2.
The Chapter on the Course
1.
The Question on the Continuity of Phenomena
1. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, one who arises, is he the same, or is he another?" The elder said: "Neither the same nor another."
"Give a simile." "What do you think, great king, when you were young, tender, dull, an infant lying on your back, are you the same as you are now grown up?" "No indeed, venerable sir, that young, tender, dull infant lying on his back was one, I who am now grown up am another." "This being so, great king, there will be no mother, there will be no father, there will be no teacher, there will be no one skilled in crafts, there will be no one virtuous, there will be no one wise. Is it then, great king, that the mother of the embryo is one, the mother of the foetus in the second stage is another, the mother of the foetus in the third stage is another, the mother of the compact mass is another, the mother of the small child is another, the mother of the grown-up is another, one learns a craft, another becomes trained, one commits an evil deed, another's hands and feet are cut off?" "No indeed, venerable sir. But you, venerable sir, when this is said, what would you say?" The elder said: "I indeed, great king, was young, tender, dull, an infant lying on his back, I indeed am now grown up; in dependence on this very body, all those are included as one."
"Give a further simile." "Just as, great king, some man might light a lamp, would it burn the whole night?" "Yes, venerable sir, it would burn the whole night." "Is then, great king, the flame in the first watch the same as the flame in the middle watch?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "Is the flame in the middle watch the same as the flame in the last watch?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "Is then, great king, the lamp in the first watch one, the lamp in the middle watch another, the lamp in the last watch another?" "No indeed, venerable sir, in dependence on that very same it burned the whole night." "Just so indeed, great king, the continuity of phenomena connects; one arises, another ceases; it connects as if simultaneously; therefore neither the same nor another; the latter consciousness goes into the inclusion of the former consciousness."
"Give a further simile." "Just as, great king, milk when being milked after an interval of time would turn into curds, from curds into butter, from butter into ghee, if anyone, great king, were to say thus: 'Whatever is the milk, that very thing is the curds; whatever is the curds, that very thing is the butter; whatever is the butter, that very thing is the ghee' - would he, speaking thus, speak rightly, great king?" "No indeed, venerable sir, it arose in dependence on that very same." "Just so indeed, great king, the continuity of phenomena connects; one arises, another ceases; it connects as if simultaneously; therefore neither the same nor another; the latter consciousness goes into the inclusion of the former consciousness."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The Question on the Continuity of Phenomena is first.
2.
The Question on Putting Together
2. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, one who does not reunite, does he know 'I will not reunite'?" "Yes, great king, one who does not reunite knows 'I will not reunite'." "How, venerable sir, does he know?" "Whatever cause, whatever condition, great king, there is for reuniting, by the cessation of that cause, of that condition, he knows 'I will not reunite'."
"Give a simile." "Just as, great king, a farmer householder, having ploughed and sown, might fill a granary. If at a later time he would neither plough nor sow, and would consume or give away or do as he wishes with the grain that was stored, would he know, great king, that farmer householder, 'My granary will not be filled'?" "Yes, venerable sir, he would know." "How would he know?" "Whatever cause, whatever condition there is for the filling of the granary, by the cessation of that cause, of that condition, he knows 'My granary will not be filled'." "Just so indeed, great king, whatever cause, whatever condition there is for reuniting, by the cessation of that cause, of that condition, he knows 'I will not reunite'."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The Question on Putting Together is second.
3.
The Question on Knowledge and Wisdom
3. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, for whom knowledge has arisen, has wisdom arisen for him?" "Yes, great king, for whom knowledge has arisen, wisdom has arisen for him." "What, venerable sir, is that very knowledge that very wisdom?" "Yes, great king, that very knowledge is that very wisdom." "But, venerable sir, for whom that very knowledge, that very wisdom has arisen, would he be bewildered, or would he not be bewildered?" "In some cases, great king, he would be bewildered, in some cases he would not be bewildered." "Where, venerable sir, would he be bewildered?" "In branches of knowledge not previously known, great king, or in a direction not previously visited, or regarding a designation not previously heard, he would be bewildered." "Where would he not be bewildered?" "But whatever, great king, has been done by that wisdom as 'impermanent' or 'suffering' or 'non-self', there he would not be bewildered." "But where, venerable sir, does his delusion go?" "Delusion, great king, ceases right there as soon as knowledge has arisen."
"Give a simile." "Just as, great king, some man might light a lamp in a dark house, then the darkness would cease, and light would appear. Just so indeed, great king, as soon as knowledge has arisen, delusion ceases right there."
