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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1123 of the Sumangala (on Digha I, 3, 24). The Simhalese goes on to much greater length than the P4li, giving the full religious life history of the famous disciple (pp. 250, 251). 264 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _ IV,4, 4- [ON SECRET DOCTRINE. ] 4. [190] ‘ Venerable NAgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: “The Dhamma and the Vinaya (Doctrine and Canon Law) proclaimed by the Tathagata shine forth when they are displayed, and not when they are concealed?.” But on the other hand the recitation of the P&timokkha and the whole of the Vinaya Pifaka are closed and kept secret*, So that if, Nagasena, you (members of the Order) carried out what is just, and right, and held of faith in the teaching of the Conqueror then would the Vinaya shine forth as an open thing. And why would that be so? Because all the instruction therein, the discipline, the self-control, the regulations as to moral and virtuous conduct, are in their essence full of truth and righteousness, and redounding to emancipation of heart. But if the Blessed One really said that the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathagata shine forth when displayed and not when kept secret, then the saying that the recitation of the Patimokkha and the whole of the Vinaya must be kept secret must be wrong. And if that be right, then the saying of the Blessed One must be wrong. This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 5. ‘It was said, O king, by the Blessed One that the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tath4- ' From the Anguttara Nikaya III, 124 (vol. i, p. 283 of Dr. Morris’s edition for the Pali Text Society). 7 In the Vinaya (Mah4vagga II, 16, 8) it is laid down that the Patimokkha (the rules of the Order) is not to be recited before laymen. I know of no passage in the Pi/akas which says that it, or the Vinaya, is to be kept secret. IV, 4, 6. ESOTERIC DOCTRINE. 265 gata shine forth when displayed, and not when kept secret. And on the other hand the recitation of the PAtimokkha and the whole of the Vinaya Pifaka are kept close and secret’. But this last is not the case as regards all men. They are only kept secret up to a certain limit. And the recitation of the Patimokkha is kept secret up to that certain limit on three grounds—firstly because that is the traditional custom? of previous Tathagatas, secondly out of respect for the Truth (Dhamma), and thirdly out of ‘respect for the position of a member of the Order 3,’
2And the recitation of the Patimokkha is kept secret up to that certain limit on three grounds—firstly because that is the traditional custom? of previous Tathagatas, secondly out of respect for the Truth (Dhamma), and thirdly out of ‘respect for the position of a member of the Order 3,’ 6. ‘And as to the first it was the universal custom, O king, of previous Tath4gatas for the recitation of the Patimokkha to take place in the midst of the members of the Order only, to the exclusion of all others. Just, O king, as the Kshatriya secret formulas (of the nobles) are handed down among the nobles alone, and that this or that is so is common tradition among the nobles‘ of the world and kept secret from all others—[191] so was this the universal custom of previous Tathdgatas, that the recitation of the Patimokkha should take place among the ? This is, so far as I know, the earliest mention of this being the case. There is nothing in the Patimokkha itself (see my translation of this list of offences against the rules of the Order in vol. i of the ‘ Vinaya Texts’ in the S.B.E.) as to its recitation taking place in secret, and nothing in the Vinaya as to its being kept secret. But the regulations in the Vinaya as to the recitation of the Patimokkha forbade the actual presence of any one not a member of the Order, and as a matter of fact any one not such a member is excluded in practice during its recitation now in Ceylon. But it would be no offence in a layman to read the Vinaya, and learned laymen who have left the Order still do so. * Vamsa (rcpeated in the Sinhalese). 5 Bhikkhu-bhfmiy4 (also repeated in the Simhalese, p. 252). * Khaé‘iyanam (but the Sihalese has Sakyayangé). 266 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 4, 7- members of the Order only, and be kept secret from all others. And again, just as there are several classes of people, O king, known as distinct in the world—such as wrestlers, tumblers, jugglers, actors, ballet-dancers, and followers of the mystic cult of the sun and moon, of the goddess of fortune and other gods’. And the secrets of each of these sects are handed on in the sect itself, and kept hidden from all others. Just so with the universal custom of all the Tath4gatas that the recitation of the Patimokkha should take place before the members of the Order only, and be kept secret from all others. This is why the recitation of the Patimokkha is, up to that extent, kept secret in accordance with the habit of previous Tathagatas.’
