Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1And therefore are they in dread of it though they want to be released from purgatory.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena! That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ [Here ends the dilemma as to the fear of death.] [Prrit. ] 15. ‘Venerable Nagasena, it was said by the Blessed One: “ Not in the sky, not in the ocean’s midst, Not in the most secluded mountain cleft, Not in the whole wide world is found the spot Where standing one could ’scape the snare of death 3.” But on the other hand the Pirit service was promulgated by the Blessed One*—that is to say, the Ratana Sutta and the Khanda-paritta and the Moraparitté and the Dhagagga-paritta [151] and the AAsnAfiya-paritté and the Anguli-mala-paritta. If, N4gasena, a man can escape death’s snare neither by going to heaven, nor by going into the midst of the sea, nor by going to the summits of lofty palaces, 1 Either Dhammapada 127, which is the same except the last word (there ‘an evil deed’), or Dhammapada 128, except the last line (which is there ‘ where standing death would not overtake one’). 2 This is a service used for the sick. Its use so far as the Pifakas are known has been nowhere laid down by the Buddha, or by words placed in his mouth. This is the oldest text in which the use of the service is referred to. But the word Paritta (Pirit) is used in Xullavagga V, 6, of an asseveration of love for snakes, to be used as what is practically a charm against snake bite, and that is attributed to the Buddha, The particular Suttas and passages here referred to are all in the Pifakas. 214 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 2, 16. nor to the caves or grottoes or declivities or clefts or holes in the mountains, then is the Pirit ceremony useless. But if by it there is a way of escape from death, then the statement in the verse I quoted is false. This too is a double-headed problem, more knotty than a knot. It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’
2But if by it there is a way of escape from death, then the statement in the verse I quoted is false. This too is a double-headed problem, more knotty than a knot. It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 16. ‘ The Blessed One, O king, said the verse you have quoted, and he sanctioned Pirit'. But that is only meant for those who have some portion of their life yet to run, who are of full age, and restrain themselves from the evils of Karma. And there is no ceremony or artificial means? for prolonging the life of onewhose allotted span of existence has come to an end. Just, O king, as with a dry and dead log of wood, dull, and sapless, out of which all life has departed, which has reached the end of its allotted period of life,— you might have thousands of pots of water poured over it, but it would never become fresh again or put forth sprouts or leaves. Just so there is no ceremony or artificial means, no medicine and no Pirit, which can prolong the life of one whose allotted period has come to an end. All the medicines in the world are useless, O king, to such a one, but Pirit is a protection and assistance to those who have a period yet to live, who are full of life, and restrain themselves from the evil of Karma. And it is for that use that Pirit was appointed by the ? See last note. Hina/i-kumburé renders ‘ preached Pirit,’ which is quite in accordance with the Pi/akas, as the Suttas of which it is composed are placed in his mouth. * Upakkamo. Compare the use of the word at Kullavagga VII, 3, 10; Sumangala 69, 71. Utpatti-kramayek says the Simhalese. ° Koéapa. See G&taka III, 495, and the commentary there, IV, 2, 17. PIRIT. 215 Blessed One. Just, O king, as a husbandman guards the grain when it is ripe and dead and ready for harvesting from the influx of water, but makes it grow by giving it water when it is young, and dark in colour like a cloud, and full of life—just so, O king, should the Pirit ceremony be put aside and neglected in the case of one who has reached his allotted term of life, [152] but for those who have a period yet to run and are full of vigour, for them the medicine of Pirit may be repeated, and they will profit by its use.’ 17. ‘ But, Nagasena, if he who has a term of life yet to run will live, and he who has none will die, then medicine and Pirit are alike useless.’ ‘ Have you ever seen, O king, a case of a disease being turned back by medicine ?’ ‘Yes, several hundred times.’ ‘Then, O king, your statement as to the inefficiency of Pirit and medicine must be wrong.’ ‘I have seen, Nagasena, doctors administer medicines by way of draughts or outward applications, and by that means the disease has been assuaged.’
