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MilindapaƱha Milinda's Questions
VicÄravagga Examination Chapter
12. ViƱƱÄį¹alakkhaį¹apaƱha Distinguishing Characteristic of Consciousness Question
āBhante nÄgasena, kiį¹lakkhaį¹aį¹ viƱƱÄį¹anāti? āVenerable NÄgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?ā
āVijÄnanalakkhaį¹aį¹, mahÄrÄja, viƱƱÄį¹anāti. āKnowing, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?ā
āOpammaį¹ karohÄ«āti. āPlease give me an analogy.ā
āYathÄ, mahÄrÄja, nagaraguttiko majjhe nagarasiį¹
ghÄį¹ake nisinno passeyya puratthimadisato purisaį¹ Ägacchantaį¹, passeyya dakkhiį¹adisato purisaį¹ Ägacchantaį¹, passeyya pacchimadisato purisaį¹ Ägacchantaį¹, passeyya uttaradisato purisaį¹ Ägacchantaį¹; āJust as, your majesty, a town guardian sitting in the middle of the crossroads of the town would see a man coming from the eastern direction, the southern direction, the western direction, and the northern direction.
evameva kho, mahÄrÄja, yaƱca puriso cakkhunÄ rÅ«paį¹ passati, taį¹ viƱƱÄį¹ena vijÄnÄti. In the same way, your majesty, a person knows with consciousness whatever form he sees with his eyes,
YaƱca sotena saddaį¹ suį¹Äti, taį¹ viƱƱÄį¹ena vijÄnÄti. he knows with consciousness whatever sound he hears with his ears,
YaƱca ghÄnena gandhaį¹ ghÄyati, taį¹ viƱƱÄį¹ena vijÄnÄti. he knows with consciousness whatever odour he smells with his nose,
YaƱca jivhÄya rasaį¹ sÄyati, taį¹ viƱƱÄį¹ena vijÄnÄti. he knows with consciousness whatever flavour he tastes with his tongue,
YaƱca kÄyena phoį¹į¹habbaį¹ phusati, taį¹ viƱƱÄį¹ena vijÄnÄti, yaƱca manasÄ dhammaį¹ vijÄnÄti, taį¹ viƱƱÄį¹ena vijÄnÄti. he knows with consciousness whatever touch he contacts with his body, and he knows with consciousness whatever thought he knows with his mind.
Evaį¹ kho, mahÄrÄja, vijÄnanalakkhaį¹aį¹ viƱƱÄį¹anāti. So too, your majesty, knowing is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?ā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena.ā
ViƱƱÄį¹alakkhaį¹apaƱho dvÄdasamo. Distinguishing Characteristic of Consciousness Question twelfth