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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1But see next page, note 2. TV, 8, 64. OF MILINDA THE KING. 187 is a point that should be left alone. The physicists l have never examined into the ocean in that way. And no one can measure the water there, or count the creatures who dwell therein." Thus, Sir, should I make reply.' 63. ' But why, O king, would you make such a reply about the ocean which, after all, is really an existing condition of things 2. Ought you not rather to count and tell him, saying : " So and so much is the water in the sea, and so and so many are the creatures that dwell therein?" ' ' That would be impossible, Sir. The question is beyond one's power/ * As impossible as it is, O king, to tell the measure of the water in the sea, or the number of the crea- tures dwelling therein, though after all the sea exists, so impossible is it in any of the ways you suggest to tell the form, or figure, or duration, or measure of Nirvana, though after all it is a condition that does exist. [317] And even, O king, if one of magical powers, master over mind, were to be able to count the water and the creatures in the sea, even he could not tell the form or the figure, the duration or the measure of Nirvana. 64. ' And hear another explanation of the same thing, O king. Are there, O king, among the gods certain of them called " The Formless Ones 3 ? " ' 1 Lokakkhayika, ' those who have in former days enquired into and described the world/ says the Sinhalese. 2 Atthidhammassa again, which Hina/i-kumbure now renders ceti swabhawawu. 'Pourquoi re'ponds-tu ainsi au sujet de l'&at naturel du grand ocean,' says the French. (Compare above, p. 270 of the Pali.) 3 Arupakayika. It is very odd that Hina/i-kumbure takes the word here, and in the answer, as a feminine singular, and still 1 88 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 8, 65. ' Yes, Sir. I have heard there are such/ ' Well, O king, can you make clear by metaphor, or explanation, or reason, or argument the form, or figure, or duration1, or size of these gods, the " Form- less Ones ? " ' ' No, I cannot.' ' Then, O king, there are none.' ' The Formless Ones, Sir, do exist ; and yet it is impossible in any of the ways you suggest to explain either their form or figure, either their duration or their size/ ' As impossible as it is, O king, to tell the form or figure, the duration or the size of the gods called " Formless Ones," though they after all are beings that exist 2, so impossible is it in any of the ways you suggest to explain the form or the figure, the duration or the measure of Nirvana, though after all it is a condition that does exist/ 65. 'Venerable Nagasena, I will grant you that Nirva/za is bliss unalloyed, and yet that is impos- sible to make clear, either by simile or explanation, by reason or by argument, either its form or its figure, either its duration or its size. But is there no quality of Nirvana which is inherent also in other
2But is there no quality of Nirvana which is inherent also in other more so that the French translation takes it throughout as a mas- culine singular. But the Sinhalese throughout the sequel treats it properly as a plural nominative ; and there can be little doubt that the inhabitants, or some of the inhabitants, of the ' Formless Realm/ the Arupava^ara or Arupa-brahma-loka, are referred to. But this name is different from those given to any of these gods in Childers, and I cannot trace it in the Pi/akas as applied to any of them. 1 I follow the Pali, which still has vaya*#. The Sinhalese has here and below wina^aya. 2 Atthisattanaffz yeva, which the Sinhalese, p. 460, repre- sents merely by cettawu. IV, 8, 66. OF MILINDA THE KING. 1 89 things *, and is such that it can be made evident by metaphor2 ?' * Though there is nothing as to its form which can be so explained, there is something, O king, as to its qualities which can/ [318] ' O happy word, Nagasena ! Speak then, quickly, that I may have an explanation of even one point in the characteristics of Nirvana. Appease the fever of my heart. Allay it by the cool sweet breezes of your words ! ' ' There is one quality of the lotus, O king, inherent in Nirvana, and two qualities of water, and three of medicine, and four of the ocean, and five of food, and ten of space, and three of the wish-conferring gem, and three of red sandal wood, and three of the froth of ghee, and five of a mountain peak/ 66. ' Venerable Nagasena, that one quality of the lotus which you said was inherent in Nirvana, — which is that ? ' ' As the lotus, O king, is untarnished by the water3, so is Nirvana untarnished by any evil dispo- sitions. This is the one quality of the lotus inherent in Nirvana/ 1 Annehi anupavi/Ma/^ ; ' not previously explained by others,' says Hina/i-kumbure\ Neither rendering is altogether satisfactory. Perhaps ' of which you have been convinced by others/ in agree- ment with the use of the word above, p. 270 of the Pali. 2 In the French of Mr. da Sylva this sentence runs (p. 342): ' Mais venerable, ny a-t-il pas une vertu du Nirvana dont on puisse percevoir quelque ressemblance/ 3 That is, no drop of water adheres to the lotus, though it is surrounded by water and water may fall on it. For instances of the frequent similes drawn from this fact see below, V, 14; and Dhammapada 401 ; Sutta Nipata II, 14, 17 ; III, 9, 32 ; IV, 6, 9. The French translation is : ' de meme que le lotus eleve fierement sa tete au-dessus de Teau ' (!). I90 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 8, 67. 67. ' Venerable Nagasena, those two qualities of water which you said were inherent in Nirvana, — which are they ?'
