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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Tell me the reason of this, that I may put away my doubt/ 1 Ahguttara Nikaya I, 15, 10. 2 These divisions of the seven 'Jewels of the Law' of Arahatship are set out in my ' Buddhist Suttas/ pp. 62-63. 3 Adhisila, adhi^itta, and adhipa##a. 4 Appamada. 48 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 5- 5. ' This world system, O king, is a one-Buddha- supporting world ; that is, it can bear the virtue of only a single Tathagata. If a second Tathagata were to arise the world could not bear him, it would shake and tremble, it would bend, this way and that, it would disperse, scatter into pieces, dissolve, be utterly destroyed. Just as a boat, O king, might be able to carry one passenger across. Then, when one man had got on board, it would be well trimmed and able to bear his weight1. But if a second man were to come like to the first in age and caste and strength and size and stoutness of body and build of frame, and he too should get on board the boat — would that boat be able, O king, to carry them both ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! it would shake and tremble ; it would bend, this way and that ; it would break into pieces, be shattered, dissolved, and utterly destroyed; it would sink into the waves/ ' Just so, O king, with this world, if a second Tathagata were to appear. Or suppose, O king, that a man [238] had eaten as much food as he wanted, even so that he had filled himself with nourishment up to the throat, and he — thus satiated 2, regaled, filled with good cheer, with no room left for more, drowsy and stiff as a stick one cannot bend — were again to eat as much food as he had eaten before — would such a man, O king, then be at ease ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! If he were to eat again, but once more, he would die.' 1 Samupadika, for which the Sinhalese has sama bara wan- niya, usulana sulu wanniya. 2 Dhato; not in Childers, but see G&taka II, 247, Mahavagga VI, 25, 1, and below, IV, 6, 29. IV, 6, 7- OF MILINDA THE KING. 49 ' Well, no more could this world bear a second Tathagata, than that man could bear a second meal.' 6. ' But how is that, Nagasena ? Would the earth tremble at a too great weight of goodness ? ' ' Suppose, O king, there were two carts quite filled with precious things up to the top *, and people were to take the things from the one cart and pile them up on the other, would that one be able to carry the weight of both ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! The nave of its wheels would split, and the spokes would break, and the cir- cumference would fall to pieces, and the axle-tree would break in twain2.' ' But how is that, O king ? Would the cart come to pieces owing to the too great weight of goods ? ' ' Yes, it would/ 7. ' Well, just so, O king, would the earth tremble owing to the too great weight of goodness. But that argument has been adduced to make the power of the Buddhas known3. Hear another fitting reason why two Buddhas could not appear at the same
2' ' Yes, it would/ 7. ' Well, just so, O king, would the earth tremble owing to the too great weight of goodness. But that argument has been adduced to make the power of the Buddhas known3. Hear another fitting reason why two Buddhas could not appear at the same 1 Literally ' mouth/ I presume a small uncovered bullock cart is meant, like that figured in Plate 57 in Cunningham's 'Bharhut Tope.' The chariot on the other hand is of the shape given in Plates 3, 34, 35 of Fergussons ' Tree and Serpent Worship/ The usual form of the bullock cart has also a hood, or cover, as clearly shown in Fergusson's Plate No. 65, and Cunningham's Plate No. 34. But the one here referred to cannot have had the cover over it, for then the supposition that more goods were piled on to it, when full, would be an impossible one. I know of no other passage where the mukha, literally ' mouth/ of a cart is men- tioned, and I may possibly be wrong in rendering it « top/ 2 This simile has already been used in the Vessantara Dilemma above, I, 173. 3 Our author himself here confesses that his thoughts are more on edification than on logic. [36] E 50 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 8. time. If, O king, two Buddhas were to arise together, then would disputes arise between their followers, and at the words : " Your Buddha, our Buddha," they would divide off into two parties — just as would the followers of two rival powerful ministers of state. This is the other [239] reason, O king, why two Buddhas could not appear at the same time. 8. * Hear a further reason, O king, why two Buddhas could not appear at the same time. If that were so, then the passage (of Scripture) that the Buddha is the chief would become false, and the passage that the Buddha takes precedence of all would become false, and the passage that the Buddha is the best of all would become false. And so all those passages where the Buddha is said to be the most excellent, the most exalted, the highest of all, the peerless one, without an equal, the matchless one, who hath neither counterpart nor rival — all would be proved false. Accept this reason too as in truth a reason why two Buddhas cannot arise at once. 9. ' But besides that, O king, this is a natural characteristic of the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, that one Buddha only should arise in the world. And why ? By reason of the greatness of the virtue of the all-knowing Buddhas. Of other things also, whatever is mighty in the world is singular. The broad earth is great, O king, and it is only one. The ocean is mighty, and it is only one. Sineru, the king of the mountains, is great ; and it is only one. Space is mighty, and it is only one. Sakka (the king of the gods) is great, and he is only one. Mara (the Evil One, Death) is great, and he is only one. Maha-Brahma is mighty, and he is only one. TV, 6, io. OF MILINDA THE KING. 5 1
