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242
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 3, 21.
as a designation of the dryad who dwells therein, and in that sense that "the tree talks" is a wellknown expression. Just, О king, as a waggon laden with corn is called a corn-waggon. But it is not made of corn, it is made of wood, yet because of the corn being heaped up in it the people use the expression "corn-waggon.” Or just, o king, as when a man is churning sour milk the common expression is that he is churning butter. But it is not butter that he is churning, but milk. Or just, О king, as when a man is making something that does not exist the common expression is that he is making that thing which all the while as yet is not, [174] but people talk of the work as accomplished before it is done. And the Tathagata, when expounding the Dhamma, does so by means of the phraseology which is in common use among the people.'
Very good, Nâgasena! That is so, and I accept it as you say
[Here ends the dilemma as to the talking tree.]
(THE BUDDHA'S LAST ILLNESS.] 21. “Venerable Nagasena, it was said by the Elders who held the Recitation 1: “When he had eaten Kunda's alms,
The coppersmith's,-thus have I heard, - The Buddha felt that sickness dire, That-sharp pain even unto death ?."
1 The Council of Ragagaha is meant, at which the Pitakas were recited. All the so-called Councils are exclusively · Recitations' (Samgîtiyo) in Buddhist phraseology. But Council' is the best rendering of the word, as Recitation implies so much that would be unintelligible to the ordinary reader.
. Book of the Great Decease, IV, 23.
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