2.15. All for the Same Purpose (T1670B2.15)

The king asked, “Nāgasena, all the qualities you have mentioned above are so different, are they all for the same purpose of eradicating all defilements?”

Nāgasena said, “Yes, they are. Various kinds of good qualities are described in Buddhist sutras, but they are all for the same purpose of eradicating defilements.”

Nāgasena said, “It is like the king who, although he sends his fourfold army to the battlefield, has one aim of defeating the opposing army. In the same way, the Buddha preached various kinds of good qualities in different sutras, but they serve the same purpose of eradicating different kinds of defilement.”

“Excellent, Nāgasena, you quote the sutras readily.”

Nāgasena Bhikṣu Sūtra, translated by Venerable Guang Xing. Buddha’s Light Edition English Sutra Translation Series, 2008. This publication is part of translation program of the Woodenfish Project.

The full text, with detailed notes, textual and historical discussion, and comparison between Pali and Chinese texts, is available for download in two separate files, Translation and Notes.

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Used with kind permission of Buddha’s Light Publishing.

This SuttaCentral edition was prepared by Bhikkhu Sujato.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.