The Sacred Books of the East

'The Sacred Books of the East', Volume 35, presents the first part of the 'Questions of King Milinda' (Milindapañha), a foundational work of Buddhist literature. This volume records a series of sophisticated dialogues between the Indo-Greek King Menander I-referred to as Milinda-and the Buddhist sage Nagasena. Set in the second century BCE, these conversations capture a rare and influential cross-cultural encounter between Hellenistic inquiry and Indian spiritual wisdom.The text is highly regarded for its pedagogical value, utilizing vivid analogies and rigorous logic to unpack the complexities of Buddhist doctrine. Throughout the exchange, Nagasena responds to the King’s probing questions regarding the nature of the self (anatta), the mechanism of rebirth, and the ultimate state of Nirvana. By addressing these fundamental concerns, the work serves as a comprehensive introduction to Buddhist philosophy and ethics.Translated by T. W. Rhys Davids under the editorial direction of Max Müller, this volume remains an essential resource for scholars of comparative religion and ancient history. As one of the most significant non-canonical texts in the Pali tradition, 'The Questions of King Milinda' continues to be studied for its literary beauty and its profound contributions to the understanding of Eastern thought.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.