Amber Larson and Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly, "The Questions of King Milinda" [Menander] (Miln), Milindapañha (as.miami.edu/phi/bio/Buddha/Milinda)
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| Ancient Greek influence expanded to ancient India's northwestern frontier (Indo-Greeks) |
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| Greek King Menander I (Milinda) engages Ven. Nagasena on the Dharma in Bactria |
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| Gold Greek Buddha coin (as.miami.edu) |
Because of his Greek (Western) heritage, the king of Bactria
asks many questions that occur to Westerners today, which makes this
work particularly valuable to modern readers. These are not normally
raised in an Indian (Eastern) context.
As
a consequence of the conquest of the Persian empire, the Greeks gained
control of Bactria -- modern Afghanistan -- together with northern
India. The local Greek rulers managed to establish their independence
from the Seleucid Empire, which first held control over the area.
Greek rule of Bactria continued until about 165 BC when the Shakas destroyed the Bactrian kingdom. Greeks continued to rule, however, in southern Afghanistan and northwestern India (Gandhara) for another 150 years. The most important of these kings was Menander I,
known as "Milinda" in Buddhist sources, who ruled about 115-90 BC.
Buddhism had reached the area [due to early converts in the Shakya clan,
the Buddha's extended family, which was likely from this wealthy
frontier area along the Silk Road even as the Buddha taught far to the
east in India (Afghanistan has Buddhist art and architecture such as
monastic complexes and statues as old as Buddhism, such as Mes Aynak)].
In addition, missionaries [were sent out by the Buddha] and later by the
Mauryan Emperor Ashoka more than a century earlier.
Buddhists in ancient Greece
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| Afghan Buddhist artifact from Mes Aynak, Afghanistan. This archaeological site is set to be destroyed by Chinese miners eager to extract mineral deposits (Jay Price/Getty Images/TheGuardian co uk) |
Why did Ven. Nagasena
go to Bactria? In the land of the Bactrian Greeks there was a city
called Sagala, a great center of trade. Rivers and hills beautified it,
delightful landscapes surrounded it, and it possessed many parks,
gardens, woods, lakes, and lotus-ponds. Its king was Milinda, a man who
was learned, experienced, intelligent, and competent. At the proper
times he carefully observed all of the appropriate Brahminical rites
with regard to things past, future, and present. As a disputant he was
hard to assail, hard to overcome, and he was recognized as a prominent
sectarian teacher.
One
day a large company of enlightened disciples (arhats) of the Buddha
living in a well-protected area in the Himalayas sent a messenger to
Ven. Nagasena, who was then residing at Ashoka Park in Patna, asking him
to come, as they wished to see him. Nagasena immediately complied by
vanishing and miraculously appearing before them.
The arhats said to
him: "That King Milinda, Nagasena, constantly harasses the Sangha (monastic
order) with questions and counter-questions, with arguments and
counter-arguments. Please go, Nagasena, and quench him!"
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| "Save Mes Aynak" demonstration, UCLA/Westwood Federal Building, summer 2013 (WQ) |
Nagasena
replied: "Never mind one king, this King Milinda! If all of the kings
of India would come to me with their questions, I could well dispose of
them, and they would be no more trouble after that! You may go to Sagala
without any fear whatsoever!" The elders (theras) went to
Sagala, lighting up the city with their saffron robes, which shone like
lamps, and bringing with them the fresh breeze of the sacred mountains.
Ven.
Nagasena stayed at Sankheyya Hermitage together with a great number of
monastics. King Milinda, accompanied by a large retinue of Greeks, went
to him, greeted him in a friendly and courteous manner, and sat
respectfully to one side. Nagasena returned these kind greetings, and
his courtesy pleased the king's heart.
The king said, "Ven. Nagasena, will you converse with me?"
"Your
majesty, if you will converse with me as the wise converse, I will, but
if you converse with me as kings converse, I will not."
"Ven. Nagasena, how do the wise converse?"
"Your
majesty, when the wise converse, whether they become entangled by their
opponents’ arguments or extricate themselves, whether they or their
opponents are convicted of error, whether their own superiority or that
of their opponents’ is established, nothing in all this can make them
angry. Thus, your majesty, do the wise converse."
"And how, venerable, do kings converse?"
"Your
majesty, when kings converse, they advance a proposition, and whoever
opposes it, they order that person’s punishment, saying, ‘Punish this
person!’ Thus, your majesty, do kings converse."
"Venerable,
I will converse as the wise converse, not as kings do. Let your worship
converse in all confidence. Let your worship converse as unrestrainedly
as if with another monastic, novice, lay disciple, or a keeper of the
monastery grounds. Be unafraid!"
"Very well, your majesty," said the elder in assent. More
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