3The French translation is : ' de meme que le lotus eleve fierement sa tete au-dessus de Teau ' (!). I90 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 8, 67. 67. ' Venerable Nagasena, those two qualities of water which you said were inherent in Nirvana, — which are they ?' ' As water, O king, is cool and assuages heat, so also is Nirvana cool, and assuages the fever arising from all evil dispositions. This is the first quality of water inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as water allays the thirst of men and beasts when they are exhausted and anxious, craving for drink, and tormented by thirst, so does Nirvana allay the thirst of the craving after lusts, the craving after future life, and the craving after worldly prosperity 1. This is the second quality of water inherent in Nirvana.' 68. ' Venerable Nagasena, those three qualities of medicine, which you said were inherent in Nirvana, — which are they ? ' [319] 'As medicine, O king, is the refuge of beings tormented by poison, so is Nirvana the refuge of beings tormented with the poison of evil dispositions. This is the first quality of medicine inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as medi- cine puts an end to diseases, so does Nirvana put an end to griefs. This is the second quality of medicine inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as medicine is ambrosia2, so also is Nirvana ambrosia. This is the third quality of medicine inherent in Nirvana.' 1 On these fundamental conceptions see my notes in ' Buddhist Suttas/ pp. 148, 149, where it is shown that the three ' cravings' which end in Nirvana are pretty much the same as the lust of the flesh, theism, and materialism. 2 Am at a, the translation of which word by 'immortality ' has given rise to so much confusion. So the French here says * la medecine a le pouvoir de combattre la mort/ which is nearly as bad. See the Appendix. IV, 8, 69. OF MILINDA THE KING. 191 69. * Venerable Nagasena, those four qualities of the ocean which you said were inherent in Nirvana, — which are they ? ' 'As the ocean, O king, is free from (empty of) corpses1, so also is Nirvana free from (empty of) the dead bodies of all evil dispositions 2. This, O king, is the first quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as the ocean is mighty and boundless, and fills not with all the rivers that flow in to it ; so is Nirvana mighty and boundless, and fills not with all beings (who enter in to it). This is the second quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as the ocean is the abode of mighty creatures, so is Nir- vana the abode of great men — Arahats, in whom the Great Evils and all stains have been destroyed, endowed with power, masters of themselves. This is the third quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as the ocean is all in blossom :j, as it were, with the innumerable and various and fine flowers of the ripple of its waves, so is Nirva;/a all in blossom, as it were, with the innumerable and
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.
1But see next page, note 2. TV, 8, 64. OF MILINDA THE KING. 187 is a point that should be left alone. The physicists l have never examined into the ocean in that way. And no one can measure the water there, or count the creatures who dwell therein." Thus, Sir, should I make reply.' 63. ' But why, O king, would you make such a reply about the ocean which, after all, is really an existing condition of things 2. Ought you not rather to count and tell him, saying : " So and so much is the water in the sea, and so and so many are the creatures that dwell therein?" ' ' That would be impossible, Sir. The question is beyond one's power/ * As impossible as it is, O king, to tell the measure of the water in the sea, or the number of the crea- tures dwelling therein, though after all the sea exists, so impossible is it in any of the ways you suggest to tell the form, or figure, or duration, or measure of Nirvana, though after all it is a condition that does exist. [317] And even, O king, if one of magical powers, master over mind, were to be able to count the water and the creatures in the sea, even he could not tell the form or the figure, the duration or the measure of Nirvana. 64. ' And hear another explanation of the same thing, O king. Are there, O king, among the gods certain of them called " The Formless Ones 3 ? " ' 1 Lokakkhayika, ' those who have in former days enquired into and described the world/ says the Sinhalese. 2 Atthidhammassa again, which Hina/i-kumbure now renders ceti swabhawawu. 'Pourquoi re'ponds-tu ainsi au sujet de l'&at naturel du grand ocean,' says the French. (Compare above, p. 270 of the Pali.) 3 Arupakayika. It is very odd that Hina/i-kumbure takes the word here, and in the answer, as a feminine singular, and still 1 88 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 8, 65. ' Yes, Sir. I have heard there are such/ ' Well, O king, can you make clear by metaphor, or explanation, or reason, or argument the form, or figure, or duration1, or size of these gods, the " Form- less Ones ? " ' ' No, I cannot.' ' Then, O king, there are none.' ' The Formless Ones, Sir, do exist ; and yet it is impossible in any of the ways you suggest to explain either their form or figure, either their duration or their size/ ' As impossible as it is, O king, to tell the form or figure, the duration or the size of the gods called " Formless Ones," though they after all are beings that exist 2, so impossible is it in any of the ways you suggest to explain the form or the figure, the duration or the measure of Nirvana, though after all it is a condition that does exist/ 65. 'Venerable Nagasena, I will grant you that Nirva/za is bliss unalloyed, and yet that is impos- sible to make clear, either by simile or explanation, by reason or by argument, either its form or its figure, either its duration or its size. But is there no quality of Nirvana which is inherent also in other
