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VII, 1, 1o.
OF MILINDA THE KING.
285
4. THE PANTHER (FEMALE)" 9. Venerable Någasena, that one quality of the female of the panther which you say he ought to take, which is that?'
Just, О king, as the female of the panther conceives only once, and does not resort again and again to the male ? ; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort,-seeing how future conceptions and births involve a period of gestation and a fall from each state as it is reached, and dissolution and death and destruction, seeing the horrors of transmigration and of rebirths in evil states, the annoyance of them, the torment of them,-he should stedfastly resolve never to enter upon any future life. [369] This, O king, is the one quality of the female panther which he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Sutta Nipâta, in the Sutta of Dhaniya the cowherd: "Like a strong bull who's burst the bonds that
bound him, Or elephant who's forced his way through jungle, Thus shall I never more enter the womb - And now, if it so please you, god, rain on 8!"
5. THE PANTHER (MALE). 10. Venerable Nâgasena, those two qualities of the panther which you say he ought to take, which are they?'
1 Dipini, perhaps leopardess.' The Simhalese has tigress,' which is certainly wrong.
Because it realises the pains and sorrows of cub-bearing, says the Simhalese.
8 Sutta Nipata I, 2, 12.
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