def sample(self, start_state=None, size=1):
        """
        Sample from the Markov Chain.

        Parameters:
        -----------
        start_state: dict or array-like iterable
            Representing the starting states of the variables. If None is passed, a random start_state is chosen.
        size: int
            Number of samples to be generated.

        Return Type:
        ------------
        pandas.DataFrame

        Examples:
        ---------
        >>> from pgmpy.models import MarkovChain as MC
        >>> from pgmpy.factors.discrete import State
        >>> model = MC(['intel', 'diff'], [2, 3])
        >>> model.set_start_state([State('intel', 0), State('diff', 2)])
        >>> intel_tm = {0: {0: 0.25, 1: 0.75}, 1: {0: 0.5, 1: 0.5}}
        >>> model.add_transition_model('intel', intel_tm)
        >>> diff_tm = {0: {0: 0.1, 1: 0.5, 2: 0.4}, 1: {0: 0.2, 1: 0.2, 2: 0.6 }, 2: {0: 0.7, 1: 0.15, 2: 0.15}}
        >>> model.add_transition_model('diff', diff_tm)
        >>> model.sample(size=5)
           intel  diff
        0      0     2
        1      1     0
        2      0     1
        3      1     0
        4      0     2
        """
        if start_state is None:
            if self.state is None:
                self.state = self.random_state()
            # else use previously-set state
        else:
            self.set_start_state(start_state)

        sampled = DataFrame(index=range(size), columns=self.variables)
        sampled.loc[0] = [st for var, st in self.state]

        var_states = defaultdict(dict)
        var_values = defaultdict(dict)
        samples = defaultdict(dict)
        for var in self.transition_models.keys():
            for st in self.transition_models[var]:
                var_states[var][st] = list(self.transition_models[var][st].keys())
                var_values[var][st] = list(self.transition_models[var][st].values())
                samples[var][st] = sample_discrete(var_states[var][st], var_values[var][st], size=size)

        for i in range(size - 1):
            for j, (var, st) in enumerate(self.state):
                next_st = samples[var][st][i]
                self.state[j] = State(var, next_st)
            sampled.loc[i + 1] = [st for var, st in self.state]

        return sampled