Barlaam and Josaphat: A Christian Tale of the Buddha

by Gui de Cambrai

  “Theonas, look and see the dangers of your belief. You choose your own death and perdition. You are drawn by the devil who made Adam and his companion Eve commit the first sin. Your heart is wretched and vain when you do not recognize that you are wrong. Wretched man, renounce the sin of your disbelief! You can know with confidence that Holy God is Lord and Father of all the world. He is its emperor, and only a fool does not recognize him. Your foolish thoughts deceive you and blind you to reason. I pray to God, and his Holy Name, that he will encourage you to follow the good, for I see that you err in all things.”

  Theonas was moved—the Holy Spirit illuminated him and opened the eyes of his heart. He was distressed and did not know where this desire for God had come from. But God’s strength can make a heart blossom and put forth flowers and fruit. Theonas struggled to express the thoughts that animated him. He spoke bravely to the king. “King Avenir, we have been vanquished by your son, who knows the path to salvation. Believe in God and good will come to you. The God of the Christians is great. His holiness and faith are great. Our religion has been disproved by the words of Jesus Christ, for what your son says is entirely true.

  “Tell me, my lord Josaphat,” Theonas continued. “Will God have mercy on me if I pray and ask him for it with a true heart?”

  “Yes, by God,” Josaphat responded, “there is no sinner in all the world, however disloyal his sins, who will not be saved through repentance. I rejoice in your salvation when I see you turn to the right path. Do not doubt God—your prayer will be heard since it comes from a true heart. Do not be troubled any longer. God is happy for all sinners who come to his love, and he opens their eyes to his great mercy. God is so merciful that if you offer him your heart and your body, he will ask for nothing more as long as you keep the offering clean and pure.”

  Theonas rejoiced greatly at Josaphat’s words. He bid farewell to the king and then departed. He repented truly. First he went back to the cell where he lived and built a great fire and burned the books of magic he had used to work against God. Then he went to the wise man whom Nachor had joined after he converted. Theonas fell at his feet, weeping, and confessed his sins. The wise man gave thanks to God for his repentance. He taught Theonas about God and then baptized him. Theonas became a new man and a new knight because of his teaching. It happened to Theonas as I have recounted it to you. He prayed and wept until he was reconciled with God.

  King Avenir gives half his kingdom to Josaphat

  When the debate was over, the king felt he had been badly served by his advisors because his son had not been turned away from the God he loved and served. He had tried to change his son’s belief and he had failed. King Avenir was sorrowful because he did not know how to draw Josaphat away from Christianity. He sent for his courtiers and his councilors, and Prince Aracin was the first to arrive. When they were all assembled, the king asked for their advice, but no one spoke. The king marveled that none of his men knew how to advise him. He could not enjoy his honors and privileges as long as he was separated from his son. (The king hated his son because he had converted, but he was wrong to do so.)

  Aracin thought about how to counsel the king, and then he addressed him: “My lord, I do not know what advice to offer. He is your son and you are his father. You would act against nature and lose the name of father if you harmed your son or had him tortured. Nature forbids it and would not allow it. But by your leave, I will give you this counsel. If you want to convert him, divide your kingdom in two and give him a crown. If he has to devote himself to the world and to solving disputes, it may draw him back to you.”

  All those present praised the idea, and the king himself approved it. When he rose the next day, King Avenir went to Josaphat’s palace. “Son,” he said, “agree to my wishes, and if you do not, I will no longer love you. I will have you crowned and give you half my kingdom. If you do not earn my love by accepting, you will never leave the prison of your palace. You know that you have disobeyed me. Now take care to understand and do not resist my will in this. I want you to be lord and king. In this way you can live as you wish and rule your own land. You must obey my wishes.”

