But whilst they
wage this religious war, they fear lest they may act irreligiously, and
so they have sent me here to say what they require: 'We have come, not
for the sake of territory, much less for money's sake, nor on account of
any insolent feeling, nor yet from any thought of hatred; but because we
venerate the great Rishi, we have come on this account. You, noble sirs!
know well our mind! Why should there be such sorrowful contention! You
honor what we honor, both alike, then we are brothers as concerns
religion. We both with equal heart revere the bequeathed spiritual
relics of the lord. To be miserly in hoarding wealth, this is an
unreasonable fault; how much more to grudge religion, of which there is
so little knowledge in the world! The exclusive and the selfishly
inclined, should practise laws of hospitality; but if ye have not rules
of honor such as these, then shut your gates and guard yourselves.' This
is the tenor of the words, be they good or bad, spoken by them. But now
for myself and my own feelings, let me add these true and sincere
words:--Let there be no contention either way; reason ought to minister
for peace, the lord when dwelling in the world ever employed the force
of patience. Not to obey his holy teaching, and yet to offer gifts to
him, is contradiction. Men of the world, for some indulgence, some
wealth or land, contend and fight, but those who believe the righteous
law should obediently conform their lives to it; to believe and yet to
harbor enmity, this is to oppose 'religious principle' to 'conduct.'
Buddha himself at rest, and full of love, desired to bestow the rest he
enjoyed on all. To adore with worship the great merciful, and yet to
gender wide destruction, how is this possible? Divide the relics, then,
that all may worship them alike; obeying thus the law, the fame thereof
widespread, then righteous principles will be diffused; but if others
walk not righteously, we ought by righteous dealing to appease them, in
this way showing the advantage of religion, we cause religion everywhere
to take deep hold and abide. Buddha has told us that of all charity
'religious charity' is the highest; men easily bestow their wealth in
charity, but hard is the charity that works for righteousness."

The Mallas hearing the Brahman's words with inward shame gazed at one
another; and answered the Brahmakarin thus: "We thank you much for
purposing to come to us, and for your friendly and religious
co