From:
MilindapaƱha Milindaās Questions
Sativagga Mindfulness Chapter
3. MahÄpurisalakkhaį¹apaƱha Characteristics of a Great Person Question
RÄjÄ ÄhaāThe king asked:
ābhante nÄgasena, buddho dvattiį¹samahÄpurisalakkhaį¹ehi samannÄgato asÄ«tiyÄ ca anubyaƱjanehi pariraƱjito suvaį¹į¹avaį¹į¹o kaƱcanasannibhattaco byÄmappabhoāti? āVenerable NÄgasena, was the Buddha endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person and distinguished with the eighty secondary features, with radiant complexion, skin like gold, and a halo that extends for one fathom?ā
āÄma, mahÄrÄja, bhagavÄ dvattiį¹samahÄpurisalakkhaį¹ehi samannÄgato asÄ«tiyÄ ca anubyaƱjanehi pariraƱjito suvaį¹į¹avaį¹į¹o kaƱcanasannibhattaco byÄmappabhoāti. āYes, your majesty, he was.ā
āKiį¹ panassa, bhante, mÄtÄpitaropi dvattiį¹samahÄpurisalakkhaį¹ehi samannÄgatÄ asÄ«tiyÄ ca anubyaƱjanehi pariraƱjitÄ suvaį¹į¹avaį¹į¹Ä kaƱcanasannibhattacÄ byÄmappabhÄāti? āBut, venerable sir, were his mother and father endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person ā¦ and a halo that extends for one fathom?ā
āNo cassa, mahÄrÄja, mÄtÄpitaro dvattiį¹samahÄpurisalakkhaį¹ehi samannÄgatÄ asÄ«tiyÄ ca anubyaƱjanehi pariraƱjitÄ suvaį¹į¹avaį¹į¹Ä kaƱcanasannibhattacÄ byÄmappabhÄāti. āNo, your majesty, they were not.ā
āEvaį¹ sante kho, bhante nÄgasena, na uppajjati buddho dvattiį¹samahÄpurisalakkhaį¹ehi samannÄgato asÄ«tiyÄ ca anubyaƱjanehi pariraƱjito suvaį¹į¹avaį¹į¹o kaƱcanasannibhattaco byÄmappabhoti, api ca mÄtusadiso vÄ putto hoti mÄtupakkho vÄ, pitusadiso vÄ putto hoti pitupakkho vÄāti. āThat being so, venerable sir, is it not then that the Buddha arose endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person ā¦ and a halo that extends for one fathom? But surely a child is like their mother or those on the motherās side or like their father or those on their fatherās side.ā
Thero ÄhaāThe elder said,
āatthi pana, mahÄrÄja, kiƱci padumaį¹ satapattanāti? āBut is there, your majesty, any lotus with a hundred leaves?ā
āÄma, bhante, atthÄ«āti. āYes, venerable sir, there is.ā
āTassa pana kuhiį¹ sambhavoāti? āAnd where then is the origin for that?ā
āKaddame jÄyati udake ÄsÄ«yatÄ«āti. āIt is born from mud and it thrives in water.ā
āKiį¹ nu kho, mahÄrÄja, padumaį¹ kaddamena sadisaį¹ vaį¹į¹ena vÄ gandhena vÄ rasena vÄāti? āThen, your majesty, is the lotus like the mud in colour, smell, or taste?ā
āNa hi, bhanteāti. āCertainly not, venerable sir.ā
āAtha udakena vÄ gandhena vÄ rasena vÄāti? āOr is it like the water in smell or taste?ā
āNa hi, bhanteāti. āCertainly not, venerable sir.ā
āEvameva kho, mahÄrÄja, bhagavÄ dvattiį¹samahÄpurisalakkhaį¹ehi samannÄgato asÄ«tiyÄ ca anubyaƱjanehi pariraƱjito suvaį¹į¹avaį¹į¹o kaƱcanasannibhattaco byÄmappabho, no cassa mÄtÄpitaro dvattiį¹samahÄpurisalakkhaį¹ehi samannÄgatÄ asÄ«tiyÄ ca anubyaƱjanehi pariraƱjitÄ suvaį¹į¹avaį¹į¹Ä kaƱcanasannibhattacÄ byÄmappabhÄāti. āIn the same way, your majesty, the Buddha was endowed with the thirty-two characteristics of a great person and distinguished with the eighty secondary features, with radiant complexion, skin like gold, and a halo that extends for one fathom, and his parents were not.ā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena.ā
MahÄpurisalakkhaį¹apaƱho tatiyo. Characteristics of a Great Person Question third