經律異相 10.20

10.20

The Buddha said to the Venerable Ānanda: "In the past, there was a king named Sunlight and Moonlight, handsome and pleasing, with majestic supernatural dignity. Coming out from his palace, he saw a blind man on the road, destitute and starving, begging along the path. Approaching the king, he said to the king: 'The king alone is noble, secure, and joyful; I alone am poor, and blind to boot.' The king took pity on him and said to the blind man: 'What medicine can cure your ailment?' The blind man replied: 'Only obtaining the king's eyes can heal my eyes.' Then the king took out his own two eyes and gave them to the blind man, his mind pure and clear, without a single thought of regret. The king Moonlight was none other than myself. The Buddha said: 'The weight of Mount Sumeru can still be measured in catties, but my giving of eyes cannot be calculated.'" (Extracted from the Sūtra on Maitreya's Question on Past Vows).