---
title: "南傳小部經典 · 序分"
description: "南傳小部經典是佛教巴利文三藏的重要組成部分，由夏丏尊翻譯成中文。該經典屬於上座部佛教傳統，歷史可追溯至公元前3世紀阿育王時期，是早期佛教文獻的珍貴結集。主要包含《法句經》《經集》《長老偈》《長老尼偈》等15部經文，內容涵蓋佛陀教誨、弟子修行體悟及佛教詩偈。作為南傳佛教基礎經典，它系統保存了原始佛教教義，在佛教典籍中佔據核心地位，為研究早期佛教思想與實踐提供了權威文本。夏丏尊的譯本語言簡練準確，深受漢語佛教學者推崇。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmawdsgdh018ji904y21wk09t"
---

### 序分

> Preface

此本生因緣．是佛在祇園精舍時．就長老阿難說的。某時．拘薩羅國王的宮女心裏這樣想道．『佛的出世是難得的。生而為人與六根〔身心〕完具．也極難得。我們雖生逢這個難得的好時機．卻不能如願前往精舍聞法、作供養、行布施．我們過着籠中之鳥般的生活。稟告國王．請他招待一位可以為我們說法的比丘．我們就從他那裏傾聽法門吧。我們從他那裏學習一切我們所能學習之事．並且施行布施等等善事吧。這樣．我們便不致辜負這個好時機了吧。』於是她們一齊去見國王．將這個意思告知．王答應說『好。』

> This is a story about a past life that the Buddha told while residing at Jetavana Monastery, speaking to the Elder Ananda. At that time, the ladies of the court of King Pasenadi of Kosala thought to themselves: "It is rare for a Buddha to appear in this world. It is also extremely rare to be born human with all faculties complete. Although we live in this fortunate age, we cannot go to the monastery as we wish to hear the Dharma, make offerings, or give alms—we live like birds in a cage. Let us ask the King to invite a monk who can teach us the Dharma, and we will listen to the teachings from him. We will learn all that we can from him and perform good deeds such as giving alms. In this way, we will not waste this precious opportunity." So they all went to see the King and presented this idea, and the King agreed, saying, "Good."

一日．王想去遊御苑．喚司苑者來．命他掃除御苑。司苑者正在掃除的時候．見佛在一株樹下坐着．遂去稟告國王道．『大王．我已把御苑掃除乾淨了．佛正坐在苑中樹下呢。』國王道．『那麼我們到佛那裏去拜聽法門吧。』於是就乘了嚴飾之車．入苑來參詣佛。時有一個不還果的信士．名叫傘掌的．正坐在那裏聽佛說法。王見了有些懷疑．暫時站着．既而這樣忖道．『他若是惡人．不會坐在佛的旁邊聽法的。大概不是惡人吧。』便走近佛去．禮拜後坐在一旁。信士為了尊敬佛之故．見了王既不迎拜．亦不行敬禮．因此王對他感覺不快。佛知王不快．便稱讚信士的德行道．『大王啊．這位信士．博學而通曉聖典．已捨離諸欲。』國王覺得『佛既如斯稱賞他的德行．他當非下賤之徒。』便道．『信士啊．你要甚麼東西．請告訴我就是。』信士應了聲『是。』王在佛的地方聽了法門．作右繞之禮而去。一日．王見這位信士喫完朝餐後．拿了傘正欲向祇園精舍去．便喚他近來道．『信士．聽說你很博學．我的宮女們想聽習法門．可否請你誦法門給她們聽呢。』信士道．『大王．在家之人在大王的內殿中說誦法門．是不適宜的。倘是尊者．那就相宜了。』王覺得『這人所說的話有理。』送他出門以後．就喚了宮女們來．問道．『宮女們．我到佛那裏去請一個比丘來．為大家說法門、誦法門吧。但在八十個大弟子中去請誰來呢。』她們大家經過商議以後．說是去請法之寶庫的阿難長老。王來到佛那裏．禮拜後．坐在一旁．說道．『尊者啊．我宮中的宮女們說要從阿難長老聽習法門．請叫長老到我宮中去說誦法門。』佛答應說『好。』隨即傳命令給長老。從此王的宮女們．便從長老聽習法門了。

