Page:Sacred Books of the Buddhists Vol 1.djvu/288

 these good qualities, O thou who, like a tree, art the residence of excellent virtues !-have I obtained by falling in with this wretched state. But the vices opposite to these virtues will be met by such a king as is without mercy for his dependents.

31. 'For, if a king be devoid of virtues, if he have destroyed his good renown and vices have taken up their abode in him, say, what else may he expect than to go to the fierce-flaming fires of hell ?

32. 'For this reason I have explained to thee, powerful prince, the power of virtues and vices. Rule, therefore, thy realm with righteousness. For Fortune shows in her affections the fickle nature of a woman.

33. 'His army, not only the military men but also the animals of war; his officials; his people, both townsmen and landsmen ; those who have no protector; and both (classes of religious people) Sramanas and Brâhmans; all of them must a king endeavour to endow with such happiness as is conducive to their good, as if he were their father.

34. 'In this manner increasing in merit, wealth, and glory, thou mayst enjoy prosperity both in this world and in the next. With this kind of felicity proper to the holy kings of old (râgarshis) and attainable by practising commiseration towards thy subjects, mayst thou be illustrious, O king of men!'

35. After thus instructing the king who, like a pupil, listened to him with devout attention and set a high value on his words, he left his body paralysed in its functions by the excess of his pains, and mounted to Heaven.

In this manner, then, those who imitate the behaviour of the virtuous win over even the hearts of their enemies. Thus considering, he who is desirous of gaining the affection of men ought to imitate the behaviour of the virtuous. [This story is also to be propounded, when discoursing on the Tathâgata. 'The