那先比丘經

LOWER VOLUME — I. ACTIONS AND CAUSE AND EFFECT — 1. NO ONE SURPASSES THE BUDDHA

The king asked Nagasena, “Is it true that no one surpasses the Buddha?”

Nagasena replied, “Indeed, no one surpasses the Buddha.”

The king asked again, “How can it be known that no one surpasses the Buddha?”

Nagasena then asked the king, “Great king, even one who has never gone to sea can know that the sea is vast. Five great rivers, each receiving five hundred smaller rivers, flow into it. The first is the Ganges, the second the Sindhu, the third the Sita, the fourth the Vaksu, and the fifth the Sarabhu. These five rivers flow continuously into the sea day and night, yet the waters of the sea do not rise in the slightest. Can one thereby know that the sea is exceedingly vast?”

The king replied, “Indeed, one can know this.”

Nagasena said, “It is likewise. There are those who have attained the Way and engage one another in discourse, yet none can surpass the Buddha. Therefore, this humble monk believes that the Buddha is supreme above all.”

The king asked, “How can it be known that no one can surpass the Buddha in discourse?”

Nagasena asked, “Does the great king know who devised writing?”

The king replied, “The man who devised writing in ancient times was named Chih.”

Nagasena asked, “Has the great king ever met that man?”

The king replied, “He died long ago; I have never met him.”

Nagasena asked, “Since the king has never met him, how do you know that he was the one who devised writing?”

The king replied, “From ancient times until now, it has been handed down from one generation to the next that Master Chih created writing. Therefore, I know it to be so.”

Nagasena said, “It is likewise. This humble monk has seen the scriptures and precepts transmitted by the Buddha, and this is no different from seeing the Buddha himself. The scriptures taught by the Buddha are exceedingly profound and subtle, and bring peace and happiness. Those who have studied and understood the Buddha’s scriptures and precepts have transmitted and taught them successively to later generations. Therefore, this humble monk knows that no one surpasses the Buddha.”

2. PRACTICING ACCORDING TO THE BUDDHA’S SCRIPTURES

The king asked again, “Having encountered the Buddha’s scriptures, can one study and practice according to them throughout one’s life?”

Nagasena replied, “The scriptures and precepts taught by the Buddha are exceedingly profound and fitting; one can study and practice according to them throughout one’s life.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

3. AFTER DEATH

The king asked again, “After a person dies, does this body not take birth again?”

Nagasena replied, “After a person dies, he will take birth with a new body; this body does not pass on and arise in another life.

“For example, when a lampwick is consumed, another wick is added, and thus the succession continues, with the flame burning upon a new wick. The human body is the same. When the old body no longer exists, one receives a new body.”

Nagasena asked the king, “When the great king was young, did you study various scriptures and books under a teacher?”

The king replied, “Of course. I still remember them even now.”

Nagasena asked the king, “The great king learned the scriptures and books from a teacher, but did that teacher know their origin by himself, or did he know it from the ancients?”

The king replied, “He certainly did not know it by himself. He knew it through the succession handed down from the ancients.”

Nagasena said, “The human body is the same. When the old body perishes, one continues on and receives a new body.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

4. THE CONTINUITY OF CAUSE AND EFFECT

The king asked again, “When one receives a new body in this way, does one personally remember and know it?”

Nagasena replied, “One does not know.”

Nagasena then asked the king, “Suppose someone secretly steals another person’s mangoes. Is that person guilty?”

The king replied, “He is guilty.”

Nagasena asked, “When the young mango tree was first planted, there were certainly no mangoes. Why, then, is the person who steals the mangoes said to be guilty?”

The king said, “If the young mango tree had not been planted, how could there be mangoes today? Therefore, the person who secretly picks the mangoes is guilty; this cannot be denied.”

Nagasena said, “People are the same. Having performed good and evil deeds in this life, they must receive their results in the next life with a new body and life.”

The king asked again, “People use this body to perform good and evil deeds. After they receive a new body, where are those good and evil deeds?”

Nagasena replied, “The good and evil deeds that have been done follow a person as a shadow follows the body. Even at death, only this body perishes; the deeds that have been performed are never lost. It is like a person who lights a lamp at night to write a letter. After the lamp is extinguished, the letter remains. When the lamp is lit again, the letter can immediately be seen. Performing good and evil deeds in this life and receiving their results in the next life is just the same.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

5. FOREKNOWLEDGE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT

The king asked Nagasena again, “Can one clearly distinguish and know what results the good and evil deeds one has performed will produce in the future?”

