Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
11 Parinibbutatta. Hardy renders this whole clause (the last lines): ‘ Nirvana is attained, time is no longer.’ But this is one of the endless confusions arising out of not knowing the distinction between Nirvaza and Parinirvina, To a man who had ‘attained Nirvana’ there would still be time as long as he was in the enjoyment of it, that is as long as he continued in his present (and last) existence. The Simhalese is perfectly clear. II, 3, 2. CAUSATION. 79 Boox II. Cuwaprter 3. 1. The king said: ‘What is the root, Nagasena, of past time, and what of present, and what of future time ?’ ‘Ignorance. By reason of Ignorance came the Confections, by reason of the Confections consciousness, by reason of consciousness name-and-form, by reason of name-and-form the six organs of sense}, by reason of them contact, by reason of contact sensation, by reason of sensation thirst, by reason of thirst craving, by reason of craving becoming, by reason of becoming birth, by reason of birth old age and death, grief, lamentation, sorrow, pain, and despair. Thus is it that the ultimate point in the past of all this time is not apparent.’ ‘You are ready, Nagasena, in reply.’ 2. The king said: ‘You say that the ultimate point of time is not apparent. Give me an illustration of that.’ ‘Suppose, O king, a man were to plant in the ground a tiny seed, and that it were to come up as a shoot, and in due course grow, develope, and mature until it produced a fruit. [51] And then the man, taking a seed from that fruit, were again to plant it in the ground, and all should happen as before. Now would there be any end to this series ?’ ‘ Certainly not, Sir.’ ' Sa/ayatan4ni, that is the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body (as the organ of touch), and mind (or, as we should say, brain), 80 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 3, 2. ‘Just so, O king, the ultimate point in the past of the whole of this time is not apparent.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘The hen lays an egg. From the egg comes a hen. From the hen an egg. Is there any end to this series ?’ ‘No.’ ‘ Just so, O king, the ultimate point in the past of the whole of this time is not apparent.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ Then the Elder drew a circle on the ground and asked the king : ‘ Is there any end to this circle ?’ ‘No, it has no end.’ ‘Well, that is like those circles spoken of by the Blessed One’. “By reason of the eye and of forms there arises sight ?, when these three come together there is touch, by reason of touch sensation, by reason of sensation a longing (Tamhé, thirst), by reason of the longing action (Karma), and from action eye is once more produced *.” Now is there any end to this series ?’ ‘No.’
21 Hinafi-kumburé applies this to the previous words (the circles of the chain of life quoted in § 1 from the Mahfvagga I, 1, 2), and he is followed by Hardy, p. 434. Trenckner makes it apply to the following words, giving the reference to No. 18 in the Magghima Nik4ya, and I think he is right. Whichever way it is taken, the result is much the same. * Kakkhu-vifitana. It is not clear from the terse phraseology of this passage whether this is supposed to be a subjective stage preliminary to the ‘touch’ (phasso), or whether it is inclusive of it. (Compare Dhamma Sangazi, 589, 599, 620.) I am inclined to think it is the former. But if the latter be meant it might be rendered ‘there arises that consciousness (of existence) which is dependent upon the eye.’ See below, § 4. * That is, another eye in another birth. II, 3, 3 THE FIRST BEGINNINGS. 81 Then setting out a precisely corresponding circle of each of the other organs of sense (of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind’), he in each case put the same question. And the reply being always the same, he concluded : ‘Just so, O king, the ultimate point of time in the past is not apparent.’ ‘You are ready, N4gasena, in reply.’ 3. The king said: ‘When you say that the ultimate point is not apparent, what do you mean by “ultimate point” ?’ ‘Of whatsoever time is past. It is the ultimate point of that, O king, that I speak of.’ ‘ But, if so, when you say that it is not apparent, do you mean to say that of everything? Is the ultimate point of everything unknown ?’ ‘ Partly so, and partly not.’ ‘Then which is so, and which not ?’ ‘Formerly, O king, everything in every form, everything in every mode, was ignorance. It is to us as if it were not. In reference to that the ultimate beginning is unknown. But that, which has not been, becomes; as soon as it has begun to become it dissolves away again. In reference to that the ultimate beginning is known 2’ [52] ‘But, reverend Sir, if that which was not, becomes, and as soon as it has begun to become passes again ' In the text the whole sentence is repeated of each. * That is, ‘the beginning of each link in the chain—the beginning of each individuality—can be traced, but not the beginning of each chain. Each life is a link in a chain of lives, bound together by cause and effect, different, yet the same. There are an infinite number of such chains; and there is no reference in the discussion to any greater unity, or to any “ultimate point” of all the chains,’ (35] G 82 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 3, 4. away, then surely, being thus cut off at both ends, it must be entirely destroyed?’ ‘Nay, surely, O king, if it be thus cut off at both ends, can it not at both ends be made to grow again 2?’ ‘Yes, it might. But that is not my question. Could it grow again from the point at which it was cut off ?’ ‘Certainly.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’
