Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
163, pag4nana is the mark of pa#a#indriya, avigg4ya akampiyam of pafflabala, and tad-uttariyam of pa##4 simply. He gives no ‘mark’ of yoniso manasik4ra, E 2 52 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 1, 9. ‘Good conduct, great king, and faith, and perseverance, and mindfulness, and meditation ?. ‘And what is the characteristic mark of good conduct ?’ ‘It has as its characteristic that it is the basis of all good qualities. The five moral powers *—faith, perseverance, mindfulness, meditation,and wisdom—; the seven conditions of Arahatship*—self-possession, investigation of the Dhamma, perseverance, joy, calm, meditation, and equanimity—; the Path; readiness of memory (unbroken self-possession)‘; the four kinds of right exertion®; the four constituent bases of extraordinary powers *; the four stages of ecstasy ’; the eight forms of spiritual emancipation °; the four modes of self-concentration®; and the eight states of intense contemplation’? have each and all of them good conduct (the observance of outward morality) as their basis. And to him who builds upon that foundation, O king, all these good conditions will not decrease ",’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Just, O king, as all those forms of animal and vegetable life which grow, develope, and mature, do so with the earth as their basis; just so does the recluse, who is devoted in effort, develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ 1 Silam, saddha, viriyam, sati, sam4dhi. 2 Indriya-balani. ®' Bogghanga. ‘ Satipaffhana. 5 Sammappadhana, 6 Iddhipada. 7 Ghana. ® Vimokha ® Samadhi. 10 Sam4patti. "| The above-mentioned meritorious conditions are those the sum of which make Arahatship. II, 1,9. GOOD CONDUCT. 53 ‘Just, O king, as all the occupations which involve bodily exertion are carried on in ultimate dependence upon the earth, just so does the recluse develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue.’ [84] ‘Give me a still better illustration.’ ‘Just, O king, as the architect of a city, when he wants to build one, first clears the site of the town, and then proceeds to get rid of all the stumps and thorny brakes, and thus makes it level, and only then does he lay out the streets and squares, and crossroads and market places, and so build the city; just so does the recluse develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue.’ ‘Can you give me one more simile ?’ ‘Just, O king, as an acrobat'!, when he wants to exhibit his skill, first digs over the ground, and proceeds to get rid of all the stones and fragments of broken pottery, and thus to make it smooth, and only then, on soft earth, shows his tricks ; just even so does the recluse develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue. For it has been said, Sire, by the Blessed One:
2For it has been said, Sire, by the Blessed One: “Virtue’s the base on which the man who's wise ‘* Can train his heart, and make his wisdom grow. Thus shall the strenuous Bhikkhu, undeceived, Unravel all the tangled skein of life *. 1 Langhako, not in Childers; but compare GAtaka I, 431, and below, pp. 191, 331 of the text. ? This verse occurs twice in the Samyutta (I, 3, 3, and VII, 1, 6). a __ 54 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 1, 10. “This is the base—like the great earth to men— And this the root of all increase in goodness, The starting-point of all the Buddhas’ teaching, Virtue, to wit, on which true bliss depends ?.”’ ‘Well said, Nagasena!’ 10% The king said, ‘Venerable NAgasena, what is the characteristic mark of faith ?’ ‘ Tranquillisation, O king, and aspiration 3,’ ‘And how is tranquillisation the mark of faith ?’ ‘As faith, O king, springs up in the heart it breaks through the five hindrances—lust, malice, mental sloth, spiritual pride, and doubt—and the heart, free from these hindrances, [85] becomes clear, serene, untroubled.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Just, O king, as a suzerain king, when on the march with his fourfold army, might cross over a small stream, and the water, disturbed by the elephants and cavalry, the chariots and the bowmen, might become fouled, turbid‘, and muddy. And 1 Vara-patimokkhiyo, a poetical expression found only in this passage, and of the exact connotation of which I am uncertain. It is not in Childers; and Hinasi-kumburé gives no assistance. The whole line may mean, ‘The scheme of a virtuous life as laid down in the most excellent Patimokkha.’ See the use of Samyutta-Nikdya-vare below, p. 36 of the text. On the whole section compare M.P.S. I, 12. 2 This section is summarised in Hardy’s ‘ Manual of Buddhism,’ pp. 411, 412 (1st edition). 5’ Sampasadana and sampakkhandana. Buddhaghosa, loc. cit, does not give faith in his list, but he gives the power of faith (saddh4-bala), and as its ‘mark’ ‘that it cannot be shaken by incredulity.’ ‘ Lu/ita, not in Childers; but compare Anguttara I, 55, and ‘Book of the Great Decease,’ 1V, 26-32. IT, 1, 10. FAITH. 55 when he was on the other side the monarch might give command to his attendants, saying: “ Bring some water, my good men. I would fain drink.” Now suppose the monarch had a water-clearing gem;}, and those men, in obedience to the order, were to throw the jewel into the water ; then at once all the mud would precipitate itself, and the sandy atoms of shell and bits of water-plants would disappear, and the water would become clear, transparent, and serene, and they would then bring some of it to the monarch to drink. The water is the heart; the royal servants are the recluse; the mud, the sandy atoms, and the bits of water-plants are evil dispositions; and the water-cleansing gem is faith.’ ‘And how is aspiration the mark of faith ?’
3The water is the heart; the royal servants are the recluse; the mud, the sandy atoms, and the bits of water-plants are evil dispositions; and the water-cleansing gem is faith.’ ‘And how is aspiration the mark of faith ?’ ‘In as much as the recluse, on perceiving how the hearts of others have been set free, aspires to enter as it were by a leap upon the fruit of the first stage, or of the second, or of the third in the Excellent Way, or to gain Arahatship itself, and thus applies himself to the attainment of what he has not reached, to the experience of what he has not yet felt, to the realisation of what he has not yet realised —therefore is it that aspiration is the mark of faith.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Just, O king, as if a mighty storm [86] were to break upon a mountain top and pour out rain, the water would flow down according to the levels, and after filling up the crevices and chasms and gullies ‘ Udakappasadako mani. Doubtless a magic gem is meant: with allusion particularly to the Wondrous Gem (the Masi-ratana) of the mythical King of Glory (see my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ p. 256). 56 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _II,1, 10. of the hill, would empty-itself into the brook below, so that the stream would rush along, overflowing both its banks. Now suppose a crowd of people, one after the other, were to come up, and being ignorant of the real breadth or depth of the water, were to stand fearful and hesitating on the brink. And suppose a certain man should arrive, who knowing exactly his own strength and power should gird himself firmly and, with a spring, land himself on the other side. Then the rest of the people, seeing him safe on the other side, would likewise cross. That is the kind of way in which the recluse, by faith!, aspires to leap, as it were by a bound, into higher things. For this has been said, O king, by the Blessed One in the Samyutta Nikaya : ‘By faith he crosses over the stream, By earnestness the sea of life; By steadfastness all grief he stills, By wisdom is he purified 2.”’ ‘Well put, Nagasena !’ 1 In the Buddha, in the sufficiency of the Excellent Way he taught, and in the capacity of man to walk along it. It is spoken of slightingly (compared with Arahatship) in Mah4vagga V, 1, 21— in the Mah4parinibbana Sutta VI, 9 (of Ananda, who has faith, compared with the brethren, who have entered one or other of the stages of the Excellent Way)—and in Anguttara III, 21 (in comparison with intuitive insight and intellectual perception). For this last comparison see further the Puggala Pa##atti ITI, 3. From these passages a fair idea of the Buddhist view of faith could be formed. Although the Buddhist faith and the Christian faith are in things contradictory, the two conditions of heart are strikingly similar both in origin and in consequence. ? This verse is not yet reached in the Pali Text Society’s edition of the Samyutta, but it is found also in the Sutta Nipata-I, 10, 4. I, 1, 11. PERSEVERANCE. 57
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
