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EMANCIPATION OF AJITA SVĀMIN AND SAGARA 189
Bharatakṣetra, or even for life, since I have become deprived of my sons dearer than life?"
Then to enlighten the King bewailing so, the Brahmanlayman said in a voice sweet as nectar : "In your family enlightenment, like protection of the earth, has attained first authority. In vain you are enlightened by others, Your Majesty. Are you not ashamed to be enlightened by another, you whose brother, Lord Ajita, is the visible sun for the delusion of the world? That this worldly existence is worthless is taught to another, but why should it be told to you attending the All-knowing from birth? Fathers, mothers, wives, sons, and friends, all this in worldly existence is like something seen in a dream, O King. What is seen at dawn is not seen at noon, what is seen at noon is not seen at night. In this existence, alas! objects are transitory. You know the truth yourself. Establish yourself in firmness. Everything is lighted up by the sun. There is no other light but the sun."
The King, listening to the Brahman's speech and recalling frequently his sons' death, was filled with enlightenment and delusion, like Lavaṇoda Ocean with gems and salt, like the dark night between the fortnights with light and darkness, like the full moon with moonlight and marks, like Mt. Hima with divine herbs and snow. Just as great firmness was innate in the King, so incidental delusion was produced, originating in the destruction of his sons. Enlightenment and delusion were present at the same time in the King, like two swords in one scabbard, like two elephants at one post. Then the chief-minister, Subuddhi, who was clever, spoke with nectar-like speech to enlighten the King:
"Oceans may sometimes cross their boundaries, mountain-ranges may sometimes shake, the earth may tremble at times, a thunderbolt may break sometimes, but noble men like you do not despair in the least, even when great calamities are present. Hear how discerning people,
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