Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Then, when that has been done, he extinguishes the lamp. But though the lamp had been put out the writing would still be there. Thus does reasoning cease, and knowledge remain.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘In Eastern districts [48] the peasants have a custom of arranging five pots full of water behind 1 That is, he might still be wrong on matters of mere worldly knowledge, but would be clear in his mind as to the fundamental truths of religion. Compare the analogous distinctions often drawn as to the inspiration of Scripture, or the infallibility of the Pope. F 2 68 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 2, 3. each hut with the object of putting out at once any spark of fire that may be kindled. Suppose now the house had caught fire, and they had thrown those five potfulls of water over the hut, and the fire had gone out, would those peasants then think of still going on using the water-pots ?’ ‘No, Sir, the water-pots would be done with. What would be the use of them (on that occasion) any more ?’ ‘The five water-pots are the five organs of moral sense—faith, to wit, and perseverance in effort, and mindfulness, and meditation, and the reasoning wisdom. The peasantry are the recluse, who is devoted in effort!; the fire is sinfulness. As the fire is put out by the water in the five pots, so is sinfulness extinguished by the five organs of moral sense, and when once extinguished it does not again arise®.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘It is like a physician who goes to the sick man with the five kinds of drugs made from medicinal 1 Yog4vakaro; one of the technical terms in constant use by our author, but not found in the Pali Pifakas. Hardy renders it, ‘who is seeking Nirvana;’ but though this may be suggested by the term, it is not its meaning. Literally it is ‘he whose sphere, whose constant resort, is Yoga.’ Now yoga is ‘diligence, devotion, mental concentration;’ and there is nothing to show that our author is using the word as an epithet of Arahatship. It seems to me, therefore, that the whole compound merely means one of those ‘religious,’ in the technical sense, who were also religious in the higher, more usual sense. It would thus be analogous to the phrase samgim4vasaro, ‘at home in war,’ used of a war elephant in the Samgimavakara Gataka (Fausbdll, II, 95), and of a soldier below, Mil. 44. * This must, I think, be understood in a modified sense, for the first of the four Great Exertions (Sammappadh4nas) is the effort to prevent sinful conditions arising. II, 2, 4. SUICIDE. 69 roots}, and grinding them up, gives him to drink, and thereby his sickness passes away. Would the physician in that case think of making any further use of the medicine ?’ ‘Certainly not, the medicine has done its work. What would be the use of any more ?’ ‘Just so, O king, when sinfulness is destroyed by the five moral powers, then reasoning ceases, but knowledge remains.’ [44] ‘Give me a further illustration.’
2What would be the use of any more ?’ ‘Just so, O king, when sinfulness is destroyed by the five moral powers, then reasoning ceases, but knowledge remains.’ [44] ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘It is like a warrior, at home in war, who takes five javelins and goes down to battle to conquer the foe. And when he has cast them the enemy is broken. There is no need for him to go on casting javelins any more.’ ‘Well put, Nagasena !’ 4. The king said: ‘He who will not be reborn, NAgasena, does he still feel any painful sensation ?’ The Elder replied: ‘Some he feels and some not.’ ‘Which are they?’ ‘He may feel bodily pain, O king; but mental pain he would not.’ ‘-How would that be so ?’ ‘Because the causes, proximate or remote, of bodily pain still continue, he would be liable to it. But the causes, proximate or remote, of mental agony having ceased, he could not feel it. For it has been said by the Blessed One: “One kind of pain he suffers, bodily pain: but not mental.” ’ ‘Then why, Sir, does he not die ?’ ‘The Arahat, O king, has need neither to curry 1 Pafika mola bhessagg4ni: not the five principal sorts of medicine mentioned by Childers. 70 ~—~«*THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 2, 5. favour nor to bear malice. He shakes not down the unripe fruit, but awaits the full time of its maturity. For it has been said, O king, by the Elder, Sariputta, the Commander of the faith [45]: “Tt is not death, it is not life I welcome; As the hireling his wage, so do I bide my time. It is not death, it is not life I want; Mindful and thoughtful do I bide my time.” ‘Well put, Nagasena |!’ 