The Debate Of King Milinda

[mikenz66]

Thanks Bhante,

I gathered that, I was just grumbling (mildly) that Access to Insight didn't have all of Sariputta's verses in translation. It would be good to read it in context, but if there are no on-line sources I'll have to wait until I have access to a full version.

Many of the Theragatha verses appear in other suttas, and I was also wondering if this particular one did.


Mike

[mikenz66]

OK, I found a 1913 PTS Edition. It's interesting to read these archaic translations:

Not fain am I to die nor yet to live.
I shall lay down this mortal frame anon
With mind alert, with consciousness controlled. (1002)

With thought of death I dally not, nor yet
Delight in living. I await the hour
Like any hireling who hath done his task. (1003)

The verse also appears as 606 in the verses of Sankicca, a student of Sariputta.
http://www.aimwell.org/DPPN/sankicca.htm


Mike

[yawares]

This is the Pali text from the Theragāthā.

[quote="2. Sāriputtattheragāthā"]1002.
“Nābhinandāmi maraṇaṃ, nābhinandāmi jīvitaṃ.
Kālañca paṭikaṅkhāmi, nibbisaṃ bhatako yathā.

1003.
“Ubhayena midaṃ maraṇameva, nāmaraṇaṃ pacchā vā pure vā.
Paṭipajjatha mā vinassatha, khaṇo vo mā upaccagā.

[/quote]

Dear Bhikkhu Pesala

Thank you so much for the answer, I'll never know how to find it by myself.

I posted the debate @ DSG and Sarah/members said that they loved to read it.

And @ sariputtadhamma , a member asked questions about householders/bhikkhus (Soul In The Breath?/Going Forth ), I couldn't answer so I searched yahoo for MILINDAPANHA BOOK and found the long.. long version with all details TO ANSWER MY MEMBER.....and he loved it...oh how I wish you were there!

With respect,
yawares

[yawares]

OK, I found a 1913 PTS Edition. It's interesting to read these archaic translations:

The verse also appears as 606 in the verses of Sankicca, a student of Sariputta.
http://www.aimwell.org/DPPN/sankicca.htm


Mike

Dear Mike,

Thanks for the Sankicca story, I like it very much.
yawares

[yawares]

Dear Members,

The Debate of King Milinda
[ Edited by Bhikkhu Pesala ]

#19. “In one, Nāgasena, in whom knowledge (ñāna) arises does wisdom (paññā) also arise?”

“Yes, O king.”

“Is knowledge the same as wisdom?”

“Yes, O king.”

“Then would he with his knowledge and wisdom be in ignorance about anything?”

“He would still be in ignorance about the things he had not yet learnt but regarding what had been accomplished by wisdom — that is the perception of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and soullessness — he would not be ignorant.”

“Then what would have happened to his delusions on those points?”

“From the moment when knowledge arises, delusion passes away. As when the light comes, darkness disappears.”

“But then what has become of his wisdom?”

“When wisdom has accomplished its task then it disappears; but his understanding of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and soullessness does not disappear.”

“Give me an illustration.”

“As a man who wants to write a letter at night would have a lamp lit and then write the letter. Then he would put out the lamp, but though the lamp had been put out the letter would remain.”

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#20. “Is a pleasant feeling wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral?”

“It may be any one of the three.”

“But surely, venerable sir, if wholesome conditions are not painful and painful ones are not wholesome, then there can be no wholesome condition that is at the same time painful.”

“What do you think, O king? If a man were to hold in one hand a hot iron ball and in the other a ball of ice, would they both hurt him?”

“Indeed they would.”

“Then your hypothesis must be wrong. If they are not both hot but the heat hurts, and they are not both cold but the cold hurts then the pain does not come from the heat or the cold.”

“I am not able to argue with you. Please explain the matter.”

Then the elder taught the king the Abhidhamma: “There are six pleasures connected with the world and six of renunciation; six worldly sorrows and six of renunciation; and six neutral feelings in each case, altogether thirty-six. Then there are thirty-six feelings in the past, present, and future so altogether there are one hundred and eight feelings.”