  Josaphat looked into his heart and understood that he should agree so he could escape his father and follow his own beliefs. “Father,” he said, “I want to send for the holy man Barlaam, but you do not allow it. You are worldly and understand things only in terms of the world. No matter what I say, you are reluctant to believe in God and pray to him. I will agree to what you ask. I do not see any danger for myself in it. In fact, I see more reasons to accept than you do. Since I must elect the better of two bad choices, I will not deny your will, if this is what you ask of me.”

  King Avenir rejoiced when Josaphat agreed. He had his kingdom divided, and he kept the smaller part and gave the larger to his son. He had him crowned that very day. Great joy broke out when the crown was carried forward. Counts and kings were present, and the coronation celebration lasted two months. When the festivities came to an end on the sixtieth day, the king had all his people gathered to witness the gift of his realm’s capital and its surrounding castles to his son. He sent Josaphat into his new empire with many people, accompanied by great rejoicing. All the people of his country came to meet their lord with happiness and honored him. He thanked them, but he cared little for the inheritance, the land, or sovereignty.

  Josaphat entered the city and found many idols there. It was well furnished with plenty of wood and water, and the young man went immediately to inspect its resources. He saw the city was well situated in the midst of abundant vineyards, fertile prairies, and well-worked fields. He loved it and held it dear. He did not see evil or crime in the city, except in the people’s belief. The city was tainted because its inhabitants did not believe in the Creator.

  There were many towers in the city, and its new king put crosses on top of each. Then he had all the temples destroyed. He ordered the people to tear down their walls. The king encouraged his people, and they did not leave even the foundations standing. He had every idol in the country burned, and not a single one escaped the fire. In the middle of the city he built the Church of the Holy Cross to serve God and his laws, and he converted his people, not through force, but by teaching them and showing them the right path. He worked joyfully to change their false belief, and they never made any complaint about it. King Josaphat converted his councilors, and all the city’s inhabitants believed in God because of the many miracles God showed them in response to Josaphat’s prayers. He acted with great humility and did not take pride in his kingdom or in his office, for Josaphat wished only to serve God. King Josaphat was happy with his people and grateful for his crown. He had become a king of Christians when before he had ruled over pagans.

  John, a bishop from Damascus, came to India when he lost his bishopric because Saracens destroyed his city.1 He went into Josaphat’s realm and befriended him. The king was very happy to receive a bishop. That very day he made him an archbishop, and there was great rejoicing in the city. Many were baptized that day, including princes and counts. The archbishop preached to the people and taught them the scriptures, explaining their meaning and showing the people how to believe. He demonstrated his teaching in his own deeds, and he converted the city through his teaching and his own actions so that it became a model of learning and good works. Noble and great is the king whose city and country devote themselves to the service of God. (I forgot to say something about the archbishop. I speak truthfully when I say that it was he who recorded this story, for he knew it well and told it exactly as it happened.)

  Josaphat kept the archbishop with him for more than twenty years, as I understand it, and he converted all the people of the land. King Josaphat glorified God and his laws, and he brought the people of India out of their foolish belief and reconciled them with the Creator. He converted all his own empire and part of his father’s. Christianity spread and multiplied because the pagans wanted to receive the good fai
th. King Josaphat was very pleased. He praised God and served him even more devotedly when he saw that his service was effective. He rejoiced in his heart to know that his inheritance was so widely shared. His archbishop converted all the land, and those who were blind saw clearly when they believed in God.

  King Avenir was dismayed to learn that churches and chapels had been established in his lands, and the loss of his castles and cities to the Christian religion saddened and troubled him. Those who served God abandoned him, and he experienced more conflicts than peace. He remained alone in his palace, burdened by the loss of his country and sorrowful because he had lost it to his son. He complained about it frequently and thought his son betrayed the laws of nature when he disinherited his father.

