Page:Barlaam and Josaphat. English lives of Buddha.djvu/113
and Desire. These may support the truly human being who directs his life according to the Spirit, but for carnal beings they are deadly enemies.
[Z. i., L. p. 8, C. 425.]
V.a. The Trumpet of Death and the Four Caskets.
Z. v., vi., L. p. 35, C. 433.
A king once saw two hermits clad in scanty clothing passing by his state carriage. He leapt out, and bowed down before them and saluted them with every mark of respect and honour. His courtiers could not make anything of this, and asked the King's younger brother to remonstrate with him at his behaviour. This he did: but next day the King sent to him a herald with the Trumpet of Death, with which it was customary in that country to announce to high-born criminals that they were condemned to death. The Prince in great dismay went weeping to the King, and begged to know in what he had offended. The King replied, "In naught, my brother, but I will teach thee why I greeted the hermits so respectfully. If thou art so moved at seeing the herald of thy own brother, should I not be even more impressed at seeing the herald of my God?" And so saying he dismissed his brother. But he caused four caskets to be made: two covered with gold and precious stones, but containing naught but dry bones. The other two, however, he covered only with clay, but filled them with jewels and costly pearls. He