---
title: "菩薩本緣經 · 6 兔品"
description: "菩萨本缘经由三国时期吴国译经家支谦翻译。该经汇集了佛陀过去生行菩萨道时的本生故事，以譬喻和叙事生动阐释了大乘佛教的核心教义，如六度四摄、慈悲喜舍、自利利他的菩萨精神。其内容深刻影响了汉传佛教菩萨思想的形成与发展，是早期大乘佛典的重要代表，为修行者提供了践行菩萨道的典范，在佛教经典中具有崇高的地位。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmdztnjz300qul404f0xui18v"
---

## 菩薩本緣經卷下

> Sutra on the Causes and Conditions of the Bodhisattva's Original Life, Part 3

僧伽斯那撰

> Compiled by Sanghasena

吳月支優婆塞支謙字恭明譯

> Translated by Layman Zhi Qian of Wu

### 兔品第六

> Chapter 6: The Rabbit

菩薩摩訶薩， 若墮於畜生，所行諸善法， 外道不能及。

> A Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, Even if reborn among animals, Performs virtuous deeds so pure That even heretics cannot surpass them.

如我曾聞：

> Thus have I heard:

菩薩往昔，曾為兔身，以其先世餘業因緣，雖受兔身，善於人語，言常至誠無有虛誑；智慧成就遠離瞋恚，於人天中最為第一；慈悲熏心，調和軟善，悉能消滅諸魔因緣；言行相副，真實無諂，殺害之心永無復有；安住不動，如須彌山，與無量兔而為上首，常為諸兔，而說是言：「汝等不知墮惡道耶！是身可患。夫惡道者，地獄、畜生、餓鬼、阿修羅，如是等名為惡道，汝等今當至心諦聽，墮惡道因緣，所謂十惡。

> In a past life, the Bodhisattva was born as a rabbit. Due to the karmic remnants of his previous existences, though he took the form of a rabbit, he could speak human language, and his words were always sincere and truthful, never false. His wisdom was complete, free from anger and ill will, and he stood foremost among humans and devas. His heart was steeped in compassion, gentle and kind, and he had the power to dispel all causes of Mara's influence. His deeds matched his words, honest and without flattery, and all thoughts of killing had long vanished from his mind. He was steadfast and unmovable, like Mount Sumeru, and served as the leader of countless rabbits. To all the rabbits, he often taught: "Do you not know that you have fallen into the realm of suffering? This body is a source of affliction. The evil destinies are the hells, the animal realm, the hungry ghosts, and the asuras—these are called the evil destinies. Now listen closely with full attention. The causes of falling into these evil destinies are the ten unwholesome deeds."

「我於往昔，曾聞諸仙分別開示，心亦思惟，今當為汝略解說之。四法根本多諸過患，所謂貪欲、瞋恚、愚癡、憍慢。因貪欲心行十惡者，墮於餓鬼；因瞋恚心行十惡者，墮於畜生；因愚癡心行十惡者，墮於地獄；因憍慢心行十惡者，墮阿修羅，因此四法所往之處，常受苦惱。

> I once heard various enlightened teachers explain this, and I have reflected on it deeply. Now let me offer you a brief explanation. There are four root causes that bring countless troubles: desire, anger, ignorance, and arrogance. Those who commit evil deeds driven by desire fall into the realm of hungry ghosts. Those who act wrongly out of anger are reborn as animals. Those who live in ignorance and do harm descend into hell. And those who harm others through arrogance are cast into the realm of fighting spirits. Wherever these four forces lead, suffering follows.

「汝等當觀地獄中有猛火熾然、利刀㓟剝，常為狗犬之所噉食，鐵𭉨諸烏挑啄其目，灰河壞身猶如微塵，復為諸椎之所打碎，利斧刀劍截其手足，寒冷惡風吹襞其身。二山相拍身處其中。汝等當知，設我盡壽至百千世，解說如是地獄眾生不能得盡，如是地獄有種種苦。

> You should observe that in the hells, fierce flames blaze fiercely, sharp knives peel and flay the flesh, and beings are constantly devoured by dogs and vultures. Iron-beaked birds peck out their eyes, and rivers of ash destroy their bodies until they are like fine dust. They are crushed by hammers, and their hands and feet are severed by sharp axes, swords, and blades. Bitter, freezing winds blow and shrivel their bodies. Two mountains crash together, crushing those trapped between them. Know this: even if I were to describe the suffering of hell beings for my entire life, spanning a hundred thousand generations, I could never exhaust the account. Such is the multitude of torments in the hells.