"But where, venerable sir, does wisdom go?" "Wisdom too, great king, having done its own function, ceases right there; but what has been done by that wisdom as 'impermanent' or 'suffering' or 'non-self', that does not cease."
"Venerable Nāgasena, as for this that you say: 'Wisdom, having done its own function, ceases right there; but what has been done by that wisdom as "impermanent" or "suffering" or "non-self", that does not cease' - give a simile for that." "Just as, great king, some man wishing to send a letter at night, having summoned a scribe, having lit a lamp, might have the letter written; but when the letter has been written, he might extinguish the lamp; even when the lamp has been extinguished, the letter would not be destroyed. Just so indeed, great king, wisdom, having done its own function, ceases right there; but what has been done by that wisdom as 'impermanent' or 'suffering' or 'non-self', that does not cease."
"Give a further simile." "Just as, great king, in the eastern districts people place five water pots at each house to extinguish a fire; when the house is ablaze, they throw those five water pots on top of the house, and then the fire is extinguished. Now, great king, does it occur to those people: 'We shall do the pot-function again with those pots'?" "No indeed, venerable sir, those pots are finished with; what use are those pots?" "Just as, great king, the five water pots, so should the five faculties be seen: the faith faculty, the energy faculty, the mindfulness faculty, the concentration faculty, the wisdom faculty. Just as those people, so should one who practises meditation be seen. Just as the fire, so should the mental defilements be seen. Just as the fire is extinguished by the five water pots, so the mental defilements are extinguished by the five faculties; and the mental defilements once extinguished do not arise again. Just so indeed, great king, wisdom, having done its own function, ceases right there; but what has been done by that wisdom as 'impermanent' or 'suffering' or 'non-self', that does not cease."
"Give a further simile." "Just as, great king, a physician, having taken five-root medicines, having approached a sick person, having ground those five-root medicines, might give them to the sick person to drink, and by them the disorders would be expelled. Now, great king, does it occur to that physician: 'I shall do the medicine-function again with those five-root medicines'?" "No indeed, venerable sir, those five-root medicines are finished with; what use are those five-root medicines?" "Just as, great king, the five-root medicines, so should the five faculties be seen: the faith faculty, the energy faculty, the mindfulness faculty, the concentration faculty, the wisdom faculty; just as the physician, so should one who practises meditation be seen. Just as the disease, so should the mental defilements be seen. Just as the diseased man, so should the worldling be seen. Just as the disorders of the sick person are expelled by the five-root medicines, and when the disorders are expelled the sick person becomes healthy, so the mental defilements are expelled by the five faculties; and the mental defilements once expelled do not arise again. Just so indeed, great king, wisdom, having done its own function, ceases right there; but what has been done by that wisdom as 'impermanent' or 'suffering' or 'non-self', that does not cease."
"Give a further simile." "Just as, great king, a warrior experienced in battle, having taken five arrows, might enter the battle to conquer the enemy army, and he, having gone into battle, might shoot those five arrows, and by them the enemy army might be broken, would it occur thus to that warrior experienced in battle, great king: 'I will again perform the function of arrows with those arrows'?" "No indeed, venerable sir, those arrows are sufficient; what use are those arrows?" "Just as, great king, the five arrows, so should the five faculties be seen - the faith faculty, the energy faculty, the mindfulness faculty, the concentration faculty, the wisdom faculty. Just as, great king, the warrior experienced in battle, so should one who practises meditation be seen. Just as the enemy army, so should the mental defilements be seen. Just as by the five arrows the enemy army is broken, so by the five faculties the mental defilements are broken, and the mental defilements once broken do not come to be again. Just so indeed, great king, wisdom, having done its own function, ceases right there; but what has been done by that wisdom as 'impermanent' or 'suffering' or 'non-self', that does not cease."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The Question on Knowledge and Wisdom is third.
4.
The Question on the Person Who Puts Together and Experiences
4. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, one who does not reunite, does he feel any unpleasant feeling?" The elder said: "He feels something, he does not feel something." "What does he feel, what does he not feel?" "He feels bodily feeling, great king, he does not feel mental feeling." "How, venerable sir, does he feel bodily feeling, how does he not feel mental feeling?" "Whatever cause, whatever condition there is for the arising of bodily unpleasant feeling, by the non-cessation of that cause, of that condition, he feels bodily unpleasant feeling; whatever cause, whatever condition there is for the arising of mental unpleasant feeling, by the cessation of that cause, of that condition, he does not feel mental unpleasant feeling. This too was spoken, great king, by the Blessed One - 'He feels one feeling, bodily, not mental.'"
