Page:Sacred Books of the Buddhists Vol 1.djvu/303

 59. May that king, who impelled by his infatuated mind has put thee into this state by an exceedingly rash action, be alone the fuel for the fire of thy curse. Pray, do not burn his town!

60. Pray, do not destroy for his fault innocent people, women and children, the old and the sick, the Brâhmans and the poor! Rather shouldst thou, being a lover of virtues, preserve both the realm of that king and thy own righteousness.'

In reply to this, the Bodhisattva comforted them : 'Do not fear,' he said, 'sirs.

61, 62. 'As to that king who just cut off with his sword my hands and feet, my ears and nose, maiming an innocent ascetic living in the forest, how should a person like me aim at his hurt or conceive even such a thought ? May that king live long and no evil befall him!

63. ‘A being subject to sorrow, death and sickness, subdued by cupidity and hatred, consumed by his evil actions is a person to be pitied. Who ought to get angry with such a one ?

64. 'And should that line of conduct be ever so preferable, O that his sin might ripen (its unavoidable result) in detriment of no other but me! For to people accustomed to pleasure meeting with suffering, even for a short time, is keen and unbearable.

65. But now, as I am unable to protect that king who annihilated in this manner his own happiness, for what reason should I give up that state of powerlessness of myself and indulge in hatred against him ?

66. Even without a king's intervention, everybody born has to deal with sufferings, arising from death, &c. Therefore in this (series of evils), it is birth alone which one has to oppose. For this not being, what suffering may there arise and from whence ?

67. For many kalpas I have lost my worthless