5. The king said: ‘Is a pleasant sensation, Nagasena, good or evil or indifferent ?’ ‘It may be any one of the three.’ ‘But surely, Sir, if good conditions are not painful, and painful ones not good, then there can arise no good condition that is at the same time painful *.’ ‘Now, what do you think, great king? Suppose a man were to hold in one hand a red-hot ball of iron, and in the other a lump of icy snow, would they both hurt him ?’ ‘Yes; they both would.’ ‘But are they both hot ?’ ‘Certainly not.’ ‘But are they both cold ?’ ‘No.’ ‘Then acknowledge yourself put in the wrong! If the heat hurts, and they are not both hot, the pain cannot come from the heat. If the cold hurts, 1 These verses are nearly the same as those put in reverse order into Sariputta’s mouth in the Theri Gathd, 1003, 1002. And the first two lines, as Dr. Rost was good enough to point out to me, are identical (except as to a slight grammatical variation) with Manu VI, 45. ® And the same, therefore, of pleasant sensations that are evil. II, 2, 6. WHAT IS REBORN? 71 and they are not both cold, the pain cannot come from the cold. How then, O king, can they both hurt you, since they are not both hot, nor both cold, and (as one is hot and the other cold) the pain comes neither from the hot nor from the cold?’
3II, 2, 6. WHAT IS REBORN? 71 and they are not both cold, the pain cannot come from the cold. How then, O king, can they both hurt you, since they are not both hot, nor both cold, and (as one is hot and the other cold) the pain comes neither from the hot nor from the cold?’ ‘I am not equal to argument with you. Be so good, Sir, as to explain how the matter stands.’ Then the Elder reasoned with king Milinda, persuading him by talk on the subject drawn from the Abhidhamma, such as: ‘ There are these six pleasures, O king, connected with life in the world, and these other six with renunciation. There are six griefs connected with life in the world, and six with renunciation. There are six kinds of indifference to pleasure and to grief connected with life in the world, and six with renunciation. [46] Altogether there are thus six series of six, that is to say, thirtysix kinds of sensations in the present, and the like number in the past, and the like in the future. And adding all these up in one total we arrive at one hundred and eight kinds of sensation.’ ‘Well put, Nagasena !’ 61. The king said: ‘What is it, Nagasena, that is reborn ?’ ‘ Name-and-form is reborn.’ ‘What, is it this same name-and-form that is reborn ?’ ‘No: but by this name-and-form deeds are done, good or evil, and by these deeds (this Karma) another name-and-form is reborn.’ 1 This dialogue is in Hardy, p. 429 (No. 7). 72 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _ II, a, 6. ‘If that be so, Sir, would not the new being be released from its evil Karma???’ The Elder replied: ‘ Yes, if it were not reborn. But just because it is reborn, O king, it is therefore not released from its evil Karma.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Suppose, O king, some man were to steal a mango from another man, and the owner of the mango were to seize him and bring him before the king, and charge him with the crime. And the thief were to say: “Your Majesty! I have not taken away this man’s mangoes. Those that he put in the ground are different from the ones I took. I do not deserve to be punished.” How then? would he be guilty ?’ ‘Certainly, Sir. He would deserve to be punished.’ ‘But on what ground ?’ ‘Because, in spite of whatever he may say, he would be guilty in respect of the last mango which ‘resulted from the first one (the owner set in the ground).’ ‘Just so, great king, deeds good or evil are done by this name-and-form and another is reborn. But that other is not thereby released from its deeds (its Karma). ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘It is like rice or sugar so stolen, of which the same might be said as of the mango. [47] Or it is like the fire which a man, in the cold season, might kindle, and when he had warmed himself, leave still burning, and go away. Then if that fire were to set ? Repeated below, III, 5, 7, p. 112. Il, 2, 6. KARMA. 73
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.
