Page:Gospel of Buddha.djvu/136

 '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?'

"The youth replied: When my father, O king, in the hour of his death said: "Be not far-sighted," he meant, Let not thy hatred go far. And when my father said, "Be not nearsighted," he meant, Be not hasty to fall out with thy friends. And when he said, "For not by hatred is hatred appeased; hatred is appeased by not-hatred," he meant this: Thou hast killed my father and mother, O king, and if I should deprive thee of thy life, then thy partisans in turn would take away my life; my partisans again would deprive thine of their lives. Thus by hatred, hatred would not be appeased. But now, O king, thou hast granted me my life, and I have granted thee thine; thus by not-hatred hatred has been appeased.'

"Then king Brahmadatta of Kāsi thought: 'How wise is young Dīghāvu that he understands in its full extent the meaning of what his father spoke concisely.' And the king gave him back his father's kingdom and gave him his daughter in marriage."

Having finished the story, the Blessed One said: "Brethren, ye are my lawful sons in the faith, begotten by the words of my mouth. Children ought not to trample under foot the counsel given them by their father; do ye henceforth follow my admonitions."

Then the bhikkhus met in conference; they discussed their differences in mutual good will, and the concord of the Sangha was re-established.

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