Barlaam and Josaphat: A Christian Tale of the Buddha Read Online Free Page B

greed with wisdom and justice. Then you will be able to devote yourself to learning what is good. Reason uses the understanding of wisdom and justice to bring those who have strayed into the right path.”
    â€œI will listen to you, do not fear,” the king answered. “Teach me where you first learned this foolishness.”
    The hermit was quick to reply. “Reason and rectitude have taught me that it is futile to love this dying world,” he said. “Happiness that will quickly end offers poor pleasure. This world is inconstant, and the man who devotes himself most fervently to it suffers the greatest loss and destruction. The more he attains, the more he desires; he lives in pain and he will dwell in loss. When I was young, I heard it said that everyone should despise the world, and that is wise advice. The man who seeks God must renounce the world and should not spend his time seeking wealth or possessions. He must place his hope in the sovereign good that is God on high, he who descended to this world for our sakes. He lived and died for us and saved us with his death. He was willing to come down here for us (and his divinity was not lessened because he came to earth to seek and redeem us). Our Lord became our servant when he accepted martyrdom on the cross for our sakes. Because of the sin of the apple bite, our Lord took the form of a man to save us, and all those made in his form are redeemed by his death. Your lord, the devil, sought to martyr our Lord, but he was vanquished by the cross. God in his glory defeated him, and God’s victory revealed that his human form covered a divine nature.
    â€œKing, now listen and understand, for I do not fear your threats. God is against you, for whoever hates God will never have a share in his inheritance, in which all good things will be given and received. You are not good, and for this reason you are separated from God, who made you in his image. Do you think you are equal to your Creator? You are a creature, and you do not recognize who created you! Serve your Creator. He may well reward you, for he is a merciful Lord, but you must submit yourself to his service. King, become both a king and a servant. You will earn a great realm and uphold a just kingdom. Neither pride nor evil should hinder anyone who seeks such a realm. This world is but darkness and shadows. False belief blinds the pagans, and their pleasures cover them in shadow. It is a serious wager to give up everything and receive nothing in return.
    â€œKing, I left you and your love because of your false belief. God is my Lord and my Father, my companion and my brother. He is my Lord because I am his servant and will serve him all my days. He is my Father because he created me and formed me in his image. He is my companion because he was tempted, but his power and his divinity protected him from sin, for to sin is contrary to him. He is my brother because he became a man. If he will help me in my present plight, I will fear no threat. I care nothing for you, your empire, your vassals, your prowess, your sovereignty, or your crown, for you should know that it all comes from him.”
    The king was furious. He would have threatened his vassal harshly but for the promise he had made him. “Oh wretched man,” said the king, “my oath protects you
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I would take revenge for your slander if my faith did not restrain me. I will suffer your insults in order to keep my promise. You have poisoned me with your base and foolish words. Rise and leave this place, for I am no longer your friend! If I find you again, you will pay dearly for your foolish claims!” The man departed sad and full of regret that he had not been martyred. The king remained in his court and angrily commanded his people to kill the Christians. Never before had the Christians been so cruelly persecuted by King Avenir.

King Avenir’s son is born
    While King Avenir was foolishly following a path he thought