Milindapañha
Translators: kelly
Milinda's Questions
Mahāvagga
Great Chapter
1. Paññattipañha
Exposition Question
Atha kho milindo rājā yenāyasmā nāgaseno tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā nāgasenena saddhiṁ sammodi, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Then, King Milinda approached Venerable Nāgasena, exchanged cordial and polite greetings with him, and sat down at one side.
Āyasmāpi kho nāgaseno paṭisammodanīyeneva milindassa rañño cittaṁ ārādhesi.
Venerable Nāgasena, by returning polite greetings back, gladdened King Milinda’s heart.
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—
Then, King Milinda said to Venerable Nāgasena,
“kathaṁ bhadanto ñāyati, kinnāmosi, bhante”ti?
“How is the reverend one known, what is your name, venerable sir?”
“‘Nāgaseno’ti kho ahaṁ, mahārāja, ñāyāmi, ‘nāgaseno’ti kho maṁ, mahārāja, sabrahmacārī samudācaranti, api ca mātāpitaro nāmaṁ karonti ‘nāgaseno’ti vā ‘sūraseno’ti vā ‘vīraseno’ti vā ‘sīhaseno’ti vā, api ca kho, mahārāja, saṅkhā samaññā paññatti vohāro nāmamattaṁ yadidaṁ nāgasenoti, na hettha puggalo upalabbhatī”ti.
“I am called Nāgasena, your majesty, my holy life companions address me as Nāgasena. Though parents make such names as Nāgasena, or Sūrasena, or Vīrasena, or Sīhasena, your majesty, Nāgasena is only a concept, a designation, a label, an appellation, a mere name; no person actually obtains here.”
Atha kho milindo rājā evamāha—
Then, King Milinda said this,
“suṇantu me bhonto pañcasatā yonakā asītisahassā ca bhikkhū, ayaṁ nāgaseno evamāha—
“May the venerable five hundred Bactrian Greeks and the eighty thousand bhikkhus hear me. This Nāgasena said,
‘na hettha puggalo upalabbhatī’ti, kallaṁ nu kho tadabhinanditun”ti.
‘no person obtains here’; is it proper to approve that?”
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—
Then, King Milinda said this to Venerable Nāgasena,
“sace, bhante nāgasena, puggalo nūpalabbhati, ko carahi tumhākaṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ deti, ko taṁ paribhuñjati, ko sīlaṁ rakkhati, ko bhāvanamanuyuñjati, ko maggaphalanibbānāni sacchikaroti, ko pāṇaṁ hanati, ko adinnaṁ ādiyati, ko kāmesumicchācāraṁ carati, ko musā bhaṇati, ko majjaṁ pivati, ko pañcānantariyakammaṁ karoti, tasmā natthi kusalaṁ, natthi akusalaṁ, natthi kusalākusalānaṁ kammānaṁ kattā vā kāretā vā, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, sace, bhante nāgasena, yo tumhe māreti, natthi tassāpi pāṇātipāto, tumhākampi, bhante nāgasena, natthi ācariyo, natthi upajjhāyo, natthi upasampadā.
“If, bhante Nāgasena, no person obtains, who therefore gives you robes, alms food, lodgings and medicinal requisites? Who enjoys the use of them? Who guards their ethical behaviour? Who engages in meditation? Who attains the path and fruit of Nibbāna? Who kills a living being? Who takes what is not given? Who commits wrong conduct in sensual pleasures? Who speaks falsely? Who drinks intoxicants? Who commits any of the five deeds that bear fruit without delay? Therefore, there is nothing wholesome, nothing unwholesome. There is no doer of wholesome and unwholesome deeds, nor anyone who makes another do wholesome or unwholesome deeds. There is no fruit or result of good or bad deeds. If, venerable Nāgasena, there was someone who caused you to die, there is no killing of living beings for that person. Venerable Nāgasena, there is no teacher, no preceptor, and no ordination for you.
‘Nāgasenoti maṁ, mahārāja, sabrahmacārī samudācarantī’ti yaṁ vadesi, katamo ettha nāgaseno?
“You say ‘my holy life companions address me as Nāgasena.’ But who here is Nāgasena?
Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, kesā nāgaseno”ti?
Is it, venerable sir, that the hairs of the head are Nāgasena?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Lomā nāgaseno”ti?
