Khuddaka Nikaya - Milinda Panha - The Similes

Khuddaka Nikaya - Milinda Panha - The Similes

The Debate of King Milinda
edited by Bhikkhu Pesala

Chapter 18
The Similes
“Venerable Nàgasena, with which qualities
must a monk be endowed in order to realise
arahantship?238
1. The Donkey
“Just, O king, as the donkey, wherever he may lie down,
does not rest long; so should the monk who is intent on
arahantship not rest long.”
2. The Cockerel
“As the cockerel goes to roost at the proper time; so should
the monk quickly perform his duties239 after the almsround
and enter a solitary place for meditation.
“As the cockerel rises early; so should the monk rise early.
“As the cockerel constantly scratches the ground in
search of food; so should the monk constantly reflect on the
food he takes reminding himself, ‘I eat this not for enjoy-
ment, nor for complexion, but merely to appease the pain
of hunger and to enable me to practise the holy life, thus I
shall put an end to sorrow’.
238.In the Pali text, 67 similes are given but some of them are repetitive and others rely for
their effectiveness on a play on words in Pali which is difficult to translate so I have only
included a selection here. The numbering, however, has been retained to make cross-
reference easier.
239.As a point of interest, one of the duties mentioned is sweeping the surround to the cetiya
or pagoda. In the time of Asoka some 84,000 were built in India, but above in Dilemma
25 honouring the remains of the Tathàgata was not the duty of monks. In the Mahàyàna
Vinaya there are a number of extra minor training rules relating to the proper conduct
with regard to cetiyas.

“As the cockerel, though it has eyes, is blind at night;
so should the monk while meditating be as if blind, paying
no attention to sense objects that might disturb his con-
centration.
“As the cockerel, even though driven off with sticks
and stones, will not desert his roost; so should the monk not
give up his mindfulness whether he is engaged in making
robes, in building, teaching, studying the scriptures, or in
other work.
4. The Female Panther
“As the panther conceives only once and does not resort
again to the male; so should the monk, seeing the suffering
inherent in rebirth, resolve not to enter on any future
existence. For this was said by the Buddha, O king, in the
Dhaniya Sutta of the Sutta Nipàta:
“Having broken the fetters like a bull,
as an elephant having broken the creepers,
so there will be no more rebirth for me.
Therefore, rain, O cloud, if you like!”240
7. The Bamboo
“As the bamboo bends whichever way the wind blows; so
should the monk be flexible and conform to the teaching.
10. The Monkey
“As the monkey dwells in a mighty tree, well covered with
branches; so should the monk dwell with a learned teacher,
who is worthy of veneration and able to instruct him.
240.Sn. v 29. Trnsl. Hammalawa Saddhàtissa

12. The Lotus
“As the lotus remains undefiled by the water in which it is
born and grows; so should the monk be undefiled by
support, offerings and veneration.
“As the lotus remains lifted far above the water; so
should the monk remain far above worldly things.
“As the lotus trembles in the slightest breeze; so
should the monk tremble at the mere thought of doing any
evil, seeing danger in the slightest fault.
20. The Ocean
“As the ocean casts out corpses on the shore; so should the
monk cast out defilements from his mind.
“As the ocean, though it contains many treasures,
does not cast them up; so should the monk possess the
gems of the attainments but not display them.
“As the ocean associates with mighty creatures; so
should the monk associate with those fellow disciples who
are of few desires, virtuous, learned and wise.
“As the ocean does not overflow its shore; so should the
monk never transgress the precepts even for the sake of his life.
“As the ocean is not filled up even by all the rivers
that flow into it; so should the monk never be satiated with
hearing the teaching and instruction in the Dhamma, Vinaya
and Abhidhamma.
21. The Earth
“As the great earth is unmoved by fair or foul things
thrown down on it; so should the monk remain unmoved
by praise or blame, support or neglect.

