Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1But it is because 198 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 1, 70. the Tathagatas, O king, long for the enjoyment of the bliss of attainment, of the joy of the tranquil state of Nirvdza, that they devote themselves to meditation, with their minds fixed on the end they aim at. 70. ‘And there are four reasons for which the Tathagatas, O king, devote themselves to meditation. And what are the four? 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. These are the reasons for which the Tathagatas devote themselves to it. 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.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena! That is so, and I accept it as you Say.’ [ Here ends the dilemma as to meditation.] [THE LIMIT OF THREE MONTHS.] 71. ‘Venerable Nagasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: “ The Tath4gata, Ananda, 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, Ananda, 1 Kattaro iddhi-p4da. IV, 1, 72. THE THREE MONTHS. 199 should he desire it, might remain alive for a Kalpa, or for that portion of a Kalpa which has yet to run’.” And again he said: “At the end of three months from this time the TathAgata will die*.” If the first of these statements were true, then the limit of three months must have been false. If the second were true, [141] then the first must have been false. For the Tathagatas 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. It is now put to you. Tear in sunder this net of heresy, put it on one side, break in pieces the arguments of the adversary !’ 72. ‘Both these statements, O king, were made by the Blessed One. But Kalpa in that connection means the duration of a man’s life. And the Blessed One, O king, was not exalting his own power when he said so, but he was exalting the power of saintship. It was as if a king were possessed of a horse most swift of foot, who could run like the wind. 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: “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 5!”
21 Mahfparinibbana Sutta III, 60, translated in my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ pp. 57, 58. * Ibid. III, 63, translated loc. cit. p. 59. * So it is said of the ‘Horse-treasure’ of the Great King of Glory in the Mah4sudassana Sutta I, 29 (translated in my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ p. 256), that ‘it passed over along the broad earth to its very ocean boundary, and then returned again, in time for the 200 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 1, 72. 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. 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 Tathagata, Ananda, 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, Ananda, should he desire it, might remain alive for a Kalpa, or the part of a Kalpa that has yet to run.” And there was that power, O king, in the Tathagata, he could have remained alive for that time: and yet he did not show that power in the midst [142] of that assembly. The Blessed One, O king, is free from desire as respects all conditions of future life, and has condemned them all. 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 1.” Now would the Blessed One, O king, who thus looked upon all sorts and conditions of future life morning meal, to the royal city of Kus4vatt.’ It is, of course, the sun horse which is meant. 1 T have not traced this quotation in the Pi/akas, but it is probably there. IV, 1, 72. THE THREE MONTHS. 201 as dung have nevertheless, simply because of his power of Iddhi, harboured a craving desire for future life ?’ ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ ‘Then it must have been to exalt the power of Iddhi that he gave utterance to such a boast.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena! It is so, and I accept it as you Say.’ [Here ends the dilemma as to the three months. ] Here ends the First Chapter. 202 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _IV,2, 1. Book IV. Cuapter 2, [THE ABOLITION OF REGULATIONS. ]
3It is so, and I accept it as you Say.’ [Here ends the dilemma as to the three months. ] Here ends the First Chapter. 202 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _IV,2, 1. Book IV. Cuapter 2, [THE ABOLITION OF REGULATIONS. ] 1. ‘Venerable NAgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: “It is by insight, O Bhikkhus, that I preach the law, not without insight'.” On the other hand he said of the regulations of the Vinaya : “When I am gone, Ananda, let the Order, if it should so wish, abolish all the lesser and minor precepts *.” 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, [148] then the first was false. 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.’ 2. ‘In both cases, O king, the Blessed One said as you have declared. 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. It runs as if a 1 Not traced as yet. * Mahf&parinibbina Sutta VI, 3 (translated in my ‘ Buddhist Suttas, p. 112). The incident is referred to in the Kullavagga XI, 1, 9, 10, and in his commentary on that passage Buddhaghosa mentions the discussion between Milinda and Nagasena, and quotes it as an authority in support of his interpretation. IV; 2, 3. ABOLITION OF REGULATIONS. 203 king of kings were to say to his sons: “ 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.” Now would the princes, O king, on the death of their father, give up those outlying districts; provinces already in their power ?’ ‘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.’ ‘Just so was it, O king, that the Tathagata to test the Bhikkhus said : “ When I am gone, Ananda, 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.’ 3. ‘Venerable Nagasena, when the Blessed One referred to “lesser and minor precepts,” this people might therein [144] 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 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.