「汝今復當聽餓鬼中種種諸苦，所謂飢渴所逼，身體乾枯，於無量歲初，不曾聞漿水之名。乃至穢糞，求不能得，頭髮長利，纏繞其身，故令身中支節火然，遙望見水至則火坑，飢渴所逼往趣糞穢，復有惡鬼神持刀杖固遮，今說此事，倍令我心驚畏怖懼。

> Now hear further of the many sufferings in the realm of hungry ghosts. Tormented by hunger and thirst, their bodies wither and dry. For countless years, they never even hear the name of water or gruel. Even filth and excrement, they cannot find. Their hair grows long and sharp, wrapping around their bodies, causing the joints within to burn like fire. From afar they see water, but when they approach, it turns into a pit of flames. Driven by hunger and thirst, they seek out filth, yet vicious ghosts and spirits block their way with swords and clubs. Hearing this recounted now fills my heart with even greater shock and terror.

「阿修羅者，雖受五欲與天無別，憍慢自高無謙下心，遠善知識不信三寶，亦復不為善友所護，於世間中起顛倒想，雖見諸佛心無敬信，於上諸天常生惡心，繫念伺求諸天過失。汝等當知憍慢之結，多諸過咎無所利益。所以眾生不成道果，無不由此憍慢熾盛，自是非彼譏刺呵責，世間眾生以憍慢故，增長邪見，邪見因緣誹謗三寶。謗三寶故受阿修羅，阿修羅中所受眾苦，若為故欲盡說不可得盡。

> The Asuras, though they experience the five pleasures of the senses just like the gods, are full of pride and self-importance, lacking any humility. They distance themselves from wise teachers, do not believe in the Three Jewels, and are not protected by virtuous friends. They hold distorted views of the world, and even when they see the Buddhas, their minds harbor no respect or faith. Toward the higher gods, they constantly harbor ill will, always watching and seeking out the gods' faults. You should know that the knot of pride brings many harms and no benefit at all. The reason sentient beings fail to attain the fruit of enlightenment is none other than this blazing pride. It makes them elevate themselves and belittle others, mocking and reproaching those around them. Because of pride, sentient beings in the world grow in wrong views, and because of wrong views, they slander the Three Jewels. Due to slandering the Three Jewels, they are reborn as Asuras. The sufferings endured in the Asura realm—if one tried to describe them all completely, they could never be fully told.

「以愚癡因緣墮畜生中多受眾苦，受種種形、食種種食、種種語言行住不同。無足、二足、四足、多足水陸空行，牛、羊、駝、驢、猪、豚、雞、狗、飛鳥、走獸，如是等輩，常為愚癡之所覆蔽。常處盲冥無有智慧，各各相於起殺害想，互相怖畏猶如怨賊，常為獵師屠膾所殺，復為師子、虎狼、犲犬無量惡獸之所爴食。常墮坑、坎、󱹍、索羅網，生則負重，死則㓟剝，駕犁挽車鐵鉤鉤𣃆，䩭靽拘執。常苦飢渴，口乾舌燥，雖有所須口不能宣。稚小孤迸，遠離父母，水草無量，常不充足，畜生惡報，世間現見，是故我今略為汝等而解說之。

> Driven by ignorance, beings fall into the animal realm and endure countless sufferings. They take various forms, eat various foods, and differ in speech and behavior. Some have no feet, some two, some four, some many; they dwell on land, in water, or in the air. Cattle, sheep, camels, donkeys, pigs, chickens, dogs, birds, and wild beasts—all are perpetually shrouded in ignorance. They live in darkness without wisdom, each harboring thoughts of killing others, fearing one another as if facing robbers. They are constantly slain by hunters and butchers, and torn apart by lions, tigers, wolves, jackals, and countless other ferocious creatures. They continually fall into pits, traps, and nets. In life, they bear heavy loads; in death, they are skinned and flayed. They are yoked to plows and carts, hooked with iron barbs, bridled and bound. They perpetually suffer hunger and thirst, with parched mouths and dry tongues—though they have needs, they cannot voice them. When young, they are left solitary, separated from their parents; water and grass are plentiful, yet never sufficient. The miserable retribution of animals is plainly visible in this world, so now I will briefly explain it to you all.

