Fetching
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Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Compare 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. 32. ' And how do they show how purified that state is from every stain ? Just, O king, as water, when it has fallen upon a lotus, flows away, disperses, scatters, disappears, adheres not to it. And why so ? Because of the lotus being pure from any spot. Just so, O king, when whosoever are deceitful, tricky, crafty, treacherous, holders of lawless opinions, have been admitted into the religion of the Conquerors, it is not long before they disperse, and scatter, and fall from that pure and stainless, clear and faultless 19 most high and excellent religion, and finding no standing-place in it, adhering no longer to it, they return to the lower state. And why so ? Because the religion of the Conquerors has been purified from every stain. Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the purity of that state from every stain. 33. ' And how do they show how impossible it is for the sinful to dwell within it together with the good ? Just, O king, as the great ocean does not tolerate the continuance in it of a dead corpse2, but whatever corpse may be in the sea, that does it bring quickly to the shore, and cast it out on to the dry land. And why so ? Because the ocean is 1 Nikka»/aka-pa«<£ara: literally 'thornless and yellow-white.' The second of these epithets of the religion (s as an a) is applied to it above, IV, 6, 23 (p. 250 of the Pali). The Sinhalese merely repeats them. 2 On this curious belief see the note above on IV, 3, 39 (p. 187 of the Pali). IV, 6, 34- OF MILINDA THE KING. 7 1 the abode of mighty creatures. Just so, O king, when whosoever are sinful, foolish, with their zeal evaporated, distressed, impure, and bad, have been admitted into the religion of the Conquerors, it is not long before they abandon that religion, and dwelling no longer in it — the abode of the mighty, the Arahats, purified, and free from the Great Evils x — they return to the lower state. And why so ? Be- cause it is impossible for the wicked to dwell in the religion of the Conquerors. Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the impossibility of the sinful to abide within it together with the good. 34. * And how do they show how difficult a state it is to grasp? Just, O king, as archers who are clumsy, untrained, ignorant, and bereft of skill, are incapable of high feats of archery, such as hair- splitting2, but miss the object, and shoot beyond the mark. And why so ? Because of the fineness and minuteness of the horse-hair. [251] Just so, O king, when foolish, stupid, imbecile 3, dull, slow-minded 1 They are lust, dulness, delusion, and ignorance. 2 Valaggavedhaw, 'hair-splitting;' which is also used in the Pi/akas in the secondary sense we too have given to it.
2[251] Just so, O king, when foolish, stupid, imbecile 3, dull, slow-minded 1 They are lust, dulness, delusion, and ignorance. 2 Valaggavedhaw, 'hair-splitting;' which is also used in the Pi/akas in the secondary sense we too have given to it. 3 E/amuga, supposed to mean literally 'deaf and dumb; ' but often (if not always) used in this secondary sense. See 6rataka I, 247, 248 (where both MSS. read elamuga), and Magg/iims. Nikaya I, 20 (where Mr. Trenckner has an interesting note). In both places the fifth century commentators explain the word by lala-mukha, 'drivelling/ supposing it to be derived from ela, ' saliva,' and mukha, ' mouth/ This is certainly wrong, for the last part of the compound is muka, 'dumb/ The fact is that the word was a puzzle, even then. The meaning assigned to it by both Pali and Sanskrit lexicographers of ' deaf and dumb ' has not yet been confirmed by a single passage either in Pali or Sanskrit. And as e</a, 'sheep,' is common in both, in its longer form of e^aka, e/aka, the compound probably meant originally 'as dumb 72 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV. 6, 35. fellows renounce the world according to the doctrine of the Conquerors, then they, unable to grasp the exquisitely fine and subtle distinctions of the Four Truths, missing them, going beyond them, turn back before long to the lower state. And why so ? Because it is so difficult to penetrate into the finenesses and subtleties of the Truths. This is how they show forth the difficulty of its realisation. 35. ' And how do they show how many are the restraints to be observed within it? Just, O king, as a man who had gone to a place where a mighty battle was going on, when, surrounded on all sides by the forces of the enemy, he sees the armed hosts crowding in upon him, will give way, turn back, and take to flight. And why so ? Out of fear lest he should not be saved in the midst of so hot a fight. Just so, O king, when whosoever are wicked x, unrestrained, shameless, foolish, full of ill- will, fickle, unsteady, mean and stupid, renounce the world under the system of the Conquerors, then they, unable to carry out the manifold precepts, give way, turn back, and take to flight, and so before long return to the lower state. And why so ? Because of the multiform nature of the restraints to be observed in the religion of the Conquerors. Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the mani- foldness of the restraints to be observed. as a sheep/ which would be a quite satisfactory basis for the secondary sense of ' imbecile/ in which alone it can be traced in Pali. For the Sanskrit form e^amuka Bohtlingk-Roth give only lexicographers as authority. So el a, ' saliva/ is in Pali only a lexicographer's word, and may have been invented to explain e/amuga, and ane/agala vaka, as at Sumahgala, p. 282. 1 Pakata. Hina/i-kumburS says (p. 356) papakalawu, which suggests a different reading. IV, 6, 37- °F MILINDA THE KING. 73
