---
title: "生經 · 29 佛說弟子過命經"
description: "竺法护是西晋时期著名译经家，祖籍月氏，世居敦煌。他深感当时佛教经典匮乏，发愿西行求法，带回并翻译了大量佛典。《生经》便是其重要译作之一，由诸多佛陀本生故事汇集而成，主要讲述释迦牟尼佛在过去世中，为菩萨时修行慈悲喜舍、救度众生的种种事迹。该经不仅是研究本生故事和早期佛教思想的重要文献，也为大乘菩萨道的实践提供了经典依据，在汉传佛教经典体系中占有独特地位，对后世佛教文学和艺术产生了深远影响。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmdztnp9w014pl404b94choxr"
---

### 佛說弟子過命經第二十九

聞如是：

一時佛遊舍衛祇樹給孤獨園，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。爾時，異比丘有弟子，志性溫雅，功德殊異，意行仁賢，至誠安隱。身常侍從宿衛和上，恭順良謹，精進難及，順從法教，不違師命。於時短命，宿世所鍾，其壽薄少，幼小亡沒，即生天上。在忉利宮，適生天上，則觀天上不久堅固，但覩大火。「吾本所志，不得如意，不至究竟，與善師友不能相守。今捨善師反隨惡友，於是違遠至尊和上，及阿夷梨眾、諸等類修梵行者——四輩弟子、比丘、比丘尼、清信士、清信女。有佛世尊，普一切智，其慧遍見，號曰如來、至真、等正覺。今悉違遠大聖世尊、和上、師友及諸同學，無央數劫百千之數，難值難見，興于世間，不可得遇。講說經典，深妙優奧難限，未曾所念，口不發言，而為安隱，皆開化之，分別智慧，說諸緣起，各各解了。所從有因，無央數劫，所未聞見，悉為解決。吾本遭遇和上可值此經典法律，棄家為道，得作沙門，不至超異。如是等類，所當興立，不得究竟，今反當為放逸行乎？今吾寧可先詣世尊諮受經義。」則自曉責，感傷己身。即以其夜，威神光光，明徹遠照，往詣世尊，稽首足下，却住一面。佛見其心真正樂道，純淑在法，為說四諦苦集盡道，即見四諦。於是世尊，如其本根，而為分別。得至果證，歡喜踊躍，受其嚴戒，稽首佛足，右三遶已，忽然不現。

> Once, the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove in the garden of Anathapindika, accompanied by a great gathering of twelve hundred and fifty monks. At that time, one of the monks had a disciple whose nature was gentle and refined, his virtue was extraordinary, and his conduct was kind and wise, sincere and peaceful. He always attended to his teacher, serving and staying close to him, respectful and devoted, diligent without equal, following the teachings and never disobeying his master’s instructions. However, he died young due to the effects of past karma; his life was brief, and he passed away while still young, then was reborn in heaven, in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Having just been born in that heaven, he observed that even heaven itself is not permanent and will eventually be consumed by great fire. He reflected: “The path I originally set my mind on did not come to completion—I did not reach the ultimate goal, and I was unable to remain with my virtuous teachers and friends. Now I have abandoned good guides and fallen in with evil companions. I have distanced myself from my honored teacher, the preceptor, and all the fellow practitioners of the pure life—the fourfold community of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. And the World-Honored Buddha, possessor of all wisdom, whose insight sees all, is called the Thus-Come One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Awakened One. Now I am far from the great Sage, the World-Honored One, my teacher, my friends, and all my fellow students—for countless eons, a hundred thousand kalpas, this encounter is difficult to meet, rare to see, and now I have lost it. “The Dharma teaching he proclaims is profound, subtle, and vast beyond measure—I have never even conceived of such wisdom. Without speaking aloud, he brings peace and transforms beings, distinguishing wisdom, explaining dependent origination, so that each person can understand. The causes behind everything, things I have never seen or heard in countless eons—he resolves them all. I once encountered my teacher and was able to find this scripture and Dharma, leave home to pursue the path, and become a monk, yet I did not attain transcendence. So many things that should have been accomplished were never completed. Should I now instead become careless and indulgent? Rather, I shall first go to the World-Honored One and receive instruction in the meaning of the teachings.” He then reproached himself, feeling deep remorse for his own condition. That very night, with divine power shining brightly and illuminating far and wide, he went to the World-Honored One, bowed his head at his feet, and stood to one side. The Buddha, seeing that his mind was truly joyful in the path and sincerely devoted to the Dharma, spoke to him of the Four Noble Truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. He then directly realized the Four Truths. Then the World-Honored One, according to his root nature, explained things in detail. Having attained fruition, he rejoiced and leaped with joy, received the solemn precepts, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, and then instantly disappeared.

