From:
Milindapañha Milinda’s Questions
Meṇḍakapañha Questions on Dilemmas
Iddhibalavagga Supernatural Powers Chapter
5. Sivirājacakkhudānapañha 5. Question Concerning King Sivi’s Gift of His Eyes
“Bhante nāgasena, tumhe evaṁ bhaṇatha—“Venerable Nāgasena, you say thus:
‘sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni dinnāni, andhassa sato puna dibbacakkhūni uppannānī’ti, etampi vacanaṁ sakasaṭaṁ saniggahaṁ sadosaṁ ‘hetusamugghāte ahetusmiṁ avatthusmiṁ natthi dibbacakkhussa uppādo’ti sutte vuttaṁ, yadi, bhante nāgasena, sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni dinnāni, tena hi ‘puna dibbacakkhūni uppannānī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, taṁ micchā; ‘King Sivi gave his eyes to a beggar, and though he was blind, divine eyes arose in him again.’ This statement is contradictory, refutable, and flawed. It is said in the suttas: ‘When the cause is destroyed, there is no arising of the divine eye in what is without cause and without basis.’ If, Venerable Nāgasena, King Sivi gave his eyes to a beggar, then the statement ‘divine eyes arose again’ is false.
yadi dibbacakkhūni uppannāni, tena hi ‘sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni dinnānī’ti yaṁ vacanaṁ, tampi micchā. If divine eyes arose, then the statement ‘King Sivi gave his eyes to a beggar’ is also false.
Ayampi ubhato koṭiko pañho gaṇṭhitopi gaṇṭhitaro veṭhatopi veṭhataro gahanatopi gahanataro, so tavānuppatto, tattha chandamabhijanehi nibbāhanāya paravādānaṁ niggahāyā”ti. This is a two-horned dilemma; it is more knotted than knotted, more entangled than entangled, more difficult than difficult. It has come to you—explain your view on this matter for the refutation of the opposing doctrines.”
“Dinnāni, mahārāja, sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni, tattha mā vimatiṁ uppādehi, puna dibbāni ca cakkhūni uppannāni, tatthāpi mā vimatiṁ janehī”ti. “King Sivi gave his eyes to the beggar, your majesty. Do not raise doubt about that. And divine eyes arose again—do not generate doubt about that either.”
“Api nu kho, bhante nāgasena, hetusamugghāte ahetusmiṁ avatthusmiṁ dibbacakkhu uppajjatī”ti? “But then, Venerable Nāgasena, does the divine eye arise when the cause is destroyed, in what is without cause and without basis?”
“Na hi, mahārājā”ti. “Certainly not, your majesty.”
“Kiṁ pana, bhante, ettha kāraṇaṁ, yena kāraṇena hetusamugghāte ahetusmiṁ avatthusmiṁ dibbacakkhu uppajjati, iṅgha tāva kāraṇena maṁ saññāpehī”ti? “Then what, venerable sir, is the reason here—by what reason does the divine eye arise when the cause is destroyed, in what is without cause and without basis? Come now, convince me with a reason!”
“Kiṁ pana, mahārāja, atthi loke saccaṁ nāma, yena saccavādino saccakiriyaṁ karontī”ti? “But then, your majesty, does there exist in the world something called truth, by which truth-speakers perform an act of truth?”
“Āma, bhante, atthi loke saccaṁ nāma, saccena, bhante nāgasena, saccavādino saccakiriyaṁ katvā devaṁ vassāpenti, aggiṁ nibbāpenti, visaṁ paṭihananti, aññampi vividhaṁ kattabbaṁ karontī”ti. “Yes, venerable sir, there exists in the world something called truth. By truth, Venerable Nāgasena, truth-speakers, having performed an act of truth, cause the gods to rain down, extinguish fire, counteract poison, and do various other things that need to be done.”
“Tena hi, mahārāja, yujjati sameti sivirājassa saccabalena dibbacakkhūni uppannānīti, saccabalena, mahārāja, avatthusmiṁ dibbacakkhu uppajjati, saccaṁyeva tattha vatthu bhavati dibbacakkhussa uppādāya. “Then, your majesty, it is fitting and proper that divine eyes arose for King Sivi through the power of truth. Through the power of truth, your majesty, the divine eye arises even in what is without basis—truth itself becomes the basis there for the arising of the divine eye.
