Milindapañha
Translators: kelly
Milinda's Questions
Mahāvagga
Great Chapter
8. Manasikāralakkhaṇapañha
Distinguishing Characteristic of Attention Question
Rājā āha—
The king asked:
“kiṁlakkhaṇo, bhante nāgasena, manasikāro, kiṁlakkhaṇā paññā”ti?
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of attention, and what is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom?”
“Ūhanalakkhaṇo kho, mahārāja, manasikāro, chedanalakkhaṇā paññā”ti.
“Examination is the distinguishing characteristic of attention, and severing is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom.”
“Kathaṁ ūhanalakkhaṇo manasikāro, kathaṁ chedanalakkhaṇā paññā?
“How does attention have the distinguishing characteristic of examination? And how does wisdom have the distinguishing characteristic of severing?
Opammaṁ karohī”ti.
Please give me an analogy.”
“Jānāsi tvaṁ, mahārāja, yavalāvake”ti.
“Do you know barley reapers, your majesty?”
“Āma, bhante, jānāmī”ti.
“Yes, venerable sir, I know them.”
“Kathaṁ, mahārāja, yavalāvakā yavaṁ lunantī”ti?
“How, your majesty, do barley reapers reap barley?”
“Vāmena, bhante, hatthena yavakalāpaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena dāttaṁ gahetvā dāttena chindantī”ti.
“Venerable sir, they take a sheaf of barley in the left hand, and take a sickle in the right hand, and they cut with the sickle.”
“Yathā, mahārāja, yavalāvako vāmena hatthena yavakalāpaṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena dāttaṁ gahetvā yavaṁ chindati;
“Just as, your majesty, a barley reaper takes a sheaf of barley in the left hand, takes a sickle in the right hand, and cuts the barley,
evameva kho, mahārāja, yogāvacaro manasikārena mānasaṁ gahetvā paññāya kilese chindati, evaṁ kho, mahārāja, ūhanalakkhaṇo manasikāro, evaṁ chedanalakkhaṇā paññā”ti.
in the same way, your majesty, does the spiritual aspirant take hold of the mind with attention, and cut off the defilements with wisdom. Indeed thus, your majesty, examination is the distinguishing characteristic of attention, and severing is the distinguishing characteristic of wisdom.”
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena!”
Manasikāralakkhaṇapañho aṭṭhamo.
Distinguishing Characteristic of Attention Question eighth