The Debate of King Milinda

Select a linkPDF and Published EditionsForeword and PrefaceIntroductionPrologueA Question on ConceptsThe Long JourneySustained ApplicationNibbana - Separation of PhenomenaThe Buddha - Did He Exist?Mindfulness - Attachment to the BodyMentality is Hard to Discern - MemoryThe Resolution of ParadoxesThe Psychic Powers ChapterThe Schism ChapterThe Dismissal ChapterThe Omniscience ChapterThe Dwellings ChapterThe Buddhas ChapterThe Impediments ChapterThe Vessantara ChapterThe Inference ChapterThe SimilesBibliographyGlossaryQuotations

Foreword

by

Ven. Dr. Hammalawa Saddhatissa

The Milinda Pañha is a Pali book written in about the 1st century B.C. King Milinda, a Bactrian king who ruled the northeast of India, met a learned monk called Nāgasena and the king put a number of ques tions on the philosophy, psychology and ethics of Buddhism. I presume this debate was conducted in the Bactrian Greek language but was later translated into Pali and Sanskrit.

This well-known Pali book called Milinda Pañha or Questions of King Milinda has twice been translated into English: in 1890, and in 1969. Both translations are literary and, in many places literal, therefore they were mainly confined to scholars. This present work is, however, not a literal but a free rendering making an abridgement and aimed at the reader who prefers to take a short cut rather than the long way, notwithstanding that the latter may be very beautiful. The framework remains the same as the original, but in many cases the number of similes used to make a point has been reduced.

The author, Bhikkhu Pesala, is a Buddhist monk who had training in Burma and Thailand whose knowledge of Pali has enabled him to check areas of ambiguous translation to compile this concise and readable work in elegant, modern English while his knowledge of Buddhism has enabled him to clarify some obscure ideas. This book will certainly serve its intended aim by the uncomplicated presentation
of the original work.

Preface

I started work on the first edition of “The Debate of King Milinda” in 1988 at the instigation of Ven. Dr. Hammalawa Saddhatissa. A Sri Lankan supporter, Indrajit Samaranayake, gave me the keys to his house, and I typed the first draft on his computer while he and his wife were at work. In 1990 I brought out the first paperback edition of 500 copies for free distribution.

Motilal Banarsidass reprinted the first edition as a hardback in 1991, and in 1998 they printed a revised edition. My original intention in abridging Rhys David’s translation was to make this important work of Buddhist literature accessible to as many people as possible, but it is still not widely available. Therefore, I produced a pocket edition for the Association for Insight Meditation.

Inward Path Publications brought out a beautifully presented edition for free distribution in 2001, but it seems that that edition is now used up. A PDF of their edition produced by Buddhanet has been available on my website for some time.

I have added this HTML edition for my website for the convenience of cross-referencing from Buddhist fora. It also enabled me to easily cross-reference to other sources such as the Dhammapada verses on my website. The chapter names and divisions of questions now more closely follow the Pali Text, and I have changed the translation of a few terms. The Dilemmas (mendakapañho) are now called Paradoxes.

I will be glad to hear about any errors in this edition, especially the indexing, bookmarks, and cross-references, which are very time-consuming to check, as they had to be done manually. The Milinda Pañha is ideally suited for people educated in the West. Most questions that sceptical Westerners ask me are answered in its pages. The method of reasoned inquiry is the one advised by the Buddha himself in the Discourse to the Kālāmas. However, one should keep an open mind.

Ignorance of the Dhamma is the main reason that we have taken rebirth. The truth is concealed from unenlightened minds — to gain insight and right understanding we need to practise insight meditation, which is the only way to win liberation from the cycle of suffering.

Bhikkhu Pesala

April 2007

Contents

• Introduction
• The Rise of the Magadha Kingdom
• The Rise of the Bactrian Kingdom
• Comparison with the Chinese Text
• The Arrangement of the Pali Book
• The Debate of King Milinda — Prologue
• The Great Chapter
  A Question of Concepts
• The Long Journey — Continuity of Dhamma
• Sustained Application
  Beginning the Journey
• Nibbana — Separation of Phenomena
• The Buddha — Did the Buddha Exist?
• Mindfulness — Attachment to the Body
• Mentality is Hard to Discern — Memory
• The Resolution of Paradoxes
   Preliminary Discussion
• 1. On Honours Paid to the Buddha
• 2. The Omniscience of the Buddha
• 3. Devadatta’s Ordination
• 4. Causes of Earthquakes
• 5. Asseveration of Truth
• 6. The Paradox of Conception
• 7. The Duration of the Religion
• 8. Purity of the Buddha
• 9. Perfection of the Buddha
• 10. Equanimity of the Buddha
• The Schism Chapter
• 11. The Minor and Lesser Precepts
• 12. The Esoteric Teaching
• 13. The Fear of Death
• 14. Protection from Death
• 15. The Power of Māra
• 16. Knowledge of Wrong Doing
• 17. The Buddha Is Not Possessive
• 18. The Unity of the Order
• The Dismissal Chapter
• 19. Dhamma is Best
• 20. The Compassion of the Buddha
• 21. The Modesty of the Buddha
• 22. The Buddha’s Perfect Speech
• 23. The Talking Tree
• 24. The Last Meal
• 25. Adoration of Relics
• 26. The Buddha’s Foot is Injured
• 27. The True Recluse
• 28. The Boasting of the Buddha
• 29. Who Deserves Punishment?
• 30. Dismissal of the Order
• The Omniscience Chapter
• 31. The Murder of Moggallāna
• 32. Secrecy of the Vinaya
• 33. Intentional Lying
• 34. Investigations of the Bodhisatta
• 35. On Suicide
• 36. Protection by Loving-kindness
• 37. Why Did Devadatta Prosper?
• 38. The Weakness of Women
• 39. Venerable Ānanda’s Courage
• 40. The Buddha’s Change of Heart
• The Dwelling Place Chapter
• 41. On Dwelling Places
• 42. Restraint of the Stomach
• 43. The Best of Men
• 44. The Ancient Path
• 45. The Bodhisatta’s Weakness
• 46. Respect for the Robe
• 47. The Merit of the Potter
• 48. King or Brahman?
• 49. Right Livelihood
• 50. The Reluctance of the Buddha
• 51. The Buddha’s Teachers

