The King and Chakravaka talked for a long time as they discussed the merits of trusting people or distrusting them. “Noble-minded people,” said the wise minister, “know when and whom to trust. But those who are not sensible swing from one extreme to another. Sometimes they will trust people completely and be fooled by their behaviour. At other times, they will suspect everybody and everything, even when there is no reasonable cause.” “I’ll give an example,” he went on, “Sometimes a swan sees the reflection of a star in the lake and tries to eat it thinking it is a white lotus. But he gets nothing! Then, in the morning he sees a real lotus, but imagines it is the reflection he saw last night, so he does not even go near it.” “So what should we do now, my wise friend?” asked the King. “Prepare for his arrival, Sir, with gifts and jewels,” said Chakravaka.
Chakravaka’s Wisdom
