The Gospel of Buddha

Preface

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The Gospel of Buddha

The Despot

King Brahmadatta happened to see a beautiful woman, the wife of a Brahman merchant,
and, conceiving a passion for her ordered a precious jewel
secretly to be dropped into the merchant's carriage.
The jewel was missed, searched for, and found.
The merchant was arrested on the charge of stealing,
and the king pretended to listen with great attention to the defence,
and with seeming regret ordered the merchant to be executed,
while his wife was consigned to the royal harem. [1]

Brahmadatta attended the execution in person,
for such sights were wont to give him pleasure,
but when the doomed man looked with deep compassion at his infamous judge,
a flash of the Buddha's wisdom lit up the king's passion-beclouded mind;
and while the executioner raised the sword for the final stroke,
Brahmadatta felt the effect in his own mind,
and he imagined he saw himself on the block.
"Hold, executioner!" shouted Brahmadatta,
"it is the king whom thou slayest!"
But it was too late!
The executioner had done the bloody deed. [2]

The king fell back in a swoon,
and when he awoke a change had come over him.
He had ceased to be the cruel despot
and henceforth led a life of holiness and rectitude.
The people said that the character of the Brahman
had been impressed into his mind. [3]

O ye who commit murders and robberies!
The veil of self-delusion covers your eyes.
If ye could see things as they are, not as they appear,
ye would no longer inflict injuries and pain on your own selves.
Ye see not that ye will have to atone for your evil deeds,
for what ye sow that will ye reap. [4]

End Chapter 79

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