The Gospel of Buddha, Compiled from Ancient RecordsCarus, Paul
ReligionEastern
The Gospel of Buddha, Compiled from Ancient Records
Carus, Paul
Buddhism; Christianity and other religions -- Buddhism; Gautama Buddha; Gautama Buddha -- Teachings
"And Dīghāvu thought: 'People will forgive great wrongs which
they have suffered, but they will never be at ease about the
wrongs which they themselves have done. They will persecute their
victims to the bitter end. This king Brahmadatta has done us
great injury, he robbed us of our kingdom and slew my father and
my mother. He is now in my power.' Thinking thus he unsheathed
his sword. 27
"Then Dīghāvu thought of the last words of his father. 'Be not
far-sighted, be not near-sighted. For not by hatred is hatred
appeased. Hatred is appeased by not-hatred alone.' Thinking thus,
he put his sword back into the sheath. 28
"The king became restless in his sleep and he awoke, and when the
youth asked, 'Why art thou frightened, O king?' he replied: 'My
sleep is always restless because I often dream that young Dīghāvu
is coming upon me with his sword. While I lay here with my head
in thy lap I dreamed the dreadful dream again; and I awoke full
of terror and alarm.' 29
"Then the youth, laying his left hand upon the defenceless king's
head and with his right hand drawing his sword, said: 'I am
Dīghāvu, the son of king Dīghīti, whom thou hast robbed of his
kingdom and slain together with his queen, my mother. I know that
men overcome the hatred entertained for wrongs which they have
suffered much more easily than for the wrongs which they have
done, and so I cannot expect that thou wilt take pity on me; but
now a chance for revenge has come to me.' 30
"The king seeing that he was at the mercy of young Dīghāvu raised
his hands and said: 'Grant me my life, my dear Dīghāvu, grant me
my life. I shall be forever grateful to thee.' 31
"And Dīghāvu said without bitterness or ill-will: 'How can I
grant thee thy life, O king, since my life is endangered by thee.
I do not mean to take thy life. It is thou, O king, who must
grant me my life.' 32
"And the king said: 'Well, my dear Dīghāvu, then grant me my
life, and I will grant thee thine.' 33
"Thus, king Brahmadatta of Kāsi and young Dīghāvu granted each
other's life and took each other's hand and swore an oath not to
do any harm to each other. 34
"And king Brahmadatta of Kāsi said to young Dīghāvu: 'Why did
thy father say to thee in the hour of his death: "Be not
far-sighted, be not near-sighted, for hatred is not appeased by
hatred. Hatred is appeased by not-hatred alone,"--what did thy
father mean by that?' 35
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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