Christian saints -- India -- Romances; Gautama Buddha -- Legends -- Adaptations; Princes -- India -- Romances
So when Barlaam was about to enter into his presence, Ioasaph hid
Zardan within the curtain, and said to the elder, "Sum me up the matter
of thy divine teaching, that it may the more firmly be implanted in my
heart." Barlaam took up his parable and uttered many sayings touching
God, and righteousness toward him, and how we must love him alone with
all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind, and keep
his commandments with fear and love-and how he is the Maker of all
things visible and invisible. Thereon he called to remembrance the
creation of the first man, the command given unto him, and his
transgression thereof, and the sentence pronounced by the Creator for
this transgression. Then he reckoned up in order the good things
wherefrom we excluded ourselves by the disannulling of his commandment.
Again he made mention of the many grievous misfortunes that unhappily
overtook man, after the loss of the blessings. Besides this he brought
forward God's love toward mankind; how our Maker, heedful of our
salvation, sent forth teachers and prophets proclaiming the Incarnation
of the Only-begotten. Then he spake of the Son, his dwelling among
men, his deeds of kindness, his miracles, his sufferings for us
thankless creatures, his Cross, his spear, his voluntary death;
finally, of our recovery and recall, our return to our first good
estate; after this, of the kingdom of heaven awaiting such as are
worthy thereof; of the torment in store for the wicked; the fire that
is not quenched, the never ending darkness, the undying worm, and all
the other tortures which the slaves of sin have laid up in store for
themselves. When he had fully related these matters, he ended his
speech with moral instruction, and dwelt much upon purity of life, and
utterly condemned the vanity of things present, and proved the utter
misery of such as cleave thereto, and finally made an end with prayer.
And therewith he prayed for the prince, that he might hold fast the
profession of the Catholick Faith without turning and without wavering,
and keep his life blameless and his conversation pure, and so ending
with prayer again withdrew to his hospice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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