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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1f Or suppose, O king, a starving man were to attend at a place where a mighty largesse of food2 given for charity was being distributed, and then should go away again, still starving, without eating anything. Whom then would the people blame, the starving man, or the feast of piety ? ' ' It is the starving man, Sir, they would blame, saying : [248] " This fellow, though tormented with hunger, still when the feast of piety was provided for him, partook of nothing, and went back as hungry as before. How could the meal, of which he 1 The Sinhalese (p. 352) inserts here 'Give me, Sir, I pray you, another simile/ and then goes on ' Then suppose, O king, &c/ 2 Bhatta, perhaps rice, as the food par excellence. [36] F 66 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 27. would not eat, enter, of itself, into his mouth ? What fault is there in the food ? " ' * Just so, O king, has the Tathagata placed the most excellent, good, auspicious, delicate ambrosial food, surpassing sweet, of the realisation of the impermanency of all things1, into the casket of his religion, thinking : " May all those of conscious sentient beings who feel within them the torment of sin 2, whose hearts are deadened by cravings, feeding upon this food, allay every longing that they have for future life in any form, in any world." And if any one, without enjoying this food, should turn back, still dominated by his cravings, and return once more to the lower state, it is he whom the people will blame, saying : " This man entered religion according to the doctrine of the Conquerors, and finding no resting-place within it, has returned again to the lower state. How could the religion of the Conquerors, of itself, purify him who would not regulate his life in accordance with it ? What fault is there in the system ? " ' 27. ' If the Tathagata, O king, had let a house- holder be received into the Order only after he had been trained in the first stage of the Excellent Way, then would renunciation of the world no longer indeed be said to avail for the putting away of evil qualities, for purification of heart — then would there be no longer any use in renunciation. It would be as if a man were to have a bathing tank excavated 1 Kayagata-sati: literally ' intentness of mind on (the truth relating to) bodies/ 2 Kilesa-kilant-a^^atta. Compare ^Mtag^atta;/*, Ga- taka I, 345- IV, 6, 28. OF MILINDA THE KING. 6 J by the labour of hundreds (of workpeople 1)} and were then to have a public announcement made : " Let no one who is dirty go down into this tank ! Let only those whose dust and dirt have been washed away, who are purified and stainless, go down into this tank ! " Now would that bath, O king, be of any use to those thus purified and stainless ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! The advantage they would have sought in going into the bath they would have already gained elsewhere. Of what use would the bath be to them then ? '
2" Now would that bath, O king, be of any use to those thus purified and stainless ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! The advantage they would have sought in going into the bath they would have already gained elsewhere. Of what use would the bath be to them then ? ' ' Just so, O king, had the Tathagata ordained that only laymen who had already entered the first stage of the Excellent Way should be received into the Order, then would the advantage they seek in it have been already gained. Of what use would the renunciation be to them then ? 28. ' Or suppose, O king, that a physician, a true follower of the sages of old 2, one who carries (in his memory) the ancient traditions and verses3, a prac- tical man4, skilled in diagnosis, and master of an efficacious and lasting system of treatment, who had collected (from medicinal herbs) a medicine able to cure every disease, were to have it announced : [249] " Let none, Sirs, who are ill come to visit me ! Let the 1 Stonemasons and sculptors are implied as well as navvies. Compare my note at 'Buddhist Suttas,' p. 262. 2 Sabhava-isi-bhattiko. Compare Siva-bhattiko (Saivite) at Mahavawsa, chapter 93, line 17. In ra^a-bhattiko (above, p. 142 of the Pali text) the connotation is different. The Sinhalese (p. 353) repeats the phrase. 3 Suta-manta-dharo, which the Sinhalese repeats. 4 Atakkiko: ' without the theories (vitarka) resorted to by those ignorant of the practice of medicine ' says Hina/i-kumbure. F 2 68 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 29. healthy and the strong visit me!" Now, would then, O king, those men free from illness and disease, healthy and jubilant, get what they wanted from that physician ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! What men want from a physician, that would they have already obtained otherwise. What use would the physician be to them ? ' ' Just so, O king, had the Tathagata ordained that only those laymen who had already entered the first stage of the Excellent Way should be received into the Order, then would the advantages they seek in it have been already gained elsewhere. Of what use would the renunciation be to them then ? 29. ' Or suppose, O king, that some had had many hundreds of dishes of boiled milk-rice prepared1, and were to have it announced to those about him : ' Let not, Sirs, any hungry man approach to this feast of charity. Let those who have well fed, the satisfied, refreshed, and satiated2, those who have regaled themselves, and are filled with good cheer, — let them come to the feast." Now would any ad- vantage, O king, be derived from the feast by those men thus well fed, satisfied, refreshed, satiated, regaled, and filled with good cheer ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! The very advantage they would seek in going to the feast, that would they have already attained elsewhere. What good would the feast be to them ?' ' Just so, O king, had the Tathagata ordained that 1 As Ag-atasattu is said to have done for Devadatta at Gataka I, 186. 2 See above, IV, 6, 5.
