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 78

48
THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES
IV, 6, 5.
5. This world system, O king, is a one-Buddhasupporting world; that is, it can bear the virtue of only a single Tathagata. If a second Tathậgata were to arise the world could not bear him, it would shake and tremble, it would bend, this way and that, it would disperse, scatter into pieces, dissolve, be utterly destroyed. Just as a boat, O king, might be able to carry one passenger across. Then, when one man had got on board, it would be well trimmed and able to bear his weight'. But if a second man were to come like to the first in age and caste and strength and size and stoutness of body and build of frame, and he too should get on board the boatwould that boat be able, O king, to carry them both ?'
Certainly not, Sir! it would shake and tremble ; it would bend, this way and that; it would break into pieces, be shattered, dissolved, and utterly destroyed; it would sink into the waves.'
* Just so, O king, with this world, if a second Tathagata were to appear. Or suppose, O king, that a man [238] had eaten as much food as he wanted, even so that he had filled himself with nourishment up to the throat, and he-thus satiated, regaled, filled with good cheer, with no room left for more, drowsy and stiff as a stick one cannot bendwere again to eat as much food as he had eaten before -would such a man, O king, then be at ease?'
Certainly not, Sir! If he were to eat again, but once more, he would die.'
1 Samupa dika, for which the Simhalese has sama bara wanniya, usala na sulu wannîya.
* Dhâto; not in Childers, but see Gataka II, 247, Mahavagga VI, 25, 1, and below, IV, 6, 29.
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