English
They know by inference, "He will be magnificent"; They know by inference, having seen the frightened quails, "These quails are frightened by the sound of the lion king"; Likewise, having seen the heretics, arrogant, with frightened minds, It is to be known by inference, "The Dhamma-king has roared"; Having seen the earth cooled, with green leaves, with abundant water, They know by inference, "It is cooled by a great cloud"; Likewise, having seen this populace, delighted, rejoiced, It is to be known by inference, "It is refreshed by the Dhamma-king"; Having seen the lotus root stuck, the mud, the mire gone from the earth, They know by inference, "A great rain cloud has passed"; Likewise, having seen this populace, with dust removed, composed, Carried by the river of Dhamma, released into the ocean of Dhamma; Having seen this earth with its deities attained to the Dhamma-nectar, It is to be known by inference, "A great rain of Dhamma has passed"; They know by inference, having smelled the excellent fragrance, "As this fragrance blows, there will be flowering trees"; Likewise, this fragrance of virtue wafts in the world with its deities, It is to be known by inference, "There is a Buddha, unsurpassed"; The question of inference. A king sees monks in the forest, deeply engaged, with ascetic qualities, Again, he sees householders established in the fruit of non-returning; Having observed both, great doubt arose, "If householders understand the Dhamma, asceticism would be fruitless"; "A master of the three baskets, skilled in refuting the arguments of others, I will ask the best of speakers, may he dispel my doubt"; The eighty-two verses established in the question of Mendaka are complete. In the Milinda-questions, all the verses are compiled, there are one hundred and four verses. All the verses in the Milinda-questions. The exposition of forms of sounds is ended. Forms of Numbers Forms of numbers should be understood thus: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-five, twenty-eight, thirty, sixty-six, one and a half hundred, thus twenty-five kinds of numbers. Just as the Buddha is one, the earth is one, the ocean is one, Mount Sineru is one, the deva-world is one, the Brahma-world is one, thus six instances of "one" appear in miscellaneous contexts. Seeing what two advantages did the Blessed One allow the donation of monasteries? The donation of monasteries is praised, approved, extolled, and commended by all Buddhas. By giving a monastery, devas and humans will be freed from birth, old age, sickness, and death. When there is a monastery, monks and nuns, having made space, will be easily seen by those who wish to see them. Considering what two advantages do all Buddhas not use the four requisites made by themselves? The foremost worthy of offerings, the teacher, many devas and humans, giving the four requisites, will be freed from suffering. Buddhas perform miracles and seek a livelihood, thus avoiding self-praise and disparagement of others. What are two uncaused, without reason, and unoriginated things? Space and Nibbana. Considering what two advantages did King Vessantara give away his two children? My path of giving will not decline, and these children will be freed from the suffering of eating roots and water. What two qualities of water have entered into Nibbana? Coolness and the ability to alleviate heat for those who drink it. Through lack of mindfulness and lack of knowledge, one incurs an offense, thus six sets of two have come. Through cold, heat, and overeating, bile is aggravated in three ways. Through cold, heat, and food and drink, phlegm is aggravated in three ways. Out of respect for the lineage of the Buddha, out of reverence for the Dhamma, and because of the great multitude of monks, one causes the Patimokkha to be recited behind a screen for three reasons. What three qualities of medicine have entered into Nibbana? It is a refuge for the sick, it destroys disease. Destruction, making immortal. Three qualities of the jewel-treasure have entered into Nibbāna? Giving all desires, destroying pride, making bright. Three qualities of sandalwood? Possessing color, possessing fragrance, possessing taste, these seven triplets are spoken. Three qualities of ghee? Possessing color, possessing fragrance, possessing taste, these seven triplets are spoken. For dwelling in ease in this very life, for abundance of blameless qualities, for the state of the entire noble path, for the approval of all Buddhas, seeing these four advantages, Buddhas cultivate seclusion. By lowness, by being a door, by habituation, by being practiced, in these four ways, mind-consciousness follows after the dual five-consciousnesses. By the force of karma, by the force of the womb, by the force of family, by the force of request, by the force of these four confluences, descent into the womb occurs. Unseen obstruction, obstruction to what is intended, obstruction that has arisen, obstruction to use, these are the four obstructions. Among them, the unseen obstruction exists for the Blessed One, the remaining three do not. For what is intended, for the fathom-wide radiance, for omniscience-knowledge, and for life, there is absence of four obstructions. Clouds, mist, rain, and Rāhu, these are the four diseases of the sun. What are the four qualities of the ocean? Not associating with corpses, not being filled by rivers, being the abode of great beings, being full of various flowers. Seven quartets are spoken. 