3The very advantage they would seek in going to the feast, that would they have already attained elsewhere. What good would the feast be to them ?' ' Just so, O king, had the Tathagata ordained that 1 As Ag-atasattu is said to have done for Devadatta at Gataka I, 186. 2 See above, IV, 6, 5. IV, 6, 31. OF MILINDA THE KING. 69 only those laymen who had already entered the first stage of the Excellent Way should be received into the Order, thus would the advantages they seek in it have been already gained elsewhere. Of what use would the renunciation be to them ? 30. ' But notwithstanding that, O king, they who return to the lower state manifest thereby five im- measurably good qualities in the religion of the Conquerors. And what are the five ? They show how glorious is the state (which those have reached who have entered the Order), how purified it is from every stain, how impossible it is for the sinful to dwell within it together (with the good), how difficult it is to realise (its glory), how many are the restraints to be observed within it. 31. 'And how do they show the mighty glory of that state ? Just, O king, as if a man, poor, and of low birth, without distinction 1, deficient in wisdom, were to come into possession of a great and mighty kingdom, it would not be long before he would be overthrown, utterly destroyed 2, and deprived of his glory, For he would be unable to support his dignity. [250] And why so ? Because of the great- ness thereof. Just so is it, O king, that whosoever are without distinction, have acquired no merit, and are devoid of wisdom, when they renounce the world according to the religion of the Conquerors, then, unable to bear that most excellent renunciation, overthrown, fallen, and deprived of their glory, they return to the lower state. For they are unable to 1 Nibbisesa, not in Childers ; but see, for instance, Gataka II, 32- 2 Paridhawsati. Compare below, IV, 7, 8 (p. 265 of the Pali). 70 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 32. carry out the doctrine of the Conquerors. And why so ? Because of the exalted nature of the con- dition which that doctrine brings about. Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the mighty glory of that state.
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.
1f Or suppose, O king, a starving man were to attend at a place where a mighty largesse of food2 given for charity was being distributed, and then should go away again, still starving, without eating anything. Whom then would the people blame, the starving man, or the feast of piety ? ' ' It is the starving man, Sir, they would blame, saying : [248] " This fellow, though tormented with hunger, still when the feast of piety was provided for him, partook of nothing, and went back as hungry as before. How could the meal, of which he 1 The Sinhalese (p. 352) inserts here 'Give me, Sir, I pray you, another simile/ and then goes on ' Then suppose, O king, &c/ 2 Bhatta, perhaps rice, as the food par excellence. [36] F 66 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 27. would not eat, enter, of itself, into his mouth ? What fault is there in the food ? " ' * Just so, O king, has the Tathagata placed the most excellent, good, auspicious, delicate ambrosial food, surpassing sweet, of the realisation of the impermanency of all things1, into the casket of his religion, thinking : " May all those of conscious sentient beings who feel within them the torment of sin 2, whose hearts are deadened by cravings, feeding upon this food, allay every longing that they have for future life in any form, in any world." And if any one, without enjoying this food, should turn back, still dominated by his cravings, and return once more to the lower state, it is he whom the people will blame, saying : " This man entered religion according to the doctrine of the Conquerors, and finding no resting-place within it, has returned again to the lower state. How could the religion of the Conquerors, of itself, purify him who would not regulate his life in accordance with it ? What fault is there in the system ? " ' 27. ' If the Tathagata, O king, had let a house- holder be received into the Order only after he had been trained in the first stage of the Excellent Way, then would renunciation of the world no longer indeed be said to avail for the putting away of evil qualities, for purification of heart — then would there be no longer any use in renunciation. It would be as if a man were to have a bathing tank excavated 1 Kayagata-sati: literally ' intentness of mind on (the truth relating to) bodies/ 2 Kilesa-kilant-a^^atta. Compare ^Mtag^atta;/*, Ga- taka I, 345- IV, 6, 28. OF MILINDA THE KING. 6 J by the labour of hundreds (of workpeople 1)} and were then to have a public announcement made : " Let no one who is dirty go down into this tank ! Let only those whose dust and dirt have been washed away, who are purified and stainless, go down into this tank ! " Now would that bath, O king, be of any use to those thus purified and stainless ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! The advantage they would have sought in going into the bath they would have already gained elsewhere. Of what use would the bath be to them then ? '
