Buddhacarita by Ven Asvaghosa - Ancient Buddhist Texts

Buddha-carita, or Life of Buddha - 130
Book XI [The Passions Spurned]
1. Being thus addressed by the monarch of the Magadhas, in a hostile
speech with a friendly face, self-possessed, unchanged, pure by family
and personal purity, the son of Śuddhodana thus made answer:
2. ‘This is not to be called a strange thing for thee, born as thou art in
the great family whose ensign is the lion – that by thee of pure
conduct, O lover of thy friends, this line of conduct should be adopted
towards him who stands as one of thy friends.
3. ‘Amongst the bad a friendship, worthy of their family, ceases to
continue (and fades) like prosperity among the faint-hearted; it is only
the good who keep increasing the old friendship of their ancestors by
a new succession of friendly acts.
4. ‘But those men who act unchangingly towards their friends in
reverses of fortune, I esteem in my heart as true friends; who is not
the friend of the prosperous man in his times of abundance
5. ‘So those who, having obtained riches in the world, employ them
for the sake of their friends and religion, – their wealth has real
solidity, and when it perishes it produces no pain at the end.
6. ‘This thy determination concerning me, O king, is prompted by
pure generosity and friendship; I will meet thee courteously with
simple friendship; I would not utter aught else in my reply.