From:
MilindapaƱha Milinda's Questions
Sativagga Mindfulness Chapter
9. Saį¹sÄrapaƱha Question on Cyclic Existence
RÄjÄ ÄhaāThe king asked:
ābhante nÄgasena, yaį¹ panetaį¹ brÅ«si āsaį¹sÄroāti, katamo so saį¹sÄroāti? āVenerable NÄgasena, as to which you said ācyclic existenceā. What is this cyclic existence?ā
āIdha, mahÄrÄja, jÄto idheva marati, idha mato aƱƱatra uppajjati, tahiį¹ jÄto tahiį¹yeva marati, tahiį¹ mato aƱƱatra uppajjati, evaį¹ kho, mahÄrÄja, saį¹sÄro hotÄ«āti. āYour majesty, that which is born here dies here, and having died here, it arises elsewhere. Then, having been born there it dies there, and having died there, it arises elsewhere. Thus, your majesty, this is cyclic existence.ā
āOpammaį¹ karohÄ«āti. āPlease give me an analogy.ā
āYathÄ, mahÄrÄja, kocideva puriso pakkaį¹ ambaį¹ khÄditvÄ aį¹į¹hiį¹ ropeyya, tato mahanto ambarukkho nibbattitvÄ phalÄni dadeyya, atha so puriso tatopi pakkaį¹ ambaį¹ khÄditvÄ aį¹į¹hiį¹ ropeyya, tatopi mahanto ambarukkho nibbattitvÄ phalÄni dadeyya, evametesaį¹ rukkhÄnaį¹ koį¹i na paƱƱÄyati; āJust as, your majesty, some person may eat a ripe mango and plant the seed. Then, when it has grown up as a mature mango tree, it would give fruit. And then that man might eat a ripe mango from it and plant the seed and, when it has grown up as a mature mango tree, it too would give fruit. And thus, no end to these mango trees can be discerned.ā
evameva kho, mahÄrÄja, idha jÄto idheva marati, idha mato aƱƱatra uppajjati, tahiį¹ jÄto tahiį¹yeva marati, tahiį¹ mato aƱƱatra uppajjati, evaį¹ kho, mahÄrÄja, saį¹sÄro hotÄ«āti. āIn the same way, your majesty, that which is born here dies here, and having died here, it arises elsewhere. Then, having been born there it dies there, and having died there, it arises elsewhere. Thus, your majesty, this is cyclic existence.ā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena.ā
Saį¹sÄrapaƱho navamo. Question on Cyclic Existence ninth