From:
MilindapaƱha Milindaās Questions
ArÅ«padhammavavatthÄnavagga Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter
15. ViƱƱÄį¹anÄnatthapaƱha Question on the Distinction of Consciousness
RÄjÄ ÄhaāThe king asked,
ābhante nÄgasena, āviƱƱÄį¹anāti vÄ āpaƱƱÄāti vÄ ābhÅ«tasmiį¹ jÄ«voāti vÄ ime dhammÄ nÄnatthÄ ceva nÄnÄbyaƱjanÄ ca, udÄhu ekatthÄ byaƱjanameva nÄnanāti? āVenerable NÄgasena, when it is said āconsciousnessā or āwisdomā or āthe life principle in a beingā, are these things distinct from each other in actuality, or only in name?ā
āVijÄnanalakkhaį¹aį¹, mahÄrÄja, viƱƱÄį¹aį¹, pajÄnanalakkhaį¹Ä paƱƱÄ, bhÅ«tasmiį¹ jÄ«vo nupalabbhatÄ«āti. āDiscrimination, your majesty, is a distinguishing characteristic of consciousness, discernment is a distinguishing characteristic of wisdom, and the life principle in a being cannot be found.ā
āYadi jÄ«vo nupalabbhati, atha ko carahi cakkhunÄ rÅ«paį¹ passati, sotena saddaį¹ suį¹Äti, ghÄnena gandhaį¹ ghÄyati, jivhÄya rasaį¹ sÄyati, kÄyena phoį¹į¹habbaį¹ phusati, manasÄ dhammaį¹ vijÄnÄtÄ«āti? āIf the life principle in a being cannot be found, then how is it that one sees form with the eyes, hears sound with the ears, smells scent with the nose, tastes flavor with the tongue, experiences touch with the body, and knows thought with the mind?ā
Thero ÄhaāThe elder said,
āyadi jÄ«vo cakkhunÄ rÅ«paį¹ passati ā¦peā¦ manasÄ dhammaį¹ vijÄnÄti, so jÄ«vo cakkhudvÄresu uppÄį¹itesu mahantena ÄkÄsena bahimukho suį¹į¹hutaraį¹ rÅ«paį¹ passeyya, sotesu uppÄį¹itesu, ghÄne uppÄį¹ite, jivhÄya uppÄį¹itÄya, kÄye uppÄį¹ite mahantena ÄkÄsena suį¹į¹hutaraį¹ saddaį¹ suį¹eyya, gandhaį¹ ghÄyeyya, rasaį¹ sÄyeyya, phoį¹į¹habbaį¹ phuseyyÄāti? āIf the life principle sees form with the eyes, ā¦ and knows thought with the mind, then when the doors of the eyes are destroyed would not the life principle see form more clearly out there before it in the great space? When the ears, the nose, the tongue and the body are all destroyed, would it not hear sound, smell scent, taste flavor, experience touch more clearly in the great space?ā
āNa hi, bhanteāti. āCertainly not, venerable sir.ā
āTena hi, mahÄrÄja, bhÅ«tasmiį¹ jÄ«vo nupalabbhatÄ«āti. āWell then, your majesty, the life principle in a being cannot be found.ā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena.ā
ViƱƱÄį¹anÄnatthapaƱho pannarasamo. Question on the Distinction of Consciousness fifteenth