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  1. Ant Metaphor Sutra (佛說蟻喻經)
  1. Ant Metaphor Sutra (蟻喻經)
  2. Ant Metaphor Sutra (佛說蟻喻經)

Ant Metaphor Sutra (蟻喻經)

About 蟻喻經

Song · Source text translated by 施護

870 · about 3 min

The Ant Sutra is an important Buddhist scripture translated during the Northern Song Dynasty by the Indian monk Shihu, belonging to the Āgama collection. Using ants as a metaphor, this sutra explains how sentient beings remain trapped in the cycle of birth and death due to ignorance, unable to attain liberation, emphasizing the importance of diligent practice and the insight of wisdom. The text is concise and vivid in its analogies, holding a significant place in Buddhism. It is often used to elucidate the doctrine of dependent origination and the practice of cultivation, serving as one of the key scriptures for understanding early Buddhist teachings. Shihu's Chinese translation provides a valuable document for the study of Buddhist translation and the spread of ideas during the Song Dynasty.


佛說蟻喻經
西天譯經三藏朝奉大夫試光祿卿傳法大師賜紫臣施護奉 詔譯
爾時,世尊放大光明普照耀已,告苾芻眾言:「汝等當知:於一時中有諸蟻聚,夜中出煙,晝日火然。有一婆羅門,見是事已,乃作是言:『若有執持快利刀者,必能破散其聚。』如是言已,次復見一大龜。其婆羅門亦作是言:『若有執持快利刀者,必能破壞。』次見諸水母蟲,次見一水蛭蟲,次見諸阿西蘇那蟲,次見一大蛇,次見一挼陀鉢他蟲,次見一[昝-人+几]哥嚩吒蟲。其婆羅門見彼諸蟲已,皆如前言。最後見一大龍。婆羅門言:『如我所見,其事云何?唯佛世尊悉能了知。』即時往詣一苾芻所,具陳上事,復言:『苾芻!汝以此事為我問佛,使我疑心而得開曉!如佛所說,我當憶持。何以故?苾芻!我不見彼天、人世間沙門、婆羅門眾中,有以此義能問佛者,是故不能使諸疑心而得開曉。』
「時彼苾芻即如其言,來詣我所,到已,禮足,退住一面,具陳上事已,復發問言:『如婆羅門所見蟻聚,其事云何?夜中出煙、晝日火然,此復云何?又見大龜、水母蟲、水蛭蟲、阿西蘇那蟲、大蛇、挼陀鉢他蟲、[昝-人+几]哥嚩吒蟲、大龍。此等所見,皆是何相?即彼婆羅門復是何人?何故名為利刀破散?願佛為說!』
「諸苾芻!我時謂彼苾芻言:『其蟻聚者,即是一切眾生五蘊聚身。夜中出煙者,即是眾生起諸尋伺。晝日火然者,即是眾生隨所尋伺,起身、語業。大龜者,即是五鄣染法。水母蟲者,即是忿恚。水蛭蟲者,即是慳嫉。阿西蘇那蟲者,即是五欲之法。蛇者,即是無明。挼陀鉢他蟲者,是疑惑。[昝-人+几]哥嚩吒蟲者,是我慢。龍者,即是諸阿羅漢。婆羅門者,即是如來、應供、正等正覺。快利者,即是有智之人。刀者,即是智慧。破散者,即是發起精進勝行。』
「諸苾芻!於汝意云何?彼所見相,以要言之,即是一切眾生五蘊聚身——羯邏藍等,父母不淨之所出生,四大合成,虛假色相,麁惡劣弱,積集苦惱,畢竟破壞。而諸眾生不能覺知,於晝夜中起諸尋伺,而身、語業不善施作,五鄣煩惱之所覆蔽,耽著五欲,增長無明,生我慢心,於諸聖法疑惑不決,忿恚、慳嫉念念發起,不求解脫。是故如來、應供、正等正覺,欲令諸有智者發精進行,修習智慧,斷諸煩惱,趣證聖果。汝諸苾芻!已盡諸漏,證阿羅漢果,故說如龍。
「復次,諸苾芻!過去未來諸佛世尊,悲愍、利樂一切眾生,欲令斷諸煩惱,趣證聖果,為諸聲聞廣說是義。我於今日亦如諸佛,乃以此緣為汝宣說。汝諸苾芻!憶念是事,當於曠野空舍、山間樹下、巖穴菴室諸寂靜處,諦心思惟,觀察是義,無令放逸,生退轉心,亦復轉為他人開示、教導,普令修習,得大利樂。」
爾時世尊為諸苾芻如是說已,而諸苾芻皆悉信受。
佛說蟻喻經

CBETA Code: T0095

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