Venerable Nagasena and
the Greek King Milinda's conversation during 80 B.C, 400 years
after Buddha's Parinirvana.
Doing Evil Unknowing
King Milinda said:" Revered Nagasena,for whom is the greatest
demerit:he who does an evil deed knowingly or he who does an evil
deed unknowingly?"
"His is the greatest demerit,sire who does an evil deed
unknowingly."
"Well then,revered sir,do we doubly punish any of our family or our
court who does an evil deed unknowingly?"
"What do you think about this,sire?If a man should knowingly take
hold of a red-hot ball of iron,glowing with heat,and another should
tahe hold of it knowingly,which would bo more severely
burnt?"
"He who took hold of it unknowlingly,sire,would be more severely
burnt."
"Even so,sire,the greatest demerit is his who does an evil deed
unknowlingly.
"You are dexterious,revered Nagasena."
....