3This is why the recitation of the Patimokkha is, up to that extent, kept secret in accordance with the habit of previous Tathagatas.’ 7. ‘And how is it that the Patimokkha is kept secret, up to that extent, out of reverence for the Dhamma? The Dhamma, great king, is venerable and weighty. He who has attained to proficiency in it may exhort another in this wise: “ Let not this Dhamma so full of truth, so excellent, fall into the hands of those unversed in it, where it would be despised and contemned, treated shamefully, made a game of, and found fault with. Nor let it fall into the hands of the wicked who would deal with it in all respects as badly as they.” It is thus, O king, that the recitation of the PAatimokkha is, up to that 1 There are twenty classes of these people mentioned in the text, and the meaning of most of the names is obscure. The Simhalese simply repeats them all, adding only the word bhaktiyo, ‘believers in,’ to the names of the various divinities. The classing together of jugglers, ballet-dancers, and followers of the numerous mystic cults, so numerous in India, is thoroughly Buddhistic, and quite in the vein of Gotama himself—as, for instance, in the Mahé Sila (see my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ p. 196). IV, 4, 8 ESOTERIC DOCTRINE. 267 extent, kept secret out of reverence for the Dhamma. For if not, then it would be like the best, most costly, and most rare red sandal wood of the finest kind, which when brought to Savara (that city of the outcast Kazd4las') is despised and contemned, treated shamefully, made game of, and found fault with.’ 8. [192] ‘And how is it that the PAtimokkha is kept secret, up to that extent, out of reverence for the position of a member of the Order? The condition of a Bhikkhu, great king, is in glory beyond the reach of calculation by weight, or measure, or price. None can value it, weigh it, measure it. And the recitation of the Patimokkha is carried on before the Bhikkhus alone, lest any one who has occupied that position should be brought down to a level with the men of the world. Just, O king, as if there be any priceless thing, in vesture or floor covering, in elephants, chargers, or chariots, in gold or silver or jewels or pearls or women, or in unsurpassable strong drink *, all such things are the appanage of kings— just so, O king, whatever is most priceless in the way of training, of the traditions of the Blessed One, of learning, of conduct, and of the virtues of righteousness and self-control—all these are the appanages of the Order of Bhikkhus. This is why the recitation of the PAétimokkha is, to that extent, kept secret ®.’ 1 Added from the Simhalese. * Niggita-kamma-sur4, rendered in the Simhalese (p. 254), gaya-grrhita-krtya-sura-panayen. * It will be noticed that there is no mention here (in a connection where, if it had then existed, it would almost certainly have been referred to) of any Esoteric Buddhism. So above, at 268 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 4,9-
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.
1123 of the Sumangala (on Digha I, 3, 24). The Simhalese goes on to much greater length than the P4li, giving the full religious life history of the famous disciple (pp. 250, 251). 264 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. _ IV,4, 4- [ON SECRET DOCTRINE. ] 4. [190] ‘ Venerable NAgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: “The Dhamma and the Vinaya (Doctrine and Canon Law) proclaimed by the Tathagata shine forth when they are displayed, and not when they are concealed?.” But on the other hand the recitation of the P&timokkha and the whole of the Vinaya Pifaka are closed and kept secret*, So that if, Nagasena, you (members of the Order) carried out what is just, and right, and held of faith in the teaching of the Conqueror then would the Vinaya shine forth as an open thing. And why would that be so? Because all the instruction therein, the discipline, the self-control, the regulations as to moral and virtuous conduct, are in their essence full of truth and righteousness, and redounding to emancipation of heart. But if the Blessed One really said that the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathagata shine forth when displayed and not when kept secret, then the saying that the recitation of the Patimokkha and the whole of the Vinaya must be kept secret must be wrong. And if that be right, then the saying of the Blessed One must be wrong. This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’ 5. ‘It was said, O king, by the Blessed One that the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tath4- ' From the Anguttara Nikaya III, 124 (vol. i, p. 283 of Dr. Morris’s edition for the Pali Text Society). 7 In the Vinaya (Mah4vagga II, 16, 8) it is laid down that the Patimokkha (the rules of the Order) is not to be recited before laymen. I know of no passage in the Pi/akas which says that it, or the Vinaya, is to be kept secret. IV, 4, 6. ESOTERIC DOCTRINE. 265 gata shine forth when displayed, and not when kept secret. And on the other hand the recitation of the PAtimokkha and the whole of the Vinaya Pifaka are kept close and secret’. But this last is not the case as regards all men. They are only kept secret up to a certain limit. And the recitation of the Patimokkha is kept secret up to that certain limit on three grounds—firstly because that is the traditional custom? of previous Tathagatas, secondly out of respect for the Truth (Dhamma), and thirdly out of ‘respect for the position of a member of the Order 3,’
