6.3.12. Dilemma the Eighty-Second. The Place Of Nirvana (MIL6.3.12)

‘Venerable Nāgasena, does there exist the spot—either in the direction of the East, or of the South, or of the West, or of the North, either above, or below, or on the horizon-where Nirvāṇa is stored up ?’

‘There is no spot, O king—either in the East, or the South, or in the West, or the North, either above, or below, or on the horizon—where Nirvāṇa is.’

‘But if so, Nāgasena, then neither can Nirvāṇa exist, and those who realise it, their realisation is vain. And I will give you an explanation of this. Just, Sir, as there are on the earth fields in which crops can be grown, flowers from which perfumes come, bushes on which flowers can grow, trees on which fruits can ripen, mines from which gems can be dug, so that whosoever desires any of these things can go there and get it—just so, Nāgasena, if Nirvāṇa exists one must expect there to be some place, where it is produced. But since there is not, therefore I declare that there can be no Nirvāṇa, and those who realise it, their realisation is vain.’

‘There is no spot, O king, where Nirvāṇa is situate, and yet Nirvāṇa is, and he who orders his life right will, by careful attention, realise Nirvāṇa. Just as fire exists, and yet there is no place where fire (by itself) is stored up. But if a man rubs two sticks together the fire comes;—just so, O king, Nirvāṇa exists, though there is no spot where it is stored up. And he who orders his life aright will, by careful attention, realise Nirvāṇa.

‘Or again, O king, just as there are the seven treasures of the king of kings—the treasure of the wheel, and the treasure of the elephant, and the treasure of the horse, and the treasure of the gem, and the treasure of the woman, and the treasure of the finance minister, and the treasure of the adviser. But there is no spot where these treasures are laid up. When a sovran conducts himself aright they appear to him of their own accord —just so, O king, Nirvāṇa, exists, though there is no place where it is stored up. And he who orders his life aright will, by careful attention, realise Nirvāṇa.’

‘Venerable Nāgasena, let it be granted that there is no place where Nirvāṇa, is stored up. But is there any place on which a man may stand and, ordering his life aright, realise Nirvāṇa?’

‘Yes, O king, there is such a place.’

‘Which then, Nāgasena, is that place

‘Virtue, O king, is the place. For if grounded in virtue, and careful in attention—whether in the land of the Scythians or the Greeks, whether in China or Tartary, whether in Alexandria or in Nikumba, whether in Benares or in Kosala, whether in Kashmir or in Gandhāra, whether on a mountain top or in the highest heavens —wheresoever he may be, the man who orders his life aright will realise Nirvāṇa. Just, O king, as the man who has eyes wherever he may be—in the land of the Scythians or the Greeks, in China or in Tartary, in Alexandria, Nikumba, Benares, or Kosala, in Kashmir or in Gandhāra, on a mountain top or in the highest heavens—will be able to behold the expanse of heaven and to see the horizon facing him—just so, O king, will he who orders his conduct aright and is careful in attention—whether in the land of the Scythians or the Greeks, whether in China or Tartary, whether in Alexandria, or Benares, or Kosala, or Nikumba, whether in Kashmir or in Gandhāra, whether on a mountain top or in the highest heavens—wheresoever he may be, attain to the realisation of Nirvāṇa.’

‘Very good, Nāgasena! You have preached to me of Nirvāṇa, and of the realisation thereof, you have set forth the advantages of virtue, you have explained the supreme attainment, you have raised aloft the standard of the Truth, you have established the eye of Truth, you have shown how right means adopted by those of high aims will be neither barren nor unfruitful. That is so, and I accept it as you say.’

Here ends the problem of the place of Nirvāṇa.

Here ends the Eighth Chapter.

The Questions of King Milinda, translated from the Pali by T.W. Rhys Davids.

Part 1 (to section 5.4.10) was originally published as Volume xxxv of “The Sacred Books of the East”, Oxford, The Clarendon Press, 1890.

Part 2 (from section 5.5.1) was originally published as Volume xxxvi of “The Sacred Books of the East”, Oxford, The Clarendon Press, 1894.

This SuttaCentral edition was prepared by Bhikkhu Sujato based on the digital text of the Internet Sacred Text Archive. The work of the Sacred Text Archive to make this text publically available is gratefully acknowledged.

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Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.