English Original
Once upon a time, in Benares in northern India, the Enlightenment Being was born into the royal family. When he became king, he was called Goodness the Great. He earned this title by striving to do good always, even when it brought him no personal benefit. He spent much of the royal treasury building and maintaining six houses of charity, offering free aid to the poor, needy, and even unknown travelers. He became renowned for his patience, loving-kindness, and compassion, loving all beings as a father loves his children.
King Goodness observed holy days by fasting and practiced the 'Five Training Steps,' abstaining from: destroying life, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxication. His kindness grew ever purer. He refused to imprison or injure wrongdoers.
Knowing this, one of his highest ministers schemed to cheat women in the royal harem. When discovered, King Goodness summoned him: "You have committed a crime and dishonored yourself. It is best you leave Benares. Take your wealth and family, go wherever you wish, and learn from this."
The minister moved to Kosala and, through cleverness, rose to become the most trusted adviser to its king. He said, "My lord, Benares is like a beehive with stingless bees. Its king is tender and weak. A small army could easily conquer it."
Skeptical, the King of Kosala sent spies. They reported that when robbers were caught, King Goodness gave them money, advised them against stealing, and set them free. To test this, the King of Kosala sent robbers to raid a Benares border village. Captured and brought before King Goodness, the robbers pleaded poverty. The king gave them money, advised reformation, and freed them. The King of Kosala then sent bandits into Benares itself; they looted and killed, yet received the same merciful treatment.
Convinced of Benares's vulnerability, the King of Kosala marched his army toward the city. King Goodness possessed a mighty army with giant soldiers capable of conquering all India. They begged for permission to attack, but he refused: "My children, do not fight merely to keep me as king. Destroying others destroys our own peace. Let them have the kingdom if they desire it so greatly. I will not fight."
Despite his ministers' pleas to defend the city, King Goodness remained steadfast: "Even if you do not intend to kill, fighting causes injury and accidental death. I will not harm, or cause others to harm, any living being." He ordered the city gates opened for the invaders.
The King of Kosala entered unopposed, captured King Goodness and his ministers, tied their hands, and buried them up to their necks in a cemetery outside the city, leaving them for jackals. At midnight, jackals arrived. King Goodness and his ministers shouted, scaring them away twice. Realizing the men were trapped, the jackals approached fearlessly. The jackal king went for King Goodness's throat, but the king seized its chin with his teeth. The jackal king thrashed, loosening the earth around the king's neck and shoulders. King Goodness released it, freed himself, and then freed his ministers.
Nearby, two rival demons argued over dividing a dead body. One suggested seeking King Goodness's famed righteousness to settle the dispute. They dragged the body to him. King Goodness agreed to help but requested to clean himself first. Using magic, the demons brought scented water, perfumes, royal robes, ornaments, and flowers from his palace. After bathing and dressing, he said he was hungry; they brought delicious rice and water from the palace. Finally, he asked for the state sword from the pillow of the sleeping King of Kosala. With the sword, he fairly divided the body along the spine for the demons, who gratefully ate.
In return, King Goodness asked the demons to magically transport him to his bedroom next to the sleeping King of Kosala and return his ministers to their homes. They complied.
King Goodness gently touched the sleeping king's belly with the sword. The King of Kosala awoke in fright. Astonished, he asked how the king, who had been buried and filthy, was now spotlessly clean, sweet-smelling, and royally adorned. King Goodness recounted his escape and the demons' aid.
Overcome with shame, the King of Kosala bowed and cried, "Even flesh-eating demons recognized your supreme goodness, while I, a civilized human, was too foolish to see it. I promise never to plot against you again and to serve you as your truest friend. Please forgive me." He gave up his own bed for King Goodness.
The next day, the King of Kosala publicly praised King Goodness, returned his kingdom, promised eternal protection, punished the treacherous minister, and returned to Kosala with his troops.
Seated majestically on his golden throne, King Goodness taught his subjects: "Wholesomeness begins with abandoning the five unwholesome actions. The highest qualities are loving-kindness and compassion. Filled with these, one cannot harm another, no matter the reason or cost. No matter the danger, one must persevere until the good heart prevails."
For the rest of his reign, Benares lived in peace and happiness. King Goodness continued his wholesome works until his death and deserved rebirth.
The moral is: Refusing to harm others, the good heart wins over all.
