我是這樣聽說的：

 

    有一次，世尊駐錫在古印度舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園林內。當時波斯匿王正與他的愛妃茉莉在皇宮高閣內談天。

 

波斯匿王對茉莉說：「妳認為這世上除了妳自己以外，還有誰對妳而言比妳自己更珍貴？」

 

「沒有！」茉莉答道：「陛下，對我而言，除了我自己以外，沒有人比我自己更重要。那麼你呢？陛下，你的看法是如何？」

 

「我的看法跟妳一樣，對我而言，這世上除了我自己以外，沒有人比我自己更重要。」

 

波斯匿王隨後走下高閣離開皇宮，前往給孤獨精舍參訪佛陀。當他抵達後，向世尊頂禮，便恭敬地退坐在一旁，並將他與茉莉的談話經過向世尊報告。當世尊瞭解談話的重點後，認同他們的看法，並說出如下的偈語：「

儘管費盡心思向世界各處搜尋，也無法找到比自己更珍愛、更重要的人。同理，任何人都是一樣極度地深愛著自己。既然如此，我們就應該具備同理心，不要去傷害他人。」

 

巴利英譯原文網頁如下：

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/udana/ud5-01.html

 

Udana V.1

Raja Sutta

The King

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time King Pasenadi Kosala was together with Queen Mallika in the upper palace. Then he said to her, "Is there anyone more dear to you than yourself?"

"No, your majesty," she answered. "There is no one more dear to me than myself. And what about you, your majesty? Is there anyone more dear to you than yourself?"

"No, Mallika. There is no one more dear to me than myself."

Then the king, descending from the palace, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: "Just now I was together with Queen Mallika in the upper palace. I said to her, 'Is there anyone more dear to you than yourself?'

"'No, your majesty,' she answered. 'There is no one more dear to me than myself. And what about you, your majesty? Is there anyone more dear to you than yourself?'

"'No, Mallika. There is no one more dear to me than myself.'"

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

Searching all directions
with one's awareness,
one finds no one dearer
than oneself.
In the same way, others
are fiercely dear to themselves.
So one should not hurt others
if one loves oneself.

Revised: Friday 2005-09-30

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/udana/ud5-01.html