THE WIDOW'S MITE, AND THE THREE MERCHANTS

  THERE was once a lone widow who was very destitute, and having

gone to the mountain she beheld hermits holding a religious

assembly. Then the woman was filled with joy, and uttering praises,

said, It is well, holy priests! but while others give precious

things such as the ocean caves produce, I have nothing to offer."

Having spoken thus and having searched herself in vain for something

to give, she recollected that some time before she had found in a

dung-heap two coppers, so taking these she offered them forthwith as a

gift to the priesthood in charity.

  The superior of the priests, a saint who could read the hearts of

men, disregarding the rich gifts of others and beholding the deep

faith dwelling in the heart of this poor widow, and wishing the

priesthood to esteem rightly her religious merit, burst forth with

full voice in a canto. He raised his right hand and said, "Reverend

priests attend!" and then he proceeded:

          "The poor coppers of this widow

          To all purpose are more worth

          Than all the treasures of the oceans

          And the wealth of the broad earth.

          "As an act of pure devotion

          She has done a pious deed;

          She has attained salvation,

          Being free from selfish greed."

  The woman was mightily strengthened in her mind by this thought, and

said, It is even as the Teacher says: what I have done is as much as

if a rich man were to give up all his wealth."

  And the Teacher said: "Doing good deeds is like hoarding up

treasures, and he expounded this truth in a parable: "Three

merchants set out on their travels each with his wealth; one of them

gained much, the second returned with his wealth, and the third one

came home after having lost his wealth. What is true in common life

applies also to religion.

  "The wealth is the state a man has reached, the gain is heaven;

the loss of his wealth means that a man will be reborn in a lower

state, as a denizen of hell or as an animal. These are the courses

that are open to the sinner.

  "He who brings back his wealth, like unto one who is born again as a

man. Those who through the exercise of various virtues become pious

householders will be born again as men, for all beings will reap the

fruit of their actions. But he who increases his wealth is like unto

one who practices eminent virtues. The virtuous, excellent man attains

in heaven to the glorious state of the gods."