Christian saints -- India -- Romances; Gautama Buddha -- Legends -- Adaptations; Princes -- India -- Romances
Upon the morrow came Barlaam and spake of his departure: but Ioasaph,
unable to bear the separation, was distressed at heart, and his eyes
filled with tears. The elder made a long discourse, and adjured him to
continue unshaken in good works, and with words of exhortation
established his heart, and begged him to send him cheerfully on his
way; and at the same time he foretold that they should shortly be at
one, never to be parted more. But Ioasaph, unable to impose fresh
labours on the elder, and to restrain his desire to be on his way, and
suspecting moreover that the man Zardan might make known his case to
the King and subject him to punishment, said unto Barlaam, "Since it
seemeth thee good, my spiritual father, best of teachers and minister
of all good to me, to leave me to live in the vanity of the world,
while thou journeyest to thy place of spiritual rest, I dare no longer
let and hinder thee. Depart therefore, with the peace of God for thy
guardian, and ever in thy worthy prayers, for the Lord's sake, think
upon my misery, that I may be enabled to overtake thee, and behold
thine honoured face for ever. But fulfil this my one request; since
thou couldest not receive aught for thy fellow monks, yet for thyself
accept a little money for sustenance, and a cloak to cover thee." But
Barlaam answered and said unto him, "Seeing that I would not receive
aught for my brethren (for they need not grasp at the world's chattels
which they have chosen to forsake), how shall I acquire for myself that
which I have denied them? If the possession of money were a good
thing, I should have let them share it before me. But, as I understand
that the possession thereof is deadly, I will hazard neither them nor
myself in such snares."
But when Ioasaph had failed once again to persuade Barlaam, 'twas but a
sign for a second petition, and he made yet another request, that
Barlaam should not altogether overlook his prayer, nor plunge him in
utter despair, but should leave him that stiff shirt and rough mantle,
both to remind him of his teacher's austerities and to safe-guard him
from all the workings of Satan, and should take from him another cloak
instead, in order that "When thou seest my gift," said he, "thou mayest
bear my lowliness in remembrance."
But the elder said, "It is not lawful for me to give thee my old and
worn out vestment, and take one that is new, lest I be condemned to
receive here the recompense of my slight labour. But, not to thwart thy
willing mind, let the garments given me by thee be old ones, nothing
different from mine own." So the king's son sought for old shirts of
hair, which he gave the aged man, rejoicing to receive his in exchange,
deeming them beyond compare more precious than any regal purple.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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