Yathā, mahārāja, ye keci sattā saccamanugāyanti ‘mahāmegho pavassatū’ti, tesaṁ saha saccamanugītena mahāmegho pavassati, api nu kho, mahārāja, atthi ākāse vassahetu sannicito ‘yena hetunā mahāmegho pavassatī’”ti? Just as, your majesty, whatever beings sing a truth-declaration saying ‘Let a great cloud rain down!’, for them, together with the singing of the truth-declaration, a great cloud rains down—now then, your majesty, is there a cause for rain accumulated in the sky by which the great cloud rains down?”
“Na hi, bhante, saccaṁyeva tattha hetu bhavati mahato meghassa pavassanāyā”ti. “Certainly not, venerable sir. Truth itself becomes the cause there for the raining down of the great cloud.”
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi tassa pakatihetu, saccaṁ yevettha vatthu bhavati dibbacakkhussa uppādāyāti. “In the same way, your majesty, there is no natural cause for that (arising of the divine eye). Truth itself becomes the basis here for the arising of the divine eye.
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, ye keci sattā saccamanugāyanti ‘jalitapajjalitamahāaggikkhandho paṭinivattatū’ti, tesaṁ saha saccamanugītena jalitapajjalitamahāaggikkhandho khaṇena paṭinivattati. Or again, just as, your majesty, whatever beings sing a truth-declaration saying ‘Let the blazing, flaming great mass of fire be turned back!’, for them, together with the singing of the truth-declaration, the blazing, flaming great mass of fire is turned back in an instant.
Api nu kho, mahārāja, atthi tasmiṁ jalitapajjalite mahāaggikkhandhe hetu sannicito ‘yena hetunā jalitapajjalitamahāaggikkhandho khaṇena paṭinivattatī’”ti? Now then, your majesty, is there a cause accumulated in that blazing, flaming great mass of fire by which the blazing, flaming great mass of fire is turned back in an instant?”
“Na hi, bhante, saccaṁyeva tattha vatthu hoti tassa jalitapajjalitassa mahāaggikkhandhassa khaṇena paṭinivattanāyā”ti. “Certainly not, venerable sir. Truth itself becomes the basis there for the turning back in an instant of that blazing, flaming great mass of fire.”
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, natthi tassa pakatihetu, saccaṁ yevettha vatthu bhavati dibbacakkhussa uppādāyāti. “In the same way, your majesty, there is no natural cause for that (arising of the divine eye). Truth itself becomes the basis here for the arising of the divine eye.
Yathā vā pana, mahārāja, ye keci sattā saccamanugāyanti ‘visaṁ halāhalaṁ agadaṁ bhavatū’ti. Or again, just as, your majesty, whatever beings sing a truth-declaration saying ‘Let the deadly poison become an antidote medicine!’,
Tesaṁ saha saccamanugītena visaṁ halāhalaṁ khaṇena agadaṁ bhavati, api nu kho, mahārāja, atthi tasmiṁ halāhalavise hetu sannicito ‘yena hetunā visaṁ halāhalaṁ khaṇena agadaṁ bhavatī’”ti? for them, together with the singing of the truth-declaration, the deadly poison becomes an antidote medicine in an instant—now then, your majesty, is there a cause accumulated in that deadly poison by which the deadly poison becomes an antidote medicine in an instant?”
“Na hi, bhante, saccaṁyeva tattha hetu bhavati visassa halāhalassa khaṇena paṭighātāyā”ti. “Certainly not, venerable sir. Truth itself becomes the cause there for the counteracting in an instant of the deadly poison.”
“Evameva kho, mahārāja, vinā pakatihetuṁ saccaṁ yevettha vatthu bhavati dibbacakkhussa uppādāyāti. “In the same way, your majesty, apart from the natural cause, truth itself becomes the basis here for the arising of the divine eye.
Catunnampi, mahārāja, ariyasaccānaṁ paṭivedhāya natthaññaṁ vatthu, saccaṁ vatthuṁ katvā cattāri ariyasaccāni paṭivijjhantīti. For the penetration of the Four Noble Truths as well, your majesty, there is no other basis—making truth the basis, they penetrate the Four Noble Truths.