Nagasena replied, “This cannot be known.”

Nagasena asked the king, “Suppose a fruit tree has not yet borne fruit. Can one distinguish and point out exactly where within the tree the fruit is?”

The king replied, “This cannot be known.”

Nagasena said, “It is likewise. A person who has not attained the Way cannot know precisely where or when good and evil deeds will bear fruit.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

The king asked again, “If a person must take birth again in a future life, can that person know this for himself?”

Nagasena replied, “He can know it for himself.”

The king asked, “How can he know?”

Nagasena asked in return, “Suppose a farmer plows and harrows his fields and sows his seed, and the rain and sunshine come at the proper times. Can he know beforehand that there will be a harvest?”

The king replied, “Of course he knows. Since all the necessary conditions are present, he can foresee that there will be a harvest.”

Nagasena said, “People are the same. If they must take birth again in a future life, they can know it beforehand.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

II. THE BUDDHA AND HIS DISCIPLES — 1. WHERE IS THE BUDDHA NOW?

The king asked again, “Does nirvana truly exist?”

Nagasena replied, “It truly exists.”

The king asked, “Then can you point out exactly where the Buddha now abides?”

Nagasena replied, “That cannot be done. It is impossible to point out where the Buddha now abides, because the Buddha entered nirvana long ago.

“Suppose someone lights a fire. After the fire has been extinguished, can one point out where its light now abides?”

The king said, “It cannot be pointed out.”

Nagasena said, “It is likewise. The Buddha entered nirvana long ago; the place of his abiding cannot be known.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

2. CHERISHING ONE’S OWN BODY

The king asked again, “Do ascetics cherish their own bodies?”

Nagasena replied, “No, ascetics do not cherish their own bodies.”

The king asked, “If it is said that ascetics do not cherish their own bodies, why must they arrange for comfortable and warm bedding and select delicious and nourishing food? What does this mean?”

Nagasena asked the king, “Has the great king ever gone into battle?”

The king replied, “Yes, I have gone into battle.”

Nagasena asked, “When going into battle, has the great king ever been struck by a sword or hit by an enemy’s arrow?”

The king replied, “Yes. I have been struck by a blade.”

Nagasena asked, “When you were wounded, what did the great king do?”

The king replied, “I applied medicine to it and bound it carefully with cloth.”

Nagasena asked, “Did the great king tend the wound so carefully because you cherished it?”

The king replied, “No. I did not cherish that wound.”

Nagasena asked, “Since you did not cherish it, why did you apply medicine and bind it carefully with cloth?”

The king replied, “I merely wanted it to heal quickly; I certainly did not cherish the wound.”

Nagasena said, “The samanas are likewise. They do not cherish their own bodies. Although they partake of food and drink, their minds are not attached to or delighted by delicious flavors. They do not seek rare delicacies, yet neither do they allow their bodies to suffer hunger or thirst, for they wish only to sustain these bodies in order to practice in accordance with the Buddha’s scriptures and precepts.

“The Buddhist scriptures teach that the human body has nine openings leading outward, like nine festering sores, all of which are impure places.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent! Excellent!”

3. THE BUDDHA IS UNLIKE THE WORLD

The king again asked, “Venerable sir, is it true that the Buddha possessed the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics, that his body was the color of pure gold, and that his radiance shone forth?”

Nagasena replied, “Yes. The Buddha possessed the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics; his body was the color of pure gold, and radiance shone all around it.”

The king asked, “Did the Buddha’s parents possess the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics, with bodies the color of pure gold and shining radiance?”

Nagasena replied, “No. The Buddha’s parents did not possess such excellent marks.”

The king said, “Since his parents did not possess them, surely the Buddha could not have possessed such marks either. Among living beings, offspring are born according to their own kind. Since the Buddha’s parents did not possess those marks, surely the Buddha could not have possessed them.”

Nagasena said, “Although the Buddha’s parents did not possess the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics, nor bodies the color of pure gold with shining radiance, the Buddha truly possessed those marks.”

Nagasena asked the king, “Has Your Majesty ever seen a lotus flower?”

The king replied, “I have.”

Nagasena asked, “A lotus flower is born in the earth and grows amid mud and water. Yet its color and fragrance are both exquisite. In these respects, does it resemble the earth, mud, and water among which it grows?”

