Addhānapañha

Milindapañha

Milinda’s Questions

Addhānavagga

Time Chapter

9. Addhānapañha

9. Time Question

Rājā āha—

The king asked:

“bhante nāgasena, yaṁ panetaṁ brūsi ‘dīghamaddhānan’ti, kimetaṁ addhānaṁ nāmā”ti?

“Venerable Nāgasena, you talked then of a long extent of transmigration time. What is this thing called transmigration time?”

“Atīto, mahārāja, addhā, anāgato addhā, paccuppanno addhā”ti.

“The past, your majesty, is transmigration time, the future is transmigration time, the present is transmigration time.”

“Kiṁ pana, bhante, sabbe addhā atthī”ti?

“But, venerable sir, does all transmigration time exist?”

“Koci, mahārāja, addhā atthi, koci natthī”ti.

“Some transmigration time exists, your majesty, and some does not.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, atthi, katamo natthī”ti?

“What then, venerable sir, exists and what does not?”

“Ye te, mahārāja, saṅkhārā atītā vigatā niruddhā vipariṇatā, so addhā natthi, ye dhammā vipākā, ye ca vipākadhammadhammā, ye ca aññatra paṭisandhiṁ denti, so addhā atthi.

“Those mental formations, your majesty, that are past, gone, ceased, and changed, that transmigration time does not exist. Those mental formations that have reached fruition, or have the nature to be liable for fruition, or those that give reconnection elsewhere, that transmigration time does exist.

Ye sattā kālaṅkatā aññatra uppannā, so ca addhā atthi.

Those beings that have died and arisen elsewhere, that transmigration time does exist.

Ye sattā kālaṅkatā aññatra anuppannā, so addhā natthi.

Those beings that have died and not arisen elsewhere, that transmigration time does not exist.

Ye ca sattā parinibbutā, so ca addhā natthi parinibbutattā”ti.

And those beings that have attained final nibbāna, that transmigration time does not exist because of the attainment of nibbāna.”

“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.

“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”

Addhānapañho navamo.

Time Question ninth

Addhānavaggo dutiyo.

Time Chapter second

Imasmiṁ vagge nava pañhā.

In this chapter nine questions