3Sineru, the king of the mountains, is great ; and it is only one. Space is mighty, and it is only one. Sakka (the king of the gods) is great, and he is only one. Mara (the Evil One, Death) is great, and he is only one. Maha-Brahma is mighty, and he is only one. TV, 6, io. OF MILINDA THE KING. 5 1 A Tathagata, an Arahat Buddha supreme, is great ; and he is alone in the world. Wherever any one of these spring up, then there is no room for a second. And therefore, O king, is it that only one Tathagata, an Arahat Buddha supreme, can appear at one time in the world/ ' Well has the puzzle, Nagasena, been discussed by simile adduced and reason given. Even an un- intelligent man on hearing this would be satisfied; how much rather one great in wisdom as myself. Very good, Nagasena ! That is so, and I accept it as you say/ [Here ends the dilemma as to why there should be only one Buddha at a time in the world.] [dilemma the fifty-third. why should gifts be given to the order rather than to the buddha ?] [240] 10. ' Venerable Nagasena, the Blessed One said to his mothers sister1, Maha-Pa^apati the Gotami, when she was about to give him a cloth wrapper for use in the rainy season2 : " Give it, O Gotama, to the Order. If the Order is presented by you with it, then will you have paid homage thereby alike to the Order and to me 3." * But what, N&gasena ? Is not the Tathagata of 1 There is no general word in Pali for aunt or uncle. There are separate expressions for each of the degrees of relationship expressed by those words in English — mother's brother, father's sister, &c. 2 Vassika-sa/ika. See the note at 'Vinaya Texts,' vol. ii, p. 225 (Sacred Books of the East, vol. xvii). 3 From the Ganta Sutta (Magg^ima Nikaya, No. 142). See Mr. Trenckner's note, E 2 52 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, n. greater weight and importance, and more worthy of gifts than even the jewel treasure of the Order, that the Tathagata should have told his aunt, when about to present him with a wrapper for the rainy season which she herself had carded and pressed and beaten and cut and woven \ to give it to the Order ! If, Nagasena, the Tathagata were really higher and greater and more excellent than the Order, then he would have known that a gift given to him would be most meritorious, and therefore would not have told her to give it to the Order. But inasmuch as the Tathagata, Nagasena, puts himself not in the way of gifts to himself, gives no occasion for such gifts, you see that he then told his aunt to give that wrapper rather to the Order/
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.
1Tell me the reason of this, that I may put away my doubt/ 1 Ahguttara Nikaya I, 15, 10. 2 These divisions of the seven 'Jewels of the Law' of Arahatship are set out in my ' Buddhist Suttas/ pp. 62-63. 3 Adhisila, adhi^itta, and adhipa##a. 4 Appamada. 48 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 5- 5. ' This world system, O king, is a one-Buddha- supporting world ; that is, it can bear the virtue of only a single Tathagata. If a second Tathagata were to arise the world could not bear him, it would shake and tremble, it would bend, this way and that, it would disperse, scatter into pieces, dissolve, be utterly destroyed. Just as a boat, O king, might be able to carry one passenger across. Then, when one man had got on board, it would be well trimmed and able to bear his weight1. But if a second man were to come like to the first in age and caste and strength and size and stoutness of body and build of frame, and he too should get on board the boat — would that boat be able, O king, to carry them both ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! it would shake and tremble ; it would bend, this way and that ; it would break into pieces, be shattered, dissolved, and utterly destroyed; it would sink into the waves/ ' Just so, O king, with this world, if a second Tathagata were to appear. Or suppose, O king, that a man [238] had eaten as much food as he wanted, even so that he had filled himself with nourishment up to the throat, and he — thus satiated 2, regaled, filled with good cheer, with no room left for more, drowsy and stiff as a stick one cannot bend — were again to eat as much food as he had eaten before — would such a man, O king, then be at ease ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! If he were to eat again, but once more, he would die.' 1 Samupadika, for which the Sinhalese has sama bara wan- niya, usulana sulu wanniya. 2 Dhato; not in Childers, but see G&taka II, 247, Mahavagga VI, 25, 1, and below, IV, 6, 29. IV, 6, 7- OF MILINDA THE KING. 49 ' Well, no more could this world bear a second Tathagata, than that man could bear a second meal.' 6. ' But how is that, Nagasena ? Would the earth tremble at a too great weight of goodness ? ' ' Suppose, O king, there were two carts quite filled with precious things up to the top *, and people were to take the things from the one cart and pile them up on the other, would that one be able to carry the weight of both ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! The nave of its wheels would split, and the spokes would break, and the cir- cumference would fall to pieces, and the axle-tree would break in twain2.' ' But how is that, O king ? Would the cart come to pieces owing to the too great weight of goods ? ' ' Yes, it would/ 7. ' Well, just so, O king, would the earth tremble owing to the too great weight of goodness. But that argument has been adduced to make the power of the Buddhas known3. Hear another fitting reason why two Buddhas could not appear at the same
