2.48. Rebirth (T1670B2.48)

The king asked Nāgasena, “Is the old body not reborn when a person dies?”

Nāgasena replied, “When a person dies, he receives a new body, the old body is not reborn.”

Then Nāgasena gave a simile, “It is just like the interchange of two wicks of a lamp, the old wick still remains, and the new one is lit. It is the same with regard to the body of a person. The old body does not transmigrate, but he receives a new body.”

Then Nāgasena asked the king, “Have you, great king, learned the ancient scriptures from a teacher when you were a boy?”

“Yes,” said the king.

“Great king, when you learned the scriptures from your teacher, did your teacher still have the knowledge of these scriptures when he comes across these scriptures?”

“Yes, my teacher still has the knowledge of these scriptures.”

“So is the body of a human being. It gives up the old body and takes the new one.”

“Excellent, Nāgasena.”

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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This SuttaCentral edition was prepared by Bhikkhu Sujato.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.