******to be continued********
yawares

[yawares]

Dear Members,

The Debate of King Milinda
[ Edited by Bhikkhu Pesala ]

#21. “What is it, Nāgasena, that is reborn?”

“Mind and matter.”

“Is it this very mind and matter that is reborn?”

“No, it is not, but by this mind and matter deeds are done and because of those deeds another mind and matter is reborn; but that mind and matter is not thereby released from the results of its previous deeds.”

“Give me an illustration.”

“It is like a fire that a man might kindle and, having warmed himself, he might leave it burning and go away. Then if that fire were to set light to another man’s field and the owner were to seize him and accuse him before the king, and he were to say, ‘Your majesty, I did not set this man’s field on fire. The fire that I left burning was different to that which burnt his field. I am not guilty.’ Would he deserve punishment?”

“Indeed, yes, because whatever he might say the latter fire resulted from the former one.”

“Just so, O king, by this mind and matter deeds are done and because of those deeds another mind and matter is reborn; but that mind and matter is not thereby released from the results of its previous deeds.”
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#22. “You were explaining just now about mind and matter. Therein what is mind and what is matter?”

“Whatever is gross is materiality, whatever is subtle and mind or mental-states is mentality.”

“Why are they not born separately?”

“These conditions are related like the yolk of an egg and its shell, they always arise together and thus they have been related through time immemorial.”
------
#23. “Nāgasena, when you say, ‘Time immemorial,’ what does time mean? Is there any such thing?”

“Time means past, present, and future. There are some for whom time exists and some for whom it doesn’t. Where there are beings who will be reborn, for them time exists; where there are beings who will not be reborn, for them time does not exist.”

“Well put Nāgasena, you are clever in reply.”

******
Notes: Thag. 1002, 1003.
Wholesome deeds are not painful in result but we may find them hard to do because of our attachment and aversion. It is the defilements that cause us to suffer, not the good deeds. Unwholesome deeds are painful in result but we may enjoy doing them due to delusion. When the result comes we have to suffer.
Rhys Davids and Miss Horner, using the Sinhalese text, both read this sentence as: evametam dīghamaddhānam sambhāvitam, which Miss Horner translates, “Thus is produced this long (samsāric) time.” However, the Burmese text has: sandhāvitam, and so I have translated accordingly.

*********to be continued************
yawares

[tidathep]

Hi Yawares,

I really enjoy reading the debates that you posted.

Tidathep

[yawares]

Hi Yawares,

I really enjoy reading the debates that you posted.

Tidathep

Dear Tidathep,

Thank you very much 'new member'
yawares

[yawares]

Dear Members,

The Debate of King Milinda
[ Edited by Bhikkhu Pesala ]

#24. “What is the root, Nāgasena, of past, present, and future time?”

“Ignorance. By ignorance are conditioned formations; by formations, relinking consciousness; by consciousness, mind and matter; by mind and matter, the six sense bases; by the six sense bases, contact; by contact, feeling; by feeling, craving; by craving, attachment; by attachment, becoming; by becoming, birth; by birth are conditioned old age, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair.”
---------
#25. “You say that the ultimate beginning of things is not apparent. Give me an illustration.”

“The Blessed One said, ‘By reason of the sense bases and the sense objects there arises contact; by reason of contact, feeling; by reason of feeling, craving; and by reason of craving, action (kamma). Then, from action, sense bases are once more produced.’ Now could there be any end to this series?”

“No.”

“Just so, O king, the ultimate beginning of things cannot be comprehended.”
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#26. “Is the ultimate beginning of everything unknown.”

“Partly so and partly not.”

“Then which so and which not?”

“Whatever condition preceded this birth, that is to us as if it had not been. In reference to that, the ultimate beginning is not known. However, that which has not been comes into existence, and as soon as it has arisen it disappears again. With reference to that the ultimate beginning can be known.”

-------to be continued------
yawares

[yawares]

Dear Members,

The Debate of King Milinda
[ Edited by Bhikkhu Pesala ]

#27. “Are there any formations that are produced?”

“Certainly, O king. Where there is an eye and also forms there is sight; where there is sight there is contact; where there is contact there is feeling; where there is feeling there is craving; where there is craving there is attachment; where there is attachment there is becoming; where there is becoming there is birth, old age, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair. However, where the eye and forms are not, sight is not; contact is not, feeling is not, craving is not, attachment is not, becoming is not; and where there is no becoming there is no birth, old age, death, grief, pain, sorrow, or despair.”

------

#28. “Are there any formations that are not produced?”

“There are not, O king, for it is just by a process of becoming that they are produced.”

“Give me an illustration.”

“Was this house where you are sitting produced by a process of becoming?”

“There is nothing here that was not. This wood was in the forest and this clay was in the ground and it was through the effort of men and women that this house came to exist.”

“Just so, O king there are no formations that are not produced.”
----------------
#29. “Is there, Nāgasena, such a thing as ‘The one who knows’ (vedagū)?”2

“What is this thing?”

“The living principle within that sees, hears, tastes, smells, feels, and discerns things; just as we, sitting here, can look out of any window we wish to.”

“If, O king, the living principle within can see, hear, taste, smell, and feel things like you say, can it not also see forms through the ear and so on?”

“No, venerable sir.”

“Then, O king, the living principle within cannot make use of whichever sense it pleases as you suggested. It is, O king, by reason of the eye and forms that sight and those other conditions arise, namely; contact, feeling, perception, intention, one-pointedness, vitality and attention. Each arises simultaneously with its cause and herein ‘The one who knows’ cannot be found.”

------------to be continued------------
yawares

[yawares]

Dear Members,

#26. “Is the ultimate beginning of everything unknown.”

“Partly so and partly not.”

“Then which so and which not?”

“Whatever condition preceded this birth, that is to us as if it had not been. In reference to that, the ultimate beginning is not known. However, that which has not been comes into existence, and as soon as it has arisen it disappears again. With reference to that the ultimate beginning can be known.”

yawares

Dear Bhikkhu Pesala,

A Sariputtadhamma-member asked me this question...I searched yahoo BUT I couldn't find the answer.
--------------
" Dear Yawares,

I am curious as to the meaning of this last two sentences of your quote:

"However, that which has not been comes into existence, and as soon as it has
arisen it disappears again. With reference to that the ultimate beginning can be
known."

I do not have a clue how "the ultimate beginning can be known" with reference to
"that"! ....Please elaborate for me?"

-------------
Could you please give me the answer, thank you very much.

With respect,
yawares

[yawares]

Dear Members,

The Debate of King Milinda
[ Edited by Bhikkhu Pesala ]

#30. “Does mind-consciousness arise wherever eye-consciousness arises?”

“Yes, O king, where the one is there the other is.”

“Which arises first?”

“First eye-consciousness then mind-consciousness.”

“Does eye-consciousness issue a command to mind-consciousness or vice versa?”

“No, there is no communication between them.”

“Then why is it, Nāgasena, that mind-consciousness arises wherever there is eye-consciousness?”

“Because, O king, there is a tendency, an opening, a habit and an association.”

“Give me an illustration.”

“If a king’s border town had a strong wall and only one gateway and a man wanted to leave the town, which way would he go?”

“Through the gateway.”

“And if another man left, which way would he go?”

“Through the same gateway.”

“But does the first man issue a command to the second saying, ‘Go out the same way as I do,’ or does the second man tell the first, ‘I will go out the same way as you do’?”

“No venerable sir, there is no communication between them.”

“In the same way mind-consciousness arises wherever there is eye-consciousness but there is no communication between them.”

------------------
#31. “Where there is mind-consciousness, Nāgasena, is there always contact and feeling?”

“Yes, where there is mind-consciousness there is contact and feeling. And also perception, intention, initial application, and sustained application.”

“What is the characteristic mark of contact?”

“Touching.”

“Give me an illustration.”

“As when two rams butt together; the eye is like one ram, visible object is like the other and the butting together of the two is contact.”
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yawares