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IV, 8, 2.
OF MILINDA THE KING.
115
bruised by the creeper,—yet could look on at the sight. And this third action was even harder still, that when his boy ran back to him, after loosing the bonds by his own exertion, then he bound him again with the jungle rope and again gave him away. And this fourth action was even harder still, that when the children, weeping, cried: "Father dear, this ogre is leading us away to eat us!” he should have appeased them by saying: "Don't be afraid.” And this fifth action was even harder still, that when the prince, Gali, fell weeping at his feet, and besought him, saying: “Be satisfied, father dear, only keep Kanhâgina (his little sister). I will go away with the ogre. Let him eat me!"—that even then he would not yield. And this sixth action was even harder still, that when the boy Gali, lamenting, exclaimed: "Have you a heart of stone then, father, that you can look upon us, miserable, being led away by the ogre into the dense and haunted jungle, and not call us back ?”-that he still had no pity. And this seventh action was even harder still, that when his children were thus led away to nameless horrors until they passed gradually to their bitter fate!, out of sight—that then his heart did not break, utterly break! What, pray, has the man who seeks to gain merit to do with bringing sorrow on others ! Should he not rather give himself away?'
2. 'It is because what he did, O king, was so
Simhalese (p. 390) has at mardanaya kota welannawun deka.
1 Ralaralassa bhîm a bhimassa. The Simhalese (p. 390) omits these words, giving other details in place of them, and as they occur only here I am not sure of their meaning.
I 2
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| SR No. | 007682 |
| Book Title | Questions of King Milinda Part 02 |
| 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 |