From:
Milindapañha Milinda’s Questions
Meṇḍakapañhārambhakathā Initial Discussion on Solving of Dilemmas
Upāsakaguṇavagga Qualities of a Lay Follower Chapter
1. Aṭṭhamantaparivajjanīyaṭṭhāna 1. The Eight Places for Discussion to be Avoided
Bhassappavādo vetaṇḍī, Eloquent in speech, a debater,
atibuddhi vicakkhaṇo; extremely intelligent and attentive;
Milindo ñāṇabhedāya, Milinda, to break through to knowledge,
nāgasenamupāgami. approached Nāgasena.
Vasanto tassa chāyāya, Dwelling in his shade,
paripucchaṁ punappunaṁ; questioning again and again;
Pabhinnabuddhi hutvāna, Having become one of penetrating intellect,
sopi āsi tipeṭako. he too became a master of the Tipiṭaka.
Navaṅgaṁ anumajjanto, Pondering the nine-fold teaching,
rattibhāge rahogato; having gone into seclusion in the night watch;
Addakkhi meṇḍake pañhe, He saw the dilemmas,
dunniveṭhe saniggahe. hard to unravel, with their refutations.
“Pariyāyabhāsitaṁ atthi, “There is figurative teaching,
atthi sandhāyabhāsitaṁ; there is referential teaching;
Sabhāvabhāsitaṁ atthi, There is literal teaching,
dhammarājassa sāsane. in the dispensation of the King of Dhamma.
Tesamatthaṁ aviññāya, Not understanding the meaning of these,
meṇḍake jinabhāsite; the dilemmas spoken about by the Conqueror;
Anāgatamhi addhāne, In the future time,
viggaho tattha hessati. there will be argument about them.
Handa kathiṁ pasādetvā, Come, having confidence in the speaker,
chejjāpessāmi meṇḍake; I shall have the dilemmas cut through;
Tassa niddiṭṭhamaggena, By the path pointed out by him,
niddisissantyanāgate”ti. people will explain accordingly in the future.”
Atha kho milindo rājā pabhātāya rattiyā uddhaste aruṇe sīsaṁ nhatvā sirasi añjaliṁ paggahetvā atītānāgatapaccuppanne sammāsambuddhe anussaritvā aṭṭha vattapadāni samādiyi “ito me anāgatāni satta divasāni aṭṭha guṇe samādiyitvā tapo caritabbo bhavissati, sohaṁ ciṇṇatapo samāno ācariyaṁ ārādhetvā meṇḍake pañhe pucchissāmī”ti. Then King Milinda, when the night had brightened, and dawn had arisen, having washed his head, raising his joined palms to his head, having recollected the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past, future, and present, undertook eight observance practices: “From now for the next seven days, having undertaken the eight qualities, asceticism is to be practiced by me. Having practiced asceticism, and having pleased the teacher, I shall ask about the dilemmas.”
Atha kho milindo rājā pakatidussayugaṁ apanetvā ābharaṇāni ca omuñcitvā kāsāvaṁ nivāsetvā muṇḍakapaṭisīsakaṁ sīse paṭimuñcitvā munibhāvamupagantvā aṭṭha guṇe samādiyi “imaṁ sattāhaṁ mayā na rājattho anusāsitabbo, na rāgūpasañhitaṁ cittaṁ uppādetabbaṁ, na dosūpasañhitaṁ cittaṁ uppādetabbaṁ, na mohūpasañhitaṁ cittaṁ uppādetabbaṁ, dāsakammakaraporise janepi nivātavuttinā bhavitabbaṁ, kāyikaṁ vācasikaṁ anurakkhitabbaṁ, chapi āyatanāni niravasesato anurakkhitabbāni, mettābhāvanāya mānasaṁ pakkhipitabban”ti. Then King Milinda, removed his ordinary pair of garments, took off his ornaments, dressed in ochre robes, wrapped a head covering on his shaved-head, and having entered the state of a sage, undertook the eight qualities: “During these seven days, royal affairs should not be administered by me, thoughts connected with lust should not be aroused, thoughts connected with anger should not be aroused, thoughts connected with delusion should not be aroused, conduct towards slaves, workers, and servants should be with humility, bodily and verbal conduct should be guarded, the six sense bases should be completely guarded, the mind should be directed to the development of loving-kindness.”