The king replied, “It does not.”

Nagasena said, “Although the Buddha’s parents did not possess the excellent marks, the Buddha truly possessed them. The Buddha was born in the world and grew up in the world, yet he did not conform to the ways of the world.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

4. SOPHISTRY

The king again asked, “Is it true that the Buddha maintained pure conduct like the Brahma king in the seventh heaven?”

Nagasena replied, “Yes. He truly maintained pure and immaculate conduct, entirely without blemish.”

The king said, “If it is said that the Buddha maintained pure conduct like the Brahma king in the seventh heaven, then the Buddha must have been his disciple.”

Nagasena asked the king, “Your Majesty, does the Brahma king in that heaven possess thought or not?”

The king replied, “He possesses thought.”

Nagasena said, “Then the Brahma king and all the devas in that heaven must surely be disciples of the Buddha.”

Nagasena again asked the king, “Your Majesty, what does the cry of a bird resemble?”

The king replied, “It resembles the cry of a wild goose.”

Nagasena said, “Your Majesty has just said that the cry of a bird resembles that of a wild goose. Does this mean that all birds are disciples of the wild goose?

“If that is not so, then it is likewise with the Buddha: one cannot say that he was a disciple of the Brahma king.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

5. WHO WAS THE BUDDHA’S TEACHER?

The king asked Nagasena, “Venerable sir, surely the Buddha also had to study and understand the scriptures and precepts before he could practice them?”

Nagasena replied, “Certainly.”

The king asked, “Then from which teacher did the Buddha learn and understand the scriptures and precepts?”

Nagasena replied, “The Buddha had no teacher. When the Buddha attained the fruit of awakening, he immediately understood all the scriptures by himself. He was unlike the Buddha’s disciples, who must all study the Buddha’s teachings. Therefore, once the Buddha’s disciples have learned and understood the scriptures and precepts, they must faithfully practice them throughout their lives.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

III. CULTIVATION AND LIBERATION - 1. TWO KINDS OF TEARS

The king again asked, “When their parents die, people grieve and shed tears. When they hear the Buddhist scriptures, they may also be moved to tears. Is there any difference between these two instances of weeping?”

Nagasena replied, “When their parents die, people shed tears in sorrow. Such tears arise from worldly feelings of gratitude and affection, attachment, grief, and pain. These are tears of delusion.

“When people hear the Buddhist scriptures and are moved to tears, those tears arise from loving-kindness, compassion, and sympathy for the sufferings of the world. Such tears give rise to immense merit.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

2. ONE WHO HAS ATTAINED LIBERATION

The king again asked, “What difference is there between one who has attained liberation and one who has not?”

Nagasena replied, “One who has not attained liberation has sensual desire in the mind. One who has attained liberation has no sensual desire in the mind; even in eating and drinking, the sole purpose is to sustain the body and life.”

The king said, “When I observe this world, I see only that everyone desires bodily pleasure and delicious food, and never seems satisfied.”

Nagasena said, “Those who have not attained liberation experience pleasure and delight when they eat delicious food. Those who have attained liberation, although they eat and drink, neither delight in nor take pleasure in it; they do so solely to sustain the body and life.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

3. MEMORY

The king again asked, “Can people recall in the distant future the things they have previously done?”

Nagasena replied, “They can. Especially when people are troubled by sorrow and anxiety, they often recall events from long ago.”

The king asked, “What do people use to recall such things? Do they remember through volition? Do they remember through recollection?”

Nagasena asked the king, “Your Majesty has studied many things. Do you later remember and know them all?”

The king replied, “Certainly. Yet among the things I have studied, there are also some that I suddenly forget.”

Nagasena asked, “Did Your Majesty not forget them before? Why did you forget them afterward?”

The king said, “At that time, I had many distracted thoughts.”

Nagasena said, “Then that does not accord with what Your Majesty previously supposed.”

The king again asked Nagasena, “Can people recall everything they have previously done as though they had just done it? As for the things seen before one today, are they all known through memory?”

Nagasena replied, “Things that have passed are all known through memory. Things in the present are also known through memory.”

The king said, “If so, people should be able to remember only past events; one cannot speak of remembering something that has just occurred.”

Nagasena replied, “Suppose something is called recent: if it has already been done but cannot be remembered, how is it different from the past?”

The king said, “Then do those who learn painting, writing, and various crafts labor in vain?”

