A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s5.10

v2.c19.s5.10

¹ *Cf.* Ed. *Specht* et S. *Lévi*, Deux traductions Chinoises du Milindapañho, OC IX London 1892, I, 518 ff. The "two translations" are in reality only two recensions of *one and the same* translation. Under the title of "the Sūtra of Nāgasena" this translation was already mentioned by Seng-yeou in the Catalogue compiled by him in 505 A.D., among the books which he saw with his own eyes; whereas under the title of "the Sūtra of the similes of Nāgasena," it was only familiar to him from the "old catalogue" of the 5th century. *Cf.* P. *Pelliot* in JA 1914, sér. II, t. IV, p. 379 ff. In a Chinese Buddhist Avadāna work of 472 A.D., the introductory book of the Milindapañha, embellished with anecdotes, appears as an independent story, which has the appearance of a late echo of the old dialogue (*cf.* J. *Takakusu* in JRAS 1896, pp. 1-21 and Ed. *Chavannes*, Cinq cents contes du Tripiṭaka Chinois III, 120 ff., No. 418). L. A. *Waddell* (in JRAS 1897, p. 227 ff.) on the strength of very doubtful Tibetan data, has attempted to show that this Chinese Avadāna is nearer to the original work, and that originally not Milinda, but a king Nanda of Magadha, was the hero of the book. "Nanda," however, is undoubtedly only a sanskritised form of the Greek Menandros. *Cf.* *Pelliot*, l.c., p. 380 f. *Rhys Davids* (ERE VIII, 632) thinks it possible that the Indian work, which was translated into Chinese, consisted of seven books, and that the concluding books were omitted by the Chinese translator. I regard this as most unlikely.