"Venerable Nāgasena, one who feels unpleasant feeling, why does he not attain final nibbāna?" "There is not, great king, attraction or aversion for a Worthy One, and Worthy Ones, being wise, do not cause the unripe to fall, they wait for the ripening. This too was spoken, great king, by the elder Sāriputta, the General of the Teaching -
And I await the time, like a hired servant earning his wages.
And I await the time, fully aware, mindful.'"
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The Question on the Person Who Puts Together and Experiences is fourth.
5.
The Question on Feeling
5. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, is pleasant feeling wholesome or unwholesome or indeterminate?" "It may be, great king, wholesome, it may be unwholesome, it may be indeterminate." "If, venerable sir, the wholesome is not suffering, if suffering is not wholesome, 'the wholesome is suffering' does not arise." "What do you think, great king, suppose one were to place a red-hot iron ball in a man's hand, and place a cold lump of ice in his other hand, would both of them burn, great king?" "Yes, venerable sir, both of them would burn." "Are both of them hot, great king?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "Are both of them cold, great king?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "Understand the refutation: if the hot burns, yet both of them are not hot, therefore it does not arise. If the cold burns, yet both of them are not cold, therefore it does not arise. Why then, great king, do both of them burn, yet both of them are not hot, and both of them are not cold? One is hot, one is cold, both of them burn, therefore it does not arise." "I am not competent to converse with you, a debater; please, explain the meaning." Then the elder convinced King Milinda with a talk connected with the higher teaching:
"There are, great king, these six pleasures connected with the household life, six pleasures connected with renunciation, six displeasures connected with the household life, six displeasures connected with renunciation, six equanimities connected with the household life, six equanimities connected with renunciation - these are six sets of six. In the past too there are thirty-six kinds of feeling, in the future too there are thirty-six kinds of feeling, in the present too there are thirty-six kinds of feeling; having collected them together, having combined them, there are one hundred and eight feelings."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The Question on Feeling is fifth.
6.
The Question on the Unity and Diversity of Mentality-Materiality
6. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, who reunites?" The elder said: "Mentality-materiality, great king, reunites." "Does this very same mentality-materiality reunite?" "Indeed not, great king, this very same mentality-materiality does not reunite; but with this mentality-materiality one performs action, whether beautiful or evil, and by that action another mentality-materiality reunites." "If, venerable sir, this very same mentality-materiality does not reunite, surely he will be freed from evil actions?" The elder said: "If it did not reunite, one would be freed from evil actions. But because, great king, it reunites, therefore one is not freed from evil actions."
"Give a simile." "Just as, great king, some man might steal mangoes from another man, and the owner of the mangoes, having seized him, might show him to the king: 'This man, Sire, has stolen my mangoes.' He might speak thus: 'I, Sire, did not steal this man's mangoes; those mangoes that were planted by him are different, those mangoes that were stolen by me are different; I am not liable to punishment.' Would that man, great king, be liable to punishment?" "Yes, venerable sir, he would be liable to punishment." "For what reason?" "Although he might speak thus, venerable sir, without rejecting the former mango, by the later mango that man would be liable to punishment." "Just so indeed, great king, with this mentality-materiality one performs action, whether beautiful or evil, and by that action another mentality-materiality reunites; therefore one is not freed from evil actions."
"Give a further simile." "Just as, great king, some man might steal rice from another man, etc. might steal sugar-cane, etc. Just as, great king, some man in the winter season, having kindled a fire, having warmed himself, without extinguishing it, might depart; then that fire might burn another man's field; the owner of the field, having seized him, might show him to the king: 'This man, Sire, has burnt my field.' He might speak thus: 'I, Sire, did not burn this man's field; that fire which was not extinguished by me is different, that fire by which this man's field was burnt is different; I am not liable to punishment.' Would that man, great king, be liable to punishment?" "Yes, venerable sir, he would be liable to punishment." "For what reason?" "Although he might speak thus, venerable sir, without rejecting the former fire, by the later fire that man would be liable to punishment." "Just so indeed, great king, with this mentality-materiality one performs action, whether beautiful or evil, and by that action another mentality-materiality reunites; therefore one is not freed from evil actions."
"Give a further simile." "Just as, great king, some man, having taken a lamp, having ascended a mansion, might eat; the lamp burning might set fire to the grass; the grass burning might set fire to the house; the house burning might set fire to the village; the villagers, having seized that man, might speak thus: 'Why did you, friend, burn the village?' He might speak thus: 'I, friend, did not burn the village; that lamp-fire by whose light I ate is different, that fire by which the village was burnt is different.' They, disputing, might come to your presence. Whose case would you uphold, great king?" "The villagers', venerable sir." "Why?" "Although he might speak thus, but that fire arose from that very source." "Just so indeed, great king, although the mentality-materiality at the time of death is different, and the mentality-materiality at conception is different, but that arose from that very source; therefore one is not freed from evil actions."