Nagasena replied, “Those who learn writing and painting retain them in memory, and therefore are later able to teach their disciples. Thus it should be understood that memory exists.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

4. AROUSING MEMORY

The king again asked Nagasena, “Venerable sir, through what circumstances is memory aroused in people?”

Nagasena replied, “There are sixteen ways by which people recollect what has passed. First, one remembers things done in the distant past. Second, one remembers upon seeing someone newly learning.

Third, one remembers important and momentous events. Fourth, one remembers through reflecting on something good. Fifth, one remembers suffering and hardship.

Sixth, one remembers through frequent reflection. Seventh, one remembers the distinctions among things habitually encountered. Eighth, one remembers through being reminded by others.

Ninth, one remembers things that are similar or closely resemble one another. Tenth, one remembers things one has often forgotten. Eleventh, one remembers things one clearly understands.

Twelfth, one remembers things one has calculated, learned, and practiced. Thirteenth, one remembers because of indebtedness. Fourteenth, one remembers through one-pointed concentration without distraction.

Fifteenth, one remembers things read and seen in books. Sixteenth, one remembers upon seeing again a place where one formerly lived.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to recollect things done in the distant past?”

Nagasena replied, “The Venerable Ananda, a disciple of the Buddha, and the female lay devotee Kujjuttara could recollect things from many previous lives. Many other accomplished practitioners also possessed the ability to recollect events from many former lives. There were many within the community of practitioners who could do so, like Ananda and that female lay devotee. Upon remembering one thing, they could thereby remember another as well.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember upon seeing someone newly learning?”

Nagasena replied, “Suppose a person once studied, calculated, or learned to perform something, but later forgot it. Upon seeing someone else learning it, that person remembers.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember important and momentous events?”

Nagasena replied, “For example, when a crown prince is enthroned as king, he regards it as an important and momentous event because it has elevated him to a noble station. Reflecting in this way, he remembers it.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember through reflecting on something good?”

Nagasena replied, “Suppose someone, with wholesome intentions, invites another person to a feast. He thinks to himself, ‘On that day, I invited that person with the good intention of making offerings and providing hospitality.’ Because of that wholesome intention, he remembers.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember suffering and hardship?”

Nagasena replied, “It is like a person who remembers because he was once imprisoned, confined, and subjected to suffering by another.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember through frequent reflection?”

Nagasena replied, “For example, people remember the things they frequently see, such as familiar persons and objects in their household, because they often think about them.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember the distinctions among things habitually encountered?”

Nagasena replied, “For example, people remember the differences among names, scenes, objects, colors, fragrances, flavors, and so forth.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember through being reminded by others?”

Nagasena replied, “Suppose a person is forgetful. Among those around him, some remember and some forget. The forgetful person remembers because one who remembers reminds him.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember things that are similar or closely resemble one another?”

Nagasena replied, “Human beings, oxen, horses, and so forth—each kind has features shared by members of its own kind. People remember by means of those similarities.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember things one has often forgotten?”

Nagasena replied, “Suppose there are matters one often forgets. After being reminded of them many times by others, one continually keeps them in mind and thereby remembers them.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember things one clearly understands?”

Nagasena replied, “It is like a person learning to write who carefully studies and clearly understands the characters and therefore remembers them.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember things one has calculated, learned, and practiced?”

Nagasena replied, “Suppose someone calculates a matter and also personally learns and practices it to completion, so that he can distinguish everything with great clarity. This is remembering through study, calculation, and practice.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember because of indebtedness?”

Nagasena replied, “Suppose a person has a debt and constantly thinks about it. This is called remembering because of indebtedness.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember through one-pointed concentration without distraction?”

Nagasena replied, “Suppose a samana, through cultivation, attains one-pointedness of mind. He is then able to recollect for himself events extending from thousands and tens of thousands of former lives down to the present. This is what I call recollection through one-pointed concentration without distraction.”

The king asked, “What does it mean to remember things read and seen in books?”

Nagasena replied, “Suppose rulers possess very ancient books. By means of them, they learn that in former times there was such-and-such a king, and that in such-and-such a month and year these matters were recorded in this book. This is remembering events of the past through reading books.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

5. SAVING PEOPLE IS LIKE TREATING ILLNESS

The king asked again, “Venerable sir, does the Buddha fully know all events of the past as well as those of the future?”

Nagasena replied, “Yes. The Buddha can fully know all things.”

