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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1‘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 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 1 The regulations in the Patimokkha, which include all the most important ones, are only 220 in number. * Dukka/am. 5 Dubbhasitam. 204 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _IV, 2, 4. 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, Nagasena, 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. ] [ESOTERIC TEACHING. ] 4. ‘Venerable Nagasena, it was said by the Blessed One: “In respect of the truths, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such thing as the closed fist of a teacher who keeps something back*.” But on the other hand he made no reply to the question put by the son of the M4lunkya woman’. This problem, Nagasena, 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 1 In the Kullavagga XI, 1, 10, it is one of the faults laid to Ananda’s charge, at the Council of RAgagaha, that he had not asked for a definition of these terms. * Mah4parinibbana Sutta II, 32 (another passage from the same speech is quoted below, IV, 2, 29). 5 See the two M4lunkya Suttantas in the Magghima Nik4ya (vol. i, pp. 426-437 of Mr. Trenckner’s edition for the Pali Text Society). With regard to the spelling of the name, which is doubtful, it may be noticed that Hinasi-kumburé has Malunka throughout. IV, 2, 5. ESOTERIC TEACHING. 205 if he knew, and still did not reply, then the first statement must be false. This too is a doublepointed dilemma. It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 5. ‘The Blessed One, O king, made that first statement to Ananda, and he did not reply to MAlunky4-putta’s question. But that was neither out of ignorance, nor for the sake of concealing anything. There are four kinds of ways in which a problem may be explained. 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. There is the problem which can be answered by asking another. And there is the problem which can be put on one side.
2And 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. There is the problem which can be answered by asking another. And there is the problem which can be put on one side. ‘ And which, O king, is the problem to which a direct and final solution can be given? It is such as this—“Is form impermanent ?” [145] “Is sensation impermanent?” “Is idea impermanent ?” “Are the Confections impermanent ?” “Is consciousness impermanent ?” ‘And which is the problem which can be answered by going into details? It is such as this—* Is form thus impermanent ?” and so on. ‘And which is the problem which can be answered by asking another? It is such as this— ‘“What then? 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?” “Hasitnoend?” ‘Is it both endless and unending?” “Is it neither the one nor the other?” “Are the soul and the body the same 206 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _ IV, 2,6. thing?” “Is the soul distinct from the body?” “Does a Tathagata 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 M4lunky4-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, Nagasena! Thus it is, and I accept it as you say?’ [ Here ends the dilemma as to keeping some things back '.] [DEATH. ] 6. ‘ Venerable Nagasena, this too was said by the Blessed One: “All men tremble at punishment, all are afraid of death*.” But again he said: “ The Arahat has passed beyond all fear*.” How then, NA&gasena? does the Arahat tremble with the fear of punishment? [146] 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‘? If the Blessed One, Nagasena, 1 See my note below on IV, 4, 8. * Dhammapada 129. * Not traced in these words, but identical in meaning with Dhammapada 39. * Maha-niray4 savam4né, ‘when they are on the point of passing away from it.’ For in Buddhism the time comes to each IV, 2, 7. THE FEAR OF DEATH. 207 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. But if that last statement is really by him, then the other must be false. This double-headed problem is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’
3But if that last statement is really by him, then the other must be false. This double-headed problem is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 7. ‘It was not with regard to Arahats, O king, that the Blessed One spake when he said : “ All men tremble at punishment, all are afraid of death.” The Arahat is an exception to that statement, for all cause for fear has been removed from the Arahat’. 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. 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 Confections 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‘. Therefore is it that the Arahat is not made to tremble by any fear.’ being in Niraya (often translated ‘ hell’) when he will pass away from it. 1 That is from him who attained Nirvaaa in this life. Compare 1 John iv. 18. * Ph4sf for Phasuk&. Compare Dhammapada 154, Manu VI, 79-81, and Sumangala, p. 16. * HinaA-kumburé adds ‘ by the fire of tapas.’ ‘ Eight are meant—gain, loss, fame, dishonour, praise, blame, pleasures, pains. 208 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _IYV, 2,8, 8. ‘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: “ Let all now pay up a tax, and do you, as my four officers, carry out what is necessary in this emergency.” Now tell me, O king, would the tremor which comes from fear of taxation arise in the hearts of those ministers ?’ ‘No, Sir, it would not.’ ‘But why not?’ ‘They have been appointed by the king to high office. Taxation does not affect them, they are beyond taxation. It was the rest that the king referred to when he gave the order : [147] “ Let all pay tax.”’ ‘Just so, O king, is it with the statement that all men tremble at punishment, all are afraid of death. In that way is it that the Arahat is removed from every fear,’ . g. ‘But, Nagasena, the word “all” is inclusive, none are left out when it is used. Give me a further reason to establish the point.’
