The Debate of King Milinda
Bhikkhu Pesala
Foreword By Ven. Hammalawa Saddhatissa
The Milinda Panha is a Pali book written in about the 1st Century B.C King Milinda, a Bactrian king who ruled the northeast of India, met a learned monk called Nagasena and the king put a number of questions on the philosophy, psychology and ethics of Buddhism. I presume this debate was conducted in the Bactrian Greek language but was later translated into Pali and Sanskrit.
This well-known Pali book called Milinda Panha or Questions of King Milinda has twice been translated into English: in 1890, and in 1969. Both translations are literaly and, in many places literal, therefore they were mainly confined to scholars. This present work is, however, not a literal but a free rendering making an abridgement and aimed at the reader who prefers to take a short cut rather than the long way, notwithstanding that the latter may be very beautiful.
The framework remains the same as the original, but in many cases the number of similes used to make a point has been reduced.
The author, Bhikku Pesala, is a Buddhist monk who had training in Burma and Thailand whose knowledge of Pali has enable him to check areas of amniguous translation to compile this concise and readable work in elegant, modern English while his knowledge of Buddhism has enabled him to clarify some obscure ideas.
This book will certainly serve its intended aim by the uncomplicated presentation of the original work.
Debate of King Milinda
