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294
THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES
VII, 2, 1.
Book VII. CHAPTER 2.
THE SIMILES (continued).
11. THE GOURD. 1. Venerable Nâgasena, that one quality of the gourd which you say he ought to take, which is it?'
'Just, О king, as the gourd, climbing up with its tendrils' on to some other plant—whether a grass, or a thorn, or a creeper-grows all over it; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, who desires to grow up into Arahatship, do so by climbing up with his mind over the ideas that present themselves (as subjects for the Kammatthâna meditations). This, O king, is the one quality of the gourd which he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by Sâriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith “ As the gourd, clambering up with its tendrils,
grows O'er the grass, or the thorn-bush, or creeper wide
spread, So the son of the Buddha on Ar’hatship bent, Climbs up o'er ideas, to perfection and peace ?.".
1 Sondika hi, which must mean here the tentacles or feelers of the gourd-creeper. The Simhalese has simply Sondim. I have only found the word elsewhere in the connection Sondika kilanga at Magghima I, 228 and Samyutta IV, 1, 6, 4.
: Not traced as yet. The last line is literally, 'By climbing up on the arammanas should grow in the Fruit of those who have nothing left to learn' (that is, in Arahatship).
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