“O son, you were right. But when you saw a corpse being carried along, you asked whether it was the body of a living or a dead person. For what reason did you ask that?”
“Hear, O king, the reason why. I said that because the corpse of him who has committed a crime is the corpse [[252]]of one who is dead. But the corpse of him who has accomplished a good action is the corpse of one who is alive.”
“O son, you were right. But when you saw the heap of grain you said, ‘If this heap of grain were not continually consumed at its base, it would wax great.’ Wherefore did you then say that?”
“Hear, O king, the reason why. I said that because the tillers of the soil, after they have borrowed corn, and have used it, are obliged to give a large heap of corn to the faithful after the labours of the field, so soon as the corn is ripe, and therefore do they consume it at its base. In like manner, when man has reached the path of the ten works of virtue, but continues on it no further, the roots of his earlier virtue are severed, and when they are severed, he passes from the path of bliss into perdition. For that reason have I thus spoken.”
When the king heard these words of his son he embraced him with tearful eyes, and not only bade him behave according to his wish, but also allowed him to take all his young companions with him into the forest. There he who had hitherto been called the Dumb Cripple received the name of the Dumb Teacher. On the death of the Rishi under whom he had taken the vows he succeeded to his privileges, and he was able to manage so that his disciples, who had too great a quantity of mats, clothes, and utensils, at last followed his example, and contented themselves with that only which was most necessary. [[253]]
[1] Kah-gyur, vi. fol. 89–99. [↑]