> One day, the king wished to visit his royal garden and summoned the gardener, commanding him to sweep and clean it. While the gardener was busy cleaning, he saw the Buddha sitting beneath a tree. He went and informed the king, saying, "Great King, I have swept the garden clean, and the Buddha is now seated beneath a tree within it." The king replied, "Then let us go to the Buddha and pay our respects and listen to the Dharma." So he mounted his ornately decorated carriage and entered the garden to call upon the Buddha. At that time, there was a lay disciple who had attained the state of non-returning, named Umbrella-Hand, who was sitting nearby listening to the Buddha teach. Seeing him, the king felt a moment of doubt and paused, then thought to himself, "If he were a wicked man, he would not sit beside the Buddha listening to the Dharma. He is probably not a wicked person." He then approached the Buddha, paid his respects, and sat to one side. Out of deep reverence for the Buddha, the lay disciple neither rose to greet the king nor offered him any formal salutation, which made the king feel displeased. Perceiving the king's annoyance, the Buddha praised the disciple's virtues, saying, "Great King, this lay disciple is learned and well-versed in the sacred scriptures. He has already abandoned all worldly desires." The king thought, "Since the Buddha has praised his virtues so highly, he cannot be of low character." He then said, "Lay disciple, if you need anything, please tell me." The disciple acknowledged with a simple "Yes." The king then listened to the Dharma in the Buddha's presence, and after circumambulating him respectfully to the right, he departed. One day, the king saw this lay disciple finishing his morning meal and preparing to head toward Jeta's Grove monastery with his umbrella. He summoned him and said, "Lay disciple, I hear you are very learned. My ladies-in-waiting wish to study the Dharma. Could you please recite the teachings for them?" The disciple replied, "Great King, it is not fitting for a layperson to recite the Dharma within the inner chambers of the king's palace. If it were a venerable monk, that would be appropriate." The king thought, "What this man says is reasonable." After escorting him out, he called his ladies-in-waiting and asked, "Ladies, shall I go to the Buddha and request a monk to come and teach you the Dharma? But among the eighty great disciples, whom should I ask?" After discussing among themselves, they decided that they would like to hear the Dharma from the venerable Ananda, who was known as the treasure-house of the Dharma. The king then went to the Buddha, paid his respects, sat to one side, and said, "Venerable Sir, my ladies-in-waiting wish to learn the Dharma from the venerable Ananda. Please send the elder to my palace to recite the teachings." The Buddha consented, saying, "Very well," and immediately conveyed the command to the elder. From that time onward, the king's ladies-in-waiting learned the Dharma from the venerable Ananda.

後來有一日．國王冠上的寶珠失落了。王聽到寶珠失去．便命令大臣們道．『將宮中所雇的人一一捉起來搜查．叫他們把寶珠拿來。』大臣們從宮女起．搜查王冠上的珠子．但搜查不出．許許多多的人都受了嫌疑。是日．阿難長老到王宮裏來。平時宮女們見了長老總是非常高興聽習法門的．這日大家都悶悶不樂。因此長老問道．『諸位．為甚麼今日這樣呢。』宮女們答道．『尊師啊．大臣們說是要搜查王冠上的寶珠。自宮女們起．凡是宮中所雇的人都被疑到．說不定誰會遭甚樣的禍呢．因此我們悶悶不樂。』長老安慰她們『不要耽憂。』隨即去見國王．在特設的座上坐下．對王說道．『大王．聽說大王的寶珠不見了。』王道．『尊師．是的。』阿難道．『不能使盜取者繳出來嗎。』王道．『把宮中所有的人如數拏住了審問過．但不能使他們繳出來。』阿難道．『我有一個法子．可以使大家不受嫌疑．而使盜取者把寶珠繳還。』王道．『甚麼方法呢。』阿難道．『大王．分草把。』王道．『尊師．甚麼草把呢。』阿難道．『大王．請按照嫌疑者的人數造具草把．每人給以一個草把與一塊泥土．令他們「清早把他拿來放在如此這般的地方。」盜寶珠者便會將寶珠裏在裏面繳來吧。如果第一日就繳來．那就行了。若是不繳來呢．第二日、第三日仍照這樣做去。如是．可使大家不受嫌疑．而將寶珠取回吧。』長老說畢自去。

