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He sees nothing there worth clinging to. For him, seeing nothing worth clinging to, discontent arises in his mind, a burning enters his body, he, without protection, without refuge, having become without refuge, becomes dispassionate towards existences. Just as, O great king, a man might enter a great mass of fire, blazing with flames, he, without protection, without refuge, having become without refuge, would become dispassionate towards the fire. Just so, O great king, for him, seeing nothing worth clinging to, discontent arises in his mind, a burning enters his body, he, without protection, without refuge, having become without refuge, b He is disgusted with existences. “To him, seeing danger in the cycle of existence, this thought arises: ‘Indeed, this cycle of existence is burning, ablaze, full of suffering, full of distress. If only one could obtain the unconditioned, that which is peaceful, that which is sublime—namely, the calming of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ Thus, his mind inclines towards, is pleased with, rejoices in, and delights in the unconditioned, thinking: ‘Indeed, I have found an escape.’ “Just as, great king, a person lost and gone astray in a foreign land, seeing the path to escape, inclines towards it, is pleased with it, rejoices in it, and delights in it, thinking: ‘I have found the path to escape,’ even so, great king, to him who sees danger in the cycle of existence, his mind inclines towards, is pleased with, rejoices in, and delights in the unconditioned, thinking: ‘Indeed, I have found an escape.’ “He strives for, seeks, develops, and cultivates the path to the unconditioned. For that purpose, mindfulness is established in him; for that purpose, energy is established in him; for that purpose, joy is established in him. As he repeatedly attends to that mind, he transcends the conditioned and enters the unconditioned. Having attained the unconditioned, great king, he is said to be ‘one who realizes Nibbāna.’ ” “Excellent, venerable Nāgasena, I accept it as such.” The Eleventh Question: The Realization of Nibbāna. 12. The Twelfth Question: The Location of Nibbāna 12. “Venerable Nāgasena, is there a place in the eastern direction, or in the southern direction, or in the western direction, or in the northern direction, or upwards, or downwards, or across, where Nibbāna is located?” “There is no such place, great king, in the eastern direction, or in the southern direction, or in the western direction, or in the northern direction, or upwards, or downwards, or below, or above, where Nibbāna is located." "If, venerable Nāgasena, there is no place where Nibbāna is located, then there is no Nibbāna? And for those who have realized Nibbāna, their realization is false. I will state the reason for this. Just as, venerable Nāgasena, there is a field for the growth of grain, there is a flower for the growth of fragrance, there is a bush for the growth of flowers, there is a tree for the growth of fruit, there is a mine for the growth of jewels. There, whoever desires whatever, goes there and takes it. In the same way, venerable Nāgasena, if Nibbāna exists, a place for the growth of Nibbāna should also be desired. Since, venerable Nāgasena, there is no place for the growth of Nibbāna, therefore I say there is no Nibbāna. And for those who have realized Nibbāna, their realization is false." "There is no place where Nibbāna is located, great king, yet Nibbāna exists. One who practices rightly, with wise attention, realizes Nibbāna. Just as, great king, there is fire, but there is no place where it is located. One rubs two sticks together and obtains fire. In the same way, great king, Nibbāna exists, but there is no place where it is located. One who practices rightly, with wise attention, realizes Nibbāna. Or just as, great king, there are the seven jewels. That is to say: the wheel-jewel, the elephant-jewel, the horse-jewel, the gem-jewel, the woman-jewel, the householder-jewel, the general-jewel. And there is no place where these jewels are located. But for a khattiya who practices rightly, by the power of his practice, those jewels appear. In the same way, great king, Nibbāna exists, but there is no place where it is located. One who practices rightly, with wise attention, realizes Nibbāna." "Venerable Nāgasena, let there be no place where Nibbāna is located. But is there a place where one who practices rightly, standing there, realizes Nibbāna...?" realizes Nibbāna?” “Yes, great king, there is such a place, where one who stands, practicing rightly, realizes Nibbāna.” “But what, venerable sir, is that place, where one who stands, practicing rightly, realizes Nibbāna?” “Virtue, great king, is the place. Established in virtue, attending wisely, whether standing in Sakayavana, or Cīnavilāta, or Alasanda, or Nigumba, or Kāsikosala, or Kasmīra, or Gandhāra, or