Questions of King Milinda Part 01

SR No.: 007681
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1890
Total Pages: 2695
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 47 MB

Page 157

102
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA.
'Now what do you think, O king? Is it when you feel thirst that you would set to work to have a well or an artificial lake dug out, with the intention of getting some water to drink?'
'Certainly not, Sir.'
'Just so, great king, is effort concerned now with what still remains to be done, former effort has accomplished what it had to do.'
'Give me a further illustration.'
III, 4, 3.
'Now what do you think, O king? Is it when you feel hungry that you set to work to have fields ploughed and seed planted and crops reaped with the intention of getting some food to eat?'
'Certainly not, Sir.'
'Just so, great king, is effort concerned now with what still remains to be done, former effort has accomplished what it had to do.'
'Give me a further illustration.'
'Now what do you think, O king? Is it when the battle is set in array against you that you set to work to have a moat dug, and a rampart put up, and a watch tower built, and a stronghold formed, and stores of food collected? Is it then that you would have yourself taught the management of elephants, or horsemanship, or the use of the chariot and the bow, or the art of fencing?'
"
Certainly not, Sir.'
'Just so, great king, is effort concerned now with what still remains to be done, former effort has accomplished what it had to do. For it has been thus said, O king, by the Blessed One:
"Betimes let each wise man work out
That which he sees to be his weal!
Not with the carter's mode of thought, but firm
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