  He sent for his lords. He thought that if he could not win his son by persuasion, he might find victory in war. The king’s councilors assembled on the designated day. Few came, for Christianity had robbed King Avenir of many of his vassals, and those who had become Christians did not respond to the king’s summons. The king saw that he had lost power and his court was diminished; it had once been full of great lords and knights, but now it was deserted and empty. “My lords,” he complained to the few who were present, “I will disclose to you something that torments me. My son wants to take my land and my reign from me. I have honored him too well, and he offers enmity in return for all the love I have shown him. Now I am greatly sorrowed and must fight back. Counsel me on this and come to my aid, for I have decided that I will not leave things as they are. My son is now my enemy, since he offers hate in exchange for the love I have shown him.”

  When Aracin heard the king, he said, “By the gods, my lord, I believe that you have delayed this decision for too long. Josaphat has acted against us for a long time. He is presumptuous to limit your right to rule, and my heart is saddened to see him rise above you. Sire, consider how you will avenge your shame. Your son shows his arrogance when he takes all your cities from you, and his sovereignty costs you dearly. I am sorry to see your nobility abased, and it was unfortunate that you gave him his own kingdom. He is more of an enemy than a son.”

  “My lord Aracin, I did it on your advice,” the king responded. “You advised me to give him his part of the land. Your counsel has led me to war!”

  “My lord, I advised you with good intention, but I now see that I was wrong, and I beg your pardon for it. Your son was crowned by my counsel, and it turned out badly. I am sorry and I offer you all my help. I will follow your orders to my utmost.”

  The king responded, “I have confidence in you. My lords, you hold your fiefs from me, tell me whether you will support me.”

  They all responded with a single voice, “Good king, we offer our help to you and we are eager to avenge you and the insult to our gods. Revenge is required, and your decision has been too long deferred.”

  The king saw that they were loyal, and their desire for vengeance made him happy. He sent messengers to summon his vassals. Following the advice of Aracin, he sent word to Josaphat and demanded that he renounce his crown and his lands. If he did not, the king warned, he should prepare to defend himself. If he did not return his father’s lands, then the king would call for his vassals. From India to Damascus and from Athens to Byzantium, they would assemble to join the battle against Josaphat and his people. King Avenir vowed that he would take all his lords from him: their houses would remain empty and there would be none to serve him. King Josaphat would lose his land because he had given it a base religion. King Avenir’s message was delivered faithfully by one of his counts.

  “What?” Josaphat asked when he had heard the message. “He will make war on me? He forced me to take the land, and now he will force me to give it back? Since he will try to take it by force, I will use force to keep it. I do not fear death for any wrong I have done. I will not submit to his debased rule unless I am taken in battle. My laws are followed in the land that he would take from me, and since I am its lord and king, it is reasonable and right that my laws be followed. It is mine in all justice, and I rule it well. I have taken it from his gods, and I will hold it for God. Tell the king and his lords that even if harm should come to me, war will not make me abandon the city. Go now! May God give my father understanding so he will act justly toward my people.”

  The count left Josaphat and brought his response to King Avenir. The king said, “I have lost my country if I do not win it back through battle.” He did not delay and was tireless in his preparations. He assembled his army and sent for his friends, wherever he could find them. His messengers went out to call for support in the name of love and sovereign right. He sent a messenger to the lord of Byzantium, who was his friend and his relative, lord over many people and count and sire of the city. (At that time it was not the empire it is today. Now it is called Constantinople, but it used to be called Byzantium. The coins called bezants—we still have them today—come from Byzantium, and they take their name from that city.)

  The lord of Byzantium came with many people, to bring aid to his beloved kinsman. Polidonus of Athens also came with many men, to help the king of India whom he loved.2 King Avenir assembled many men of his own. India was filled with knights, and the king was a good companion to them. He took it as an insult that his son thought he could resist him. The king planned to attack his son with such force that the walls of his city would not protect him.

  When the knights were all assembled, they set out with great pleasure. There were sixty thousand men, and they formed a noble company: fifteen of them were highborn kings and a good three hundred were dukes and counts. They rode for short days because of the great army they led. (A well-armed host should not endure long days of travel.) For more than ten days they journeyed from the king’s city to his destination. Now I will return to Josaphat.

