and the jewel of the insight which arises from the assurance of emancipation, and the jewel of discrimination, and the jewel of the sevenfold wisdom of the Arahats. | |
Yo koci maṁ dhammapaṭisambhide pañhaṁ pucchissati, tassa dhammena dhammaṁ kathayissāmi, amatena amataṁ kathayissāmi, asaṅkhatena asaṅkhataṁ kathayissāmi, nibbānena nibbānaṁ kathayissāmi, suññatena suññataṁ kathayissāmi, animittena animittaṁ kathayissāmi, appaṇihitena appaṇihitaṁ kathayissāmi, anejena anejaṁ kathayissāmi, nissaṁsayaṁ karissāmi, vimatiṁ vivecessāmi, tosayissāmi pañhaveyyākaraṇena. |
|
| ‘And what, O king, is the Blessed One’s jewel of right conduct ? | |
Yo koci maṁ niruttipaṭisambhide pañhaṁ pucchissati, tassa niruttiyā niruttiṁ kathayissāmi, padena padaṁ kathayissāmi, anupadena anupadaṁ kathayissāmi, akkharena akkharaṁ kathayissāmi, sandhiyā sandhiṁ kathayissāmi, byañjanena byañjanaṁ kathayissāmi, anubyañjanena anubyañjanaṁ kathayissāmi, vaṇṇena vaṇṇaṁ kathayissāmi, sarena saraṁ kathayissāmi, paññattiyā paññattiṁ kathayissāmi, vohārena vohāraṁ kathayissāmi, nissaṁsayaṁ karissāmi, vimatiṁ vivecessāmi, tosayissāmi pañhaveyyākaraṇena. |
the right conduct which follows on self-restraint according to the rules of the Pātimokkha, the right conduct which follows on restraint of the bodily organs and the mind, the right conduct which results from a pure means of livelihood, the right conduct in relation to the four requisites of a recluse, the right conduct presented in the Short, and Middle, and Long Summonses, the right conduct of those who are walking in the Path, and the right conduct of those who have attained each of the various fruits thereof (beginning at conversion and ending at Arahatship). |
| And all the beings in the world, O king, gods and men, and the Māras too (the spirits of evil), and the Brahmas (the very highest of the gods), and Samanas and Brahmans are filled with longing and desire for a man who wears, as his ornament, this jewel of right conduct. | |
| And the Bhikkhu, O king, who puts it on shines forth in glory all around, upwards and downwards, and from side to side, surpassing in lustre all the jewels to be found from the Waveless Deep, below to the highest heavens above, excelling them all, overwhelming them all. | |
Yo koci maṁ paṭibhānapaṭisambhide pañhaṁ pucchissati, tassa paṭibhānena paṭibhānaṁ kathayissāmi, opammena opammaṁ kathayissāmi, lakkhaṇena lakkhaṇaṁ kathayissāmi, rasena rasaṁ kathayissāmi, nissaṁsayaṁ karissāmi, vimatiṁ vivecessāmi, tosayissāmi pañhaveyyākaraṇenā’ti. |
Such, O king, are the jewels of right conduct set out for sale in the Blessed One’s bazaar of gems. |
Idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato paṭisambhidāratanan’ti. |
And this is what is called “The Blessed One’s jewel of righteousness.” |
‘Paṭisambhidā kiṇitvāna, |
“Such are the virtues sold in that bazaar, |
Ñāṇena phassayeyya yo; |
The shop of the Enlightened One, |
| the Blest; | |
Acchambhito anubbiggo, |
Pay Karma as the price, O ye ill-clad! |
Atirocati sadevake’ti. |
|
| Buy, and put on, these lustrous Buddha-gems!” | |
Katamaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavato bojjhaṅgaratanaṁ? |
|
Sattime, mahārāja, bojjhaṅgā, satisambojjhaṅgo dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgo vīriyasambojjhaṅgo pītisambojjhaṅgo passaddhisambojjhaṅgo samādhisambojjhaṅgo upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo. |
‘And what, O king, is the Blessed One’s jewel of meditation? |
Imehi kho, mahārāja, sattahi bojjhaṅgaratanehi paṭimaṇḍito bhikkhu sabbaṁ tamaṁ abhibhuyya sadevakaṁ lokaṁ obhāseti pabhāseti ālokaṁ janeti. |
the meditation that consists of specific conceptions, and of investigation regarding them ; |
Idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato bojjhaṅgaratanan’ti. |
—the meditation that consists of reflection only, specific conceptions being lost sight of ; |
| —the meditation that continues after specific conceptions and reflection on them have both ceased ; | |
| —the meditation that is void (of lusts, evil dispositions, and Karma); | |
‘Bojjhaṅgaratanamālassa, |
—the meditation from which three signs (of an unconverted life-lust, malice, and dullness) are absent; |
uṭṭhahanti sadevakā; |
—the meditation in which no low aspirations remain. |
| And when a Bhikkhu, O king, has put on this jewel of meditation (Samādhi), then ideas of lust, and ideas of anger, and ideas of cruelty, and all the various bad thoughts that have their basis in the evil dispositions of pride, self-righteousness, adhesion to wrong views, and doubt—all these, since they come into contact with meditation, flow off from him, disperse, and are dispelled, they stay not with him, adhere not to him. | |
Kammena taṁ kiṇitvāna, |
just, O king, as when water has fallen on a lotus leaf it flows off from it, is dispersed and scattered away, stays not on it, adheres not to it —so when a Bhikkhu has put on this jewel of meditation, then ideas of lust, and ideas of anger, and ideas of cruelty, and all the various bad thoughts that have their basis in the evil dispositions of pride, self-righteousness, obstinacy in wrong views, and doubt—these all, as soon as they come in contact with meditation, flow off, disperse, and are dispelled, stay not with him, adhere not to him. |
ratanaṁ vo piḷandhathā’”ti. |
And why not? |
| Because of the exceeding purity of the habit of meditation. | |
| This, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s jewel of meditation,” and such are the jewels of meditation set out for sale in the Blessed One’s bazaar of gems. | |
“Bhante nāgasena, katamaṁ buddhassa bhagavato sabbāpaṇan”ti? |
|
“Sabbāpaṇaṁ kho, mahārāja, bhagavato navaṅgaṁ buddhavacanaṁ sārīrikāni pāribhogikāni cetiyāni saṅgharatanañca. |
|
Sabbāpaṇe, mahārāja, bhagavatā jātisampatti pasāritā, bhogasampatti pasāritā, āyusampatti pasāritā, ārogyasampatti pasāritā, vaṇṇasampatti pasāritā, paññāsampatti pasāritā, mānusikasampatti pasāritā, dibbasampatti pasāritā, nibbānasampatti pasāritā. |
“Bad thoughts can ne’er arise beneath the brow |
Tattha ye taṁ taṁ sampattiṁ icchanti, te kammamūlaṁ datvā patthitapatthitaṁ sampattiṁ kiṇanti, keci sīlasamādānena kiṇanti, keci uposathakammena kiṇanti, appamattakenapi kammamūlena upādāyupādāya sampattiyo paṭilabhanti. |
Encircled by this coronet of gems. |
Yathā, mahārāja, āpaṇikassa āpaṇe tilamuggamāse parittakenapi taṇḍulamuggamāsena appakenapi mūlena upādāyupādāya gaṇhanti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavato sabbāpaṇe appamattakenapi kammamūlena upādāyupādāya sampattiyo paṭilabhanti. |
It charms away perplexed and wandering thought. |
Idaṁ vuccati, mahārāja, ‘bhagavato sabbāpaṇan’ti. |
|
| Make it your own, buy it, put on the crown!” | |
‘Āyu arogatā vaṇṇaṁ, |
|
saggaṁ uccākulīnatā; |
‘And what, O king, is the Blessed One’s jewel of knowledge? |
| That knowledge by which the disciple of the noble ones knows thoroughly what is virtue, and what is not; | |
Asaṅkhatañca amataṁ, |
what is blameworthy, and what is not; |
atthi sabbāpaṇe jine. |
what should be made a habit of, and what should not; |
| what is mean, and what is exalted; | |
| what is dark, and what is light, and what is both dark and light; | |
Appena bahukenāpi, |
—the knowledge by which he truly knows what sorrow is, and what the origin of sorrow is, and what the cessation of sorrow is, and what is the path that leads thereto. |
kammamūlena gayhati; |
This, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s jewel of knowledge.” |
Kiṇitvā saddhāmūlena, |
|
samiddhā hotha bhikkhavo’ti. |
“He who has knowledge as his jewelled wreath, |
| Will not continue long in outward form. | |
Bhagavato kho, mahārāja, dhammanagare evarūpā janā paṭivasanti, suttantikā venayikā ābhidhammikā dhammakathikā jātakabhāṇakā dīghabhāṇakā majjhimabhāṇakā saṁyuttabhāṇakā aṅguttarabhāṇakā khuddakabhāṇakā sīlasampannā samādhisampannā paññāsampannā bojjhaṅgabhāvanāratā vipassakā sadatthamanuyuttā āraññikā rukkhamūlikā abbhokāsikā palālapuñjikā sosānikā nesajjikā paṭipannakā phalaṭṭhā sekkhā phalasamaṅgino sotāpannā sakadāgāmino anāgāmino arahanto tevijjā chaḷabhiññā iddhimanto paññāya pāramiṅgatā satipaṭṭhānasammappadhānaiddhipādaindriyabalabojjhaṅgamaggavarajhānavimokkharūpārūpasantasukhasamāpattikusalā, tehi arahantehi ākulaṁ samākulaṁ ākiṇṇaṁ samākiṇṇaṁ naḷavanasaravanamiva dhammanagaraṁ ahosi. |
Soon will he reach Nirvāṇa, in rebirth |
Bhavatīha— |
In any world no longer take delight! |
‘Vītarāgā vītadosā, |
|
vītamohā anāsavā; |
‘And what, O king, is the Blessed One’s jewel of emancipation? |
| Arahatship is called the jewel of emancipation, and the Bhikkhu who has reached Arahatship is said to have decked himself with the jewel of emancipation. | |
Vītataṇhā anādānā, |
And just as a man, O king, who is decorated with ornaments made of strings of pearls, of diamonds and gold and corals; |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
whose limbs are anointed with akalu, and with frankincense, and with Talis, and with red sandal wood; |
| who is adorned with a garland of Ironwood blossoms, and Rottleria flowers, and flowers from the Sal tree, and the Saḷala, and the champak, and yellow jasmines, and Atimuttaka flowers, and trumpet flowers, and lotuses, and white and Arabian jasmines —just as, with all this finery of garlands and perfumes and jewelry, he would outshine all other men, overwhelming them with brilliant glory and splendour—just so, O king, does he who has attained to Arahatship, he in whom the Great Evils (lusts, and becoming, delusion, and ignorance) are rooted out, he who has put on the diadem of emancipation of heart, just so does he outshine all other Bhikkhus from the lowest in attainment up to those even who are themselves emancipated, overwhelming them in brilliant glory and splendour. | |
| And why is that so? | |
Āraññikā dhutadharā, |
Because, O king, there is one diadem that is the chief of all, and that is this diadem of emancipation of heart! |
jhāyino lūkhacīvarā; |
And this, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s jewel of emancipation.” |
Vivekābhiratā dhīrā, |
|
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
“All the people that dwell in a house look up |
| To their Lord when he wears his crown of gems— | |
| The wide world of the gods and of men looks up | |
Nesajjikā santhatikā, |
To the wearer of Freedom’s diadem!” |
athopi ṭhānacaṅkamā; |
|
Paṁsukūladharā sabbe, |
‘And what, O king, is the Blessed One’s jewel of the insight that follows on the assurance of emancipation? |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
the knowledge arising out of looking back over the course —that knowledge by which the disciple who is walking along the Excellent Way passes, from time to time, both the Way itself and the Fruits thereof up to Nirvāṇa, in review, and is aware what evil dispositions he has got rid of, and what evil dispositions remain to be conquered—that is what is called “The jewel of the assurance that follows on the knowledge of emancipation.” |
Ticīvaradharā santā, |
“The knowledge by which the Noble Ones know |
cammakhaṇḍacatutthakā; |
The stages they’ve passed, and the road yet untrod; |
| — | |
Ratā ekāsane viññū, |
Strive, O ye sons of the Conqueror, strive |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
That jewel—’Assurance’—yourselves to obtain!” |
Appicchā nipakā dhīrā, |
‘And what, O king, is the Blessed One’s jewel of discrimination? |
appāhārā alolupā; |
the discrimination of the sense of, and the discrimination of the deeper truths underlying the sense of the sacred writ, and the discrimination of philological peculiarities, and the discrimination of correct and ready exposition. |
| And the Bhikkhu, O king, who is adorned with these four jewels of discrimination, whatsoever company he enters into, whether of nobles, or brahmans, or merchants, or workpeople, enters it in confidence, neither put out nor shy; | |
Lābhālābhena santuṭṭhā, |
undaunted and undismayed, he enters the assembly without excitement or fear. |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
just, O king, as a warrior, a hero in the fight, when accoutred in all his harness of war, goes down undismayed to the battle, in the confident thought: |
| “If the enemy should remain afar off I can knock them down with my arrows, should they come thence towards me I can hit them with my javelins, should they come yet nearer I can reach them with my spear, should they come right up I can cleave them in two with my sabre, should they come to close quarters I can pierce them through and through with my dagger “—just so, O king, does the Bhikkhu, when he wears the fourfold jewel of discernment, enter any assembly undismayed, in the confident thought: | |
| “Should any one put to me a puzzle turning on the discrimination of the sense, I shall be able to explain it, comparing sense with sense, explanation with explanation, reason with reason, argument with argument —and thus shall I resolve his doubts, dispel his perplexity, and delight him by my exposition of the problem raised. | |
Jhāyī jhānaratā dhīrā, |
Should any one put to me a puzzle turning on discrimination of the deeper truths, I shall be able to explain it by comparing truth with truth, and the various aspects and phases of Arahatship each with each, and thus his doubts too shall I be able to resolve, and, dispelling his perplexity, to delight him with my exposition of the problem raised. |
santacittā samāhitā; |
Should any one put to me a puzzle turning on the discrimination of philological peculiarities, I shall be able to explain it by comparing derivation with derivation, and word with word, and particle with particle, and letter with letter, and one modification of a letter by contact (sandhi) with another, and consonant with consonant, and vowel with vowel, and accent (intonation) with accent, and quantity with quantity, and rule with rule, and idiom with idiom; |
| —and thus his doubts too shall I be able to resolve, and, dispelling his perplexity, to delight him with my exposition of the problem raised. | |
Ākiñcaññaṁ patthayānā, |
Should anyone put to me a puzzle turning on the discrimination of expositions, I shall be able to explain it by comparing metaphor with metaphor, and characteristic with characteristic, and sentiment with sentiment—and thus his doubts too shall I be able to resolve, and, dispelling his perplexity, to delight him with my exposition of the problem raised. |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
And this, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s jewel of discrimination.” |
Paṭipannā phalaṭṭhā ca, |
“First buy the jewel of discrimination, |
sekkhā phalasamaṅgino; |
Then cut it with your knowledge and your skill; |
Āsīsakā uttamatthaṁ, |
So, free from all anxiety and fear, |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
Shall you illuminate both earth and heaven! |
Sotāpannā ca vimalā, |
‘And what, O king, is the Blessed One’s jewel of the sevenfold wisdom of the Arahats? |
sakadāgāmino ca ye; |
It is self-possession, and investigation of the system of doctrine, and zeal, and joy, and tranquillity, and contemplation, and equanimity. |
| And the Bhikkhu, O king, who is adorned with this sevenfold jewel of the divisions of the higher wisdom shines forth over the whole world of gods and men, brightens it, illuminates it, and dispersing the darkness makes the light arise. | |
Anāgāmī ca arahanto, |
This, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s jewel of the sevenfold wisdom.” |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
|
| “The gods and men in reverence stand up | |
Satipaṭṭhānakusalā, |
To him who wears this wisdom-diadem. |
bojjhaṅgabhāvanāratā; |
|
| Show your good actions then—that is the price— | |
Vipassakā dhammadharā, |
And buy, and wear, this wisdom-diadem!” |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
’ |
| The general store bazaar therein | |
Iddhipādesu kusalā, |
‘And what, venerable Nāgasena, is the bazaar for all manner of merchandise set up by the Blessed One, the Buddha?’ |
samādhibhāvanāratā; |
|
Sammappadhānānuyuttā, |
‘The Blessed One’s bazaar for all manner of merchandise, O king, is the ninefold word of the Buddha; |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
and the relics remaining of his body, and of the things he used; |
| and the sacred mounds (cetiyāni, Dāgabas) erected over them ; | |
| and the jewel of his Order. | |
Abhiññāpāramippattā, |
And in that bazaar there are set out by the Blessed One the attainment (in a future birth) of high lineage, and of wealth, and of long life, and of good health, and of beauty, and of wisdom, and of worldly glory, and of heavenly glory, and of Nirvāṇa. |
pettike gocare ratā; |
And of these all they who desire either the one or the other, give Karma as the price, and so buy whichever glory they desire. |
| And some buy with it a vow of right conduct, and some by observance of the Uposatha day, and so on down to the smallest Karma-price they buy the various glories from the greatest to the least. | |
Antalikkhamhi caraṇā, |
just, O king, as in a trader’s shop, oil, seed, and peas and beans can be either taken in barter for a small quantity of rice or peas or beans, or bought for a small price decreasing in order according to requirement—just so, O king, in the Blessed One’s bazaar for all manner of merchandise advantages are to be bought for Karma according to requirement. |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
And this, O king, is what is called “The Blessed One’s bazaar of all manner of merchandise.” |
Okkhittacakkhū mitabhāṇī, |
“Long life, good health, beauty, rebirth in heaven, |
guttadvārā susaṁvutā; |
High birth, Nirvāṇa-all are found for sale— |
| There to be bought for Karma, great or small— | |
Sudantā uttame damme, |
In the great Conqueror’s world-famed bazaar. |
dhammanagare vasanti te. |
|
| Come; | |
| show your faith, O brethren, as the price, | |
Tevijjā chaḷabhiññā ca, |
Buy and enjoy such goods as you prefer!” |
Iddhiyā pāramiṁ gatā; |
|
Paññāya pāramippattā, |
The inhabitants of the City of Righteousness |
Dhammanagare vasanti te’ti. |
‘And the inhabitants that dwell in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness, O king, are such as these: |
| Masters in the Suttantas, and masters in the Vinaya, and masters in the Abhidhamma; | |
| preachers of the faith; | |
Ye kho te, mahārāja, bhikkhū aparimitañāṇavaradharā asaṅgā atulaguṇā atulayasā atulabalā atulatejā dhammacakkānuppavattakā paññāpāramiṁ gatā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘dhammasenāpatino’ti vuccanti. |
repeaters of the Jātakas, and repeaters of the Dīgha, and repeaters of the Majjhima, and repeaters of the Samyutta, and repeaters of the Aṅguttara, and repeaters of the Khuddaka Nikāya; |
| —men endowed with right conduct, men accomplished in meditation, men full of knowledge, men taking delight in contemplation of the sevenfold wisdom of the Arahats, men of insight ; | |
| —men who frequent the woods for meditation, or sit at the roots of trees, or dwell in the open air, or sleep on heaps of straw, or live near cemeteries, or lie not down to sleep—men who have entered the Excellent Way, men who have attained one or more of the four fruits thereof, men who are still learners (have not yet reached Arahatship, but are close upon it), men enjoying the Fruits, that is, either Sotāpannas, or Sakadāgāmins, or Anāgāmins, or Arahats; | |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū iddhimanto adhigatappaṭisambhidāpattavesārajjā gaganacarā durāsadā duppasahā anālambacarā sasāgaramahidharapathavikampakā candasūriyaparimajjakā vikubbanādhiṭṭhānābhinīhārakusalā iddhiyā pāramiṁ gatā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘purohitā’ti vuccanti. |
—men of the threefold wisdom, men of the sixfold transcendental wisdom, men of the power of Iddhi, men who have reached perfection in knowledge, men skilled in the maintenance of constant self-possession, in the Great Struggle, in the Steps to Iddhi, in the Organs of their moral sense, in the sevenfold wisdom, in the Excellent Way, in Ghāna, in Vimokkha, and in the attainment of the exalted and tranquil bliss that is independent of form or the absence of form—yea! |
| like a forest full of bamboos, full of reeds, that City of Righteousness has been ever crowded and frequented by such Arahats as these! | |
| For it is said: | |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū dhutaṅgamanugatā appicchā santuṭṭhā viññattimanesanajigucchakā piṇḍāya sapadānacārino bhamarāva gandhamanughāyitvā pavisanti vivittakānanaṁ, kāye ca jīvite ca nirapekkhā arahattamanuppattā dhutaṅgaguṇe agganikkhittā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘akkhadassā’ti vuccanti. |
|
| (1) “Men devoid of passion, and of malice, and of dullness, men in whom the Great Evils (lust, becoming, delusion, and ignorance) are not, men who have neither craving thirst, nor grasping desires—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. | |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū parisuddhā vimalā nikkilesā cutūpapātakusalā dibbacakkhumhi pāramiṁ gatā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘nagarajotakā’ti vuccanti. |
|
| (2) “Men whose home is the forest, men who have taken on themselves the extra vows, men full of joy, men who are wearing rough garments, men rejoicing in solitude, heroes—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. | |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā sithiladhanitadīgharassagarukalahukakkharaparicchedakusalā navaṅgasāsanadharā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘dhammarakkhā’ti vuccanti. |
|
| (3) “Men who sleep sitting, or on any sleeping-place that comes, or spend their time standing or walking up and down in meditation, men who clad themselves in cast-off raiment—all these dwell in the City of Righteousness. | |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū vinayaññū vinayakovidā ṭhānāṭṭhānakusalā āpattānāpattigarukalahukasatekicchaatekicchavuṭṭhānadesanāniggahapaṭikammaosāraṇanissāraṇapaṭisāraṇakusalā vinaye pāramiṁ gatā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘rūparakkhā’ti vuccanti. |
|
| (4) “Men wearing the full set of three robes, tranquil, with a skin for the fourth, who rejoice in taking but one meal each day, the wise-these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. | |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū vimuttivarakusumamālabaddhā varapavaramahagghaseṭṭhabhāvamanuppattā bahujanakantamabhipatthitā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘pupphāpaṇikā’ti vuccanti. |
|
| (5) “The earnest and prudent, heroes who feed on little and know no greed, content whether they receive an alms or receive it not-these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. | |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū catusaccābhisamayappaṭividdhā diṭṭhasaccā viññātasāsanā catūsu sāmaññaphalesu tiṇṇavicikicchā paṭiladdhaphalasukhā aññesampi paṭipannānaṁ te phale saṁvibhajanti, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘phalāpaṇikā’ti vuccanti. |
(6) “The meditative, delighting in Ghāna, heroes of tranquil minds, and stedfast, looking forward to Nirvāṇa—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū sīlasaṁvaragandhamanulittā anekavidhabahuguṇadharā kilesamaladuggandhavidhamakā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘gandhāpaṇikā’ti vuccanti. |
(7) “Men walking in the path, and standing in the fruits thereof, those who have attained some fruits thereof but are yet learners as to the last, whose hope is directed to the utmost goal—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū dhammakāmā piyasamudāhārā abhidhamme abhivinaye uḷārapāmojjā araññagatāpi rukkhamūlagatāpi suññāgāragatāpi dhammavararasaṁ pivanti, kāyena vācāya manasā dhammavararasamogāḷhā adhimattapaṭibhānā dhammesu dhammesanappaṭipannā ito vā tato vā yattha yattha appicchakathā santuṭṭhikathā pavivekakathā asaṁsaggakathā vīriyārambhakathā sīlakathā samādhikathā paññākathā vimuttikathā vimuttiñāṇadassanakathā, tattha tattha gantvā taṁ taṁ kathārasaṁ pivanti, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘soṇḍā pipāsā’ti vuccanti. |
(8) “Those who have entered the stream, and those who, free from stains, will only be reborn once more on earth, those who will never return again, and Arahats—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū pubbarattāpararattaṁ jāgariyānuyogamanuyuttā nisajjaṭṭhānacaṅkamehi rattindivaṁ vītināmenti, bhāvanānuyogamanuyuttā kilesapaṭibāhanāya sadatthappasutā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘nagaraguttikā’ti vuccanti. |
(9) “Those skilled in the means of attaining undisturbed self-possession, and rejoicing in contemplation on the sevenfold wisdom, those who are full of insight, and bear the words of the Dharma in their hearts—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū navaṅgaṁ buddhavacanaṁ atthato ca byañjanato ca nayato ca kāraṇato ca hetuto ca udāharaṇato ca vācenti anuvācenti bhāsanti anubhāsanti, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘dhammāpaṇikā’ti vuccanti. |
(10) “Those skilled in the Steps to Iddhi, and rejoicing in the meditations of Samādhi, those who are devoted to the Great Struggle—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū dhammaratanabhogena āgamapariyattisutabhogena bhogino dhanino niddiṭṭhasarabyañjanalakkhaṇappaṭivedhā viññū pharaṇā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘dhammaseṭṭhino’ti vuccanti. |
(11) “Those perfect in the sixfold wisdom of the Abhiññās, delighting in the sphere that is theirs by rightful inheritance, those having the power of flying through the air—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. |
Ye pana te, mahārāja, bhikkhū uḷāradesanāpaṭivedhā pariciṇṇārammaṇavibhattiniddesā sikkhāguṇapāramippattā, evarūpā kho, mahārāja, bhikkhū bhagavato dhammanagare ‘vissutadhammikā’ti vuccanti. |
(12) “Those of downcast eyes, and measured speech, the doors of whose senses are guarded, who are self-restrained, who are well trained according to the supreme Dhamma—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness. |
Evaṁ suvibhattaṁ kho, mahārāja, bhagavato dhammanagaraṁ evaṁ sumāpitaṁ evaṁ suvihitaṁ evaṁ suparipūritaṁ evaṁ suvavatthāpitaṁ evaṁ surakkhitaṁ evaṁ sugopitaṁ evaṁ duppasayhaṁ paccatthikehi paccāmittehi, iminā, mahārāja, kāraṇena iminā hetunā iminā nayena iminā anumānena ñātabbaṁ atthi so bhagavāti. |
(13) “Those of the threefold wisdom, and of the sixfold wisdom, those who have become perfect in Iddhi and perfect in knowledge—these are they who dwell in the City of Righteousness.” |
‘Yathāpi nagaraṁ disvā, |
The generals in the City of Righteousness |
suvibhattaṁ manoramaṁ; |
‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who carry in their hearts the words of the excellent knowledge that is immeasurable, who are free from bonds, whose goodness and fame and power and glory no man can weigh, who (in imitation of their Master) keep the royal chariot-wheel of the kingdom of righteousness rolling on, who have reached perfection in knowledge-such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “The Commanders of the Faith in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” |
Anumānena jānanti, |
|
vaḍḍhakissa mahattanaṁ. |
The chaplains in the City of Righteousness |
| ‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus, who have the power of Iddhi, who have learned the discriminations, who are full of confidence, who travel through the air, who are hard to oppose, hard to overcome, who can move without support, who can shake the broad earth and the waters on which it rests, who can touch the sun and the moon, who are skilful in transforming themselves and in making stedfast resolutions and high aspirations, who are perfect in Iddhi—such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “The royal chaplains in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” | |
Tatheva lokanāthassa, |
|
disvā dhammapuraṁ varaṁ; |
The judges in the City of Righteousness |
| ‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who have taken upon themselves the extra vows, who desire little and are content, who would loathe any breach of the regulations as to the manner of seeking an alms, and beg straight on from hut to hut, as a bee smells flower after flower, and then go away into the loneliness of the woods, those who are indifferent as to their body and as to life, those who have attained to Arahatship, those who place the highest value on the virtues of the practice of the extra vows—such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “The judges in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” | |
Anumānena jānanti, |
|
atthi so bhagavā iti. |
|
| The lamplighters in the City of Righteousness | |
| ‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who are pure and stainless, in whom no evil dispositions are left, who, skilful in the knowledge of the fall and rise of beings, have perfected themselves in the Divine Eye—such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “The givers of light in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” | |
Anumānena jānanti, |
|
ūmiṁ disvāna sāgare; |
|
| The peace-officers in the City of Righteousness | |
Yathāyaṁ dissate ūmi, |
‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who are learned in the traditions, who hand on what has been handed down, the repeaters of the Discourses, and of the Canon Law, and of the tables of contents, those who are skilled in the exact determination of letters into surds and sonants, into longs and short, as to lightness and heaviness, those who know by heart the ninefold word—such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “The peace officers in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” |
mahanto so bhavissati. |
|
| ‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who are learned in the Vinaya (Rules of the Order, Canon Law), wise in the Vinaya, skilled in detecting the source of offences. | |
Tathā buddhaṁ sokanudaṁ, |
, skilled in deciding whether any act is an offence or not, whether an offence is grievous or slight, whether it can be atoned for or not, skilled in deciding questions as to the rise, the acknowledgment, the absolution, or the confession of an offence ; |
sabbatthamaparājitaṁ; |
as to the suspension, or the restoration, or the defence of an offender, who are perfect Masters in the Vinaya—such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “The Rūpa-dakshas in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” |
Taṇhakkhayamanuppattaṁ, |
|
bhavasaṁsāramocanaṁ. |
The shop-keepers in the City of Righteousness |
| ‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who wear on their brows the lotus garland of that noble Emancipation, who have attained to that highest and best and most exceeding excellent of all conditions, who are loved and longed for by the great multitudes—such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “Flower-sellers in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” | |
Anumānena ñātabbaṁ, |
|
ūmiṁ disvā sadevake; |
‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who have penetrated to the comprehension of the four Truths, and have seen them with their eyes, who are wise in the teaching, who have passed beyond doubt as to the four fruits of Samaṇaship, who having attained to the bliss thereof, share those fruits with others who have entered the paths —such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “Fruit-dealers in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” |
Yathā dhammūmivipphāro, |
|
aggo buddho bhavissati. |
‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who, being anointed with that most excellent perfume of right conduct, are gifted with many and various virtues, and are able to dispel the bad odour of sin and evil dispositions—such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “Perfume dealers in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” |
Anumānena jānanti, |
The drunkards (! |
disvā accuggataṁ giriṁ; |
) in the City of Righteousness |
| ‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus whose delight is in the Dhamma, and whose converse is pleasant, who find exceeding joy in the higher subtleties of the Dharma and the Vinaya, who either in the forest, or at the foot of trees, or in empty places, drink the sweet sap of the Dharma, who plunging themselves, as it were, in body, speech, and mind into the sweet juice of the Dharma, excel in expounding it, in seeking and in detecting the deeper truths in the various doctrines, who—wheresoever and whensoever the discourse is of wishing for little, of contentment, of solitude, of retirement, of the exertion in zeal, of right conduct, of meditation, of knowledge, of emancipation, of the insight arising from the assurance of emancipation thither do they repair, and drink in the sweet savour of that discourse-such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “Thirsty and drunkards in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” | |
Yathā accuggato eso, |
|
himavā so bhavissati. |
|
| The watchmen in the City of Righteousness | |
| ‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who are addicted to the habit of wakefulness from the first watch of the night to the last, who spend day and night in sitting, standing, or walking up and down in meditation, who, addicted to the habit of contemplation, are devoted to their own advancement by the suppressing of evil dispositions—such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “Watchmen in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” | |
Tathā disvā dhammagiriṁ, |
|
sītībhūtaṁ nirūpadhiṁ; |
|
| The lawyers and judges in the City of Righteousness | |
Accuggataṁ bhagavato, |
‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who in the spirit and in the letter, in its arguments and explanations, in its reasons and examples, teach and repeat, utter forth and recapitulate the ninefold word of the Buddha-such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “Lawyers (dealers in Dharma) in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” |
acalaṁ suppatiṭṭhitaṁ. |
|
| The bankers in the City of Righteousness | |
Anumānena ñātabbaṁ, |
‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who are wealthy and rich in the wealth of the treasures of the Doctrine, in the wealth of the traditions, and the text, and the learning thereof, who comprehend the signs, and vowels, and consonants thereof, in all their details, pervading all directions with their knowledge—such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “Bankers of the Dhamma in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” |
disvāna dhammapabbataṁ; |
|
Tathā hi so mahāvīro, |
‘And furthermore, O king, those of the Bhikkhus who have penetrated to the sublimer teaching, who understand exposition and the divisions of objects of meditation to be practised, who are perfect in all the subtler points of training —Such Bhikkhus are called, O king, “Distinguished masters of law in the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness.” |
aggo buddho bhavissati. |
|
| The conclusion drawn by inference | |
Yathāpi gajarājassa, |
‘Thus well planned out, O king, is the Blessed One’s City of Righteousness, thus well built, thus well appointed, thus well provisioned, thus well established, thus well guarded, thus well protected, thus impregnable by enemies or foes. |
padaṁ disvāna mānusā; |
And by this explanation, O king, by this argument, by this reason, you may by inference know that the Blessed One did once exist. |
Anumānena jānanti, |
|
mahā eso gajo iti. |
(I) “As when they see a pleasant city, well planned out, |
| Men know, by inference, how great the founder was; | |
Tatheva buddhanāgassa, |
So when they see our Lord’s ‘City of Righteousness’ |
padaṁ disvā vibhāvino; |
They know, by inference, that he did once exist. |
Anumānena jānanti, |
|
uḷāro so bhavissati. |
(2) “As men, seeing its waves, can judge, by inference, |
| The great extent and power of the world-embracing sea; | |
Anumānena jānanti, |
So may they judge the Buddha when they see the waves |
bhīte disvāna kummige; |
That he set rolling through the world of gods and men— |
| He who, unconquered in the fight, allays all griefs, | |
Migarājassa saddena, |
Who rooted out, in his own heart, Craving’s dread power, |
bhītāme kummigā iti. |
And set his followers free from the whirlpool of rebirths— |
| ’Far as the waves of the Good-Law extend and roll, | |
| So great, so mighty, must our Lord, the Buddha, be.’ | |
Tatheva titthiye disvā, |
|
vitthate bhītamānase; |
|
| (3) “As men, seeing its mighty peaks that tower aloft, | |
Anumānena ñātabbaṁ, |
Can judge, by inference, Himālaya’s wondrous height; |
dhammarājena gajjitaṁ. |
|
| So when they see the Buddha’s Mount-of-Righteousness— | |
| Stedfast, unshaken by fierce passion’s stormy blasts, | |
Nibbutaṁ pathaviṁ disvā, |
Towering aloft in wondrous heights of calm and peace, |
haritapattaṁ mahodikaṁ; |
Where lusts, evil, and Karma cannot breathe or live— |
| They draw the inference: | |
Anumānena jānanti, |
‘Great as this mountain high |
mahāmeghena nibbutaṁ. |
That mighty Hero’s power upon whose word it stands.’ |
Tathevimaṁ janaṁ disvā, |
(4) “As men, seeing the footprint of an elephant king, |
āmoditapamoditaṁ; |
Can judge, by inference: |
| ‘How great his size must be!’ | |
Anumānena ñātabbaṁ, |
|
dhammameghena tappitaṁ. |
So when they see the footprint of the elephant of men, |
| Buddha, the wise, upon the path that men have trod, | |
| They know, by inference: | |
Laggaṁ disvā bhusaṁ paṅkaṁ, |
‘How glorious Buddha was!’ |
kalaladdagataṁ mahiṁ; |
|
Anumānena jānanti, |
(5) As when they see all living things crouching in fear, |
vārikkhandho mahā gato. |
Men know: |
| ‘’Tis the roar of the king of the beasts that frightens them.’ | |
Tathevimaṁ janaṁ disvā, |
So, seeing other teachers break and fly in fear, |
rajapaṅkasamohitaṁ; |
They know: |
| ‘’Tis a king of the truth hath uttered words sublime!’ | |
Vahitaṁ dhammanadiyā, |
|
visaṭṭhaṁ dhammasāgare. |
|
| (6) Seeing the earth smiling, well watered, green with grass, | |
| Men say: | |
Dhammāmatagataṁ disvā, |
‘A great and pleasant rain hath fallen fast.’ |
sadevakamimaṁ mahiṁ; |
|
| So when they see this multitude rejoicing, peaceful, blest, | |
Anumānena ñātabbaṁ, |
Men may infer: |
dhammakkhandho mahā gato. |
‘How sweet the rain that stilled their hearts!’ |
Anumānena jānanti, |
(7) Seeing the wide earth soaked, boggy, a marsh of mud, |
ghāyitvā gandhamuttamaṁ; |
Men say: |
| ‘Mighty the mass of waters broken loose. | |
Yathāyaṁ vāyate gandho, |
|
hessanti pupphitā dumā. |
So, when they see this mighty host, that once were dazed |
| With the mud of sin, swept down in Dhamma’s stream, and left | |
| In the wide sea of the Good-Law, some here, some there, | |
Tathevāyaṁ sīlagandho, |
All, gods and men alike, plunged in ambrosial waves, |
pavāyati sadevake; |
They may infer, and say: |
| ‘How great that Dhamma is!’ | |
Anumānena ñātabbaṁ, |
|
atthi buddho anuttaro’ti. |
|
| (8) “As when men, travelling, feel a glorious perfume sweet | |
| Pervading all the country side, and gladdening them, infer at once, | |
Evarūpena kho, mahārāja, kāraṇasatena kāraṇasahassena hetusatena hetusahassena nayasatena nayasahassena opammasatena opammasahassena sakkā buddhabalaṁ upadassayituṁ. |
’surely, ‘tis giant forest trees are flowering now!’ |
Yathā, mahārāja, dakkho mālākāro nānāpuppharāsimhā ācariyānusiṭṭhiyā paccattapurisakārena vicittaṁ mālāguṇarāsiṁ kareyya; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, so bhagavā vicittapuppharāsi viya anantaguṇo appameyyaguṇo, ahametarahi jinasāsane mālākāro viya pupphaganthako pubbakānaṁ ācariyānaṁ maggenapi mayhaṁ buddhibalenapi asaṅkhyeyyenapi kāraṇena anumānena buddhabalaṁ dīpayissāmi, tvaṁ panettha chandaṁ janehi savanāyā”ti. |
So, conscious of this perfume sweet of righteousness |
| That now pervades the earth and heavens, they may infer: | |
“Dukkaraṁ, bhante nāgasena, aññesaṁ evarūpena kāraṇena anumānena buddhabalaṁ upadassayituṁ, nibbutosmi, bhante nāgasena, tumhākaṁ paramavicittena pañhaveyyākaraṇenā”ti. |
’A Buddha, infinitely great, must once have lived!’ |
| ” | |
Anumānapañho paṭhamo. |
‘And it would be possible, O king, to show forth the Buddha’s greatness, by a hundred or a thousand such examples, such reasons, such arguments, such metaphors. |
| just, O king, as a clever garland maker will, from one heap of all kinds of flowers, both following the instruction of his teacher, and also using his own individuality as a man, make many variegated and beautiful bouquets—just so, O king, that Blessed One is, as it were, an infinite, immeasurable, heap of variegated flowers of virtue. | |
| And I now, a garland maker, as it were in the church of the Conqueror, stringing those flowers together—both following the path of our teachers of old, and also using such power of wisdom as in me is—could show forth by inference the power of the Buddha in innumerable similes. | |
| But you, on the other hand, must show a desire to hear them.’ | |
| ‘Hard would it be, Nāgasena, for any other men thus to have shown by inference, drawn from such examples, the power of the Buddha. | |
| I am filled with satisfaction, venerable Nāgasena, at your so perfectly varied exposition of this problem.’ | |
| Here ends the problem of Inference. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Anumānapañha |
Book 6 |
Anumānavagga |
6.4.2. The Voluntary Extra Vows |
2. Dhutaṅgapañha |
Can laymen attain Nibbāna? |
“Passatāraññake bhikkhū, |
|
ajjhogāḷhe dhute guṇe; |
The king saw Bhikkhus in the forest, lone |
| And far away from men, keeping hard vows. | |
Puna passati gihī rājā, |
|
anāgāmiphale ṭhite. |
And then he saw too householders, at home, |
| Eating the sweet fruits of the Noble Path. | |
Ubhopi te viloketvā, |
Considering both of these, deep doubts he felt. |
uppajji saṁsayo mahā; |
|
| ’If laymen also realise the Truth | |
Bujjheyya ce gihī dhamme, |
Then surely vowing vows must be in vain. |
dhutaṅgaṁ nipphalaṁ siyā. |
|
| Come! let me ask that best of teachers, wise | |
| In the threefold basket of the Buddha’s words, | |
Paravādivādamathanaṁ, |
Skilled to o’erthrow the arguments of the foe. |
nipuṇaṁ piṭakattaye; |
|
| He will be able to resolve my doubts!’ | |
Handa pucche kathiseṭṭhaṁ, |
|
so me kaṅkhaṁ vinessatī”ti. |
|
| Now Milinda the king went up to the place where Nāgasena was, and bowed down before him, and took his seat on one side. | |
| And when so seated, he said to Nāgasena: | |
Atha kho milindo rājā yenāyasmā nāgaseno tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, ekamantaṁ nisinno kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—“bhante nāgasena, atthi koci gihī agāriko kāmabhogī puttadārasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvasanto kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhonto mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhārayanto jātarūparajataṁ sādiyanto maṇimuttākañcanavicittamoḷibaddho yena santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikatan”ti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, is there any layman living at home, enjoying the pleasures of sense, occupying a dwelling encumbered with wife and children, enjoying the use of sandal wood from Benares, and of garlands, perfumes, and ointments, accepting gold and silver, with an embroidered head-dress on, set with diamonds and pearls and gold-is there any such who has seen face to face the calm, the supreme good, Nirvāṇa |
| ‘Not one hundred only, O king, nor two nor three nor five nor six hundred, not a thousand only, nor a hundred thousand, nor ten millions, nor ten thousand millions, not even only a billion laymen (have seen Nirvāṇa)—not to speak of twenty or thirty or a hundred or a thousand who have attained to clear understanding (of the four Truths). | |
“Na, mahārāja, ekaññeva sataṁ na dve satāni na tīṇi cattāri pañca satāni na sahassaṁ na satasahassaṁ na koṭisataṁ na koṭisahassaṁ na koṭisatasahassaṁ, tiṭṭhatu, mahārāja, dasannaṁ vīsatiyā satassa sahassassa abhisamayo, katamena te pariyāyena anuyogaṁ dammī”ti. |
By what kind of exposition shall I lay before you evidence showing that I know this ?’ |
“Tvamevetaṁ brūhī”ti. |
‘Do you yourself tell me.’ |
“Tena hi te, mahārāja, kathayissāmi satena vā sahassena vā satasahassena vā koṭiyā vā koṭisatena vā koṭisahassena vā koṭisatasahassena vā, yā kāci navaṅge buddhavacane sallekhitācārappaṭipattidhutavaraṅgaguṇanissitā kathā, tā sabbā idha samosarissanti. |
|
Yathā, mahārāja, ninnunnatasamavisamathalāthaladesabhāge abhivuṭṭhaṁ udakaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ tato vinigaḷitvā mahodadhiṁ sāgaraṁ samosarati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, sampādake sati yā kāci navaṅge buddhavacane sallekhitācārappaṭipattidhutaṅgaguṇadharanissitā kathā, tā sabbā idha samosarissanti. |
‘Then, O king, I will explain it. |
| All those passages in the ninefold word of the Buddha that deal with holiness of life, and attainment of the path, and the divisions of the excellent habit of living under vows, shall be brought to bear in this connection. | |
| Just, O king, as water which has rained down upon a country district, with both low-lying and high places, level land and undulations, dry ground and wet, will-all of it-flow off thence and meet together in the ocean of great waters; | |
Mayhampettha, mahārāja, paribyattatāya buddhiyā kāraṇaparidīpanaṁ samosarissati, teneso attho suvibhatto vicitto paripuṇṇo parisuddho samānīto bhavissati. |
so will all those passages meet together, and be brought into connection, here. |
Yathā, mahārāja, kusalo lekhācariyo anusiṭṭho lekhaṁ osārento attano byattatāya buddhiyā kāraṇaparidīpanena lekhaṁ paripūreti, evaṁ sā lekhā samattā paripuṇṇā anūnikā bhavissati. |
And a manifestation of reasons out of my experience and knowledge shall be also brought to bear. |
Evameva mayhampettha paribyattatāya buddhiyā kāraṇaparidīpanaṁ samosarissati, teneso attho suvibhatto vicitto paripuṇṇo parisuddho samānīto bhavissati. |
Thus will this matter be thoroughly analysed, its beauty will be brought out, it will be exhausted, brought home to rest. |
| It will be, O king, as when an able writing-master, on exhibiting, by request, his skill in writing, will supplement the written signs by an explanation of reasons out of his experience and knowledge, and thus that writing of his becomes finished, perfect, without defect. | |
| So will I also bring to bear a manifestation of reasons out of my experience and knowledge; | |
Nagare, mahārāja, sāvatthiyā pañcakoṭimattā ariyasāvakā bhagavato upāsakaupāsikāyo sattapaṇṇāsasahassāni tīṇi ca satasahassāni anāgāmiphale patiṭṭhitā, te sabbepi gihīyeva, na pabbajitā. |
and thus shall this matter be thoroughly analysed, its beauty shall be brought out, it shall be exhausted, set at rest. |
Puna tattheva kaṇḍambamūle yamakapāṭihāriye vīsati pāṇakoṭiyo abhisamiṁsu, puna cūḷarāhulovāde, mahāmaṅgalasuttante, samacittapariyāye, parābhavasuttante, purābhedasuttante, kalahavivādasuttante, cūḷabyūhasuttante, mahābyūhasuttante, tuvaṭakasuttante, sāriputtasuttante gaṇanapathamatītānaṁ devatānaṁ dhammābhisamayo ahosi. |
|
| ‘In the city of Sāvatthi, O king, about fifty millions of the disciples of the Blessed One, devout men and devout women, were walking in the paths, and out of those three hundred and fifty-seven thousand were established in the fruit of the third path. | |
Nagare rājagahe paññāsasahassāni tīṇi ca satasahassāni ariyasāvakā bhagavato upāsakaupāsikāyo, puna tattheva dhanapālahatthināgadamane navuti pāṇakoṭiyo, pārāyanasamāgame pāsāṇakacetiye cuddasa pāṇakoṭiyo, puna indasālaguhāyaṁ asīti devatākoṭiyo, puna bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye paṭhame dhammadesane aṭṭhārasa brahmakoṭiyo aparimāṇā ca devatāyo, puna tāvatiṁsabhavane paṇḍukambalasilāyaṁ abhidhammadesanāya asīti devatākoṭiyo, devorohaṇe saṅkassanagaradvāre lokavivaraṇapāṭihāriye pasannānaṁ naramarūnaṁ tiṁsa koṭiyo abhisamiṁsu. |
And all of them were laity, not members of the Order. |
| And there too, at the foot of the Gaṇḍamba tree, when the double miracle took place, two hundred millions of living beings penetrated to an understanding (of the four Truths). | |
| And again on the delivery of the Rāhulovāda discourse, and of the Mahā Mangala discourse, and of the Samacitta exposition, and of the Parābhava discourse, and of the Purābheda discourse, and of the Kalaha-vivāda discourse, and of the cūla-vyūha discourse, and of the Mahā-vyūha discourse, and of the Tuwaṭaka discourse, and of the Sāriputta discourse, an innumerable number of celestial beings penetrated to knowledge (of the four Truths). | |
Puna sakkesu kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme buddhavaṁsadesanāya mahāsamayasuttantadesanāya ca gaṇanapathamatītānaṁ devatānaṁ dhammābhisamayo ahosi. |
In the city of Rājagaha three hundred and fifty thousand devout laymen and devout laywomen, disciples of the Blessed One, were walking in the Paths. |
Puna sumanamālākārasamāgame, garahadinnasamāgame, ānandaseṭṭhisamāgame, jambukājīvakasamāgame, maṇḍukadevaputtasamāgame, maṭṭhakuṇḍalidevaputtasamāgame, sulasānagarasobhinisamāgame, sirimānagarasobhinisamāgame, pesakāradhītusamāgame, cūḷasubhaddāsamāgame, sāketabrāhmaṇassa āḷāhanadassanasamāgame, sūnāparantakasamāgame, sakkapañhasamāgame, tirokuṭṭasamāgame, ratanasuttasamāgame paccekaṁ caturāsītiyā pāṇasahassānaṁ dhammābhisamayo ahosi, yāvatā, mahārāja, bhagavā loke aṭṭhāsi, tāva tīsu maṇḍalesu soḷasasu mahājanapadesu yattha yattha bhagavā vihāsi, tattha tattha yebhuyyena dve tayo cattāro pañca sataṁ sahassaṁ satasahassaṁ devā ca manussā ca santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikariṁsu. |
And there again at the taming of Dhanapāla the great elephant nine hundred million living beings, and again at the meeting at the Pāsāṇika cetiya on the occasion of the Pārāyana discourse one hundred and forty million living beings, and again at the Indasāla cave eight hundred millions of gods, and again at Benares in the deer park Isipatana at the first preaching of the Dhamma one hundred and eighty million Brahmā gods and innumerable others, and again in the heaven of the Thirty-Three at the preaching of the Abhidhamma on the Paṇḍu Kambala Rock eight hundred millions of the gods, and on the descent from the world of the gods at the gate of the city of Saṅkassa, at the miracle of the manifestation to the world, three hundred millions of believing men and deities penetrated to a knowledge (of the four Truths). |
Ye te, mahārāja, devā gihīyeva, na te pabbajitā, etāni ceva, mahārāja, aññāni ca anekāni devatākoṭisatasahassāni gihī agārikā kāmabhogino santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikariṁsū”ti. |
And again at Kapila-vatthu among the Sakyas, at the preaching of the Buddhavaṁsa in the Nigrodha Arāma, and again at the preaching of the Mahā Samaya Suttanta, gods in numbers that cannot be counted penetrated to a knowledge of the Dhamma. |
| And again at the assemblies on the occasions of Sumana the garland maker, and of Garahadinna, and of Ānanda the rich man, and of Gambuka the naked ascetic, and of Maṇḍūka the god, and of Matta-kuṇḍali the god, and of Sulasā the courtesan, and of Sirimā the courtesan, and of the weaver’s daughter, and of Subhaddā, and of the spectacle of the cremation of the Brahman of Sāketa, and of the Sūnāparantas, and of the problem put by Sakka, and of the Tirokudda Sutta, and of the Ratana Sutta —at each of these eighty-four thousand penetrated to a knowledge of the Dhamma. | |
| So long, O king, as the Blessed One remained in the world, so long wheresoever in the three great divisions (of India) or in the sixteen principal countries (in them) he stayed, there, as a usual thing, two, three, four, or five hundred, or a thousand, or a hundred thousand, both gods and men, saw face to face the calm, the supreme good, Nirvāṇa. | |
“Yadi, bhante nāgasena, gihī agārikā kāmabhogino santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaronti, atha imāni dhutaṅgāni kimatthaṁ sādhenti, tena kāraṇena dhutaṅgāni akiccakarāni honti. |
And all of those who were gods, O king, were laymen. |
Yadi, bhante nāgasena, vinā mantosadhehi byādhayo vūpasamanti, kiṁ vamanavirecanādinā sarīradubbalakaraṇena? |
They had not entered the Order. |
Yadi muṭṭhīhi paṭisattuniggaho bhavati, kiṁ asisattisaradhanukodaṇḍalaguḷamuggarehi? |
So these and many other billions of gods, O king—even while they were yet laymen, living at home, enjoying the pleasures of sense—saw face to face (realised in themselves) the condition of Peace, the Supreme Good, Nirvāṇa.’ |
Yadi gaṇṭhikuṭilasusirakaṇṭalatāsākhā ālambitvā rukkhamabhirūhanaṁ bhavati, kiṁ dīghadaḷhanisseṇipariyesanena? |
|
Yadi thaṇḍilaseyyāya dhātusamatā bhavati, kiṁ sukhasamphassamahatimahāsirisayanapariyesanena? |
|
Yadi ekako sāsaṅkasappaṭibhayavisamakantārataraṇasamattho bhavati, kiṁ sannaddhasajjamahatimahāsatthapariyesanena? |
‘If so, venerable Nāgasena—if laymen, living at home and enjoying the pleasures of sense, can see Nirvāṇa—what purpose then do these extra vows serve? |
Yadi nadisaraṁ bāhunā tarituṁ samattho bhavati, kiṁ dhuvasetunāvāpariyesanena? |
That being so, rather must The vows be workers of mischief. |
Yadi sakasantakena ghāsacchādanaṁ kātuṁ pahoti, kiṁ parūpasevanapiyasamullāpapacchāpuredhāvanena? |
For, Nāgasena, if diseases would abate without medicine, what would be the advantage of weakening the body by emetics, by purges, and other like remedies? |
Yadi akhātataḷāke udakaṁ labhati, kiṁ udapānataḷākapokkharaṇikhaṇanena? |
—if one’s enemies could be subdued with one’s fists only, where would be the need of swords and spears, of javelins and bows and cross-bows, of maces and of clubs? |
Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, yadi gihī agārikā kāmabhogino santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaronti, kiṁ dhutaguṇavarasamādiyanenā”ti? |
—if trees could be climbed by clambering up them with the aid of the knots and of the crooked and hollow places in them, of the thorny excrescences and creepers and branches growing on them, what would be the need of going in quest of ladders long and strong? |
| —if sleeping on the bare ground gave ease to the limbs, why should one seek after fine large beds, soft to the touch? | |
| —if one could cross the desert alone, inaccessible though it be, and full of danger and fear, why need one wait for a grand caravan, well armed and well equipped? | |
“Aṭṭhavīsati kho panime, mahārāja, dhutaṅgaguṇā yathābhuccaguṇā, yehi guṇehi dhutaṅgāni sabbabuddhānaṁ pihayitāni patthitāni. |
—if a man were able by his own arms to cross a flowing river, what need he care for firm dykes or boats? |
Katame aṭṭhavīsati? |
—if he could provide board and lodging for himself out of his own property, why should he trouble to do service to others, to flatter with sweet words, to run to and fro? |
Idha, mahārāja, dhutaṅgaṁ suddhājīvaṁ sukhaphalaṁ anavajjaṁ na paradukkhāpanaṁ abhayaṁ asampīḷanaṁ ekantavaḍḍhikaṁ aparihāniyaṁ amāyaṁ ārakkhā patthitadadaṁ sabbasattadamanaṁ saṁvarahitaṁ patirūpaṁ anissitaṁ vippamuttaṁ rāgakkhayaṁ dosakkhayaṁ mohakkhayaṁ mānappahānaṁ kuvitakkacchedanaṁ kaṅkhāvitaraṇaṁ kosajjaviddhaṁsanaṁ aratippahānaṁ khamanaṁ atulaṁ appamāṇaṁ sabbadukkhakkhayagamanaṁ, ime kho, mahārāja, aṭṭhavīsati dhutaṅgaguṇā yathābhuccaguṇā yehi guṇehi dhutaṅgāni sabbabuddhānaṁ pihayitāni patthitāni. |
—when he can get water from a natural pool, why should he dig wells and tanks and artificial ponds? |
| And just so, venerable Nāgasena, if laymen, living at home and enjoying the pleasures of sense, can realise in themselves the condition of Peace, the Supreme Good, Nirvāṇa, what is the need of taking upon oneself these vows?’ | |
Ye kho te, mahārāja, dhutaguṇe sammā upasevanti, te aṭṭhārasahi guṇehi samupetā bhavanti. |
|
Katamehi aṭṭhārasahi? |
The twenty-eight advantages of the vows |
Ācāro tesaṁ suvisuddho hoti, paṭipadā supūritā hoti, kāyikaṁ vācasikaṁ surakkhitaṁ hoti, manosamācāro suvisuddho hoti, vīriyaṁ supaggahitaṁ hoti, bhayaṁ vūpasammati, attānudiṭṭhibyapagatā hoti, āghāto uparato hoti, mettā upaṭṭhitā hoti, āhāro pariññāto hoti, sabbasattānaṁ garukato hoti, bhojane mattaññū hoti, jāgariyamanuyutto hoti, aniketo hoti, yattha phāsu tattha vihārī hoti, pāpajegucchī hoti, vivekārāmo hoti, satataṁ appamatto hoti, ye te, mahārāja, dhutaguṇe sammā upasevanti, te imehi aṭṭhārasahi guṇehi samupetā bhavanti. |
‘There are, O king, these twenty-eight good qualities in the vows, virtues really inherent in them; |
| and on account of these all the Buddhas alike have longed for them and held them dear. | |
| And what are the twenty-eight? | |
Dasa ime, mahārāja, puggalā dhutaguṇārahā. |
the keeping of the vows, O king, implies a mode of livelihood without evil, it has a blissful calm as its fruit, it avoids blame, it works no harm to others, it is free from danger, it brings no trouble on others, it is certain to bring with it growth in goodness, it wastes not away, it deludes not, it is in itself a protection, it works the satisfaction of desires and the taming of all beings, it is good for self-control, it is appropriate, (he who keeps the vows) is self-dependent, is emancipated, the keeping of them is the destruction of lust; |
Katame dasa? |
and of malice, and of dullness; |
Saddho hoti hirimā dhitimā akuho atthavasī alolo sikkhākāmo daḷhasamādāno anujjhānabahulo mettāvihārī, ime kho, mahārāja, dasa puggalā dhutaguṇārahā. |
it is the putting away of pride, the cutting off of evil thoughts, the removal of doubts, the suppression of sloth, the putting away of discontent; |
| it is long-suffering, its merit is beyond weight, and its virtue beyond measure, and it is the path that leads to the end of every grief. | |
| These, O king, are the twenty-eight good qualities in the vows; | |
Ye te, mahārāja, gihī agārikā kāmabhogino santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaronti, sabbe te purimāsu jātīsu terasasu dhutaguṇesu katūpāsanā katabhūmikammā, te tattha cārañca paṭipattiñca sodhayitvā ajjetarahi gihīyeva santā santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaronti. |
and it is on account of these that all the Buddhas alike have longed for them and held them dear. |
Yathā, mahārāja, kusalo issāso antevāsike paṭhamaṁ tāva upāsanasālāyaṁ cāpabhedacāpāropanaggahaṇamuṭṭhippaṭipīḷanaaṅgulivināmanapādaṭhapanasaraggahaṇasannahanaākaḍḍhanasandhāraṇalakkhaniyamanakhipane tiṇapurisakachakaṇatiṇapalālamattikāpuñjaphalakalakkhavedhe anusikkhāpetvā rañño santike upāsanaṁ ārādhayitvā ājaññarathagajaturaṅgadhanadhaññahiraññasuvaṇṇadāsidāsabhariyagāmavaraṁ labhati; |
The eighteen good qualities that come from keeping them |
evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te gihī agārikā kāmabhogino santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaronti, te sabbe purimāsu jātīsu terasasu dhutaguṇesu katūpāsanā katabhūmikammā, te tattheva cārañca paṭipattiñca sodhayitvā ajjetarahi gihīyeva santā santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaronti. |
‘And whosoever, O king, thoroughly carry out the vows, they become completely endowed with eighteen good qualities. |
Na, mahārāja, dhutaguṇesu pubbāsevanaṁ vinā ekissāyeva jātiyā arahattaṁ sacchikiriyā hoti, uttamena pana vīriyena uttamāya paṭipattiyā tathārūpena ācariyena kalyāṇamittena arahattaṁ sacchikiriyā hoti. |
What are these eighteen? |
| Their walk is pure, their path is accomplished, well guarded are they in deed and word, altogether pure are they in manners and in mind, their zeal flags not, all their fears are allayed, all delusions (as to the permanence and as to the degree) of their individuality have been put away, anger has died away while love (to all beings) has arisen in their hearts, in taking nourishment they eat it with the three right views regarding food, they are honoured of all men, they are temperate in eating, they are full of watchfulness, they need no home, wheresoever is a pleasant spot there do they dwell, they loathe to do ill, they take delight in solitude, they are in earnest always. | |
| These, O king, are the good qualities with which they who carry out the vows are completely endowed. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, bhisakko sallakatto ācariyaṁ dhanena vā vattappaṭipattiyā vā ārādhetvā satthaggahaṇachedanalekhanavedhanasalluddharaṇavaṇadhovanasosanabhesajjānulimpanavamanavirecanānuvāsanakiriyamanusikkhitvā vijjāsu katasikkho katūpāsano katahattho āture upasaṅkamati tikicchāya; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, ye te gihī agārikā kāmabhogino santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaronti, te sabbe purimāsu jātīsu terasasu dhutaguṇesu katūpāsanā katabhūmikammā, te tattheva cārañca paṭipattiñca sodhayitvā ajjetarahi gihīyeva santā santaṁ paramatthaṁ nibbānaṁ sacchikaronti, na, mahārāja, dhutaguṇehi avisuddhānaṁ dhammābhisamayo hoti. |
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| ‘And these ten, O king, are the individuals worthy of those advantages inherent in the vows—the man full of faith, ashamed to do wrong, full of courage, void of hypocrisy, master of himself, not unstable, desirous to learn, glad to undertake the task that is hard, not easy to take offence, of a loving heart. | |
| These, O king, are the ten individuals worthy of those advantages inherent in the vows. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, udakassa asecanena bījānaṁ avirūhanaṁ hoti; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, dhutaguṇehi avisuddhānaṁ dhammābhisamayo na hoti. |
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| ‘And all they, O king, who as laymen, living at home and in the enjoyment of the pleasures of sense, realise in themselves the condition of Peace, the Supreme Good, Nirvāṇa—all they had in former births accomplished their training, laid the foundation, in the practice of the thirteen vows, had purified their walk and conduct by means of them; | |
| and so now, even as laymen, living at home and in the enjoyment of the pleasures of sense, do they realise in themselves the condition of Peace, the Supreme Good, Nirvāṇa. | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, akatakusalānaṁ akatakalyāṇānaṁ sugatigamanaṁ na hoti; |
Just, O king, as a clever archer first in regular succession teaches his pupils at the training ground the different kinds of bows, the manner of holding the bow up, and of keeping it in a firm grasp, and of bending the fingers, and of planting the feet, and of taking up the arrow, and of placing it on The string, and of drawing it back, and of restraining it, and of aiming at the mark, and thus of hitting a man of straw, or targets made of the Khaṇaka plant, or of grass, or of straw, or of masses of clay, or of shields —and after that, introducing them to the service of the king, he gains the reward of high-bred chargers and chariots and elephants and horses and money and corn and red gold and slave girls and slaves and wives and lands. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, dhutaguṇehi avisuddhānaṁ dhammābhisamayo na hoti. |
Just so, O king, all they who as laymen, living at home in the enjoyment of the pleasures of sense, realise in themselves the condition of Peace, the Supreme Good, Nirvāṇa—all they had in former births accomplished their training, laid the foundation, in the practice of the thirteen vows, had purified their walk and conduct by means of them; |
| and so now, even as laymen, and living at home in the enjoyment of the pleasures of sense, do they realise in themselves the condition of Peace, the Supreme Good, Nirvāṇa. | |
Pathavisamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ patiṭṭhānaṭṭhena. |
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| No Arahatship without having kept them | |
| ‘And there is no realisation of Arahatship, O king, in one single life, without a previous keeping of the vows. | |
Āposamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbakilesamaladhovanaṭṭhena. |
Only on the utmost zeal and the most devoted practice of righteousness, and with the aid of a suitable teacher, is the realisation of Arahatship attained. |
| just, O king, as a doctor or surgeon first procures for himself a teacher, either by the payment of a fee or by the performance of service, and then thoroughly trains himself in holding the lancet, in cutting, marking, or piercing with it, in extracting darts, in cleansing wounds, in causing them to dry up, in the application of ointments, in the administration of emetics and purges and oily enemas, and only when he has thus gone through training, served his apprenticeship, made himself skilful, does he visit the sick to heal them. | |
| Just so, O king, all they who as laymen, living at home in the enjoyment of the pleasures of sense, realise in themselves the condition of Peace, the Supreme Good, Nirvāṇa—all they had in former births accomplished their training, laid the foundation, in the practice of the thirteen vows, had purified their walk and conduct by means of them; | |
Tejosamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbakilesavanajjhāpanaṭṭhena. |
and so now, even as laymen, and living at home in the enjoyment of the pleasures of sense, do they realise in themselves the condition of Peace, the Supreme Good, Nirvāṇa. |
Vāyosamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbakilesamalarajopavāhanaṭṭhena. |
‘And there is no perception of the truth to those who are not purified by the virtues that depend on the keeping of the vows. |
| just as without water no seed will grow, so can there be no perception of the truth to those not purified by the practice of the vows. | |
| just as there is no rebirth in bliss to those who have done no meritorious actions, no beautiful deeds, so is there no perception of the truth for those not purified by the practice of the vows. | |
Agadasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbakilesabyādhivūpasamanaṭṭhena. |
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| Similes | |
Amatasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbakilesavisanāsanaṭṭhena. |
‘Like the broad earth, O king, is the character resulting from the keeping of the vows, to serve as a basis to those who desire to be pure. |
| Like water is it, O king, to wash away the stain of all things evil in those who desire to be pure. | |
| Like the fire is it, O king, to burn out the lust of all evil in those who desire to be pure . | |
Khettasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbasāmaññaguṇasassavirūhanaṭṭhena. |
Like the wind is it, O king, to carry away the dust of all evil in those desiring to be pure. |
| Like medicine is it, O king, to allay the disease of evil in those desiring to be pure. | |
| Like ambrosia is it, O king, to act as an antidote to the poison of evil in those desiring to be pure. | |
Manoharasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ patthiticchitasabbasampattivaradadaṭṭhena. |
Like arable land is it, O king, on which to grow the crop of ‘all the virtues of renunciation to those desiring to be pure. |
| Like a wishing-gem is it, O king; | |
| for conferring all the high attainments they long and crave for upon those who desire to be pure. | |
Nāvāsamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ saṁsāramahaṇṇavapāragamanaṭṭhena. |
Like a boat is it, O king, for carrying to the further shore of the mighty ocean of transmigration all those who desire to be pure. |
| Like a place of refuge is it, O king, where those who desire to be pure can be safe from the fear of old age and death. | |
| Like a mother is it, O king, to comfort those who desire to be pure when afflicted with the sorrows of sin. | |
Bhīruttāṇasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ jarāmaraṇabhītānaṁ assāsakaraṇaṭṭhena. |
Like a father is it, O king, to raise up in those who desire to be pure and to increase in goodness all the good qualities of those who have renounced the world. |
| Like a friend is it, O king, in not disappointing those who desire to be pure in their search after the good qualities of those who have renounced the world. | |
| Like a lotus flower, O king, is it, in not being tarnished by the stain of evil. | |
Mātusamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ kilesadukkhappaṭipīḷitānaṁ anuggāhakaṭṭhena. |
Like costly perfume (of saffron and of jasmine and the Turkish incense and the Greek) is it, O king, for counteracting the bad odour of evil for those who desire to be pure. |
| Like a lofty mountain range is it, O king, for protecting those who desire to be pure from the onslaught of the winds of the eight conditions to which men are subject in this world (gain and loss, and fame and dishonour, and praise and blame, and happiness and woe). | |
| Like the space of heaven is it, O king, in the freedom from all obstruction, in the magnitude, in the great expanse and breadth it gives to those who desire to be pure. | |
Pitusamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ kusalavaḍḍhikāmānaṁ sabbasāmaññaguṇajanakaṭṭhena. |
Like a stream is it, O king, in washing away for those who desire to be pure the stain of all evil. |
| Like a guide is it, O king, in bringing safe out of the desert of rebirths, out of the jungle of lusts and sins, those who desire to be pure. | |
| Like a mighty caravan is it, O king, for bringing those who desire to be pure safe into that most blessed city of Nirvāṇa, peaceful and calm, where no fear dwells, Like a well-polished spotless mirror is it, O king, for showing to those who desire to be pure the true nature of the constituent elements of all beings. | |
Mittasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbasāmaññaguṇapariyesanaavisaṁvādakaṭṭhena. |
Like a shield is it, O king, for warding off from those who desire to be pure the clubs and the arrows and the swords of evil dispositions. |
| Like a sunshade is it, O king, for warding off from those who desire to be pure the scorching heat of the threefold fire. | |
| Like The moon is it, O king, as being longed and hoped for by those who desire to be pure. | |
Padumasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbakilesamalehi anupalittaṭṭhena. |
Like the sun is it, O king, as dispelling the blackness of the darkness of ignorance for those who desire to be pure. |
| Like the ocean is it, O king, as causing to arise in those desiring to be pure the costly treasures of the virtues of those who have renounced the world, and by reason too of its immensity, of its being beyond measure and beyond count, | |
Catujjātiyavaragandhasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ kilesaduggandhapaṭivinodanaṭṭhena. |
‘Thus is it, O king, of great service to those desiring to be pure, a remover of all sorrow and lamentation, an antidote to discontent; |
| it puts an end to fear, and individuality, and imperviousness of mind; | |
| to evil, and to grief, and to pain, and to lust, and to malice, and to dullness, and to pride, and to heresy, and to all wrong dispositions; | |
Girirājavarasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ aṭṭhalokadhammavātehi akampiyaṭṭhena. |
it brings with it honour and advantage and bliss; |
| it fills them with ease and with love and with peace of mind; | |
| it is free from blame; | |
Ākāsasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbattha gahaṇāpagatauruvisaṭavitthatamahantaṭṭhena. |
it has happiness here as its fruit; |
| it is a mine and treasure of goodness that is beyond measure and beyond count, costly above all things, and precious. | |
Nadīsamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ kilesamalapavāhanaṭṭhena. |
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| ‘Just, O king, as men for nourishment seek after food, for health medicine, for assistance a friend, for crossing water a boat, for pleasant odours a perfume, for security a place of refuge, for support the earth, for instruction a teacher, for honours a king, and for whatever they desire a wishing-gem—just so, O king, do the Arahats seek after the virtues of the keeping of the vows for the attainment of all the advantages of renunciation of the world. | |
Sudesakasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ jātikantārakilesavanagahananittharaṇaṭṭhena. |
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| ‘And what water is for the growth of seeds, what fire is for burning, what food is for giving strength, what a creeper is for tying things up, what a sword is for cutting, what water is for allaying thirst, what a treasure is for giving confidence, what a boat is for crossing to the further shore, what medicine is for allaying disease, what a carriage is for journeying at ease, what a place of refuge is for appeasing fear, what a king is for protection, what a shield is for warding off the blows of sticks and stakes, of clubs, of arrows, and of darts, what a teacher is for instruction, what a mother is for nourishing, what a mirror is for seeing, what a jewel is for ornament, what a dress is for clothing, what a ladder is for mounting up, what a pair of scales is for comparison, what a charm is for repetition, what a weapon is for warding off scorn, what a lamp is for dissipating darkness, what a breeze is for allaying fever, what knowledge of an art is for the accomplishment of business, what medicinal drugs are for the preservation of life, what a mine is for the production of jewels, what a gem is for ornament, what a command is for preventing transgression, what sovranty is for dominion—all that, O king, is the character-that-comes-of-keeping-the-vows for the good growth of the seed of renunciation, for the burning out of the stains of evil, for giving the strength of Iddhi, for tying up one’s self in self-control and presence of mind, for the complete cutting off of doubt and mistrust, for allaying the thirst of craving, for giving confidence as to perception of the truth, for crossing to the further shore of the fourfold stream (of sensuality, individuality, delusion, and ignorance), for allaying the disease of evil dispositions, for attaining to the bliss of Nirvāṇa, for appeasing the fears that arise from birth, old age, decay and death, grief, pain, lamentation, woe, and despair, for being protected in the possession of the advantages of renunciation, for warding off discontent and evil thoughts, for instruction in all the good involved in the life of those who have renounced the world, for nourishment therein, for explaining to men quietude and insight, and the path and the fruits thereof and Nirvāṇa, for bestowing upon men a costly ornament high in the praise and admiration of the world, for closing the doors of all evil states, for mounting up to the peaks of the mountain heights of renunciation, for distinguishing crooked and cunning and evil intentions in others, for the proper recitation of those qualities which ought to be practised and those which ought not, for warding off as one’s enemies all evil dispositions, for dissipating the darkness of ignorance, for allaying the fever arising from the scorching of the threefold fire, for the accomplishment of the attainment of the Condition of Peace—so gentle and so subtle—for the protection of the virtues of the life of a recluse, for the production of the precious jewels of the sevenfold wisdom—self-possession, investigation of the truth, energy, joy, calm contemplation, and serenity—for the adornment of the recluses, for the prevention of any transgression against that blameless, abstruse, delicate bliss that comes of peace, for dominion over all the qualities that recluses and Arahats affect. | |
| Thus, O king, is it that keeping the vows is one and the same thing as attaining to all these qualities. | |
Mahāsatthavāhasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ sabbabhayasuññakhemaabhayavarapavaranibbānanagarasampāpanaṭṭhena. |
And the advantage thereof, O king, cannot be weighed, neither measured; |
| it has no equal, no rival, no superior, great is it and glorious, extensive and abundant, deep and broad, and large and wide, full of weight and worth and might. | |
Sumajjitavimalādāsasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ sabhāvadassanaṭṭhena. |
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| He who, being unworthy, takes the vows | |
| ‘And whosoever, O king, having evil cravings in his heart, being hypocritical, greedy, a slave to his stomach, seeking after material gain or worldly fame and glory, unfit (for the outward signs of Arahatship), not having reached the attainments, whose conduct is inconsistent (with membership in the Order), unworthy of it, inappropriate to it—whosoever being such shall take upon himself the vows, he shall incur a twofold punishment, suffering the loss of the good that may be in him. | |
Phalakasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ kilesalaguḷasarasattipaṭibāhanaṭṭhena. |
For in this world he shall receive disgrace, and scorn, and blame, and ridicule, and suspension, and excommunication, and expulsion, and he shall be outcast, rejected, dismissed; |
| and in his next life he shall suffer torment in the great Avīci purgatory that is a hundred leagues in depth, and covered, as with a garland, with hot and scorching, fierce and fiery blazing flames; | |
| therein shall he rise and fall for myriads of years, upwards and downwards and across—a foam-bubble, as it were, cast up and thrown from side to side in a boiling sea. | |
Chattasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ kilesavassatividhaggisantāpātapapaṭibāhanaṭṭhena. |
And, when released from thence, then as a mighty Preta (ghost), in the outward form of a monk, but with body and limbs lean and rugged and dark, with head swollen, bloated, and full of holes, hungry and thirsty, odd and dreadful in colour and form, his ears all torn, and his eyes ever winking, his limbs a mass of mortifying sores, his whole body the prey of maggots, his stomach all scorching and hot like a fiery furnace blazing in the breeze, yet with a mouth no larger than a needle so that his thirst can never cease, with no place of refuge to fly to, no protector to help him, groaning and weeping and crying out for mercy, shall he wander wailing o’er the earth! |
Candasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ pihayitapatthitaṭṭhena. |
‘Just, O king, as whosoever, being unfit for royalty, without having properly attained to it, being inappropriate to it, unworthy of it, unsuitable for it, a low-born man and base in lineage, should receive the consecration of a king, he would suffer mutilation, having his hands or his feet, or his hands and feet cut off, or his ears or his nose, or his ears and nose cut off, or he would be tortured, being subjected to the Gruel Pot, or to the Chank Crown, or to the Rāhu’s Mouth, or to the Fire Garland, or to the Hand Torch, or to the Snake Strips, or to the Bark Dress, or to the Spotted Antelope, or to the Flesh Hooks, or to the Pennies, or to the Brine Slits, or to the Bar Turn, or to the Straw Seat, or he would be anointed with boiling oil, or be eaten by dogs, or be impaled alive, or be beheaded, or be subjected to punishments of various kinds. |
| And why? | |
| Because he being unfit for it, without having properly attained to it, being inappropriate to it, unworthy of it, unsuitable for it, a low-born man and base in lineage, he had placed himself in the seat of sovranty, and thus transgressed beyond his right limits. | |
Sūriyasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ mohatamatimiranāsanaṭṭhena. |
Just so, O king, whosoever having evil cravings in his heart, being hypocritical, greedy, a slave to his stomach, seeking after material gain or worldly fame and glory, unfit (for the outward signs of Arahatship), not having reached the attainments, whose conduct is inconsistent (with membership in the Order), unworthy of it, inappropriate to it—whosoever being such shall take upon himself the vows, he shall incur a twofold punishment, suffering the loss of the good that may be in him. |
| For in this world he shall receive disgrace, and scorn, and blame, and ridicule, and suspension, and excommunication, and expulsion, and he shall be outcast, rejected, dismissed; | |
| and in his next life he shall suffer torment in the great Avīci purgatory that is a hundred leagues in depth, and covered, as with a garland, with hot and scorching, fierce and fiery blazing flames; | |
Sāgarasamaṁ, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ anekavidhasāmaññaguṇavararatanuṭṭhānaṭṭhena, aparimitaasaṅkhyeyyaappameyyaṭṭhena ca. |
therein shall he rise and fall for myriads of years, upwards and downwards and across—a foam-bubble, as it were, cast up and thrown from side to side in a boiling sea. |
| And, when released from thence, then as a mighty Preta (ghost), in the outward form of a monk, but with body and limbs lean and rugged and dark, with head swollen, bloated, and full of holes, hungry and thirsty, odd and dreadful in colour and form, his cars all torn, and his eyes ever winking, his limbs a mass of mortifying sores, his whole body the prey of maggots, his stomach all scorching and hot like a fiery furnace blazing in the breeze, yet with a mouth no larger than a needle so that his thirst can never cease, with no place of refuge to fly to, no protector to help him, groaning and weeping and crying out for mercy, shall he wander wailing o’er the earth! | |
Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ visuddhikāmānaṁ bahūpakāraṁ sabbadarathapariḷāhanudaṁ aratinudaṁ bhayanudaṁ bhavanudaṁ khīlanudaṁ malanudaṁ sokanudaṁ dukkhanudaṁ rāganudaṁ dosanudaṁ mohanudaṁ mānanudaṁ diṭṭhinudaṁ sabbākusaladhammanudaṁ yasāvahaṁ hitāvahaṁ sukhāvahaṁ phāsukaraṁ pītikaraṁ yogakkhemakaraṁ anavajjaṁ iṭṭhasukhavipākaṁ guṇarāsiguṇapuñjaaparimitaasaṅkhyeyyaappameyyaguṇaṁ varaṁ pavaraṁ aggaṁ. |
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| He who, being worthy, takes the vows | |
| ‘But whosoever, O king, is fit, who has reached the attainments, whose conduct is consistent with membership in the Order, who is worthy of it, appropriate to it, who desires little and is content, given to seclusion, not fond of society, alert in zeal, resolute of heart, without guile, without deceit, not a slave to his stomach, seeking neither material gain nor worldly fame or glory, full of faith, who has entered the Order from belief (in the doctrine, and not from worldly motives), and is full of desire for release from old age and death—whosoever being such shall take upon himself the vows with the idea of upholding the faith, he is deserving of twofold honour. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, manussā upatthambhavasena bhojanaṁ upasevanti, hitavasena bhesajjaṁ upasevanti, upakāravasena mittaṁ upasevanti, tāraṇavasena nāvaṁ upasevanti, sugandhavasena mālāgandhaṁ upasevanti, abhayavasena bhīruttāṇaṁ upasevanti, patiṭṭhāvasena pathaviṁ upasevanti, sippavasena ācariyaṁ upasevanti, yasavasena rājānaṁ upasevanti, kāmadadavasena maṇiratanaṁ upasevanti; |
For he is near and dear to, loved and longed for by both gods and men, dear as rare jasmine flowers to the man bathed and anointed, as sweet food to the hungry, as cool, clear, fragrant water to the thirsty, as a healing drug to a poisoned man, as a costly chariot drawn by high-bred steeds to the hurrying traveller, as a wishing-gem to the greedy for gain, as the pure white sunshade of sovranty to one ambitious for a throne, as the blessed attainment of the fruits of Arahatship to the seeker after holiness. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, sabbasāmaññaguṇadadavasena ariyā dhutaguṇaṁ upasevanti. |
It is he who attains to the fullest mastery over the four Earnest Meditations, the fourfold Great Struggle, the four Roads to Saintship, the five Organs of the moral sense, the five moral Powers, the seven forms of Wisdom, and the Noble Eightfold Path, quietude and insight reign in his heart, attainment through study becomes easy to him, and the four fruits of the life of a recluse, The four kinds of Discrimination, the threefold Knowledge, the sixfold higher Wisdom, in a word, the whole religion of the recluses becomes his very own, an anointed king is he, and over him is borne the pure white sunshade of emancipation! |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, udakaṁ bījavirūhanāya, aggi jhāpanāya, āhāro balāharaṇāya, latā bandhanāya, satthaṁ chedanāya, pānīyaṁ pipāsāvinayanāya, nidhi assāsakaraṇāya, nāvā tīrasampāpanāya, bhesajjaṁ byādhivūpasamanāya, yānaṁ sukhagamanāya, bhīruttāṇaṁ bhayavinodanāya, rājā ārakkhatthāya, phalakaṁ daṇḍaleḍḍulaguḷasarasattipaṭibāhanāya, ācariyo anusāsanāya, mātā posanāya, ādāso olokanāya, alaṅkāro sobhanāya, vatthaṁ paṭicchādanāya, nisseṇī ārohanāya, tulā visamavikkhepanāya, mantaṁ parijappanāya, āvudhaṁ tajjanīyapaṭibāhanāya, padīpo andhakāravidhamanāya, vāto pariḷāhanibbāpanāya, sippaṁ vuttinipphādanāya, agadaṁ jīvitarakkhaṇāya, ākaro ratanuppādanāya, ratanaṁ alaṅkarāya, āṇā anatikkamanāya, issariyaṁ vasavattanāya; |
‘Just, O king, as all the citizens and country folk in the land, the soldiers and the peons (royal messengers), wait in service upon a Kshatriya king, born to the purple, and on both sides of lineage high, when he has been consecrated with the inauguration ceremonies of the Kshatriyas ; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, dhutaguṇaṁ sāmaññabījavirūhanāya, kilesamalajhāpanāya, iddhibalāharaṇāya, satisaṁvaranibandhanāya, vimativicikicchāsamucchedanāya, taṇhāpipāsāvinayanāya, abhisamayaassāsakaraṇāya, caturoghanittharaṇāya, kilesabyādhivūpasamāya, nibbānasukhappaṭilābhāya, jātijarābyādhimaraṇasokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsabhayavinodanāya, sāmaññaguṇaparirakkhaṇāya, aratikuvitakkapaṭibāhanāya, sakalasāmaññatthānusāsanāya, sabbasāmaññaguṇaposanāya, samathavipassanāmaggaphalanibbānadassanāya, sakalalokathutathomitamahatimahāsobhanakaraṇāya, sabbāpāyapidahanāya, sāmaññatthaselasikharamuddhani abhirūhanāya, vaṅkakuṭilavisamacittavikkhepanāya, sevitabbāsevitabbadhamme sādhusajjhāyakaraṇāya, sabbakilesapaṭisattutajjanāya, avijjandhakāravidhamanāya, tividhaggisantāpapariḷāhanibbāpanāya, saṇhasukhumasantasamāpattinipphādanāya, sakalasāmaññaguṇaparirakkhaṇāya, bojjhaṅgavararatanuppādanāya, yogijanālaṅkaraṇāya, anavajjanipuṇasukhumasantisukhamanatikkamanāya, sakalasāmaññaariyadhammavasavattanāya. |
the thirty-eight divisions of the royal retinue, and the dancing men, and acrobats, and the soothsayers, and the heralds, and Samaṇas and Brahmans, and the followers of every sect, frequent his court, and he becomes the lord of every seaport, and treasure-mine, and town, and custom-house —giving instructions as to the fate of every foreigner and criminal —just so, O king, whoever is fit, who has reached the attainments, whose conduct is consistent with membership in the Order, who is worthy of it, appropriate to it, who desires little and is content, given to seclusion, not fond of society, alert in zeal, resolute of heart, without guile, without deceit, not a slave to his stomach, seeking neither material gain nor worldly fame or glory, full of faith, who has entered the Order from belief (in the doctrine, and not from worldly motives), and is full of desire for release from old age and death—whosoever being such shall take upon himself the vows with the idea of upholding the faith, he is deserving of twofold honour. |
Iti, mahārāja, imesaṁ guṇānaṁ adhigamāya yadidaṁ ekamekaṁ dhutaguṇaṁ, evaṁ, mahārāja, atuliyaṁ dhutaguṇaṁ appameyyaṁ asamaṁ appaṭisamaṁ appaṭibhāgaṁ appaṭiseṭṭhaṁ uttaraṁ seṭṭhaṁ visiṭṭhaṁ adhikaṁ āyataṁ puthulaṁ visaṭaṁ vitthataṁ garukaṁ bhāriyaṁ mahantaṁ. |
For he is near and dear to, loved and longed for by both gods and men, dear as rare jasmine flowers to the man bathed and anointed, as sweet food to the hungry, as cool, clear, fragrant water to the thirsty, as a healing drug to a poisoned man, as a costly chariot drawn by high-bred steeds to the hurrying traveller, as a wishing-gem to the greedy for gain, as the pure white sunshade of sovranty to one ambitious for a throne, as the blessed attainment of the fruits of Arahatship to the seeker after holiness. |
| It is he who attains to the fullest mastery over the four Earnest Meditations, the fourfold Great Struggle, the four Roads to Saintship, the five Organs of the moral sense, the five moral Powers, the seven forms of Wisdom, and the Noble Eightfold Path, quietude and insight reign in his heart, attainment through study becomes easy to him, and the four fruits of the life of a recluse, the four kinds of Discrimination, the threefold Knowledge, the sixfold higher Wisdom, in a word, the whole religion of the recluses becomes his very own, an anointed king is he, and over him is borne the pure white sunshade of emancipation! | |
Yo kho, mahārāja, puggalo pāpiccho icchāpakato kuhako luddho odariko lābhakāmo yasakāmo kittikāmo ayutto appatto ananucchaviko anaraho appatirūpo dhutaṅgaṁ samādiyati, so diguṇaṁ daṇḍamāpajjati, sabbaguṇaghātamāpajjati, diṭṭhadhammikaṁ hīḷanaṁ khīḷanaṁ garahanaṁ uppaṇḍanaṁ khipanaṁ asambhogaṁ nissāraṇaṁ nicchubhanaṁ pavāhanaṁ pabbājanaṁ paṭilabhati, samparāyepi satayojanike avīcimahāniraye uṇhakaṭhitatattasantattaaccijālāmālake anekavassakoṭisatasahassāni uddhamadho tiriyaṁ pheṇuddehakaṁ samparivattakaṁ paccati, tato muccitvā kisapharusakāḷaṅgapaccaṅgo sūnuddhumātasusiruttamaṅgo chāto pipāsito visamabhīmarūpavaṇṇo bhaggakaṇṇasoto ummīlitanimīlitanettanayano arugattapakkagatto pulavākiṇṇasabbakāyo vātamukhe jalamāno viya aggikkhandho anto jalamāno pajjalamāno atāṇo asaraṇo āruṇṇaruṇṇakāruññaravaṁ paridevamāno nijjhāmataṇhiko samaṇamahāpeto hutvā āhiṇḍamāno mahiyā aṭṭassaraṁ karoti. |
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| ‘Such, O king, are the thirteen vows purified by which a man shall bathe in the mighty waters of Nirvāṇa, and there indulge himself, as one sporting in the waves, with the manifold delights of religion, he shall addict himself to the eight modes of transcendental ecstacy, he shall acquire the powers of Iddhi, distant sounds, human and divine, shall greet his ear, he shall divine the thoughts of others, he shall be able to call to mind his own previous births, and to watch the rise and fall from birth to birth of others, and he shall perceive the real nature and the origin of, he shall perceive the means of escape from sorrow, and from lust, individuality, delusion, and ignorance, the stains of life! | |
Yathā, mahārāja, koci ayutto appatto ananucchaviko anaraho appatirūpo hīno kujātiko khattiyābhisekena abhisiñcati, so labhati hatthacchedaṁ pādacchedaṁ hatthapādacchedaṁ kaṇṇacchedaṁ nāsacchedaṁ kaṇṇanāsacchedaṁ bilaṅgathālikaṁ saṅkhamuṇḍikaṁ rāhumukhaṁ jotimālikaṁ hatthapajjotikaṁ erakavattikaṁ cīrakavāsikaṁ eṇeyyakaṁ baḷisamaṁsikaṁ kahāpaṇakaṁ khārāpatacchikaṁ palighaparivattikaṁ palālapīṭhakaṁ tattena telena osiñcanaṁ sunakhehi khādāpanaṁ jīvasūlāropanaṁ asinā sīsacchedaṁ anekavihitampi kammakāraṇaṁ anubhavati. |
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Kiṁ kāraṇā? |
Details of the thirteen extra vows |
Ayutto appatto ananucchaviko anaraho appatirūpo hīno kujātiko mahante issariye ṭhāne attānaṁ ṭhapesi, velaṁ ghātesi. |
‘And what are these thirteen? |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci puggalo pāpiccho …pe… mahiyā aṭṭassaraṁ karoti. |
Wearing raiment made up of pieces taken from a dust-heap—Wearing three robes, and three robes only—Living on food received by begging—Begging straight on from house to house—Eating only once a day, at one sitting—Eating from one vessel only—Refusing food in excess of the regulations—Dwelling in the woods—Dwelling at the root of a tree-Dwelling in the open air—Dwelling in or near a cemetery—Not altering the mat or bed when it has once been spread out to sleep on—and sleeping in a sitting posture. |
| It is he, O king, who, in former births, has undertaken and practised, followed and carried out, observed, framed his conduct according to, and fulfilled these thirteen vows, who acquires all the results of the life of a recluse, and all its ecstacy of peace and bliss becomes his very own. | |
Yo pana, mahārāja, puggalo yutto patto anucchaviko araho patirūpo appiccho santuṭṭho pavivitto asaṁsaṭṭho āraddhavīriyo pahitatto asaṭho amāyo anodariko alābhakāmo ayasakāmo akittikāmo saddho saddhāpabbajito jarāmaraṇā muccitukāmo ‘sāsanaṁ paggaṇhissāmī’ti dhutaṅgaṁ samādiyati, so diguṇaṁ pūjaṁ arahati devānañca piyo hoti manāpo pihayito patthito, jātisumanamallikādīnaṁ viya pupphaṁ nahātānulittassa, jighacchitassa viya paṇītabhojanaṁ, pipāsitassa viya sītalavimalasurabhipānīyaṁ, visagatassa viya osadhavaraṁ, sīghagamanakāmassa viya ājaññarathavaruttamaṁ, atthakāmassa viya manoharamaṇiratanaṁ, abhisiñcitukāmassa viya paṇḍaravimalasetacchattaṁ, dhammakāmassa viya arahattaphalādhigamamanuttaraṁ. |
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Tassa cattāro satipaṭṭhānā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti, cattāro sammappadhānā cattāro iddhipādā pañcindriyāni pañca balāni satta bojjhaṅgā ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchati, samathavipassanā adhigacchati, adhigamappaṭipatti pariṇamati, cattāri sāmaññaphalāni catasso paṭisambhidā tisso vijjā chaḷabhiññā kevalo ca samaṇadhammo sabbe tassādheyyā honti, vimuttipaṇḍaravimalasetacchattena abhisiñcati. |
‘Just, O king, as a shipowner who has become wealthy by constantly levying freight in some seaport town, will be able to traverse the high seas, and go to Vanga, or Takkola, or China, or Sovīra, or Surat, or Alexandria, or the Koromandel coast, or Further India, or any other place where ships do congregate—just so, O king, it is he who in former births has undertaken and practised, followed and carried out, observed, framed his conduct according to, and fulfilled these thirteen vows, who acquires all the results of the life of a recluse, and all its ecstacy of peace and bliss becomes his very own. |
Yathā, mahārāja, rañño khattiyassa abhijātakulakulīnassa khattiyābhisekena abhisittassa paricaranti saraṭṭhanegamajānapadabhaṭabalā aṭṭhattiṁsā ca rājaparisā naṭanaccakā mukhamaṅgalikā sotthivācakā samaṇabrāhmaṇasabbapāsaṇḍagaṇā abhigacchanti, yaṁ kiñci pathaviyā paṭṭanaratanākaranagarasuṅkaṭṭhānaverajjakachejjabhejjajanamanusāsanaṁ sabbattha sāmiko bhavati; |
‘And just, O king, as a husbandman will first remove the defects in the soil-weeds, and thorns, and stones-arid then by ploughing, and sowing, and irrigating, and fencing, and watching, and reaping, and grinding, will become the owner of much flour, and so the lord of whosoever are poor and needy, reduced to beggary and misery—just so, O king, it is he who in former births has undertaken and practised, followed and carried out, observed, framed his conduct according to, and fulfilled these thirteen vows, who acquires all the results of the life of a recluse, and all its ecstacy of peace and bliss becomes his very own. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yo koci puggalo yutto patto …pe… vimuttipaṇḍaravimalasetacchattena abhisiñcati. |
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| ‘And again, O king, just as an anointed monarch is master over the treatment of outlaws, is an independent ruler and lord, and does whatsoever he desires, and all the broad earth is subject to him—just so, O king, is he who has undertaken, practised, and fulfilled in former births these vows, master, ruler, and lord in the religion of the Conquerors, and all the virtues of the Samanas are his. | |
Terasimāni, mahārāja, dhutaṅgāni, yehi suddhikato nibbānamahāsamuddaṁ pavisitvā bahuvidhaṁ dhammakīḷamabhikīḷati, rūpārūpaaṭṭhasamāpattiyo vaḷañjeti, iddhividhaṁ dibbasotadhātuṁ paracittavijānanaṁ pubbenivāsānussatiṁ dibbacakkhuṁ sabbāsavakkhayañca pāpuṇāti. |
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Katame terasa? |
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Paṁsukūlikaṅgaṁ tecīvarikaṅgaṁ piṇḍapātikaṅgaṁ sapadānacārikaṅgaṁ ekāsanikaṅgaṁ pattapiṇḍikaṅgaṁ khalupacchābhattikaṅgaṁ āraññikaṅgaṁ rukkhamūlikaṅgaṁ abbhokāsikaṅgaṁ sosānikaṅgaṁ yathāsanthatikaṅgaṁ nesajjikaṅgaṁ, imehi kho, mahārāja, terasahi dhutaguṇehi pubbe āsevitehi nisevitehi ciṇṇehi pariciṇṇehi caritehi upacaritehi paripūritehi kevalaṁ sāmaññaṁ paṭilabhati, tassādheyyā honti kevalā santā sukhā samāpattiyo. |
The example of Upasena |
| ‘And was not Upasena, the Elder, he of the sons of the Vangantas, from his having thoroughly practised all the purifying merits of the vows, able to neglect the agreement arrived at by the members of the Order resident at Sāvatthi, and to visit with his attendant brethren the Subduer of men, then retired into solitude, and when he had bowed down before him, to take his scat respectfully aside? | |
| And when the Blessed One saw how well trained his retinue was, then, delighted and glad and exalted in heart, he greeted them with courteous words, and said in his unbroken beautiful voice: | |
Yathā, mahārāja, sadhano nāviko paṭṭane suṭṭhu katasuṅko mahāsamuddaṁ pavisitvā vaṅgaṁ takkolaṁ cīnaṁ sovīraṁ suraṭṭhaṁ alasandaṁ kolapaṭṭanaṁ suvaṇṇabhūmiṁ gacchati aññampi yaṁ kiñci nāvāsañcaraṇaṁ; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, imehi terasahi dhutaguṇehi pubbe āsevitehi nisevitehi ciṇṇehi pariciṇṇehi caritehi upacaritehi paripūritehi kevalaṁ sāmaññaṁ paṭilabhati, tassādheyyā honti kevalā santā sukhā samāpattiyo. |
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| Most pleasant, Upasena, is the deportment of These brethren waiting upon you. | |
| How have you managed thus to train your followers?” | |
Yathā, mahārāja, kassako paṭhamaṁ khettadosaṁ tiṇakaṭṭhapāsāṇaṁ apanetvā kasitvā vapitvā sammā udakaṁ pavesetvā rakkhitvā gopetvā lavanamaddanena bahudhaññako hoti, tassādheyyā bhavanti ye keci adhanā kapaṇā daliddā duggatajanā; |
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evameva kho, mahārāja, imehi terasahi dhutaguṇehi pubbe āsevitehi …pe… kevalā santā sukhā samāpattiyo. |
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| ‘And he, when so questioned by the omniscient Buddha, the god over all gods, spake thus to the Blessed One as to the real reason for the goodness of their nature: | |
| “Whosoever, Lord, may come to me to ask for admission to the Order or to become my disciple, to him do I say : | |
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, khattiyo muddhāvasitto abhijātakulīno chejjabhejjajanamanusāsane issaro hoti vasavattī sāmiko icchākaraṇo, kevalā ca mahāpathavī tassādheyyā hoti; |
‘I, Sir, am a frequenter of the woods, who gain my food by begging, and wear but this robe pieced together from cast-off rags. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, imehi terasahi dhutaguṇehi pubbe āsevitehi nisevitehi ciṇṇehi pariciṇṇehi caritehi upacaritehi paripūritehi jinasāsanavare issaro hoti vasavattī sāmiko icchākaraṇo, kevalā ca samaṇaguṇā tassādheyyā honti. |
If you will be the same, I can admit you to the Order and make you my disciple.’ |
| Then, if he agree thereto with joy, and abase himself, I thereupon admit him to the Order and to the company of my pupils. | |
| But if not, then neither do I admit him to the one nor to the other. | |
Nanu, mahārāja, thero upaseno vaṅgantaputto sallekhadhutaguṇe paripūrakāritāya anādiyitvā sāvatthiyā saṅghassa katikaṁ sapariso naradammasārathiṁ paṭisallānagataṁ upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato pāde sirasā vanditvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, bhagavā ca taṁ suvinītaṁ parisaṁ oloketvā haṭṭhatuṭṭho pamudito udaggo parisāya saddhiṁ sallāpaṁ sallapitvā asambhinnena brahmassarena etadavoca—‘pāsādikā kho pana tyāyaṁ, upasena, parisā, kathaṁ tvaṁ, upasena, parisaṁ vinesī’ti. |
Thus is it, Lord, that I train them.” |
Sopi sabbaññunā dasabalena devātidevena puṭṭho yathābhūtasabhāvaguṇavasena bhagavantaṁ etadavoca— |
And thus is it, O king, that he who has taken upon himself the vows becomes master, ruler, and lord in the religion of the Conquerors; |
| and all its ecstacy of peace and bliss becomes his very own. | |
‘Yo koci maṁ, bhante, upasaṅkamitvā pabbajjaṁ vā nissayaṁ vā yācati, tamahaṁ evaṁ vadāmi “ahaṁ kho, āvuso, āraññiko piṇḍapātiko paṁsukūliko tecīvariko. |
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Sace tvampi āraññiko bhavissasi piṇḍapātiko paṁsukūliko tecīvariko, evāhaṁ taṁ pabbājessāmi nissayaṁ dassāmī”ti, sace so me, bhante, paṭissuṇitvā nandati oramati, evāhaṁ taṁ pabbājemi nissayaṁ demi, sace na nandati na oramati, na taṁ pabbājemi, na nissayaṁ demi, evāhaṁ, bhante, parisaṁ vinemī’ti. |
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Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, dhutaguṇavarasamādiṇṇo jinasāsanavare issaro hoti. |
The thirty graces of the true recluse |
Vasavattī sāmiko icchākaraṇo, tassādheyyā honti kevalā santā sukhā samāpattiyo. |
‘Just, O king, as a lotus flower of glorious, pure, and high descent and origin is glossy, soft, desirable, sweet-smelling, longed for, loved, and praised, untarnished by the water or the mud, graced with tiny petals and filaments and pericarps, the resort of many bees, a child of the clear cold stream—just so is that disciple of the Noble Ones who in former births has undertaken and practised, followed and carried out, observed and framed his conduct according to, and fulfilled these thirteen vows, endowed with the thirty graces. |
| And what are the thirty? | |
| His heart is full of affectionate, soft, and tender love, evil is killed, destroyed, cast out from within him, pride and self-righteousness are put an end to and cast down, stable and strong and established and undeviating is his faith, he enters into the enjoyment of the heart’s refreshment, the highly praised and desirable peace and bliss of the ecstacies of contemplation fully felt, he exhales the most excellent and unequalled sweet savour of righteousness of life, near is he and dear to gods and men alike, exalted by the best of beings the Arahat Noble Ones themselves, gods and men delight to honour him, the enlightened, wise, and learned approve, esteem, appreciate, and praise him, untarnished is he by the love either of this world or the next, he sees the danger in the smallest tiniest offence, rich is he in the best of wealth—the wealth that is the fruit of the Path, the wealth of those who are seeking the highest of the attainments—he is partaker of the best of the four requisites of a recluse that may be obtained by asking, he lives without a home addicted to that best austerity that is dependent on the meditation of the Ghānas, he has unravelled the whole net of evil, he has broken and burst through, doubled up and utterly destroyed both the possibility of rebirth in any of the five future states, and the five obstacles to the higher life in this one (lust, malice, sloth, pride, and doubt), unalterable in character, excellent in conduct, transgressing none of the rules as to the four requisites of a recluse, he is set free from rebirths, he has passed beyond all perplexity, his mind is set upon complete emancipation, he has seen the truth, the sure and stedfast place of refuge from all fear has he gained, the seven evil inclinations (to lust, and malice, and heresy, and doubt, and pride, and desire for future life, and ignorance) are rooted out in him, he has reached the end of the Great Evils (lust, individuality, delusion, and ignorance), he abounds in the peace and the bliss of the ecstacies of contemplation, he is endowed with all the virtues a recluse should have. | |
Yathā, mahārāja, padumaṁ abhivuddhaparisuddhaudiccajātippabhavaṁ siniddhaṁ mudu lobhanīyaṁ sugandhaṁ piyaṁ patthitaṁ pasatthaṁ jalakaddamamanupalittaṁ aṇupattakesarakaṇṇikābhimaṇḍitaṁ bhamaragaṇasevitaṁ sītalasalilasaṁvaddhaṁ; |
These, O king, are the thirty graces he is adorned withal. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, imehi terasahi dhutaguṇehi pubbe āsevitehi nisevitehi ciṇṇehi pariciṇṇehi caritehi upacaritehi paripūritehi ariyasāvako tiṁsaguṇavarehi samupeto hoti. |
|
| The example of Sāriputta | |
Katamehi tiṁsaguṇavarehi? |
‘And was not Sāriputta, the Elder, O king, the best man in the whole ten thousand world systems, the Teacher of the world himself alone excepted? |
Siniddhamudumaddavamettacitto hoti, ghātitahatavihatakileso hoti, hatanihatamānadabbo hoti, acaladaḷhaniviṭṭhanibbematikasaddho hoti, paripuṇṇapīṇitapahaṭṭhalobhanīyasantasukhasamāpattilābhī hoti, sīlavarapavaraasamasucigandhaparibhāvito hoti, devamanussānaṁ piyo hoti manāpo, khīṇāsavaariyavarapuggalapatthito, devamanussānaṁ vanditapūjito, budhavibudhapaṇḍitajanānaṁ thutathavitathomitapasattho, idha vā huraṁ vā lokena anupalitto, appathokavajjepi bhayadassāvī, vipulavarasampattikāmānaṁ maggaphalavaratthasādhano, āyācitavipulapaṇītapaccayabhāgī, aniketasayano, jhānajjhositatappavaravihārī, vijaṭitakilesajālavatthu, bhinnabhaggasaṅkuṭitasañchinnagatinīvaraṇo, akuppadhammo, abhinītavāso, anavajjabhogī, gativimutto, uttiṇṇasabbavicikiccho, vimuttijjhositattho, diṭṭhadhammo, acaladaḷhabhīruttāṇamupagato, samucchinnānusayo, sabbāsavakkhayaṁ patto, santasukhasamāpattivihārabahulo, sabbasamaṇaguṇasamupeto, imehi tiṁsaguṇavarehi samupeto hoti. |
And he who through endless ages had heaped up merit, and had been reborn in a Brahman family, relinquished all the delights of the pleasures of sense, and gave up boundless wealth, to enter the Order according to the teaching of the Conqueror, and having restrained his actions, words, and thoughts by these thirteen vows, became in this life of such exalted virtue that he was the one who, after the Master, set rolling on the royal chariot-wheel of the kingdom of righteousness in the religion of Gotama, the Blessed One. |
| So that this was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in that most excellent collection, the Aṅguttara Nikāya: | |
Nanu, mahārāja, thero sāriputto dasasahassilokadhātuyā aggapuriso ṭhapetvā dasabalaṁ lokācariyaṁ, sopi aparimitamasaṅkhyeyyakappe samācitakusalamūlo brāhmaṇakulakulīno manāpikaṁ kāmaratiṁ anekasatasaṅkhaṁ dhanavarañca ohāya jinasāsane pabbajitvā imehi terasahi dhutaguṇehi kāyavacīcittaṁ damayitvā ajjetarahi anantaguṇasamannāgato gotamassa bhagavato sāsanavare dhammacakkamanuppavattako jāto. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena ekaṅguttaranikāyavaralañchake— |
“I know, O brethren, of no other man who in succession to me sets rolling on the glorious chariot-wheel of the kingdom of righteousness so well as Sāriputta. |
| Sāriputta, O brethren, sets rolling that wheel the best of all.” | |
‘Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekapuggalampi samanupassāmi, yo evaṁ tathāgatena anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ sammadeva anuppavatteti, yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto, sāriputto, bhikkhave, tathāgatena anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ sammadeva anuppavattetī’”ti. |
’ |
| ‘Most excellent, Nāgasena! | |
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, yaṁ kiñci navaṅgaṁ buddhavacanaṁ, yā ca lokuttarā kiriyā, yā ca loke adhigamavipulavarasampattiyo, sabbaṁ taṁ terasasu dhutaguṇesu samodhānopagatan”ti. |
the whole ninefold word of the Buddha, the most exalted conduct, the highest and best of the attainments to be gained in the world—all these are wrapped up together in the virtues that result from the keeping of the vows.’ |
Dhutaṅgapañho dutiyo. |
Here ends the Ninth Chapter |
| Here ends the Solving of Puzzles. | |
Anumānavaggo catuttho. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
7 Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: Similes of Arahatship |
Mātikā |
Chapter 1, 7.1. The Similes |
“Bhante nāgasena, katihaṅgehi samannāgato bhikkhu arahattaṁ sacchikarotī”ti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, with how many qualities must a member of the Order (a Bhikshu) be endowed to realise Arahatship?’ |
“Idha, mahārāja, arahattaṁ sacchikātukāmena bhikkhunā— |
‘The brother, O king, who wishes to attain Arahatship must take: |
Gadrabhassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
One quality of the ass |
Kukkuṭassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And five of the cock |
Kalandakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of the squirrel |
Dīpiniyā ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of the female panther |
Dīpikassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the male panther |
Kummassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And five of the tortoise |
Vaṁsassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of the bamboo |
Cāpassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of the bow |
Vāyasassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the crow |
Makkaṭassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the monkey |
Gadrabhavaggo paṭhamo. |
And one of the gourd |
Lābulatāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And three of the lotus |
Padumassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of seed |
Bījassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the Sal-tree |
Sālakalyāṇikāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And three of a ship |
Nāvāya tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the anchor |
Nāvālagganakassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the mast |
Kūpassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And three of the pilot |
Niyāmakassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the sailor |
Kammakārassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And five of the ocean |
Samuddassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And five of the earth |
Samuddavaggo dutiyo. |
And five of water |
Pathaviyā pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And five of fire |
Āpassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And five of wind |
Tejassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And five of rock |
Vāyussa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And five of space |
Pabbatassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And five of the moon |
Ākāsassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And seven of the sun |
Candassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And three of Sakka |
Sūriyassa satta aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And four of a sovran overlord |
Sakkassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the white ant |
Cakkavattissa cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the cat |
Pathavīvaggo tatiyo. |
And one of the rat |
Upacikāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of the scorpion |
Biḷārassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the mungoose |
Undūrassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And two of the old jackal |
Vicchikassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And three of the deer |
Nakulassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And four of the bull |
Jarasiṅgālassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the boar |
Migassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And five of the elephant |
Gorūpassa cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And seven of the lion |
Varāhassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And three of the cakravāka bird |
Hatthissa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the Peṇāhikā bird |
Upacikāvaggo catuttho. |
And one of the house-pigeon |
Sīhassa satta aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the owl |
Cakkavākassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the crane |
Peṇāhikāya dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the bat |
Gharakapotassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of the leech |
Ulūkassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And three of the serpent |
Satapattassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of the rock-snake |
Vaggulissa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the road spider |
Jalūkāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of the child at the breast |
Sappassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the land tortoise |
Ajagarassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And five of the mountain height |
Sīhavaggo pañcamo. |
And three of the tree |
Panthamakkaṭakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And five of the rain-cloud |
Thanasitadārakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And three of the jewel |
Cittakadharakummassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And four of the hunter |
Pavanassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the fisherman |
Rukkhassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the carpenter |
Meghassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the waterpot |
Maṇiratanassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of iron |
Māgavikassa cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And three of a sunshade |
Bāḷisikassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And three of a rice field |
Tacchakassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of medicine |
Makkaṭavaggo chaṭṭho. |
And three of food |
Kumbhassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And four of the archer. |
Kāḷāyasassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And four of the king. |
Chattassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the doorkeeper. |
Khettassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of a grindstone. |
Agadassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of a lamp. |
Bhojanassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the peacock. |
Issāsassa cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the steed. |
Kumbhavaggo sattamo. |
And two of the publican. |
Rañño cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of a threshold. |
Dovārikassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of a balance. |
Nisadāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And two of a sword. |
Padīpassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of a fish. |
Mayūrassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of a borrower. |
Turaṅgassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of a sick man. |
Soṇḍikassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of a corpse. |
Indakhīlassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of. a river. |
Tulāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of a buffalo. |
Khaggassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of a road. |
Macchassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of a tax-gatherer. |
Iṇaggāhakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And three of a thief. |
Byādhitassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the hawk. |
Matassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the dog. |
Nadiyā dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And three of the physician. |
Usabhassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And two of a woman with child. |
Maggassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the yak cow. |
Suṅkasāyikassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And two of the hen. |
Corassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And three of the dove. |
Sakuṇagghiyā ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And two of the one-eyed man. |
Sunakhassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And three of the husbandman. |
Tikicchakassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the female jackal. |
Gabbhiniyā dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of the dyers’ straining-cloth. |
Camariyā ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of a spoon. |
Kikiyā dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of the negociator of a loan. |
Kapotikāya tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of a collector. |
Ekanayanassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of a charioteer. |
Kassakassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And two of a village headman. |
Jambukasiṅgāliyā ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And one of a tailor. |
Caṅgavārakassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
And one of a helmsman. |
Dabbiyā ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
And two of a bee.’ |
Iṇasādhakassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
Here ends the Table of Contents. |
Anuvicinakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Sārathissa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
|
Bhojakassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbāni. |
|
Tunnavāyassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Nāvikassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhamarassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti. |
|
Mātikā niṭṭhitā. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
1. Gadrabhaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘gadrabhassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.2.1. The Ass |
“Yathā, mahārāja, gadrabho nāma saṅkārakūṭepi catukkepi siṅghāṭakepi gāmadvārepi thusarāsimhipi yattha katthaci sayati, na sayanabahulo hoti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the harsh-voiced ass which you say he ought to take, which is that?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena tiṇasanthārepi paṇṇasanthārepi kaṭṭhamañcakepi chamāyapi yattha katthaci cammakhaṇḍaṁ pattharitvā yattha katthaci sayitabbaṁ, na sayanabahulena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, gadrabhassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena ‘kaliṅgarūpadhānā, bhikkhave, etarahi mama sāvakā viharanti appamattā ātāpino padhānasmin’ti. |
‘Just, O king, as the ass, wheresoever he may lie down—whether on a dust heap, or in the open space where four roads meet, or three, or at the entrance to a village, or on a heap of straw— nowhere is he given to resting long; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatināpi— |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, wheresoever he may spread out his mat for repose—whether on strewed grass, or leaves, or on a bed of thorns, or on the bare earth—nowhere should he be given to sloth. |
| This is the one quality of the ass he ought to have. | |
‘Pallaṅkena nisinnassa, |
For this has been said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: |
jaṇṇuke nābhivassati; |
|
Alaṁ phāsuvihārāya, |
“Sleeping on pillows of chaff, my disciples, O brethren, |
pahitattassa bhikkhuno’”ti. |
Keep themselves earnest and ardent in strenuous fight.” |
Gadrabhaṅgapañho paṭhamo. |
‘And this too, O king, was said by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
| “If it but raineth not knee-deep on him | |
| When sitting in high meditations plunged— | |
| What cares the man on Arahatship intent for ease!” |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
2. Kukkuṭaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘kukkuṭassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.2.2. The Cock |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kukkuṭo kālena samayena paṭisallīyati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of the cock which you say he ought to take, what are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kālena samayeneva cetiyaṅgaṇaṁ sammajjitvā pānīyaṁ paribhojanīyaṁ upaṭṭhapetvā sarīraṁ paṭijaggitvā nahāyitvā cetiyaṁ vanditvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dassanāya gantvā kālena samayena suññāgāraṁ pavisitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kukkuṭassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as a cock goes early and betimes to roost; | |
| so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, early and betimes sweep out the open space around the Dāgaba, and having got ready the drinking-water for the day’s use, and dressed himself, and taken his bath, he should bow down in reverence before the Dāgaba, and then pay visits to the senior Bhikshus, and, on his return, enter in due time into the chamber of solitude. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, kukkuṭo kālena samayeneva vuṭṭhāti; |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the cock he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kālena samayeneva vuṭṭhahitvā cetiyaṅgaṇaṁ sammajjitvā pānīyaṁ paribhojanīyaṁ upaṭṭhapetvā sarīraṁ paṭijaggitvā cetiyaṁ vanditvā punadeva suññāgāraṁ pavisitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kukkuṭassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as a cock rises early and betimes; | |
| so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, rise early and betimes to sweep out the open space around the Dāgaba, and get ready the drinking-water for the day’s use, and dress himself, and pay his daily reverence to the Dāgaba, and enter into the chamber of solitude. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, kukkuṭo pathaviṁ khaṇitvā khaṇitvā ajjhohāraṁ ajjhoharati; |
This, O king, is the second of the qualities of the cock he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena paccavekkhitvā paccavekkhitvā ajjhohāraṁ ajjhoharitabbaṁ ‘neva davāya na madāya na maṇḍanāya na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya vihiṁsūparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya, iti purāṇañca vedanaṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi navañca vedanaṁ na uppādessāmi, yātrā ca me bhavissati anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kukkuṭassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
‘And again, O king, as the cock is unremitting in scratching the earth to pick up what he can find to eat; |
| so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, practise continual self-examination and circumspection in taking any nourishment he may find to eat, reminding himself: | |
‘Kantāre puttamaṁsaṁva, |
“I eat this, seeking not after pleasure, nor after excitement, nor after beauty of body, nor after elegance of form, but merely for the preservation of my body, to keep myself alive, as a means of appeasing the pain of hunger, and of assisting me in the practice of the higher life. |
akkhassabbhañjanaṁ yathā; |
Thus shall I put an end to all former sorrow, and give no cause for future sorrow to arise; |
| therein shall I be free from blame, and dwell at ease.” | |
Evaṁ āhari āhāraṁ, |
This, O king, is the third of the qualities of the cock he ought to have. |
yāpanatthamamucchito’ti. |
For it has been said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, kukkuṭo sacakkhukopi rattiṁ andho hoti; |
“Like child’s flesh in the desert wild, |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena anandheneva andhena viya bhavitabbaṁ, araññepi gocaragāme piṇḍāya carantenapi rajanīyesu rūpasaddagandharasaphoṭṭhabbadhammesu andhena badhirena mūgena viya bhavitabbaṁ, na nimittaṁ gahetabbaṁ, nānubyañjanaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
Or smearing grease upon the wheel, |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kukkuṭassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
Solely to keep himself alive, |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena mahākaccāyanena— |
Does he, when feeling faint, take food.” |
‘Cakkhumāssa yathā andho, |
|
sotavā badhiro yathā; |
‘And again, O king, as the cock, though it has eyes, is blind by night; |
| so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, though he is not blind, be as one blind. | |
Paññavāssa yathā mūgo, |
Whether in the woods, or on his daily walk for alms in search of food, blind should he be and deaf and dumb to all delights of form, or sound, or taste, or smell, or touch, should not make them the objects of his thought, should pay no special, detailed, attention to them. |
balavā dubbaloriva; |
This, O king, is the fourth of the qualities of the cock he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by Mahā Kaccāyana, the Elder: | |
Attaatthe samuppanne, |
|
sayetha matasāyikan’ti. |
|
| “Let him with eyes be as one blind, | |
| And he who hears be as the deaf, | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, kukkuṭo leḍḍudaṇḍalaguḷamuggarehi paripātiyantopi sakaṁ gehaṁ na vijahati; |
He who can speak be as the dumb, |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena cīvarakammaṁ karontenapi navakammaṁ karontenapi vattappaṭivattaṁ karontenapi uddisantenapi uddisāpentenapi yoniso manasikāro na vijahitabbo, sakaṁ kho panetaṁ, mahārāja, yogino gehaṁ, yadidaṁ yoniso manasikāro. |
The man of strength as were he weak. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kukkuṭassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena ‘ko ca, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno gocaro sako pettiko visayo? |
As each new object rises to his ken, |
Yadidaṁ cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’ti. |
On the sweet couch of blest Nirvāṇa’s peace |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatināpi— |
Let him lie down and rest.” |
‘Yathā sudanto mātaṅgo, |
|
sakaṁ soṇḍaṁ na maddati; |
‘And again, O king, as the cock, even though persecuted with clods and sticks and clubs and cudgels, will not desert his home; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort—whether he be engaged in robemaking or in building-work, or in any of his daily duties, or in teaching, or in receiving instruction —never give up his presence of mind. | |
Bhakkhābhakkhaṁ vijānāti, |
For that, O king—his presence of mind—is the home in which he dwells. |
attano vuttikappanaṁ. |
This, O king, is the fifth of the qualities of the cock he ought to have. |
| And this, O king, has been said by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: | |
Tatheva buddhaputtena, |
|
Appamattena vā pana; |
“And which, O Bhikshus, is the Bhikshu’s resort, the realm which is his own by right? |
| —it is this, the four modes of being mindful and thoughtful.” | |
Jinavacanaṁ na madditabbaṁ, |
|
Manasikāravaruttaman’”ti. |
|
| ‘And this too, O king, has been said by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: | |
Kukkuṭaṅgapañho dutiyo. |
|
| “The elephant distinguishes good food | |
| From bad, he knows what gives him sustenance, | |
| And even when asleep he guards his trunk — | |
| So let each Buddha’s son, earnest in zeal, | |
| Never do violence to the Conqueror’s word, | |
| Nor injury to his self-possession, best of gifts.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
3. Kalandakaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘kalandakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.2.3. The Squirrel |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kalandako paṭisattumhi opatante naṅguṭṭhaṁ papphoṭetvā mahantaṁ katvā teneva naṅguṭṭhalaguḷena paṭisattuṁ paṭibāhati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the squirrel which you say he ought to take, which is that?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kilesasattumhi opatante satipaṭṭhānalaguḷaṁ papphoṭetvā mahantaṁ katvā teneva satipaṭṭhānalaguḷena sabbakilesā paṭibāhitabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kalandakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena cūḷapanthakena— |
‘Just as the squirrel, O king, when an enemy falls upon him, beats his tail on the ground till it swells, and then with his own tail as a cudgel drives off the foe; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when his enemy, sin, falls upon him, beat the cudgel of his self-possession till it swells, and then by the cudgel of self-possession drive all evil inclinations off. | |
‘Yadā kilesā opatanti, |
This, O king, is the one quality of the squirrel which he ought to have. |
sāmaññaguṇadhaṁsanā; |
For it was said, O king, by culla Panthaka, the Elder: |
Satipaṭṭhānalaguḷena, |
|
hantabbā te punappunan’”ti. |
“When sins, those fell destroyers of the gains |
| Gained by the life of recluse, fall on us, | |
| They should be slain, again and yet again, | |
Kalandakaṅgapañho tatiyo. |
By resolute self-possession as a club.” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
4. Dīpiniyaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘dīpiniyā ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.2.4. The Panther (Female) |
“Yathā, mahārāja, dīpinī sakiṁyeva gabbhaṁ gaṇhāti, na punappunaṁ purisaṁ upeti? |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the female of the panther which you say he ought to take, which is that?’ |
Evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena āyatiṁ paṭisandhiṁ uppattiṁ gabbhaseyyaṁ cutiṁ bhedaṁ khayaṁ vināsaṁ saṁsārabhayaṁ duggatiṁ visamaṁ sampīḷitaṁ disvā ‘punabbhave nappaṭisandahissāmī’ti yoniso manasikāro karaṇīyo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, dīpiniyā ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena suttanipāte dhaniyagopālakasutte— |
‘Just, O king, as the female of the panther conceives only once, and does not resort again and again to the male ; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort—seeing how future conceptions and births involve a period of gestation and a fall from each state as it is reached, and dissolution and death and destruction, seeing the horrors of transmigration and of rebirths in evil states, the annoyance of them, the torment of them—he should stedfastly resolve never to enter upon any future life. | |
‘Usabhoriva chetva bandhanāni, |
This, O king, is the one quality of the female panther which he ought to have. |
Nāgo pūtilataṁva dālayitvā; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Sutta Nipāta, in the Sutta of Dhaniya the cowherd: |
Nāhaṁ punupessaṁ gabbhaseyyaṁ, |
|
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa devā’”ti. |
“Like a strong bull who’s burst the bonds that bound him, |
| Or elephant who’s forced his way through jungle, | |
| Thus shall I never more enter the womb— | |
Dīpiniyaṅgapañho catuttho. |
And now, if it so please you, god, rain on!” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
5. Dīpikaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘dīpikassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.2.5. The Panther (Male) |
“Yathā, mahārāja, dīpiko araññe tiṇagahanaṁ vā vanagahanaṁ vā pabbatagahanaṁ vā nissāya nilīyitvā mige gaṇhāti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the panther which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena vivekaṁ sevitabbaṁ araññaṁ rukkhamūlaṁ pabbataṁ kandaraṁ giriguhaṁ susānaṁ vanapatthaṁ abbhokāsaṁ palālapuñjaṁ appasaddaṁ appanigghosaṁ vijanavātaṁ manussarāhaseyyakaṁ paṭisallānasāruppaṁ; |
|
vivekaṁ sevamāno hi, mahārāja, yogī yogāvacaro nacirasseva chaḷabhiññāsu ca vasibhāvaṁ pāpuṇāti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, dīpikassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘Just, O king, as the panther, lying in ambush in wild places, behind a thicket of long grass or brushwood, or among the rocks, catches the deer; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therehi dhammasaṅgāhakehi— |
so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, resort to solitary places in the woods, at the foot of a tree, on mountain heights, in caves and grottoes, in cemeteries, in forests, under the open sky, on beds of straw, in quiet, noiseless spots, free from strong winds, and hid from the haunts of men. |
| For the strenuous Bhikshu, O king, earnest in effort, who frequents such solitudes, will soon become master of the six forms of transcendent insight. | |
‘Yathāpi dīpiko nāma, |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the panther he ought to have. |
nilīyitvā gaṇhate mige; |
For it was said, O king, by the Elders who collected the scriptures: |
Tathevāyaṁ buddhaputto, |
|
yuttayogo vipassako; |
“As the panther by lying in ambush catches the deer, |
| So the sons of the Buddha, with insight and earnestness armed, | |
Araññaṁ pavisitvāna, |
By resorting to solitudes gain that Fruit which is best.” |
gaṇhāti phalamuttaman’ti. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the panther, whatever may be the beast he has killed, will never eat it if it has fallen on the left side; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, dīpiko yaṁ kiñci pasuṁ vadhitvā vāmena passena patitaṁ na bhakkheti; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, not partake of any food that has been procured by gifts of bamboos, or palms’ leaves, or flowers, or fruits, or baths, or chunam, or tooth-sticks, or water for washing; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena veḷudānena vā pattadānena vā pupphadānena vā phaladānena vā sinānadānena vā mattikādānena vā cuṇṇadānena vā dantakaṭṭhadānena vā mukhodakadānena vā cātukamyatāya vā muggasupyatāya vā pāribhaṭyatāya vā jaṅghapesanīyena vā vejjakammena vā dūtakammena vā pahiṇagamanena vā piṇḍapaṭipiṇḍena vā dānānuppadānena vā vatthuvijjāya vā nakkhattavijjāya vā aṅgavijjāya vā aññataraññatarena vā buddhappaṭikuṭṭhena micchājīvena nipphāditaṁ bhojanaṁ na bhuñjitabbaṁ vāmena passena patitaṁ pasuṁ viya dīpiko. |
or by flattery, or by gaining the laity over by sugared words (literally by pea-soup-talk), suppressing the truth and suggesting the false, or by petting their children, or by taking messages as he walks from house to house, or by doctoring them, or by acting as a go-between, or as a messenger on matters of business or ceremony, or by exchanging with them things he has received as alms, or by giving back again to them as bribes robes or food once given to him, or by giving them hints as to lucky sites, or lucky days, or lucky signs (on their children’s bodies at birth), or by any other of those wrong modes of obtaining a livelihood that have been condemned by the Buddha —no food so procured should he eat, as the panther will not eat any prey that has fallen on its left side. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, dīpikassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
This is the second of the qualities of the panther he ought to have. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
‘Vacīviññattivipphārā, |
|
uppannaṁ madhupāyasaṁ; |
“This food, so sweet, has been procured |
| Through intimation given by speech. | |
Sace bhutto bhaveyyāhaṁ, |
|
sājīvo garahito mama. |
Were I, then, to partake thereof, |
| My mode of livelihood would be blamed. | |
Yadipi me antaguṇaṁ, |
|
nikkhamitvā bahī care; |
Now though by hunger dire oppressed |
| My stomach seem to rise, to go, | |
Neva bhindeyyamājīvaṁ, |
Ne’er will I break my rule of life, |
cajamānopi jīvitan’”ti. |
Not though my life I sacrifice.” |
| ’ | |
Dīpikaṅgapañho pañcamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
6. Kummaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘kummassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.2.6. The Tortoise |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kummo udakacaro udakeyeva vāsaṁ kappeti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of the tortoise which you say he ought to take, what are they? |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbapāṇabhūtapuggalānaṁ hitānukampinā mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ pharitvā viharitabbaṁ. |
’ |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kummassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the tortoise, which is a water animal, keeps to the water; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, let his heart go out over the whole wide world with pity and with love—mighty, abounding, beyond measure, free from every feeling of hatred or of malice—towards all creatures that have life. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, kummo udake uppilavanto sīsaṁ ukkhipitvā yadi koci passati, tattheva nimujjati gāḷhamogāhati ‘mā maṁ te puna passeyyun’ti; |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the tortoise he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kilesesu opatantesu ārammaṇasare nimujjitabbaṁ gāḷhamogāhitabbaṁ ‘mā maṁ kilesā puna passeyyun’ti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kummassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the tortoise, when, as he swims on the water and raises his head, he catches sight of any one, that moment sinks, and dives into the depths, lest they should see him again; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when evil inclinations fall upon him, sink into the waters of meditation, dive down into the deeps thereof, lest those evil inclinations should catch sight of him again. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, kummo udakato nikkhamitvā kāyaṁ otāpeti; |
This, O king, is the second of the qualities of the tortoise he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena nisajjaṭṭhānasayanacaṅkamato mānasaṁ nīharitvā sammappadhāne mānasaṁ otāpetabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kummassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the tortoise gets up out of the water, and suns himself; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when he rouses himself (withdraws his mind) out of meditation—whether taken sitting, or lying down, or standing, or walking up and down—sun his mind in the Great Struggle against evil dispositions. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, kummo pathaviṁ khaṇitvā vivitte vāsaṁ kappeti; |
This, O king, is the third of the qualities of the tortoise he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena lābhasakkārasilokaṁ pajahitvā suññaṁ vivittaṁ kānanaṁ vanapatthaṁ pabbataṁ kandaraṁ giriguhaṁ appasaddaṁ appanigghosaṁ pavivittamogāhitvā vivitte yeva vāsaṁ upagantabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kummassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena upasenena vaṅgantaputtena— |
‘And again, O king, just as the tortoise, digging a hole in the ground, dwells alone; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, giving up worldly gain and honour and praise, take up his abode alone, plunging into the solitudes of empty lonely places in the groves and woods and hills, in caves and grottoes, noiseless and quiet. | |
‘Vivittaṁ appanigghosaṁ, |
This, O king, is the fourth of the qualities of the tortoise he ought to have. |
vāḷamiganisevitaṁ; |
For it was said, O king, by Upasena, the Elder, of the sons of the Vaṅgantas: |
Seve senāsanaṁ bhikkhu, |
|
paṭisallānakāraṇā’ti. |
“Lonely and quiet places, haunts |
| Of the deer, and of wild beasts, | |
| Should the Bhikshu seek as his abode, | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, kummo cārikaṁ caramāno yadi kañci passati vā, saddaṁ suṇāti vā, soṇḍipañcamāni aṅgāni sake kapāle nidahitvā appossukko tuṇhībhūto tiṭṭhati kāyamanurakkhanto; |
For solitude’s sweet sake.” |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbattha rūpasaddagandharasaphoṭṭhabbadhammesu āpatantesu chasu dvāresu saṁvarakavāṭaṁ anugghāṭetvā mānasaṁ samodahitvā saṁvaraṁ katvā satena sampajānena vihātabbaṁ samaṇadhammaṁ anurakkhamānena. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kummassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavare kummūpamasuttante— |
‘And again, O king, as the tortoise, when on his rounds he sees any one, draws in at once all his head and limbs into his shell, and hiding them there, keeps still in silence to save himself; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, wheresoever forms, or sounds, or odours, or tastes, or feelings strike upon him, shut to the gate of self-restraint at the six doors of his senses, cover up his mind in self-control, and continue constant in mindfulness and thoughtfulness to save his Samanaship. | |
‘Kummova aṅgāni sake kapāle, |
This, O king, is the fifth of the qualities of the tortoise he ought to have. |
Samodahaṁ bhikkhu manovitakke; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Saṁyutta Nikāya, in the Sutta of the parable of the tortoise: |
Anissito aññamaheṭhayāno, |
|
Parinibbuto nūpavadeyya kañcī’”ti. |
“As the tortoise withdraws his limbs in his shell, |
| Let the Bhikshu bury the thoughts of his mind, | |
| Himself Independent, injuring none, | |
Kummaṅgapañho chaṭṭho. |
Set free himself, speaking evil of none.” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
7. Vaṁsaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘vaṁsassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.2.7. The Bamboo |
“Yathā, mahārāja, vaṁso yattha vāto, tattha anulometi, nāññatthamanudhāvati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the bamboo which you say he ought to take, which is it? |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena yaṁ buddhena bhagavatā bhāsitaṁ navaṅgaṁ satthusāsanaṁ, taṁ anulomayitvā kappiye anavajje ṭhatvā samaṇadhammaṁyeva pariyesitabbaṁ. |
, |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vaṁsassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena rāhulena— |
‘Just, O king, as the bamboo, whithersoever the gale blows, to that quarter does it bend accordingly, pursuing no other way of its own; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, conduct himself in accordance with the ninefold teaching of the Master, the word of the Buddha, the Blessed One, and stedfastly keeping to all things lawful and blameless, he should seek after the qualities of the Samaṇaship itself. | |
‘Navaṅgaṁ buddhavacanaṁ, |
This, O king, is the one quality of the bamboo he ought to have. |
anulometvāna sabbadā; |
For it was said, O king, by Rāhula, the Elder: |
Kappiye anavajjasmiṁ, |
|
ṭhatvāpāyaṁ samuttarin’”ti. |
“In accord always with Buddha’s ninefold word |
| And steadfast in all lawful, blameless acts, | |
| I have passed beyond rebirth in evil states.” | |
Vaṁsaṅgapañho sattamo. |
’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
8. Cāpaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘cāpassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.2.8. The Bow |
“Yathā, mahārāja, cāpo sutacchito namito yāvaggamūlaṁ samakameva anunamati nappaṭitthambhati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the bow which you say he ought to have, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena theranavamajjhimasamakesu anunamitabbaṁ nappaṭipharitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, cāpassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena vidhura (puṇṇaka) jātake— |
‘Just, O king, as a well-made and balanced bow bends equally from end to end, and does not resist stiffly, like a post; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, bend easily in accord with all his brethren—whether elders, juniors, of medium seniority, or of like standing with himself—and not repel them. | |
‘Cāpovūnudaro dhīro, |
This, O king, is the one quality of the bow he ought to have. |
vaṁso vāpi pakampaye; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Vidhura Puṇṇaka Jātaka: |
Paṭilomaṁ na vatteyya, |
|
sa rājavasatiṁ vase’”ti. |
“Let the wise bend as the bow, yield as the reed, |
| Not be contrary. | |
| He shall dwell in the home of kings.” | |
Cāpaṅgapañho aṭṭhamo. |
’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
9. Vāyasaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘vāyasassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.2.9. The Crow |
“Yathā, mahārāja, vāyaso āsaṅkitaparisaṅkito yattappayatto carati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the crow that you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena āsaṅkitaparisaṅkitena yattapayattena upaṭṭhitāya satiyā saṁvutehi indriyehi caritabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vāyasassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the crow goes about full of apprehension and suspicion, always on watch and guard; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, go about full of apprehension and suspicion, always on watch and guard, in full self-possession, with his senses under control. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, vāyaso yaṁ kiñci bhojanaṁ disvā ñātīhi saṁvibhajitvā bhuñjati; |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the crow he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ye te lābhā dhammikā dhammaladdhā antamaso pattapariyāpannamattampi, tathārūpehi lābhehi paṭivibhattabhoginā bhavitabbaṁ sīlavantehi sabrahmacārīhi. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vāyasassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘And again, O king, as the crow, whatever food he catches sight of, eats it, sharing with his kind; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never omit to share with virtuous co-religionists, and that without distinction of person or deliberation as to quantity, whatever lawful gifts he may have lawfully received, down even to the contents of his begging-bowl. | |
‘Sace me upanāmenti, |
This, O king, is the second of the qualities of the crow he ought to have. |
yathāladdhaṁ tapassino; |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
Sabbe saṁvibhajitvāna, |
|
tato bhuñjāmi bhojanan’”ti. |
“Whate’er they may present to me, austere in life, |
| All that, just as it comes, do I divide | |
| With all, and I myself then take my food.” | |
Vāyasaṅgapañho navamo. |
’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Gadrabhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
10. Makkaṭaṅgapañha |
Chapter 1 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘makkaṭassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.2.10. The Monkey |
“Yathā, mahārāja, makkaṭo vāsamupagacchanto tathārūpe okāse mahatimahārukkhe pavivitte sabbaṭṭhakasākhe bhīruttāṇe vāsamupagacchati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the monkey which you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena lajjiṁ pesalaṁ sīlavantaṁ kalyāṇadhammaṁ bahussutaṁ dhammadharaṁ vinayadharaṁ piyaṁ garubhāvanīyaṁ vattāraṁ vacanakkhamaṁ ovādakaṁ viññāpakaṁ sandassakaṁ samādapakaṁ samuttejakaṁ sampahaṁsakaṁ evarūpaṁ kalyāṇamittaṁ ācariyaṁ nissāya viharitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, makkaṭassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the monkey, when about to take up his abode does so in some such place as a mighty tree, in a lonely place covered all over with branches, a sure place of refuge; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, choose as the teacher under whom to live a man modest, amiable, righteous, of beauty of character, learned in tradition and in the scriptures, lovable, venerable, worthy of reverence, a speaker of profitable things, meek, clever in admonition, in instruction, and in education, able to arouse, to incite, to gladden —such a friend should he choose as teacher. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, makkaṭo rukkheyeva carati tiṭṭhati nisīdati, yadi niddaṁ okkamati, tattheva rattiṁ vāsamanubhavati; |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the monkey he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena pavanābhimukhena bhavitabbaṁ, pavaneyeva ṭhānacaṅkamanisajjāsayanaṁ niddaṁ okkamitabbaṁ, tattheva satipaṭṭhānamanubhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, makkaṭassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘And again, O king, as the monkey wanders about, and stands and sits, always on trees, and, if he goes to sleep, spends the night on them; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, stand and walk up and down thinking, and lie down, and sleep, in the forest, and there enjoy the sense of self-possession. | |
‘Caṅkamantopi tiṭṭhanto, |
This, O king, is the second of the qualities of the monkey he ought to have. |
nisajjāsayanena vā; |
For it has been said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
Pavane sobhate bhikkhu, |
|
pavanantaṁva vaṇṇitan’”ti. |
“Walking, or standing, sitting, lying down, |
| ’Tis in the forest that the Bhikshu shines. | |
Makkaṭaṅgapañho dasamo. |
To dwell in wildernesses far remote |
| Has been exalted by the Buddhas all.” | |
| ’ | |
Gadrabhavaggo paṭhamo. |
|
| Here ends the First Chapter. | |
Tassuddānaṁ |
|
Gadrabho ceva kukkuṭo, |
|
kalando dīpini dīpiko; |
|
Kummo vaṁso ca cāpo ca, |
|
vāyaso atha makkaṭoti. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
1. Lābulataṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘lābulatāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.3.1. The Gourd |
“Yathā, mahārāja, lābulatā tiṇe vā kaṭṭhe vā latāya vā soṇḍikāhi ālambitvā tassūpari vaḍḍhati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the gourd which you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena arahatte abhivaḍḍhitukāmena manasā ārammaṇaṁ ālambitvā arahatte abhivaḍḍhitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, lābulatāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘Just, O king, as the gourd, climbing up with its tendrils on to some other plant—whether a grass, or a thorn, or a creeper—grows all over it; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, who desires to grow up into Arahatship, do so by climbing up with his mind over the ideas that present themselves (as subjects for the Kammaṭṭhāna meditations). | |
‘Yathā lābulatā nāma, |
This, O king, is the one quality of the gourd which he ought to have. |
tiṇe kaṭṭhe latāya vā; |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
Ālambitvā soṇḍikāhi, |
|
tato vaḍḍhati uppari. |
“As the gourd, clambering up with its tendrils, grows |
| O’er the grass, or the thorn-bush, or creeper widespread, | |
| So the son of the Buddha on Ar’hatship bent, | |
Tatheva buddhaputtena, |
Climbs up o’er ideas, to perfection and peace.” |
Arahattaphalakāminā; |
|
Ārammaṇaṁ ālambitvā, |
|
Vaḍḍhitabbaṁ asekkhaphale’”ti. |
|
Lābulataṅgapañho paṭhamo. |
|
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
2. Padumaṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘padumassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.3.2. The Lotus |
“Yathā, mahārāja, padumaṁ udake jātaṁ udake saṁvaddhaṁ anupalittaṁ udakena; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the lotus which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kule gaṇe lābhe yase sakkāre sammānanāya paribhogapaccayesu ca sabbattha anupalittena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, padumassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the lotus, though it is born in the water, and grows up in the water, yet remains undefiled by the water (for no water adheres to it); | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, remain undefiled by the support that he receives, or by the following of disciples that he obtains, or by fame, or by honour, or by veneration, or by the abundance of the requisites that he enjoys. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, padumaṁ udakā accuggamma ṭhāti; |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the lotus that he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbalokaṁ abhibhavitvā accuggamma lokuttaradhamme ṭhātabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, padumassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the lotus remains lifted up far above the water; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, remain far above all worldly things. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, padumaṁ appamattakenapi anilena eritaṁ calati; |
This, O king, is the second of the qualities of the lotus that he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena appamattakesupi kilesesu saṁyamo karaṇīyo, bhayadassāvinā viharitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, padumassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena ‘aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesū’”ti. |
‘And again, O king, as the lotus trembles when blown upon by the slightest breeze; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, exercise self-control in respect of the least of the evil dispositions, perceiving the danger (in the least offence). | |
| This, O king, is the third of the qualities of the lotus he ought to have. | |
Padumaṅgapañho dutiyo. |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: |
| “Seeing danger in the least offence, he takes upon himself, trains himself in, the precepts.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
3. Bījaṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘bījassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.3.3. The Seed |
“Yathā, mahārāja, bījaṁ appakampi samānaṁ bhaddake khette vuttaṁ deve sammā dhāraṁ pavecchante subahūni phalāni anudassati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of seed which you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena yathā paṭipāditaṁ sīlaṁ kevalaṁ sāmaññaphalamanudassati. |
|
Evaṁ sammā paṭipajjitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, bījassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘Just, O king, as seed, tiny though it be, yet if sown in good soil, and if the god rains aright, will give abundant fruit; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, so conduct himself aright that the righteousness of his life may give abundantly of the fruits of Samanaship. | |
| This, O king, is the first quality of seed which he ought to have. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bījaṁ suparisodhite khette ropitaṁ khippameva saṁvirūhati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena mānasaṁ supariggahitaṁ suññāgāre parisodhitaṁ satipaṭṭhānakhettavare khittaṁ khippameva virūhati. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, bījassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, as seed planted in well-weeded soil comes quickly to maturity; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena anuruddhena— |
just so, O king, will his mind, when well-mastered, and well-purified in solitude, if it be cast by the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, into the excellent field of self-possession, come quickly to maturity. |
| This, O king, is the second quality of seed which he ought to have. | |
‘Yathāpi khette parisuddhe, |
For it was said, O king, by Anuruddha, the Elder: |
bījañcassa patiṭṭhitaṁ; |
|
Vipulaṁ tassa phalaṁ hoti, |
“If seed be sown on a well-weeded field, |
api toseti kassakaṁ. |
Its fruit, abounding, will rejoice the sower. |
| So the recluse’s heart, in solitude made pure, | |
Tatheva yogino cittaṁ, |
Matures full fast in self-possession’s field.” |
suññāgāre visodhitaṁ; |
’ |
Satipaṭṭhānakhettamhi, |
|
khippameva virūhatī’”ti. |
|
Bījaṅgapañho tatiyo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
4. Sālakalyāṇikaṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘sālakalyāṇikāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.3.4. The Sal-Tree |
“Yathā, mahārāja, sālakalyāṇikā nāma antopathaviyaṁyeva abhivaḍḍhati hatthasatampi bhiyyopi; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the Sal-tree which you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena cattāri sāmaññaphalāni catasso paṭisambhidā chaḷabhiññāyo kevalañca samaṇadhammaṁ suññāgāreyeva paripūrayitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sālakalyāṇikāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena rāhulena— |
‘Just, O king, as the Sal-tree grows within the ground to the depth of a hundred cubits or more; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, perfect in solitude the four Fruits of Samanaship, the four Discriminations, the six forms of transcendental Insight, and all the qualities befitting a recluse. | |
‘Sālakalyāṇikā nāma, |
This, O king, is the one quality of the Sal-tree he ought to have. |
pādapo dharaṇīruho; |
For it was said, O king, by Rāhula, the Elder: |
Antopathaviyaṁyeva, |
|
satahatthopi vaḍḍhati. |
“The tree that’s called the Sal-tree grows above the earth, |
| And shoots beneath, a hundred cubits deep. | |
Yathā kālamhi sampatte, |
As in the fullness of time, and at its highest growth |
paripākena so dumo; |
That tree shoots in one day a hundred cubits high, |
| Just so do I, O Buddha, like the Sal, | |
Uggañchitvāna ekāhaṁ, |
Increase, in solitude, in inward good.” |
satahatthopi vaḍḍhati. |
’ |
Evamevāhaṁ mahāvīra, |
|
sālakalyāṇikā viya; |
|
Abbhantare suññāgāre, |
|
dhammato abhivaḍḍhayin’”ti. |
|
Sālakalyāṇikaṅgapañho catuttho. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
5. Nāvaṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘nāvāya tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.3.5. The Ship |
“Yathā, mahārāja, nāvā bahuvidhadārusaṅghāṭasamavāyena bahumpi janaṁ tārayati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the ship that you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ācārasīlaguṇavattappaṭivattabahuvidhadhammasaṅghāṭasamavāyena sadevako loko tārayitabbo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, nāvāya paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as a ship, by the combination of the quantity of the different kinds of timber of which it is composed, conveys many folk across; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, cross the whole world of existence, whether in heaven, or on earth, by the combination of a number of qualities arising out of good conduct, righteousness, virtue, and the performance of duty. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, nāvā bahuvidhaūmitthanitavegavisaṭamāvaṭṭavegaṁ sahati; |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of a ship he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena bahuvidhakilesaūmivegaṁ lābhasakkārayasasilokapūjanavandanā parakulesu nindāpasaṁsāsukhadukkhasammānanavimānanabahuvidhadosaūmivegañca sahitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, nāvāya dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as a ship can bear the onslaught of various thundering waves and of far-reaching whirlpools; | |
| so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be able to bear the onslaught of the waves of various evil inclinations, and the onslaught of the waves of varied evils—veneration and contempt, support and honour, praise and exaltation, offerings and homage, blame and commendation in families not his own. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, nāvā aparimitamanantamapāramakkhobhitagambhīre mahatimahāghose timitimiṅgalamakaramacchagaṇākule mahatimahāsamudde carati; |
This, O king, is the second of the qualities of the ship he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena tiparivaṭṭadvādasākāracatusaccābhisamayappaṭivedhe mānasaṁ sañcārayitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, nāvāya tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavare saccasaṁyutte— |
‘And again, O king, as the ship journeys over the great ocean, immeasurable and infinite though it be, without a further shore, unshaken in its depths, roaring with a mighty noise, and filled with crowds of fish and monsters and dragons of all sorts; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, make his mind journey through to penetration into the four Truths in their triple order, in their twelvefold form. | |
‘Vitakkentā ca kho tumhe, bhikkhave, “idaṁ dukkhan”ti vitakkeyyātha, “ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo”ti vitakkeyyātha, “ayaṁ dukkhanirodho”ti vitakkeyyātha, “ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā”ti vitakkeyyāthā’”ti. |
This, O king, is the third of the qualities of the ship he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Saṁyutta Nikāya, in the Saṁyutta on the Truths: | |
Nāvaṅgapañho pañcamo. |
|
| “Whenever you are thinking, O Bhikkhus, you should think: | |
| ‘Such is sorrow,’—you should think ‘Such is the origin of sorrow,’—you should think: | |
| ‘Such is the end of sorrow,’—you should think: | |
| ‘Such is the path that leads to the end of sorrow.’ | |
| ”’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
6. Nāvālagganakaṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘nāvālagganakassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.3.6. The Anchor |
“Yathā, mahārāja, nāvālagganakaṁ bahuūmijālākulavikkhobhitasalilatale mahatimahāsamudde nāvaṁ laggeti ṭhapeti, na deti disāvidisaṁ harituṁ; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the anchor which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena rāgadosamohūmijāle mahatimahāvitakkasampahāre cittaṁ laggetabbaṁ, na dātabbaṁ disāvidisaṁ harituṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, nāvālagganakassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the anchor, even in the mighty sea, in the expanse of waters agitated by the crowding of ever-varying waves, will fasten the ship, and keep it still, not letting the sea take it in one direction or another; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, keep his mind stedfast in the mighty struggle of thoughts, in the waters of the waves of lust and malice and dullness, not letting them divert it in one direction or another. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, nāvālagganakaṁ na plavati visīdati, hatthasatepi udake nāvaṁ laggeti ṭhānamupaneti; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the anchor he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena lābhayasasakkāramānanavandanapūjanaapacitīsu lābhaggayasaggepi na plavitabbaṁ, sarīrayāpanamattake yeva cittaṁ ṭhapetabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, nāvālagganakassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘And again, O king, as the anchor floats not, but sinks down, and even in water a hundred cubits deep holds the ship fast, brings it to rest; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when he receives support, and fame, and honour, and veneration, and reverence, and offerings, and praise, be not lifted up on the summit of the support or the fame, but keep his mind fixed on the idea of merely keeping his body alive. | |
‘Yathā samudde lagganakaṁ, |
This, O king, is the second quality of the anchor he ought to have. |
na plavati visīdati; |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
Tatheva lābhasakkāre, |
|
mā plavatha visīdathā’”ti. |
“As the anchor floats not, but sinks down beneath the waves, |
| So be abased, not lifted up, by praise or gifts.” | |
| ’ | |
Nāvālagganakaṅgapañho chaṭṭho. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
7. Kūpaṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘kūpassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.3.7. The Mast |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kūpo rajjuñca varattañca laṅkārañca dhāreti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the mast which you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena satisampajaññasamannāgatena bhavitabbaṁ, abhikkante paṭikkante ālokite vilokite samiñjite pasārite saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇe asite pīte khāyite sāyite uccārapassāvakamme gate ṭhite nisinne sutte jāgarite bhāsite tuṇhībhāve sampajānakārinā bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kūpassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena ‘sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vihareyya sampajāno, ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī’”ti. |
‘Just, O king, as the mast carries ropes and braces and sails ; |
| just so should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, always have mindfulness and self-possession—when going out or coming back, when looking ahead or looking round, when stretching forth his arm or bending it back, when wearing clothes or carrying his bowl, when eating or drinking or swallowing or tasting, when easing himself or walking or standing or sitting, when asleep or awake, when talking and when silent, never should he lose his mindfulness and self-possession. | |
