Damanaka said, “When good ministers who truly seek the king’s welfare are asked for advice, they must speak only what they believe will bring him good. A wise minister does not allow either affection or hatred to guide his words. O King, men who always speak pleasant words are easy to find. But rare is the man who will speak an unpleasant truth when it is for another’s good, and equally rare is the one willing to hear it.”

Pingalaka then asked him with trust, “What do you think of this matter, wise one?” Damanaka replied, “Maharaj, Sanjivaka has gained your trust. Yet in secret he has been saying, ‘I have seen the king’s strength, and there is little power in it. If I kill him, I shall enjoy the kingdom myself in happiness.’ O King, Sanjivaka is plotting this against you. That is why I have come to warn you.”

These words struck Pingalaka like a thunderbolt. His heart was shaken, and in his confusion he could say nothing. Seeing the king in this state, Damanaka continued, “Maharaj, this is the danger of allowing one minister to rise too high. As the wise have said: ‘When a king and his minister both rise to great power, Fortune cannot remain equally with both. In the end, one must fall so that the other may remain. A thorn in the foot, an arrow point, a loose tooth, and a bad minister who has become powerful—these four must be pulled out from the root.’

“When a king gives one minister complete authority over the kingdom, pride slowly grows in that minister. From pride comes the desire to cast off service. Then the wish for independence enters his heart, and from that wish he may finally plot against the king’s own life. Sanjivaka now acts as he pleases in every matter, without anyone to restrain him. Such conduct should not be ignored.”

Hearing this, Pingalaka said, “But until now Sanjivaka has been my servant. How could he turn against me?” Damanaka replied, “Maharaj, merely being a servant does not settle the matter. A man may serve another only so long as he lacks the power to stand on his own. There are few in a king’s service who do not desire wealth and power for themselves.”

Pingalaka said, “Even so, my heart does not turn away from Sanjivaka. Though the body may have many faults, who does not cherish his own body? In the same way, one who is truly dear remains dear even when he has done wrong. He may do something unpleasant or speak harshly, yet the heart still holds him dear.”

Damanaka replied, “Maharaj, that very affection has made the danger greater. You have set aside your other ministers and placed your trust in Sanjivaka alone. When a king raises one man above all others, that man too begins to rise in power and Fortune. Yet however dear Sanjivaka may be to you, the good of the kingdom must come first. Whether he is an honoured kinsman, a beloved son, a brother, or a dear friend—if he turns away from what must be done, he must be set aside.

“And if you think, ‘Sanjivaka is large and strong, so he will be useful to me,’ consider this: what use is a mighty elephant if it does no work for the king? Whether a man is large or small, the better one is he who can do the work entrusted to him. Good counsel should not be rejected merely because it is unpleasant to hear. He who leaves the advice of good men and follows the counsel of the wicked will, in time, fall into trouble and regret it. He who refuses the wholesome advice of true friends may soon lose his place and fall under the power of his enemies.

“Where one speaks words that are unpleasant but will bring good in the end, and another is willing to hear them, prosperity remains. A king must know what is good and what is harmful, and must not allow those who serve him to deceive him in matters of the kingdom. Words that are both pleasing and wholesome are rare.”

Pingalaka said, “Good friend, do not speak so. I myself praised Sanjivaka before the whole court and declared him worthy. How can I now condemn him as worthless? Would I not make my own former words false? More than that, Sanjivaka came to me seeking shelter, and I gave him my promise of safety. How can I now turn against one whom I promised to protect?”

Damanaka replied, “Maharaj, a man’s nature is not easily changed. The wicked follow their nature, just as the good follow theirs. Neither enmity nor kindness can easily change what is deeply rooted within them. A wicked man returns to his old ways however carefully he is treated, just as a dog’s tail bends again however much one tries to straighten it.

“Good qualities are best recognized by those who value goodness. Even a small virtue shines greatly in a man already rich in good qualities, just as the moon’s rays shine brightly upon the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. But among those who cannot value virtue, even good qualities may go unnoticed, just as moonlight disappears upon the dark peaks of Mount Añjana.

“Kindness and wisdom bear no fruit where they are not valued. Kindness shown to the ungrateful is wasted. Good advice given to one who will not follow it is wasted. Wise words are wasted where they are not understood, and wisdom itself is wasted upon one who has no understanding. A gift given to an unworthy person is wasted. Good counsel given to a fool is wasted. Kindness shown to the ungrateful is wasted, and courtesy shown to the ignoble is wasted.

“To advise a fool again and again is equally useless. It is like leaving something unguarded only to have it stolen, pulling something out of a pit only for the effort to be lost, planting where nothing can grow, pouring rain upon a mountain, trying to straighten a dog’s tail, or whispering into the ear of one who cannot hear. In the same way, words of wisdom are wasted upon a fool.

“And serving a foolish and ill-mannered man in the hope of receiving good from him is like milking a worthless cow for a long time in the hope of getting rich ghee, embracing a lump of earth thinking it a young woman, or mistaking glittering glass for a precious emerald. A king should never be left without good and truthful counsel. There is a tale that shows this well: ‘Because I spared the tiger, the monkey, and the snake, I was later ruined by an ungrateful man.’”

Pingalaka asked, “How did that happen?” Damanaka replied, “Listen.”