Christian saints -- India -- Romances; Gautama Buddha -- Legends -- Adaptations; Princes -- India -- Romances
Thus until even-tide and all night long did Barlaam converse with
Ioasaph, who wept tears that could not be stayed, and could not bear
the parting. But just as day began to dawn, Barlaam ended his
discourse, lifted up his hands and eyes to heaven, and offered his
thanks to God, thus saying, "O Lord, my God, who art everywhere
present, and fillest all things, I thank thee, for that thou hast
looked upon my lowliness, and hast granted me to fulfil the course of
this mine earthly pilgrimage in thy true Faith, and in the way of thy
commandments. And now, thou lover of good, all-merciful Master,
receive me into thine everlasting habitations; and remember not all the
sins that I have committed against thee, in knowledge or in ignorance.
Defend also this thy faithful servant, before whom thou hast granted to
me, thine unprofitable servant, to stand. Deliver him from all vanity,
and all despiteful treatment of the adversary, and set him clear of the
many-meshed nets which the wicked one spreadeth abroad for to trip all
them that would full fain be saved. Destroy, Almighty Lord, all the
might of the deceiver from before the face of thy servant, and grant
him authority to trample on the baneful head of the enemy of our souls.
Send down from on high the grace of thy Holy Spirit; and strengthen him
against the invisible hosts, that he may receive at thy hands the crown
of victory, and that in him thy name may be glorified, the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost, for to thee belongeth glory and praise for
ever and ever. Amen."
Thus prayed he, and in fatherly wise embraced Ioasaph, and saluted him
with an holy kiss. Then he sealed himself with the sign of the Cross,
and gathered up his feet, and, with exceeding great joy, as at the
home-coming of friends, departed on that blessed journey, to receive
his reward yonder, an old man and full of days in the Spirit.
XL.
Then did Ioasaph embrace the good father, with all the devotion and
sorrow that can be told, and washed his corpse with his tears. Then he
wrapped it in the hair-shirt, which Barlaam had given him in his
palace; and over him he recited the proper psalms, chanting all the day
long, and throughout the night, and watering the venerable body of the
Saint with his tears. On the morrow, he made a grave hard by the cave,
and thither reverently bore the sacred body, and there, like a good and
honourable son, laid his spiritual father in his sepulchre. And then,
the fire of grief kindling all the hotter within his soul, he set
himself to pray the more earnestly, saying:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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