| This, O king, is the one quality of the mast he ought to have. | |
Kūpaṅgapañho sattamo. |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: |
| “Mindful, my brethren, should the Bhikshu remain, and self-possessed. | |
| This is my instruction to you.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
8. Niyāmakaṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘niyāmakassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.3.8. The Pilot |
“Yathā, mahārāja, niyāmako rattindivaṁ satataṁ samitaṁ appamatto yattappayatto nāvaṁ sāreti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the pilot which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena cittaṁ niyāmayamānena rattindivaṁ satataṁ samitaṁ appamattena yattappayattena yoniso manasikārena cittaṁ niyāmetabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, niyāmakassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena dhammapade— |
‘Just, O king, as the pilot, day and night, with continuous and unceasing zeal and effort, navigates his ship; |
| just so, O king, does the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when regulating his mind, continue night and day unceasingly zealous and earnest in regulating his mind by careful thought. | |
‘Appamādaratā hotha, |
This, O king, is the one quality of the pilot he ought to have. |
sacittamanurakkhatha; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Dhammapada (the Collection of scripture verses): |
Duggā uddharathattānaṁ, |
|
paṅke sannova kuñjaro’ti. |
“Be full of zeal, watch over your own thoughts; |
| Raise yourselves up out of the slough of endless births, | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, niyāmakassa yaṁ kiñci mahāsamudde kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā, sabbaṁ taṁ viditaṁ hoti; |
As the strong elephant engulphed in depths of mud.” |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kusalākusalaṁ sāvajjānavajjaṁ hīnappaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ vijānitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, niyāmakassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the pilot knows all that is in the sea, whether good or bad; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, know good from evil, and what is an offence from what is not, and what is mean from what is exalted, and what is dark from what is light. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, niyāmako yante muddikaṁ deti ‘mā koci yantaṁ āmasitthā’ti; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the pilot he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena citte saṁvaramuddikā dātabbā ‘mā kiñci pāpakaṁ akusalavitakkaṁ vitakkesī’ti, idaṁ, mahārāja, niyāmakassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavare—‘mā, bhikkhave, pāpake akusale vitakke vitakkeyyātha, seyyathidaṁ—kāmavitakkaṁ byāpādavitakkaṁ vihiṁsāvitakkan’”ti. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the pilot puts a seal on the steering apparatus lest any one should touch it; | |
| so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, put the seal of self-control on his heart, lest any evil or wrong thoughts should arise within it. | |
Niyāmakaṅgapañho aṭṭhamo. |
This is the third quality of the pilot he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Saṁyutta Nikāya: | |
| “Think, O Bhikshus, no evil or wrong thoughts, such as thoughts of lust, or of malice, or of delusion.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
9. Kammakāraṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘kammakārassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.3.9. The Sailor |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kammakāro evaṁ cintayati ‘bhatako ahaṁ imāya nāvāya kammaṁ karomi, imāyāhaṁ nāvāya vāhasā bhattavetanaṁ labhāmi, na me pamādo karaṇīyo, appamādena me ayaṁ nāvā vāhetabbā’ti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the sailor which you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena evaṁ cintayitabbaṁ ‘imaṁ kho ahaṁ cātumahābhūtikaṁ kāyaṁ sammasanto satataṁ samitaṁ appamatto upaṭṭhitassati sato sampajāno samāhito ekaggacitto jātijarābyādhimaraṇasokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccissāmīti appamādo me karaṇīyo’ti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kammakārassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘Just as the sailor on board ship, O king, thinks thus: |
| “I am a hireling, and am working for my wage on board this ship. | |
‘Kāyaṁ imaṁ sammasatha, |
By means of this ship is it that I get food and clothing. |
parijānātha punappunaṁ; |
I must not be lazy, but zealously navigate the ship; |
| ” just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, think thus: | |
Kāye sabhāvaṁ disvāna, |
“Gaining a thorough knowledge of this body of mine, put together of the four elements, continuously and unceasingly will I be self-possessed in mindfulness and thoughtfulness, and tranquil and peaceful will exert myself to be set free from births, old age, disease, and death, grief, lamentation, sorrow, suffering, and despair.” |
dukkhassantaṁ karissathā’”ti. |
This, O king, is the one quality of the sailor he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: | |
Kammakāraṅgapañho navamo. |
|
| “Understand what the body is, realise that again and again, | |
| Seeing the nature of the body, put an end to grief.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Samuddavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
10. Samuddaṅgapañha |
Chapter 2 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘samuddassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.3.10. The Sea |
“Yathā, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo matena kuṇapena saddhiṁ na saṁvasati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of the sea you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena rāgadosamohamānadiṭṭhimakkhapaḷāsaissāmacchariyamāyāsāṭheyyakuṭilavisamaduccaritakilesamalehi saddhiṁ na saṁvasitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, samuddassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the sea brooks no contact with a corpse ; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, brook no association with the stains of evil—lust and malice and dullness and pride and delusion, concealing the faults one has and claiming virtues one has not, envy and avarice, deceit and treachery and trickiness, wickedness and sinfulness of life. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo muttāmaṇiveḷuriyasaṅkhasilāpavāḷaphalikamaṇivividharatananicayaṁ dhārento pidahati, na bahi vikirati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the sea he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena maggaphalajhānavimokkhasamādhisamāpattivipassanābhiññāvividhaguṇaratanāni adhigantvā pidahitabbāni, na bahi nīharitabbāni. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, samuddassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the sea carries within it stores of all kinds of gems—pearls and diamonds and cat’s-eyes, and chank shells, and quartz, and coral, and crystal, but conceals them all; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, though he have attained to the various gems of character—the Path, and the Fruits Thereof, and the four Ghānas, and the eight Vimokkhas, and Samādhi, and the five Attainments (forms of ecstatic contemplation and Insight), and the six forms of Transcendental Knowledge —conceal them and not bring them to the light. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo mahantehi mahābhūtehi saddhiṁ saṁvasati; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the sea he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena appicchaṁ santuṭṭhaṁ dhutavādaṁ sallekhavuttiṁ ācārasampannaṁ lajjiṁ pesalaṁ garuṁ bhāvanīyaṁ vattāraṁ vacanakkhamaṁ codakaṁ pāpagarahiṁ ovādakaṁ anusāsakaṁ viññāpakaṁ sandassakaṁ samādapakaṁ samuttejakaṁ sampahaṁsakaṁ kalyāṇamittaṁ sabrahmacāriṁ nissāya vasitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the sea associates with mighty creatures; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, associate himself with a fellow-disciple who desires little and is contented, who is pure in speech, whose conduct is directed to the eradication of evil, who is given to righteousness, modest, amiable, dignified, venerable, a speaker of profitable words, meek, one who will point out his associate’s faults, and blame him when he does wrong, clever in admonition, in instruction, and in education, able to arouse, to incite, and to gladden—with such a man as a friend, in righteousness should he dwell. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo navasalilasampuṇṇāhi gaṅgāyamunāaciravatīsarabhūmahīādīhi nadīsatasahassehi antalikkhe saliladhārāhi ca pūritopi sakaṁ velaṁ nātivattati; |
This, O king, is the third quality of the sea he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena lābhasakkārasilokavandanamānanapūjanakāraṇā jīvitahetupi sañcicca sikkhāpadavītikkamo na karaṇīyo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
‘And again, O king, as the sea, though filled with the fresh water brought down by the Ganges, and the Jumna, and the Aciravatī, and the Sarabhū, and the Mahī, and by other rivers a hundred thousand in number, and by the rains of heaven, yet never overflows its shore; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never consciously transgress the precepts for the sake of support, or fame, or praise, or salutations, or reverence, or honour—no! | |
‘Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo ṭhitadhammo velaṁ nātikkamati; |
not even for his life. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yaṁ mayā sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ, taṁ mama sāvakā jīvitahetupi nātikkamantī’ti. |
This, O king, is the fourth of the qualities of the sea he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddo sabbasavantīhi gaṅgāyamunāaciravatīsarabhūmahīhi antalikkhe udakadhārāhipi na paripūrati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena uddesaparipucchāsavanadhāraṇavinicchayaabhidhammavinayagāḷhasuttantaviggahapadanikkhepapadasandhi padavibhattinavaṅgajinasāsanavaraṁ suṇantenāpi na tappitabbaṁ. |
“Just, O king, as the great ocean has fixity as its characteristic, and never overflows its shores; |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, mahāsamuddassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
just so, O king, should my disciples never overstep the regulations I have laid down for them—no! |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena sutasomajātake— |
not even to save themselves alive.” |
‘Aggi yathā tiṇakaṭṭhaṁ dahanto, |
|
Na tappati sāgaro vā nadīhi; |
‘And again, O king, as the sea is not filled even by all the rivers—the Ganges, and the Jumna, and the Aciravatī, and the Sarabhū, and the Mahī—nor by the rains from heaven; |
| just so, O king, should The strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never be satisfied with receiving instruction, with asking and answering questions, with listening to the word, and learning it by heart, and examining into it, with hearing the Abhidhamma and the Vinaya, and the deep sayings of the Suttas, with analysis of forms, with learning the rules of right composition, conjunction, and grammatical construction, with listening to the ninefold teaching of the Conqueror. | |
Evampi ce paṇḍitā rājaseṭṭha, |
This, O king, is the fifth quality of the sea he ought to have. |
Sutvā na tappanti subhāsitenā’”ti. |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Sutasoma Jātaka: |
Samuddaṅgapañho dasamo. |
“Just as the fire, in burning grass and sticks, |
| Is never satisfied, nor the great sea | |
| Filled with the waters of all streams that flow— | |
Samuddavaggo dutiyo. |
So are these students wise, O king of kings, |
| Listening, ne’er sated with the words of truth.” | |
| ’ | |
Tassuddānaṁ |
|
| Here ends the Second Chapter. | |
Lābulatā ca padumaṁ, |
|
bījaṁ sālakalyāṇikā; |
|
Nāvā ca nāvālagganaṁ, |
|
kūpo niyāmako tathā; |
|
Kammakāro samuddo ca, |
|
vaggo tena pavuccatīti. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
1. Pathavīaṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘pathaviyā pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.1. The Earth |
“Yathā, mahārāja, pathavī iṭṭhāniṭṭhāni kappūrāgarutagaracandanakuṅkumādīni ākirantepi pittasemhapubbaruhirasedamedakheḷasiṅghāṇikalasikamuttakarīsādīni ākirantepi tādisāyeva; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of the earth which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena iṭṭhāniṭṭhe lābhālābhe yasāyase nindāpasaṁsāya sukhadukkhe sabbattha tādināyeva bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pathaviyā paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the earth remains just the same whether one scatter upon it desirable things or the reverse—whether camphor and aloes and jasmine and sandal-wood and saffron, or whether bile and phlegm and pus and blood and sweat and fat and saliva and mucus and the fluid which lubricates the joints and urine and faeces—still it is the same; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, remain the same, unmoved at support or neglect, at fame or dishonour, at blame or praise, in happiness or in woe. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pathavī maṇḍanavibhūsanāpagatā sakagandhaparibhāvitā; |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the earth he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena vibhūsanāpagatena sakasīlagandhaparibhāvitena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pathaviyā dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the earth has no adornment, no garlands, but is suffused with the odour of itself; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, wear no finery, but rather be set round with the sweet savour of his own righteousness of life. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pathavī nirantarā akhaṇḍacchiddā asusirā bahalā ghanā vitthiṇṇā; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the earth he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena nirantaramakhaṇḍacchiddamasusirabahalaghanavitthiṇṇasīlena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pathaviyā tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the earth is solid, without holes or interstices, thick, dense, and spreads itself out on every side; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be endowed with an unbroken righteousness of life with no gaps or cracks in it, thick, dense, and spreading itself out on every side. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pathavī gāmanigamanagarajanapadarukkhapabbatanadītaḷākapokkharaṇīmigapakkhimanujanaranārigaṇaṁ dhārentīpi akilāsu hoti; |
This, O king, is the third quality of the earth he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ovadantenapi anusāsantenapi viññāpentenapi sandassentenapi samādapentenapi samuttejentenapi sampahaṁsentenapi dhammadesanāsu akilāsunā bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pathaviyā catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the earth is never weary, though it bears up the villages and towns and cities and countries, the trees and hills and rivers and ponds and lakes, the wild creatures and birds and men, multitudes of men and women; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be never weary in giving exhortation and admonition and instruction and education, in rousing and inciting and gladdening, and at the expositions of the faith. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pathavī anunayappaṭighavippamuttā; |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of the earth he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena anunayappaṭighavippamuttena pathavisamena cetasā viharitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pathaviyā pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, upāsikāya cūḷasubhaddāya sakasamaṇe parikittayamānāya— |
‘And again, O king, as the earth is free alike from fawning and from ill-will ; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, continue in spirit, like the earth, free alike from fawning upon any man, from ill-will to any man. | |
‘Ekañce bāhaṁ vāsiyā, |
This is the fifth quality of the earth he ought to have. |
tacche kupitamānasā; |
For it was said, O king, by the devoted woman, culla Subhaddā, when she was exalting the recluses of her own sect: |
Ekañce bāhaṁ gandhena, |
|
ālimpeyya pamoditā. |
“Were one, enraged, to cut their one arm with an axe, |
| Another, pleased, to anoint the other with sweet scent, | |
| No ill-will would they bear the one, nor love the other. | |
Amusmiṁ paṭigho natthi, |
|
rāgo asmiṁ na vijjati; |
Their hearts are like the earth, unmoved are my recluses.” |
| ’ | |
Pathavīsamacittā te, |
|
tādisā samaṇā mamā’”ti. |
|
Pathavīaṅgapañho paṭhamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
2. Āpaṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘āpassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.2. Water |
“Yathā, mahārāja, āpo susaṇṭhitamakampitamaluḷitasabhāvaparisuddho; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the five qualities of water which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kuhanalapananemittakanippesikataṁ apanetvā susaṇṭhitamakampitamaluḷitasabhāvaparisuddhācārena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, āpassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as water is firmly fixed (in pools, wells, &c. | |
| ), shakes not, and (in its ordinary state) is not disturbed, and is pure by nature; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, āpo sītalasabhāvasaṇṭhito; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, putting away hypocrisy, and whining, and intimating their wants, and improper influences of all sorts, be fixed, unshaken, undisturbed, and pure in nature. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbasattesu khantimettānuddayasampannena hitesinā anukampakena bhavitabbaṁ. |
This, O king, is the first quality of water he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, āpassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as water is always of a refreshing nature; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, āpo asuciṁ suciṁ karoti; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be full of pity, and love, and kindness to all beings, seeking the good of all, in mercy to all. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena gāme vā araññe vā upajjhāye upajjhāyamattesu ācariye ācariyamattesu sabbattha anadhikaraṇena bhavitabbaṁ anavasesakārinā. |
This, O king, is the second quality of water he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, āpassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as water makes the dirty clean; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, āpo bahujanapatthito; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be in all places, whether in the village or in the forest, free from disputes with, free from offence against his teachers, his masters, or those standing towards him like a teacher. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena appicchasantuṭṭhapavivittapaṭisallānena satataṁ sabbalokamabhipatthitena bhavitabbaṁ. |
This, O king, is the third quality of water he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, āpassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as water is desired of all men; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, āpo na kassaci ahitamupadahati; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, wishing for little, content, given to solitude and retirement, be always an object of desire to all the world. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena parabhaṇḍanakalahaviggahavivādarittajjhānaaratijananaṁ kāyavacīcittehi pāpakaṁ na karaṇīyaṁ. |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of water he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, āpassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā, devātidevena kaṇhajātake— |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as water works no harm to any man; | |
‘Varañce me ado sakka, |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never do any wrong, whether in deed or word or thought, which would produce in others either strife, or quarrel, or contention, or dispute, or a feeling of emptiness, or anger, or discontent. |
sabbabhūtānamissara; |
This, O king, is the fifth quality of water he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Kaṇha Jātaka: | |
Na mano vā sarīraṁ vā, |
|
maṁ-kate sakka kassaci; |
|
| “If you would grant a boon to me, | |
Kadāci upahaññetha, |
O Sakka, lord of every creature— |
etaṁ sakka varaṁ vare’”ti. |
Let none, Sakka, on my account, |
| Be harmed, whether in mind or body, | |
| At any time or place. | |
Āpaṅgapañho dutiyo. |
This, Sakka, |
| This would I choose as boon of boons.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
3. Tejaṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘tejassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.3. Fire |
“Yathā, mahārāja, tejo tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ ḍahati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of fire which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ye te abbhantarā vā bāhirā vā kilesā iṭṭhāniṭṭhārammaṇānubhavanā, sabbe te ñāṇagginā ḍahitabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, tejassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘just, O king, as fire burns grass, and sticks, and branches, and leaves; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, burn out in the fire of wisdom all evil dispositions which feed on objects of thought, whether subjective or objective, whether desirable or the reverse. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, tejo niddayo akāruṇiko; |
This, O king, is the first quality of fire he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbakilesesu kāruññānuddayā na kātabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, tejassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as fire has no pity, neither mercy; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, show no pity, neither mercy, to any evil dispositions. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, tejo sītaṁ paṭihanati; |
This, O king, is the second quality of fire he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena vīriyasantāpatejaṁ abhijanetvā kilesā paṭihantabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, tejassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as fire destroys cold; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, lighting up in his heart the burning fire of zeal, destroy all evil dispositions therein. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, tejo anunayappaṭighavippamutto uṇhamabhijaneti; |
This, O king, is the third quality of fire he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena anunayappaṭighavippamuttena tejosamena cetasā viharitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, tejassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as fire, seeking no favour of any man, bearing no ill-will to any man, makes heat for all; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, dwell in spirit like the fire, fawning on none, bearing ill-will to none. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, tejo andhakāraṁ vidhamitvā ālokaṁ dassayati; |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of fire he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena avijjandhakāraṁ vidhamitvā ñāṇālokaṁ dassayitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, tejassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena sakaṁ puttaṁ rāhulaṁ ovadantena— |
‘And again, O king, as fire dispels darkness, and makes the light appear; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, dispel the darkness of ignorance, and make the light of knowledge to appear. | |
‘Tejosamaṁ, rāhula, bhāvanaṁ bhāvehi. |
This is the fifth quality of fire he ought to have. |
Tejosamaṁ hi te, rāhula, bhāvanaṁ bhāvayato uppannā manāpāmanāpā phassā cittaṁ na pariyādāya ṭhassantī’”ti. |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in his exhortation to Rāhula, his son: |
Tejaṅgapañho tatiyo. |
“Practise thyself, Rāhula, in that meditation which acts like fire. |
| Thereby shall no wrong dispositions, which have not yet arisen, arise within thee, nor shall they that have arisen bear sway over thy heart.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
4. Vāyuṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘vāyussa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.4. Wind |
“Yathā, mahārāja, vāyu supupphitavanasaṇḍantaraṁ abhivāyati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of wind which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena vimuttivarakusumapupphitārammaṇavanantare ramitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vāyussa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as wind pervades the spaces in the woods and groves in flowering time; | |
| so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, rejoice in the groves of meditation that are all in blossom with the sweet flowers of emancipation. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, vāyu dharaṇīruhapādapagaṇe mathayati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of wind he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena vanantaragatena saṅkhāre vicinantena kilesā mathayitabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vāyussa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as wind sets all the trees that grow upon the earth in agitation, bends them down; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, retiring into the midst of the woods, there examining into the true nature of all existing things (all phenomena, Saṁkhāras), beat down all evil dispositions. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, vāyu ākāse carati; |
This, O king, is the second quality of wind he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena lokuttaradhammesu mānasaṁ sañcārayitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vāyussa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the wind wanders through the sky; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, accustom his mind to wander among transcendental things. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, vāyu gandhaṁ anubhavati; |
This is the third quality of wind he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena attano sīlavarasurabhigandho anubhavitabbo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vāyussa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as wind carries perfume along; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, carry along with him alway the fragrant perfume of his own righteousness of life. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, vāyu nirālayo aniketavāsī; |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of wind he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena nirālayamaniketamasanthavena sabbattha vimuttena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vāyussa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena suttanipāte— |
‘And again, O king, as wind has no house, no home to dwell in; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, remain alway without a house, without a home to dwell in, not addicted to society, set free in mind. | |
‘Santhavāto bhayaṁ jātaṁ, |
This, O king, is the fifth quality of wind he ought to have. |
niketā jāyate rajo; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Sutta Nipāta: |
Aniketamasanthavaṁ, |
|
etaṁ ve munidassanan’”ti. |
“In friendship of the world anxiety is born, |
| In household life distraction’s dust lies thick; | |
Vāyuṅgapañho catuttho. |
The state set free from home and friendship’s ties— |
| That, and that only, is the recluse’s aim.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
5. Pabbataṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘pabbatassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.5. The Rock |
“Yathā, mahārāja, pabbato acalo akampito asampavedhī; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the five qualities of the rock that you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sammānane vimānane sakkāre asakkāre garukāre agarukāre yase ayase nindāya pasaṁsāya sukhe dukkhe iṭṭhāniṭṭhesu sabbattha rūpasaddagandharasaphoṭṭhabbadhammesu rajanīyesu na rajjitabbaṁ, dussanīyesu na dussitabbaṁ, muyhanīyesu na muyhitabbaṁ, na kampitabbaṁ na calitabbaṁ, pabbatena viya acalena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pabbatassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
‘Just, O king, as rock is firm, unshaken, immoveable; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never be excited by alluring things—forms, or sounds, or scents, or tastes, or touch—by veneration or contempt, by support or by neglect, by reverence or its absence, by honour or dishonour, by praise or blame, nor should he be offended by things that give offence, nor bewildered on occasions of bewilderment, neither should he quake nor tremble, but like a rock should he be firm. | |
‘Selo yathā ekaghano, |
This, O king, is the first quality of the rock he ought to have. |
vātena na samīrati; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: |
Evaṁ nindāpasaṁsāsu, |
|
na samiñjanti paṇḍitā’ti. |
“The solid rock’s not shaken by the wind, |
| Just so the wise man falters not, nor shakes, | |
| At praise or blame.” | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pabbato thaddho na kenaci saṁsaṭṭho; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena thaddhena asaṁsaṭṭhena bhavitabbaṁ, na kenaci saṁsaggo karaṇīyo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pabbatassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, as a rock is firm, unmixed with extraneous things; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be firm and independent, given to association with none. |
| This, O king, is the second quality of the rock he ought to have. | |
‘Asaṁsaṭṭhaṁ gahaṭṭhehi, |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: |
anāgārehi cūbhayaṁ; |
|
Anokasārimappicchaṁ, |
“The man who mixes not with householders, |
tamahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇan’ti. |
Nor with the homeless, but who wanders lone, |
| Without a home, and touched by few desires— | |
| That is the man I call a Brāhmaṇa.” | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pabbate bījaṁ na virūhati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sakamānase kilesā na virūhāpetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pabbatassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, as on the rock no seed will take root; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena subhūtinā— |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never permit evil dispositions to take root in his mind. |
| This, O king, is the third quality of rock that he ought to have. | |
‘Rāgūpasaṁhitaṁ cittaṁ, |
For it was said, O king, by Subhūti, the Elder: |
yadā uppajjate mama; |
|
Sayaṁva paccavekkhāmi, |
“When lustful thoughts arise within my heart, |
ekaggo taṁ damemahaṁ. |
Examining myself, alone I beat them down. |
| Thou who’rt by lust excited, who by things | |
Rajjase rajanīye ca, |
That give offence, allowest of offence, |
dussanīye ca dussase; |
Feeling bewildered when strange things occur, |
| Thou shouldst retire far from the lonely woods. | |
Muyhase mohanīye ca, |
|
nikkhamassu vanā tuvaṁ. |
For they’re the dwelling-place of men made pure, |
| Austere in life, free from the stains of sin. | |
Visuddhānaṁ ayaṁ vāso, |
Defile not that pure place. |
nimmalānaṁ tapassinaṁ; |
Leave thou the woods.” |
Mā kho visuddhaṁ dūsesi, |
|
nikkhamassu vanā tuvan’ti. |
‘And again, just as the rock rises aloft, just so should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, rise aloft through knowledge. |
| This is the fourth quality of the rock he ought to have. | |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pabbato accuggato; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ñāṇaccuggatena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pabbatassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
“When the wise man by earnestness has driven |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
Vanity far away, the terraced heights |
| Of wisdom doth he climb, and, free from care, | |
‘Pamādaṁ appamādena, |
Looks over the vain world, the careworn crowd— |
yadā nudati paṇḍito; |
As he who standing on the mountain top |
| Can watch his fellow-men still toiling on the plain.” | |
Paññāpāsādamāruyha, |
|
asoko sokiniṁ pajaṁ; |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the rock cannot be lifted up nor bent down; | |
Pabbataṭṭhova bhūmaṭṭhe, |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be neither lifted up nor depressed. |
dhīro bāle avekkhatī’ti. |
This, O king, is the fifth quality of the rock he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the devout woman, culla Subhaddā, when she was exalting the recluses of her own sect: | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pabbato anunnato anonato; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena unnatāvanati na karaṇīyā. |
“The world is lifted up by gain, depressed by loss. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pabbatassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, upāsikāya cūḷasubhaddāya sakasamaṇe parikittayamānāya— |
My Samaṇas remain alike in gain or loss.” |
| ’ | |
‘Lābhena unnato loko, |
|
alābhena ca onato; |
|
Lābhālābhena ekaṭṭhā, |
|
tādisā samaṇā mamā’”ti. |
|
Pabbataṅgapañho pañcamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
6. Ākāsaṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘ākāsassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.6. Space |
“Yathā, mahārāja, ākāso sabbaso agayho; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of space which you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbaso kilesehi agayhena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, ākāsassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as space is everywhere impossible to grasp; | |
| just so, O king, should it be impossible for the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, to be anywhere taken hold of by evil dispositions. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, ākāso isitāpasabhūtadijagaṇānusañcarito; |
This, O king, is the first quality of space he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ‘aniccaṁ dukkhaṁ anattā’ti saṅkhāresu mānasaṁ sañcārayitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, ākāsassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as space is the familiar resort of Rishis, and ascetics, and gods, and flocks of birds; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, make his mind wander easily over all things with the knowledge that each individual (Saṁkhāra) is impermanent, born to sorrow, and without any abiding principle (any soul). | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, ākāso santāsanīyo; |
This, O king, is the second quality of space he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbabhavapaṭisandhīsu mānasaṁ ubbejayitabbaṁ, assādo na kātabbo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, ākāsassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as space inspires terror; | |
| just so, O king , should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, train his mind to be in terror of rebirths in any kind of existence. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, ākāso ananto appamāṇo aparimeyyo; |
To seek no happiness therein. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena anantasīlena aparimitañāṇena bhavitabbaṁ. |
This, O king, is the third quality of space he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, ākāsassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as space is infinite, boundless, immeasurable; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, ākāso alaggo asatto appatiṭṭhito apalibuddho; |
just so, O king, should the righteousness of the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, know no limit, and his knowledge be beyond measure. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kule gaṇe lābhe āvāse palibodhe paccaye sabbakilesesu ca sabbattha alaggena bhavitabbaṁ, anāsattena appatiṭṭhitena apalibuddhena bhavitabbaṁ. |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of space he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, ākāsassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena sakaṁ puttaṁ rāhulaṁ ovadantena— |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as space does not hang on to anything, does not cling to anything, does not rest on anything, is not stopped by anything; | |
‘Seyyathāpi, rāhula, ākāso na katthaci patiṭṭhito; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, neither in any way depend on, nor cling to, nor rest on, nor be hindered by either the families that minister to him, or the pupils who resort to him, or the support he receives, or the dwelling he occupies, or any obstacles to the religious life, or any requisites that he may want, or any kind of evil inclination. |
evameva kho tvaṁ, rāhula, ākāsasamaṁ bhāvanaṁ bhāvehi. |
This, O king, is the fifth quality of space he ought to have. |
Ākāsasamaṁ hi te, rāhula, bhāvanaṁ bhāvayato uppannā manāpāmanāpā phassā cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassantī’”ti. |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in his exhortation to Rāhula, his son: |
Ākāsaṅgapañho chaṭṭho. |
“Just, Rāhula, as space rests nowhere on anything, so shouldst thou practise thyself in that meditation which is like space. |
| Thereby shall neither pleasant nor unpleasant sensations, as they severally arise, bear sway over thy heart.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
7. Candaṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘candassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.7. The Moon |
“Yathā, mahārāja, cando sukkapakkhe udayanto uttaruttariṁ vaḍḍhati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of the moon which you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ācārasīlaguṇavattappaṭipattiyā āgamādhigame paṭisallāne satipaṭṭhāne indriyesu guttadvāratāya bhojane mattaññutāya jāgariyānuyoge uttaruttariṁ vaḍḍhitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, candassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the moon, rising in the bright fortnight, waxes more and more; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, grow more and more in good conduct and righteousness and virtue and the constant performance of duty, and in knowledge of the scriptures and study, and in the habit of retirement, and in self-possession, and in keeping the doors of his senses guarded, and in moderation in food, and in the practice of vigils. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, cando uḷārādhipati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the moon he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena uḷārena chandādhipatinā bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, candassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the moon is a mighty lord ; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be a mighty lord over his own will. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, cando nisāya carati; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the moon he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena pavivittena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, candassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the moon wanders at night; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be given to solitude. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, cando vimānaketu; |
This, O king, is the third quality of the moon he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sīlaketunā bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, candassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the moon hoists a standard over his mansion; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, hoist the standard of righteousness. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, cando āyācitapatthito udeti; |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of the moon he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena āyācitapatthitena kulāni upasaṅkamitabbāni. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, candassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavare ‘candūpamā, bhikkhave, kulāni upasaṅkamatha, apakasseva kāyaṁ apakassa cittaṁ niccanavakā kulesu appagabbhā’”ti. |