3But that is not my question. Could it grow again from the point at which it was cut off ?’ ‘Certainly.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ Then the Elder repeated the simile of the tree and the seed, and said that the Skandhas (the constituent elements of all life, organic and inorganic) were so many seeds, and the king confessed himself satisfied. 4. The king said: ‘Are there any Confections * which are produced ?’ ‘ Certainly.’ ‘Which are they ?’ ‘Where there is an eye, and also forms, there is sight‘, where there is sight there is a contact through the eye, where there is contact through the eye there is a sensation, where there is sensation there is a longing °, where there is longing there is a grasping *, where there is grasping there is a becoming, ‘1 That is, ‘each individuality must be separate. The supposed chain does not really exist.’ 2 There is an odd change of gender here. Possibly the word ‘ignorance’ has been dropped out. Trenckner says the passage is corrupt, and the Simhalese is so involved as to be unintelligible. * Sankhfr§, potentialities, possible forms, of sentient existence. ‘ Kakkhu-vi##ana. See note 2 above, p. 80. 5 Tamh, thirst. ® Upadana, a stretching out towards a satisfaction of the longing, and therefore a craving for life, time, in which to satisfy it. IT, 3, g. BECOMING. 83 where there is becoming there is birth, and at birth old age and death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair begin to be. Thus is the rise of the whole of this class of pain—Where there is neither eye nor form there is no sight, where there is not sight there is no contact through the eye, where there is not contact there is no sensation, where there is not sensation there is no longing, where there is not longing there is no grasping, where there is not grasping there is no becoming, where there is not becoming there is no birth, and where there is not birth there is neither old age nor death nor grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair. Thus is the ending of all this class of pain.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena!’ 5. The king said: ‘Are there any Confections (qualities) which spring into being without a gradual becoming?’ ‘No. They all have a gradual becoming.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Now what do you think, great king? Did this house in which you are sitting spring suddenly into being ?’ [53] ‘Certainly not, Sir. There is nothing here which arose in that way. Each portion of it has had its gradual becoming—these beams had their becoming in the forest, and this clay in the earth, and by the moil and toil of women and of men? was this house produced.’ ‘ It is a small matter, but noteworthy, that the Buddhist texts always put the women first. G2 84 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 3, 5- ‘Just so, great king, there is no Confection which has sprung into being without a gradual becoming. It is by a process of evolution that Confections come to be!’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’
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.
11 Parinibbutatta. Hardy renders this whole clause (the last lines): ‘ Nirvana is attained, time is no longer.’ But this is one of the endless confusions arising out of not knowing the distinction between Nirvaza and Parinirvina, To a man who had ‘attained Nirvana’ there would still be time as long as he was in the enjoyment of it, that is as long as he continued in his present (and last) existence. The Simhalese is perfectly clear. II, 3, 2. CAUSATION. 79 Boox II. Cuwaprter 3. 1. The king said: ‘What is the root, Nagasena, of past time, and what of present, and what of future time ?’ ‘Ignorance. By reason of Ignorance came the Confections, by reason of the Confections consciousness, by reason of consciousness name-and-form, by reason of name-and-form the six organs of sense}, by reason of them contact, by reason of contact sensation, by reason of sensation thirst, by reason of thirst craving, by reason of craving becoming, by reason of becoming birth, by reason of birth old age and death, grief, lamentation, sorrow, pain, and despair. Thus is it that the ultimate point in the past of all this time is not apparent.’ ‘You are ready, Nagasena, in reply.’ 2. The king said: ‘You say that the ultimate point of time is not apparent. Give me an illustration of that.’ ‘Suppose, O king, a man were to plant in the ground a tiny seed, and that it were to come up as a shoot, and in due course grow, develope, and mature until it produced a fruit. [51] And then the man, taking a seed from that fruit, were again to plant it in the ground, and all should happen as before. Now would there be any end to this series ?’ ‘ Certainly not, Sir.’ ' Sa/ayatan4ni, that is the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body (as the organ of touch), and mind (or, as we should say, brain), 80 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 3, 2. ‘Just so, O king, the ultimate point in the past of the whole of this time is not apparent.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ ‘The hen lays an egg. From the egg comes a hen. From the hen an egg. Is there any end to this series ?’ ‘No.’ ‘ Just so, O king, the ultimate point in the past of the whole of this time is not apparent.’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’ Then the Elder drew a circle on the ground and asked the king : ‘ Is there any end to this circle ?’ ‘No, it has no end.’ ‘Well, that is like those circles spoken of by the Blessed One’. “By reason of the eye and of forms there arises sight ?, when these three come together there is touch, by reason of touch sensation, by reason of sensation a longing (Tamhé, thirst), by reason of the longing action (Karma), and from action eye is once more produced *.” Now is there any end to this series ?’ ‘No.’