1Then, when that has been done, he extinguishes the lamp. But though the lamp had been put out the writing would still be there. Thus does reasoning cease, and knowledge remain.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘In Eastern districts [48] the peasants have a custom of arranging five pots full of water behind 1 That is, he might still be wrong on matters of mere worldly knowledge, but would be clear in his mind as to the fundamental truths of religion. Compare the analogous distinctions often drawn as to the inspiration of Scripture, or the infallibility of the Pope. F 2 68 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 2, 3. each hut with the object of putting out at once any spark of fire that may be kindled. Suppose now the house had caught fire, and they had thrown those five potfulls of water over the hut, and the fire had gone out, would those peasants then think of still going on using the water-pots ?’ ‘No, Sir, the water-pots would be done with. What would be the use of them (on that occasion) any more ?’ ‘The five water-pots are the five organs of moral sense—faith, to wit, and perseverance in effort, and mindfulness, and meditation, and the reasoning wisdom. The peasantry are the recluse, who is devoted in effort!; the fire is sinfulness. As the fire is put out by the water in the five pots, so is sinfulness extinguished by the five organs of moral sense, and when once extinguished it does not again arise®.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘It is like a physician who goes to the sick man with the five kinds of drugs made from medicinal 1 Yog4vakaro; one of the technical terms in constant use by our author, but not found in the Pali Pifakas. Hardy renders it, ‘who is seeking Nirvana;’ but though this may be suggested by the term, it is not its meaning. Literally it is ‘he whose sphere, whose constant resort, is Yoga.’ Now yoga is ‘diligence, devotion, mental concentration;’ and there is nothing to show that our author is using the word as an epithet of Arahatship. It seems to me, therefore, that the whole compound merely means one of those ‘religious,’ in the technical sense, who were also religious in the higher, more usual sense. It would thus be analogous to the phrase samgim4vasaro, ‘at home in war,’ used of a war elephant in the Samgimavakara Gataka (Fausbdll, II, 95), and of a soldier below, Mil. 44. * This must, I think, be understood in a modified sense, for the first of the four Great Exertions (Sammappadh4nas) is the effort to prevent sinful conditions arising. II, 2, 4. SUICIDE. 69 roots}, and grinding them up, gives him to drink, and thereby his sickness passes away. Would the physician in that case think of making any further use of the medicine ?’ ‘Certainly not, the medicine has done its work. What would be the use of any more ?’ ‘Just so, O king, when sinfulness is destroyed by the five moral powers, then reasoning ceases, but knowledge remains.’ [44] ‘Give me a further illustration.’
2What would be the use of any more ?’ ‘Just so, O king, when sinfulness is destroyed by the five moral powers, then reasoning ceases, but knowledge remains.’ [44] ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘It is like a warrior, at home in war, who takes five javelins and goes down to battle to conquer the foe. And when he has cast them the enemy is broken. There is no need for him to go on casting javelins any more.’ ‘Well put, Nagasena !’ 4. The king said: ‘He who will not be reborn, NAgasena, does he still feel any painful sensation ?’ The Elder replied: ‘Some he feels and some not.’ ‘Which are they?’ ‘He may feel bodily pain, O king; but mental pain he would not.’ ‘-How would that be so ?’ ‘Because the causes, proximate or remote, of bodily pain still continue, he would be liable to it. But the causes, proximate or remote, of mental agony having ceased, he could not feel it. For it has been said by the Blessed One: “One kind of pain he suffers, bodily pain: but not mental.” ’ ‘Then why, Sir, does he not die ?’ ‘The Arahat, O king, has need neither to curry 1 Pafika mola bhessagg4ni: not the five principal sorts of medicine mentioned by Childers. 70 ~—~«*THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 2, 5. favour nor to bear malice. He shakes not down the unripe fruit, but awaits the full time of its maturity. For it has been said, O king, by the Elder, Sariputta, the Commander of the faith [45]: “Tt is not death, it is not life I welcome; As the hireling his wage, so do I bide my time. It is not death, it is not life I want; Mindful and thoughtful do I bide my time.” ‘Well put, Nagasena |!’ 