The king asked, “If the Buddha fully knew all things, why did he not transmit all his teachings to his disciples at once, but instead taught them gradually, a little at a time?”

Nagasena asked the king, “Is there a physician in Your Majesty’s realm?”

The king replied, “Yes, venerable sir.”

Nagasena asked, “Does that physician know all the medicines and prescriptions?”

The king replied, “Since he is a physician who treats illnesses, he naturally must know them all.”

Nagasena asked, “When that physician treats an illness, does he administer all medicines and prescriptions at once, or does he wait for the appropriate time and administer a little at a time?”

The king replied, “Medicine cannot be given to someone who is not yet ill. One waits until illness arises and then selects the appropriate medicine to administer.”

Nagasena said, “The Buddha is likewise. Although he fully knows all events of the past, present, and future, he cannot teach everything at once to all the people in the world. He must choose the appropriate time and the appropriate person, and then gradually teach the scriptures and precepts, enabling people to receive and faithfully practice them.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

6. THE BOAT CARRYING STONES

The king asked again, “You samanas teach that even if people commit every kind of evil throughout their lives until they reach one hundred years of age, if, as they are about to die, they turn their minds around and recollect the Buddha, they will be reborn in a heavenly realm immediately after death. I do not believe this.

“You also say that merely by killing a single living being, one must fall into hell after death. This I find even more impossible to believe!”

Nagasena asked the king, “Great King, suppose someone takes a small stone and throws it upon the water. Would that stone float or sink?”

The king replied, “It would certainly sink.”

Nagasena asked again, “Suppose someone placed a hundred large stones aboard a great boat. Would that boat sink?”

The king replied, “It would not sink.”

Nagasena said, “Those hundred large stones do not sink because they are supported by the boat. People are likewise: although they may have committed evil deeds, because they know how to turn their minds around and recollect the Buddha, they do not fall into hell. After death, they are reborn in a heavenly realm.

“A single small stone dropped into the water must sink. So too, a person who commits an evil deed but has not learned and understood the Buddha’s scriptures will certainly fall into hell after death.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

7. WHY ONE MUST DILIGENTLY CULTIVATE THE PATH

The king asked again, “Why do you samanas leave the household life and devote yourselves to cultivation and study of the path?”

Nagasena replied, “Because we see the sufferings and afflictions of the past and present, and know that there will be suffering in the future, we wish to bring all such suffering completely to an end and never undergo it again. Therefore, we go forth from the household life to cultivate and study the Way.”

The king asked again, “The suffering and affliction of which you speak belong to a future life. Why, then, must one be concerned with cultivation in this life?”

Nagasena asked, “Great King, do you have any enemies who constantly await an opportunity to attack?”

The king replied, “Certainly. The kingdoms hostile to me are always awaiting a favorable opportunity to send their armies to attack.”

Nagasena asked, “Then does the Great King wait until the enemy army arrives before preparing his defenses, or must he make all necessary provisions beforehand?”

The king replied, “I must make provisions and remain prepared in advance.”

Nagasena asked, “Why must you make provisions and remain prepared in advance?”

The king replied, “Because one cannot know when the enemy army will come.”

Nagasena asked again, “Great King, can one wait until one is hungry before plowing the fields and sowing seed, or until one is thirsty before digging a well?”

The king replied, “No. All these things must be anticipated and arranged beforehand.”

Nagasena said, “The enemy army has not yet come, so why prepare? The time of hunger and thirst has not yet arrived, so why make provisions?”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

8. THE MANIFESTING POWER OF CONSCIOUSNESS

The king asked again, “Venerable sir, how far away is the Brahma realm from here?”

Nagasena replied, “It is very far. Suppose a rock as large as the Great King’s palace were to fall from the Brahma heaven: that rock would have to fall for six months before reaching here.”

The king asked, “Your ascetics teach that one who has attained arhatship can fly up to the Brahma realm in no more time than it takes a person to bend and extend an arm. I do not believe this. How could one traverse a distance of tens of millions of miles so swiftly?”

Nagasena asked the king, “In what land was the Great King born?”

The king replied, “I was born in the land of Alasanda, in the kingdom of Great Qin.”

Nagasena asked, “Approximately how far is it from Alasanda to here?”

The king replied, “About eighty thousand miles.”

Nagasena asked, “Does the Great King ever recollect things from that land?”

The king replied, “Yes, I often recall things that happened there in the past.”

