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THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA. III, 7, 17.
distinguish whether it were water from the Ganges, or from the Jumna, or from the Akiravati, or from the Sarabhū, or from the Mahi ?'
Impossible, Sir.'
More difficult than that, great king, is it to have distinguished between the mental conditions which follow on the exercise of any one of the organs of sense!'
* Very good, Nagasena !'
Here ends the Seventh Chapter '.
17. The Elder said: 'Do you know, O king, what time it is now ?'
Yes, Sir, I know. The first watch of the night is now passed. The middle watch is now going on. The torches are lit. The four banners are ordered to be raised, and appropriate gifts to be issued to you from the treasury.'
The Yonakas said: Very good, great king. Most able is the Bhikkhu.'
· Yes, my men. Most able is the Bhikkhu. Were the master like him and the pupil like me, [88] a clever scholar would not take long in getting at the truth.'
Then the king, pleased with the explanations given of the questions he had put, had Nâgasena robed in an embroidered cloak worth a hundred thousand ?, and said to him : Venerable Nâgasena, I hereby order that you shall be provided with your daily meal for eight hundred days, and give you the
See the note at the end of Book II, Chapter 3, § 14. · That is k a hâpanas,'half-pennies.'
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