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262
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA.
IV, 4, 3.
of Iddhi. And he was nevertheless beaten to death by clubs. But that was through his being then possessed by the still greater power of Karma ?'
3. 'But, venerable Nâgasena, [189] are not both of these things appurtenant to him who has the power of Iddhi—that is the extent of his power, and the result of his Karma-both alike unthinkable ? And cannot the unthinkable be held back by the unthinkable ? Just, Sir, as those who want the fruits will knock a wood apple 2 down with a wood apple, or a mango with a mango, so ought not the unthinkable in like manner to be subject to restraint by the unthinkable ?'
'Even among things beyond the reach of the imagination, great king, still one is in excess above the other, one more powerful than the other. Just, O king, as the monarchs of the world are alike in kind, but among them, so alike in kind, one may overcome the rest, and bring them under his command-just so among things beyond the grasp of the imagination is the productive effect of Karma by far the most powerful. It is precisely the effect of Karma which overcomes all the rest, and has them under its rule; and no other influence is of any avail to the man in whom Karma is working out its inevitable end? It is as when, O king, any man has committed an offence against the law.
i Kammadhigahitenâpi, which the Simhalese merely repeats. Compare the use of adhiganhâti at Anguttara Nikâya V, 31 (adhiganhâti tam tena, surpasses him in that'), and see below.
* Kapittham (Feronia Elephantum), which the Simhalese renders Diwul gedi.
S.No good action has an opportunity at the time when evil Karma is in possession of a man,' says Hînafi-kumburë (p. 250).
• Pakarane aparagghati, literally against the book," the book
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