Milindapañha
Translators: kelly
Milinda’s Questions
Sativagga
Mindfulness Chapter
3. Mahāpurisalakkhaṇapañha
Characteristics of a Great Person Question
Rājā āha—
The king asked:
“bhante nāgasena, buddho dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgato asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjito suvaṇṇavaṇṇo kañcanasannibhattaco byāmappabho”ti?
“Venerable Nāgasena, was the Buddha endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person and distinguished with the eighty secondary features, with radiant complexion, skin like gold, and a halo that extends for one fathom?”
“Āma, mahārāja, bhagavā dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgato asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjito suvaṇṇavaṇṇo kañcanasannibhattaco byāmappabho”ti.
“Yes, your majesty, he was.”
“Kiṁ panassa, bhante, mātāpitaropi dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgatā asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjitā suvaṇṇavaṇṇā kañcanasannibhattacā byāmappabhā”ti?
“But, venerable sir, were his mother and father endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person … and a halo that extends for one fathom?”
“No cassa, mahārāja, mātāpitaro dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgatā asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjitā suvaṇṇavaṇṇā kañcanasannibhattacā byāmappabhā”ti.
“No, your majesty, they were not.”
“Evaṁ sante kho, bhante nāgasena, na uppajjati buddho dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgato asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjito suvaṇṇavaṇṇo kañcanasannibhattaco byāmappabhoti, api ca mātusadiso vā putto hoti mātupakkho vā, pitusadiso vā putto hoti pitupakkho vā”ti.
“That being so, venerable sir, is it not then that the Buddha arose endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person … and a halo that extends for one fathom? But surely a child is like their mother or those on the mother’s side or like their father or those on their father’s side.”
Thero āha—
The elder said,
“atthi pana, mahārāja, kiñci padumaṁ satapattan”ti?
“But is there, your majesty, any lotus with a hundred leaves?”
“Āma, bhante, atthī”ti.
“Yes, venerable sir, there is.”
“Tassa pana kuhiṁ sambhavo”ti?
“And where then is the origin for that?”
“Kaddame jāyati udake āsīyatī”ti.
“It is born from mud and it thrives in water.”
“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, padumaṁ kaddamena sadisaṁ vaṇṇena vā gandhena vā rasena vā”ti?
“Then, your majesty, is the lotus like the mud in colour, smell, or taste?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Atha udakena vā gandhena vā rasena vā”ti?
“Or is it like the water in smell or taste?”
“Na hi, bhante”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir.”
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, bhagavā dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgato asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjito suvaṇṇavaṇṇo kañcanasannibhattaco byāmappabho, no cassa mātāpitaro dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi samannāgatā asītiyā ca anubyañjanehi parirañjitā suvaṇṇavaṇṇā kañcanasannibhattacā byāmappabhā”ti.
“In the same way, your majesty, the Buddha was endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person and distinguished with the eighty secondary features, with radiant complexion, skin like gold, and a halo that extends for one fathom, and his parents were not.”
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.”
Mahāpurisalakkhaṇapañho tatiyo.
Characteristics of a Great Person Question third