‘And again, O king, as the moon rises when begged and prayed to do so; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, frequent for alms those families who have asked and invited him to do so. | |
| This, O king, is the fifth quality of the moon he ought to have. | |
Candaṅgapañho sattamo. |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Saṁyutta Nikāya |
| “Like the moon, O brethren, let your visits be paid to the laity. | |
| Drawing back alike in outward demeanour and in inward spirit, be ye always, as strangers on their first visit, retiring in the presence of the laity. | |
| [As the man who looks down a deep well, or a mountain precipice, or a river in flood, would be abashed alike in body and in mind; | |
| so be ye, O brethren, as the moon in your visits to the laity. | |
| Holding alike in your outward demeanour and your inward spirit, be ye alway, as strangers on their first visit, retiring in the presence of the laity].” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
8. Sūriyaṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘sūriyassa satta aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni satta aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.8. The Sun |
“Yathā, mahārāja, sūriyo sabbaṁ udakaṁ parisoseti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the seven qualities of the sun you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbakilesā anavasesaṁ parisosetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the sun evaporates all water; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, cause all evil inclinations, without any exception, to dry up within him. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyo tamandhakāraṁ vidhamati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the sun he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbaṁ rāgatamaṁ dosatamaṁ mohatamaṁ mānatamaṁ diṭṭhitamaṁ kilesatamaṁ sabbaṁ duccaritatamaṁ vidhamayitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the sun dispels the darkness; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, dispel all the darkness of lust, and of anger, and of dullness, and of pride, and of heresy, and of evil, and of all unrighteousness. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyo abhikkhaṇaṁ carati; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the sun he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena abhikkhaṇaṁ yoniso manasikāro kātabbo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the sun is always in motion; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be ever thoughtful. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyo raṁsimālī; |
This, O king, is the third quality of the sun he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ārammaṇamālinā bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the sun has a halo of rays; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, have a halo of meditation. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyo mahājanakāyaṁ santāpento carati; |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of the sun he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ācārasīlaguṇavattappaṭipattiyā jhānavimokkhasamādhisamāpattiindriyabalabojjhaṅgasatipaṭṭhānasammappadhānaiddhipādehi sadevako loko santāpayitabbo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the sun continually warms multitudes of people; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, rejoice the whole world of gods and men with good conduct, and righteousness, and virtue , and the performance of duty, and with the Ghānas, and the Vimokkhas, and Samādhi, and the Samāpattis (various modes of transcendental meditation or ecstacy), and with the five moral powers, and the seven kinds of wisdom, and the four modes of being mindful and self-possessed, and the fourfold great struggle against evil, and the pursuit of the four roads to saintship. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyo rāhubhayā bhīto carati; |
This, O king, is the fifth quality of the sun he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena duccaritaduggativisamakantāravipākavinipātakilesajālajaṭite diṭṭhisaṅghāṭapaṭimukke kupathapakkhande kummaggapaṭipanne satte disvā mahatā saṁvegabhayena mānasaṁ saṁvejetabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyassa chaṭṭhaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the sun is terrified with the fear of Rāhu (the demon of eclipses); | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, seeing how beings are entangled in the waste wildernesses of evil life and rebirth in states of woe, caught in the net of the mournful results here of evil done in former births, or of punishment in purgatory, or of evil inclinations, terrify his mind with a great anxiety and fear. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyo kalyāṇapāpake dasseti; |
This, O king, is the sixth quality of the sun he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena indriyabalabojjhaṅgasatipaṭṭhānasammappadhānaiddhipādalokiyalokuttaradhammā dassetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sūriyassa sattamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena vaṅgīsena— |
‘And again, O king, as the sun makes manifest the evil and the good; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, make manifest The moral powers, and the kinds of wisdom, and the modes of being mindful and self-possessed, and the struggle against evil, and the paths to saintship, and all qualities temporal and spiritual. | |
‘Yathāpi sūriyo udayanto, |
This, O king, is the seventh quality of the sun he ought to have. |
Rūpaṁ dasseti pāṇinaṁ; |
For it was said, O king, by Vaṅgīsa, the Elder: |
Suciñca asuciñcāpi, |
|
Kalyāṇañcāpi pāpakaṁ. |
“As the rising sun makes plain to all that live |
| Forms pure and impure, forms both good and bad, | |
| So should the Bhikshu, like the rising orb, | |
Tathā bhikkhu dhammadharo, |
Bearing the scriptures ever in his mind, |
avijjāpihitaṁ janaṁ; |
Make manifest to men, in ignorance blind, |
| The many-sided Noble Path of bliss.” | |
Pathaṁ dasseti vividhaṁ, |
’ |
ādiccovudayaṁ yathā’”ti. |
|
Sūriyaṅgapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
9. Sakkaṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘sakkassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.9. Sakka |
“Yathā, mahārāja, sakko ekantasukhasamappito; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the three qualities of Sakka (the king of the gods) which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ekantapavivekasukhābhiratena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sakkassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as Sakka enjoys perfect bliss; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, rejoice in the perfect bliss of retirement. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sakko deve disvā paggaṇhāti, hāsamabhijaneti; |
This, O king, is the first quality of Sakka he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kusalesu dhammesu alīnamatanditaṁ santaṁ mānasaṁ paggahetabbaṁ, hāsamabhijanetabbaṁ, uṭṭhahitabbaṁ ghaṭitabbaṁ vāyamitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sakkassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as when Sakka when he sees his gods around him keeps them in his favour, fills them with joy; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, keep his mind detached, alert, and tranquil, should make joy spring up within him, should rouse himself, exert himself, be full of zeal. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sakkassa anabhirati nuppajjati; |
This, O king is the second quality of Sakka he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena suññāgāre anabhirati na uppādetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sakkassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena subhūtinā— |
‘And again, O king, as Sakka feels no discontent; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never allow himself to become discontented with solitude. | |
‘Sāsane te mahāvīra, |
This, O king, is the third quality of Sakka he ought to have. |
yato pabbajito ahaṁ; |
For it was said, O king, by Subhūti, the Elder: |
Nābhijānāmi uppannaṁ, |
|
mānasaṁ kāmasaṁhitan’”ti. |
“Since I, great hero, have renounced the world, |
| According to the doctrine that you teach, | |
| I will not grant that any thought of lust | |
Sakkaṅgapañho navamo. |
Or craving care has risen in my breast.” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Pathavīvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
10. Cakkavattiṅgapañha |
Chapter 3 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘cakkavattissa cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.4.10. The Sovran Overlord |
“Yathā, mahārāja, cakkavattī catūhi saṅgahavatthūhi janaṁ saṅgaṇhāti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the four qualities of the sovran overlord which you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena catassannaṁ parisānaṁ mānasaṁ saṅgahetabbaṁ anuggahetabbaṁ sampahaṁsetabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavattissa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the sovran overlord gains the favour of the people by the four elements of popularity (liberality, affability, justice, and impartiality); | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, find favour with, please, and gladden the hearts of the brethren and rulers of the Order and the laity of either sex. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavattissa vijite corā na uṭṭhahanti; |
This, O king, is the quality of the sovran overlord he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kāmarāgabyāpādavihiṁsāvitakkā na uppādetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavattissa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
‘And again, O king, as the sovran overlord allows no robber bands to form in his realm; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never allow lustful or angry or cruel ideas to arise within him. | |
‘Vitakkūpasame ca yo rato, |
This, O king, is the second quality of the sovran overlord he ought to have. |
Asubhaṁ bhāvayate sadā sato; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: |
Esa kho byanti kāhiti, |
|
Esa checchati mārabandhanan’ti. |
“The man who takes delight in the suppression |
| Of evil thoughts, and alway self-possessed, | |
| Reflects on the impurity of things | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavattī divase divase samuddapariyantaṁ mahāpathaviṁ anuyāyati kalyāṇapāpakāni vicinamāno; |
The world thinks beautiful, he will remove— |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kāyakammaṁ vacīkammaṁ manokammaṁ divase divase paccavekkhitabbaṁ ‘kiṁ nu kho me imehi tīhi ṭhānehi anupavajjassa divaso vītivattatī’ti. |
Nay, cleave in twain, the bonds of the Evil One.” |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavattissa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena aṅguttaranikāyavare— |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the sovran overlord travels through the whole world even to its ocean boundary, examining into the evil and the good; | |
‘Kathambhūtassa me rattindivā vītivattantīti pabbajitena abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabban’ti. |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, examine himself day by day as to his acts and words and thoughts, saying to himself: |
| “How may I pass the day blameless in these three directions?” | |
| This, O king, is the third quality of the sovran overlord he ought to have. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavattissa abbhantarabāhirārakkhā susaṁvihitā hoti; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Ekuttara Nikāya: |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena abbhantarānaṁ bāhirānaṁ kilesānaṁ ārakkhāya satidovāriko ṭhapetabbo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavattissa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
“With constant care should the recluse |
| Himself examine day by day— | |
‘Satidovāriko, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako akusalaṁ pajahati kusalaṁ bhāveti, sāvajjaṁ pajahati, anavajjaṁ bhāveti, suddhamattānaṁ pariharatī’”ti. |
’As days and nights pass quickly by |
| How have they found me? | |
| and how left ?’ | |
Cakkavattiṅgapañho dasamo. |
” |
| ‘And again, O king, as the sovran overlord is completely provided with protection, both within and without; | |
Pathavīvaggo tatiyo. |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, keep self-possession as his door-keeper for a protection against all evil, subjective and objective. |
| This, O king, is the fourth quality of the sovran overlord he ought to have. | |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: | |
Tassuddānaṁ |
|
Pathavī āpo ca tejo ca, |
“With self-possession as his door-keeper, O brethren, the disciple of the noble ones puts away evil and devotes himself to goodness, puts away what is matter of offence and devotes himself to blamelessness, preserves himself in purity of life.” |
vāyo ca pabbatena ca; |
’ |
Ākāso candasūriyo ca, |
Here ends the Third Chapter. |
sakko ca cakkavattināti. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
1. Upacikaṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘upacikāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.5.1. The White Ant |
“Yathā, mahārāja, upacikā upari chadanaṁ katvā attānaṁ pidahitvā gocarāya carati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that quality of the white ant which you say he ought to have, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sīlasaṁvarachadanaṁ katvā mānasaṁ pidahitvā piṇḍāya caritabbaṁ, sīlasaṁvarachadanena kho, mahārāja, yogī yogāvacaro sabbabhayasamatikkanto hoti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, upacikāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena upasenena vaṅgantaputtena— |
‘Just, O king, as the white ant goes on with his work only when he has made a roof over himself, and covered himself up; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, on his round for alms, cover up his mind with righteousness and self-restraint as a roof. | |
‘Sīlasaṁvarachadanaṁ, |
For in so doing, O king, will he have passed beyond all fear. |
yogī katvāna mānasaṁ; |
This, O king, is the one quality of the white ant he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by Upasena Vaṅgantaputta, the Elder: | |
Anupalitto lokena, |
|
bhayā ca parimuccatī’”ti. |
|
| “The devotee who covers up his mind, | |
| Under the sheltering roof of righteousness | |
Upacikaṅgapañho paṭhamo. |
And self-control, untarnished by the world |
| Remains, and is set free from every fear.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
2. Biḷāraṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘biḷārassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.5.2. The Cat |
“Yathā, mahārāja, biḷāro guhāgatopi susiragatopi hammiyantaragatopi undūraṁyeva pariyesati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the cat you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena gāmagatenāpi araññagatenāpi rukkhamūlagatenāpi suññāgāragatenāpi satataṁ samitaṁ appamattena kāyagatāsatibhojanaṁyeva pariyesitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, biḷārassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the cat, in frequenting caves and holes and the interiors of storied dwellings, does so only in the search after rats; | |
| just so, O king, should The strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, whether he have gone to the village or to the woods or to the foot of trees or into an empty house, be continually and always zealous in the search after that which is his food, namely self-possession. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, biḷāro āsanneyeva gocaraṁ pariyesati; |
This is the first quality of the cat he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena imesuyeva pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassinā viharitabbaṁ ‘iti rūpaṁ iti rūpassa samudayo iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo, iti vedanā iti vedanāya samudayo iti vedanāya atthaṅgamo, iti saññā iti saññāya samudayo iti saññāya atthaṅgamo, iti saṅkhārā iti saṅkhārānaṁ samudayo iti saṅkhārānaṁ atthaṅgamo, iti viññāṇaṁ iti viññāṇassa samudayo iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, biḷārassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
‘And again, O king, as the cat in pursuing its prey always crouches down ; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, continue conscious of the origin and end of those five groups of the characteristic marks of individuality which arise out of clinging to existence, thinking to himself: | |
‘Na ito dūre bhavitabbaṁ, |
“Such is form, such is its origin, such its end. |
bhavaggaṁ kiṁ karissati; |
Such is sensation, such is its origin, such its end. |
| Such are ideas, such is their origin, such their end. | |
Paccuppannamhi vohāre, |
Such are the mental potentialities (the conditions, Saṁkhārā), such is their origin, such their end. |
sake kāyamhi vindathā’”ti. |
Such is self-consciousness, such is its origin, such its end.” |
| This, O king, is the second quality of the cat he ought to have. | |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: | |
Biḷāraṅgapañho dutiyo. |
|
| “Seek not rebirths afar in future states. | |
| Pray, what could heaven itself advantage you! | |
| Now, in this present world, and in the state | |
| In which you find yourselves, be conquerors!” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
3. Undūraṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘undūrassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.5.3. The Rat |
“Yathā, mahārāja, undūro itocito ca vicaranto āhārūpāsīsako yeva carati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the rat you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena itocito ca vicarantena yoniso manasikārūpāsīsakeneva bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, undūrassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena upasenena vaṅgantaputtena— |
‘Just, O king, as the rat, wandering about backwards and forwards, is always smelling after food ; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be ever in his wanderings to and fro, bent upon thought. | |
‘Dhammāsīsaṁ karitvāna, |
This is the quality of the rat he ought to have. |
viharanto vipassako; |
For it was said, O king, by Upasena Vaṅganta-putta, the Elder: |
Anolīno viharati, |
|
upasanto sadā sato’”ti. |
“Ever alert and calm, the man of insight, |
| Esteeming wisdom as the best of all things, | |
| Keeps himself independent of all wants and cares.” | |
Undūraṅgapañho tatiyo. |
’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
4. Vicchikaṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘vicchikassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.5.4. The Scorpion |
“Yathā, mahārāja, vicchiko naṅgulāvudho naṅgulaṁ ussāpetvā carati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the scorpion you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ñāṇāvudhena bhavitabbaṁ, ñāṇaṁ ussāpetvā viharitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vicchikassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena upasenena vaṅgantaputtena— |
‘Just, O king, as the scorpion, whose tail is its weapon, keeps its tail erect as it wanders about; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, have knowledge as his weapon, and dwell with his weapon, knowledge, always drawn. | |
‘Ñāṇakhaggaṁ gahetvāna, |
This, O king, is the quality of the scorpion he ought to have. |
viharanto vipassako; |
For it was said, O king, by Upasena Vaṅganta-putta, the Elder: |
Parimuccati sabbabhayā, |
|
duppasaho ca so bhave’”ti. |
“With his sword of knowledge drawn, the man of insight |
| Should ever be unconquerable in the fight, | |
| Set free from every fear.” | |
Vicchikaṅgapañho catuttho. |
’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
5. Nakulaṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘nakulassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.5.5. The Mungoose |
“Yathā, mahārāja, nakulo uragamupagacchanto bhesajjena kāyaṁ paribhāvetvā uragamupagacchati gahetuṁ; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the mungoose you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kodhāghātabahulaṁ kalahaviggahavivādavirodhābhibhūtaṁ lokamupagacchantena mettābhesajjena mānasaṁ anulimpitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, nakulassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘Just, O king, as the mungoose, when attacking a snake, only does so when he has covered his body with an antidote; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when going into the world where anger and hatred are rife, which is under the sway of quarrels, strife, disputes, and enmities, ever keep his mind anointed with the antidote of love. | |
‘Tasmā sakaṁ paresampi, |
This, O king, is the quality of the mungoose he ought to have. |
kātabbā mettabhāvanā; |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
Mettacittena pharitabbaṁ, |
|
etaṁ buddhāna sāsanan’”ti. |
“Therefore should love be felt for one’s own kin, |
| And so for strangers too, and the whole wide world | |
| Should be pervaded with a heart of love— | |
Nakulaṅgapañho pañcamo. |
This is the doctrine of the Buddhas all.” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
6. Jarasiṅgālaṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘jarasiṅgālassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.5.6. The Old Male Jackal |
“Yathā, mahārāja, jarasiṅgālo bhojanaṁ paṭilabhitvā ajigucchamāno yāvadatthaṁ āharayati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the two qualities of the old male jackal you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena bhojanaṁ paṭilabhitvā ajigucchamānena sarīrayāpanamattameva paribhuñjitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, jarasiṅgālassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena mahākassapena— |
‘Just, O king, as the old male jackal, whatever kind of food he finds, feels no disgust, but eats of it as much as he requires; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, eat without disgust such food as he receives with the sole object of keeping himself alive. | |
‘Senāsanamhā oruyha, |
This, O king, is the first quality of the old male jackal he ought to have. |
gāmaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ; |
For it was said, O king, by Mahā Kassapa, the Elder: |
Bhuñjantaṁ purisaṁ kuṭṭhiṁ, |
|
sakkacca naṁ upaṭṭhahiṁ. |
“Leaving my dwelling-place, I entered once |
| Upon my round for alms, the village street. | |
So me pakkena hatthena, |
A leper there I saw eating his meal, |
ālopaṁ upanāmayi; |
And, as was meet, deliberately, in turn, |
| I stood beside him too that he might give a gift. | |
Ālopaṁ pakkhipantassa, |
|
aṅgulipettha chijjatha. |
He, with his hand all leprous and diseased, |
| Put in my bowl—’twas all he had to give— | |
| A ball of rice; | |
Kuṭṭamūlañca nissāya, |
and as he placed it there |
ālopaṁ taṁ abhuñjisaṁ; |
A finger, mortifying, broke and fell. |
Bhuñjamāne vā bhutte vā, |
Seated behind a wall, that ball of food |
jegucchaṁ me na vijjatī’ti. |
I ate, and neither when I ate it, nay, |
| Nor afterwards, did any loathing thought | |
| Arise within my breast.” | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, jarasiṅgālo bhojanaṁ paṭilabhitvā na vicināti lūkhaṁ vā paṇītaṁ vāti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena bhojanaṁ paṭilabhitvā na vicinitabbaṁ ‘lūkhaṁ vā paṇītaṁ vā sampannaṁ vā asampannaṁ vā’ti, yathāladdhena santussitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, jarasiṅgālassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, as the old male jackal, when he gets any food, does not stop to examine it; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena upasenena vaṅgantaputtena— |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never stop to find out whether food given to him is bitter or sweet, well-flavoured or ill—just as it is should he be satisfied with it. |
| This, O king, is the second quality of the old male jackal he ought to have. | |
‘Lūkhenapi ca santusse, |
For it was said, O king, by Upasena Vaṅganta-putta, the Elder: |
nāññaṁ patthe rasaṁ bahuṁ; |
|
Rasesu anugiddhassa, |
“Bitter food too should he enjoy, |
jhāne na ramate mano; |
Nor long for what is sweet to taste. |
Itarītarena santuṭṭho, |
The mind disturbed by lust of taste |
sāmaññaṁ paripūratī’”ti. |
Can ne’er enjoy the ecstacies |
| Of meditations high. | |
| The man content | |
Jarasiṅgālaṅgapañho chaṭṭho. |
With anything that’s given—in him alone |
| Is Samaṇaship made perfect.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
7. Migaṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘migassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.5.7. The Deer |
“Yathā, mahārāja, migo divā araññe carati, rattiṁ abbhokāse; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the deer you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena divā araññe viharitabbaṁ, rattiṁ abbhokāse. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, migassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the deer frequents the forest by day, and spends the night in the open air; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, pass the day in the forest, and the night under the open sky. | |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena lomahaṁsanapariyāye— |
This, O king, is the first quality of the deer he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the exposition called the Lomahaṁsana Pariyāya: | |
‘So kho ahaṁ, sāriputta, yā tā rattiyo sītā hemantikā antaraṭṭhakā himapātasamayā, tathārūpāsu rattīsu rattiṁ abbhokāse viharāmi, divā vanasaṇḍe. |
|
Gimhānaṁ pacchime māse divā abbhokāse viharāmi, rattiṁ vanasaṇḍe’ti. |
|
| “And I, Sāriputta, when the nights are cold and wintry, at the time of the eights (the Ashṭakā festivals), when the snow is falling, at such times did I pass the night under the open sky, and the day in the woods. | |
| And in the last month of the hot season I spent the day under the open sky, and the night in the woods.” | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, migo sattimhi vā sare vā opatante vañceti palāyati, na kāyamupaneti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kilesesu opatantesu vañcayitabbaṁ palāyitabbaṁ, na cittamupanetabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, migassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, as the deer, when a javelin or an arrow is falling upon him, dodges it and escapes, not allowing his body to remain in its way; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when evil inclinations fall upon him, dodge them, and escape, placing not his mind in their way. | |
| This, O king, is the second quality of the deer he ought to have. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, migo manusse disvā yena vā tena vā palāyati ‘mā maṁ te addasaṁsū’ti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena bhaṇḍanakalahaviggahavivādasīle dussīle kusīte saṅgaṇikārāme disvā yena vā tena vā palāyitabbaṁ ‘mā maṁ te addasaṁsu, ahañca te mā addasan’ti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, migassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, as the deer on catching sight of men escapes this way or that, that they may not see him; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when he sees men of quarrelsome habits, given to contentions and strife and disputes, wicked men and inert, fond of society—then should he escape hither or thither that neither should they see him, nor he them. |
| This, O king, is the third quality of the deer he ought to have. | |
‘Mā me kadāci pāpiccho, |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
kusīto hīnavīriyo; |
|
Appassuto anācāro, |
“Let not the man with evil in his heart, |
sammato ahu katthacī’”ti. |
Inert, bereft of zeal, of wicked life, |
| Knowing but little of the sacred words— | |
| Let not that man, at any time or place, | |
Migaṅgapañho sattamo. |
Be my companion, or associate with me.” |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
8. Gorūpaṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘gorūpassa cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.5.8. The Bull |
“Yathā, mahārāja, gorūpo sakaṁ gehaṁ na vijahati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those four qualities of the bull you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sako kāyo na vijahitabbo ‘aniccucchādanaparimaddanabhedanavikiraṇaviddhaṁsanadhammo ayaṁ kāyo’ti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, gorūpassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the bull never forsakes its own stall; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never abandon his own body on the ground that its nature is only the decomposition, the wearing away, the dissolution, the destruction of that which is impermanent. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, gorūpo ādinnadhuro sukhadukkhena dhuraṁ vahati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the bull he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ādinnabrahmacariyena sukhadukkhena yāva jīvitapariyādānā āpāṇakoṭikaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caritabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, gorūpassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the bull, when he has once taken the yoke upon him, bears that yoke through all conditions of case or of pain; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when he has once taken upon himself the life of a recluse, keep to it, in happiness or in woe, to the end of his life, to his latest breath. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, gorūpo chandena ghāyamāno pānīyaṁ pivati; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the bull he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ācariyupajjhāyānaṁ anusiṭṭhi chandena pemena pasādena ghāyamānena paṭiggahetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, gorūpassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the bull drinks water with never satiated desire; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, receive the instruction of his teachers and masters with a desire, love, and pleasure that is never satiated. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, gorūpo yena kenaci vāhiyamāno vahati; |
This, O king, is the third quality of the bull he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena theranavamajjhimabhikkhūnampi gihiupāsakassāpi ovādānusāsanī sirasā sampaṭicchitabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, gorūpassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘And again, O king, as the bull equally bears the yoke whoever puts it on him; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, accept with bowed head the admonitions and exhortations of the elders, of the brethren of junior or of middle standing, and of the believing laity alike. | |
‘Tadahu pabbajito santo, |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of the bull he ought to have. |
jātiyā sattavassiko; |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
Sopi maṁ anusāseyya, |
|
sampaṭicchāmi matthake. |
“A novice, seven years of age, a boy |
| Only to-day received into our ranks, | |
| He too may teach me, and with bended head, | |
Tibbaṁ chandañca pemañca, |
His admonitions will I gladly bear. |
tasmiṁ disvā upaṭṭhape; |
|
| Time after time, where’er I meet him, still | |
Ṭhapeyyācariyaṭṭhāne, |
My strong approval, and my love, will I |
sakkacca naṁ punappunan’”ti. |
Lavish upon him—if he be but good— |
| And yield the honoured place of teacher to him.” | |
| ’ | |
Gorūpaṅgapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
9. Varāhaṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘varāhassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.5.9. The Boar |
“Yathā, mahārāja, varāho santattakaṭhite gimhasamaye sampatte udakaṁ upagacchati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the boar you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena dosena citte āluḷitakhalitavibbhantasantatte sītalāmatapaṇītamettābhāvanaṁ upagantabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, varāhassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the boar, in the sultry and scorching weather of the hot season, resorts to the water; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when his heart is distracted and ready to fall, all in a whirl, inflamed by anger, resort to the cool, ambrosial, sweet water of the meditation on love. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, varāho cikkhallamudakamupagantvā nāsikāya pathaviṁ khaṇitvā doṇiṁ katvā doṇikāya sayati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the boar he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena mānase kāyaṁ nikkhipitvā ārammaṇantaragatena sayitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, varāhassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena piṇḍolabhāradvājena— |
‘And again, O king, as the boar, resorting to muddy water, digs into the swamp with his snout, and making a trough for himself, lies down therein; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, put his body away in his mind, and lie down in the midst of contemplation. | |
‘Kāye sabhāvaṁ disvāna, |
This, O king, is the second quality of the boar he ought to have. |
vicinitvā vipassako; |
For it was said, O king, by Piṇḍola Bhāradvaja, the Elder: |
Ekākiyo adutiyo, |
|
seti ārammaṇantare’”ti. |
“Alone, with no one near, the man of insight, |
| Searching into and finding out the nature | |
| Of this body, can lay him down to rest | |
Varāhaṅgapañho navamo. |
On the sweet bed of contemplations deep.” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Upacikāvagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
10. Hatthiṅgapañha |
Chapter 4 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘hatthissa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.5.10. The Elephant |
“Yathā, mahārāja, hatthī nāma caranto yeva pathaviṁ dāleti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, the five qualities of the elephant he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kāyaṁ sammasamāneneva sabbe kilesā dāletabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, hatthissa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the elephant, as he walks about, crushes the earth; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, mastering the nature of the body, crush out all evil. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, hatthī sabbakāyeneva apaloketi, ujukaṁyeva pekkhati, na disāvidisā viloketi; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the elephant he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbakāyena apalokinā bhavitabbaṁ, na disāvidisā viloketabbā, na uddhaṁ ulloketabbaṁ, na adho oloketabbaṁ, yugamattapekkhinā bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, hatthissa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the elephant turns his whole body when he looks, always looking straight before him, not glancing round this way and that ; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, turn his whole body when he looks, always looking straight before, not glancing round this way and that, not looking aloft, not looking at his feet, but keeping his eyes fixed about a yoke’s length in front of him. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, hatthī anibaddhasayano gocarāyamanugantvā na tameva desaṁ vāsatthamupagacchati, na dhuvappatiṭṭhālayo; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the elephant he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena anibaddhasayanena bhavitabbaṁ, nirālayena piṇḍāya gantabbaṁ, yadi passati vipassako manuññaṁ patirūpaṁ ruciradese bhavaṁ maṇḍapaṁ vā rukkhamūlaṁ vā guhaṁ vā pabbhāraṁ vā, tattheva vāsamupagantabbaṁ, dhuvappatiṭṭhālayo na kātabbo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, hatthissa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the elephant has no permanent lair, even in seeking his food does not always frequent the same spot, has no fixed place of abode; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, have no permanent resting-place, but without a home should go his rounds for alms. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, hatthī udakaṁ ogāhitvā sucivimalasītalasalilaparipuṇṇaṁ kumuduppalapadumapuṇḍarīkasañchannaṁ mahatimahantaṁ padumasaraṁ ogāhitvā kīḷati gajavarakīḷaṁ; |
Full of insight, wherever he sees a pleasant suitable agreeable place, whether in a hut or at the foot of a tree, or in a cave, or on a mountain side, there should he dwell, not taking up a fixed abode. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sucivimalavippasannamanāviladhammavaravāripuṇṇaṁ vimuttikusumasañchannaṁ mahāsatipaṭṭhānapokkharaṇiṁ ogāhitvā ñāṇena saṅkhārā odhunitabbā vidhunitabbā, yogāvacarakīḷā kīḷitabbā. |
This, O king, is the third quality of the elephant he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, hatthissa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the elephant revels in the water, plunging into glorious lotus ponds full of clear pure cool water, and covered-over with lotuses yellow, and blue, and red, and white, sporting there in the games in which the mighty beast delights; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, hatthī sato pādaṁ uddharati, sato pādaṁ nikkhipati; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, plunge into the glorious pond of self-possession, covered with the flowers of emancipation, filled with the delicious waters of the pure and stainless clear and limpid Truth; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena satena sampajānena pādaṁ uddharitabbaṁ, satena sampajānena pādaṁ nikkhipitabbaṁ, abhikkamapaṭikkame samiñjanapasāraṇe sabbattha satena sampajānena bhavitabbaṁ. |
there should he by knowledge shake off and drive away the Saṁkhāras, there should he revel in the sport that is the delight of the recluse. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, hatthissa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of the elephant he ought to have. |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavare— |
|
‘Kāyena saṁvaro sādhu, |
‘And again, O king, as the elephant lifts up his foot with care, and puts it down with care; |
sādhu vācāya saṁvaro; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be mindful and self-possessed in lifting up his feet and in putting them down, in going or returning, in stretching his arm or drawing it back—wherever he is he should be mindful and self-possessed. |
| This, O king, is the fifth quality of the elephant he ought to have. | |
Manasā saṁvaro sādhu, |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Saṁyutta Nikāya: |
sādhu sabbattha saṁvaro; |
|
Sabbattha saṁvuto lajjī, |
“Good is restraint in action, |
rakkhitoti pavuccatī’”ti. |
And good restraint in speech, |
| Good is restraint in mind, | |
| Restraint throughout is good. | |
Hatthiṅgapañho dasamo. |
|
| Well guarded is he said to be | |
| Who is ashamed of sin, in all things self-controlled.” | |
Upacikāvaggo catuttho. |
’ |
| Here ends the Fourth Chapter. | |
Tassuddānaṁ |
|
Upacikā biḷāro ca, |
|
Undūro vicchikena ca; |
|
Nakulo siṅgālo migo, |
|
Gorūpo varāho hatthinā dasāti. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
1. Sīhaṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘sīhassa satta aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni satta aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.6.1. The Lion |
“Yathā, mahārāja, sīho nāma setavimalaparisuddhapaṇḍaro; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those seven qualities of the lion you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena setavimalaparisuddhapaṇḍaracittena byapagatakukkuccena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sīhassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the lion is of a clear, stainless, and pure light yellow colour; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be clear, stainless, and pure light in mind, free from anger and moroseness. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sīho catucaraṇo vikkantacārī; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the lion he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena caturiddhipādacaraṇena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sīhassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the lion has four paws as his means of travelling, and is rapid in his gait; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, move along the four paths of saintship. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sīho abhirūparucirakesarī; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the lion he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena abhirūparucirasīlakesarinā bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sīhassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the lion has a beautiful coat of hair, pleasant to behold; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, have a beautiful coat of righteousness, pleasant to behold. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sīho jīvitapariyādānepi na kassaci onamati; |
