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THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 2, 14.
But if the sick man, who wants to be free from his ailment, can fall into dread by the fear of pain, just so can the beings in purgatory, though they long to be released from it, fall into dread by the fear of death.'
14. 'And suppose, O king, a man who had committed an offence against the crown, when bound with a chain, and cast into a dungeon, were to long for release. And the ruler, wishing to release him, were to send for him. Now would not that man, who had thus offended, and knew it, be in dread (150) of the interview with the king ?'
Yes, Sir.' • But if so, then can also the beings in purgatory, though they long to be released from it, yet be afraid of death.
'Give me another illustration by which I may be able to harmonise? (this apparent discrepancy).'
Suppose, o king, a man bitten by a poisonous snake should be afraid, and by the action of the poison should fall and struggle, and roll this way and that. And then that another man, by the repetition of a powerful charm, should compel that poisonous snake to approach to suck the poison back again ?. Now when the bitten man saw the poisonous snake coming to him, though for the object of curing him, would he not still be in dread of it?'
“Yes, Sir.' Well, it is just so with the beings in purgatory.
i Okappeyyam. See the Old Commentary at Pâkittiya I, 2, 6.
: On this belief the 69th Gâtaka is founded. See Fausböll, vol. I, pp. 310, 311 (where, as Mr. Trenckner points out, we must read in the verse the same word pakkâ kam as we have here).
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