Khuddaka Nikaya - Milinda Panha - The Ascetic Practices

Khuddaka Nikaya - Milinda Panha - The Ascetic Practices

The Debate of King Milinda
edited by Bhikkhu Pesala

Chapter 17
The Ascetic Practices
The king saw monks in the forest, lone and
far away from men, keeping hard vows.
Then he saw householders at home, enjoy-
ing the sweet fruits of the Noble Path.
Considering both of these deep doubts he
felt, “If laymen also realise the truth, then surely making
vows must be worthless. Come! Let me ask that best of
teachers, wise in the threefold collection of the Buddha’s
words, skilled to overthrow the arguments of the oppo-
nents. He will be able to resolve my doubts!”
Milinda approached Nàgasena, paid respects to him,
and seated at one side asked: “Venerable Nàgasena, is there
any layperson who has attained nibbàna?”
“Not only one hundred or a thousand but more than
a billion227 have attained nibbàna. “
“If, Nàgasena, laypeople living at home, enjoying the
pleasures of the senses can attain nibbàna what is the use of
the extra vows? If one’s enemies could be subdued with
fists alone what would be the use of seeking weapons? If
trees could be climbed by clambering up what would be the
use of ladders? If it was comfortable to lie on the bare
ground what would be the use of beds? Just so, if a layper-
son can attain nibbàna even while living at home what is the
use of the extra vows?”
227.As well as human beings there were millions of deities and Brahmas who realised
nibbàna while listening to the Dhamma

“There are, O king, twenty-eight virtues of these
practices on account of which the Buddhas have a high
regard for them. The keeping of the vows is a pure mode
of livelihood, its fruit is blissful, it is blameless, it brings no
suffering to others, it gives confidence,
228 it doesn’t
oppress,
229 it is certain to bring growth in good qualities, it
prevents back-sliding, it doesn’t delude, it is a protection,
it fulfils one’s desires, it tames all beings, it is good for self-
discipline, it is proper for a recluse, he is independent,
230
he is free,
231 it destroys desire, it destroys hatred, it
destroys delusion, it humbles pride, it cuts off discursive
thoughts and makes the mind one-pointed, it overcomes
doubts, it drives away sloth, it banishes discontent, it
makes him tolerant, it is incomparable, it is beyond
measure, and it leads to the destruction of all suffering.
“Whosoever carries out these vows becomes en-
dowed with eighteen good qualities. His conduct is pure,
his practice is fully accomplished, his actions and speech
are well-guarded, his thoughts are pure, his energy is
stirred up, his fear is allayed, views of personality are
dispelled, wrath dies away and love arises, he eats per-
ceiving the repulsive nature of food, he is honoured by
all beings, he is moderate in eating, he is full of vigilance,
he is homeless and can dwell wherever it suits him, he
detests evil, he delights in solitude, and he is always
heedful.
228.He is free from fear of robbers.
229.That is by the need to protect property.
230.He is unattached to families.
231.He is free to go anywhere. Vism. 59-83.

“These ten individuals are worthy of undertaking the
vows: one full of confidence, full of shame, full of courage,
void of hypocrisy, one who is self-reliant, steadfast, desir-
ous of training, of strong determination, very introspective,
and one who is of a loving disposition.
“All those laypeople who realise nibbàna while living
at home do so because they practised these vows in former
births. There is no realisation of the goal of arahantship in
this very life without these vows. Only by the utmost zeal-
ousness is arahantship attained. Thus the value of keeping
the vows if full of value and might.
“Whosoever, O king, having evil desires in his mind,
should take upon himself these vows seeking after material
gain shall incur a double punishment; in this world he will be
scorned and ridiculed and after death he will suffer in hell.
“Whosoever, O king, whose conduct is consistent
with monkhood, who is worthy of it, who desires little and
is content, given to seclusion, energetic, without guile, and
has gone forth not from desire for gain or fame but with
confidence in the Dhamma, wishing for deliverance from
old age and death, he is worthy of double honour for he is
loved by gods and men and he quickly attains the four
fruits, the four kinds of discrimination,
232
the three-fold
vision233 and the sixfold higher knowledge.
234
“What are the thirteen vows? Wearing rag-robes,
using only three robes, living only on alms-food, begging
232. Pañisambhidà¤àõa — Discrimination of meaning, law, language and intelligence.
233. Tevijjà — Recollection of past lives, knowledge of the arising and passing away of
beings, knowledge of destruction of the floods (àsava).
234. Abhi¤¤àõa — Supernormal power such as flying through the air, the divine ear or
clairaudience, penetration of minds, plus the above three

from house to house without preference, eating one meal a
day, eating from the bowl only, refusing later food, dwell-
ing in the forest, dwelling at the root of a tree, dwelling in
the open, dwelling in a cemetery, using any sleeping place
allotted to him, and not lying down to sleep.
235
“It was by the observance of these vows that Upasena
was able to visit the Blessed One when he was dwelling in
solitude236
and it was by these same vows that Sàriputta
became of such exalted virtue that he was declared second
only to the Blessed One himself in ability to preach the
Dhamma.”237
“Very good, Nàgasena, the whole teaching of the
Buddha, the supramundane attainments and all the best
achievements in the world are included in these thirteen
ascetic practices.”
235.See Vism. 59ff, for details.
236.Vin. iii. 230ff.
237.A. i. 23, cf. S. i. 191.