80. THE PRODIGAL SON

108 Buddhist Parables

Once upon a time there was a householder’s son who went away into a distant country, and while the father accumulated immeasurable riches, the son became miserably poor. This son, while searching for food and clothing, happened to come to the country in which his father lived. The father saw him in his wretchedness, for his son was ragged and brutalized by poverty. The father ordered some of his servants to call him. When the son saw the place to which he was conducted, he thought, ‘I must have evoked the suspicion of a powerful man, and he will throw me into prison.’ Full of apprehension he made his escape before he had seen his father.

Then the father sent messengers out after his son, who was caught and brought back in spite of his cries and lamentations. Thereupon the father ordered his servants to deal tenderly with his son, and he appointed a laborer of lower rank and education to employ his son as a helpmate on the estate. And the son was pleased with his new situation. From the windows of his palace the father watched the new worker. When the son proved himself to be honest and industrious, the father promoted him higher and higher.

After some time, the father summoned his son and called together all his servants, and made the secret known to them. Then the poor man was exceedingly glad and full of joy at meeting his father.

Just so, little by little must the minds of men be trained for higher truths.

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