2But is there no quality of Nirvana which is inherent also in other more so that the French translation takes it throughout as a mas- culine singular. But the Sinhalese throughout the sequel treats it properly as a plural nominative ; and there can be little doubt that the inhabitants, or some of the inhabitants, of the ' Formless Realm/ the Arupava^ara or Arupa-brahma-loka, are referred to. But this name is different from those given to any of these gods in Childers, and I cannot trace it in the Pi/akas as applied to any of them. 1 I follow the Pali, which still has vaya*#. The Sinhalese has here and below wina^aya. 2 Atthisattanaffz yeva, which the Sinhalese, p. 460, repre- sents merely by cettawu. IV, 8, 66. OF MILINDA THE KING. 1 89 things *, and is such that it can be made evident by metaphor2 ?' * Though there is nothing as to its form which can be so explained, there is something, O king, as to its qualities which can/ [318] ' O happy word, Nagasena ! Speak then, quickly, that I may have an explanation of even one point in the characteristics of Nirvana. Appease the fever of my heart. Allay it by the cool sweet breezes of your words ! ' ' There is one quality of the lotus, O king, inherent in Nirvana, and two qualities of water, and three of medicine, and four of the ocean, and five of food, and ten of space, and three of the wish-conferring gem, and three of red sandal wood, and three of the froth of ghee, and five of a mountain peak/ 66. ' Venerable Nagasena, that one quality of the lotus which you said was inherent in Nirvana, — which is that ? ' ' As the lotus, O king, is untarnished by the water3, so is Nirvana untarnished by any evil dispo- sitions. This is the one quality of the lotus inherent in Nirvana/ 1 Annehi anupavi/Ma/^ ; ' not previously explained by others,' says Hina/i-kumbure\ Neither rendering is altogether satisfactory. Perhaps ' of which you have been convinced by others/ in agree- ment with the use of the word above, p. 270 of the Pali. 2 In the French of Mr. da Sylva this sentence runs (p. 342): ' Mais venerable, ny a-t-il pas une vertu du Nirvana dont on puisse percevoir quelque ressemblance/ 3 That is, no drop of water adheres to the lotus, though it is surrounded by water and water may fall on it. For instances of the frequent similes drawn from this fact see below, V, 14; and Dhammapada 401 ; Sutta Nipata II, 14, 17 ; III, 9, 32 ; IV, 6, 9. The French translation is : ' de meme que le lotus eleve fierement sa tete au-dessus de Teau ' (!). I90 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 8, 67. 67. ' Venerable Nagasena, those two qualities of water which you said were inherent in Nirvana, — which are they ?'
3The French translation is : ' de meme que le lotus eleve fierement sa tete au-dessus de Teau ' (!). I90 THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES IV, 8, 67. 67. ' Venerable Nagasena, those two qualities of water which you said were inherent in Nirvana, — which are they ?' ' As water, O king, is cool and assuages heat, so also is Nirvana cool, and assuages the fever arising from all evil dispositions. This is the first quality of water inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as water allays the thirst of men and beasts when they are exhausted and anxious, craving for drink, and tormented by thirst, so does Nirvana allay the thirst of the craving after lusts, the craving after future life, and the craving after worldly prosperity 1. This is the second quality of water inherent in Nirvana.' 68. ' Venerable Nagasena, those three qualities of medicine, which you said were inherent in Nirvana, — which are they ? ' [319] 'As medicine, O king, is the refuge of beings tormented by poison, so is Nirvana the refuge of beings tormented with the poison of evil dispositions. This is the first quality of medicine inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as medi- cine puts an end to diseases, so does Nirvana put an end to griefs. This is the second quality of medicine inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as medicine is ambrosia2, so also is Nirvana ambrosia. This is the third quality of medicine inherent in Nirvana.' 1 On these fundamental conceptions see my notes in ' Buddhist Suttas/ pp. 148, 149, where it is shown that the three ' cravings' which end in Nirvana are pretty much the same as the lust of the flesh, theism, and materialism. 2 Am at a, the translation of which word by 'immortality ' has given rise to so much confusion. So the French here says * la medecine a le pouvoir de combattre la mort/ which is nearly as bad. See the Appendix. IV, 8, 69. OF MILINDA THE KING. 191 69. * Venerable Nagasena, those four qualities of the ocean which you said were inherent in Nirvana, — which are they ? ' 'As the ocean, O king, is free from (empty of) corpses1, so also is Nirvana free from (empty of) the dead bodies of all evil dispositions 2. This, O king, is the first quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as the ocean is mighty and boundless, and fills not with all the rivers that flow in to it ; so is Nirvana mighty and boundless, and fills not with all beings (who enter in to it). This is the second quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as the ocean is the abode of mighty creatures, so is Nir- vana the abode of great men — Arahats, in whom the Great Evils and all stains have been destroyed, endowed with power, masters of themselves. This is the third quality of the ocean inherent in Nirvana. And again, O king, as the ocean is all in blossom :j, as it were, with the innumerable and various and fine flowers of the ripple of its waves, so is Nirva;/a all in blossom, as it were, with the innumerable and
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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