5. Greatness of the earth, pure and stainless, not associating with evil, difficult to penetrate, protected by many kinds of restraint, these five incomparable qualities of the Teaching exist and shine forth. Five qualities of food have entered into Nibbāna? Being very high, being immovable, difficult to climb, causing seeds to sprout, avoiding anger and aversion. By the striking word, by taste, by the lineage of teachers, by the manner of intention, by the superiority of knowledge, by these five qualities, and also to be received with respect, these four pentads are spoken. 6. General, chaplain, judge, treasurer, umbrella-bearer, sword-bearer, minister. Six ministers are reckoned. Vepulla of Rājagaha, the Buddha is called the foremost, these are six foremost ones. The verse spoken by Māṇavagāmika-devaputta was brought and spoken by Nāgasena. Wind-born, bile-born, phlegm-born, from divine intervention, from accumulation, from previous signs, these six kinds of people see dreams, these three sets of sixes are spoken. 7. The mind of an ordinary person, the mind of a stream-enterer, the mind of a once-returner, the mind of a non-returner, the mind of an arahant, the mind of a Pacceka Buddha, the mind of a Sammāsambuddha, these are seven liberations of mind. Nārada, Dhammantarī, Aṅgīrasa, Kapila, Kaṇḍaraggisāma, Atula, Pubbakaccāyana, these seven teachers are givers of advice. "By hunger, by thirst, bitten by a snake, and by poison, By fire, water, weapons, one dies there untimely"; These seven kinds of people are called those who die untimely, these three sets of sevens are spoken. 8. Uneven, fearful... these eight should be avoided, these eight places should be avoided by the wise, this is called the set of eight places to be avoided. Lust-corrupted... these are eight destroyers of wealth, this is called the set of eight destroyers of wealth. By desire, by questions of fame... their wisdom is shattered, this is called the set of eight destroyers of wisdom. Time, place, continent, family, mother, lifespan, month, renunciation he considers, this is called the set of eight things considered by a Bodhisatta. "Merchandise, the path to come, a ford, a bank, a weapon's stability; Future skill, these eight places are to be considered"; This is called the set of eight things to be considered in the future. "A merchant, an elephant, a cart driver, a helmsman, A doctor, an upper bridge, a monk, and a sprout of the Jina, These eight people are to be considered in the future"; This is called the set of eight things to be considered. Lustful, hateful, deluded, conceited, greedy, lazy, a king, and a murderer, these eight were taught by Nāgasena, this is called the set of eight murderers. By wind, bile, phlegm... one dies untimely there, this is called the set of eight causes of untimely death. He should not be instructed in wealth, nor... A mind associated with greed, a mind not associated with aversion, a mind not associated with delusion should be established. One should be of humble conduct toward servants, workers, and messengers. Bodily and verbal actions should be well-guarded. The six senses should be well-guarded. The mind should be established in the cultivation of loving-kindness. This is the eightfold practice undertaken by King Milinda. A flower shop, a perfume shop, a fruit shop, a drug shop, a medicine shop, an elixir shop, a jewel shop, a general store— this is the eightfold market. The eight groups have been spoken. 9. "The passionate, the hateful, and the deluded... ...quickly become manifest." This is the miscellaneous group of nine. The nine successive states of dwelling, the group of people who are devoted to the Dhamma— these two groups of nine have been spoken. 10. "One who is devoted to the Sangha, though suffering; one who is devoted to the Dhamma; one who shares according to their ability, one who increases the wheel of the Conqueror; one who is foremost in right view, one who has no other teacher; one who well-guards bodily actions, etc.; one who delights in harmony; one who is unshaken, does not wander in circles, one who has gone for refuge to the Buddha, etc.— these are the ten qualities of a lay follower," so taught Nāgasena. This is the ten qualities of a lay follower. Ganges, Yamuna, Aciravati, Sarabhu, Mahi,