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.
1‘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 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 1 The regulations in the Patimokkha, which include all the most important ones, are only 220 in number. * Dukka/am. 5 Dubbhasitam. 204 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _IV, 2, 4. 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, Nagasena, 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. ] [ESOTERIC TEACHING. ] 4. ‘Venerable Nagasena, it was said by the Blessed One: “In respect of the truths, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such thing as the closed fist of a teacher who keeps something back*.” But on the other hand he made no reply to the question put by the son of the M4lunkya woman’. This problem, Nagasena, 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 1 In the Kullavagga XI, 1, 10, it is one of the faults laid to Ananda’s charge, at the Council of RAgagaha, that he had not asked for a definition of these terms. * Mah4parinibbana Sutta II, 32 (another passage from the same speech is quoted below, IV, 2, 29). 5 See the two M4lunkya Suttantas in the Magghima Nik4ya (vol. i, pp. 426-437 of Mr. Trenckner’s edition for the Pali Text Society). With regard to the spelling of the name, which is doubtful, it may be noticed that Hinasi-kumburé has Malunka throughout. IV, 2, 5. ESOTERIC TEACHING. 205 if he knew, and still did not reply, then the first statement must be false. This too is a doublepointed dilemma. It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 5. ‘The Blessed One, O king, made that first statement to Ananda, and he did not reply to MAlunky4-putta’s question. But that was neither out of ignorance, nor for the sake of concealing anything. There are four kinds of ways in which a problem may be explained. 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. There is the problem which can be answered by asking another. And there is the problem which can be put on one side.
2And 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. There is the problem which can be answered by asking another. And there is the problem which can be put on one side. ‘ And which, O king, is the problem to which a direct and final solution can be given? It is such as this—“Is form impermanent ?” [145] “Is sensation impermanent?” “Is idea impermanent ?” “Are the Confections impermanent ?” “Is consciousness impermanent ?” ‘And which is the problem which can be answered by going into details? It is such as this—* Is form thus impermanent ?” and so on. ‘And which is the problem which can be answered by asking another? It is such as this— ‘“What then? 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?” “Hasitnoend?” ‘Is it both endless and unending?” “Is it neither the one nor the other?” “Are the soul and the body the same 206 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _ IV, 2,6. thing?” “Is the soul distinct from the body?” “Does a Tathagata 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 M4lunky4-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, Nagasena! Thus it is, and I accept it as you say?’ [ Here ends the dilemma as to keeping some things back '.] [DEATH. ] 6. ‘ Venerable Nagasena, this too was said by the Blessed One: “All men tremble at punishment, all are afraid of death*.” But again he said: “ The Arahat has passed beyond all fear*.” How then, NA&gasena? does the Arahat tremble with the fear of punishment? [146] 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‘? If the Blessed One, Nagasena, 1 See my note below on IV, 4, 8. * Dhammapada 129. * Not traced in these words, but identical in meaning with Dhammapada 39. * Maha-niray4 savam4né, ‘when they are on the point of passing away from it.’ For in Buddhism the time comes to each IV, 2, 7. THE FEAR OF DEATH. 207 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. But if that last statement is really by him, then the other must be false. This double-headed problem is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’
3But if that last statement is really by him, then the other must be false. This double-headed problem is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 7. ‘It was not with regard to Arahats, O king, that the Blessed One spake when he said : “ All men tremble at punishment, all are afraid of death.” The Arahat is an exception to that statement, for all cause for fear has been removed from the Arahat’. 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. 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 Confections 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‘. Therefore is it that the Arahat is not made to tremble by any fear.’ being in Niraya (often translated ‘ hell’) when he will pass away from it. 1 That is from him who attained Nirvaaa in this life. Compare 1 John iv. 18. * Ph4sf for Phasuk&. Compare Dhammapada 154, Manu VI, 79-81, and Sumangala, p. 16. * HinaA-kumburé adds ‘ by the fire of tapas.’ ‘ Eight are meant—gain, loss, fame, dishonour, praise, blame, pleasures, pains. 208 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _IYV, 2,8, 8. ‘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: “ Let all now pay up a tax, and do you, as my four officers, carry out what is necessary in this emergency.” Now tell me, O king, would the tremor which comes from fear of taxation arise in the hearts of those ministers ?’ ‘No, Sir, it would not.’ ‘But why not?’ ‘They have been appointed by the king to high office. Taxation does not affect them, they are beyond taxation. It was the rest that the king referred to when he gave the order : [147] “ Let all pay tax.”’ ‘Just so, O king, is it with the statement that all men tremble at punishment, all are afraid of death. In that way is it that the Arahat is removed from every fear,’ . g. ‘But, Nagasena, the word “all” is inclusive, none are left out when it is used. Give me a further reason to establish the point.’
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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