• Questions Solved by Inference
• 1. Two Buddhas Cannot Exist Together
• 2. Gifts to the Order
• 3. The Advantages of a Recluse’s Life
• 4. The Practice of Austerities
• 5. Reverting to Laylife
• 6. The Mastery of the Arahants
• 7. Heinous Crimes
• 8. The Unvirtuous
• 9. Is Water Alive?
• The Impediments Chapter
• 10. Be Without Impediments
• 11. The Lay Arahant
• 12. The Offences of Arahants
• 13. What is Not Found in the World
• 14. The Uncaused
• 15. Modes of Production
• 16. Demons
• 17. Laying Down of Rules for Monks
• 18. The Heat of the Sun
• 19. The Winter Sun
• The Vessantara Chapter
• 20. The Gift of Vessantara
• 21. Austerities
• 22. The Power of Evil
• 23. Sharing of Merit
• 24. Dreams
• 25. Premature Death
• 26. Miracles at Shrines of Arahants
• 27. Can Everyone Understand the Dhamma?
• 28. The Bliss of Nibbāna
• 29. Description of Nibbāna
• 30. The Realisation of Nibbāna
• 31. Where is Nibbāna?
• The Inference Chapter
• 32. A Question Solved by Inference
• 33. The Ascetic Practices
• The SImiles
• 1. The Donkey
• 2. The Cockerel
• 4. The Female Panther
• 7. The Bamboo
• 10. The Monkey
• 12. The Lotus
• 20. The Ocean
• 21. The Earth
• 22. Water
• 27. The Moon
• 30. The Universal Monarch
• 35. The Mongoose
• 40. The Elephant
• 46. The Indian Crane
• 47. The Bat
• 48. The Leech
• 50. The Rock Snake
• 60. The Carpenter
• 61. The Waterpot
• Abbreviations
• Bibliography
• Glossary
• Quotations
• Translations of Technical Terms

Abbreviations

Abbrev

Pali Text

Translation

A.

Anguttara Nikāya

Gradual Sayings

*A.

Commentary on *

Ap.

Apadāna

Asl.

Atthasālinī

The Expositor

B.D.

The Book of the Discipline

Budv.

Buddhavamsa

Chronicle of the Buddhas

Cp.

Cariyāpitaka

Basket of conduct

D.

Dīgha Nikāya

Dialogues of the Buddha

Dhp.

Dhammapada

Dhammapada

Dhs.

Dhammasangani

Buddhist Psychological Ethics

Dial.

Dialogues of the Buddha

DPPN

Dictionary of Pali Proper Names

GS.

Gradual Sayings

Iti.

Itivuttaka

Manual of a Mystic

Ja.

Jātaka

Jātaka

KS.

Kindred Sayings

Ku

Khuddaka Nikāya

Kvu.

Kathāvatthu

Points of Controversy

M.

Majjhima Nikāya

Middle Length Sayings

Mhvs.

Mahāvamsa

Chronicle of Ceylon

Miln.

Milinda Pañha

Questions of King Milinda (R.D.)
Milinda’s Questions (Horner)

MilnT.

Milinda Tika

MLS.

Middle Length Sayings

MQ.

Milinda’s Questions

PED.

Pali-English Dictionary

Ppn.

Path of Purification

PTS.

Pali Text Society

Pts.

Patisambhidāmagga

Path of Discrimination

Pts.Contr.

Points of Controversy

Pug.

Puggalapaññatti

Designation of Human Types

QKM.

Questions of King Milinda

S.

Sanyutta Nikāya

Kindred Sayings

Sn.

Sutta Nipāta

The Group of Discourses

Sta.

Sutta

Discourse

Thag.

Theragāthā

Elders’ Verses

Thīg.

Therīgāthā

Elders’ Verses

Ud.

Udāna

Verses of Uplift

Vbh.

Vibhanga

Book of Analysis

Vin.

Vinayapitaka

Book of the Discipline

Vism.

Visuddhimagga

Path of Purification

Vv.

Vimānavatthu

Stories of the Mansions

© You may print any of these books for your own use. However, all rights are reserved. You may not use any of the site content on your own website, nor for commercial distribution. To publish the books, permission must be sought from the appropriate copyright owners. If you post an extract on a forum, post a link to the appropriate page. Please do not link directly to PDF, MP3, or ZIP files. (This page last updated on 20 September 2011)