This, O king, is the third quality of the lion he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārapariyādānepi na kassaci onamitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sīhassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the lion, even were his life to cease, bows down before no man; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, even though he should cease to obtain all the requisites of a recluse—food and clothing and lodging and medicine for the sick—never bow down to any man. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sīho sapadānabhakkho yasmiṁ okāse nipatati, tattheva yāvadatthaṁ bhakkhayati, na varamaṁsaṁ vicināti; |
This is the fourth quality of the lion he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sapadānabhakkhena bhavitabbaṁ, na kulāni vicinitabbāni, na pubbagehaṁ hitvā kulāni upasaṅkamitabbāni, na bhojanaṁ vicinitabbaṁ, yasmiṁ okāse kabaḷaṁ ādīyati, tasmiṁyeva okāse bhuñjitabbaṁ sarīrayāpanatthaṁ, na varabhojanaṁ vicinitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sīhassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the lion eats regularly on, wheresoever his prey falls there does he eat whatever he requires, and seeks not out the best morsels of flesh; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, stand for alms at each hut in regular order, not seeking out the families where he would be given better food, not missing out any house upon his rounds, he should not pick and choose in eating, wheresoever he may have received a mouthful of rice there should he eat it, seeking not for the best morsels. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sīho asannidhibhakkho, sakiṁ gocaraṁ bhakkhayitvā na puna taṁ upagacchati; |
This, O king, is the fifth quality of the lion he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena asannidhikāraparibhoginā bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sīhassa chaṭṭhaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the lion is not a storer up of what he eats, and when he has once eaten of his prey returns not again to it; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never be a storer up of food. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sīho bhojanaṁ aladdhā na paritassati, laddhāpi bhojanaṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhosanno paribhuñjati; |
This is the sixth quality of the lion he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena bhojanaṁ aladdhā na paritassitabbaṁ, laddhāpi bhojanaṁ agadhitena amucchitena anajjhosannena ādīnavadassāvinā nissaraṇapaññena paribhuñjitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sīhassa sattamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavare theraṁ mahākassapaṁ parikittayamānena— |
‘And again, O king, as the lion, even if he gets no food, is not alarmed, and if he does, then he eats it without craving, without faintness, without sinking ; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be not alarmed even if he gets no food, and if he does then should he eat it without craving, without faintness, without sinking, conscious of the danger in the lust of taste, in full knowledge of the right outcome of eating (the maintenance of life for the pursuit of holiness). | |
‘Santuṭṭhoyaṁ, bhikkhave, kassapo itarītarena piṇḍapātena, itarītarapiṇḍapātasantuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī, na ca piṇḍapātahetu anesanaṁ appatirūpaṁ āpajjati, aladdhā ca piṇḍapātaṁ na paritassati, laddhā ca piṇḍapātaṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjatī’”ti. |
This, O king, is the seventh quality of the lion he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Samyutta Nikāya, when he was exalting Mahā Kassapa, the Elder: | |
Sīhaṅgapañho paṭhamo. |
|
| “This Kassapa, O Bhikshus, is content with such food as he receives, he magnifies the being content with whatever food one gets, he is not guilty of anything improper or unbecoming for the sake of an alms, if he receive none, yet is he not alarmed, and if he does then does he eat it without craving, without faintness, without sinking, conscious of danger, with full knowledge of the right object in taking food.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
2. Cakkavākaṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘cakkavākassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānīti”? |
7.6.2. The Cakravāka Bird |
“Yathā, mahārāja, cakkavāko yāva jīvitapariyādānā dutiyikaṁ na vijahati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the cakravāka bird you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena yāva jīvitapariyādānā yoniso manasikāro na vijahitabbo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavākassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the cakravāka bird never forsakes his mate even to the close of his life; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, never, even to the close of his life, give up the habit of thought. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavāko sevālapaṇakabhakkho, tena ca santuṭṭhiṁ āpajjati, tāya ca santuṭṭhiyā balena ca vaṇṇena ca na parihāyati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the cakravāka bird he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena yathālābhasantoso karaṇīyo, yathālābhasantuṭṭho kho, mahārāja, yogī yogāvacaro na parihāyati sīlena, na parihāyati samādhinā, na parihāyati paññāya, na parihāyati vimuttiyā, na parihāyati vimuttiñāṇadassanena, na parihāyati sabbehi kusalehi dhammehi. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavākassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the cakravāka bird feeds on the Sevāla and Paṇaka (water-plants so called), and derives satisfaction therefrom, and being so satisfied, neither his strength nor his beauty grows less; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, find satisfaction in whatever he receives. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavāko pāṇe na viheṭhayati; |
And if he does so find satisfaction, O king, then does he decrease neither in power of meditation, nor in wisdom, nor in emancipation, nor in the insight that arises from the consciousness of emancipation, nor in any kind of goodness. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena nihitadaṇḍena nihitasatthena lajjinā dayāpannena sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampinā bhavitabbaṁ. |
This, O king, is the second quality of the cakravāka bird he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, cakkavākassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena cakkavākajātake— |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the cakravāka bird does no harm to living things; | |
‘Yo na hanti na ghāteti, |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, laying aside the cudgel, laying aside the sword, be full of modesty and pity, compassionate and kind to all creatures that have life. |
na jināti na jāpaye; |
This, O king, is the third quality of the cakravāka bird he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the cakravāka Jātaka: | |
Mettaṁso sabbabhūtesu, |
|
veraṁ tassa na kenacī’”ti. |
|
| “The man who kills not, nor destroys, | |
| Oppresses not, nor causes other men | |
Cakkavākaṅgapañho dutiyo. |
To take from men that which is rightly theirs —- |
| And this from kindness to all things that live— | |
| No wrath with any man disturbs his peace.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
3. Peṇāhikaṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘peṇāhikāya dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.6.3. The Peṇāhikā Bird |
“Yathā, mahārāja, peṇāhikā sakapatimhi usūyāya chāpake na posayati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the Peṇāhikā bird you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sakamane kilese uppanne usūyāyitabbaṁ, satipaṭṭhānena sammāsaṁvarasusire pakkhipitvā manodvāre kāyagatāsati bhāvetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, peṇāhikāya paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the Peṇāhikā bird, through jealousy of her mate, refuses to nourish her young ; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be jealous of any evil dispositions which arise within him, and putting them by his mindfulness into the excellent crevice of self-control, should dwell at the door of his mind in the constant practice of self-possession in all things relating to his body. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, peṇāhikā pavane divasaṁ gocaraṁ caritvā sāyaṁ pakkhigaṇaṁ upeti attano guttiyā; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the Peṇāhikā bird he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ekakena pavivekaṁ sevitabbaṁ saṁyojanaparimuttiyā, tatra ratiṁ alabhamānena upavādabhayaparirakkhaṇāya saṅghaṁ osaritvā saṅgharakkhitena vasitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, peṇāhikāya dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, brahmunā sahampatinā bhagavato santike— |
‘And again, O king, as the Peṇāhikā bird spends the day in the forest in search of food, but at night time resorts for protection to the flock of birds to which she belongs; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, who has for a time resorted to solitary places for the purpose of emancipation from the ten Fetters, and found no satisfaction therein, repair back to the Order for protection against the danger of blame, and dwell under the shelter of the Order. | |
‘Sevetha pantāni senāsanāni, |
This, O king, is the second quality of the Peṇāhikā bird he ought to have. |
Careyya saṁyojanavippamokkhā; |
For it was said, O king, by the Brahmā Sahampati in the presence of the Blessed One: |
Sace ratiṁ nādhigaccheyya tattha, |
|
Saṅghe vase rakkhitatto satīmā’”ti. |
“Seek lodgings distant from the haunts of men, |
| Live there in freedom from the bonds of sin; | |
Peṇāhikaṅgapañho tatiyo. |
But he who finds no peace in solitude |
| May with the Order dwell, guarded in heart, | |
| Mindful and self-possessed.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
4. Gharakapotaṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘gharakapotassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.6.4. The House-Pigeon |
“Yathā, mahārāja, gharakapoto paragehe vasamāno na tesaṁ kiñci bhaṇḍassa nimittaṁ gaṇhāti, majjhatto vasati saññābahulo; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the house-pigeon you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena parakulaṁ upagatena tasmiṁ kule itthīnaṁ vā purisānaṁ vā mañce vā pīṭhe vā vatthe vā alaṅkāre vā upabhoge vā paribhoge vā bhojanavikatīsu vā na nimittaṁ gahetabbaṁ, majjhattena bhavitabbaṁ, samaṇasaññā paccupaṭṭhapetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, gharakapotassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena cūḷanāradajātake— |
‘Just, O king, as the house-pigeon, while dwelling in the abode of others, of men, does not become enamoured of anything that belongs to them, but remains neutral, taking notice only of things pertaining to birds; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, while resorting to other people’s houses, never become enamoured of women or of men, of beds, or chairs, or garments, or jewelry, or things for use or enjoyment, or various forms of food that are there, but remain neutral always, addicted only to such ideas as become a recluse. | |
‘Pavisitvā parakulaṁ, |
This, O king, is the quality of the house-pigeon he ought to have. |
pānatthaṁ bhojanāya vā; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the culla ṇānada Jātaka: |
Mitaṁ khāde mitaṁ bhuñje, |
|
na ca rūpe manaṁ kare’”ti. |
“Frequenting people’s homes for food or drink, |
| In food and drink alike be temperate, | |
| And let not beauty’s form attract thy thoughts “’ | |
Gharakapotaṅgapañho catuttho. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
5. Ulūkaṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘ulūkassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.6.5. The Owl |
“Yathā, mahārāja, ulūko kākehi paṭiviruddho, rattiṁ kākasaṅghaṁ gantvā bahūpi kāke hanati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the owl you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena aññāṇena paṭiviruddho kātabbo, ekena raho nisīditvā aññāṇaṁ sampamadditabbaṁ, mūlato chinditabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, ulūkassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the owl, being at enmity with the crows, goes at night where the flocks of crows are, and kills numbers of them; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be at enmity with ignorance; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, ulūko suppaṭisallīno hoti; |
seated alone and in secret, he should crush it out of existence, cut it off at the root. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena paṭisallānārāmena bhavitabbaṁ paṭisallānaratena. |
This, O king, is the first quality of the owl he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, ulūkassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavare— |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the owl is a solitary bird; | |
‘Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paṭisallānārāmo paṭisallānarato “idaṁ dukkhan”ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, “ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo”ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, “ayaṁ dukkhanirodho”ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, “ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā”ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānātī’”ti. |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be devoted to solitude, take delight in solitude. |
| This, O king, is the second quality of the owl he ought to have. | |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Saṁyutta Nikāya: | |
Ulūkaṅgapañho pañcamo. |
|
| “Let the Bhikshu, my brethren, be devoted to solitude, take delight in solitude, to the end that he may realise what sorrow really is, and what the origin of sorrow really is, and what the cessation of sorrow really is, and what the path that leads to the cessation of sorrow really is.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
6. Satapattaṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘satapattassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.6.6. The Indian Crane |
“Yathā, mahārāja, satapatto ravitvā paresaṁ khemaṁ vā bhayaṁ vā ācikkhati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the Indian crane you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena paresaṁ dhammaṁ desayamānena vinipātaṁ bhayato dassayitabbaṁ, nibbānaṁ khemato dassayitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, satapattassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena piṇḍolabhāradvājena— |
‘Just, O king, as the Indian crane by its cry makes known to other folk the good fortune or disaster that is about to happen to them; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, make known to others by his preaching of the Dhamma how dreadful a state is purgatory, and how blissful is Nirvāṇa. | |
‘Niraye bhayasantāsaṁ, |
This, O king, is the quality of the Indian crane he ought to have. |
nibbāne vipulaṁ sukhaṁ; |
For it was said, O king, by Piṇḍola Bhāra-dvāja, the elder: |
Ubhayānetānatthāni, |
|
dassetabbāni yoginā’”ti. |
“Two matters there are that the earnest recluse |
| Should ever to others be making clear— | |
| How fearful, how terrible, purgatory is; | |
Satapattaṅgapañho chaṭṭho. |
|
| How great and how deep is Nirvāṇa’s bliss.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
7. Vagguliṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘vaggulissa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.6.7. The Bat |
“Yathā, mahārāja, vagguli gehaṁ pavisitvā vicaritvā nikkhamati, na tattha palibuddhati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the bat you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena gāmaṁ piṇḍāya pavisitvā sapadānaṁ vicaritvā paṭiladdhalābhena khippameva nikkhamitabbaṁ, na tattha palibuddhena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vaggulissa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the bat, though it enters into men’s dwelling-places, and flies about in them, soon goes out from them, delays not therein; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when he has entered the village for alms, and gone on his rounds in regular order, depart quickly with the alms he has received, and delay not therein. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, vagguli paragehe vasamāno na tesaṁ parihāniṁ karoti; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the bat he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kulāni upasaṅkamitvā atiyācanāya vā viññattibahulatāya vā kāyadosabahulatāya vā atibhāṇitāya vā samānasukhadukkhatāya vā na tesaṁ koci vippaṭisāro karaṇīyo, napi tesaṁ mūlakammaṁ parihāpetabbaṁ, sabbathā vaḍḍhiyeva icchitabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, vaggulissa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena dīghanikāyavare lakkhaṇasuttante— |
‘And again, O king, as the bat, while frequenting other folk’s houses, does them no harm; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when visiting the houses of the laity, never give them cause for vexation by persistent requests, or by pointing out what he wants, or by wrong demeanour, or by chattering, or by being indifferent to their prosperity or adversity; | |
‘Suddhāya sīlena sutena buddhiyā, |
he should never take them away from their chief business occupations, but desire their success in all things. |
Cāgena dhammena bahūhi sādhuhi; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the bat he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Lakkhana Suttanta: | |
Dhanena dhaññena ca khettavatthunā, |
|
Puttehi dārehi catuppadehi ca. |
|
| “‘Oh! | |
| How may others never suffer loss | |
Ñātīhi mittehi ca bandhavehi, |
Or diminution, whether in their faith, |
Balena vaṇṇena sukhena cūbhayaṁ; |
Or righteousness, or knowledge of the word, |
| Or understanding, or self-sacrifice, | |
Kathaṁ na hāyeyyuṁ pareti icchati, |
Or in religion, or in all good things, |
Atthasamiddhiñca panābhikaṅkhatī’”ti. |
Or in their stores of wealth, or corn, or lands, |
| Or tenements, or in their sons, or wives, | |
| Or in their flocks and herds, or in their friends, | |
Vagguliṅgapañho sattamo. |
And relatives, and kinsmen, or in strength, |
| In beauty, and in joy’—’Tis thus he thinks— | |
| Longing for other men’s advantage and success!” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
8. Jalūkaṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘jalūkāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.6.8. The Leech |
“Yathā, mahārāja, jalūkā yattha allīyati, tattheva daḷhaṁ allīyitvā ruhiraṁ pivati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the leech which you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena yasmiṁ ārammaṇe cittaṁ allīyati, taṁ ārammaṇaṁ vaṇṇato ca saṇṭhānato ca disato ca okāsato ca paricchedato ca liṅgato ca nimittato ca daḷhaṁ patiṭṭhāpetvā tenevārammaṇena vimuttirasamasecanakaṁ pātabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, jalūkāya ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena anuruddhena— |
‘Just, O king, as the leech, wheresoever it is put on, there does it adhere firmly, drinking the blood; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, on whatsoever subject for meditation he may fix his mind, call that subject firmly up before him in respect of its colour, and shape, and position, and extension, and boundaries, and nature, and characteristic marks, drinking the delicious draught of the ambrosia of emancipation. | |
‘Parisuddhena cittena, |
This, O king, is the quality of the leech he ought to have. |
Ārammaṇe patiṭṭhāya; |
For it was said, O king, by Anuruddha, the Elder: |
Tena cittena pātabbaṁ, |
|
Vimuttirasamasecanan’”ti. |
“With heart made pure, in meditation firm, |
| Drink deep of freedom’s never-failing draught.” | |
| ’ | |
Jalūkaṅgapañho aṭṭhamo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
9. Sappaṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘sappassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.6.9. The Serpent |
“Yathā, mahārāja, sappo urena gacchati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the serpent you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena paññāya caritabbaṁ, paññāya caramānassa kho, mahārāja, yogino cittaṁ ñāye carati, vilakkhaṇaṁ vivajjeti, salakkhaṇaṁ bhāveti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sappassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the serpent progresses by means of its belly; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, progress by means of his knowledge. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sappo caramāno osadhaṁ parivajjento carati; |
For the heart of the recluse, O king, who progresses by knowledge, continues in perception (of the four Truths), that which is inconsistent with the characteristics of a recluse does he put away, that which is consistent with them does he develop in himself. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena duccaritaṁ parivajjentena caritabbaṁ. |
This, O king, is the first quality of the serpent he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sappassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the serpent as it moves avoids drugs ; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, sappo manusse disvā tappati socati cintayati; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, go on his way avoiding unrighteousness. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kuvitakke, vitakketvā aratiṁ uppādayitvā tappitabbaṁ socitabbaṁ cintayitabbaṁ ‘pamādena me divaso vītināmito, na so puna sakkā laddhun’ti. |
This, O king, is the second quality of the serpent he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, sappassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā bhallāṭiyajātake dvinnaṁ kinnarānaṁ— |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the serpent on catching sight of men is anxious, and pained, and seeks a way of escape ; | |
‘Mayekarattaṁ vippavasimha ludda, |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, when he finds himself thinking wrong thoughts, or discontent arising within him, be anxious and pained, and seek a way of escape, saying to himself: |
Akāmakā aññamaññaṁ sarantā; |
“This day must I have spent in carelessness, and never shall I be able to recover it.” |
| This, O king, is the third quality of the serpent he ought to have. | |
Tamekarattaṁ anutappamānā, |
For it is a saying, O king, of the two fairy birds in the Bhallāṭiya Jātaka: |
Socāmasā ratti puna na hessatī’”ti. |
|
| “’Tis one night only, hunter, that we’ve spent | |
Sappaṅgapañho navamo. |
Away from home, and that against our will, |
| And thinking all night through of one another, | |
| Yet that one night is it that we bemoan, | |
| And grieve; | |
| for nevermore can it return!” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Sīhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
10. Ajagaraṅgapañha |
Chapter 5 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘ajagarassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.6.10. The Rock-Snake |
“Yathā, mahārāja, ajagaro mahatimahākāyo bahūpi divase ūnūdaro dīnataro kucchipūraṁ āhāraṁ na labhati, aparipuṇṇo yeva yāvadeva sarīrayāpanamattakena yāpeti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the rock-snake that you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yogino yogāvacarassa bhikkhācariyappasutassa parapiṇḍamupagatassa paradinnappāṭikaṅkhissa sayaṅgāhappaṭiviratassa dullabhaṁ udaraparipūraṁ āhāraṁ, api ca atthavasikena kulaputtena cattāro pañca ālope abhuñjitvā avasesaṁ udakena paripūretabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, ajagarassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘Just, O king, as the rock-snake, immense as is its length of body, will go many days with empty belly, and, wretched get no food to fill its stomach, yet in spite of that it will just manage to keep itself alive; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, though he be addicted to obtaining his food by alms, dependent on the gifts that others may give, awaiting offers, abstaining from taking anything himself, and find it difficult to get his belly’s-full, yet should he, if he seek after the highest good, even though he receive not so much as four or five mouthfuls to eat, fill up the void by water. | |
‘Allaṁ sukkhaṁ vā bhuñjanto, |
This, O king, is the quality of the rock-snake he ought to have. |
Na bāḷhaṁ suhito siyā; |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
Ūnūdaro mitāhāro, |
|
Sato bhikkhu paribbaje. |
“Whether it be dry food or wet he eats, |
| Let him to full repletion never eat. | |
Cattāro pañca ālope, |
The good recluse goes forth in emptiness, |
abhutvā udakaṁ pive; |
And keeps to moderation in his food. |
Alaṁ phāsu vihārāya, |
If but four mouthfuls or but five he get, |
pahitattassa bhikkhuno’”ti. |
Let him drink water. |
| For what cares the man | |
| With mind on Arahatship fixed for ease!” | |
Ajagaraṅgapañho dasamo. |
’ |
| Here ends the Fifth Chapter. | |
Sīhavaggo pañcamo. |
|
Tassuddānaṁ |
|
Kesarī cakkavāko ca, |
|
peṇāhi gharakapotako; |
|
Ulūko satapatto ca, |
|
vagguli ca jalūpikā; |
|
Sappo ajagaro ceva, |
|
vaggo tena pavuccatīti. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
1. Panthamakkaṭakaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘panthamakkaṭakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.7.1. The Road Spider |
“Yathā, mahārāja, panthamakkaṭako panthe makkaṭajālavitānaṁ katvā yadi tattha jālake laggati kimi vā makkhikā vā paṭaṅgo vā, taṁ gahetvā bhakkhayati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the road spider you say he ought to have, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena chasu dvāresu satipaṭṭhānajālavitānaṁ katvā yadi tattha kilesamakkhikā bajjhanti, tattheva ghātetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, panthamakkaṭakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena anuruddhena— |
‘Just, O king, as the road spider weaves the curtain of its net on the road, and whatsoever is caught therein, whether worm, or fly, or beetle, that does he catch and eat; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, spread the curtain of the net of self-possession over the six doors (of his six senses), and if any of the flies of evil are caught therein, there should he seize them. | |
‘Cittaṁ niyame chasu dvāresu, |
This, O king, is the quality of the road spider he ought to have. |
Satipaṭṭhānavaruttame; |
For it was said, O king, by Anuruddha, the Elder: |
Kilesā tattha laggā ce, |
|
Hantabbā te vipassinā’”ti. |
“His heart should he shut in, at its six doors, |
| By self-possession, best and chief of gifts, | |
| Should any evil thoughts be caught within, | |
Panthamakkaṭakaṅgapañho paṭhamo. |
Them by the sword of insight should he slay.” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
2. Thanassitadārakaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘thanassitadārakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.7.2. The Child At the Breast |
“Yathā, mahārāja, thanassitadārako sadatthe laggati, khīratthiko rodati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the child at the breast you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sadatthe laggitabbaṁ, sabbattha dhammañāṇena bhavitabbaṁ, uddese paripucchāya sammappayoge paviveke garusaṁvāse kalyāṇamittasevane. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, thanassitadārakassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena dīghanikāyavare parinibbānasuttante— |
‘Just, O king, as the child at the breast sticks to its own advantage, and if it wants milk, cries for it; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, adhere to his own good, and in everything—in teaching, in asking and answering questions, in the conduct of life, in the habit of solitude, in association with his teachers, in the cultivation of the friendship of the good—should he act with knowledge of the Truth. | |
‘Iṅgha tumhe, ānanda, sāratthe ghaṭatha, sāratthe anuyuñjatha, sāratthe appamattā ātāpino pahitattā viharathā’”ti. |
This, O king, is the quality of the child at the breast he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Dīgha Nikāya, in the Suttanta of the Great Decease: | |
Thanassitadārakaṅgapañho dutiyo. |
|
| “Be zealous, rather, I beseech you, Ānanda, in your own behalf. | |
| Devote yourselves to your own good. | |
| Be earnest, all aglow, intent on your own good!” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
3. Cittakadharakummaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘cittakadharakummassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.7.3. The Land Tortoise |
“Yathā, mahārāja, cittakadharakummo udakabhayā udakaṁ parivajjetvā vicarati, tāya ca pana udakaṁ parivajjanāya āyunā na parihāyati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the land tortoise which you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena pamāde bhayadassāvinā bhavitabbaṁ, appamāde guṇavisesadassāvinā. |
|
Tāya ca pana bhayadassāvitāya na parihāyati sāmaññā, nibbānassa santike upeti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, cittakadharakummassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘Just, O king, as the land tortoise, being afraid of the water, frequents places far from it, and by that habit of avoiding water its length of life is kept undiminished; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena dhammapade— |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, seeing the danger in the want of earnestness, be mindful of the advantages that distinguish earnestness. |
| For by that perception of danger in carelessness, his Samanaship fades not away, but rather does he go forward to Nirvāṇa itself. | |
‘Appamādarato bhikkhu, |
This, O king, is the quality of the land tortoise he ought to have. |
pamāde bhayadassi vā; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Dhammapada: |
Abhabbo parihānāya, |
|
nibbānasseva santike’”ti. |
“The Bhikshu who in earnestness delights, |
| Who sees the danger of indifference, | |
| Shall fall not from his high estate away, | |
Cittakadharakummaṅgapañho catuttho. |
But in the presence of Nirvāṇa dwell.” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
4. Pavanaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘pavanassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.7.4. The Mountain Height |
“Yathā, mahārāja, pavanaṁ nāma asucijanaṁ paṭicchādeti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of the mountain height you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena paresaṁ aparaddhaṁ khalitaṁ paṭicchādetabbaṁ na vivaritabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pavanassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the mountain height is a hiding-place for the wicked; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, keep secret the offences and failings of others, revealing them not. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pavanaṁ suññaṁ pacurajanehi; |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the mountain height he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena rāgadosamohamānadiṭṭhijālehi sabbehi ca kilesehi suññena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pavanassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the mountain height is void of many people; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be void of lust, angers, follies, and pride, of the net of (wrong) views, and of all evil dispositions. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pavanaṁ vivittaṁ janasambādharahitaṁ; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the mountain height he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi anariyehi pavivittena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pavanassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the mountain height is a lonely spot, free from crowding of men; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be given to solitude, and free from evil, unworthy qualities, from those that are not noble. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pavanaṁ santaṁ parisuddhaṁ; |
This, O king, is the third quality of the mountain height he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena santena parisuddhena bhavitabbaṁ, nibbutena pahīnamānena pahīnamakkhena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pavanassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the mountain height is clean and pure; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be good and pure, happy, and without self-righteousness. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, pavanaṁ ariyajanasaṁsevitaṁ; |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of the mountain height he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ariyajanasaṁsevitena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, pavanassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena saṁyuttanikāyavare— |
‘And again, O king, just as the mountain height is the resort of the noble ones; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be sought after by the noble ones. | |
‘Pavivittehi ariyehi, |
This, O king, is the fifth quality of the mountain height he ought to have. |
pahitattehi jhāyibhi; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the most excellent Saṁyutta Nikāya: |
Niccaṁ āraddhavīriyehi, |
|
paṇḍitehi sahāvase’”ti. |
“With solitary men, those noble ones, |
| Whose minds, on Arahatship strictly bent, | |
| Rise easily to contemplation’s heights, | |
Pavanaṅgapañho catuttho. |
Stedfast in zeal and wise in holy writ— |
| With such should he resort, with such commune.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
5. Rukkhaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘rukkhassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.7.5. The Tree |
“Yathā, mahārāja, rukkho nāma pupphaphaladharo; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the tree you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena vimuttipupphasāmaññaphaladhārinā bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, rukkhassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the tree bears fruits and flowers; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, bear the flowers of emancipation and the fruits of Samaṇaship. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, rukkho upagatānamanuppaviṭṭhānaṁ janānaṁ chāyaṁ deti; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the tree he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena upagatānamanuppaviṭṭhānaṁ puggalānaṁ āmisappaṭisandhārena vā dhammappaṭisanthārena vā paṭisantharitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, rukkhassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the tree casts its shadow over the men who come to it, and stay beneath it; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, receive with kindness, both as regards their bodily wants and their religious necessities, those that wait upon him, and remain near by him. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, rukkho chāyāvemattaṁ na karoti; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the tree he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbasattesu vemattatā na kātabbā, coravadhakapaccatthikesupi attanipi samasamā mettābhāvanā kātabbā, ‘kinti ime sattā averā abyāpajjā anīghā sukhī attānaṁ parihareyyun’ti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, rukkhassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘And again, O king, just as the tree makes no kind of distinction in the shadow it affords; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, make no distinctions between all men, but nourish an equal love to those who rob, or hurt, or bear enmity to him, and to those who are like unto himself, This, O king, is the third quality of the tree he ought to have. | |
‘Vadhake devadattamhi, |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
core aṅgulimālake; |
|
Dhanapāle rāhule ca, |
“Devadatta, who tried to murder him; |
sabbattha samako munī’”ti. |
|
| Aṅgulimāla, highway robber chief; | |
Rukkhaṅgapañho pañcamo. |
The elephant set loose to take his life; |
| And Rāhula, the good, his only son— | |
| The sage is equal-minded to them all.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
6. Meghaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘meghassa pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni pañca aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.7.6. The Rain |
“Yathā, mahārāja, megho uppannaṁ rajojallaṁ vūpasameti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those five qualities of the rain you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena uppannaṁ kilesarajojallaṁ vūpasametabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, meghassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the rain lays any dust that arises; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, lay the dust and dirt of any evil dispositions that may arise within him. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, megho pathaviyā uṇhaṁ nibbāpeti; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the rain he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena mettābhāvanāya sadevako loko nibbāpetabbo. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, meghassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the rain allays the heat of the ground; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, soothe the whole world of gods and men, with the feeling of his love. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, megho sabbabījāni viruhāpeti; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the rain he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbasattānaṁ saddhaṁ uppādetvā taṁ saddhābījaṁ tīsu sampattīsu ropetabbaṁ, dibbamānusikāsu sukhasampattīsu yāvaparamatthanibbānasukhasampatti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, meghassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the rain makes all kinds of vegetation to grow; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, cause faith to spring up in all beings, and make that seed of faith grow up into the three Attainments, not only the lesser attainments of glorious rebirths in heaven or on earth, but also the attainment of the highest good, the bliss of Arahatship. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, megho ututo samuṭṭhahitvā dharaṇitalaruhe tiṇarukkhalatāgumbaosadhivanappatayo parirakkhati; |
This, O king, is the third quality of the rain he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena yoniso manasikāraṁ nibbattetvā tena yoniso manasikārena samaṇadhammo parirakkhitabbo, yoniso manasikāramūlakā sabbe kusalā dhammā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, meghassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the rain-cloud, rising up in the hot season, affords protection to the grass, and trees, and creepers, and shrubs, and medicinal herbs, and to the monarchs of the woods that grow on the surface of the earth; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, cultivating the habit of thoughtfulness, afford protection by his thoughtfulness to his condition of Samanaship, for in thoughtfulness is it that all good qualities have their root. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, megho vassamāno naditaḷākapokkharaṇiyo kandarapadarasarasobbhaudapānāni ca paripūreti udakadhārāhi; |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of the rain he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena āgamapariyattiyā dhammameghamabhivassayitvā adhigamakāmānaṁ mānasaṁ paripūrayitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, meghassa pañcamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘And again, O king, as the rain when it pours down fills the rivers, and reservoirs, and artificial lakes, the caves, and chasms, and ponds, and holes, and wells, with water; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, pour down the rain of the Dhamma—according to the texts handed down by tradition, and so fill to satisfaction the mind of those who are longing for instruction. | |
