Mil 3.7.5 Simultaneous Arising in Different Places

Mil 3.7.5: Simultaneous Arising in Different Places

The king asked: "Venerable Nagasena, if someone passes away and is reborn in the Brahma world, and if another passes away and is reborn in Kashmir, which one takes the longer time, and which the shorter?"

"They are the same, your majesty."

"Give me an analogy."

"Your majesty, where is your town of birth?"

"There is a place called Kalasigama, there I was born."

"How far away, your majesty, is Kalasigama from here?"

"About 200 yojana,[1] venerable sir."

"How far away, your majesty, is Kashmir from here?"

"About 12 yojana, venerable sir."

"Go on then, your majesty, think about Kalasigama."

"I have thought about it, venerable sir."

"Go on then, your majesty, think about Kashmir."

"I have thought about it, venerable sir."

"Which thinking took a long time, your majesty, and which a short time?"

"They were the same, venerable sir."

"Just so, your majesty, if someone passes away and is reborn in the Brahma world, and if another passes away and is reborn in Kashmir, they happen in the same time."

"Give me another analogy."

"What do you think, your majesty, if two birds fly in the sky and one sits in a high tree, and the other in a low tree; if these happen at the same time, the shadow of which one would settle on the ground first, and which one later?"

"They are the same, venerable sir."

"Just so, your majesty, if someone passes away and is reborn in the Brahma world, and if another passes away and is reborn in Kashmir, they happen in the same time."

"You are clever, venerable Nagasena."

Note

1. One yojana is approximately 12 kilometers (7 miles).