Nānādhammānaṁekakiccaabhinipphādanapañha

Milindapañha

Milinda’s Questions

Mahāvagga

Great Chapter

16. Nānādhammānaṁekakiccaabhinipphādanapañha

16. Production of One Result from Various Mental States Question

Rājā āha—

The king asked:

“bhante nāgasena, ime dhammā nānā santā ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādentī”ti?

“Venerable Nāgasena, do these mental states, though being diverse, produce the one result?”

“Āma, mahārāja, ime dhammā nānā santā ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādenti, kilese hanantī”ti.

“Yes, your majesty, these mental states, though being diverse, do produce the one result; they kill the defilements.”

“Kathaṁ, bhante, ime dhammā nānā santā ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādenti, kilese hananti?

“How is it, venerable sir, these mental states, though being diverse, produce the one result, and kill the defilements?

Opammaṁ karohī”ti.

Please give me an analogy.”

“Yathā, mahārāja, senā nānā santā hatthī ca assā ca rathā ca pattī ca ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādenti, saṅgāme parasenaṁ abhivijinanti;

“Just as, your majesty, an army is diverse, and its elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers produce the one result; they conquer an opposing army in battle,

evameva kho, mahārāja, ime dhammā nānā santā ekaṁ atthaṁ abhinipphādenti, kilese hanantī”ti.

in the same way, your majesty, these mental states, though being diverse, produce the one result; they kill the defilements.”

“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.

“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”

Nānādhammānaṁ ekakiccaabhinipphādanapañho soḷasamo.

Production of One Result from Various Mental States Question sixteenth

Mahāvaggo paṭhamo.

Great Chapter first

Imasmiṁ vagge soḷasa pañhā.

In this chapter sixteen questions