DonateZen HallLibrary
Skip to main content
  1. Buddha's Teaching on the Calf Sutra (佛說犢子經)
  1. Buddha Speaks the Calf Sutra (佛說犢子經)
  2. Buddha's Teaching on the Calf Sutra (佛說犢子經)

Buddha Speaks the Calf Sutra (佛說犢子經)

About 佛說犢子經

Wu · Source text translated by 支謙

627 · about 2 min

The Sutra of the Calf, Spoken by the Buddha, translated by the Scribe Zhi Qian of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period. Zhi Qian was a significant representative of early Chinese Buddhist translation, whose renderings are concise and elegant, deeply influenced by Han culture. This sutra belongs to the Āgama category, recording the Buddha's teachings to the Brahmin Calf on how sentient beings, due to ignorance and attachment, cycle through birth and death, and how liberation can be attained by cultivating the cessation of craving through practice. The text elucidates the law of cause and effect and the principle of dependent origination, emphasizing the importance of contemplative wisdom. This sutra reflects the systematic introduction of fundamental Buddhist doctrines during the early transmission of Buddhism to China, providing valuable literature for the study of Han and Wei Buddhist thought and translation history, holding an important position within Chinese Buddhist scriptures.


佛說犢子經

Calf Sutra

吳月氏優婆塞支謙譯

Translated by Zhi Qian, Upasaka of the Yuezhi Kingdom

聞如是:

Thus have I heard:

一時佛在舍衛國祇洹阿那邠遲阿藍精舍。

Once, the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, near Śrāvastī.

爾時佛遇風患,當須牛乳。時有婆羅門大富,去城不遠。時佛遣阿難言:「汝往到婆羅門家從乞牛乳。」

At that time, the Buddha was afflicted by a wind ailment and needed cow's milk. There was a wealthy Brahmin who lived not far from the city. The Buddha said to Ananda, "Go to the Brahmin's home and ask for some cow's milk."

阿難受教而往,便至婆羅門家。婆羅門問阿難言:「來何所求?」
阿難言:「如來向者小遇風患,故遣我乞牛乳耳。」
婆羅門言:「牛在彼間,自𤚲取之。」
阿難即往到牛群所。有一牸牛,性常弊惡,無人能近。阿難即自思惟:「我法不應自𤚲取牛乳。」
爾時帝釋知阿難所念,即來,化作婆羅門像,在牛邊立。阿難往倩言:「婆羅門!為我𤚲取牛乳。」
語牛言:「如來遇小風患。汝與乳湩,令如來服之。差者,汝得福無量,不可稱計。如來者,是天上、天下之大師也。當以慈心憂念一切蠕動之類,欲令度脫一切苦惱。」
牛言:「此手捫摸我乳,一何快耶!前兩乳取去,置後兩乳用遺我子。我子朝來未有所食。」
爾時犢子在邊立住,聞有佛名,即語母言:「持我乳分盡用與佛。佛者,天上、天下之大師也。甚難得值。我自食草,飲水,足得活耳。何以故?我先身以來常飲乳食,今當生牛身亦復飲乳。世間愚癡者甚多無量。我先世時坐隨惡知識教,不信佛經,使我作牛、作馬經十六劫,而今乃得聞有佛名。持我所食分,盡用與佛,滿器而去,令我後世智慧聰明,得道如佛。」
阿難持乳還至佛所。
佛問阿難:「彼牛母子有何言說?」
阿難言:「大可怪也。牛先甚大弊惡,不可得近。有一婆羅門為我𤚲乳,牛即調善。母子共說。」
佛言:「此牛子母先世時不信佛經故,墮牛、馬中經十六劫。今乃得悟,聞有佛名,便有慈心,以乳施佛。彼牛母子後世,當為彌勒佛沙門弟子,得大羅漢。犢子死後,當為我懸繒、幡、蓋,散華,燒香,受持經戒。過二十劫後當作佛,名乳光如來,度脫一切。」
佛言:「牛以好善心意與佛乳故,度諸苦難,後得無量福報。以是因緣,佛不可不信,經不可不讀,道不可不學。普告天上、天下,皆悉令知。」
佛說犢子經

CBETA Code: T0808

© AI 帮你读佛经 - 如是我闻

This document is for personal learning only. Do not use for commercial purposes.

Visit rushiwowen.co

Copyright: Original texts from CBETA
AI translation for reference only — not authoritative, not a statement of final truth. Awakening of the Dharma requires personal practice.