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272
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. IV, 4, 12,
self: “In what family shall I be born?" And if, Nagasena, it is a settled matter who shall be the parents of the Bodisat, then it must be false that he “investigated the family." But if that be true, then must the other saying be wrong. This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.'
12. It was both a settled matter, O king, who should be the parents of the Bodisat, and he did investigate into the question as to which family he was to be born into. But how did he do so ? He thought over the matter as to whether his parents should be nobles or Brahmans. With respect to eight things, o king, should the future be investigated before it comes to pass. A merchant, O king, should investigate goods before he buys them-an elephant should try with its trunk a path it has not yet trod—a cartman should try a ford he has not yet crossed over-a pilot should test a shore he has not yet arrived at, and so guide the ship-a physician should find out the period of life which his patient has lasted before he treats his. disease—a traveller should test the stability of a bambù bridge before he mounts on to it—a Bhikkhu. should find out how much time has yet to run before sun turn before he begins to eat his meal-and Bodisats, before they are born, should investigate the question whether it would be right for them to be born in the family of a noble or of a Brahman..
? Âyum oloketvâ, which the Simhalese (p. 257) repeats. This implied meaning is doubtful.
: Uttara-setu, a word which does not occur elsewhere. Hinanikumburê renders it He-danda, which Clough explains as a footbridge usually made of a single tree.
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