1But it is because 198 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 1, 70. the Tathagatas, O king, long for the enjoyment of the bliss of attainment, of the joy of the tranquil state of Nirvdza, that they devote themselves to meditation, with their minds fixed on the end they aim at. 70. ‘And there are four reasons for which the Tathagatas, O king, devote themselves to meditation. And what are the four? 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. These are the reasons for which the Tathagatas devote themselves to it. 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.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena! That is so, and I accept it as you Say.’ [ Here ends the dilemma as to meditation.] [THE LIMIT OF THREE MONTHS.] 71. ‘Venerable Nagasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: “ The Tath4gata, Ananda, 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, Ananda, 1 Kattaro iddhi-p4da. IV, 1, 72. THE THREE MONTHS. 199 should he desire it, might remain alive for a Kalpa, or for that portion of a Kalpa which has yet to run’.” And again he said: “At the end of three months from this time the TathAgata will die*.” If the first of these statements were true, then the limit of three months must have been false. If the second were true, [141] then the first must have been false. For the Tathagatas 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. It is now put to you. Tear in sunder this net of heresy, put it on one side, break in pieces the arguments of the adversary !’ 72. ‘Both these statements, O king, were made by the Blessed One. But Kalpa in that connection means the duration of a man’s life. And the Blessed One, O king, was not exalting his own power when he said so, but he was exalting the power of saintship. It was as if a king were possessed of a horse most swift of foot, who could run like the wind. 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: “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 5!”
21 Mahfparinibbana Sutta III, 60, translated in my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ pp. 57, 58. * Ibid. III, 63, translated loc. cit. p. 59. * So it is said of the ‘Horse-treasure’ of the Great King of Glory in the Mah4sudassana Sutta I, 29 (translated in my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ p. 256), that ‘it passed over along the broad earth to its very ocean boundary, and then returned again, in time for the 200 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 1, 72. 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. 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 Tathagata, Ananda, 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, Ananda, should he desire it, might remain alive for a Kalpa, or the part of a Kalpa that has yet to run.” And there was that power, O king, in the Tathagata, he could have remained alive for that time: and yet he did not show that power in the midst [142] of that assembly. The Blessed One, O king, is free from desire as respects all conditions of future life, and has condemned them all. 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 1.” Now would the Blessed One, O king, who thus looked upon all sorts and conditions of future life morning meal, to the royal city of Kus4vatt.’ It is, of course, the sun horse which is meant. 1 T have not traced this quotation in the Pi/akas, but it is probably there. IV, 1, 72. THE THREE MONTHS. 201 as dung have nevertheless, simply because of his power of Iddhi, harboured a craving desire for future life ?’ ‘Certainly not, Sir.’ ‘Then it must have been to exalt the power of Iddhi that he gave utterance to such a boast.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena! It is so, and I accept it as you Say.’ [Here ends the dilemma as to the three months. ] Here ends the First Chapter. 202 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _IV,2, 1. Book IV. Cuapter 2, [THE ABOLITION OF REGULATIONS. ]
3It is so, and I accept it as you Say.’ [Here ends the dilemma as to the three months. ] Here ends the First Chapter. 202 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _IV,2, 1. Book IV. Cuapter 2, [THE ABOLITION OF REGULATIONS. ] 1. ‘Venerable NAgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One: “It is by insight, O Bhikkhus, that I preach the law, not without insight'.” On the other hand he said of the regulations of the Vinaya : “When I am gone, Ananda, let the Order, if it should so wish, abolish all the lesser and minor precepts *.” 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, [148] then the first was false. 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.’ 2. ‘In both cases, O king, the Blessed One said as you have declared. 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. It runs as if a 1 Not traced as yet. * Mahf&parinibbina Sutta VI, 3 (translated in my ‘ Buddhist Suttas, p. 112). The incident is referred to in the Kullavagga XI, 1, 9, 10, and in his commentary on that passage Buddhaghosa mentions the discussion between Milinda and Nagasena, and quotes it as an authority in support of his interpretation. IV; 2, 3. ABOLITION OF REGULATIONS. 203 king of kings were to say to his sons: “ 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.” Now would the princes, O king, on the death of their father, give up those outlying districts; provinces already in their power ?’ ‘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.’ ‘Just so was it, O king, that the Tathagata to test the Bhikkhus said : “ When I am gone, Ananda, 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.’ 3. ‘Venerable Nagasena, when the Blessed One referred to “lesser and minor precepts,” this people might therein [144] 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 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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