English
sees forms with the eye... ...knows mental objects with the mind, then that living being, when the eye-doors are removed, with a great opening of space, would see forms much better. When the ears are removed, when the nose is removed, when the tongue is removed, when the body is removed, with a great opening of space, it would hear sounds much better, smell odors, taste flavors, touch tangibles." "No, venerable sir." "Therefore, great king, a living being is not found in the body." "You are skillful, venerable Nāgasena." The fifteenth question: The different meanings of consciousness. 16. The question on the difficulty of distinguishing immaterial phenomena. 16. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, has the Blessed One done something difficult?" The Elder said: "Difficult, great king, is what the Blessed One has done." "What then, venerable Nāgasena, has the Blessed One done that is difficult?" "Difficult, great king, is what the Blessed One has done in declaring the distinction of these immaterial mental and mental concomitant phenomena, which occur on a single object: 'This is contact, this is feeling, this is perception, this is volition, this is consciousness.'" "Give an analogy." "Just as, great king, if some man, having plunged into the great ocean by boat, having taken water in his cupped hands, having tasted it with his tongue, would that man know, great king, 'This is water from the Ganges, this is water from the Yamunā, this is water from the Aciravatī, this is water from the Sarabhū, this is water from the Mahī'?" know? “It is difficult, Venerable Sir, to know.” “More difficult than this, great king, the Blessed One has done, in that he has explained the distinction of these formless mind-and-mental states, which occur with a single object, saying: ‘This is contact, this is feeling, this is perception, this is volition, this is consciousness.’” “Excellent, Venerable Sir!” The king rejoiced. The sixteenth question: The Difficulty of Distinguishing Formless States. The seventh chapter: The Distinction of Formless States. In this chapter, sixteen questions. The Questions and Answers of Milinda The Elder said, “Do you know, great king, what time it is now?” “Yes, Venerable Sir, I know. ‘Now the first watch has passed, the middle watch is proceeding, torches are being lit, four proclamations have been ordered that royal dues will go from the merchandise.’” The Yonakas said, “You are clever, great king, and the Elder is wise.” “Yes, friends, the Elder is wise. If such a teacher were to be, and such a disciple as I, not long would the wise one understand the Dhamma.” Pleased with his explanation of the questions, the king covered the Elder Nāgasena with a blanket worth one hundred thousand, and said, “Venerable Nāgasena, from today onwards, I arrange for you eight hundred meals, and whatever is suitable in the palace, with that I invite you.” “Enough, great king, I live.” “I know, Venerable Nāgasena, you live. But protect yourself, and protect me.” “How do you protect yourself? ‘Nāgasena pleased King Milinda, but gained nothing’— such a reproach from others might come. Thus protect yourself. How do you protect me? ‘King Milinda is pleased, but does not show the manner of one pleased’— such a reproach from others might come. Thus protect me.” “So be it, great king.” “Just as, Venerable Sir, the lion, king of beasts, even when placed in a golden cage, is still outward-looking, even so, Venerable Sir, although I dwell in a house, I am still outward-looking.” I wish. If I, venerable sir, were to go forth from home to homelessness, I would not live long, many are my enemies. Then indeed the venerable Nāgasena, having answered King Milinda's question, rose from his seat and went to the monastery. And not long after the venerable Nāgasena had departed, it occurred to King Milinda: "What was asked by me? What was answered by the venerable Nāgasena?" Then indeed it occurred to King Milinda: "Everything was well-asked by me, everything was well-answered by the venerable Nāgasena." And to the venerable Nāgasena, having gone to the monastery, it occurred: "What was asked by King Milinda? What was answered by me?" Then indeed it occurred to the venerable Nāgasena: "Everything was well-asked by King Milinda, everything was well-answered by me." Then indeed the venerable Nāgasena, at the end of that night, having dressed in the forenoon, taking his bowl and robe, approached King Milinda's dwelling. Having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Then indeed King Milinda, having saluted the venerable Nāgasena, sat down to one side. Seated to one side, indeed King Milinda said to the venerable Nāgasena – "Let it not be, venerable sir, that you thought: 'Nāgasena was asked a question by me,' and with that very joy you spent the rest of the night. You should not see it thus. To me, venerable sir, during the rest of that night, it occurred: 'What was asked by me? What was answered by the venerable sir?' 'Everything was well-asked by me, everything was well-answered by the venerable sir.'" The Elder also said thus – "Let it not be, great king, that you thought: 'A question of King Milinda was answered by me,' and with that very joy you spent the rest of the night. You should not see it thus. To me, great king, during the rest of that night, it occurred: 'What was asked by King Milinda? What was answered by me?' 'Everything was well-asked by King Milinda, everything was well-answered by me.'" “It is so!” Thus did those great Nāgas approve of each other’s well-spoken words. The Questions and Answers of Milinda are finished. The Story of the Beginning of the Meṇḍaka Questions Eight Places to Avoid in Mantras A contentious debater, a sophist, one of excessive intellect, a discerning one; Milinda approached Nāgasena for the analysis of knowledge. Dwelling in his shade, questioning again and again; Having become one with profound wisdom, he too became a master of the Tipiṭaka. While contemplating the nine-fold teaching, in the night, in solitude; He saw the Meṇḍaka questions, difficult to unravel, hard to grasp. “There is that which is spoken figuratively, there is that which is spoken with a hidden meaning; There is that which is spoken literally, in the teaching of the King of Dhamma. “Not understanding the meaning of these, the Meṇḍaka questions spoken by the Victor; In the future time, there will be contention there. “Come, I will please the speaker, and have the Meṇḍaka questions resolved; By the path indicated by him, they will be indicated in the future.” Then King Milinda, when the night had dawned, when the sun had risen, having bathed his head, raising his joined hands to his head, recollecting the Buddhas of the past, future, and present, undertook eight vows: “From this day forth, for seven days, I shall undertake eight qualities and practice asceticism. Having practiced asceticism, I shall please my teacher and ask the Meṇḍaka questions.” Then King Milinda, having removed his customary royal garments and taken off his ornaments, put on a saffron robe, tied a shaven-head covering on his head, and having adopted the state of a sage, undertook eight qualities: “For this week, I shall not instruct in royal affairs, I shall not generate a mind associated with lust, I shall not generate a mind associated with hatred, I shall not generate a mind associated with delusion, I shall be humble towards servants, laborers, and people, I shall guard my bodily and verbal actions, I shall guard all six sense bases completely, I shall cultivate loving-kindness. should not be put in.’’ Having undertaken these eight qualities, having established his mind in these eight qualities, without going outside, having spent seven days, on the eighth day, early in the morning, having eaten breakfast, with downcast eyes, speaking little, with well-composed deportment, with an unscattered mind, joyful, elated, and serene, he approached the Elder Nāgasena, bowed his head at the Elder’s feet, stood to one side, and said this: ‘‘I have, Venerable Nāgasena, some matter to discuss with you; no other third person should be desired there, in a secluded place, in a solitary forest, in a monk-like state, endowed with the eight qualities. There, that question should be asked, there, no secret should be made for me, no mystery; I am worthy to hear a secret, when it comes to good counsel. That matter should also be examined with a simile, just like what, just as, Venerable Nāgasena, the great earth is worthy of a deposit when a deposit is made. Even so, Venerable Nāgasena, I am worthy to hear a secret when it comes to good counsel.’’ Having entered a secluded grove with the Teacher, he said this: ‘‘Venerable Nāgasena, here, by a person wishing to discuss, eight places should be avoided; in those places, a wise person does not discuss a matter; even if discussed, the matter falls apart, it does not succeed. What are the eight places? An uneven place should be avoided, a fearful place should be avoided, a very windy place should be avoided, a hidden place should be avoided, a divine place should be avoided, a road should be avoided, a battlefield should be avoided, a water-ford should be avoided. These eight places should be avoided.’’ The Elder said: ‘‘What is the fault in an uneven place, a fearful place, a very windy place, a hidden place, a divine place, a road, a battlefield, a water-ford?’’ ‘‘In an uneven place, Venerable Nāgasena, a matter discussed scatters and It leaks, it pours, it cannot be kept; In a fearful place, the mind trembles; Trembling, one does not rightly discern the meaning; In a strong wind, the sound is not clear; In a hidden place, eavesdroppers stand; In a divine place, a counselled matter turns out grave; On a path, a counselled matter becomes trivial; In battle, it becomes unsteady; At a water-ford, it becomes manifest. Here it is said – ‘‘Uneven, fearful, strong wind,