..续本文上一页 India.

　　The giant soldiers told King Goodness about the small invading army from Kosala. They asked permission to attack and kill them all.

　　But King Goodness the Great would not send them into battle. He said, "My children, do not fight just so I may remain king. If we destroy the lives of others we also destroy our own peace of mind. Why should we kill others

　　 Let them have the kingdom if they want it so badly. I do not wish to fight."

　　The royal ministers said, "Our Lord, we will fight them ourselves. Don”t worry yourself. Only give us the order." But again he prevented them.

　　Meanwhile the King of Kosala sent him a warning, telling him to give up the kingdom or fight. King Goodness the Great sent this reply: "I do not want you to fight with me, and you do not want me to fight with you. If you want the country, you can have it. Why should we kill people just to decide the name of the king

　　 What does it matter even the name of the country itself

　　"

　　Hearing this, the ministers came forward and pleaded, "Our Lord, let us go out with our mighty army. We will beat them with our weapons and capture them all. We are much stronger than they are. We would not have to kill any of them. And besides, if we surrender the city, the enemy army would surely kill us all!"

　　But King Goodness would not be moved. He refused to cause harm to anyone. He replied, "Even if you do not wish to kill, by fighting many will be injured. By accident some may die. No one knows the future - whether our attackers will kill us or not. But we do know whether our present actions are right or wrong. Therefore I will not harm, or cause others to harm, any living being!"

　　Then King Goodness ordered the city gates be opened up for the invaders. He took his ministers to the top floor of the palace and advised them, "Say nothing and try to remain calm."

　　The King of Kosala entered the city of Benares and saw that no one was against him. So he and his soldiers entered and went up to the top floor. They capture the innocent King Goodness the Great. The soldiers tied the hands of the defeated king and all of his ministers.

　　Then they were taken to the cemetery outside the city. They were buried up to their necks, standing straight up, with only their heads above ground. But even while the dirt was being trampled down around his neck, the Great Being remained without anger in his mind and said nothing.

　　Their discipline and obedience to King Goodness were so great that not a single minister spoke a word against anyone. But the King of Kosala had no mercy. He said roughly, "Come night time, let the jackals do as they please!"

　　And so it came to pass that, at midnight, a large band of jackals wandered into the cemetery. They could smell a feast of human flesh waiting for them.

　　Seeing them coming, King Goodness and his ministers shouted all at once and scared the jackals away. Twice more this happened. Then the clever jackals realised, "These men must have been put here for us to kill and eat." No longer afraid, they ignored the shouts. The jackal king walked right up to the face of King Goodness.

　　The king offered his throat to the beast. But before he could bite into him, the king grabbed the jackal”s chin with his teeth. No harming him, King Goodness gripped him tightly so the jackal king howled in fear. This frightened his followers and they all ran away.

　　Meanwhile the jackal king thrashed back and forth, trying madly to free himself from the might jaws of the human king. In so doing, he loosened the dirt packed around the king”s neck and shoulders. Then King Goodness released the screaming jackal. He was able to wiggle himself free from the loosened earth and pull himself up onto the ground. Then he freed all his frightened ministers.

　　Nearby there was a dead body. It …

《King Goodness the Great (Perseverance)》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…