大方便佛報恩經 2.43

2.43

"At that time, the great king had a caṇḍāla whose nature was vile and evil, feared by all people. Hearing the voice, he went forward and said to the princes: 'Do not grieve and suffer yet. I have a skillful means that can prevent the great king's matter from succeeding. If the matter does not succeed, the king will return to rule the realm, just as before.' When the princes heard these words, they felt joy in their hearts. Then the caṇḍāla went before the king and said to the great king: 'Great king, what are you doing now, gouging a thousand lamps upon your body to make an offering to the great master?' Then the caṇḍāla said: 'If someone is needed to gouge the body, I can do it.' Hearing these words, the king felt joy in his heart and replied to the caṇḍāla: 'You are now truly my companion on the unsurpassed path.' Then the caṇḍāla stood before the king, shouting, clamoring, puffing himself up, and cried out in a loud voice: 'The great king should know the manner of killing a person: cutting off the head, severing the neck, chopping off the hands and feet, extracting the sinews, and pulling out the ribs—such is the bitter pain. Can the great king now endure this or not?' Hearing these words, the king harbored joy in his heart. Then the caṇḍāla took an ox-tongue blade to the king's body and, in the twinkling of an eye, gouged his entire body to the full count of a thousand wounds. The caṇḍāla thought the king's resolve would retreat, but on the contrary, it did not waver; so he threw the knife to the ground and ran away in haste."