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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

 


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