2' ' Yes, it would/ 7. ' Well, just so, O king, would the earth tremble owing to the too great weight of goodness. But that argument has been adduced to make the power of the Buddhas known3. Hear another fitting reason why two Buddhas could not appear at the same 1 Literally ' mouth/ I presume a small uncovered bullock cart is meant, like that figured in Plate 57 in Cunningham's 'Bharhut Tope.' The chariot on the other hand is of the shape given in Plates 3, 34, 35 of Fergussons ' Tree and Serpent Worship/ The usual form of the bullock cart has also a hood, or cover, as clearly shown in Fergusson's Plate No. 65, and Cunningham's Plate No. 34. But the one here referred to cannot have had the cover over it, for then the supposition that more goods were piled on to it, when full, would be an impossible one. I know of no other passage where the mukha, literally ' mouth/ of a cart is men- tioned, and I may possibly be wrong in rendering it « top/ 2 This simile has already been used in the Vessantara Dilemma above, I, 173. 3 Our author himself here confesses that his thoughts are more on edification than on logic. [36] E 50 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 8. time. If, O king, two Buddhas were to arise together, then would disputes arise between their followers, and at the words : " Your Buddha, our Buddha," they would divide off into two parties — just as would the followers of two rival powerful ministers of state. This is the other [239] reason, O king, why two Buddhas could not appear at the same time. 8. * Hear a further reason, O king, why two Buddhas could not appear at the same time. If that were so, then the passage (of Scripture) that the Buddha is the chief would become false, and the passage that the Buddha takes precedence of all would become false, and the passage that the Buddha is the best of all would become false. And so all those passages where the Buddha is said to be the most excellent, the most exalted, the highest of all, the peerless one, without an equal, the matchless one, who hath neither counterpart nor rival — all would be proved false. Accept this reason too as in truth a reason why two Buddhas cannot arise at once. 9. ' But besides that, O king, this is a natural characteristic of the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, that one Buddha only should arise in the world. And why ? By reason of the greatness of the virtue of the all-knowing Buddhas. Of other things also, whatever is mighty in the world is singular. The broad earth is great, O king, and it is only one. The ocean is mighty, and it is only one. Sineru, the king of the mountains, is great ; and it is only one. Space is mighty, and it is only one. Sakka (the king of the gods) is great, and he is only one. Mara (the Evil One, Death) is great, and he is only one. Maha-Brahma is mighty, and he is only one. TV, 6, io. OF MILINDA THE KING. 5 1
3Sineru, the king of the mountains, is great ; and it is only one. Space is mighty, and it is only one. Sakka (the king of the gods) is great, and he is only one. Mara (the Evil One, Death) is great, and he is only one. Maha-Brahma is mighty, and he is only one. TV, 6, io. OF MILINDA THE KING. 5 1 A Tathagata, an Arahat Buddha supreme, is great ; and he is alone in the world. Wherever any one of these spring up, then there is no room for a second. And therefore, O king, is it that only one Tathagata, an Arahat Buddha supreme, can appear at one time in the world/ ' Well has the puzzle, Nagasena, been discussed by simile adduced and reason given. Even an un- intelligent man on hearing this would be satisfied; how much rather one great in wisdom as myself. Very good, Nagasena ! That is so, and I accept it as you say/ [Here ends the dilemma as to why there should be only one Buddha at a time in the world.] [dilemma the fifty-third. why should gifts be given to the order rather than to the buddha ?] [240] 10. ' Venerable Nagasena, the Blessed One said to his mothers sister1, Maha-Pa^apati the Gotami, when she was about to give him a cloth wrapper for use in the rainy season2 : " Give it, O Gotama, to the Order. If the Order is presented by you with it, then will you have paid homage thereby alike to the Order and to me 3." * But what, N&gasena ? Is not the Tathagata of 1 There is no general word in Pali for aunt or uncle. There are separate expressions for each of the degrees of relationship expressed by those words in English — mother's brother, father's sister, &c. 2 Vassika-sa/ika. See the note at 'Vinaya Texts,' vol. ii, p. 225 (Sacred Books of the East, vol. xvii). 3 From the Ganta Sutta (Magg^ima Nikaya, No. 142). See Mr. Trenckner's note, E 2 52 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, n. greater weight and importance, and more worthy of gifts than even the jewel treasure of the Order, that the Tathagata should have told his aunt, when about to present him with a wrapper for the rainy season which she herself had carded and pressed and beaten and cut and woven \ to give it to the Order ! If, Nagasena, the Tathagata were really higher and greater and more excellent than the Order, then he would have known that a gift given to him would be most meritorious, and therefore would not have told her to give it to the Order. But inasmuch as the Tathagata, Nagasena, puts himself not in the way of gifts to himself, gives no occasion for such gifts, you see that he then told his aunt to give that wrapper rather to the Order/
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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