"Give a further simile." "Just as, great king, some man might ask for a young girl in marriage, pay the bride-price, and depart. She at a later time would be grown up and come of age; then another man, having paid the bride-price, might marry her. The first one, having come, might say thus: 'Why, my good man, do you take away my wife?' He might say thus: 'I am not taking away your wife; that girl who was young and tender, who was asked for by you and for whom the bride-price was paid, is different; this girl who is grown up and come of age, who was asked for by me and for whom the bride-price was paid, is different.' They, disputing, might come to your presence. Whose case would you uphold, great king?" "The first one's, venerable sir." "Why?" "Although he might speak thus, yet she who is grown up arose from that very one." "Just so indeed, great king, although the mentality-materiality at the time of death is different, and the mentality-materiality at conception is different, yet it arose from that very one; therefore one is not released from evil actions."
"Give a further simile." "Just as, great king, some man might buy a pot of milk from a cowherd's hand, and having left it in his very hand, might depart, saying 'I will take it and go tomorrow'; that on the following day might turn into curds. He, having come, might say thus: 'Give me the pot of milk.' He might offer curds. The other might say thus: 'I did not buy curds from your hand; give me the pot of milk.' He might say thus: 'Without your knowing, the milk has become curds.' They, disputing, might come to your presence. Whose case would you uphold, great king?" "The cowherd's, venerable sir." "Why?" "Although he might speak thus, yet it arose from that very one." "Just so indeed, great king, although the mentality-materiality at the time of death is different, and the mentality-materiality at conception is different, yet it arose from that very one; therefore one is not released from evil actions."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The Question on the Unity and Diversity of Mentality-Materiality is sixth.
7.
The Question on the Elder's Putting Together and Not Putting Together
7. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, but will you reunite?" "Enough, great king, what is there for you in asking that? Was it not declared by me beforehand: 'If, great king, I will be one with clinging, I will reunite; if I will be one without clinging, I will not reunite'?"
"Give a simile." "Just as, great king, some man might perform a service for a king. The king, being pleased, might grant him an office; he, endowed and furnished with the five types of sensual pleasure by that office, might indulge himself; if he were to tell people: 'The king does nothing for me.' Would that man, great king, be acting properly?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "Just so indeed, great king, what is there for you in asking that? Was it not declared by me beforehand: 'If I will be one with clinging, I will reunite; if I will be one without clinging, I will not reunite'?"
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The Question on the Elder's Putting Together and Not Putting Together is seventh.
8.
The Question on the Putting Together of Mentality-Materiality
8. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, as for this that you say 'mentality-materiality', therein what is mentality, what is materiality?" "Whatever therein, great king, is gross, that is materiality; whatever therein are subtle mental states of consciousness and mental factors, that is mentality." "Venerable Nāgasena, for what reason does mentality alone not reunite, or materiality alone?" "Mutually dependent, great king, these phenomena arise together."
"Give a simile." "Just as, great king, if there were no embryo of a hen, there would be no egg either; whatever therein is the embryo, whatever is the egg, both of these are mutually dependent, their arising is together. Even so, great king, if therein there were no mentality, there would be no materiality either; whatever therein is mentality, whatever is materiality, both of these are mutually dependent, their arising is together. Thus this has transmigrated for a long course of time."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The Question on the Putting Together of Mentality-Materiality is eighth.
9.
The Question on the Course of Time
9. The king said: "Venerable Nāgasena, as for this that you say 'a long course', what is this called a course?" "The past, great king, is a period; the future is a period; the present is a period." "But, venerable sir, do all periods exist?" "Some period, great king, exists; some does not exist." "But which, venerable sir, exists; which does not exist?" "Those activities, great king, that are past, departed, ceased, changed - that period does not exist; those mental states that are resultant, those that are states that have resultant quality, and those that give conception elsewhere - that period exists. Those beings who have deceased and have arisen elsewhere - that period also exists. Those beings who have deceased and have not arisen elsewhere - that period does not exist. And those beings who have attained final Nibbāna - that period also does not exist because of having attained final Nibbāna."
"You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena."
The Question on the Course of Time is ninth.
The Chapter on the Course of Time is second.
In this chapter there are nine questions.