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2. Vassagaṇanapañha

Question on Counting Rains

“Kativassosi tvaṁ, bhante nāgasenā”ti?
“How many rains do you have, venerable Nāgasena?”

“Sattavassohaṁ, mahārājā”ti.
“I have seven rains, your majesty.”

“Ke te, bhante, satta, tvaṁ vā satta, gaṇanā vā sattā”ti?
“What are these seven, venerable sir, are you the seven, or is the reckoning seven?”

Tena kho pana samayena milindassa rañño sabbābharaṇapaṭimaṇḍitassa alaṅkatapaṭiyattassa pathaviyaṁ chāyā dissati, udakamaṇike ca chāyā dissati.
Then, at that time, the shadow of the king adorned with all his ornaments, all decked up and prepared, appeared on the ground and is seen in a vessel of water.

Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno milindaṁ rājānaṁ etadavoca—
Then venerable Nāgasena said this to King Milinda,

“ayaṁ te, mahārāja, chāyā pathaviyaṁ udakamaṇike ca dissati, kiṁ pana, mahārāja, tvaṁ vā rājā, chāyā vā rājā”ti?
“This shadow appears on the ground and in the vessel of water. Are you the king, your majesty, or is the shadow the king?”

“Ahaṁ, bhante nāgasena, rājā, nāyaṁ chāyā rājā, maṁ pana nissāya chāyā pavattatī”ti.
“I am the king, venerable Nāgasena, this shadow is not the king. The shadow comes into existence dependent on me.”

“Evameva kho, mahārāja, vassānaṁ gaṇanā satta, na panāhaṁ satta, maṁ pana nissāya satta pavattati, chāyūpamaṁ, mahārājā”ti.
“In the same way, your majesty, seven is the reckoning of rains. I am not the seven, but dependent on me seven comes into existence, similarly to your shadow, your majesty.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante nāgasena, abbhutaṁ, bhante nāgasena, aticitrāni pañhapaṭibhānāni visajjitānī”ti.
“Wonderful, venerable Nāgasena! Marvelous, venerable Nāgasena! Your answers to the questions asked are very brilliant!”

Vassagaṇanapañho dutiyo.
Counting Rains Question second