Milinda’s Questions

Time Chapter

2. Reconnection Question

The king asked:

“Venerable Nāgasena, does someone who does not reconnect know ‘I will not reconnect’?”

“Yes, your majesty, someone who does not reconnect knows ‘I will not reconnect’.”

“How do they know, venerable sir?”

“From the cessation, your majesty, of the cause and condition for reconnecting one knows ‘I will not reconnect’.”

“Please give me an analogy.”

“Just like, your majesty, a householder farmer, having ploughed and sown might fill his grain house.

But then, after some time, he would not plough and sow, and would use up the grain he had stored, or dispose of it, or deal with it according to conditions, would that householder farmer know, your majesty, ‘I will not fill my grain house’?”

“Yes, venerable sir, he would know.”

“How would he know?”

“From the cessation of that cause and condition for filling the grain house one knows ‘I will not fill my grain house’.”

“In the same way, your majesty, from the cessation of the cause and condition for reconnecting one knows ‘I will not reconnect’.”

“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”

Reconnection Question second