Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/300

184 "But, Teacher; you who know so well all about the divine nature, do you not act in accordance with, it?"

"What do you mean?"

"That neglecting the elder, and telling me to bring the younger of the two, you pay not the honour that is due to seniority."

"I both know, O Demon, what divinity is, and I walk according to it. It is on that boy's account that we came to this forest: for it was for him that his mother begged the kingdom from our father, and our father being unwilling to grant that, sent us away to live in the forest, that we might be safe from danger. The lad himself came all the way along with us. Were I to say, 'An ogre has eaten him in the wilderness,' no one would believe it. Therefore it is that I, to avoid all blame, have told you to bring him."

"Verily thou hast spoken well, O Teacher. Thou not only knowest what divinity is, but hast acted as a divinity would."

And when he had thus magnified the Bodisat with believing heart, he brought forth both the brothers and gave them back to him.

Then said the Bodisat to him, "Friend, it is by reason of evil deeds committed by you in some former birth, that you have been born as an ogre, living on the flesh of other beings. And now you still go on sinning. This thine iniquity will prevent thine ever escaping from rebirth in evil states. From henceforth, therefore, put away evil, and do good!"

With these words he succeeded in converting him. And the ogre being converted, the Bodisat continued to live there under his protection. And one day he saw by the