2" Now would that bath, O king, be of any use to those thus purified and stainless ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! The advantage they would have sought in going into the bath they would have already gained elsewhere. Of what use would the bath be to them then ? ' ' Just so, O king, had the Tathagata ordained that only laymen who had already entered the first stage of the Excellent Way should be received into the Order, then would the advantage they seek in it have been already gained. Of what use would the renunciation be to them then ? 28. ' Or suppose, O king, that a physician, a true follower of the sages of old 2, one who carries (in his memory) the ancient traditions and verses3, a prac- tical man4, skilled in diagnosis, and master of an efficacious and lasting system of treatment, who had collected (from medicinal herbs) a medicine able to cure every disease, were to have it announced : [249] " Let none, Sirs, who are ill come to visit me ! Let the 1 Stonemasons and sculptors are implied as well as navvies. Compare my note at 'Buddhist Suttas,' p. 262. 2 Sabhava-isi-bhattiko. Compare Siva-bhattiko (Saivite) at Mahavawsa, chapter 93, line 17. In ra^a-bhattiko (above, p. 142 of the Pali text) the connotation is different. The Sinhalese (p. 353) repeats the phrase. 3 Suta-manta-dharo, which the Sinhalese repeats. 4 Atakkiko: ' without the theories (vitarka) resorted to by those ignorant of the practice of medicine ' says Hina/i-kumbure. F 2 68 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 29. healthy and the strong visit me!" Now, would then, O king, those men free from illness and disease, healthy and jubilant, get what they wanted from that physician ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! What men want from a physician, that would they have already obtained otherwise. What use would the physician be to them ? ' ' Just so, O king, had the Tathagata ordained that only those laymen who had already entered the first stage of the Excellent Way should be received into the Order, then would the advantages they seek in it have been already gained elsewhere. Of what use would the renunciation be to them then ? 29. ' Or suppose, O king, that some had had many hundreds of dishes of boiled milk-rice prepared1, and were to have it announced to those about him : ' Let not, Sirs, any hungry man approach to this feast of charity. Let those who have well fed, the satisfied, refreshed, and satiated2, those who have regaled themselves, and are filled with good cheer, — let them come to the feast." Now would any ad- vantage, O king, be derived from the feast by those men thus well fed, satisfied, refreshed, satiated, regaled, and filled with good cheer ? ' ' Certainly not, Sir ! The very advantage they would seek in going to the feast, that would they have already attained elsewhere. What good would the feast be to them ?' ' Just so, O king, had the Tathagata ordained that 1 As Ag-atasattu is said to have done for Devadatta at Gataka I, 186. 2 See above, IV, 6, 5.
3The very advantage they would seek in going to the feast, that would they have already attained elsewhere. What good would the feast be to them ?' ' Just so, O king, had the Tathagata ordained that 1 As Ag-atasattu is said to have done for Devadatta at Gataka I, 186. 2 See above, IV, 6, 5. IV, 6, 31. OF MILINDA THE KING. 69 only those laymen who had already entered the first stage of the Excellent Way should be received into the Order, thus would the advantages they seek in it have been already gained elsewhere. Of what use would the renunciation be to them ? 30. ' But notwithstanding that, O king, they who return to the lower state manifest thereby five im- measurably good qualities in the religion of the Conquerors. And what are the five ? They show how glorious is the state (which those have reached who have entered the Order), how purified it is from every stain, how impossible it is for the sinful to dwell within it together (with the good), how difficult it is to realise (its glory), how many are the restraints to be observed within it. 31. 'And how do they show the mighty glory of that state ? Just, O king, as if a man, poor, and of low birth, without distinction 1, deficient in wisdom, were to come into possession of a great and mighty kingdom, it would not be long before he would be overthrown, utterly destroyed 2, and deprived of his glory, For he would be unable to support his dignity. [250] And why so ? Because of the great- ness thereof. Just so is it, O king, that whosoever are without distinction, have acquired no merit, and are devoid of wisdom, when they renounce the world according to the religion of the Conquerors, then, unable to bear that most excellent renunciation, overthrown, fallen, and deprived of their glory, they return to the lower state. For they are unable to 1 Nibbisesa, not in Childers ; but see, for instance, Gataka II, 32- 2 Paridhawsati. Compare below, IV, 7, 8 (p. 265 of the Pali). 70 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 32. carry out the doctrine of the Conquerors. And why so ? Because of the exalted nature of the con- dition which that doctrine brings about. Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the mighty glory of that state.
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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