Nagasena said, “Could the Great King now think of something he did in that land?”

The king replied, “Yes, I have thought of it already.”

Nagasena asked, “How did the Great King travel the distance of eighty thousand miles so quickly?”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

° ° °

The king asked again, “Venerable sir, suppose two people die at the same moment. One is reborn in the Brahma realm, while the other is reborn in the land of Kashmir, 2,700 miles from here. Which of the two will arrive first?”

Nagasena replied, “They will arrive at the same moment.”

The king asked, “The distances differ so greatly; how can they arrive at the same time?”

Nagasena said to the king, “Could the Great King think of the land of Alasanda?”

The king replied, “I have thought of it already.”

Nagasena said again, “Now could you think of the land of Kashmir?”

The king again replied, “I have thought of it already.”

Nagasena asked, “When the Great King thought of these two lands, was there any difference in speed?”

The king replied, “It was the same for both.”

Nagasena said, “It is likewise when two people die at the same moment. One is reborn in the Brahma realm, while the other is reborn in the land of Kashmir. It is the same in both cases.”

Nagasena again asked the king, “Suppose two birds are flying. One alights upon a great, lofty tree, while at the same moment the other alights upon a small tree with slender branches and leaves. Since the two birds alight at the same time, which bird’s shadow appears upon the ground first?”

The king replied, “Both appear at the same time.”

Nagasena said, “It is likewise when two people die at the same moment. One is reborn in the Brahma realm, while the other is reborn in the land of Kashmir; both arrive at the same moment.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

9. THE CONDITIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE WAY

The king again asked Nagasena, “Venerable sir, upon what things do people rely in order to study and understand the Way?”

Nagasena replied, “They rely upon seven things in order to study and understand the Way. What are these seven? First, recollecting what is wholesome and unwholesome. Second, diligent effort. Third, delighting in the Right Way. Fourth, disciplining the mind and directing it toward the good. Fifth, constantly recollecting the Right Way. Sixth, one-pointedness of mind. Seventh, encountering things without giving rise to either attachment or aversion.”

The king asked, “Must people employ all seven of these things in order to study and understand the Way?”

Nagasena replied, “It is not necessary to employ all seven before one can study and understand the Way. A wise person uses wisdom to distinguish wholesome things from unwholesome ones; thus, by employing this one thing alone, one can discern them.”

The king asked again, “If, as you say, one need only employ a single thing in order to know, why teach as many as seven?”

Nagasena asked, “Suppose a person places a knife in a leather sheath and stands it against a wall. Can that knife cut anything by itself?”

The king replied, “No.”

Nagasena said, “The human mind is the same. Even after it has become clear and understood the Way, it must still rely upon the full practice of the other factors before it can sever the afflictions of craving and desire and attain the Way of liberation.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

10. GOOD AND EVIL, OFFENSE AND MERIT

The king asked again, “Venerable sir, can a person who performs a small good deed gain great merit? Must a person who commits a great evil deed always suffer great misfortune?”

Nagasena replied, “A person who performs a small good deed can gain great merit. A person who commits a great evil deed may suffer only a small misfortune. This is so when one who has committed evil repents day and night, for that evil then diminishes day and night and becomes small. One who has performed a good deed thinks of it day and night and experiences joy and gladness; therefore, that person gains very great merit.

“When the Buddha was still in the world, there was a person whose hands and feet had been severed. With a sincere heart, that person offered the Buddha only a single lotus blossom. The Buddha then taught the bhikkhus: ‘From this time onward, for ninety-one kalpas, this person whose hands and feet have been severed will not fall into the evil destinies of hell beings, animals, or hungry ghosts, but will be reborn in the heavenly realm. After that heavenly merit has been exhausted, this person will be reborn as a human being.’

“From this account, this humble monk knows that a person who performs a small good deed can gain great merit.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

° ° °

The king asked again, “Venerable sir, when a wise person commits evil and a foolish person commits evil, which one suffers the greater misfortune?”

Nagasena replied, “The foolish person suffers great misfortune, while the wise person suffers little misfortune.”

The king said, “It cannot be as the venerable sir says. According to the laws by which I govern my kingdom, when a high official commits an offense, it is regarded as a serious crime, whereas when an uninformed commoner commits an offense, it is regarded as a minor crime. Judged according to this principle, a wise person who commits evil should suffer great misfortune, while a foolish person who commits evil should suffer little misfortune.”