“Are the hairs of the body Nāgasena?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Nakhā …pe…
“Are the nails …
dantā …
teeth …
taco …
skin …
maṁsaṁ …
flesh …
nhāru …
sinews …
aṭṭhi …
bones …
aṭṭhimiñjaṁ …
bone marrow …
vakkaṁ …
kidneys …
hadayaṁ …
heart …
yakanaṁ …
liver …
kilomakaṁ …
membranes …
pihakaṁ …
spleen …
papphāsaṁ …
lungs …
antaṁ …
intestines …
antaguṇaṁ …
mesentery …
udariyaṁ …
contents of the stomach …
karīsaṁ …
faeces …
pittaṁ …
bile …
semhaṁ …
phlegm …
pubbo …
pus …
lohitaṁ …
blood …
sedo …
sweat …
medo …
fat …
assu …
tears …
vasā …
lymph …
kheḷo …
saliva …
siṅghāṇikā …
snot …
lasikā …
joint fluid …
muttaṁ …pe…
urine …
matthake matthaluṅgaṁ nāgaseno”ti?
the brain in the head Nāgasena?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, rūpaṁ nāgaseno”ti?
“Is form Nāgasena, venerable sir?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Vedanā nāgaseno”ti?
“Are feelings Nāgasena, venerable sir?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Saññā nāgaseno”ti?
“Is perception Nāgasena, venerable sir?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Saṅkhārā nāgaseno”ti?
“Are mental formations Nāgasena, venerable sir?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Viññāṇaṁ nāgaseno”ti?
“Is consciousness Nāgasena, venerable sir?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, rūpavedanāsaññāsaṅkhāraviññāṇaṁ nāgaseno”ti?
“Then, venerable sir, are form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness combined Nāgasena?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, aññatra rūpavedanāsaññāsaṅkhāraviññāṇaṁ nāgaseno”ti?
“Then, venerable sir, is something other than form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness combined Nāgasena?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Tamahaṁ, bhante, pucchanto pucchanto na passāmi nāgasenaṁ.
“Though, venerable sir, I am asking you repeatedly, I do not see Nāgasena.
Nāgasenasaddoyeva nu kho, bhante, nāgaseno”ti?
Is Nāgasena only the sound ‘Nāgasena’?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Ko panettha nāgaseno, alikaṁ tvaṁ, bhante, bhāsasi musāvādaṁ, natthi nāgaseno”ti.
“Then, who here is Nāgasena? You speak a falsehood, venerable sir, there is no Nāgasena.”
Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno milindaṁ rājānaṁ etadavoca—
“Then, venerable Nāgasena said this to King Milinda,
“tvaṁ khosi, mahārāja, khattiyasukhumālo accantasukhumālo, tassa te, mahārāja, majjhanhikasamayaṁ tattāya bhūmiyā uṇhāya vālikāya kharāya sakkharakathalikāya madditvā pādenāgacchantassa pādā rujjanti, kāyo kilamati, cittaṁ upahaññati, dukkhasahagataṁ kāyaviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, kiṁ nu kho tvaṁ pādenāgatosi, udāhu vāhanenā”ti?
“You are, your majesty, a delicate noble, exceedingly delicate. For one going on foot at midday, on the scorching ground, the hot sand, the rough, sharp pebbles and gravel, the feet are sore, the body is tired, the mind is upset, and body consciousness arises accompanied by suffering. Did you come on foot or rather in a vehicle?”
“Nāhaṁ, bhante, pādenāgacchāmi, rathenāhaṁ āgatosmī”ti.
“I did not come on foot, venerable sir, I came in a chariot.”
“Sace tvaṁ, mahārāja, rathenāgatosi, rathaṁ me ārocehi, kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, īsā ratho”ti?
“If, your majesty, you came in a chariot, tell me about a chariot. Is the carriage pole the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Akkho ratho”ti?
“Is the axle the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Cakkāni ratho”ti?
“Are the wheels the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Rathapañjaraṁ ratho”ti?
“Is the body of the chariot the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Rathadaṇḍako ratho”ti?
“Is the flag-staff the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Yugaṁ ratho”ti?
“Is the yoke the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Rasmiyo ratho”ti?
“Are the reins the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Patodalaṭṭhi ratho”ti?
“Is the goad the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, īsāakkhacakkarathapañjararathadaṇḍayugarasmipatodā ratho”ti?
“Then, your majesty, are the carriage pole, axle, wheels, body of the chariot, flag-staff, yoke, reins, and goad the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Kiṁ pana, mahārāja, aññatra īsāakkhacakkarathapañjararathadaṇḍayugarasmipatodā ratho”ti?
