From:
MilindapaƱha Milinda's Questions
MahÄvagga Great Chapter
11. Sampakkhandanalakkhaį¹asaddhÄpaƱha Aspiration as a Distinguishing Characteristic of Faith Question
āKathaį¹, bhante, sampakkhandanalakkhaį¹Ä saddhÄāti? āHow, venerable sir, is aspiration a distinguishing characteristic of faith?ā
āYathÄ, mahÄrÄja, yogÄvacaro aƱƱesaį¹ cittaį¹ vimuttaį¹ passitvÄ sotÄpattiphale vÄ sakadÄgÄmiphale vÄ anÄgÄmiphale vÄ arahatte vÄ sampakkhandati yogaį¹ karoti appattassa pattiyÄ anadhigatassa adhigamÄya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyÄya. āJust as, your majesty, a spiritual aspirant, having seen the liberated mind of others, aspires to the fruit of stream entry, or to the fruit of once-returning, or to the fruit of non-returning, or to the fruit of arahantship, and practices for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, and for the realisation of the unrealised.
Evaį¹ kho, mahÄrÄja, sampakkhandanalakkhaį¹Ä saddhÄāti. Thus, your majesty, is aspiration a distinguishing characteristic of faith.ā
āOpammaį¹ karohÄ«āti. āPlease give me an analogy.ā
āYathÄ, mahÄrÄja, uparipabbate mahÄmegho abhippavasseyya, taį¹ udakaį¹ yathÄninnaį¹ pavattamÄnaį¹ pabbatakandarapadarasÄkhÄ paripÅ«retvÄ nadiį¹ paripÅ«reyya, sÄ ubhato kÅ«lÄni saį¹vissandantÄ« gaccheyya, atha mahÄjanakÄyo ÄgantvÄ tassÄ nadiyÄ uttÄnataį¹ vÄ gambhÄ«rataį¹ vÄ ajÄnanto bhÄ«to vitthato tÄ«re tiį¹į¹heyya, athaƱƱataro puriso ÄgantvÄ attano thÄmaƱca balaƱca sampassanto gÄįø·haį¹ kacchaį¹ bandhitvÄ pakkhanditvÄ tareyya, taį¹ tiį¹į¹aį¹ passitvÄ mahÄjanakÄyopi tareyya; āJust as, your majesty, a great cloud might pour down rain on the top of a mountain, and that water flowing down according to the slope, having filled the gullies, clefts, and rivulets on the mountain, would fill the river which would proceed along overflowing both banks. And then a great crowd of people having gone to that river, not knowing how shallow or deep it is, would stand frightened and spread out on the bank, and then a certain man might come, and considering his own power and strength, would bind tightly his loincloth and cross over. The great crowd of people having seen him cross would cross over also.
evameva kho, mahÄrÄja, yogÄvacaro aƱƱesaį¹ cittaį¹ vimuttaį¹ passitvÄ sotÄpattiphale vÄ sakadÄgÄmiphale vÄ anÄgÄmiphale vÄ arahatte vÄ sampakkhandati yogaį¹ karoti appattassa pattiyÄ anadhigatassa adhigamÄya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyÄya. In the same way, your majesty, a spiritual aspirant, having seen the liberated mind of others, aspires to the fruit of stream entry, or to the fruit of once-returning, or to the fruit of non-returning, or to the fruit of arahantship, and practices for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, and for the realisation of the unrealised.
Evaį¹ kho, mahÄrÄja, sampakkhandanalakkhaį¹Ä saddhÄti. In the same way, your majesty, is aspiration a distinguishing characteristic of faith.
BhÄsitampetaį¹, mahÄrÄja, bhagavatÄ saį¹yuttanikÄyavareāAnd this too was said, your majesty, by the Blessed One in the excellent Saį¹yutta NikÄya:
āSaddhÄya taratÄ« oghaį¹, āOne crosses the flood with faith,
appamÄdena aį¹į¹avaį¹; the ocean with diligence;
VÄ«riyena dukkhamacceti, Overcomes suffering with energy,
paƱƱÄya parisujjhatÄ«āāti. and is purified with wisdom.āā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena!ā
Sampakkhandanalakkhaį¹asaddhÄpaƱho ekÄdasamo. Aspiration as a Distinguishing Characteristic of Faith Question eleventh