5. The king said: ‘Is a pleasant sensation, Nagasena, good or evil or indifferent ?’ ‘It may be any one of the three.’ ‘But surely, Sir, if good conditions are not painful, and painful ones not good, then there can arise no good condition that is at the same time painful *.’ ‘Now, what do you think, great king? Suppose a man were to hold in one hand a red-hot ball of iron, and in the other a lump of icy snow, would they both hurt him ?’ ‘Yes; they both would.’ ‘But are they both hot ?’ ‘Certainly not.’ ‘But are they both cold ?’ ‘No.’ ‘Then acknowledge yourself put in the wrong! If the heat hurts, and they are not both hot, the pain cannot come from the heat. If the cold hurts, 1 These verses are nearly the same as those put in reverse order into Sariputta’s mouth in the Theri Gathd, 1003, 1002. And the first two lines, as Dr. Rost was good enough to point out to me, are identical (except as to a slight grammatical variation) with Manu VI, 45. ® And the same, therefore, of pleasant sensations that are evil. II, 2, 6. WHAT IS REBORN? 71 and they are not both cold, the pain cannot come from the cold. How then, O king, can they both hurt you, since they are not both hot, nor both cold, and (as one is hot and the other cold) the pain comes neither from the hot nor from the cold?’
3II, 2, 6. WHAT IS REBORN? 71 and they are not both cold, the pain cannot come from the cold. How then, O king, can they both hurt you, since they are not both hot, nor both cold, and (as one is hot and the other cold) the pain comes neither from the hot nor from the cold?’ ‘I am not equal to argument with you. Be so good, Sir, as to explain how the matter stands.’ Then the Elder reasoned with king Milinda, persuading him by talk on the subject drawn from the Abhidhamma, such as: ‘ There are these six pleasures, O king, connected with life in the world, and these other six with renunciation. There are six griefs connected with life in the world, and six with renunciation. There are six kinds of indifference to pleasure and to grief connected with life in the world, and six with renunciation. [46] Altogether there are thus six series of six, that is to say, thirtysix kinds of sensations in the present, and the like number in the past, and the like in the future. And adding all these up in one total we arrive at one hundred and eight kinds of sensation.’ ‘Well put, Nagasena !’ 61. The king said: ‘What is it, Nagasena, that is reborn ?’ ‘ Name-and-form is reborn.’ ‘What, is it this same name-and-form that is reborn ?’ ‘No: but by this name-and-form deeds are done, good or evil, and by these deeds (this Karma) another name-and-form is reborn.’ 1 This dialogue is in Hardy, p. 429 (No. 7). 72 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _ II, a, 6. ‘If that be so, Sir, would not the new being be released from its evil Karma???’ The Elder replied: ‘ Yes, if it were not reborn. But just because it is reborn, O king, it is therefore not released from its evil Karma.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Suppose, O king, some man were to steal a mango from another man, and the owner of the mango were to seize him and bring him before the king, and charge him with the crime. And the thief were to say: “Your Majesty! I have not taken away this man’s mangoes. Those that he put in the ground are different from the ones I took. I do not deserve to be punished.” How then? would he be guilty ?’ ‘Certainly, Sir. He would deserve to be punished.’ ‘But on what ground ?’ ‘Because, in spite of whatever he may say, he would be guilty in respect of the last mango which ‘resulted from the first one (the owner set in the ground).’ ‘Just so, great king, deeds good or evil are done by this name-and-form and another is reborn. But that other is not thereby released from its deeds (its Karma). ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘It is like rice or sugar so stolen, of which the same might be said as of the mango. [47] Or it is like the fire which a man, in the cold season, might kindle, and when he had warmed himself, leave still burning, and go away. Then if that fire were to set ? Repeated below, III, 5, 7, p. 112. Il, 2, 6. KARMA. 73
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.
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