  The king’s son was in his city. He asked the archbishop and his high lords for counsel. “My lords,” he said, “you must advise me. The king, my father, wrongly intends to take my land from me.”

  The archbishop replied, “My lord, I have heard that your father hates you. But he is mistaken, for his enmity is caused by the divine law that you spread in his land. He would destroy your country, but, Sire, if you trust my advice, you will not give it to him without a battle.3 You have enough people to defend this land, and it should not be given up to the Saracens. They will install their idols here and bring down the holy church. My lord, you have labored to convert this land, but you will see it revert to evil if you give it to your father. The country will be lost to God, who made you its ruler.

  “I do not advise you to undertake a battle with your father merely to save a fortress or a tower, a city or a castle,” the archbishop continued. “God is the sole reason to keep the land. It is right to undertake this war, for a good Christian should always rule over pagans. Christianity is newly established here, but this city is mistress over India and the entire region. The pagans are our enemies and seek to harm us. They come to fight against us only because of Christianity, and they think they will conquer us and destroy our religion. You should not give the land back to your father—you should defend it against him. This is not your war. It belongs to God and the holy church. You are God’s knight, and you must be willing to defend him. I tell you that you should not fear anything in your duty to God. And you, lords who listen to me, take care to defend yourselves well, for the city is good and strong and you know that our strength is greater than theirs. My lords, why are you frightened? We have people to send against theirs, and we have the Creator on our side. Since they do not have him, we have the greater strength. Become his knights, for he asks you to defend him.”

  The archbishop’s words lightened Josaphat’s heart. He saw that his men were encouraged by the reasoning they heard. The people in the city were frightened, but the fortress was well stocked with arms and horses, and there was plenty of food. King Josaphat prostrated himself in prayer, to ask God to help him and to pardon h
im if he had sinned. Josaphat and his people needed God’s help, for they anticipated a cruel battle.

  King Avenir goes to war against his son

  The angry King Avenir rode with his great host toward Josaphat’s land and did not stop until he reached the city. Inside, they told King Josaphat that his father had laid siege to his city, and Josaphat wept with pity. Avenir’s men pitched their tents outside the city walls. They camped beside a lake they intended to use to defend their position. Before Avenir arrived and put up his tents, Josaphat had burned the fields and all the houses outside the city walls. (The poor people always pay for the actions of the rich!) Secure inside their city, Josaphat’s men climbed to the top of the walls to look upon the enemy camped beside the water. Avenir’s men were sorry they had camped so close when Josaphat’s men began to shoot arrows, and forced them to retreat.

  Josaphat was in his castle with his people and was not afraid. His father, the king, was lodged with a great army outside the city, at the base of an ancient wall. I tell you truly that the apostle Saint Thomas was in this place for at least two years. He built the first church in India there, and it was later dedicated to the saint because he baptized many people inside. The king’s tent was on that site, and he put the gods he brought with him on its ancient altar. This was a foolish thing to do and later it cost him dearly.

  Polidonus of Athens (he was the king and duke of that land) was camped at a spring where the water was sweet and clear. This was the source of the Méandre, whose waters are good for navigation and go by André, a city in Africa. Dëinfans of Byzantium, the most powerful of all the noblemen, was lodged beside a wood where there were many wild bears. Protesilaus, from Britain, of Menelaus’s lineage, camped by an estuary above the water of the Tabari. Why should I tell you all the names? The list would be too long if I recounted the name of every one of King Avenir’s men. They were all lodged together, as they should be, for they did not stop in any other place. They played musical instruments, the horses whinnied, and the standards they had set up waved in the wind. Gold glistened in the sun, and the indigo and vermillion colors of the tents glimmered. When evening came, the most valiant men of the company took the watch, and the night was long for those who stayed awake to watch the city.