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96
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA.
II, 3, 14.
· The effecting of an aim ?.' Give me an illustration.'
It is like the case of a carpenter, great king, who fixes in a joint a well-fashioned piece of wood. Thus is it that the effecting of an aim is the mark of reflection.'
· Very good, Nagasena !'
14. What is the distinguishing characteristic, Nagasena, of investigation (Vikâra)?'' •Threshing out again and again ?' Give me an illustration.'
It is like the case of the copper vessel, which, when it is being beaten into shape [63], makes a sound again and again as it gradually gathers shape 3. The beating into shape is to be regarded as reflection, and the sounding again and again as investigation. Thus is it, great king, that threshing out again and again is the mark of investigation.'
Very good, Nagasena!'
Here ends the Third Chapter 4.
* Appanâ, which Hînati-kumburê renders pihitana. Buddhaghosa, p. 63, gives abhiniropana as its mark, which comes to much the same thing.
* Anumaggana. So also Buddhaghosa, loc. cit. p. 63. The word is not in Childers, but see Morris in the Journal of the Palî Text Society, 1886, p. 118.
s Anuravati anusandahati. Not in Childers. Hinafikumburê says pasuwa anurâ wana kere da anuwa pihita da.
The following two sections form an appendix to this chapter corresponding to that formed by the last three sections of Book III, Chapter 7. The numbering of the sections is therefore carried on in both cases.
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