“Then, your majesty, is something apart from the carriage pole, axle, wheels, body of the chariot, flag-staff, yoke, reins, and goad the chariot?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Tamahaṁ, mahārāja, pucchanto pucchanto na passāmi rathaṁ.
“Though, your majesty, I am asking you repeatedly, I do not see a chariot.”
Rathasaddoyeva nu kho, mahārāja, ratho”ti?
Is a chariot only the sound ‘chariot’?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Ko panettha ratho, alikaṁ tvaṁ, mahārāja, bhāsasi musāvādaṁ, natthi ratho, tvaṁsi, mahārāja, sakalajambudīpe aggarājā, kassa pana tvaṁ bhāyitvā musāvādaṁ bhāsasi, suṇantu me bhonto pañcasatā yonakā asītisahassā ca bhikkhū, ayaṁ milindo rājā evamāha—
“Then, what here is a chariot? You speak a falsehood, your majesty, there is no chariot. You are, your majesty, a mighty king of all Jambudīpa, who then do you fear that you speak a falsehood. May the venerable five hundred Bactrian Greeks and the eighty thousand bhikkhus hear me. This King Milinda said,
‘rathenāhaṁ āgatosmī’ti, sace tvaṁ, mahārāja, rathenāgatosi, ‘rathaṁ me ārocehī’ti vutto samāno rathaṁ na sampādeti, kallaṁ nu kho tadabhinanditun”ti.
‘I came by chariot’. But, on being told, ‘if, your majesty, you came by chariot, declare to me a chariot,’ he is unable to produce a chariot. Is it proper to approve that?”
Evaṁ vutte, pañcasatā yonakā āyasmato nāgasenassa sādhukāraṁ datvā milindaṁ rājānaṁ etadavocuṁ—
When this was said, the five hundred Bactrian Greeks applauded the venerable Nāgasena and said to King Milinda,
“idāni kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, sakkonto bhāsassū”ti.
“Now then, your majesty, speak if you can!”
Atha kho milindo rājā āyasmantaṁ nāgasenaṁ etadavoca—
Then King Milinda said this to venerable Nāgasena,
“nāhaṁ, bhante nāgasena, musā bhaṇāmi, īsañca paṭicca akkhañca paṭicca cakkāni ca paṭicca rathapañjarañca paṭicca rathadaṇḍakañca paṭicca ‘ratho’ti saṅkhā samaññā paññatti vohāro nāmamattaṁ pavattatī”ti.
“I do not speak falsely, venerable sir, because of the carriage pole, the axle, the wheels, the body of the chariot, the flag-staff, there exists a ‘chariot’, as a concept, a designation, a label, an appellation, a mere name.”
“Sādhu kho tvaṁ, mahārāja, rathaṁ jānāsi;
“Good, your majesty, you know a chariot.
evameva kho, mahārāja, mayhampi kese ca paṭicca lome ca paṭicca …pe… matthake matthaluṅgañca paṭicca rūpañca paṭicca vedanañca paṭicca saññañca paṭicca saṅkhāre ca paṭicca viññāṇañca paṭicca ‘nāgaseno’ti saṅkhā samaññā paññatti vohāro nāmamattaṁ pavattati, paramatthato panettha puggalo nūpalabbhati.
In the same way, your majesty, because of the head hairs, the body hairs, … brain in the head, and because of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, consciousness, there exists ‘Nāgasena’, as a concept, a designation, a label, an appellation, a mere name, however in the absolute sense there obtains no person here.
Bhāsitampetaṁ, mahārāja, vajirāya bhikkhuniyā bhagavato sammukhā—
“For this was said, your majesty, by Sister Vajirā in the presence of the Blessed One:
‘Yathā hi aṅgasambhārā,
“Just as, by the coexistence of the various parts,
hoti saddo ratho iti;
there is the name ‘chariot’,
Evaṁ khandhesu santesu,
so, by the existence of the aggregates,
hoti “satto”ti sammutī’”ti.
there is a ‘being’ is agreed upon.”
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, aticitrāni pañhapaṭibhānāni visajjitāni, yadi buddho tiṭṭheyya sādhukāraṁ dadeyya, sādhu sādhu, nāgasena, aticitrāni pañhapaṭibhānāni visajjitānī”ti.
“Wonderful, venerable Nāgasena! Marvelous, venerable Nāgasena! Your answers to the questions asked are very clever! If the Buddha were here, he would applaud them. Excellent, excellent, venerable Nāgasena! Your answers to the questions asked are very clever!”
Paññattipañho paṭhamo.
Exposition Question first