What need be said of thyself that art so powerless?[57]
How couldst thy heart be set on that mode of life which recommends an
earthen pot, and a triple-headed stick, and which forces one to abandon
his very clothes and which permits the acceptance of only a handful of
barley after abandonment of everything? If, again, thou sayest that
kingdom and a handful of barley are the same to thee, then why dost thou
abandon the former! If, again, a handful of barley becomes an object of
attachment with thee, then, thy original resolution (of abandoning
everything) falls to the ground, If, again, thou canst act up to thy
resolution of abandoning everything! then who am I to thee, who art thou
to me, and what can be thy grace to me?[58] If thou beest inclined to
grace, rule then this Earth! They that are desirous of happiness but are
very poor and indigent and abandoned by friends may adopt renunciation.
But he who imitates those men by abandoning palatial mansions and beds
and vehicles and robes and ornaments, acts improperly, indeed. One always
accepts gifts made by others; another always makes gifts. Thou knowest
the difference between the two. Who, indeed, of these two shouldst be
regarded the superior? If a gift be made to one who always accepts gifts,
or to one that is possessed of pride, that gift becomes bootless like the
clarified butter that is poured upon a forest-conflagration.[59] As a
fire, O king, never dies till it has consumed all that has been thrown
into it, even so a beggar can never be silenced tilt he receives a
donative.
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