Atthi, mahārāja, cīnavisaye cīnarājā, so mahāsamudde kīḷitukāmo catumāse catumāse saccakiriyaṁ katvā saha rathena antomahāsamudde yojanaṁ pavisati, tassa rathasīsassa purato purato mahāvārikkhandho paṭikkamati, nikkhantassa puna ottharati, api nu kho, mahārāja, so mahāsamuddo sadevamanussenapi lokena pakatikāyabalena sakkā paṭikkamāpetun”ti? There is, your majesty, in the Chinese region a Chinese king. When he wishes to sport in the great ocean, every four months he performs an act of truth and enters into the great ocean for a yojana with his chariot. Before the front of his chariot, the great mass of water retreats; when he emerges, it covers over again. Now then, your majesty, can that great ocean be made to retreat by the natural bodily strength of even the world with its gods and humans?”
“Atiparittakepi, bhante, taḷāke udakaṁ na sakkā sadevamanussenapi lokena pakatikāyabalena paṭikkamāpetuṁ, kiṁ pana mahāsamudde udakan”ti? “Even in a very small pond, venerable sir, water cannot be made to retreat by the natural bodily strength of the world with its gods and humans—how much less so the water in the great ocean!”
“Imināpi, mahārāja, kāraṇena saccabalaṁ ñātabbaṁ ‘natthi taṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ saccena na pattabban’ti. “By this reason also, your majesty, the power of truth should be known: ‘There is no place that cannot be reached by truth.’
Nagare, mahārāja, pāṭaliputte asoko dhammarājā sanegamajānapadaamaccabhaṭabalamahāmattehi parivuto gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ navasalilasampuṇṇaṁ samatitthikaṁ sambharitaṁ pañcayojanasatāyāmaṁ yojanaputhulaṁ sandamānaṁ disvā amacce evamāha—In the city of Pāṭaliputra, your majesty, King Asoka the Righteous King, surrounded by ministers, countrymen, officials, soldiers, and great ministers, saw the Ganges river full of fresh water, level with its banks, brimming, five hundred yojanas long and one yojana wide, flowing along, and said to his ministers:
‘atthi koci, bhaṇe, samattho, yo imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpetun’ti. ‘Is there anyone, sirs, capable of making this great Ganges flow upstream?’
Amaccā āhaṁsu ‘dukkaraṁ, devā’ti. The ministers said: ‘That is difficult, your majesty.’
Tasmiṁyeva gaṅgākūle ṭhitā bandhumatī nāma gaṇikā assosi raññā kira evaṁ vuttaṁ—Standing on that very bank of the Ganges was a courtesan named Bandhumatī. She heard that the king had said thus:
‘sakkā nu kho imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpetun’ti, sā evamāha—‘Is it possible to make this great Ganges flow upstream?’ She said this:
‘ahañhi nagare pāṭaliputte gaṇikā rūpūpajīvinī antimajīvikā, mama tāva rājā saccakiriyaṁ passatū’ti. ‘I am a courtesan in the city of Pāṭaliputra, living by my beauty, which is the lowest livelihood. Let the king now see my act of truth!’
Atha sā saccakiriyaṁ akāsi, saha tassā saccakiriyāya khaṇena sā mahāgaṅgā gaḷagaḷāyantī paṭisotaṁ sandittha mahato janakāyassa passato. Then she performed an act of truth. Together with her act of truth, in an instant that great Ganges, roaring and resounding, flowed upstream while a great crowd of people watched.
Atha rājā gaṅgāya āvaṭṭaūmivegajanitaṁ halāhalasaddaṁ sutvā vimhito acchariyabbhutajāto amacce evamāha—Then the king, hearing the crashing sound produced by the turbulent force of the waves of the Ganges, amazed and filled with wonder, said to his ministers:
‘kissāyaṁ, bhaṇe, mahāgaṅgā paṭisotaṁ sandatī’ti? ‘Why, sirs, does this great Ganges flow upstream?’
‘Bandhumatī, mahārāja, gaṇikā tava vacanaṁ sutvā saccakiriyaṁ akāsi, tassā saccakiriyāya mahāgaṅgā uddhammukhā sandatī’ti. ‘Bandhumatī the courtesan, your majesty, having heard your words, performed an act of truth. Through her act of truth, the great Ganges flows upward.’
