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352
THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES
VIT, 6, 3.
just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, adhere to his own good, and in everything-in teaching, in asking and answering questions, in the conduct of life, in the habit of solitude, in association with his teachers, in the cultivation of the friendship of the good-should he act with knowledge of the Truth. This, O king, is the quality of the child at the breast he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Digha Nikaya, in the Suttanta of the Great Decease:
"Be zealous, rather, I beseech you, Ånanda, in your own behalf. Devote yourselves to your own good. Be earnest, all aglow, intent on your own good ?!")
53. THE LAND TORTOISE”. 3. Venerable Nâgasena, that one quality of the land tortoise which you say he ought to take, which
is it?'
Just, О king, as the land tortoise, being afraid of the water, frequents places far from it, and by that habit of avoiding water its length of life is kept undiminished; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, seeing the danger in the want of earnestness, be mindful of the advantages that distinguish earnestness. For by that perception of
1 Maha-parinibbâna Suttanta V, 24, translated in Buddhist Suttas,' p. 91. The beginning of the exhortation has been already quoted above, p. 177 (of the Pâli).
* Kittaka-dhara-kummassa, literally of the tortoise who wears the sectarian mark (on his forehead).' The Simhalese repeats this phrase, which clearly distinguishes this tortoise from the other, the water tortoise, of VII, 1, 12.
Digitized by Google
| SR No. | 007682 |
| Book Title | Questions of King Milinda Part 02 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | T W Rhys Davids |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1894 |
| Total Pages | 2240 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 38 MB |