大方便佛報恩經 2.44

2.44

「爾時大王於身諸瘡灌滿膏油已，取上妙細㲲，纏以為炷。爾時婆羅門大師見於大王作是事已，作是念言：『我今應當先為大王宣說佛法。何以故？大王今當燃身諸燈，恐命不濟。命若不濟，誰當聽法？』思惟是已，告大王言：『精進如是，難為能為，修此苦行，為聞佛法。諦聽！諦聽！善思念之！吾當為王宣說佛法。』王聞是語，心大歡喜，譬如孝子新喪父母，其子愁毒，苦不可言，父母還活，其子歡喜。王聞是語，亦復如是。時婆羅門即便為王而說半偈，謂興衰法：

"At that time the great king, having filled the wounds on his body with oil, took exquisite fine cotton cloth and wrapped it into wicks. Then the great master brāhmaṇa, seeing that the great king had done this, thought: 'I ought now to proclaim and explain the Buddha-Dharma for the great king first. Why? The great king is now about to light the lamps on his body, and I fear he may not survive. If he does not survive, who will listen to the Dharma?' Having reflected thus, he said to the great king: 'Such vigor! You are able to do what is difficult to do, practicing this asceticism for the sake of hearing the Buddha-Dharma. Listen closely! Listen closely! Think on it well! I shall proclaim and explain the Buddha-Dharma for the king.' The king, hearing these words, was greatly delighted—just as when a filial son has recently lost his parents and grieves in bitterness and unspeakable suffering, but upon his parents returning to life, the son is overjoyed; when the king heard these words, it was likewise. Then the brāhmaṇa spoke half a verse for the king, teaching the principle of arising and ceasing: