‘Venerable Nāgasena, it has been said by the Blessed One in the discourse on the essential conditions: “Long ago have his parents been destined for each Bodisat, and the kind of tree he is to select for his Bo tree, and the Bhikkhus who are to be his two chief disciples, and the lad who is to be his son, and the member of the Order who is to be his special attendant.” But on the other hand he said: “When yet in the condition of a god in the Tusita heaven the Bodisat makes the eight Great Investigations—he investigates the time (whether the right moment had come at which he ought to be re-born as a man), and the continent (in which his birth is to take place), and the country (where he is to be re-born), and the family (to which he is to belong), and the mother (who is to bear him), and the period (during which he was to remain in the womb), and the month (in which his birthday shall come), and his renunciation (when it shall be). Now, Nāgasena, before knowledge is ripe there is no understanding, but when it has reached its summit there is no longer any need to wait for thinking a matter over, for there is nothing outside the ken of the omniscient mind. Why then should the Bodisat investigate the time, thinking to himself: “In what moment shall I be born ?” And for the same reason why should he investigate the family, thinking to himself: “In what family shall I be born?” And if, Nāgasena, it is a settled matter who shall be the parents of the Bodisat, then it must be false that he “investigated the family.” But if that be true, then must the other saying be wrong. This too is a double-edged problem now put to you, and you have to solve it.’

‘It was both a settled matter, O king, who should be the parents of the Bodisat, and he did investigate into the question as to which family he was to be born into. But how did he do so? He thought over the matter as to whether his parents should be nobles or Brahmans. With respect to eight things, O king, should the future be investigated before it comes to pass. A merchant, O king, should investigate goods before he buys them—an elephant should try with its trunk a path it has not yet trod—a cartman should try a ford he has not yet crossed over—a pilot should test a shore he has not yet arrived at, and so guide the ship—a physician should find out the period of life which his patient has lasted before he treats his disease—a traveller should test the stability of a bambū bridge before he mounts on to it—a Bhikkhu should find out how much time has yet to run before sun turn before he begins to eat his meal—and Bodisats, before they are born, should investigate the question whether it would be right for them to be born in the family of a noble or of a Brahman. These are the eight occasions on which investigation ought to precede action.’

‘Very good, Nāgasena! That is so, and I accept it as you say.’

Here ends the problem as to the Bodisat’s consideration.