Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Listen to me*.’” ‘ Now if, Nagasena, a tree is an unconscious thing, it must be false that the Aspen tree spoke to Bhaéradvaga. But if that is true, it must be false to say that a tree is unconscious. This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 20. ‘The Master said, Nagasena, that a tree is unconscious. And the Aspen tree conversed with Bhéradvaga. But that last is said, O king, by a common form of speech. For though a tree being unconscious cannot talk, yet the word “tree” is used 1 G&taka III, 24. It is not the Tathagata, but the Bodisat, who speaks. * GAtaka IV, 210, where the verses are ascribed to the Buddha. [35] R 242 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 3, 21. as a designation of the dryad who dwells therein, and in that sense that “the tree talks” is a wellknown expression. Just, O king, as a waggon laden with corn is called a corn-waggon. But it is not made of corn, it is made of wood, yet because of the corn being heaped up in it the people use the expression “corn-waggon.” Or just, O king, as when a man is churning sour milk the common expression is that he is churning butter. But it is not butter that he is churning, but milk. Or just, O king, as when a man is making something that does not exist the common expression is that he is making that thing which all the while as yet is not, [174] but people talk of the work as accomplished before it is done. And the Tathagata, when expounding the Dhamma, does so by means of the phraseology which is in common use among the people.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena! That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ [Here ends the dilemma as to the talking tree.] [THE BUDDHA'S LAST ILLNESS. ] 21. ‘Venerable NAgasena, it was said by the Elders who held the Recitation?: “When he had eaten Aunda’s alms, The coppersmith’s,—thus have I heard,— The Buddha felt that sickness dire, That-sharp pain even unto death *%.” 1 The Council of Ragagaha is meant, at which the Pi/akas were recited. All the so-called Councils are exclusively ‘ Recitations’ (Samgftiyo) in Buddhist phraseology. But ‘Council’ is the best rendering of the word, as Recitation implies so much that would be unintelligible to the ordinary reader. * Book of the Great Decease, IV, 23. IV, 3,22. | THE BUDDHA'S LAST ILLNESS. 243
2But ‘Council’ is the best rendering of the word, as Recitation implies so much that would be unintelligible to the ordinary reader. * Book of the Great Decease, IV, 23. IV, 3,22. | THE BUDDHA'S LAST ILLNESS. 243 And afterwards the Blessed One said: ‘ These two offerings of food, Ananda, equal, of equal fruit, and of equal result, are of much greater fruit and much greater result than any others.” Now if sharp sickness fell upon the Blessed One, NAgasena, after he had partaken of Xunda’s alms, and sharp pains arose within him even unto death, then that other statement must be wrong. But if that is right then the first must be wrong. How could that alms, Nagasena, be of great fruit when it turned to poison, gave rise to disease, [175] put an end to the period of his then existence, took away his life ? Explain this to me to the refutation of the adversaries. The people are in bewilderment about this, thinking that the dysentery must have been caused by his eating too much, out of greediness.’ 22. ‘The Blessed One said, O king, that there were two almsgivings equal, of equal fruit, and equal result, and of much greater fruit, and much greater result than any others,—that which, when a Tathagata has partaken of it, he attains to supreme and perfect Buddhahood (Enlightenment), and that when he has partaken of which, he passes away by that utter passing away in which nothing whatever remains behind®. For that alms is full of virtue, full of advantage. The gods, O king, shouted in joy and gladness at the thought: “This is the last meal the Tath4gata will take,” and communicated a divine power of nourishment to that tender 1 Book of the Great Decease, IV, 57, but with a slightly different reading. * Book of the Great Decease, loc. cit. The Simhalese gives the whole context in full. R 2 244 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 3, 22, pork’. And that was itself in good condition, light, pleasant, full of flavour, and good for digestion *. It was not because of it that any sickness fell upon the Blessed One, but it was because of the extreme weakness of his body, and because of the period of life he had to live having been exhausted, that the disease arose, and grew worse and worse—just as when, O king, an ordinary fire is burning, if fresh fuel be supplied, it will burn up still more—or [176] as when a stream is flowing along as usual, if a
