From:
MilindapaƱha Milinda's Questions
MahÄvagga Great Chapter
10. SampasÄdanalakkhaį¹asaddhÄpaƱha Calming as a Distinguishing Characteristic of Faith Question
RÄjÄ ÄhaāThe king asked:
ābhante nÄgasena, kiį¹lakkhaį¹Ä saddhÄāti? āVenerable NÄgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of faith?ā
āSampasÄdanalakkhaį¹Ä ca, mahÄrÄja, saddhÄ, sampakkhandanalakkhaį¹Ä cÄāti. āFaith, your majesty, has calming as a distinguishing characteristic, and also aspiration.ā
āKathaį¹, bhante, sampasÄdanalakkhaį¹Ä saddhÄāti? āHow, venerable sir, is calming a distinguishing characteristic of faith?ā
āSaddhÄ kho, mahÄrÄja, uppajjamÄnÄ nÄ«varaį¹e vikkhambheti, vinÄ«varaį¹aį¹ cittaį¹ hoti acchaį¹ vippasannaį¹ anÄvilaį¹. āFaith arising suppresses the hindrances, and thus there is a clear, bright, clean mind free of the hindrances.
Evaį¹ kho, mahÄrÄja, sampasÄdanalakkhaį¹Ä saddhÄāti. Thatās how, your majesty, calming is a distinguishing characteristic of faith.ā
āOpammaį¹ karohÄ«āti. āPlease give me an analogy.ā
āYathÄ, mahÄrÄja, rÄjÄ cakkavattÄ« caturaį¹
giniyÄ senÄya saddhiį¹ addhÄnamaggappaį¹ipanno parittaį¹ udakaį¹ tareyya, taį¹ udakaį¹ hatthÄ«hi ca assehi ca rathehi ca pattÄ«hi ca khubhitaį¹ bhaveyya Ävilaį¹ luįø·itaį¹ kalalÄ«bhÅ«taį¹. āJust as, your majesty, a wheel-turning king going on a long journey might cross a small body of water, and that water disturbed by the elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers, would become stirred up, turbid, and muddy;
Uttiį¹į¹o ca rÄjÄ cakkavattÄ« manusse Äį¹Äpeyya āpÄnÄ«yaį¹, bhaį¹e, Äharatha, pivissÄmÄ«āti, raƱƱo ca udakappasÄdako maį¹i bhaveyya. and after crossing, the king would command his men, āBring me water, I will drink,ā and the king would possess a water-clearing gem.
āEvaį¹, devÄāti kho te manussÄ raƱƱo cakkavattissa paį¹issutvÄ taį¹ udakappasÄdakaį¹ maį¹iį¹ udake pakkhipeyyuį¹, tasmiį¹ udake pakkhittamatte saį¹
khasevÄlapaį¹akaį¹ vigaccheyya, kaddamo ca sannisÄ«deyya, acchaį¹ bhaveyya udakaį¹ vippasannaį¹ anÄvilaį¹. The men having given their assent to the wheel-turning king, saying āYes, lordā, would place that water-clearing gem in the water, and after it is placed in that water, the various water plants, slime, and leaves would disappear, the mud would settle, and the water would become clear, bright, and clean.
Tato raƱƱo cakkavattissa pÄnÄ«yaį¹ upanÄmeyyuį¹ āpivatu, deva, pÄnÄ«yanāti. Then they would bring the water to the wheel-turning king, saying, āDrink the water, lord.ā
YathÄ, mahÄrÄja, udakaį¹, evaį¹ cittaį¹ daį¹į¹habbaį¹, yathÄ te manussÄ, evaį¹ yogÄvacaro daį¹į¹habbo, yathÄ saį¹
khasevÄlapaį¹akaį¹ kaddamo ca, evaį¹ kilesÄ daį¹į¹habbÄ. Just like the water, your majesty, so the mind is to be understood; just like the men, so the spiritual aspirant is to be understood; just like the various water plants, slime, and leaves and the mud, so the defilements are to be understood;
YathÄ udakappasÄdako maį¹i, evaį¹ saddhÄ daį¹į¹habbÄ, yathÄ udakappasÄdake maį¹imhi udake pakkhittamatte saį¹
khasevÄlapaį¹akaį¹ vigaccheyya, kaddamo ca sannisÄ«deyya, acchaį¹ bhaveyya udakaį¹ vippasannaį¹ anÄvilaį¹; just like the water-clearing gem, so faith is to be understood. Just like after the water-clearing gem is placed in the water, the various water plants, slime, and leaves would disappear, and the mud would settle, and the water would become clear, bright, and clean;
evameva kho, mahÄrÄja, saddhÄ uppajjamÄnÄ nÄ«varaį¹e vikkhambheti, vinÄ«varaį¹aį¹ cittaį¹ hoti acchaį¹ vippasannaį¹ anÄvilaį¹. in the same way, your majesty, faith arising suppresses the hindrances and the unobstructed mind is clear, bright, and clean.
Evaį¹ kho, mahÄrÄja, sampasÄdanalakkhaį¹Ä saddhÄāti. And in this way, your majesty, calming is a distinguishing characteristic of faith.ā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena!ā
SampasÄdanalakkhaį¹asaddhÄpaƱho dasamo. Calming as a Distinguishing Characteristic of Faith Question tenth