Venerable Nagasena and the Greek King Milinda's conversation during 80 B.C, 400 years after Buddha's Parinirvana.Doing Evil UnknowingKing 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."
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