高僧傳 12.9

12.9

後三年，景環卒，弟安周續立。是歲飢荒，死者無限。周既事進，進屢從求乞，以賑貧餓。國蓄稍竭，進不復求。迺淨洗浴，取刀鹽，至深窮窟餓人所聚之處，次第授以三歸。便掛衣鉢著樹，投身餓者前云：「施汝共食。」眾雖飢困，猶義不忍受。進即自割肉，和鹽以啖之。兩股肉盡，心悶不能自割，因語餓人云：「汝取我皮肉，猶足數日，若王使來，必當將去，但取藏之。」餓者悲悼，無能取者。須臾弟子來至，王人復看。舉國奔赴，號叫相屬。因輿之還宮。周勅以三百斛麥以施餓者，別發倉廩以賑貧民。至明晨乃絕，出城北闍維之。烟炎衝天，七日乃歇。屍骸都盡，唯舌不爛。即於其處起塔三層，樹碑于右。

Three years later, Jinghuan died, and his younger brother Anzhou succeeded him. That year there was a famine, and countless people died. Since Anzhou served Fajin, Fajin repeatedly begged from him to relieve the poor and starving. When the state's reserves gradually ran out, Fajin sought no more. He then bathed cleanly, took a knife and salt, and went to the deep caves where the starving gathered, where he administered the three refuges to them in turn. He then hung his robe and bowl on a tree, threw himself before the starving people, and said, 'I offer myself for you to eat together.' Though starving and exhausted, out of righteousness they could not bear to accept it. Fajin then cut his own flesh, mixed it with salt, and gave it to them to eat. When the flesh on both thighs was gone, he grew faint and could no longer cut himself, so he told the starving people, 'If you take my skin and flesh, it will still suffice for several days; if the king's envoys arrive, they will surely take it away, so just take it and store it.' The starving people were grief-stricken, and none could bring themselves to take it. In a short while, his disciples arrived, and the king's men also came to see him. The whole state rushed thither, crying and wailing one after another. Thereupon they carried him back to the palace on a litter. Anzhou decreed that three hundred hu of wheat be given to the starving, and opened other granaries to relieve the poor. By the next morning Fajin passed away; they carried him out north of the city to cremate him. The smoke and flames shot up into the sky and subsided only after seven days. His corpse and bones were completely consumed, but his tongue alone did not decay. Thereupon, a three-story stūpa was built on the spot, and a stele was erected to its right.