5.
The Chapter on the Buddhas
1.
The Question on the Presence or Absence of the Buddha
1. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, has the Buddha been seen by you?" "No indeed, great king." "Then has the Buddha been seen by your teachers?" "No indeed, great king." "If so, Venerable Nāgasena, there is no Buddha." "But then, great king, has the Ūhā river in the Himalayas been seen by you?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "Then has the Ūhā river been seen by your father?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "If so, great king, there is no Ūhā river." "There is, venerable sir; although the Ūhā river has not been seen by me, and the Ūhā river has not been seen by my father either, yet there is the Ūhā river." "Just so indeed, great king, although the Blessed One has not been seen by me, and the Blessed One has not been seen by my teachers either, yet there is the Blessed One."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on the presence or absence of the Buddha is the first.
2.
The Question on the Buddha's Unsurpassed State
2. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, is the Buddha unsurpassed?" "Yes, great king, the Blessed One is unsurpassed." "How, venerable Nāgasena, do you know the Buddha is unsurpassed, having never seen him before?" "What do you think, great king, those by whom the great ocean has never been seen before, would they know, great king, 'the great ocean is indeed great, deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom, wherein these five great rivers constantly and continuously flow, as follows: the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, the Mahī, yet neither deficiency nor fullness of it is discerned'?" "Yes, venerable sir, they would know." "Just so indeed, great king, having seen the great disciples who have attained final Nibbāna, I know 'the Blessed One is unsurpassed'."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on the Buddha's unsurpassed state is the second.
3.
The Question on Knowing the Buddha's Unsurpassed State
3. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, is it possible to know 'the Buddha is unsurpassed'?" "Yes, great king, it is possible to know 'the Blessed One is unsurpassed'." "How, venerable Nāgasena, is it possible to know 'the Buddha is unsurpassed'?" "Once in the past, great king, there was an elder named Tissa who was a writing teacher; many years have passed since he died - how is he known?" "By his writing, venerable sir." "Just so indeed, great king, whoever sees the Teaching sees the Blessed One, for the Teaching, great king, was taught by the Blessed One."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on knowing the Buddha's unsurpassed state is the third.
4.
The Question on Seeing the Dhamma
4. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, has the Teaching been seen by you?" "By the Buddha's guidance indeed, great king, by the Buddha's regulation, for life it should be practised by disciples."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on seeing the Dhamma is the fourth.
5.
The Question on Reconnection without Transmigration
5. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, does one not transmigrate and yet reunite?" "Yes, great king, one does not transmigrate and yet reunites." "How, venerable Nāgasena, does one not transmigrate and yet reunite? Give a simile." "Just as, great king, some man might light a lamp from a lamp, has that lamp, great king, passed over from the other lamp?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "Just so indeed, great king, one does not transmigrate and yet reunites."
"Give a further simile." "Do you recall, great king, when you were young, having learned some verse near a verse-teacher?" "Yes, venerable sir." "Has that verse, great king, passed over from the teacher?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "Just so indeed, great king, one does not transmigrate and yet reunites."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on reconnection without transmigration is the fifth.
6.
The Question on One Who Has Attained the Highest Knowledge
6. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, is one who has attained the highest knowledge found?" The elder said: "In the ultimate reality, great king, one who has attained the highest knowledge is not found."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on one who has attained the highest knowledge is the sixth.
7.
The Question on Transmigration to Another Body
7. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, is there any being who transmigrates from this body to another body?" "No indeed, great king." "If, Venerable Nāgasena, there is no one transmigrating from this body to another body, surely he will be freed from evil actions?" "Yes, great king, if he did not reunite, he would be freed from evil actions; but because, great king, he reunites, therefore he is not released from evil actions."
"Give a simile." "Just as, great king, some man might steal mangoes from another man, would he be liable to punishment?" "Yes, venerable sir, he would be liable to punishment." "But, great king, he did not steal those mangoes that were planted by him; why would he be liable to punishment?" "Those mangoes, venerable sir, arose in dependence on those; therefore he would be liable to punishment." "Just so indeed, great king, with this mentality-materiality one performs action, whether beautiful or non-beautiful, and by that action another mentality-materiality reunites; therefore one is not released from evil actions."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on transmigration to another body is the seventh.
8.
The Question on the Existence of the Fruit of Action
8. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, when action has been done by this mentality-materiality, whether wholesome or unwholesome, where do those actions remain?" "They would follow, great king, those actions, like a shadow that does not depart." "But is it possible, venerable sir, to show those actions: 'Here or there those actions remain'?" "It is not possible, great king, to show those actions: 'Here or there those actions remain.'"
"Give a simile." "What do you think, great king, these trees that have not produced fruit, is it possible to show their fruits: 'Here or there those fruits remain'?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "Just so indeed, great king, with uninterrupted continuity it is not possible to show those actions: 'Here or there those actions remain.'"
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on the existence of the fruit of action is the eighth.
9.
The Question on Knowing What Arises
9. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, one who arises, does he know 'I will arise'?" "Yes, great king, one who arises knows 'I will arise'." "Give a simile." "Just as, great king, a farmer householder, having placed seeds in the ground, when the sky rains properly, knows 'grain will be produced'?" "Yes, venerable sir, he would know." "Just so indeed, great king, one who arises knows 'I will arise'."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on knowing what arises is the ninth.
10.
The Question on Evidence of the Buddha
10. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, does the Buddha exist?" "Yes, great king, the Blessed One exists." "But is it possible, Venerable Nāgasena, to point out the Buddha: 'Here or there'?" "The Blessed One, great king, has attained final Nibbāna through the Nibbāna element without residue of clinging; it is not possible to point out the Blessed One: 'Here or there'."
"Give a simile." "What do you think, great king, of a great mass of fire that was burning, the flame that has passed away, is it possible to show that flame: 'Here or there'?" "No indeed, venerable sir, that flame has ceased, gone beyond designation." "Just so indeed, great king, the Blessed One has attained final Nibbāna through the Nibbāna element without residue of clinging, has passed away; it is not possible to point out the Blessed One: 'Here or there'; but by the body of the Teaching, great king, it is possible to point out the Blessed One. For the Teaching, great king, was taught by the Blessed One."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The question on evidence of the Buddha is the tenth.
The Chapter on the Buddha is the fifth.
In this chapter there are ten questions.