on a mountain peak, or in the Brahma-world, wherever one stands, practicing rightly, one realizes Nibbāna. Just as, great king, any clear-sighted person, whether standing in Sakayavana, or Cīnavilāta, or Alasanda, or Nigumba, or Kāsikosala, or Kasmīra, or Gandhāra, or on a mountain peak, or in the Brahma-world, wherever one stands, sees the sky; even so, great king, established in virtue, attending wisely, whether standing in Sakayavana… …wherever one stands, practicing rightly, one realizes Nibbāna. Or just as, great king, for one standing in Sakayavana… …wherever one stands, there is an eastern direction; even so, great king, for one established in virtue, attending wisely, for one standing in Sakayavana… …wherever one stands, practicing rightly, there is the realization of Nibbāna.” “Excellent, venerable Nāgasena! You have expounded Nibbāna, you have expounded the realization of Nibbāna, you have examined the qualities of virtue, you have shown the right practice, you have raised the banner of Dhamma, you have established the guiding principle of Dhamma, the right application of those well-applied is not in vain. Thus, I accept it, O foremost among the assembly of excellent ones!” The Twelfth Question: Nibbāna's Proximity. The Third Chapter: Vessantara. In this chapter, twelve questions. 4. The Chapter on Inference 1. The Question on Inference 1. Then King Milinda approached the Venerable Nāgasena. Having approached, he saluted the Venerable Nāgasena and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, King Milinda, desiring to know, desiring to hear, Desiring to hold the light of wisdom, Desiring to see, desiring to break ignorance, Desiring to produce the light of wisdom, Desiring to destroy the darkness of ignorance, Having established great perseverance and effort and mindfulness and clear comprehension, He said this to the venerable Nāgasena: "Venerable Nāgasena, has the Buddha been seen by you?" "No, great king." "Has the Buddha been seen by your teachers?" "No, great king." "Venerable Nāgasena, indeed the Buddha has not been seen by you, Nor indeed has the Buddha been seen by your teachers, Therefore, venerable Nāgasena, there is no Buddha, No Buddha is perceived here." "But are there, great king, former khattiyas, Who are the predecessors of your khattiya lineage?" "Yes, venerable sir. What doubt is there? There are former khattiyas, Who are the predecessors of my khattiya lineage." "Have the former khattiyas been seen by you, great king?" "No, venerable sir." "But those who instruct you, great king, The purohitas, generals, judges, ministers, Have the former khattiyas been seen by them?" "No, venerable sir." "If, great king, the former khattiyas have not been seen by you, Nor indeed have the former khattiyas been seen by your instructors, Then there are no former khattiyas, No former khattiyas are perceived here." "Venerable Nāgasena, the experienced articles of use of the former khattiyas are seen. Such as, the white parasol, the turban, the sandals, the yak-tail whisk, the sword-jewel, and the very valuable beds. By which we may know and believe, 'There are former khattiyas.'" "Just so, great king, we also know and believe in that Blessed One. There is a reason, by which reason we know and believe, 'That Blessed One exists.' What is that reason? Indeed, great king, the experienced articles of use of that Blessed One, the knowing, the seeing, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, exist. Such as, The four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, the Noble Eightfold Path, by which the world with its devas knows and believes, 'That Blessed One exists.' By this, great king, reason, by this cause, by this method, by this inference, it should be known, 'That Blessed One exists.' ‘‘‘Having ferried many people across, he was extinguished, with the destruction of defilements; By inference it should be known, that supreme one among bipeds exists.’’’ ‘‘Venerable Nāgasena, give an illustration.’’ ‘‘Just as, great king, a city builder, wishing to construct a city, first surveys a level, neither high nor low, free from gravel and stones, harmless, faultless, delightful piece of land, and whatever is uneven there, he has made even, clears away stumps and thorns, and then builds a beautiful city there, well-divided, measured in sections, with ditches and walls dug up, with strong gate-towers and battlements, with many crossroads, squares, junctions, and meeting places, with clean, level royal roads, with well-divided inner markets, endowed with parks, gardens, ponds, lotus ponds, and wells, adorned with various shrines, free from all faults; and when that city has reached full prosperity in every way, he might go to another country. Then that city, at a later time, would become prosperous, flourishing, with abundant food, safe, wealthy, auspicious, free from calamity, unmolested, thronged with various people: