Once upon a time, the son of Brahmadatta was ruling righteously in
Benares, in northern India.
It came to pass that the King of Kosala made war, killed the King of Benares,
and made the queen become his own wife.
Meanwhile, the queen's son escaped by sneaking away through the
sewers. In the countryside he eventually raised a large army and surrounded the
city. He sent a message to the king, the murderer of his father and the husband
of his mother. He told him to surrender the kingdom or fight a battle.
The prince's mother, the Queen of Benares, heard of this threat
from her son. She was a gentle and kind woman who wanted to prevent violence
and suffering and killing. So she sent a message to her son - "There is no
need for the risks of battle. It would be wiser to close every entrance to the
city. Eventually the lack of food, water and firewood will wear down the
citizens. Then they will give the city to you without any fighting."
The prince decided to follow his mother's wise advice. His army
blockaded the city for seven days and nights. Then the citizens captured their
unlawful king, cut off his head, and delivered it to the prince. He entered the
city triumphantly and became the new King of Benares.
The moral is: Kind advice is wise advice.
(Source: The Jataka or Stories of the
Buddha’s Former Births)
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