King Milinda went up to Nagasena, exchanged polite and friendly greetings, and took his seat respectfully to one side. Then Milinda began by asking;
“How many ‘rains’ (A bhikkhu’s seniority is reckoned by the number of rainy seasons that have passed since his ordination.) do you have Nagasena?”
“Seven, your majesty.”
“How can you say it is your seven; is it you who are seven or the number that is seven?”
Then Nagasena said, “Your shadow is now on the ground. Are you the king, or is the shadow the king?”
“I am the king, Nagasena, but the shadow comes into being because of me.”
“Just so, O king, the number of the years is seven, I am not seven, but it is because of me that the number seven comes into being and it is mine in the same sense as the shadow is yours.”
“Most wonderful, Nagasena, and extraordinary. Well has this puzzle been solved by you, difficult as it was.”
“How many ‘rains’ (A bhikkhu’s seniority is reckoned by the number of rainy seasons that have passed since his ordination.) do you have Nagasena?”
“Seven, your majesty.”
“How can you say it is your seven; is it you who are seven or the number that is seven?”
Then Nagasena said, “Your shadow is now on the ground. Are you the king, or is the shadow the king?”
“I am the king, Nagasena, but the shadow comes into being because of me.”
“Just so, O king, the number of the years is seven, I am not seven, but it is because of me that the number seven comes into being and it is mine in the same sense as the shadow is yours.”
“Most wonderful, Nagasena, and extraordinary. Well has this puzzle been solved by you, difficult as it was.”
