From:
MilindapaƱha Milinda's Questions
MahÄvagga Great Chapter
12. VÄ«riyalakkhaį¹apaƱha Distinguishing Characteristic of Exertion Question
RÄjÄ ÄhaāThe king asked:
ābhante nÄgasena, kiį¹lakkhaį¹aį¹ vÄ«riyanāti? āVenerable NÄgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of exertion?ā
āUpatthambhanalakkhaį¹aį¹, mahÄrÄja, vÄ«riyaį¹, vÄ«riyÅ«patthambhitÄ sabbe kusalÄ dhammÄ na parihÄyantÄ«āti. āExertion, your majesty, has supporting as a distinguishing characteristic, and no wholesome mental states supported by exertion decline.ā
āOpammaį¹ karohÄ«āti. āPlease give me an analogy.ā
āYathÄ, mahÄrÄja, puriso gehe patante aƱƱena dÄrunÄ upatthambheyya, upatthambhitaį¹ santaį¹ evaį¹ taį¹ gehaį¹ na pateyya; āJust as, your majesty, a man, when his house is falling down, might support it with additional wood, so that, being thus supported, that house would not fall down.
evameva kho, mahÄrÄja, upatthambhanalakkhaį¹aį¹ vÄ«riyaį¹, vÄ«riyÅ«patthambhitÄ sabbe kusalÄ dhammÄ na parihÄyantÄ«āti. In the same way, your majesty, exertion has supporting as a distinguishing characteristic, and no wholesome mental states supported by exertion decline.ā
āBhiyyo opammaį¹ karohÄ«āti. āGive me another analogy.ā
āYathÄ, mahÄrÄja, parittakaį¹ senaį¹ mahatÄ« senÄ bhaƱjeyya, tato rÄjÄ aƱƱamaƱƱaį¹ anussÄreyya anupeseyya attano parittakÄya senÄya balaį¹ anupadaį¹ dadeyya, tÄya saddhiį¹ parittakÄ senÄ mahatiį¹ senaį¹ bhaƱjeyya; āJust as, your majesty, a large army might destroy a small army, then the king would recall another and send for them in order to give additional strength to his own small army, and with that, the small army would destroy the large army.
evameva kho, mahÄrÄja, upatthambhanalakkhaį¹aį¹ vÄ«riyaį¹, vÄ«riyÅ«patthambhitÄ sabbe kusalÄ dhammÄ na parihÄyanti. In the same way, your majesty, exertion has supporting as a distinguishing characteristic, and no wholesome mental states supported by exertion decline.
BhÄsitampetaį¹, mahÄrÄja, bhagavatÄāAnd this too was said, your majesty, by the Blessed One:
āvÄ«riyavÄ kho, bhikkhave, ariyasÄvako akusalaį¹ pajahati, kusalaį¹ bhÄveti. āA noble disciple endowed with exertion abandons the unwholesome, develops the wholesome;
SÄvajjaį¹ pajahati, anavajjaį¹ bhÄveti. Abandons the blameworthy, develops the blameless,
SuddhamattÄnaį¹ pariharatÄ«āāti. and maintains his own purity.āā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena!ā
VÄ«riyalakkhaį¹apaƱho dvÄdasamo. Distinguishing Characteristic of Exertion Question twelfth