Questions of King Milinda Part 02

SR No.: 007682
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1894
Total Pages: 2240
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 38 MB

Page 1132

III ADHYAYA, I PÂDA, 9.
119
and not the latter, so death provokes the operation of the stronger works only, not of the weaker ones, although an equal opportunity presents itself for both sets of works as hitherto unrequited.--Hence the doctrine that all works are mani. fested by death cannot be maintained, as it is contradicted by Sruti, Smriti, and reason alike. That the existence of a remainder of works should stand in the way of final release is a misplaced fear, as we know from Sruti that all works whatever are destroyed by perfect knowledge. It therefore is a settled conclusion that the souls re-descend with a remainder of works. They descend 'as they came' (mounted up); 'not thus,' i.e. in inverted order. We conclude that they descend 'as they came' from the fact of ether and smoke, which the text includes in the road of the fathers, being mentioned in the description of the descent also, and from the expression as they came.' That they follow the inverted order we conclude from night, &c., not being mentioned, and from the cloud, &c., being added.
9. Should it be objected that on account of conduct (the assumption of a remainder is not needed), we deny this because the scriptural expression 'conduct') is meant to connote (the remainder); so Kârshnagini thinks.
But-an objection may be raised the scriptural passage, which has been quoted for the purpose of proving that the existence of a remainder of works (those whose conduct has been good,' &c.), declares that the quality of the new birth depends on karana, not on anusaya. Now karana and anusaya are different things; for karana is the same as karitra, akára, sila, all of which mean conduct, while anusaya denotes work remaining from requited work. Scripture also speaks of actions and conduct as different things, 'According as he acts and according as he conducts himself so will he be' (Bri. Up. IV, 4, 5); and . Whatever
Sila also means here conduct' only, as we see from its being co-ordinated with karana, karitra, &c.; not character.
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