“As the great earth is unadorned but has its own
odour; so should the monk be unadorned with perfumes
but endowed with the fragrance of his virtue.
“As the great earth is never weary though it bears
many things; so should the monk never be weary of giving
instruction, exhortation and encouragement.
“As the great earth is without malice or fondness; so
should the monk be without malice or fondness.
22. Water
“As water naturally remains still; so should the monk be
without hypocrisy, complaining, hinting, and improper
behaviour and remain undisturbed and pure by nature.
“As water always refreshes; so should the monk,
full of compassion, always seek the good and benefit of
all.
“As water never harms anyone; so should the monk,
earnest in effort, never do any wrong that would produce
quarrels or strife, or anger or discontent. For it was said by
the Blessed One in the Kaõha Jàtaka:
“O Sakka, Lord of all the world, a choice thou didst declare:
No creature be aught harmed for me,
O Sakka, anywhere, Neither in body nor in mind:
this, Sakka, is my prayer.”241
27. The Moon
“As the moon increases day by day in the waxing phase; so
should the monk increase in good qualities day by day.
241.Jà. iv. 14. PTS trnsl

30. The Universal Monarch
“As the universal monarch gains the favour of the people
by the four bases of popularity [generosity, affability,
justice and impartiality] so should the monk gain the
favour of monks and laity.
“As the universal monarch allows no robbers to dwell
in his realm; so should the monk allow no cruel, lustful or
angry thought to dwell in his mind.
“As the universal monarch travels all over the world
examining the good and the bad; so should the monk exam-
ine himself thoroughly as to his thoughts, words and deeds.
35. The Mongoose
“As the mongoose protects himself with an antidote before
approaching a snake; so should the monk protect himself
with loving-kindness before approaching the world, which
abounds in anger and malice, strife and contention.
40. The Elephant
“As the elephant turns his whole body when he looks
round; so should the monk turn his whole body when he
looks round, not glancing this way and that but keeping his
eyes well controlled.
“As the elephant lifts up his feet and walks with care;
so should the monk be mindful and clearly comprehending
in walking.
46. The Indian Crane
“As the Indian crane warns people about their future fate
with his cry; so should the monk warn people about their
future fate with his teaching of Dhamma.

47. The Bat
“As the bat, though he sometimes enters men’s houses,
soon leaves; so should the monk, though he enters men’s
houses for alms, soon leave.
“As the bat when he frequents men’s houses does no
harm; so should the monk when visiting men’s houses do
no harm there, being easily supportable and considerate of
their welfare.
48. The Leech
“As the leech feeds until he is satisfied before he lets go; so
should the monk take a firm hold of his meditation object
and drink the delicious nectar of freedom until he is
satisfied.
50. The Rock Snake
“As the rock snake can survive for many days without food
but still keep himself alive; so should the monk be able to
keep himself going even though he receives only a little
alms. For this was said by Venerable Sàriputta:
“Whether it be dry food or wet he eats, let him to
full repletion never eat. The good recluse goes forth
in emptiness, and keeps to moderation in his food.
If but four mouthfuls or five he gets, let him drink water
for what cares a man with mind on arahantship fixed
for ease.”242
242.Thag. vv 982, 983.

60. The Carpenter
“As the carpenter discards rotten wood and takes only
sound timber; so should the monk discard wrong views
like eternalism, nihilism, the soul is the body, the soul is
one thing the body another, all teachings are alike excellent,
the unconditioned is an impossibility, men’s actions are
useless, there is no holy life, when a being dies a new being
is reborn, conditioned things are eternally existing, the one
who acts experiences the result thereof, one acts and
another experiences the result, and all other such wrong
views on the result of kamma (intention) and action (kiriya).
Having discarded all such paths he should seize the idea of
voidness, which is the true nature of conditioned things.
61. The Waterpot
“As the waterpot that is full makes no noise; so should the
monk be not garrulous even though he knows much, for
this was said by the Blessed One:
“Listen to the sound of water.
Listen to the water running through chasms and rocks.
It is the minor streams that make a loud noise,
The great waters flow silently.”
“The hollow resounds and the full is still.
Foolishness is like a half-filled pot;
The wise man is a lake full of water.”243
243.Sn. vv 720, 721, trnsl. Hammalawa Saddhàtissa. Only the second verse.

Conclusion
On the conclusion of this debate between the elder and the
king the great earth shook six times, lightning flashed and
the gods rained down flowers from heaven. Milinda was
filled with joy of heart and all his pride was subdued. He
ceased to have any doubt about the Triple Gem and,
renouncing all obstinacy, like a cobra deprived of its fangs
he said, “Most excellent, venerable Nàgasena! You have
solved the puzzles that were worthy of a Buddha to solve.
Among the Buddha’s followers there is no one like you,
except for Venerable Sàriputta. Please forgive me for my
faults. May you accept me as a follower, as one gone for
refuge for as long as life lasts.”
The king, with his soldiers, supported the elder and
his large following and had a dwelling place constructed
called Milinda Vihàra. Later, Milinda handed over his
kingdom to his son and, going forth into homelessness, he
developed his insight and attained arahantship.