3‘And when, O king, the voice of those who are repeating Pirit is heard, the tongue may be dried up, and the heart beat but faintly, and the throat be hoarse, but by that repetition all diseases are allayed, all calamities depart. Again, have you ever seen, O king, a man who has been bitten by a snake having the poison resorbed under a spell (by the snake who gave the bite) or destroyed (by an antidote) or having a lotion applied above or below the spot??’ 1 See above, IV, 2, 14. 3 All this sentence is doubtful. Dr. Morris has a learned note on the difficult words used (which only occur here) in the ‘ Journal 216 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 2, 18 ‘Yes, that is common custom to this day in the world.’ ‘ Then what you said that Pirit and medicine are alike useless is wrong. And when Pirit has been said over a man, a snake, ready to bite, will not bite him, but close his jaws—the club which robbers hold aloft to strike him with will never strike ; they will let it drop, and treat him kindly—the enraged elephant rushing at him will suddenly stop—the burning fiery conflagration surging towards him will die out—the malignant poison he has eaten will become harmless, and turn to food—assassins who have come to slay him will become as the slaves who wait upon him—and the trap into which he has trodden will hold him not. 18. ‘ Again, have you never heard, O king, of that hunter who during seven hundred years failed to throw his net over the peacock who had taken Pirit, but snared him the very day [153] he omitted to do so!?’ ‘Yes, I have heard of it. The fame of it has gone through all the world.’ ‘Then what you said about Pirit and medicine being alike useless must be wrong. And have you never heard of the Danava? who, to guard his wife, of the Pali Text Society’ for 1884, p. 87. Hfna/i-kumburé, p- 191, translates as follows: Mah4 ragAneni, wisha windsa karann4wQ mantra padayakin wishaya baswana laddawf, wisha sanhinduwana laddawf, firddhadho bh4&gayehi awushadha galayen temana ladd4wf, nayaku wisin dash/a karana laddawf kisiwek topa wisin dakn& ladde doeyi wikfla seka. 1 This is the Mora-Gataka, Nos. 159, 491, or (which is the same thing) the Mora-Paritté. * An Asura, enemy of the gods, a Titan. Rakshasa says the Simhalese. IV, 2, 19. PIRIT. . 217 put her into a box, and swallowing it, carried her about in his stomach. And how a Vidyddhara! entered his mouth, and played games with his wife. And how the Danava when he became aware of it, vomited up the box, and opened it, and the moment he did so the Vidy4dhara escaped whither he would 2?’ ‘Yes, I have heard that. The fame of it too has gone throughout the world.’ ‘Well, did not the Vidy4dhara escape capture by the power of Pirit ?’ ‘Yes, that was so.’ ‘Then there must be power in Pirit. And have you heard of that other Vidy4dhara who got into the harem of the king of Benares, and committed adultery with the chief queen, and was caught, and then became invisible, and got away? ?’
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.
1And therefore are they in dread of it though they want to be released from purgatory.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena! That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ [Here ends the dilemma as to the fear of death.] [Prrit. ] 15. ‘Venerable Nagasena, it was said by the Blessed One: “ Not in the sky, not in the ocean’s midst, Not in the most secluded mountain cleft, Not in the whole wide world is found the spot Where standing one could ’scape the snare of death 3.” But on the other hand the Pirit service was promulgated by the Blessed One*—that is to say, the Ratana Sutta and the Khanda-paritta and the Moraparitté and the Dhagagga-paritta [151] and the AAsnAfiya-paritté and the Anguli-mala-paritta. If, N4gasena, a man can escape death’s snare neither by going to heaven, nor by going into the midst of the sea, nor by going to the summits of lofty palaces, 1 Either Dhammapada 127, which is the same except the last word (there ‘an evil deed’), or Dhammapada 128, except the last line (which is there ‘ where standing death would not overtake one’). 2 This is a service used for the sick. Its use so far as the Pifakas are known has been nowhere laid down by the Buddha, or by words placed in his mouth. This is the oldest text in which the use of the service is referred to. But the word Paritta (Pirit) is used in Xullavagga V, 6, of an asseveration of love for snakes, to be used as what is practically a charm against snake bite, and that is attributed to the Buddha, The particular Suttas and passages here referred to are all in the Pifakas. 214 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 2, 16. nor to the caves or grottoes or declivities or clefts or holes in the mountains, then is the Pirit ceremony useless. But if by it there is a way of escape from death, then the statement in the verse I quoted is false. This too is a double-headed problem, more knotty than a knot. It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’
