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THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 2, 30.
[160] It is a mere commonly received opinion, O king, that “This is I,” or “This is mine," it is not a transcendental truth'. Attachment is a frame of mind put away by the Tathagata, he has put away clinging, he is free from the delusion that “ This is mine," he lives only to be a help to others. Just as the earth, O king, is a support to the beings in the world, and an asylum to them, and they depend upon it, but the broad earth has no longing after them in the idea that “These belong to me"—just so is the Tathagata a support and an asylum to all beings, but has no longing after them in the idea that " These belong to me." And just as a mighty rain cloud, O king, pours out its rain, and gives nourishment to grass and trees, to cattle and to men, and maintains the lineage thereof, and all these creatures depend for their livelihood upon its rain, but the cloud has no feelings of longing in the idea that “These are mine " just so does the Tathagata give all beings to know what are good qualities and maintains them in goodness, and all beings have their life in him, but the Tathagata has no feelings of longing in the idea that “These are mine." And why is it so ? Because of his having abandoned all self-regard S.'
Very good, Nagasena ! The problem has been well solved by variety of examples. The jungle has been made open, the darkness has been turned
i Sanimuti....na paramattho. : Upâdâya avassa yo hoti.
• Attâ nuditthiya pahînatta. See the passages quoted by Dr. Morris in the Journal of the Pâli Text Society,' 1886, pp. 113, 114.
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