中文翻译
从前，在印度北部的贝拿勒斯，一位觉者诞生于王室。他成为国王后，被称为善良伟大的国王。他始终努力行善，即使对自己无益，因而赢得了这个称号。他将大量皇家财富用于建造和运营六所慈善院，为所有到来的穷人、困苦者乃至陌生旅人提供无偿帮助。他以耐心、慈爱与同情心而闻名，爱众生如父爱子。
善良国王通过斋戒守圣日，并修行“五戒”，即戒除：杀生、偷盗、邪淫、妄语、饮酒。他的仁慈愈发纯净。他拒绝监禁或伤害作恶者。
得知此事，他的一位最高大臣图谋欺骗后宫女子。事情败露后，善良国王召见他：“你已犯罪，令自己蒙羞。你最好离开贝拿勒斯。带上你的财富和家人，去任何你想去的地方，并从中吸取教训。”
这位大臣迁居至憍萨罗国，凭借聪明才智，一路晋升，成为国王最信任的顾问。他说：“陛下，贝拿勒斯就像一座没有刺的蜂巢。其国王柔弱可欺。一支小军队就能轻易征服它。”
憍萨罗国王心存疑虑，派出了间谍。他们回报说，当强盗被抓获时，善良国王会给他们钱，劝诫他们勿偷盗，然后释放他们。为了验证，憍萨罗国王派强盗袭击了贝拿勒斯的一个边境村庄。强盗被俘并带到善良国王面前，他们诉说了贫穷。国王给了他们钱，劝其改过，然后释放了他们。憍萨罗国王接着派土匪进入贝拿勒斯城内；他们抢劫杀人，却得到了同样的仁慈对待。
确信贝拿勒斯不堪一击后，憍萨罗国王率军向该城进发。善良国王拥有一支强大的军队，其中有能征服整个印度的巨人战士。他们请求出击，但国王拒绝了：“我的孩子们，不要仅仅为了保住我的王位而战。毁灭他人也毁灭了我们内心的平静。如果他们如此渴望，就让他们拥有这个王国吧。我不愿战斗。”
尽管大臣们恳求保卫城市，善良国王依然坚定：“即使你们无意杀戮，战斗也会导致伤害和意外死亡。我不会伤害，也不会让他人伤害任何生灵。”他下令为入侵者打开城门。
憍萨罗国王未遇抵抗便进了城，俘虏了善良国王及其大臣，绑住他们的手，并将他们埋在城市外的墓地中，只露出头部，留给豺狼。午夜时分，豺狼来了。善良国王和大臣们齐声呼喊，两次吓退了它们。意识到这些人被困住了，豺狼不再害怕地靠近。豺狼王走向善良国王的喉咙，但国王用牙齿咬住了它的下巴。豺狼王拼命挣扎，松动了国王颈部和肩膀周围的泥土。善良国王松开它，挣脱出来，然后救出了他的大臣们。
附近，两个敌对的恶魔为如何分一具尸体而争吵。其中一个建议找以公正闻名的善良国王来裁决。他们把尸体拖到他面前。善良国王同意帮忙，但请求先清洁自己。恶魔用魔法从他的宫殿取来了香水、水、王袍、饰品和鲜花。沐浴更衣后，他说饿了；他们又从宫殿取来了美味的米饭和水。最后，他要求取来正在贝拿勒斯宫殿中睡觉的憍萨罗国王枕下的国剑。用这把剑，他沿着脊柱公平地将尸体分成了两半，恶魔感激地吃掉了。
作为回报，善良国王请求恶魔用魔法将他送到睡着的憍萨罗国王旁边的卧室，并将他的大臣们送回家中。他们照办了。
善良国王用剑轻轻碰了碰睡着的国王的肚子。憍萨罗国王惊醒，惊恐万分。他惊讶地问，原本被埋且污秽的国王，为何现在一尘不染、香气袭人、身着王袍。善良国王讲述了他的逃脱和恶魔的帮助。
憍萨罗国王羞愧难当，鞠躬哭泣道：“连食尸肉的恶魔都认出了您至高无上的善良，而我，一个文明人，却愚蠢到看不见。我发誓永不再谋害您，并作为您最真诚的朋友为您效劳。请原谅我。”他将自己的床让给了善良国王。
第二天，憍萨罗国王公开赞扬了善良国王，归还了他的王国，承诺永远保护他，惩罚了奸诈的大臣，然后带着军队返回了憍萨罗国。
善良国王威严地坐在他的金色宝座上，教导他的臣民：“善行始于弃绝五种恶行。最高的品质是慈爱与同情心。心怀这些，人便无法伤害他人，无论理由或代价如何。无论威胁多么危险，都必须坚持，直到善心最终获胜。”
在他的余生统治中，贝拿勒斯人民过着和平幸福的生活。善良国王继续着他的善行，直至去世并获得应有的转生。
寓意是：拒绝伤害他人，善心终将战胜一切。