‘Bodhaneyyaṁ janaṁ disvā, |
This, O king, is the fifth quality of the rain he ought to have. |
satasahassepi yojane; |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
Khaṇena upagantvāna, |
|
bodheti taṁ mahāmunī’”ti. |
“When the Great Sage perceives a man afar, |
| Were it a hundred or a thousand leagues, | |
| Ripe for enlightenment, straightway he goes | |
Meghaṅgapañho chaṭṭho. |
And guides him gently to the path of Truth.” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
7. Maṇiratanaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘maṇiratanassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.7.7. The Diamond |
“Yathā, mahārāja, maṇiratanaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the diamond you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ekantaparisuddhājīvena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the diamond is pure throughout; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be perfectly pure in his means of livelihood. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanaṁ na kenaci saddhiṁ missīyati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the diamond he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena pāpehi pāpasahāyehi saddhiṁ na missitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, as the diamond cannot be alloyed with any other substance; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never mix with wicked men as friends. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanaṁ jātiratanehi yojīyati; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the diamond he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena uttamavarajātimantehi saddhiṁ saṁvasitabbaṁ, paṭipannakaphalaṭṭhasekkhaphalasamaṅgīhi sotāpannasakadāgāmianāgāmiarahantatevijjachaḷabhiññasamaṇamaṇiratanehi saddhiṁ saṁvasitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, maṇiratanassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena suttanipāte— |
‘And again, O king, just as the diamond is set together with the most costly gems; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, associate with those of the higher excellence, with men who have entered the first or the second or the third stage of the Noble Path, with the jewel treasures of the Arahats, of the recluses, of the threefold Wisdom, or of the sixfold Insight. | |
‘Suddhā suddhehi saṁvāsaṁ, |
This, O king, is the third quality of the diamond he ought to have. |
Kappayavho patissatā; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Sutta Nipāta: |
Tato samaggā nipakā, |
|
Dukkhassantaṁ karissathā’”ti. |
“Let the pure associate with the pure, |
| Ever in recollection firm; | |
Maṇiratanaṅgapañho sattamo. |
Dwelling harmoniously wise |
| Thus shall ye put an end to griefs.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
8. Māgavikaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘māgavikassa cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.7.8. The Hunter |
“Yathā, mahārāja, māgaviko appamiddho hoti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those four qualities of the hunter you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena appamiddhena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, māgavikassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the hunter is indefatigable, so also, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be indefatigable. | |
| This, O king, is the first quality of the hunter he ought to have. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, māgaviko migesuyeva cittaṁ upanibandhati; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ārammaṇesuyeva cittaṁ upanibandhitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, māgavikassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, just as the hunter keeps his attention fixed on the deer; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, keep his attention fixed on the particular object which is the subject of his thought. | |
| This, O king, is the second quality of the hunter he ought to have. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, māgaviko kālaṁ kammassa jānāti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena paṭisallānassa kālo jānitabbo ‘ayaṁ kālo paṭisallānassa, ayaṁ kālo nikkhamanāyā’ti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, māgavikassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, just as the hunter knows the right time for his work; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, know the right time for retirement, saying to himself: | |
| “Now is the right time to retire. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, māgaviko migaṁ disvā hāsamabhijaneti ‘imaṁ lacchāmī’ti; |
Now is the right time to come out of retirement.” |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ārammaṇe abhiramitabbaṁ, hāsamabhijanetabbaṁ ‘uttariṁ visesamadhigacchissāmī’ti. |
This, O king, is the third quality of the hunter he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, māgavikassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena mogharājena— |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the hunter on catching sight of a deer experiences joy at the thought: | |
‘Ārammaṇe labhitvāna, |
“Him shall I get!” |
Pahitattena bhikkhunā; |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, rejoice at the sight of an object for contemplation, and experience joy at the thought: |
| “Thereby shall I grasp the specific idea of which I am in search.” | |
Bhiyyo hāso janetabbo, |
This, O king, is the fourth quality of the hunter he ought to have. |
Adhigacchissāmi uttarin’”ti. |
For it was said, O king, by Mogharāja, the Elder: |
Māgavikaṅgapañho aṭṭhamo. |
“The recluse who, with mind on Nirvāṇa bent, |
| Has acquired an object his thoughts to guide, | |
| Should be filled with exceeding joy at the hope: | |
| ’By this my uttermost aim shall I gain.’ | |
| ”’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
9. Bāḷisikaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘bāḷisikassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.7.9. The Fisherman |
“Yathā, mahārāja, bāḷisiko baḷisena macche uddharati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the fisherman you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena ñāṇena uttariṁ sāmaññaphalāni uddharitabbāni. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, bāḷisikassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the fisherman draws up the fish on his hook; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, draw up by his knowledge, and that to the uttermost, the fruits of Samanaship. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bāḷisiko parittakaṁ vadhitvā vipulaṁ lābhamadhigacchati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the fisherman he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena parittalokāmisamattaṁ pariccajitabbaṁ. |
|
Lokāmisamattaṁ, mahārāja, pariccajitvā yogī yogāvacaro vipulaṁ sāmaññaphalaṁ adhigacchati. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, bāḷisikassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, just as the fisherman by the sacrifice of a very little comes to great gain ; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena rāhulena— |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, renounce the mean baits of worldly things; |
| then by that renunciation will he gain the mighty fruits of Samanaship. | |
‘Suññatañcānimittañca, |
This, O king, is the second quality of the fisherman he ought to have. |
Vimokkhañcāppaṇihitaṁ; |
For it was said, O king, by Rāhula, the Elder: |
Caturo phale chaḷabhiññā, |
|
Cajitvā lokāmisaṁ labhe’”ti. |
“Renouncing the baits of the world he shall gain |
| The state that is void of lust, anger, and sin— | |
| Those conditions of sentient life—and be free, | |
Bāḷisikaṅgapañho navamo. |
Free from the cravings that mortals feel, |
| And the fruits of the stages of th’ Excellent Way | |
| And the six modes of Insight shall all be his.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Makkaṭakavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
10. Tacchakaṅgapañha |
Chapter 6 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘tacchakassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.7.10. The Carpenter |
“Yathā, mahārāja, tacchako kāḷasuttaṁ anulometvā rukkhaṁ tacchati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of the carpenter he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena jinasāsanamanulomayitvā sīlapathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhahitvā saddhāhatthena paññāvāsiṁ gahetvā kilesā tacchetabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, tacchakassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the carpenter saws off the wood along the line of the blackened string (he has put round it to guide him) ; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, standing on righteousness as a basis, and holding in the hand of faith the saw of knowledge, cut off his evil dispositions according to the doctrine laid down by the Conquerors. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, tacchako phegguṁ apaharitvā sāramādiyati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the carpenter he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sassataṁ ucchedaṁ taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ taduttamaṁ aññaduttamaṁ akatamabhabbaṁ apurisakāraṁ abrahmacariyavāsaṁ sattavināsaṁ navasattapātubhāvaṁ saṅkhārasassatabhāvaṁ yo karoti, so paṭisaṁvedeti, añño karoti, añño paṭisaṁvedeti, kammaphaladassanā ca kiriyaphaladiṭṭhi ca iti evarūpāni ceva aññāni ca vivādapathāni apanetvā saṅkhārānaṁ sabhāvaṁ paramasuññataṁ nirīhanijjīvataṁ accantaṁ suññataṁ ādiyitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, tacchakassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena suttanipāte— |
‘And again, O king, just as the carpenter, discarding the soft parts of the wood, takes the hard parts; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, forsaking the path of the discussion of useless theses, to wit: | |
‘Kāraṇḍavaṁ niddhamatha, |
—the everlasting life theory—the let-us-eat-and-drink-for-tomorrow-we-die theory —the theory that the soul and the body are one and the same—that the soul is one thing, the body another—that all teachings are alike excellent —that what is not done is of no avail—that men’s actions are of no importance—that holiness of life does not matter—that on the destruction of beings nine new sorts of beings appear—that the constituent elements of being are eternal —that he who commits an act experiences the result thereof—that one acts and another experiences the result of this action—and other such theories of Karma or wrong views on the result of actions—forsaking, I say, all such theses, paths which lead to heresy, he should learn what is the real nature of those constituent elements of which each individuality is, for the short term of its individuality, put together, and so reach forward to that state which is void of lusts, of malice, and of dullness, in which the excitements of individuality are known no more, and which is therefore designated the Void Supreme. |
Kasambuṁ apakassatha; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the carpenter he ought to have. |
| For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Sutta Nipāta: | |
Tato palāpe vāhetha, |
|
Assamaṇe samaṇamānine. |
|
| “Get rid of filth! | |
| Put aside rubbish from you! | |
Niddhamitvāna pāpicche, |
|
pāpaācāragocare; |
Winnow away the chaff, the men who hold |
| Those who are not so, as true Samaṇas! | |
Suddhā suddhehi saṁvāsaṁ, |
|
kappayavho patissatā; |
Get rid of those who harbour evil thoughts, |
| Who follow after evil modes of life! | |
Tato samaggā nipakā, |
|
dukkhassantaṁ karissathā’”ti. |
Thoughtful yourselves, and pure, with those resort, |
| With those associate, who are pure themselves!” | |
| ’ | |
Tacchakaṅgapañho dasamo. |
|
| Here ends the Sixth Chapter. | |
Makkaṭakavaggo chaṭṭho. |
|
Tassuddānaṁ |
|
Makkaṭo dārako kummo, |
|
vanaṁ rukkho ca pañcamo; |
|
Megho maṇi māgaviko, |
|
bāḷisī tacchakena cāti. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Kumbhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
1. Kumbhaṅgapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘kumbhassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamaṁ taṁ ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabban”ti? |
7.8.1. The Waterpot |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kumbho sampuṇṇo na saṇati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the waterpot you say he ought to take, which is it?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena āgame adhigame pariyattiyaṁ sāmaññe pāramiṁ patvā na saṇitabbaṁ, na tena māno karaṇīyo, na dabbo dassetabbo, nihatamānena nihatadabbena bhavitabbaṁ, ujukena amukharena avikatthinā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kumbhassa ekaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena suttanipāte— |
‘Just, O king, as the waterpot when it is full gives forth no sound; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, even when he has reached the summit of Samaṇaship, and knows all tradition and learning and interpretation, yet should give forth no sound, not pride himself thereon, not show himself puffed up, but putting away pride and self-righteousness, should be straightforward, not garrulous of himself, neither deprecating others. | |
‘Yadūnakaṁ taṁ saṇati, |
This, O king, is the quality of the waterpot he ought to have. |
Yaṁ pūraṁ santameva taṁ; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Sutta Nipāta: |
Aḍḍhakumbhūpamo bālo, |
|
Rahado pūrova paṇḍito’”ti. |
“What is not full, that is the thing that sounds, |
| That which is full is noiseless and at rest; | |
Kumbhaṅgapañho paṭhamo. |
The fool is like an empty waterpot, |
| The wise man like a deep pool, clear and full.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Kumbhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
2. Kāḷāyasaṅgapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘kāḷāyasassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.8.2. Black Iron |
“Yathā, mahārāja, kāḷāyaso supīto vamati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of black iron you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yogino yogāvacarassa mānasaṁ yoniso manasikārena apītaṁ vamati. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kāḷāyasassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as black iron even when beaten out carries weight; | |
| just so, O king, should the mind of the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be able, by his habit of thoughtfulness, to carry heavy burdens. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, kāḷāyaso sakiṁ pītaṁ udakaṁ na vamati; |
This, O king, is the first quality of black iron he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena yo sakiṁ uppanno pasādo, na puna so vamitabbo ‘uḷāro so bhagavā sammāsambuddho, svākkhāto dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti. |
|
‘Rūpaṁ aniccaṁ, vedanā aniccā, saññā aniccā, saṅkhārā aniccā, viññāṇaṁ aniccan’ti yaṁ sakiṁ uppannaṁ ñāṇaṁ, na puna taṁ vamitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, kāḷāyasassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, as black iron does not vomit up the water it has once soaked in ; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, never give up the faith he has once felt in the greatness of the Blessed One, the Supreme Buddha, in the perfection of his Doctrine, in the excellence of the Order—never give up the knowledge he has once acquired of the impermanence of forms, or of sensations, or of ideas, or of qualities, or of modes of consciousness. |
| This, O king, is the second quality of black iron he ought to have. | |
‘Dassanamhi parisodhito naro, |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods: |
Ariyadhamme niyato visesagū; |
|
Nappavedhati anekabhāgaso, |
“That man who is in insight purified, |
Sabbaso ca mukhabhāvameva so’”ti. |
Trained in the doctrine of the Noble Ones, |
| Grasping distinctions as they really are, | |
| What need hath he to tremble? | |
Kāḷāyasaṅgapañho dutiyo. |
Not in part |
| Only, but in its full extent, shall he | |
| To the clear heights of Arahatship attain.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Kumbhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
3. Chattaṅgapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘chattassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.8.3. The Sunshade |
“Yathā, mahārāja, chattaṁ upari muddhani carati; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the sunshade you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena kilesānaṁ upari muddhani carena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, chattassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the sunshade goes along over one’s head; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be of a character above all evil dispositions. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, chattaṁ muddhanupatthambhaṁ hoti; |
This, O king, is the first quality of the sunshade he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena yoniso manasikārupatthambhena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, chattassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the sunshade is held over the head by a handle; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, have thoughtfulness as his handle. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, chattaṁ vātātapameghavuṭṭhiyo paṭihanati; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the sunshade he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena nānāvidhadiṭṭhiputhusamaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ matavāta-tividhaggisantāpakilesavuṭṭhiyo paṭihantabbā. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, chattassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
‘And again, O king, as the sunshade wards off winds and heat and storms of rain; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, ward off the empty winds of the opinions of the numerous Samanas and Brahmans who hold forth their various and divergent nostrums, ward off the heat of the threefold fire (of lust, malice, and dullness), and ward off the rains of evil dispositions. | |
‘Yathāpi chattaṁ vipulaṁ, |
This, O king, is the third quality of the sunshade he ought to have. |
acchiddaṁ thirasaṁhitaṁ; |
For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: |
Vātātapaṁ nivāreti, |
|
mahatī meghavuṭṭhiyo. |
“As a broad sunshade spreading far and firm, |
| Without a hole from rim to rim, wards off | |
| The burning heat, and the god’s mighty rain; | |
Tatheva buddhaputtopi, |
|
sīlachattadharo suci; |
So doth the Buddha’s son, all pure within, |
| Bearing the sunshade brave of righteousness, | |
Kilesavuṭṭhiṁ vāreti, |
Ward off the rain of evil tendencies, |
santāpatividhaggayo’”ti. |
And the dread heat of all the threefold fire.” |
| ’ | |
Chattaṅgapañho tatiyo. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Kumbhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
4. Khettaṅgapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘khettassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.8.4. The Rice Field |
“Yathā, mahārāja, khettaṁ mātikāsampannaṁ hoti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of the rice field you say he ought to have, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sucaritavattappaṭivattamātikāsampannena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, khettassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as the rice field is provided with canals for irrigation; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be provided with the lists of the various duties incumbent on the righteous man—the canals that bring the water to the rice fields of the Buddha’s doctrine. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, khettaṁ mariyādāsampannaṁ hoti, tāya ca mariyādāya udakaṁ rakkhitvā dhaññaṁ paripāceti; |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the rice field he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sīlahirimariyādāsampannena bhavitabbaṁ, tāya ca sīlahirimariyādāya sāmaññaṁ rakkhitvā cattāri sāmaññaphalāni gahetabbāni. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, khettassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as the rice field is provided with embankments whereby men keep the water in, and so bring the crop to maturity; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be provided with the embankments of righteousness of life, and shame at sin, and thereby keep his Samaṇaship intact, and gain the fruits thereof. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, khettaṁ uṭṭhānasampannaṁ hoti, kassakassa hāsajanakaṁ appampi bījaṁ vuttaṁ bahu hoti, bahu vuttaṁ bahutaraṁ hoti; |
This, O king, is the second quality of the rice field he ought to have. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena uṭṭhānasampannena vipulaphaladāyinā bhavitabbaṁ, dāyakānaṁ hāsajanakena bhavitabbaṁ, yathā appaṁ dinnaṁ bahu hoti, bahu dinnaṁ bahutaraṁ hoti. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, khettassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena upālinā vinayadharena— |
‘And again, O king, just as the rice field is fruitful, filling the heart of the farmer with joy, so that if the seed be little the crop is great, and if the seed be much the crop is greater still; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be fruitful to the bearing of much good fruit, making the hearts of those who support him to rejoice, so that where little is given the result is great, and where much is given the result is greater still. | |
‘Khettūpamena bhavitabbaṁ, |
This, O king, is the third quality of the rice field he ought to have. |
Uṭṭhānavipuladāyinā; |
For it was said, O king, by Upāli, the Elder, he who carried the rules of the Order in his head: |
Esa khettavaro nāma, |
|
Yo dadāti vipulaṁ phalan’”ti. |
“Be fruitful as a rice field, yea, be rich |
| In all good works! | |
| For that is the best field | |
Khettaṅgapañho catuttho. |
Which yieldeth to the sower the goodliest crop.” |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Kumbhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
5. Agadaṅgapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘agadassa dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni dve aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti. |
7.8.5. Medicine |
“Yathā, mahārāja, agade kimī na saṇṭhahanti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those two qualities of medicine you say he ought. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena mānase kilesā na saṇṭhapetabbā. |
to take, which are they?’ |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, agadassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as vermin are not produced in medicine; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, agado daṭṭhaphuṭṭhadiṭṭhaasitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ sabbaṁ visaṁ paṭihanati; |
just so, O king, should no evil dispositions be allowed to arise in the mind of the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort. |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena rāgadosamohamānadiṭṭhivisaṁ sabbaṁ paṭihanitabbaṁ. |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of medicine he ought to have. |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, agadassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā devātidevena— |
|
| ‘And again, O king, just as medicine is an antidote to whatever poison may have been imparted by bites or contact, by eating or by drinking in any way; | |
‘Saṅkhārānaṁ sabhāvatthaṁ, |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, counteract in himself the poison of lusts, and malice, and dullness, and pride, and wrong belief, This, O king, is the second of the qualities of medicine he ought to have. |
daṭṭhukāmena yoginā; |
For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all the gods: |
Agadeneva hotabbaṁ, |
|
kilesavisanāsane’”ti. |
“The strenuous recluse who longs to see |
| Into the nature, and the meaning true, | |
| Of the constituent elements of things, | |
Agadaṅgapañho pañcamo. |
Must as it were an antidote become, |
| To the destruction of all evil thoughts.” | |
| ’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Kumbhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
6. Bhojanaṅgapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘bhojanassa tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni tīṇi aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.8.6. Food |
“Yathā, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbasattānaṁ upatthambho; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those three qualities of food you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbasattānaṁ maggupatthambhena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
|
| ‘Just, O king, as food is the support of all beings, just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be a handle, as it were, by which all beings may open the door of the noble eightfold path. | |
| This, O king, is the first of the qualities of food he ought to have. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbasattānaṁ balaṁ vaḍḍheti; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena puññavaḍḍhiyā vaḍḍhitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, just as food increases people’s strength; |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, grow in increase of virtue. | |
| This, O king, is the second of the qualities of food he ought to have. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanaṁ sabbasattānaṁ abhipatthitaṁ; |
|
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sabbalokābhipatthitena bhavitabbaṁ. |
|
Idaṁ, mahārāja, bhojanassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
‘And again, O king, just as food is a thing desired of all beings; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena mahāmoggallānena— |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, be desired of all the world. |
| This, O king, is the third of the qualities of food he ought to have. | |
‘Saṁyamena niyamena, |
For it was said, O king, by Mahā Moggallāna, the Elder: |
sīlena paṭipattiyā; |
|
Patthitena bhavitabbaṁ, |
“By self-restraint, training, and righteousness, |
sabbalokassa yoginā’”ti. |
By duty done, and by attainments reached, |
| The strenuous recluse should make himself | |
| To all men in the world a thing desired “’ | |
Bhojanaṅgapañho chaṭṭho. |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Opammakathāpañha |
Book 7: |
Kumbhavagga |
Similes of Arahatship |
7. Issāsaṅgapañha |
Chapter 7 |
“Bhante nāgasena, ‘issāsassa cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbānī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamāni tāni cattāri aṅgāni gahetabbānī”ti? |
7.8.7. The Archer |
“Yathā, mahārāja, issāso sare pātayanto ubho pāde pathaviyaṁ daḷhaṁ patiṭṭhāpeti, jaṇṇuavekallaṁ karoti, sarakalāpaṁ kaṭisandhimhi ṭhapeti, kāyaṁ upatthaddhaṁ karoti, dve hatthe sandhiṭṭhānaṁ āropeti, muṭṭhiṁ pīḷayati, aṅguliyo nirantaraṁ karoti, gīvaṁ paggaṇhāti, cakkhūni mukhañca pidahati, nimittaṁ ujuṁ karoti, hāsamuppādeti ‘vijjhissāmī’ti; |
‘Venerable Nāgasena, those four qualities of the archer you say he ought to take, which are they?’ |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sīlapathaviyaṁ vīriyapāde patiṭṭhāpetabbaṁ, khantisoraccaṁ avekallaṁ kātabbaṁ, saṁvare cittaṁ ṭhapetabbaṁ, saṁyamaniyame attā upanetabbo, icchā mucchā pīḷayitabbā, yoniso manasikāre cittaṁ nirantaraṁ kātabbaṁ, vīriyaṁ paggahetabbaṁ, cha dvārā pidahitabbā, sati upaṭṭhapetabbā, hāsamuppādetabbaṁ ‘sabbakilese ñāṇanārācena vijjhissāmī’ti. |
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Idaṁ, mahārāja, issāsassa paṭhamaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
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| Just, O king, as the archer, when discharging his arrows, plants both his feet firmly on the ground, keeps his knees straight, hangs his quiver against the narrow part of his waist, keeps his whole body steady, places both his hands firmly on the point of junction (of the arrow on the bow), closes his fists, leaves no openings between his fingers, stretches out his neck, shuts his mouth and one eye, and takes aim in joy at the thought: | |
| “I shall hit it ; | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, issāso āḷakaṁ pariharati vaṅkajimhakuṭilanārācassa ujukaraṇāya; |
” just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, plant firmly the feet of his zeal on the basis of righteousness, keep intact his kindness and tenderness of heart, fix his mind on subjugation of the senses, keep himself steady by self-restraint and performance of duty, suppress excitement and sense of faintness, by continual thoughtfulness let no openings remain in his mind, reach forward in zeal, shut the six doors (of the five senses and the mind), and continue mindful and thoughtful in joy at the thought: |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena imasmiṁ kāye satipaṭṭhānaāḷakaṁ pariharitabbaṁ vaṅkajimhakuṭilacittassa ujukaraṇāya. |
“By the javelin of my knowledge will I slay all my evil dispositions.” |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, issāsassa dutiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
This, O king, is the first of the qualities of the archer he ought to have. |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, issāso lakkhe upāseti; |
‘And again, O king, as the archer carries a vice for straightening out bent and crooked and uneven arrows; |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena imasmiṁ kāye upāsitabbaṁ. |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, carry about with him, so long as he is in the body, the vice of mindfulness and thoughtfulness, wherewith he may straighten out any crooked and bent and shifty ideas. |
Kathaṁ, mahārāja yoginā yogāvacarena imasmiṁ kāye upāsitabbaṁ? |
This, O king, is the second of the qualities of the archer he ought to have. |
Aniccato upāsitabbaṁ, dukkhato upāsitabbaṁ, anattato upāsitabbaṁ, rogato …pe… gaṇḍato … sallato … aghato … ābādhato … parato … palokato … ītito … upaddavato … bhayato … upasaggato … calato … pabhaṅguto … addhuvato … atāṇato … aleṇato … asaraṇato … rittato … tucchato … suññato … ādīnavato … vipariṇāmadhammato … asārato … aghamūlato … vadhakato … vibhavato … sāsavato … saṅkhatato … mārāmisato … jātidhammato … jarādhammato … byādhidhammato … maraṇadhammato … sokadhammato … paridevadhammato … upāyāsadhammato … saṅkilesadhammato … evaṁ kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena imasmiṁ kāye upāsitabbaṁ. |
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Idaṁ, mahārāja, issāsassa tatiyaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
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| ‘And again, O king, as the archer practises at a target; | |
| just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, practise, so long as he is in the body. | |
Puna caparaṁ, mahārāja, issāso sāyaṁ pātaṁ upāsati; |
And how, O king, should he practise? |
evameva kho, mahārāja, yoginā yogāvacarena sāyaṁ pātaṁ ārammaṇe upāsitabbaṁ. |
He should practise himself in the idea of the impermanence of all things, of the sorrow inherent in individuality, in the absence in any thing or creature of any abiding principle (any soul); |
Idaṁ, mahārāja, issāsassa catutthaṁ aṅgaṁ gahetabbaṁ. |
in the ideas of the diseases, sores, pains, aches, and ailments of the body that follow in the train of the necessary conditions of individuality; |
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, therena sāriputtena dhammasenāpatinā— |
in the ideas of its dependence on others, and of its certain disintegration ; |
| in the ideas of the calamities, dangers, fears, and misfortunes to which it is subject; | |
‘Yathā issāsako nāma, |
of its instability under the changing conditions of life; |
sāyaṁ pātaṁ upāsati; |
of its liability to dissolution, its want of firmness, its being no true place of refuge, no cave of security, no home of protection, no right object of trust; |
| of its vanity, emptiness, danger, and insubstantiality ; | |
Upāsanaṁ ariñcanto, |
of its being the source of pains and subject to punishments and full of impurity, a mongrel compound of conditions and qualities that have no coherence; |
labhate bhattavetanaṁ. |
of its being the food alike of evil and of the Evil One ; |
| of its inherent liability to rebirths, old age, disease, and death, to griefs, lamentations, despair; | |
| and of the corruption of the cravings and delusions that are never absent from it. | |
Tatheva buddhaputtopi, |
This, O king, is the third of the qualities of the archer he ought to have. |
Karoti kāyupāsanaṁ; |
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Kāyupāsanaṁ ariñcanto, |
‘And again, O king, just as the archer practises early and late; |
Arahattamadhigacchatī’”ti. |
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, practise meditation early and late. |
| For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith: | |
Issāsaṅgapañho sattamo. |
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| “Early and late the true archer will practise, | |
| ’Tis only by never neglecting his art, | |
Kumbhavaggo sattamo. |
That he earns the reward and the wage of his skill. |
| So the sons of the Buddha, too, practise their art. | |
Tassuddānaṁ |
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| It is just by never neglecting in thought | |
Kumbho ca kāḷāyaso ca, |
The conditions of life in this bodily frame |
chattaṁ khettañca agado; |
That they gain the rich fruits which the Arahats love.” |
| ’ | |
Bhojanena ca issāso, |
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vuttaṁ dāni vidūhīti. |
Here ends the fifth riddle, the riddle of the archer. |
Opammakathāpañho niṭṭhito. |
Here end the two hundred and sixty-two questions of Milinda, as handed down in the Book 1n its six parts, adorned with twenty-two chapters. |
| Now those which have not been handed down are forty- two. | |
| Taking together all those that have been, and those that have not been, handed down, there are three hundred plus four, all of which are reckoned as ‘Questions of Milinda.’ |
Milindapañha |
The Questions of King Milinda |
Nigamana |
Book 8 |
Iti chasu kaṇḍesu bāvīsativaggapatimaṇḍitesu dvāsaṭṭhiadhikā dvesatā imasmiṁ potthake āgatā milindapañhā samattā, anāgatā ca pana dvācattālīsā honti, āgatā ca anāgatā ca sabbā samodhānetvā catūhi adhikā tisatapañhā honti, sabbāva milindapañhāti saṅkhaṁ gacchanti. |
8. Conclusion |
| On the conclusion of this putting of puzzles and giving of solutions between the king and the Elder, this great earth, eighty-four thousand leagues in extent, shook six times even to its ocean boundary, the lightnings flashed, the gods poured down a rainfall of flowers from heaven, Mahā Brahmā himself signified his applause, and there was a mighty roar like the crashing and thundering of a storm in the mighty deep. | |
| And on beholding that wonder, the five hundred high ministers of the king, and all the inhabitants of the city of Sāgala who were there, and the women of the king’s palace, bowed down before Nāgasena, the great teacher, raising their clasped hands to their foreheads, and departed thence. | |
Rañño ca therassa ca pucchāvisajjanāvasāne caturāsītisatasahassayojanabahalā udakapariyantaṁ katvā ayaṁ mahāpathavī chadhā kampittha, vijjullatā nicchariṁsu, devatā dibbapupphavassaṁ pavassiṁsu, mahābrahmā sādhukāramadāsi, mahāsamuddakucchiyaṁ meghatthanitanigghoso viya mahāghoso ahosi, iti so milindo rājā ca orodhagaṇā ca sirasā añjaliṁ paṇāmetvā vandiṁsu. |
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| But Milinda the king was filled with joy of heart, and all pride was suppressed within him. | |
Milindo rājā ativiya pamuditahadayo sumathitamānahadayo buddhasāsane sāramatino ratanattaye sunikkaṅkho niggumbo nitthaddho hutvā therassa guṇesu pabbajjāsu paṭipadāiriyāpathesu ca ativiya pasanno vissattho nirālayo nihatamānatthambho uddhaṭadāṭho viya bhujagindo evamāha—“sādhu, bhante nāgasena, buddhavisayo pañho tayā visajjito, imasmiṁ buddhasāsane ṭhapetvā dhammasenāpatiṁ sāriputtattheraṁ añño tayā sadiso pañhavisajjane natthi, khamatha, bhante nāgasena, mama accayaṁ, upāsakaṁ maṁ, bhante nāgasena, dhāretha ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti. |
And he became aware of the virtue that lay in the religion of the Buddhas, he ceased to have any doubt at all in the Three Gems, he tarried no longer in the jungle of heresy, he renounced all obstinacy; |
| and pleased beyond measure at the high qualities of the Elder, at the excellence of his manners befitting a recluse, he become filled with confidence, and free from cravings, and all his pride and self-righteousness left his heart; | |
| and like a cobra deprived of its fangs he said: | |
Tadā rājā saha balakāyehi nāgasenattheraṁ payirupāsitvā milindaṁ nāma vihāraṁ kāretvā therassa niyyātetvā catūhi paccayehi nāgasenaṁ koṭisatehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ paricari, punapi therassa paññāya pasīditvā puttassa rajjaṁ niyyātetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitvā vipassanaṁ vaḍḍhetvā arahattaṁ pāpuṇi, tena vuttaṁ— |
‘Most excellent, most excellent, venerable Nāgasena! |
| the puzzles, worthy of a Buddha to solve, have you made clear. | |
“Paññā pasatthā lokasmiṁ, |
There is none like you, amongst all the followers of the Buddha, in the solution of problems, save only Sāriputta, the Elder, himself, the Commander of the Faith. |
katā saddhammaṭṭhitiyā; |
Pardon me, venerable Nāgasena, my faults. |
| May the venerable Nāgasena accept me as a supporter of the faith, as a true convert from to-day onwards as long as life shall last!’ | |
Paññāya vimatiṁ hantvā, |
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santiṁ papponti paṇḍitā. |
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| Thenceforward the king and his mighty men continued in paying honour to Nāgasena. | |
| And the king had a Vihāra built called ‘The Milinda Vihāra,’ and handed it over to Nāgasena, the Elder, and waited upon him and all the multitude of the Arahat Bhikshus of whom he was the chief with the four requisites of the Bhikshu’s life. | |
Yasmiṁ khandhe ṭhitā paññā, |
And afterwards, taking delight in the wisdom of the Elder, he handed over his kingdom to his son, and abandoning the household life for the houseless state, grew great in insight, and himself attained to Arahatship! |
sati tattha anūnakā; |
Therefore is it said: |
Pūjā visesassādhāro, |
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aggo seṭṭho anuttaro; |
‘Wisdom is magnified o’er all the world, |
| And preaching for the endurance of the Faith. | |
Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso, |
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sampassaṁ hitamattano; |
When they, by wisdom, have put doubt aside |
| The wise reach upward to that Tranquil State. | |
Paññavantaṁbhipūjeyya, |
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cetiyaṁ viya sādaro”ti. |
That man in whom wisdom is firmly set, |
| And mindful self-possession never fails, | |
| He is the best of those who gifts receive, | |
Laṅkāyaṁ doṇinagare, |
The chief of men to whom distinction’s given. |
vasatā doṇināminā; |
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| Let therefore able men, in due regard | |
Mahātherena lekhitvā, |
To their own welfare, honour those who’re wise— |
suṭṭhapitaṁ yathāsutaṁ; |
Worthy of honour like the sacred pile |
| Beneath whose solid dome the bones of the great dead lie.’ | |
Milindarājapañho ca, |
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nāgasenavisajjanaṁ; |
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| Here ends the book of the puzzles and the solutions of Milinda and Nāgasena. | |
Milindo hi mahāpañño, |
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nāgaseno supaṇḍito. |
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Iminā puññakammena, |
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Ito gacchāmi tussitaṁ; |
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Metteyyaṁnāgate passe, |
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Suṇeyyaṁ dhammamuttamanti. |
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Milindapañho niṭṭhito. |