「如我先業惡因緣故，受是兔身，唯食水草恒多怖畏，是故汝等應修善法，善法因緣生天人中，雖人道中有諸苦惱劇於諸天，猶當發願，願生人中。譬如官法為犯罪者造作土窖，凡有三重：重罪之人置在最下；中罪之人置之中間；罪極輕者置于上重。行惡業者，亦復如是，極重惡者墮于地獄，中品惡者受畜生身，最下品者生餓鬼中。遠離如是三品惡已，得生人中，生人中已，行善不善；行上善者，入於涅槃如己舍宅。」是時，兔王常為諸兔宣說如是善妙之言。

> "Because of the evil karma from my past deeds, I was born as a rabbit, surviving only on grass and water, living in constant fear. Therefore, you should cultivate good deeds. Through the causes and conditions of wholesome actions, you will be reborn among humans or devas. Although the human realm has its own sufferings, even more intense than those of the devas, you should still aspire to be reborn as humans. This is like the law of officials who build earthen pits for criminals, with three levels: the most serious offenders are placed at the bottom, those of moderate offenses in the middle, and those with the lightest offenses at the top. The same applies to those who commit evil deeds—those with the heaviest evil fall into hell, those with moderate evil are reborn as animals, and those with the lightest evil are born as hungry ghosts. After escaping these three levels of evil, one is reborn as a human. Once born as a human, one may do good or evil; those who do the highest good enter nirvana as easily as returning to their own home." At that time, the rabbit king constantly taught these virtuous and skillful words to all the rabbits.

爾時，有一婆羅門種，厭世出家修學仙法，不惱眾生離欲去愛；和顏而言身無麤獷，飲水食果及諸根藥；少欲知足修寂靜行，長養髮爪為梵行相。是時，仙人忽於一時遙聞兔王為兔說法，聞已心悔，而作是言：「我今雖得生於人中，愚癡無智不如是兔，生在兔中曉了善法。譬如日光障蔽月光，我亦如是。雖生人中為彼畜生之所障蔽，彼雖畜生或是正法之將、或是梵王大自在天，我今聞彼所說之法，心調柔和，譬如人熱入清冷水。怪哉師子！多行惡業，受是獸身，云何復當殺如是兔？如是兔者，乃是純善，形雖如是乃能修行仙聖之法，雖生畜生，而能宣說善惡之相。我從本來無可諮稟尊敬之處，今得遇之甚善無量。」

> At that time, there was a Brahmin who, weary of worldly life, had left home to cultivate the way of the immortals. He did not trouble living beings and had cast off desire and attachment. He spoke with a gentle countenance, his body free of roughness, sustaining himself on water, fruits, and various root medicines. He was content with little and practiced a quiet, disciplined life, letting his hair and nails grow as marks of his ascetic path. Then, one day, this immortal heard from afar the Rabbit King teaching the Dharma to the rabbits. Hearing it, he felt regret and said to himself: "Although I have been born as a human, I am foolish and without wisdom, not equal to this rabbit, who, though born among animals, clearly understands the true Dharma. It is like the sunlight dimming the moonlight—so it is with me. Though born human, I am overshadowed by that beast. Though it be an animal, perhaps it is a champion of the true Dharma, or even the Great Brahma or Maheśvara. Now that I have heard the Dharma it speaks, my mind has become calm and gentle, like one who, in the heat, steps into cool, clear water." "How strange that a lion, who commits many evil deeds and has taken on this beastly body, would ever harm such a rabbit! For this rabbit is pure goodness itself. Though its form is humble, it cultivates the way of the sages and immortals, and though born as an animal, it proclaims the distinction between good and evil. From the beginning, I have had no one to turn to for guidance or to look up to in reverence. Now that I have met such a being, how truly wonderful and boundless is this good fortune."

是時仙人，即起合掌，往至兔所。至兔所，已却坐一面，合掌向兔，而作是言：「汝是正法之身，將不受兔身，所有必定純善之法，唯願為我具足說之。我所修學長養鬚髮、草衣、食果今實厭之，譬如鑽氷求酥是實難得，我亦如是。終身長髮、草衣、食果，雖修苦行正法難得。我今雖得生於人中，受人形體，遠善知識，修行惡法，如七葉華正可遠瞻不中親近，我亦如是。修行惡法，有智之人，視之遠去終不親近，汝真梵王假受兔身。」

> At that time, the ascetic immediately rose, pressed his palms together in reverence, and approached the rabbit. When he reached the rabbit, he sat down to one side, and with joined palms, addressed the rabbit, saying: "You embody the true Dharma itself. You do not cling to the form of a rabbit, and within you reside all pure and virtuous qualities. Please teach me these teachings completely. I have grown weary of my practice—nurturing my long hair and beard, wearing clothes of grass, and living on wild fruits. It is like trying to churn ice for butter; truly, such a thing is impossible to obtain. Likewise, even if I maintain long hair for life, wear grass garments, and subsist on fruit, the true Dharma cannot be found through such ascetic toil alone. Though I have been born human and possess a human body, I have kept far from wise and virtuous friends, and instead practiced unwholesome ways. Like the seven-leaf flower, which can only be admired from a distance and is not fit to be approached closely, so too am I. Those with wisdom see a person practicing unwholesome deeds and keep far away, never drawing near. Truly, you are the great Brahma himself, merely assuming the form of a rabbit."