2And the recitation of the Patimokkha is kept secret up to that certain limit on three grounds—firstly because that is the traditional custom? of previous Tathagatas, secondly out of respect for the Truth (Dhamma), and thirdly out of ‘respect for the position of a member of the Order 3,’ 6. ‘And as to the first it was the universal custom, O king, of previous Tath4gatas for the recitation of the Patimokkha to take place in the midst of the members of the Order only, to the exclusion of all others. Just, O king, as the Kshatriya secret formulas (of the nobles) are handed down among the nobles alone, and that this or that is so is common tradition among the nobles‘ of the world and kept secret from all others—[191] so was this the universal custom of previous Tathdgatas, that the recitation of the Patimokkha should take place among the ? This is, so far as I know, the earliest mention of this being the case. There is nothing in the Patimokkha itself (see my translation of this list of offences against the rules of the Order in vol. i of the ‘ Vinaya Texts’ in the S.B.E.) as to its recitation taking place in secret, and nothing in the Vinaya as to its being kept secret. But the regulations in the Vinaya as to the recitation of the Patimokkha forbade the actual presence of any one not a member of the Order, and as a matter of fact any one not such a member is excluded in practice during its recitation now in Ceylon. But it would be no offence in a layman to read the Vinaya, and learned laymen who have left the Order still do so. * Vamsa (rcpeated in the Sinhalese). 5 Bhikkhu-bhfmiy4 (also repeated in the Simhalese, p. 252). * Khaé‘iyanam (but the Sihalese has Sakyayangé). 266 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 4, 7- members of the Order only, and be kept secret from all others. And again, just as there are several classes of people, O king, known as distinct in the world—such as wrestlers, tumblers, jugglers, actors, ballet-dancers, and followers of the mystic cult of the sun and moon, of the goddess of fortune and other gods’. And the secrets of each of these sects are handed on in the sect itself, and kept hidden from all others. Just so with the universal custom of all the Tath4gatas that the recitation of the Patimokkha should take place before the members of the Order only, and be kept secret from all others. This is why the recitation of the Patimokkha is, up to that extent, kept secret in accordance with the habit of previous Tathagatas.’
3This is why the recitation of the Patimokkha is, up to that extent, kept secret in accordance with the habit of previous Tathagatas.’ 7. ‘And how is it that the Patimokkha is kept secret, up to that extent, out of reverence for the Dhamma? The Dhamma, great king, is venerable and weighty. He who has attained to proficiency in it may exhort another in this wise: “ Let not this Dhamma so full of truth, so excellent, fall into the hands of those unversed in it, where it would be despised and contemned, treated shamefully, made a game of, and found fault with. Nor let it fall into the hands of the wicked who would deal with it in all respects as badly as they.” It is thus, O king, that the recitation of the PAatimokkha is, up to that 1 There are twenty classes of these people mentioned in the text, and the meaning of most of the names is obscure. The Simhalese simply repeats them all, adding only the word bhaktiyo, ‘believers in,’ to the names of the various divinities. The classing together of jugglers, ballet-dancers, and followers of the numerous mystic cults, so numerous in India, is thoroughly Buddhistic, and quite in the vein of Gotama himself—as, for instance, in the Mahé Sila (see my ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ p. 196). IV, 4, 8 ESOTERIC DOCTRINE. 267 extent, kept secret out of reverence for the Dhamma. For if not, then it would be like the best, most costly, and most rare red sandal wood of the finest kind, which when brought to Savara (that city of the outcast Kazd4las') is despised and contemned, treated shamefully, made game of, and found fault with.’ 8. [192] ‘And how is it that the PAtimokkha is kept secret, up to that extent, out of reverence for the position of a member of the Order? The condition of a Bhikkhu, great king, is in glory beyond the reach of calculation by weight, or measure, or price. None can value it, weigh it, measure it. And the recitation of the Patimokkha is carried on before the Bhikkhus alone, lest any one who has occupied that position should be brought down to a level with the men of the world. Just, O king, as if there be any priceless thing, in vesture or floor covering, in elephants, chargers, or chariots, in gold or silver or jewels or pearls or women, or in unsurpassable strong drink *, all such things are the appanage of kings— just so, O king, whatever is most priceless in the way of training, of the traditions of the Blessed One, of learning, of conduct, and of the virtues of righteousness and self-control—all these are the appanages of the Order of Bhikkhus. This is why the recitation of the PAétimokkha is, to that extent, kept secret ®.’ 1 Added from the Simhalese. * Niggita-kamma-sur4, rendered in the Simhalese (p. 254), gaya-grrhita-krtya-sura-panayen. * It will be noticed that there is no mention here (in a connection where, if it had then existed, it would almost certainly have been referred to) of any Esoteric Buddhism. So above, at 268 THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 4,9-
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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