於時和上，心念弟子功德性行，愁憂感結，泣涕雨淚，不能自解，等類諫喻，不能究思。於時比丘往啟世尊，世尊告曰：「呼比丘來。」問之：「比丘！何為憂惱，不能自解？」比丘白曰：「弟子終沒。」佛言：「何故愁憂不能自解？」比丘白曰：「唯然。世尊！我彼弟子，甚大良謹，仁賢溫雅，名德難量，未有究竟，而中夭沒，以故憂悒，不能自寬。」

> At that time, the teacher was mentally reflecting on his disciple's virtuous conduct and innate qualities. Overcome with sorrow and grief, he wept tears and could not console himself. Despite the exhortations and advice of his peers, he remained unable to find clarity. Then a monk went to inform the World-Honored One. The World-Honored One said, "Bring that monk here." When he arrived, the Buddha asked him, "Monk, why are you so troubled and unable to find peace?" The monk replied, "My disciple has passed away." The Buddha asked again, "Why do you grieve so deeply that you cannot find peace?" The monk answered, "Yes, World-Honored One. That disciple of mine was exceptionally gentle, virtuous, refined, and kind, with merits and virtue beyond measure. Yet he passed away halfway along the path, before reaching his full potential. This is why I feel such sorrow and cannot calm myself."

佛告比丘：「勿復愁憂。所以者何？卿之弟子，已至究竟，得生天上。今日夜半，至於佛所，威神巍巍，光明遠照，稽首足下，却住一面。吾為天子，講說經法，具足廣普分別聖諦。於是天子，即於座上，成至聖法。」佛為比丘，說此本末。即時歡喜，除其愁憂，不復涕泣。

於時世尊，教彼比丘，除憂惱患。時諸比丘，各心念言：「得未曾有，大聖世尊，以無上藥，療此比丘憂惱之患。於彼弟子，疾病命過，愁憂懊惱，無能解者；見佛世尊，眾患皆除，真為如來、至真、等正覺，於億千劫，歌頌佛德，不可窮盡。」

> Then the World-Honored One taught that monk to remove his sorrow and affliction. At that time, the other monks each thought to themselves: "We have never seen anything like this! The Great Sage, the World-Honored One, has used the supreme medicine to cure this monk's sorrow and affliction. No one could resolve the grief and anguish of that disciple over the death of a loved one. But now, seeing the Buddha, the World-Honored One, all his afflictions are gone. Truly, he is the Thus Come One, the Fully Enlightened One, the Perfectly Awakened One. Even if we were to praise the Buddha's virtues for billions of eons, we could never exhaust them."

佛時遙聞諸比丘眾共議此事，佛即往詣告諸比丘：「向者共會為何所論？」比丘白佛：「唯然。世尊！向者共會歎佛功德，聖尊無量，度諸未度，濟諸未脫，滅諸未滅，療治一切婬怒癡患，為無上醫，常以法藥，療諸心病。向者蠲除比丘憂患，以是踊躍不能自勝。」

> The Buddha, hearing from afar the monks discussing this matter, approached them and asked, "What were you all discussing just now?" The monks replied, "World-Honored One, we were gathered together praising the Buddha's virtues—your boundless sacred greatness, saving those yet unsaved, rescuing those yet unliberated, extinguishing what has yet to be extinguished, healing all the afflictions of desire, anger, and ignorance. You are the supreme healer, always using the medicine of the Dharma to cure the sicknesses of the mind. Today, you relieved a monk of his sorrow, and we were so overjoyed we could not contain ourselves."

