From:
MilindapaƱha Milinda's Questions
MahÄvagga The Great Chapter
2. Vassagaį¹anapaƱha Question on Counting Rains
āKativassosi tvaį¹, bhante nÄgasenÄāti? āHow many rains do you have, venerable NÄgasena?ā
āSattavassohaį¹, mahÄrÄjÄāti. āI have seven rains, your majesty.ā
āKe te, bhante, satta, tvaį¹ vÄ satta, gaį¹anÄ vÄ sattÄāti? āWhat are these seven, venerable sir, are you the seven, or is the reckoning seven?ā
Tena kho pana samayena milindassa raƱƱo sabbÄbharaį¹apaį¹imaį¹įøitassa alaį¹
katapaį¹iyattassa pathaviyaį¹ chÄyÄ dissati, udakamaį¹ike ca chÄyÄ dissati. Then, at that time, the shadow of the king adorned with all his ornaments, all decked up and prepared, appeared on the ground and is seen in a vessel of water.
Atha kho ÄyasmÄ nÄgaseno milindaį¹ rÄjÄnaį¹ etadavocaāThen venerable NÄgasena said this to King Milinda,
āayaį¹ te, mahÄrÄja, chÄyÄ pathaviyaį¹ udakamaį¹ike ca dissati, kiį¹ pana, mahÄrÄja, tvaį¹ vÄ rÄjÄ, chÄyÄ vÄ rÄjÄāti? āThis shadow appears on the ground and in the vessel of water. Are you the king, your majesty, or is the shadow the king?ā
āAhaį¹, bhante nÄgasena, rÄjÄ, nÄyaį¹ chÄyÄ rÄjÄ, maį¹ pana nissÄya chÄyÄ pavattatÄ«āti. āI am the king, venerable NÄgasena, this shadow is not the king. The shadow comes into existence dependent on me.ā
āEvameva kho, mahÄrÄja, vassÄnaį¹ gaį¹anÄ satta, na panÄhaį¹ satta, maį¹ pana nissÄya satta pavattati, chÄyÅ«pamaį¹, mahÄrÄjÄāti. āIn the same way, your majesty, seven is the reckoning of rains. I am not the seven, but dependent on me seven comes into existence, similarly to your shadow, your majesty.ā
āAcchariyaį¹, bhante nÄgasena, abbhutaį¹, bhante nÄgasena, aticitrÄni paƱhapaį¹ibhÄnÄni visajjitÄnÄ«āti. āWonderful, venerable NÄgasena! Marvelous, venerable NÄgasena! Your answers to the questions asked are very brilliant!ā
Vassagaį¹anapaƱho dutiyo. Counting Rains Question second