Nagasena asked, “Suppose a piece of iron is heated and placed upon the ground. There are two people: one knows that it is hot iron, while the other does not. Both are compelled to grasp it. Which one will be burned more severely?”

The king said, “The one who does not know will be burned more severely.”

Nagasena said, “It is the same in this case. A foolish person who commits evil does not know enough to repent and therefore will certainly incur great misfortune. If a wise person should inadvertently commit an evil deed, that person immediately knows it is something that ought not to have been done and repents continually, day after day. Therefore, that person will incur only a small misfortune.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

11. THOSE WHO ATTAIN THE WAY AND WONDROUS DEEDS

The king again asked, “Can a person use this very body to fly through the air, ascend to the Brahma realm, descend as far as the land of Uttarakuru, or travel wherever he wishes?”

Nagasena replied, “It is possible.”

The king asked, “How can this be possible?”

Nagasena asked the king, “Your Majesty, do you remember whether, in your youth, while playing, you ever leapt about ten feet above the ground?”

The king replied, “Yes. While playing, I sometimes leapt more than ten feet high.”

Nagasena said, “For one who has attained the Path, ascending to the Brahma realm or descending to the land of Uttarakuru at will is just like that.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

° ° °

The king again asked, “You śramanas teach that there are joints of bone as long as four thousand miles. How can a joint of bone be so long?”

Nagasena asked, “Your Majesty, have you heard that in the great ocean there is a kind of fish called the chat fish, whose body is twenty-eight thousand miles long?”

The king replied, “Indeed there is; I have heard of it.”

Nagasena said, “If that fish has a body twenty-eight thousand miles long, why should Your Majesty be surprised that a joint of its hip bone is only four thousand miles long?”

12. CEASING THE BREATH

The king asked, “You śramanas teach that a practitioner can completely stop breathing. How can the breath be stopped?”

Nagasena asked, “Your Majesty, have you ever heard of a person possessing willpower?”

The king replied, “I have.”

Nagasena asked, “Then does Your Majesty think that this willpower resides within the person’s body?”

The king replied, “I believe that this willpower does indeed reside within the person’s body.”

Nagasena said, “Your Majesty, what you have said applies to foolish and ignorant people who cannot master their bodies and speech and cannot receive, uphold, and practice the Buddha’s scriptures and precepts. Such people cannot bring their bodies to a state of ease and well-being.

“But one who studies and practices the Path can master body and speech and can receive, uphold, and practice the Buddha’s scriptures and precepts. Therefore, that person can attain one-pointedness of mind and realize the four dhyanas. At that time, one need not sustain the breath as ordinary people do.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

13. THE WISDOM OF ONE WHO HAS ATTAINED THE PATH

The king asked, “Venerable sir, why is the sea called by that name? Is water itself called the sea, or is there some other reason it is called the sea?”

Nagasena replied, “It is called the sea because half of the substance within seawater is salt.”

The king again asked, “Venerable sir, after a person has attained the Path, can he fully comprehend profound and subtle matters?”

Nagasena replied, “Certainly. After attaining the Path, a person can fully comprehend profound and subtle matters. What the Buddha teaches in the scriptures concerns the most profound and subtle matters and is beyond all measure; yet with the wisdom of one who has attained the Path, all of it can be thoroughly understood.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent!”

The king again asked, “Venerable sir, are consciousness, wisdom, and nature—the three of them—the same, or are they different?”

Nagasena replied, “The essential function of consciousness is cognition; wisdom is capable of understanding the Path; and nature is like empty space. None of these three is a self.”

The king asked, “Then by what means can the self be discerned? The eye sees forms, the ear hears sounds, the nose smells fragrances, the tongue knows flavors, the body distinguishes softness from roughness, and the mind distinguishes wholesome from unwholesome things. Among these, which should be regarded as the self?”

Nagasena asked the king, “If it is said that the self dwells within the body and looks out upon objects through the eyes, then, if the eyes were gouged out, would it be able to see farther? If the ears were opened wider, would it be able to hear farther? If the nostrils were widened, would it be able to smell more fragrances? If the mouth were opened wider, would it be able to know more flavors? If the skin were cut away, would it perceive more sensations of contact? If the will were extinguished, would thoughts become more powerful?”

The king replied, “No, none of these things would occur.”

Nagasena said, “Your Majesty, you should understand that what the Buddha accomplished is exceedingly difficult. The Buddha’s knowledge is extremely profound and subtle.