31 Sfitkara-maddava. There is great doubt as to the exact meaning of this name of the last dish the Buddha partook of. Maddati is ‘to rub,’ or ‘to press, or ‘to trample,’ and just as ‘ pressed beef’ is ambiguous, so is ‘ boar-pressed ’ or ‘ pork-tender’ capable of various interpretations. The exegetical gloss as handed down in the Maha Vihfra in Anuradhapure, Ceylon, in the now lost body of tradition called the Mah4 A//hakath4, has been preserved by Dhammapila in his comment on Udana VIII, 5 (p. 81 of Dr. Steinthal’s edition for the Pali Text Society). It means, I think, ‘ Meat pervaded by the tenderness and niceness of boar’s (flesh).’ But that is itself ambiguous, and Dhammapala adds that others say the word means not pork or meat at all, but ‘the tender top sprout of the bambfi plant after it has been trampled upon by swine ’—others again that it means a kind of mushroom that grows in ground trodden under foot by swine—others again that it means only a particular kind of flavouring, or sauce. As Maddana is rendered by Childers ‘ withered,’ I have translated it in my ‘ Buddhist Suttas’ (pp. 71-73) ‘ dried boar’s flesh.’ But the fact is that the exact sense is not known. (Maddavani pupph4ni at Dhammapada 377 is ‘ withered flowers, according to Fausbéll. But it may be just as well ‘tender flowers,’ especially as M4rdava in Sanskrit always means ‘tender, pitiful,’ &c. This is the only passage where the word is known to occur in P4li apart from those in which sikara-maddava is mentioned.) The Simhalese here (p. 230) repeats the word and adds the gloss: E taruzu wi fru mamsayehi. * Gatharaggi-tegassa hitam. On this curious old belief in an internal fire see my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ p. 260. IV, 3, 23. THE BUDDHA'S LAST ILLNESS. 245 heavy rain falls, it will become a mighty river with a great rush of water—or as when the body is of its ordinary girth, if more food be eaten, it becomes broader than before. So this was not, O king, the fault of the food that was presented, and you can not impute any harm to it.’ 23. ‘But, venerable NAgasena, why is it that those two gifts of food are so specially meritorious ?’ ‘Because of the attainment of the exalted conditions which resulted from them.’ ‘Of what conditions, Nagasena, are you speaking?’ ‘Of the attainment of the nine successive states which were passed through at first in one order, and then in the reverse order®.’ ‘It was on two days, was it not, Nagasena, that the Tathdgata attained to those conditions in the highest degree ?’ ‘Yes, O king®.’ ‘It is a most wonderful thing, Nagasena, and a most strange, that of all the great and glorious gifts which were bestowed upon our Blessed One‘ not one can be compared with these two almsgivings. Most marvellous is it, that even as those * Dhamménumaggana-samApatti-varena: which the Simhalese merely repeats. For Anumaggand see the text above, p- 62, and Sumangala Vildsini, p. 65.
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.
1Listen to me*.’” ‘ Now if, Nagasena, a tree is an unconscious thing, it must be false that the Aspen tree spoke to Bhaéradvaga. But if that is true, it must be false to say that a tree is unconscious. This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 20. ‘The Master said, Nagasena, that a tree is unconscious. And the Aspen tree conversed with Bhéradvaga. But that last is said, O king, by a common form of speech. For though a tree being unconscious cannot talk, yet the word “tree” is used 1 G&taka III, 24. It is not the Tathagata, but the Bodisat, who speaks. * GAtaka IV, 210, where the verses are ascribed to the Buddha. [35] R 242 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 3, 21. as a designation of the dryad who dwells therein, and in that sense that “the tree talks” is a wellknown expression. Just, O king, as a waggon laden with corn is called a corn-waggon. But it is not made of corn, it is made of wood, yet because of the corn being heaped up in it the people use the expression “corn-waggon.” Or just, O king, as when a man is churning sour milk the common expression is that he is churning butter. But it is not butter that he is churning, but milk. Or just, O king, as when a man is making something that does not exist the common expression is that he is making that thing which all the while as yet is not, [174] but people talk of the work as accomplished before it is done. And the Tathagata, when expounding the Dhamma, does so by means of the phraseology which is in common use among the people.’ ‘Very good, Nagasena! That is so, and I accept it as you say.’ [Here ends the dilemma as to the talking tree.] [THE BUDDHA'S LAST ILLNESS. ] 21. ‘Venerable NAgasena, it was said by the Elders who held the Recitation?: “When he had eaten Aunda’s alms, The coppersmith’s,—thus have I heard,— The Buddha felt that sickness dire, That-sharp pain even unto death *%.” 1 The Council of Ragagaha is meant, at which the Pi/akas were recited. All the so-called Councils are exclusively ‘ Recitations’ (Samgftiyo) in Buddhist phraseology. But ‘Council’ is the best rendering of the word, as Recitation implies so much that would be unintelligible to the ordinary reader. * Book of the Great Decease, IV, 23. IV, 3,22. | THE BUDDHA'S LAST ILLNESS. 243
