Page:Gospel of Buddha.djvu/135

 "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.

"The king became restless in his sleep and he awoke, and when the youth asked, 'Why art thou frightened, 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.'"

"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.'

"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.'

"And Dīghāvu said without bitterness or ill-will: 'How can I grant thee thy life, O king, f 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.'

"And the king said: 'Well, my dear Dīghāvu, then grant me my life, and I will grant thee thine.'

"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.

"And king Brahmadatta of Kāsi said to young Dīghāvu: 107