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The Milinda Panha (Pali trans. "Questions of Milinda") is a Buddhist text which dates from approximately 100 BCE. It is included in the Burmese edition of the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism as a book of the ''Khuddaka Nikaya''; however, it does not appear in the Thai or Sri Lankan versions. A shorter version of it, however, is featured in Chinese Mahayana translations. It purports to record a dialogue in which the Indo-Greek king Menander I (Pali ''Milinda'') of Bactria, who reigned in the 2nd century BCE, poses questions on Buddhism to the sage Nāgasena. ==History== The earliest part of the text is believed to have been written between 100 BCE and 200 CE.〔Hinuber (2000), pp. 85-6, para. 179.〕 The text may have initially been written in Sanskrit;〔Hinüber (2000), p. 83, para. 173, suggests, based on an extant Chinese translation of Mil as well as some unique conceptulizations within the text, the text's original language might have been Gandhari.〕 however, apart from the Sri Lankan Pali edition and its derivatives, no other copies are known. It is generally accepted by scholars〔Hinüber (2000), pp. 83-86, para. 173-179.〕 that the work is composite, with additions made over some time. In support of this, it is noted that the Chinese versions of the work are substantially shorter.〔According to Hinüber (2000), p. 83, para. 173, the first Chinese translation is believed to date from the 3rd century and is currently lost; a second Chinese translation, known as "Nagasena-bhiksu-sutra," ((那先比丘經 )) dates from the 4th century. The extant second translation is "much shorter" than that of the current Pali-language Mil.〕 The oldest manuscript of the Pali text was copied in 1495 CE. Based on references within the text itself, significant sections of the text are lost, making Milinda the only Pali text known to have been passed down as incomplete.〔Hinuber (2000), p. 85, para. 178.〕 The book is included in the inscriptions of the Canon approved by the Burmese Fifth Council and the printed edition of the Sixth Council text. Rhys Davids says it is the greatest work of classical Indian prose,〔Rhys Davids (1890, 1894), p. xlviii, writes: "()he 'Questions of Milinda' is undoubtedly the masterpiece of Indian prose, and indeed is the best book of its class, from a literary point of view, that had then been produced in any country."〕 though Moritz Winternitz says this is true only of the earlier parts.〔''History of Indian Literature''〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Milinda Panha」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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