2But ‘Council’ is the best rendering of the word, as Recitation implies so much that would be unintelligible to the ordinary reader. * Book of the Great Decease, IV, 23. IV, 3,22. | THE BUDDHA'S LAST ILLNESS. 243 And afterwards the Blessed One said: ‘ These two offerings of food, Ananda, equal, of equal fruit, and of equal result, are of much greater fruit and much greater result than any others.” Now if sharp sickness fell upon the Blessed One, NAgasena, after he had partaken of Xunda’s alms, and sharp pains arose within him even unto death, then that other statement must be wrong. But if that is right then the first must be wrong. How could that alms, Nagasena, be of great fruit when it turned to poison, gave rise to disease, [175] put an end to the period of his then existence, took away his life ? Explain this to me to the refutation of the adversaries. The people are in bewilderment about this, thinking that the dysentery must have been caused by his eating too much, out of greediness.’ 22. ‘The Blessed One said, O king, that there were two almsgivings equal, of equal fruit, and equal result, and of much greater fruit, and much greater result than any others,—that which, when a Tathagata has partaken of it, he attains to supreme and perfect Buddhahood (Enlightenment), and that when he has partaken of which, he passes away by that utter passing away in which nothing whatever remains behind®. For that alms is full of virtue, full of advantage. The gods, O king, shouted in joy and gladness at the thought: “This is the last meal the Tath4gata will take,” and communicated a divine power of nourishment to that tender 1 Book of the Great Decease, IV, 57, but with a slightly different reading. * Book of the Great Decease, loc. cit. The Simhalese gives the whole context in full. R 2 244 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 3, 22, pork’. And that was itself in good condition, light, pleasant, full of flavour, and good for digestion *. It was not because of it that any sickness fell upon the Blessed One, but it was because of the extreme weakness of his body, and because of the period of life he had to live having been exhausted, that the disease arose, and grew worse and worse—just as when, O king, an ordinary fire is burning, if fresh fuel be supplied, it will burn up still more—or [176] as when a stream is flowing along as usual, if a
31 Sfitkara-maddava. There is great doubt as to the exact meaning of this name of the last dish the Buddha partook of. Maddati is ‘to rub,’ or ‘to press, or ‘to trample,’ and just as ‘ pressed beef’ is ambiguous, so is ‘ boar-pressed ’ or ‘ pork-tender’ capable of various interpretations. The exegetical gloss as handed down in the Maha Vihfra in Anuradhapure, Ceylon, in the now lost body of tradition called the Mah4 A//hakath4, has been preserved by Dhammapila in his comment on Udana VIII, 5 (p. 81 of Dr. Steinthal’s edition for the Pali Text Society). It means, I think, ‘ Meat pervaded by the tenderness and niceness of boar’s (flesh).’ But that is itself ambiguous, and Dhammapala adds that others say the word means not pork or meat at all, but ‘the tender top sprout of the bambfi plant after it has been trampled upon by swine ’—others again that it means a kind of mushroom that grows in ground trodden under foot by swine—others again that it means only a particular kind of flavouring, or sauce. As Maddana is rendered by Childers ‘ withered,’ I have translated it in my ‘ Buddhist Suttas’ (pp. 71-73) ‘ dried boar’s flesh.’ But the fact is that the exact sense is not known. (Maddavani pupph4ni at Dhammapada 377 is ‘ withered flowers, according to Fausbéll. But it may be just as well ‘tender flowers,’ especially as M4rdava in Sanskrit always means ‘tender, pitiful,’ &c. This is the only passage where the word is known to occur in P4li apart from those in which sikara-maddava is mentioned.) The Simhalese here (p. 230) repeats the word and adds the gloss: E taruzu wi fru mamsayehi. * Gatharaggi-tegassa hitam. On this curious old belief in an internal fire see my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ p. 260. IV, 3, 23. THE BUDDHA'S LAST ILLNESS. 245 heavy rain falls, it will become a mighty river with a great rush of water—or as when the body is of its ordinary girth, if more food be eaten, it becomes broader than before. So this was not, O king, the fault of the food that was presented, and you can not impute any harm to it.’ 23. ‘But, venerable NAgasena, why is it that those two gifts of food are so specially meritorious ?’ ‘Because of the attainment of the exalted conditions which resulted from them.’ ‘Of what conditions, Nagasena, are you speaking?’ ‘Of the attainment of the nine successive states which were passed through at first in one order, and then in the reverse order®.’ ‘It was on two days, was it not, Nagasena, that the Tathdgata attained to those conditions in the highest degree ?’ ‘Yes, O king®.’ ‘It is a most wonderful thing, Nagasena, and a most strange, that of all the great and glorious gifts which were bestowed upon our Blessed One‘ not one can be compared with these two almsgivings. Most marvellous is it, that even as those * Dhamménumaggana-samApatti-varena: which the Simhalese merely repeats. For Anumaggand see the text above, p- 62, and Sumangala Vildsini, p. 65.
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.