2But if by it there is a way of escape from death, then the statement in the verse I quoted is false. This too is a double-headed problem, more knotty than a knot. It is now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 16. ‘ The Blessed One, O king, said the verse you have quoted, and he sanctioned Pirit'. But that is only meant for those who have some portion of their life yet to run, who are of full age, and restrain themselves from the evils of Karma. And there is no ceremony or artificial means? for prolonging the life of onewhose allotted span of existence has come to an end. Just, O king, as with a dry and dead log of wood, dull, and sapless, out of which all life has departed, which has reached the end of its allotted period of life,— you might have thousands of pots of water poured over it, but it would never become fresh again or put forth sprouts or leaves. Just so there is no ceremony or artificial means, no medicine and no Pirit, which can prolong the life of one whose allotted period has come to an end. All the medicines in the world are useless, O king, to such a one, but Pirit is a protection and assistance to those who have a period yet to live, who are full of life, and restrain themselves from the evil of Karma. And it is for that use that Pirit was appointed by the ? See last note. Hina/i-kumburé renders ‘ preached Pirit,’ which is quite in accordance with the Pi/akas, as the Suttas of which it is composed are placed in his mouth. * Upakkamo. Compare the use of the word at Kullavagga VII, 3, 10; Sumangala 69, 71. Utpatti-kramayek says the Simhalese. ° Koéapa. See G&taka III, 495, and the commentary there, IV, 2, 17. PIRIT. 215 Blessed One. Just, O king, as a husbandman guards the grain when it is ripe and dead and ready for harvesting from the influx of water, but makes it grow by giving it water when it is young, and dark in colour like a cloud, and full of life—just so, O king, should the Pirit ceremony be put aside and neglected in the case of one who has reached his allotted term of life, [152] but for those who have a period yet to run and are full of vigour, for them the medicine of Pirit may be repeated, and they will profit by its use.’ 17. ‘ But, Nagasena, if he who has a term of life yet to run will live, and he who has none will die, then medicine and Pirit are alike useless.’ ‘ Have you ever seen, O king, a case of a disease being turned back by medicine ?’ ‘Yes, several hundred times.’ ‘Then, O king, your statement as to the inefficiency of Pirit and medicine must be wrong.’ ‘I have seen, Nagasena, doctors administer medicines by way of draughts or outward applications, and by that means the disease has been assuaged.’
3‘And when, O king, the voice of those who are repeating Pirit is heard, the tongue may be dried up, and the heart beat but faintly, and the throat be hoarse, but by that repetition all diseases are allayed, all calamities depart. Again, have you ever seen, O king, a man who has been bitten by a snake having the poison resorbed under a spell (by the snake who gave the bite) or destroyed (by an antidote) or having a lotion applied above or below the spot??’ 1 See above, IV, 2, 14. 3 All this sentence is doubtful. Dr. Morris has a learned note on the difficult words used (which only occur here) in the ‘ Journal 216 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 2, 18 ‘Yes, that is common custom to this day in the world.’ ‘ Then what you said that Pirit and medicine are alike useless is wrong. And when Pirit has been said over a man, a snake, ready to bite, will not bite him, but close his jaws—the club which robbers hold aloft to strike him with will never strike ; they will let it drop, and treat him kindly—the enraged elephant rushing at him will suddenly stop—the burning fiery conflagration surging towards him will die out—the malignant poison he has eaten will become harmless, and turn to food—assassins who have come to slay him will become as the slaves who wait upon him—and the trap into which he has trodden will hold him not. 18. ‘ Again, have you never heard, O king, of that hunter who during seven hundred years failed to throw his net over the peacock who had taken Pirit, but snared him the very day [153] he omitted to do so!?’ ‘Yes, I have heard of it. The fame of it has gone through all the world.’ ‘Then what you said about Pirit and medicine being alike useless must be wrong. And have you never heard of the Danava? who, to guard his wife, of the Pali Text Society’ for 1884, p. 87. Hfna/i-kumburé, p- 191, translates as follows: Mah4 ragAneni, wisha windsa karann4wQ mantra padayakin wishaya baswana laddawf, wisha sanhinduwana laddawf, firddhadho bh4&gayehi awushadha galayen temana ladd4wf, nayaku wisin dash/a karana laddawf kisiwek topa wisin dakn& ladde doeyi wikfla seka. 1 This is the Mora-Gataka, Nos. 159, 491, or (which is the same thing) the Mora-Paritté. * An Asura, enemy of the gods, a Titan. Rakshasa says the Simhalese. IV, 2, 19. PIRIT. . 217 put her into a box, and swallowing it, carried her about in his stomach. And how a Vidyddhara! entered his mouth, and played games with his wife. And how the Danava when he became aware of it, vomited up the box, and opened it, and the moment he did so the Vidy4dhara escaped whither he would 2?’ ‘Yes, I have heard that. The fame of it too has gone throughout the world.’ ‘Well, did not the Vidy4dhara escape capture by the power of Pirit ?’ ‘Yes, that was so.’ ‘Then there must be power in Pirit. And have you heard of that other Vidy4dhara who got into the harem of the king of Benares, and committed adultery with the chief queen, and was caught, and then became invisible, and got away? ?’
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.