From:
MilindapaƱha Milinda's Questions
Sativagga Mindfulness Chapter
2. SabbaĆ±Ć±Å«bhÄvapaƱha All-knowing Nature Question
RÄjÄ ÄhaāThe king asked:
ābhante nÄgasena, buddho sabbaĆ±Ć±Å« sabbadassÄvÄ«āti? āVenerable NÄgasena, is the Buddha all-knowing and all-seeing?ā
āÄma, mahÄrÄja, bhagavÄ sabbaĆ±Ć±Å« sabbadassÄvÄ«āti. āYes, your majesty, the Buddha is all-knowing and all-seeing.ā
āAtha kissa nu kho, bhante nÄgasena, sÄvakÄnaį¹ anupubbena sikkhÄpadaį¹ paƱƱapesÄ«āti? āThen why, venerable NÄgasena, did he proclaim the training steps for his disciples gradually?ā
āAtthi pana te, mahÄrÄja, koci vejjo, yo imissaį¹ pathaviyaį¹ sabbabhesajjÄni jÄnÄtÄ«āti? āBut, your majesty, is there some doctor who knows all the medicines on this earth?ā
āÄma, bhante, atthÄ«āti. āYes, venerable sir, there is.ā
āKiį¹ nu kho, mahÄrÄja, so vejjo gilÄnakaį¹ sampatte kÄle bhesajjaį¹ pÄyeti, udÄhu asampatte kÄleāti? āAnd would that doctor, your majesty, administer medicine to a sick person at the time of being ill or when not ill?ā
āSampatte kÄle, bhante, gilÄnakaį¹ bhesajjaį¹ pÄyeti, no asampatte kÄleāti? āHe would administer medicine to a sick person, venerable sir, at the time of being ill and not when not ill?ā
āEvameva kho, mahÄrÄja, bhagavÄ sabbaĆ±Ć±Å« sabbadassÄvÄ« na asampatte kÄle sÄvakÄnaį¹ sikkhÄpadaį¹ paƱƱÄpeti, sampatte kÄle sÄvakÄnaį¹ sikkhÄpadaį¹ paƱƱÄpeti yÄvajÄ«vaį¹ anatikkamanÄ«yanāti. āIn the same way, your majesty, the Blessed One who is all-knowing and all-seeing did not proclaim a training rule to his disciples at the wrong time, but when the time was right he proclaimed a training rule to his disciples, which is not to be transgressed all life long.ā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena.ā
SabbaĆ±Ć±Å«bhÄvapaƱho dutiyo. All-knowing Nature Question second