Asaṅkamanapaṭisandahanapañha

Milindapañha

Milinda’s Questions

Buddhavagga

Buddha Chapter

5. Asaṅkamanapaṭisandahanapañha

5. Question on Reconnecting and Not Transmigrating

Rājā āha—

The king asked:

“bhante nāgasena, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati cā”ti?

“Venerable Nāgasena, is it so that one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects?”

“Āma, mahārāja, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati cā”ti.

“Yes, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects.”

“Kathaṁ, bhante nāgasena, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati ca, opammaṁ karohī”ti?

“How, Venerable Nāgasena, is it that one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects? Please give me an analogy.”

“Yathā, mahārāja, kocideva puriso padīpato padīpaṁ padīpeyya, kiṁ nu kho so, mahārāja, padīpo padīpamhā saṅkanto”ti?

“Just as, your majesty, if a person kindled one lamp from another would that lamp have transmigrated from the other lamp?”

“Na hi, bhante”ti.

“Certainly not, venerable sir.”

“Evameva kho, mahārāja, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati cā”ti.

“In the same way, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects.”

“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti.

“Give me another analogy.”

“Abhijānāsi nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, daharako santo silokācariyassa santike kiñci silokaṁ gahitan”ti?

“Do you remember, your majesty, learning some verse from your teacher of verses?”

“Āma, bhante”ti.

“Yes, venerable sir.”

“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, so siloko ācariyamhā saṅkanto”ti?

“Then, your majesty, has that verse transmigrated from the teacher?”

“Na hi, bhante”ti.

“Certainly not, venerable sir.”

“Evameva kho, mahārāja, na ca saṅkamati paṭisandahati cā”ti.

“In the same way, your majesty, one does not transmigrate and yet one reconnects.”

“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.

“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”

Asaṅkamanapaṭisandahanapañho pañcamo.

Question on Reconnecting and Not Transmigrating fifth