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Buddhism

The Questions of King Milinda, Part II: Contents

| | PAGE | | INTRODUCTION. | | | Chinese books on Nâgasena | xi | | The Buddhist canon | xv | | Vasubandhu's reference to Nâgasena | xvii | | Kshemendra's reference to Milinda | xvii | | The Mahâvamsa on Assagutta and Vattaniya | xviii | | The Kathâ Vatthu | xx | | Milinda and other authorities on the soul theory | xxi | | The Milinda later than the Kathâ Vatthu | xxvi | | TRANSLATION OF THE TEXT. | | | Book IV. The Solving of Dilemmas. | | | 41st Dilemma. Why should houses (Wihâras) be built for the houseless ones? | 1 | | 42nd Dilemma. Was not the Buddha immoderate in food? | 4 | | 43rd Dilemma. Was not Bakkula said to be superior (in health) to the Buddha? | 8 | | 44th Dilemma. Why is the Buddha's teaching called both new and old? | 13 | | 45th Dilemma. Did not the Bodisat once kill animals in sacrifice? | 16 | | 46th Dilemma. Did not the Bodisat once abuse the Buddha? | 20 | | 47th Dilemma. Was not Kassapa the Buddha less powerful than the potter? | 23 | | 48th Dilemma. Why is the Buddha called both Brahman and king? | 25 | | 49th Dilemma. Did not the Buddha teach for hire? | 31 | | 50th Dilemma. Did not the Buddha once doubt? (See no. 34.) | 38 | | p. viii | | | 51st Dilemma. Was not the Buddha taught by others? | 43 | | 52nd Dilemma. Why can there be only one Buddha at a time? | 47 | | 53rd Dilemma. Did not the Buddha put the Order above himself? | 51 | | 54th Dilemma. As a layman can reach Arahatship, why enter the Order? | 56 | | 55th Dilemma. Did not the Buddha, having tried and abandoned asceticism, nevertheless still insist on it? | 60 | | 56th Dilemma. Men sometimes throw off the robes. Why not test candidates before initiation? | 63 | | 57th Dilemma. How is it that Arahats suffer bodily pain? | 75 | | 58th Dilemma. Why cannot an offender, who is not aware of his offence, enter the Path? | 78 | | 59th Dilemma. How can a guilty Samana purify gifts? | 82 | | 60th Dilemma. The 'soul' in water | 85 | | 61st Dilemma. Why does the Order trouble itself about learning, and about buildings and gifts? | 92 | | 62nd Dilemma. Why cannot a layman, who can become an Arahat, continue as one? | 96 | | 63rd Dilemma. How is it that an Arahat can do wrong? | 98 | | 64th Dilemma. What is there that is, but not in the world? | 101 | | 65th Dilemma. What is there that is without a cause? | 103 | | 66th Dilemma. Karma-born, cause-born, and season-born | 107 | | 67th Dilemma. What becomes of dead devils? | 108 | | 68th Dilemma. Why did not the Buddha promulgate all the Rules of the Order at once? | 109 | | 69th Dilemma. How does the sun get cool? | 111 | | 70th Dilemma. Why is the sun hotter in winter? | 112 | | 71st Dilemma. How can Vessantara's giving away of his children be approved? | 114 | | 72nd Dilemma. Why did the Bodisat undergo penance? | 132 | | 73rd Dilemma. Which is stronger, virtue or vice? | 144 | | 74th Dilemma. Do the dead derive advantage from gifts given here? | 151 | | 75th Dilemma. Dreams and sleep | 157 | | 76th Dilemma. Is death ever premature? | 162 | | p. ix | | | 77th Dilemma. How can there be wonders at the graves of Arahats? | 174 | | 78th Dilemma. Cannot all men be converted? | 176 | | 79th Dilemma. Is Nirvâna all bliss, or partly pain? | 181 | | 80th Dilemma. The form, figure, duration, &c., of Nirvâna | 186 | | 81st Dilemma. The realisation of Nirvâna | 195 | | 82nd Dilemma. The place of Nirvâna | 202 | | Book V. The Problem of Inference. | | | § 1. How can you know that the Buddha ever lived? | 206 | | 4. The ordinary city, and its architect, shops, and inhabitants | 208 | | 5. The City of Righteousness, and its architect | 211 | | 6. The flower bazaar therein | 212 | | 7. The perfume bazaar therein | 214 | | 8. The fruit bazaar therein | 215 | | 10. The antidote bazaar therein | 217 | | 11. The medicine bazaar therein | 218 | | 12. The ambrosia bazaar therein | 219 | | 13-20. The jewel bazaar therein, and the seven jewels of the Truth | 220 | | 21. The general store bazaar therein | 229 | | 22. The inhabitants of the City of Righteousness | 231 | | 23. The generals in the City of Righteousness | 234 | | The chaplains in the City of Righteousness | 234 | | The lamplighters in the City of Righteousness | 235 | | The peace-officers in the City of Righteousness | 236 | | The shop-keepers in the City of Righteousness | 237 | | The drunkards (!) in the City of Righteousness | 238 | | The watchmen in the City of Righteousness | 238 | | The lawyers and judges in the City of Righteousness | 238 | | The bankers in the City of Righteousness | 239 | | 24. The conclusion drawn by inference | 240 | | Book VI. The Voluntary Extra Vows. | | | § 1. Can laymen attain Nirvâna? | 244 | | 6. The twenty-eight advantages of the vows | 251 | | 7. The eighteen good qualities that come from keeping them | 252 | | p. x | | | § 10. No Arahatship without having kept them | 254 | | 12-15. Similes | 255 | | 16. He who, being unworthy, takes the vows | 261 | | 18. He who, being worthy, takes the vows | 264 | | 20. Details of the thirteen extra vows | 268 | | 24. The example of Upasena | 270 | | 25. The thirty graces of the true recluse | 271 | | 26. The example of Sâriputta | 273 | | Book VII. Similes of Arahatship. | | | § 11. Detailed list of these similes, sixty-seven being still preserved, and thirty-eight being now lost | 275 | | 19. Wonders at the conclusion of Nâgasena's solution of the three hundred and four puzzles | 373 | | 20. Conversion of Milinda the king | 373 | | 21. Milinda enters the Order, and becomes an Arahat | 374 | | Additions and Corrections | 377 | | Index of Proper Names | 379 | | Index of Subjects | 381 | | Transliteration of Oriental Alphabets adopted for the Translations of the Sacred Books of the East | 385 |