Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute

The Catuvyfthandra unfolds the method of understanding the doctrines by noting the following points :-- (1) the text (2) the term (3) the purport (4) the introductory episode and (5) the sequence illustrating each of them with qutations from the canonical texts. [...] T. W. Rhys Davids the learned editor and translator of Milinda Pafiha came to the conclusion that the book is later than the canonical books of the Pali Pitakas ( the author of the Milinda-pailha quotes a large number of passages from the Pitaka texts ) and on the other hand not only older than the great commentaries but the only book outside the canon regarded in them as an authrity which [...] Like the seeds which through the earth attah to higher developments are the gods and men who through the jewel treasure of the relics and the wisdom of the Tathdgata though he has passed away and consent not to it — being firmly rooted by the roots of merit become like unto trees casting a goodly shade by means of the trunk of contemplation the sap of true doctrine the branches of righteousnes [...] of Nirvana the realisation of Nirvana and the place of Nirvana these are the puzzles that inflicted the mind of the King. [...] Nagasena next explained in detail with the help of a good number of sitnilies the character that came as a result of keeping the vows for the good growth of the seed of renunciation and for the attainment of Nirvana.