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112
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA.
III, 5, 7.
* Very good, Nagasena!'
7. [72] The king said: 'Is there any being, Någasena, who transmigrates from this body to another?'
No, there is not.' But if so, would it not get free from its evil deeds.' Yes, if it were not reborn; but if it were, no?.' Give me an illustration.'
Suppose, O king, a man were to steal another man's mangoes, would the thief deserve punishment?' · Yes.'
But he would not have stolen the mangoes the other set in the ground. Why would he deserve punishment?'
Because those he stole were the result of those that were planted.'
Just so, great king, this name-and-form commits deeds, either pure or impure, and by that Karma another name-and-form is reborn. And therefore is it not set free from its evil deeds ?'
Very good, Nâgasena !'
8. The king said: “When deeds are committed, Nâgasena, by one name-and-form, what becomes of those deeds ?'
The deeds would follow it, О king, like a shadow that never leaves it?'
Can any one point out those deeds, saying: “Here are those deeds, or there"?'
No.'
· This is an exact repetition of what we had above, II, 2, 6.
• These last words are a quotation of those that recur at Samyutta III, 2, 10, 10, and Dhammapada, verse 2.
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