Atha saṁviggahadayo rājā turitaturito sayaṁ gantvā taṁ gaṇikaṁ pucchi—Then the king, his heart stirred, quickly went himself to that courtesan and asked her:
‘saccaṁ kira, je, tayā saccakiriyāya ayaṁ gaṅgā paṭisotaṁ sandāpitā’ti? ‘Is it true, good woman, that by your act of truth this Ganges has been made to flow upstream?’
‘Āma, devā’ti. ‘Yes, your majesty.’
Rājā āha—The king said:
‘kiṁ te tattha balaṁ atthi, ko vā te vacanaṁ ādiyati anummatto, kena tvaṁ balena imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpesī’ti? ‘What power do you have in that matter? Who would heed your word, who is not mad? By what power did you make this great Ganges flow upstream?’
Sā āha—She said:
‘saccabalenāhaṁ, mahārāja, imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpesin’ti. ‘By the power of truth, your majesty, I made this great Ganges flow upstream.’
Rājā āha—The king said:
‘kiṁ te saccabalaṁ atthi coriyā dhuttiyā asatiyā chinnikāya pāpiyā bhinnasīlāya hiriatikkantikāya andhajanapalobhikāyā’ti. ‘What power of truth do you have—you who are a thief, a cheat, dishonest, a destroyer, wicked, of broken morality, one who has transgressed decency, a deceiver of foolish people?’
‘Saccaṁ, mahārāja, tādisikā ahaṁ, tādisikāyapi me, mahārāja, saccakiriyā atthi, yāyāhaṁ icchamānā sadevakampi lokaṁ parivatteyyan’ti. ‘It is true, your majesty, I am such a one. Yet even being such, your majesty, I have an act of truth by which, if I wished, I could turn upside down even the world with its gods.’
Rājā āha—The king said:
‘katamā pana sā hoti saccakiriyā, iṅgha maṁ sāvehī’ti. ‘What then is that act of truth? Come, tell me!’
‘Yo me, mahārāja, dhanaṁ deti khattiyo vā brāhmaṇo vā vesso vā suddo vā añño vā koci, tesaṁ samakaṁyeva upaṭṭhahāmi, “khattiyo”ti viseso natthi, “suddo”ti atimaññanā natthi, anunayappaṭighavippamuttā dhanassāmikaṁ paricarāmi, esā me, deva, saccakiriyā, yāyāhaṁ imaṁ mahāgaṅgaṁ paṭisotaṁ sandāpesin’ti. ‘Whoever gives me wealth, your majesty—whether warrior, brahmin, merchant, worker, or anyone else—I serve them all equally, not thinking there is any distinction in a noble, or any repugnance in a worker. Free from favouritism and aversion, I attend to the giver of wealth. This, lord, is my act of truth by which I made this great Ganges flow upstream.’
Itipi, mahārāja, sacce ṭhitā na kiñci atthaṁ na vindanti. Thus, your majesty, those who are established in truth do not fail to achieve any goal.
Dinnāni ca, mahārāja, sivirājena yācakassa cakkhūni, dibbacakkhūni ca uppannāni, tañca saccakiriyāya. And, your majesty, King Sivi gave his eyes to the beggar, and divine eyes arose—and that through an act of truth.
Yaṁ pana sutte vuttaṁ—But what is said in the sutta—
‘maṁsacakkhusmiṁ naṭṭhe ahetusmiṁ avatthusmiṁ natthi dibbacakkhussa uppādo’ti. ‘When the physical eye is destroyed, in what is without cause and without basis there is no arising of the divine eye’—
Taṁ bhāvanāmayaṁ cakkhuṁ sandhāya vuttaṁ, evametaṁ, mahārāja, dhārehī”ti. that is said in reference to the eye developed through meditation. Thus, your majesty, you should remember this.”
“Sādhu, bhante nāgasena, sunibbeṭhito pañho, suniddiṭṭho niggaho, sumadditā paravādā, evametaṁ tathā sampaṭicchāmī”ti. “Excellent, Venerable Nāgasena! The question is well unravelled, the refutation well demonstrated, the opposing doctrines well crushed. So it is and I accept it as such.”
Sivirājacakkhudānapañho pañcamo. Question Concerning King Sivi’s Gift of His Eyes fifth