Transmigration of Life

King Milinda questions to Venerable Nāgasena: “Venerable Nāgasena, does rebirth take place without anything transmigrating?
Nāgasena: “Yes, O King. rebirth takes place without anything transmigrating.
King Milinda: “Give me an illustration, Venerable Sir.
Nāgasena: “Suppose, O King, a man were to light a light from light pray, would the one light have passed over to the other light?
King Milinda: “Nay, indeed, Venerable Sir,
Nāgasena: “In exactly the same way, O King, does rebirth take place without anything transmigrating.
King Milinda: “Give me another illustration.
Nāgasena: “Do you remember, O King, having learnt, when you were a boy, some verse or other from your teacher of poetry?
King Milinda: “Yes, Venerable Sir.
Nāgasena: “Pray, O King, did the verse pass over to you from your teacher?
King Milinda: “Nay, indeed, Venerable Sir.
Nāgasena: “In exactly the same way, O King, does rebirth take place without anything transmigrating.”
Again King Milinda questions:
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is it that is born into the next existence?
Nāgasena: “O King, it is mind and body that is born into the next existence. “It is this same mind and body that is born into the next existence?
Nāgasena: “O King, it is not this same mind and body that is born into the next existence, but with this mind and body, O King, one does a deed – it may be good, or it may be evil – and by reason of this deed another mind and body is born into the next existence.
King Milinda: “Venerable Sir, if it is not this mind and body that is born into the next existence, is one not freed from one’s evil deeds?
Nāgasena: “If one were not born into another existence, one would be freed from one’s evil deeds but, O King, in as much as one is born into another existence, therefore is one not freed from one’s evil deeds.
King Milinda: “Give me an illustration.
Nāgasena: “O King, it is as if a man were to take away another man’s mangoes, and the owner of the mangoes were to seize him, and show him to the king and say – ‘Sire, this man hath taken away my mangoes’; and the other were to say, ‘Sire, I did not take away his mangoes. The mangoes which this man planted were different from those which I took away. I am not liable to punishment.’ Pray, O King, would the man be liable to punishment?
King Milinda: “Assuredly, Venerable, Sir, he would be liable to punishment.”For what reason?
Nāgasena: “Because, in spite of what he might say, he would be liable to punishment for the reason that the last mangoes were derived from the first mangoes. “In exactly, the same way, O King, with this mind and body one does a deed – it may be good, or it may be bad – and by reason of this deed another mind and body is born into the next existence. Therefore is one not freed from one’s evil deeds.”