兔時答言：「大婆羅門！若我所言悅可汝心甚不愛也。所以者何？我久已離慳悋之結。往昔發心，便當涅槃，但為眾生故，久住生死。」

> The rabbit replied, "Great Brahmin! If what I say pleases your heart, that is not something I would wish for. Why? Because I have long since shed the bonds of miserliness. In the past, I made a vow and would have entered Nirvana, but for the sake of sentient beings, I have remained long in the cycle of birth and death."

時，婆羅門聞是語已，心生歡喜：「汝是大士，能為眾生久處是中。」即便隨逐經歷多年，飲水噉果與兔無別。是時，世人多行惡法，以是因緣，令天炎旱，草木華果枯乾不出，海池井泉諸水燋涸，其地所有林木蓬茹蒿草，土地人民收拾去盡。

> At that time, the Brahmin, upon hearing these words, was filled with joy and said, “You are a great being, able to remain here for the sake of sentient beings through the long ages.” And so he followed and accompanied him for many years, drinking water and eating fruits just like the rabbit. In those days, the people of the world committed many evil deeds, and because of this, the heavens became scorching and dry, vegetation withered, flowers and fruits failed to grow, rivers, ponds, wells, and springs all dried up, and the land was stripped of all trees, shrubs, and grasses, which the people had gathered and carried away.

時，婆羅門飢窮困苦，和顏向兔而作是言：「我今欲去，願不見責。」

兔聞是已，即生念言：「今此大仙不樂此處，故欲相捨。」即前問言：「此處何過，有何相犯？大仙當觀身服如是蒭草之衣，令心愁惱非所宜也，如婆羅門入婬女舍，甚非家法也。」

婆羅門言：「汝之所說實入我心，是處清淨實無過患，諸兔自修亦不相犯。但我薄祐困乏飲食，是故俛仰欲相捨去。汝今當觀一切眾生，無不因食以活此身，汝之所說善妙法要，今雖遠離，要當終身佩之心府不令忘失。汝復當知我心無慈，為穢食故，而相捨離。」

時兔答言：「汝所為者，蓋是小事，云何乃欲相捨離去？」

婆羅門言：「我空飲水，已經多日，恐命不全，是故置宜欲相捨離。」

兔聞是已，念言：「善哉！是婆羅門，乃能為法飲水多日。」即便說言：「汝若去者，我則更無如是福田，唯願仁者明受我請。雖知菩薩，於福田中心無分別，然施極苦飢渴眾生其福最大；雖知二目是常所護，然當先救苦痛之處。汝今是我親善知識，是我所尊有大功德，是故我今欲設微供。汝今當知，人有四種，施亦有四：所謂下者、下中下者、智者、智中智者。云何下者？施時發心求於諸有；下中下者：以畏怖故行於布施；智者：有恭敬心而行布施；智中智者：有大悲心而行布施。我今於是四施之中趣行一施，唯願明旦必受我請。」

時，婆羅門即作是念：「此兔今日為何所見？見死鹿耶？或死兔乎？」心即歡喜然火誦呪。

是兔其夜多集乾薪，告諸兔言：「汝等當知，是婆羅門，今欲捨我遠去他家，我甚愁惱身體戰慄。世法如是無常別離，虛誑不實猶如幻化，合會有離猶如秋雨，有為之法有如是等無量過患，諸行如夢熱時之炎，眾生命盡無可還者。汝等今者，知世法如是而不能離，是故汝等要當精勤壞三有乎！」爾時，兔王竟夜不眠，為諸兔眾說法如是。夜既終已，清旦地了於薪聚邊即便吹火，火然之後，語婆羅門言：「我昨請汝欲設微供，今已具辦，願必食之。何以故？智人集財欲以布施，受者憐愍要必受用；若有凡人多畜財寶以施於人，此不為難。我今貧窮施乃為難，唯願哀矜必定受之；我今深心清淨啟請，唯願仁者必受不疑。」說是語已，復自慰喻：「我今為他受安樂故，自捨己身，無所貪惜大如毫釐。如是福報，願諸眾生證無上智。」自慰喻已，投身火坑。

時，婆羅門見是事已，心驚毛竪，即於火上而挽出之。無常之命，即便斷滅，諦觀心悶抱置膝上，對之嗚唼並作是言：「愛法之士、慈愍大仙、調御船師！為利眾生，捨身壽命，今何所至？我今敬禮為歸依主。我處此山長髮重擔，雖經多年無所利益；我願從今常相頂戴，願汝功德具足成就；令我來世常為弟子。」說是語已，還持兔身，置之於地，頭面作禮，復還抱捉猶如赤子，即共死兔俱投火坑。

爾時，釋天知是事已，大設供養收骨起塔。菩薩摩訶薩，修行如是尸波羅蜜，不誑於世。