163, pag4nana is the mark of pa#a#indriya, avigg4ya akampiyam of pafflabala, and tad-uttariyam of pa##4 simply. He gives no ‘mark’ of yoniso manasik4ra, E 2 52 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 1, 9. ‘Good conduct, great king, and faith, and perseverance, and mindfulness, and meditation ?. ‘And what is the characteristic mark of good conduct ?’ ‘It has as its characteristic that it is the basis of all good qualities. The five moral powers *—faith, perseverance, mindfulness, meditation,and wisdom—; the seven conditions of Arahatship*—self-possession, investigation of the Dhamma, perseverance, joy, calm, meditation, and equanimity—; the Path; readiness of memory (unbroken self-possession)‘; the four kinds of right exertion®; the four constituent bases of extraordinary powers *; the four stages of ecstasy ’; the eight forms of spiritual emancipation °; the four modes of self-concentration®; and the eight states of intense contemplation’? have each and all of them good conduct (the observance of outward morality) as their basis. And to him who builds upon that foundation, O king, all these good conditions will not decrease ",’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Just, O king, as all those forms of animal and vegetable life which grow, develope, and mature, do so with the earth as their basis; just so does the recluse, who is devoted in effort, develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ 1 Silam, saddha, viriyam, sati, sam4dhi. 2 Indriya-balani. ®' Bogghanga. ‘ Satipaffhana. 5 Sammappadhana, 6 Iddhipada. 7 Ghana. ® Vimokha ® Samadhi. 10 Sam4patti. "| The above-mentioned meritorious conditions are those the sum of which make Arahatship. II, 1,9. GOOD CONDUCT. 53 ‘Just, O king, as all the occupations which involve bodily exertion are carried on in ultimate dependence upon the earth, just so does the recluse develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue.’ [84] ‘Give me a still better illustration.’ ‘Just, O king, as the architect of a city, when he wants to build one, first clears the site of the town, and then proceeds to get rid of all the stumps and thorny brakes, and thus makes it level, and only then does he lay out the streets and squares, and crossroads and market places, and so build the city; just so does the recluse develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue.’ ‘Can you give me one more simile ?’ ‘Just, O king, as an acrobat'!, when he wants to exhibit his skill, first digs over the ground, and proceeds to get rid of all the stones and fragments of broken pottery, and thus to make it smooth, and only then, on soft earth, shows his tricks ; just even so does the recluse develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue. For it has been said, Sire, by the Blessed One:
2For it has been said, Sire, by the Blessed One: “Virtue’s the base on which the man who's wise ‘* Can train his heart, and make his wisdom grow. Thus shall the strenuous Bhikkhu, undeceived, Unravel all the tangled skein of life *. 1 Langhako, not in Childers; but compare GAtaka I, 431, and below, pp. 191, 331 of the text. ? This verse occurs twice in the Samyutta (I, 3, 3, and VII, 1, 6). a __ 54 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 1, 10. “This is the base—like the great earth to men— And this the root of all increase in goodness, The starting-point of all the Buddhas’ teaching, Virtue, to wit, on which true bliss depends ?.”’ ‘Well said, Nagasena!’ 10% The king said, ‘Venerable NAgasena, what is the characteristic mark of faith ?’ ‘ Tranquillisation, O king, and aspiration 3,’ ‘And how is tranquillisation the mark of faith ?’ ‘As faith, O king, springs up in the heart it breaks through the five hindrances—lust, malice, mental sloth, spiritual pride, and doubt—and the heart, free from these hindrances, [85] becomes clear, serene, untroubled.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Just, O king, as a suzerain king, when on the march with his fourfold army, might cross over a small stream, and the water, disturbed by the elephants and cavalry, the chariots and the bowmen, might become fouled, turbid‘, and muddy. And 1 Vara-patimokkhiyo, a poetical expression found only in this passage, and of the exact connotation of which I am uncertain. It is not in Childers; and Hinasi-kumburé gives no assistance. The whole line may mean, ‘The scheme of a virtuous life as laid down in the most excellent Patimokkha.’ See the use of Samyutta-Nikdya-vare below, p. 36 of the text. On the whole section compare M.P.S. I, 12. 2 This section is summarised in Hardy’s ‘ Manual of Buddhism,’ pp. 411, 412 (1st edition). 5’ Sampasadana and sampakkhandana. Buddhaghosa, loc. cit, does not give faith in his list, but he gives the power of faith (saddh4-bala), and as its ‘mark’ ‘that it cannot be shaken by incredulity.’ ‘ Lu/ita, not in Childers; but compare Anguttara I, 55, and ‘Book of the Great Decease,’ 1V, 26-32. IT, 1, 10. FAITH. 55 when he was on the other side the monarch might give command to his attendants, saying: “ Bring some water, my good men. I would fain drink.” Now suppose the monarch had a water-clearing gem;}, and those men, in obedience to the order, were to throw the jewel into the water ; then at once all the mud would precipitate itself, and the sandy atoms of shell and bits of water-plants would disappear, and the water would become clear, transparent, and serene, and they would then bring some of it to the monarch to drink. The water is the heart; the royal servants are the recluse; the mud, the sandy atoms, and the bits of water-plants are evil dispositions; and the water-cleansing gem is faith.’ ‘And how is aspiration the mark of faith ?’
3The water is the heart; the royal servants are the recluse; the mud, the sandy atoms, and the bits of water-plants are evil dispositions; and the water-cleansing gem is faith.’ ‘And how is aspiration the mark of faith ?’ ‘In as much as the recluse, on perceiving how the hearts of others have been set free, aspires to enter as it were by a leap upon the fruit of the first stage, or of the second, or of the third in the Excellent Way, or to gain Arahatship itself, and thus applies himself to the attainment of what he has not reached, to the experience of what he has not yet felt, to the realisation of what he has not yet realised —therefore is it that aspiration is the mark of faith.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Just, O king, as if a mighty storm [86] were to break upon a mountain top and pour out rain, the water would flow down according to the levels, and after filling up the crevices and chasms and gullies ‘ Udakappasadako mani. Doubtless a magic gem is meant: with allusion particularly to the Wondrous Gem (the Masi-ratana) of the mythical King of Glory (see my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ p. 256). 56 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _II,1, 10. of the hill, would empty-itself into the brook below, so that the stream would rush along, overflowing both its banks. Now suppose a crowd of people, one after the other, were to come up, and being ignorant of the real breadth or depth of the water, were to stand fearful and hesitating on the brink. And suppose a certain man should arrive, who knowing exactly his own strength and power should gird himself firmly and, with a spring, land himself on the other side. Then the rest of the people, seeing him safe on the other side, would likewise cross. That is the kind of way in which the recluse, by faith!, aspires to leap, as it were by a bound, into higher things. For this has been said, O king, by the Blessed One in the Samyutta Nikaya : ‘By faith he crosses over the stream, By earnestness the sea of life; By steadfastness all grief he stills, By wisdom is he purified 2.”’ ‘Well put, Nagasena !’ 1 In the Buddha, in the sufficiency of the Excellent Way he taught, and in the capacity of man to walk along it. It is spoken of slightingly (compared with Arahatship) in Mah4vagga V, 1, 21— in the Mah4parinibbana Sutta VI, 9 (of Ananda, who has faith, compared with the brethren, who have entered one or other of the stages of the Excellent Way)—and in Anguttara III, 21 (in comparison with intuitive insight and intellectual perception). For this last comparison see further the Puggala Pa##atti ITI, 3. From these passages a fair idea of the Buddhist view of faith could be formed. Although the Buddhist faith and the Christian faith are in things contradictory, the two conditions of heart are strikingly similar both in origin and in consequence. ? This verse is not yet reached in the Pali Text Society’s edition of the Samyutta, but it is found also in the Sutta Nipata-I, 10, 4. I, 1, 11. PERSEVERANCE. 57
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
No commentary for this page.