“The Buddha’s words can penetrate the human heart, and he can clearly explain all that the eye sees. He can explain not only what is seen by the eye, but also what is heard by the ear, smelled by the nose, tasted by the tongue, and touched by the body. He can also clearly explain success and failure, dispel every doubt, elucidate thoughts, and explain even mysterious matters.

“Your Majesty, if a person were to take a mouthful of seawater, could he distinguish how much of it came from springs or from this river or that river flowing into the sea?”

The king said, “All the waters have merged into one and cannot be distinguished.”

Nagasena said, “What the Buddha accomplished is as difficult as distinguishing the various waters within seawater. Seawater is something plainly before Your Majesty’s eyes, yet you cannot clearly distinguish its sources. How much less could one discern the consciousness within the body, which inherently involves six invisible processes?

“The Buddha clearly explained these six processes: from a mental intention to what the eye sees; from a mental intention to what the ear hears; from a mental intention to what the nose smells; from a mental intention to what the tongue tastes; and from a mental intention to what the body touches and distinguishes as painful or pleasant, cold or hot, rough or hard.

“Wherever the mind is directed, the Buddha can distinguish and clearly explain it.”

The king praised him, saying, “Excellent! Excellent!”

IV. CONCLUSION

At that time, the Venerable Nagasena said, “It is already past midnight. This humble monk asks leave to withdraw.”

The king immediately ordered his close attendants to roll up four pieces of cloth, soak them in oil, and light them as torches to escort the Venerable Nagasena home. The king told his attendants, “You must serve the venerable one just as you serve me.”

The officials all obeyed his command.

The king further said, “If one has a teacher such as the Venerable Nagasena and a disciple such as myself, the Dharma of the Path can swiftly be attained.”

All the king’s questions had been answered thoroughly by Nagasena, so the king was exceedingly delighted and joyful.

The king ordered the treasury opened and had a robe worth one hundred thousand strings of cash brought forth as an offering to the Venerable Nagasena. The king then said, “From this day onward, may the venerable one and the eighty śramanas accept my offerings every day, from food and drink to anything else you may require. I shall provide all of it.”

Nagasena said, “Your Majesty, we are all practitioners and have no desires.”

The king said, “Even so, venerable sir, you should safeguard yourself and also help safeguard me.”

Nagasena asked, “What does it mean to safeguard myself and to safeguard Your Majesty?”

The king said, “If the venerable one does not accept my offerings, people will gossip and criticize.

“They may say that I am covetous, miserly, and stingy: although the venerable one resolved all my doubts, I gave him no reward.

“Or they may say that the Venerable Nagasena could not resolve the king’s doubts and therefore received no reward.

“If the venerable one accepts the offerings, you will enable me to gain a share of merit, while also preserving your own good name.”

The king further said, “Venerable sir, just as a lion confined within a golden cage still constantly longs to be free, so today, although I am a king dwelling in this palace, my heart truly finds no joy. I wish only to relinquish the affairs of state, go forth into homelessness, and train in the Way.”

When the king had finished speaking, Nāgasena took his leave and returned to the monastery.

° ° °

After Nāgasena had departed, the king reflected by himself: “What matters did I ask the Venerable Nāgasena about? What matters did Nāgasena explain to me?”

Then the king thought: “Whatever I asked, Nāgasena answered completely; nothing remains unresolved!”

When the Venerable Nāgasena reached the monastery, he likewise reflected: “What matters did the king ask me about? What matters did I explain to the king?”

Then he thought: “Whatever the king asked, I have answered completely!”

Both continued reflecting in this way until daybreak.

The following morning, the Venerable Nāgasena put on his robe, took up his alms bowl, and went to the royal palace, where he entered the great hall and sat down. The king immediately approached, paid homage to him, and then sat to one side.

The king said to the Venerable Nāgasena, “Venerable sir, last night, after you had departed, I reflected by myself upon the matters I had asked you about and saw that every matter had been clearly explained. Having reflected thus, my heart was filled with joy, and I lay peacefully without sleeping until dawn.”

Nāgasena said, “Great king, last night, after this humble monk returned to the monastery, I likewise reflected upon the questions the great king had asked and saw that every matter had been clearly explained. Having reflected thus, my heart was filled with joy, and I lay peacefully without sleeping until dawn.”

Having spoken, Nāgasena took his leave and departed. The king rose, paid homage, and escorted him on his way.