3So el a, ' saliva/ is in Pali only a lexicographer's word, and may have been invented to explain e/amuga, and ane/agala vaka, as at Sumahgala, p. 282. 1 Pakata. Hina/i-kumburS says (p. 356) papakalawu, which suggests a different reading. IV, 6, 37- °F MILINDA THE KING. 73 36. ' As on that best of flowering shrubs, O king, the double jasmine a, there may be flowers that have been pierced by insects, and their tender stalks being cut to pieces, they may occasionally fall down. But by their having fallen is not the jasmine bush disgraced. For the flowers that still remain upon it pervade every direction with their exquisite perfume. Just so, O king, whosoever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors, return again to the lower state, are, like jasmine flowers bitten by the insects and deprived of their colour and their smell, colourless as it were in their behaviour, and incapable of development. But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Con- querors put to shame. For the members of the Order who remain in the religion pervade the world of gods and men with the exquisite perfume of their right conduct. 37. ' Among rice plants that are healthy [252] and ruddy there may spring up a kind of rice plant called Karumbhaka2, and that may occasionally fade. But by its fading are not the red rice plants dis- graced. For those that remain become the food of kings. Just so, O king, whosoever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors re- turn again to the lower state, they, like Karumbhaka plants among the red rice, may grow not, nor attain development, and may even occasionally relapse into the lower state. But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Conquerors put to shame, 1 Vassika. So also above, IV, 3, 32 (p. 183 of the Pali). 2 'A yellowish white kawalu sort' says Hina/i-kumbur6, and Clough renders kawalu by 'a species of panic grass' (panicum glaucum). The word has only been found in this passage. 74 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 38. for the brethren that remain stedfast become fitted even for Arahatship. 38. ' On one side, O king, of a wish conferring gem a roughness l may arise. But by the appear- ance of that roughness is not the gem disgraced. For the purity that remains in the gem fills the people with gladness. And just so, O king, who- soever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors return again to the lower state, they may be rough ones and fallen ones in the religion. But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Conquerors put to shame, for the brethren who remain stedfast are the cause of joy springing up in the hearts of gods and men.
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.
1Compare 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. 32. ' And how do they show how purified that state is from every stain ? Just, O king, as water, when it has fallen upon a lotus, flows away, disperses, scatters, disappears, adheres not to it. And why so ? Because of the lotus being pure from any spot. Just so, O king, when whosoever are deceitful, tricky, crafty, treacherous, holders of lawless opinions, have been admitted into the religion of the Conquerors, it is not long before they disperse, and scatter, and fall from that pure and stainless, clear and faultless 19 most high and excellent religion, and finding no standing-place in it, adhering no longer to it, they return to the lower state. And why so ? Because the religion of the Conquerors has been purified from every stain. Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the purity of that state from every stain. 33. ' And how do they show how impossible it is for the sinful to dwell within it together with the good ? Just, O king, as the great ocean does not tolerate the continuance in it of a dead corpse2, but whatever corpse may be in the sea, that does it bring quickly to the shore, and cast it out on to the dry land. And why so ? Because the ocean is 1 Nikka»/aka-pa«<£ara: literally 'thornless and yellow-white.' The second of these epithets of the religion (s as an a) is applied to it above, IV, 6, 23 (p. 250 of the Pali). The Sinhalese merely repeats them. 2 On this curious belief see the note above on IV, 3, 39 (p. 187 of the Pali). IV, 6, 34- OF MILINDA THE KING. 7 1 the abode of mighty creatures. Just so, O king, when whosoever are sinful, foolish, with their zeal evaporated, distressed, impure, and bad, have been admitted into the religion of the Conquerors, it is not long before they abandon that religion, and dwelling no longer in it — the abode of the mighty, the Arahats, purified, and free from the Great Evils x — they return to the lower state. And why so ? Be- cause it is impossible for the wicked to dwell in the religion of the Conquerors. Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the impossibility of the sinful to abide within it together with the good. 34. * And how do they show how difficult a state it is to grasp? Just, O king, as archers who are clumsy, untrained, ignorant, and bereft of skill, are incapable of high feats of archery, such as hair- splitting2, but miss the object, and shoot beyond the mark. And why so ? Because of the fineness and minuteness of the horse-hair. [251] Just so, O king, when foolish, stupid, imbecile 3, dull, slow-minded 1 They are lust, dulness, delusion, and ignorance. 2 Valaggavedhaw, 'hair-splitting;' which is also used in the Pi/akas in the secondary sense we too have given to it.
