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  1. Arrow Parable Sutra (佛說箭喻經)
  1. Arrow Sutra (箭喻經)
  2. Arrow Parable Sutra (佛說箭喻經)

Arrow Sutra (箭喻經)

About 箭喻經

1,498 · about 5 min

The Arrow Sutra is a teaching of the Buddha included in the Majjhima Nikaya of the Pali Canon, recounted by the Venerable Malunkyaputta. This sutra originated during the early Buddhist sectarian period, around the 3rd century BCE. Its main content uses the metaphor of an arrow to illustrate the Buddha’s refusal to engage in metaphysical questions such as whether the world is eternal or not, emphasizing instead the importance of practical cultivation. It points out that becoming entangled in futile speculation is like someone struck by an arrow who, instead of removing the arrow and seeking treatment, persists in asking about the arrow’s material—thereby only delaying liberation. In Theravada Buddhism, this sutra holds a revered status and is celebrated as a model of the pragmatic spirit of early Buddhism. It established Buddhism’s focus on ending suffering rather than engaging in empty philosophical debate, profoundly influencing later Buddhist thought.


佛說箭喻經
失譯人名今附東晉錄
聞如是:
一時,婆伽婆在舍衛城祇樹給孤獨園。彼時,尊者摩羅鳩摩羅,獨在靜處,有是念生:「謂世尊棄邪見、除邪見,不記說世間有常、世間無常,世間有邊、世間無邊,命是身、命異身異,有如此命終、無有命終、有此無有此、無有命終。我不能忍、我所不用、我所不樂。世尊若一向記世間有常者,我當從行梵行;若世尊不一向記世間,世間有常者,論已當離去。如是世間,世間有邊、世間無有邊,命是身、命異身異,有如此命終、無有命終、有此無有此、無有命終。若世尊一向記我言真諦、餘者愚癡者,我當行梵行。若世尊不一向記我言真諦、餘者愚癡者,我問已當離還。」於是尊者摩羅鳩摩羅從下晡起,至世尊所,到已禮世尊足,却坐一面。尊者摩羅鳩摩羅却坐一面已,白世尊曰:「唯世尊!我在靜處,有是念生:『謂世尊棄邪見、除邪見,不記說世間有常乃至無有命終。此者我不欲,我不能忍、不能樂。若世尊一向知世間有常者,世尊當記之;世尊若一向不知世間有常者,但直言我不能知。如是世間無常至無有命終,若世尊一向知我言真諦、餘者愚癡,世尊當記之;若世尊不知我言真諦、餘者愚癡者,直言我不能知。』」
「此摩羅鳩摩羅!我前頗向汝說。若我記世間有常,汝便從我行梵行耶?」
「不也。唯世尊!」
「如是世間無常至無有命終,若我記我言真諦、餘者愚癡者,汝當從我行梵行耶?」
「不也。唯世尊!」
「汝摩羅鳩摩羅前頭向我說:『若世尊一向記世間有常者,我當從行梵行耶?』」
「不也。唯世尊!」
「如是世間無常至無有命終,若世尊記我言真諦、餘者愚癡者,我當從行梵行耶?」
「不也。唯世尊!」
「此摩羅鳩摩羅!我本不向汝說,汝本不向我說,汝愚癡人!無所因而罵耶?」於是尊者摩羅鳩摩羅面被世尊責,默然無言,身面汗,迴其面默然無言。
彼時世尊,面責摩羅鳩摩羅已,告諸比丘:「若有愚癡人,作是念:『我不從世尊行梵行,要令世尊一向記世間有常。』彼愚癡人不自知,中間當命終。『如是世間無常至無有命終,我不從世尊行梵行,要令世尊記我言真諦、餘者愚癡。』彼人不自知,中間命終。猶若有人身中毒箭,彼親屬慈愍之,欲令安隱、欲饒益之,求索除毒箭師。於是彼人作是念:『我不除箭,要知彼人己姓是、字是、像是,若長若短若中,若黑若白,若剎利姓、若婆羅門姓、若居士姓、若工師姓,若東方南方西方北方誰以箭中我?我不除毒箭,要當知彼弓,為是薩羅木、為是多羅木、為是翅羅鴦掘梨木?我不除毒箭,要當知彼筋,若牛筋、若羊筋、若氂牛筋,而用纏彼弓?我不除毒箭,要知彼弓弝,為白骨耶、為黑漆耶、為赤漆耶?我不除毒箭,我要當知彼弓弦,為牛筋、羊筋、氂牛筋耶?我不除毒箭,要當知彼箭,為是舍羅木、為是竹耶、為是羅蛾梨木耶?我不除毒箭,要當知彼箭筋,為是牛筋、羊筋、氂牛筋耶,而用纏箭耶?我不除毒箭,要當知彼毛羽,是孔雀耶、為是鶬鶴耶、為是鷲耶,取彼翅用作羽?我不除毒箭,要當知彼鐵,為是婆蹉耶、為是婆羅耶、為是那羅耶、為是伽羅鞞耶?我不除毒箭,要當知彼鐵師,姓是、字是、像是,若長若短若中,若黑若白,若在東方若南方若西方若北方?』彼人亦不能知,於中間當命終。如是,若有愚癡人作是念:『我不從彼世尊行梵行,要令世尊記世間是常。』彼愚癡人不自知,於中間當命終。如是世間非是常、世間有邊至無有命終。若有愚癡人作是念:『我不從彼世尊行梵行,要令世尊作是記我言真諦、餘者愚癡。』彼愚癡人不自知,於中間當命終。世間有常,有此邪見,亦當於我行於梵行。如是世間無常至無有命終,此邪見者,亦當於我行梵行。世間有常,有此邪見,不應從我行梵行。如是世間無常至無有命終,有此邪見,不應從我行梵行。世間有常,無此邪見,亦當從我行梵行。如是世間無常至無有命終,無此邪見者,亦當從我行梵行。世間有常,無此邪見,不應從我行梵行。如是世間無常至無有命終,無此邪見,不應從我行梵行。世間有常,有生有老有病有死,有憂慼啼哭不樂,如是此大苦陰是習。如是世間無常至無有命終,有生有老,至大苦陰是習。世間有常,此不可記;如是世間無常至無有命終,此不可記。云何不可記?此非是義,亦非法,非是梵行,不成神通,不至等道,不與涅槃相應,是故不可記。云何是我所一向記?此苦我一向記。苦習、苦盡住處,我一向記。何以故?我一向記,此是義,是法,得成神通,行梵行,至等道,與涅槃相應,是故我一向記之。所可不記者當棄彼,我所記者當持之。」
佛如是說。彼諸比丘聞世尊所說,歡喜而樂。
佛說箭喻經

CBETA Code: T0094

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