[Book of the King’s Son and the Ascetic].

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate!

An abridgement from the book of one of the

distinguished wise men of India. It is a book

of eloquent instructions, pleasing explanations,

good ideas. – May God cause us to profit thereby. Amen.

The author of it has recorded that there was in the country of India a great king, who, on account of his extreme love for the world, was turned away from contemplating eternity so ardently towards [the affairs of] his kingdom, that there was no one who dared to find fault with him. He alienated the people of the religion, and attracted the people of the idols. Having one day made inquiries about a man of the people of his kingdom whom he had been in the habit of consulting, he was informed that he had verily abandoned the world, his family, his property, and had joined the ascetics. This greatly astonished the king, who then sent for the man, who on making his appearance, and being seen in the condition of asceticism, was reproved by the king as follows: “Whereas thou hast been one of the grandees of my kingdom, thou hast [now] debased thy soul, hast separated thyself from thy family and hast sought vanity.” The ascetic said: “O king! Although thou art under no obligation to me, it is nevertheless incumbent upon thee to listen to my words without anger, and then to act as you deem suitable; because anger is a foe to intellect, since it is a bar between him who is under its influence, and between what he is to hear and to understand.” The king said: “Speak !” The ascetic said: “Is the guilt of which you accuse me to redound upon me, or upon you?” He said: “Upon you and upon me; for, when any man wishes to commit suicide, I must not leave him the option to do so. I consider the destruction of his life like the destruction …