Faith that lacks calm is unsettling.
Faith that lacks drive is useless.
King Milinda said, “Revered Nagasena, what is the distinguishing mark of faith?” “Faith, sire, has tranquilizing as a distinguishing mark and also leaping forward as a distinguishing mark.” “Revered Nagasena, how is tranquillizing a distinguishing mark of faith?” “When faith is arising, sire, it extirpates the hindrances; when the mind is without the hindrances it is clear, pure and serene. Thus it is, sire, that tranquillizing is a distinguishing mark of faith.” “Make a simile.”
“As, sire, a Wheel-turning King going along a high road with his four limbed-army of elephants, horses, chariots and infantry, might cross a small stretch of water and, as a result, that water will become foul, turbid and muddy. Yet the king would ask his men to bring him some drinking water. The king might have a water-clearing gem. So the men cast that water-clearing gem in the water. Immediately the various water-plants disappear, the mud subsides and the water becomes clear, pure and serene. Then the men offer the drinking water to the king. Sire, like the water is the mind, like those people is the earnest student of mental training, like the water-plants and the mud are the hindrances, like the water-clearing gem is faith. Just as the water-plants disappear and the mud subsides as soon as the water-clearing gem is thrown in the water and the water becomes clear, pure and serene, even so, sire, faith, as it is uprising, extirpates the hindrances and the mind that is free from the hindrances is pure, clear and serene. It is thus, sire, that tranquillizing is a distinguishing mark of faith.”
“How, revered sir, is leaping forward a distinguishing mark of faith?” “As, sire, one who is devoted to mental training, on seeing that the minds of others are freed, leaps forward after the fruit of stream-entry or the fruit of once-returning or the fruit of non-returning or after arahantship and performs mental training for the attainment of the unattained, for mastery of the unmastered and for realization of the unrealized, even so, sire, is leaping forward a distinguishing mark of faith.” “Make a simile.”
“Suppose, sire, as a result of heavy rain a river would swell overflowing both banks. Then a great crowd of people were to come but, not knowing either the width or depth of that river, might stand terrified and hesitant on the bank. Then a strong man comes along. He knows his own power and strength. He ties on his loin-cloth tightly and, leaping into the water, crosses over. On seeing that he had crossed over the great crowd of people too would cross over. Even so, sire, one who is devoted to mental training, on seeing that the minds of others are freed, leaps forward after the fruit of stream-entry or the fruit of once-returning or the fruit of non-returning or after arahantship and performs mental training for the attainment of the unattained, for mastery of the unmastered and for realization of the unrealized. It is thus, sire, that leaping forward is a distinguishing mark of faith.” “You are dexterous, revered Nagasena.”
The Questions of King Milinda: An Abridgement of the Milindapanha
Edited by N.K.G. Mendis
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