> Later, one day, the jewel on the king's crown was lost. When the king heard of the jewel's disappearance, he commanded his ministers, "Arrest and search all those employed in the palace one by one, and have them produce the jewel." The ministers, starting with the palace maids, searched for the jewel from the crown, but found nothing, and many people fell under suspicion. That day, the Elder Ananda came to the royal palace. Usually, the palace maids were always delighted to see the Elder and listen to the Dharma, but that day everyone was downcast. Therefore, the Elder asked, "Ladies, why are you all so gloomy today?" The maids replied, "Venerable Sir, the ministers say they are searching for the jewel from the king's crown. Everyone employed in the palace, starting with the maids, is now suspected, and who knows what misfortune might befall any of us. That is why we are so disheartened." The Elder consoled them, "Do not worry." He then went to see the king and, seated in a specially prepared seat, said to the king, "Great King, I hear that your jewel has gone missing." The king said, "Venerable Sir, that is so." Ananda said, "Can the thief not be made to surrender it?" The king said, "I have had everyone in the palace apprehended and questioned, but they cannot be made to produce it." Ananda said, "I have a method by which everyone can be cleared of suspicion and the thief made to return the jewel." The king said, "What method is that?" Ananda said, "Great King, distribute grass bundles." The king said, "Venerable Sir, what grass bundles?" Ananda said, "Great King, please prepare grass bundles according to the number of suspects, and give each person a grass bundle and a lump of clay, with the instruction, 'Place it in such-and-such a place early in the morning.' The one who stole the jewel will then wrap it inside and hand it over. If it is produced on the first day, that will be fine. If not, then on the second day, and the third day, do the same. In this way, everyone can be cleared of suspicion, and the jewel retrieved." The Elder finished speaking and took his leave.

國王依照長老的話．備了三日草把．但寶珠卻沒有回來。到第三日長老來了．問道．『大王．寶珠回來了嗎。』王道．『不．尊師．還沒有。』阿難道．『那麼．大王啊．請在寬大的庭中低窪處擺一隻大缸．滿貯以水．四方張幕遮蔽起來．命「所有宮中所雇的人與宮女們．都著了外衣．各自走進幕內．洗了手然後出來。」』長老說了這個方法自去。國王依計而行．那盜取寶珠者自己想道．『聽說那被稱為法之寶庫的阿難師．承擔了此事．寶珠不出現是不罷休的。我還是把他放在大家所意想不到的地方吧。』於是暗自帶了寶珠．跑入幕內．丟在缸中而去。

> The king, following the elder's advice, prepared three days' worth of straw, but the jewel still did not return. On the third day, the elder came and asked, "Great king, has the jewel returned?" The king replied, "No, venerable sir, not yet." Ananda said, "Then, great king, please place a large jar in a low spot in the wide courtyard, fill it with water, and surround it with curtains on all sides. Have all the royal servants and palace women put on outer garments, enter the curtained area one by one, wash their hands, and then come out." After giving these instructions, the elder left. The king followed the plan, and the thief who had taken the jewel thought to himself, "I hear that the elder Ananda, known as the treasury of the Dharma, has taken up this matter and will not rest until the jewel reappears. I had better put it somewhere no one would think to look." So he secretly carried the jewel, slipped into the curtained area, dropped it into the jar, and left.

在大家從幕內出來之後．把缸中之水倒掉．寶珠就被發見了。國王非常歡喜．說道．『靠了長老的幫助．我不使大家受嫌疑．而得將寶珠取回。』那些宮中所雇的人們．說是『靠了長老的威德．我們能脫離大苦惱。』也十分高興。於是『靠了長老的威德．國王冠上的寶珠回來了。』這話就傳遍於全城的人民與比丘眾之間。

> After everyone had come out from behind the screen, the water in the jar was poured out, and the precious jewel was discovered. The king was overjoyed and said, "Thanks to the elder's help, I was able to recover the jewel without casting suspicion on anyone." The servants employed in the palace also rejoiced, saying, "Thanks to the elder's virtue and power, we have been freed from great distress." Thus, the words "Thanks to the elder's virtue and power, the jewel from the king's crown has been restored!" spread throughout the city among the people and the community of monks alike.

比丘眾集合法堂讚頌長老的功德道．『法友們啊．阿難長老靠著自身的博識、賢才與善巧的方便力．使大家不受嫌疑．用方便搜出了國王的寶珠了。』佛來到那裏．問道．『比丘們．現在你們會集於此作何談論。』比丘眾答道．『是如此這般的話。』佛道．『比丘們啊阿難取回已入他人之手的物品．並不始於今日．在前生．賢人們也曾使大家不受嫌疑．用方便把落入畜生之手的物品取回。』接著就講起過去之事來。

> The monks gathered in the assembly hall, praising the elder's virtues: "Friends, Elder Ananda, through his vast knowledge, wisdom, and skillful means, cleared everyone of suspicion and retrieved the king's jewel by clever strategy." The Buddha arrived there and asked, "Monks, what are you discussing here together now?" The monks replied, "It is thus and so." The Buddha said, "Monks, it is not only today that Ananda has recovered what had fallen into another's hands. In a past life, too, wise beings cleared everyone of suspicion and retrieved what had fallen into an animal's grasp by skillful means." Then he recounted a story of the past.