2[251] Just so, O king, when foolish, stupid, imbecile 3, dull, slow-minded 1 They are lust, dulness, delusion, and ignorance. 2 Valaggavedhaw, 'hair-splitting;' which is also used in the Pi/akas in the secondary sense we too have given to it. 3 E/amuga, supposed to mean literally 'deaf and dumb; ' but often (if not always) used in this secondary sense. See 6rataka I, 247, 248 (where both MSS. read elamuga), and Magg/iims. Nikaya I, 20 (where Mr. Trenckner has an interesting note). In both places the fifth century commentators explain the word by lala-mukha, 'drivelling/ supposing it to be derived from ela, ' saliva,' and mukha, ' mouth/ This is certainly wrong, for the last part of the compound is muka, 'dumb/ The fact is that the word was a puzzle, even then. The meaning assigned to it by both Pali and Sanskrit lexicographers of ' deaf and dumb ' has not yet been confirmed by a single passage either in Pali or Sanskrit. And as e</a, 'sheep,' is common in both, in its longer form of e^aka, e/aka, the compound probably meant originally 'as dumb 72 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV. 6, 35. fellows renounce the world according to the doctrine of the Conquerors, then they, unable to grasp the exquisitely fine and subtle distinctions of the Four Truths, missing them, going beyond them, turn back before long to the lower state. And why so ? Because it is so difficult to penetrate into the finenesses and subtleties of the Truths. This is how they show forth the difficulty of its realisation. 35. ' And how do they show how many are the restraints to be observed within it? Just, O king, as a man who had gone to a place where a mighty battle was going on, when, surrounded on all sides by the forces of the enemy, he sees the armed hosts crowding in upon him, will give way, turn back, and take to flight. And why so ? Out of fear lest he should not be saved in the midst of so hot a fight. Just so, O king, when whosoever are wicked x, unrestrained, shameless, foolish, full of ill- will, fickle, unsteady, mean and stupid, renounce the world under the system of the Conquerors, then they, unable to carry out the manifold precepts, give way, turn back, and take to flight, and so before long return to the lower state. And why so ? Because of the multiform nature of the restraints to be observed in the religion of the Conquerors. Thus is it, O king, that they show forth the mani- foldness of the restraints to be observed. as a sheep/ which would be a quite satisfactory basis for the secondary sense of ' imbecile/ in which alone it can be traced in Pali. For the Sanskrit form e^amuka Bohtlingk-Roth give only lexicographers as authority. So el a, ' saliva/ is in Pali only a lexicographer's word, and may have been invented to explain e/amuga, and ane/agala vaka, as at Sumahgala, p. 282. 1 Pakata. Hina/i-kumburS says (p. 356) papakalawu, which suggests a different reading. IV, 6, 37- °F MILINDA THE KING. 73
3So el a, ' saliva/ is in Pali only a lexicographer's word, and may have been invented to explain e/amuga, and ane/agala vaka, as at Sumahgala, p. 282. 1 Pakata. Hina/i-kumburS says (p. 356) papakalawu, which suggests a different reading. IV, 6, 37- °F MILINDA THE KING. 73 36. ' As on that best of flowering shrubs, O king, the double jasmine a, there may be flowers that have been pierced by insects, and their tender stalks being cut to pieces, they may occasionally fall down. But by their having fallen is not the jasmine bush disgraced. For the flowers that still remain upon it pervade every direction with their exquisite perfume. Just so, O king, whosoever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors, return again to the lower state, are, like jasmine flowers bitten by the insects and deprived of their colour and their smell, colourless as it were in their behaviour, and incapable of development. But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Con- querors put to shame. For the members of the Order who remain in the religion pervade the world of gods and men with the exquisite perfume of their right conduct. 37. ' Among rice plants that are healthy [252] and ruddy there may spring up a kind of rice plant called Karumbhaka2, and that may occasionally fade. But by its fading are not the red rice plants dis- graced. For those that remain become the food of kings. Just so, O king, whosoever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors re- turn again to the lower state, they, like Karumbhaka plants among the red rice, may grow not, nor attain development, and may even occasionally relapse into the lower state. But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Conquerors put to shame, 1 Vassika. So also above, IV, 3, 32 (p. 183 of the Pali). 2 'A yellowish white kawalu sort' says Hina/i-kumbur6, and Clough renders kawalu by 'a species of panic grass' (panicum glaucum). The word has only been found in this passage. 74 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 6, 38. for the brethren that remain stedfast become fitted even for Arahatship. 38. ' On one side, O king, of a wish conferring gem a roughness l may arise. But by the appear- ance of that roughness is not the gem disgraced. For the purity that remains in the gem fills the people with gladness. And just so, O king, who- soever having renounced the world under the system of the Conquerors return again to the lower state, they may be rough ones and fallen ones in the religion. But by their backsliding is not the religion of the Conquerors put to shame, for the brethren who remain stedfast are the cause of joy springing up in the hearts of gods and men.
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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