A Greek king and a Buddhist monk engage in a transformational philosophical dialogue.

The legendary conversation between the Greek King Milinda, traditionally identified as Menander, and the Buddhist monk Nagasena is believed to have taken place after Alexander’s campaign in India. The earliest versions of this dialogue originate from the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, known as Greater Gandhara, where Buddhism had taken root as early as the reign of Emperor Ashoka in the third century BCE. While the historical authenticity of this exchange remains uncertain, the dialogue—known in Pali as Milindapañha—has endured for over two millennia and is regarded as one of the most revered texts in Theravada Buddhism.

Throughout their conversation, Milinda and Nagasena explore fundamental questions about the nature of the world, kingship, and the sources of knowledge. Milinda’s probing inquiries drive the dialogue, while Nagasena offers insights grounded in Buddhist teachings, gradually transforming the Greek king from a curious skeptic into a committed Buddhist.

This edition features a modern English translation of one of the most renowned works of ancient Buddhist philosophy, alongside the original Pali text.

Maria Heim is George Lyman Crosby 1896 & Stanley Warfield Crosby Professor in Religion at Amherst College.