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256
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 3, 37.
to be cultivated—the robber? is to be subdued, and the honest brother is to be cultivated.'
37. 'Let that be so, Någasena. But now, in that last word of yours, you have put yourself into my power, you have come round to the sense in which I put my question. For how, venerable Nâgasena, is the robber to be subdued by him who sets to work to subdue him ?'
*Thus, great king—if deserving of rebuke let him be rebuked, if of a fine let him be fined, if of banishment let him be banished, if of death let him be put to death.'
'Is then, Nagasena, the execution of robbers part of the doctrine laid down by the Tathagatas ?'
Certainly not, O king.' *Then why have the Tathagatas laid down that the robber is to be taught better?'
Whosoever, great king, may be put to death, he does not suffer execution by reason of the opinion put forth by the Tathagatas. He suffers by reason of what he himself has done. But notwithstanding that the doctrine of the Dhamma has been taught (by the Buddhas)?, would it be possible, great king, for a man who had done nothing wrong, and was walking innocently along the streets, to be seized and put to death by any wise person ?'
Certainly not.'
Coro probably here used figuratively of a member of the Order who is unworthy of it, and injures believing laymen. So the word is used, for instance, in the introductory story (in the Sutta Vibhanga) to the fourth Pårå gika—where four sorts of such religious robbers' are distinguished (compare our 'wolf in sheep's clothing'). But the king takes it literally.
The three words in brackets are Hinati-kumburê's gloss.
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