21 Hinafi-kumburé applies this to the previous words (the circles of the chain of life quoted in § 1 from the Mahfvagga I, 1, 2), and he is followed by Hardy, p. 434. Trenckner makes it apply to the following words, giving the reference to No. 18 in the Magghima Nik4ya, and I think he is right. Whichever way it is taken, the result is much the same. * Kakkhu-vifitana. It is not clear from the terse phraseology of this passage whether this is supposed to be a subjective stage preliminary to the ‘touch’ (phasso), or whether it is inclusive of it. (Compare Dhamma Sangazi, 589, 599, 620.) I am inclined to think it is the former. But if the latter be meant it might be rendered ‘there arises that consciousness (of existence) which is dependent upon the eye.’ See below, § 4. * That is, another eye in another birth. II, 3, 3 THE FIRST BEGINNINGS. 81 Then setting out a precisely corresponding circle of each of the other organs of sense (of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind’), he in each case put the same question. And the reply being always the same, he concluded : ‘Just so, O king, the ultimate point of time in the past is not apparent.’ ‘You are ready, N4gasena, in reply.’ 3. The king said: ‘When you say that the ultimate point is not apparent, what do you mean by “ultimate point” ?’ ‘Of whatsoever time is past. It is the ultimate point of that, O king, that I speak of.’ ‘ But, if so, when you say that it is not apparent, do you mean to say that of everything? Is the ultimate point of everything unknown ?’ ‘ Partly so, and partly not.’ ‘Then which is so, and which not ?’ ‘Formerly, O king, everything in every form, everything in every mode, was ignorance. It is to us as if it were not. In reference to that the ultimate beginning is unknown. But that, which has not been, becomes; as soon as it has begun to become it dissolves away again. In reference to that the ultimate beginning is known 2’ [52] ‘But, reverend Sir, if that which was not, becomes, and as soon as it has begun to become passes again ' In the text the whole sentence is repeated of each. * That is, ‘the beginning of each link in the chain—the beginning of each individuality—can be traced, but not the beginning of each chain. Each life is a link in a chain of lives, bound together by cause and effect, different, yet the same. There are an infinite number of such chains; and there is no reference in the discussion to any greater unity, or to any “ultimate point” of all the chains,’ (35] G 82 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 3, 4. away, then surely, being thus cut off at both ends, it must be entirely destroyed?’ ‘Nay, surely, O king, if it be thus cut off at both ends, can it not at both ends be made to grow again 2?’ ‘Yes, it might. But that is not my question. Could it grow again from the point at which it was cut off ?’ ‘Certainly.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’
3But that is not my question. Could it grow again from the point at which it was cut off ?’ ‘Certainly.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ Then the Elder repeated the simile of the tree and the seed, and said that the Skandhas (the constituent elements of all life, organic and inorganic) were so many seeds, and the king confessed himself satisfied. 4. The king said: ‘Are there any Confections * which are produced ?’ ‘ Certainly.’ ‘Which are they ?’ ‘Where there is an eye, and also forms, there is sight‘, where there is sight there is a contact through the eye, where there is contact through the eye there is a sensation, where there is sensation there is a longing °, where there is longing there is a grasping *, where there is grasping there is a becoming, ‘1 That is, ‘each individuality must be separate. The supposed chain does not really exist.’ 2 There is an odd change of gender here. Possibly the word ‘ignorance’ has been dropped out. Trenckner says the passage is corrupt, and the Simhalese is so involved as to be unintelligible. * Sankhfr§, potentialities, possible forms, of sentient existence. ‘ Kakkhu-vi##ana. See note 2 above, p. 80. 5 Tamh, thirst. ® Upadana, a stretching out towards a satisfaction of the longing, and therefore a craving for life, time, in which to satisfy it. IT, 3, g. BECOMING. 83 where there is becoming there is birth, and at birth old age and death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair begin to be. Thus is the rise of the whole of this class of pain—Where there is neither eye nor form there is no sight, where there is not sight there is no contact through the eye, where there is not contact there is no sensation, where there is not sensation there is no longing, where there is not longing there is no grasping, where there is not grasping there is no becoming, where there is not becoming there is no birth, and where there is not birth there is neither old age nor death nor grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair. Thus is the ending of all this class of pain.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena!’ 5. The king said: ‘Are there any Confections (qualities) which spring into being without a gradual becoming?’ ‘No. They all have a gradual becoming.’ ‘Give me an illustration.’ ‘Now what do you think, great king? Did this house in which you are sitting spring suddenly into being ?’ [53] ‘Certainly not, Sir. There is nothing here which arose in that way. Each portion of it has had its gradual becoming—these beams had their becoming in the forest, and this clay in the earth, and by the moil and toil of women and of men? was this house produced.’ ‘ It is a small matter, but noteworthy, that the Buddhist texts always put the women first. G2 84 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. II, 3, 5- ‘Just so, great king, there is no Confection which has sprung into being without a gradual becoming. It is by a process of evolution that Confections come to be!’ ‘Give me a further illustration.’
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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