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 68

38
THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES
IV, 5, 35.
near him?. And thus was the body of the Tathagata fully refreshed.
Great indeed was the good fortune, Nâgasena, of those gods that they were ever and always so zealous in their care for the body of the Tathagata! Very good, Nagasena! That is so, and I accept it as you say.'
[Here ends the problem as to the Buddha's
mode of livelihood.]
[DILEMMA THE FIFTIETH.
ON THE BUDDHA'S AFTER-DOUBTP.] 35. 'Venerable Nâgasena, your people say:
“The Tathagata gradually, through millions of years, through aon after æons, brought his omniscient wisdom to perfection for the sake of the salvation of the great masses of the people."
But on the other hand (they say) : "Just after he had attained to omniscience his
1 I am not sure what meal is here referred to. The Buddha is twice said to have taken meals at Veranga (in the Sutta Vibhanga, pp. 6, 11; Parågika I, 2 and I, 4). In neither case is there any mention of these cakes. But the former of the two may be the one referred to, as it took place in a time of drought.
: Compare my manual Buddhism,' p.41. * Literally through four Asankheyyas and a lak of Kappas.'
* This passage has not yet been traced in the Pitakas, and the word samuddharaná (rendered 'salvation ') does not occur elsewhere in published texts. It means literally bringing safe to shore.' Compare samuddhala at Saddhammopâyana 143 in the Journal of the Pali Text Society' for 1887, p. 44.
* See “Vinaya Texts,' vol. i, p. 85, and Samyutla Nikâya VI, 1. The words are very slightly different.
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