---
title: "本生經 · 苦行"
description: "本生經是佛教重要經典，屬巴利三藏《小部》的一部，由古代印度僧侶集體編纂而成，主要通過口傳，後於公元前1世紀左右在斯里蘭卡被記錄成文。該經並非由署名作者悟醒所著，悟醒可能是現代編譯者。內容核心是佛陀釋迦牟尼敘述其過去生中作為菩薩，曾為國王、婆羅門、動物等種種身份時，修行慈悲喜捨、積累功德的故事，共計547個。這些生動寓言闡明了因果、業力與菩提心的教義，是了解佛陀修行歷程與佛教道德觀念的寶庫，在南傳佛教中具有崇高地位，對佛教文學、藝術影響深遠。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmgn4fqlg137qk104ygxfpvlr"
---

### 苦行

> Ascetic Practices

菩薩思為極端之苦行，日惟攝食一粒之胡麻與米，經過一日，或全部斷食；天人等欲由其毛孔注入滋養液，但被拒絕。因如是斷食，菩薩極度瘦細，金色之身，變為黑色。三十二種大人之相好，亦隱而不現。某時觀斷息禪，大為痛苦所惱，失去意識，倒臥於經行處之地。天人等中有謂：「沙門瞿曇已死！」有謂：「此為阿羅漢之習性。」天人等其中謂菩薩已死者往淨飯大王之處云：「汝之王子已死！」大王：「予之王子成佛而死耶？抑未成佛而死耶？」天人：「彼未成佛，彼倒臥於大精進場所而亡。」王聞此語，加以拒斥，王曰：「予未置信，予之王子未得菩提而死，斷無此事。」王何故不予置信，因王禮拜黑執天行者之日不思議見閻浮樹下靜坐時之奇瑞故。當菩薩恢復意識後起立，天人等來王之處告知曰：「大王！汝之王子平安無事。」王曰：「予固知王子之不死也。」

> The Bodhisattva, believing extreme asceticism was the path, began consuming only a single grain of sesame and one grain of rice per day. Sometimes, he would fast completely. Divine beings attempted to infuse nourishment into his body through his pores, but he refused. As a result of this fasting, the Bodhisattva became emaciated, and his golden-hued skin turned black. The thirty-two marks of a great being faded and were no longer visible. At one point, while practicing breath control meditation, he was overwhelmed by excruciating pain. He lost consciousness and collapsed on the walking meditation path. Some divine beings said, "The ascetic Gautama is dead!" Others said, "This is the natural state of an Arahant." Those who believed the Bodhisattva was dead went to King Shuddhodana and said, "Your prince has died!" The king asked, "Did my prince die having attained Buddhahood, or without attaining it?" The divine beings replied, "He did not attain Buddhahood. He has died lying on the ground at the site of his great striving." Upon hearing this, the king rejected their words and said, "I do not believe you. It is impossible that my prince would die without attaining enlightenment." Why did the king refuse to believe them? Because he had once seen a miraculous sign: when he paid homage to an ascetic under a jambu tree, he had witnessed the prince sitting in deep stillness, an extraordinary sight. When the Bodhisattva regained consciousness and stood up, the divine beings returned to the king and announced, "Great king, your prince is safe and well!" The king replied, "I knew all along that my prince would not die."