佛告諸比丘：「如汝所云。今此比丘，見弟子終，愁憂感結，不能自解，獨佛世尊。前世宿命，亦復如是。乃去往古久遠世時，有異閑居，一象生子，墮地未久，其母終亡。去彼不遠，仙人所處，有上威神功德具足，志懷大哀。遙見象子，其母命終，纔能舉足，東西遊佯，不能自活。即時扶將詣所止頓，飲之以水，採果飼之。彼時象子，仁和賢善，功德殊妙，樂于義理，冀得安隱，無有憂患除諸眾惱。於時仙人，臥起同處，身形轉長，衣毛鮮澤，則以水漿，供養仙人。其好果蓏，然後自食，往反慇懃，奉侍不懈。彼時仙人，愍哀象子，觀其德行，愛之如子，視之無厭，敬之無極。

「時天帝釋則時發念：『今此仙人志在象子，猗念無厭，今我寧可別令愁慼。』時天帝釋，示現試之，化使象子忽然死地而血流離。仙人見之，象子死亡，憂愁叵言，涕泣橫流，不能自解。餘仙人聞，來諫曉之不能除憂，不復食飲。時天帝釋自以其身住在虛空，即為仙人而說偈曰：

> Then Indra, the King of the Gods, at once thought: "This sage's heart is set on the elephant cub, dwelling on it without end. What if I were to make him sorrowful?" So Indra, to test him, displayed a transformation, causing the elephant cub to suddenly fall dead with its blood flowing freely. When the sage saw the elephant cub dead, his sorrow was beyond words; he wept uncontrollably, unable to ease himself. Other sages came to counsel him, but could not dispel his grief, and he ceased eating and drinking. Then Indra, standing in the sky, spoke this verse to the sage:

「『仁者以棄家， 至此無眷屬，諸仙人之法， 憂死非善哉！假使悲涕泣， 能令死者生，皆當聚憫泣； 假啼哭不活，已習共頓止。 而與象子俱，則有愍恩情， 不得不愁憂。死人哭於死， 其有啼哭者，明智不懷憂， 仙人慧何啼？』

> "'Virtuous one, you have left your home, And are now without family here. Following the path of the sages, Grieving over death is not proper. If weeping and wailing Could bring the dead back to life, Everyone would gather and mourn in pity. But since crying cannot revive the dead, You have already learned to stop such sorrow. Having lived with the elephant as kin, There is a bond of affection and gratitude— It is impossible not to feel grief. But the dead weep over the dead; Those who cry are like that. A wise person does not harbor sorrow. Why then would a sage weep?'

「時天帝釋，令其仙人懷憂惱已，即令象子使活如故。於時仙人見象子活，尋大踊躍，不能自勝不復愁憂。時天帝釋，即尋為仙人，而說頌曰：

> At that time, Lord Indra, having caused the sage to feel worry and distress, then brought the elephant boy back to life as before. Upon seeing the elephant boy alive, the sage immediately leaped for joy, unable to contain himself, and his anxiety vanished. Then Lord Indra spoke this verse to the sage:

「『以拔卿憂惱， 心所懷愁慼，於今仁無患， 而除子憂慼。令人離愁惱， 及一切親屬，如卿今日歡， 見象子起故。』

> "Because I have relieved your sorrow, the grief held in your heart. Now you are free from distress, and the son's worry is dispelled. This brings freedom from sadness to you and all your family—just as your joy shines today upon seeing the young elephant rise."

「時天帝釋以偈頌曰：

> Then the King of the Gods recited a verse:

「『吾愍傷卿故， 欲除諸憂慼，故興此因緣， 增益於塵勞。明者曉了斯， 恩愛生苦患，則察其內外， 無得興變化。』」

> "My heart goes out to you in your suffering, Seeking to remove all your sorrow and distress. Thus I create these circumstances— Though they may increase worldly troubles in the short term. The wise one sees clearly: Love and attachment breed suffering. Examining both inner and outer worlds, They find no grounds for confusion or change."

佛告諸比丘：「欲知爾時仙人者，則今此和上是；時象子者，死弟子是也；天帝釋者，則我身也。爾時相遇，今亦如此。」

> The Buddha told the monks: "If you want to know who the hermit was back then, it is this present master. The boy who played with the elephant was none other than the disciple who has now passed away. King Śakra, the lord of gods, was myself. Just as we met then, so we meet again now."

佛說如是，莫不歡喜。

## 生經卷第三