Ime aṭṭha guṇe samādiyitvā tesveva aṭṭhasu guṇesu mānasaṁ patiṭṭhapetvā bahi anikkhamitvā sattāhaṁ vītināmetvā aṭṭhame divase pabhātāya rattiyā pageva pātarāsaṁ katvā okkhittacakkhu mitabhāṇī susaṇṭhitena iriyāpathena avikkhittena cittena haṭṭhena udaggena vippasannena theraṁ nāgasenaṁ upasaṅkamitvā therassa pāde sirasā vanditvā ekamantaṁ ṭhito idamavoca—Having undertaken these eight qualities, and having established his mind in these very eight qualities, not going outside for seven days, and on the eighth day, when the night had brightened, having taken the morning meal early, with downcast eyes, measured in speech, with well-composed deportment and undistracted mind, joyful, uplifted, and serene, he approached the elder Nāgasena and bowed his head to the elder’s feet. Standing to one side, he said this:
“Atthi me, bhante nāgasena, koci attho tumhehi saddhiṁ mantayitabbo, na tattha añño koci tatiyo icchitabbo, suññe okāse pavivitte araññe aṭṭhaṅgupāgate samaṇasāruppe. “Venerable Nāgasena, I have a certain matter to discuss with you and I wish it to be in private, in an empty place, in seclusion, in the forest, endowed with the eight qualities, fitting for an ascetic.
Tattha so pañho pucchitabbo bhavissati, tattha me guyhaṁ na kātabbaṁ na rahassakaṁ, arahāmahaṁ rahassakaṁ suṇituṁ sumantane upagate, upamāyapi so attho upaparikkhitabbo, yathā kiṁ viya, yathā nāma, bhante nāgasena, mahāpathavī nikkhepaṁ arahati nikkhepe upagate. There, that question should be asked. Nothing there should be kept hidden or secret from me. I am worthy to hear secrets when we have gone into proper discussion. That matter should also be examined with similes. Like what? Just as, Venerable Nāgasena, the great earth is worthy of a deposit (of treasure) when a deposit is made.
Evameva kho, bhante nāgasena, arahāmahaṁ rahassakaṁ suṇituṁ sumantane upagate”ti. Even so, Venerable Nāgasena, I am worthy to hear secrets when we have gone into proper discussion.”
Garunā saha pavivittapavanaṁ pavisitvā idamavoca—Having entered a secluded place with his teacher, he said this:
“bhante nāgasena, idha purisena mantayitukāmena aṭṭha ṭhānāni parivajjayitabbāni bhavanti, na tesu ṭhānesu viññū puriso atthaṁ manteti, mantitopi attho paripatati na sambhavati. “Venerable Nāgasena, here a person desiring to take counsel should avoid eight places. A wise person does not discuss matters in those places; for even if discussed, the matter comes to naught and does not succeed.
Katamāni aṭṭha ṭhānāni? What are the eight places?
Visamaṭṭhānaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, sabhayaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, ativātaṭṭhānaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, paṭicchannaṭṭhānaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, devaṭṭhānaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ, pantho parivajjanīyo, saṅgāmo parivajjanīyo, udakatitthaṁ parivajjanīyaṁ. Uneven ground should be avoided, a dangerous place should be avoided, an excessively windy place should be avoided, a concealed place should be avoided, a deva-shrine should be avoided, a road should be avoided, a battlefield should be avoided, a water-crossing should be avoided.
Imāni aṭṭha ṭhānāni parivajjanīyānī”ti. These eight places should be avoided.”
Thero āha—The elder said,
“ko doso visamaṭṭhāne, sabhaye, ativāte, paṭicchanne, devaṭṭhāne, panthe, saṅgāme, udakatitthe”ti? “What is the fault in uneven ground, in a dangerous place, in excessive wind, in a concealed place, in a deva-shrine, on a road, in a battlefield, at a water-crossing?”
“Visame, bhante nāgasena, mantito attho vikirati vidhamati paggharati na sambhavati, sabhaye mano santassati, santassito na sammā atthaṁ samanupassati, ativāte saddo avibhūto hoti, paṭicchanne upassutiṁ tiṭṭhanti, devaṭṭhāne mantito attho garukaṁ pariṇamati, panthe mantito attho tuccho bhavati, saṅgāme cañcalo bhavati, udakatitthe pākaṭo bhavati. “On uneven ground, Venerable Nāgasena, a matter discussed scatters, breaks apart, flows away, does not succeed; in a dangerous place the mind becomes frightened; being frightened, one does not properly consider the matter; in excessive wind the sound is unclear; in a concealed place eavesdroppers stand by; in a deva-shrine a matter discussed becomes grave; on a road a matter discussed becomes trivial; in a battlefield it becomes fickle; at a water-crossing it becomes public.
Bhavatīha—It is said here:
‘Visamaṁ sabhayaṁ ativāto, ‘Uneven ground, a dangerous place, excessive wind,
Paṭicchannaṁ devanissitaṁ; A concealed place, a shrine to devas;
Pantho ca saṅgāmo titthaṁ, A road, a battlefield, and a water-crossing.
Aṭṭhete parivajjiyā’”ti. These eight should be avoided.’”
Aṭṭha mantanassa parivajjanīyaṭṭhānāni. The Eight Places for Discussion to be Avoided