T17n0808_佛說犢子經

大正藏第 17 冊 No. 0808 佛說犢子經

No. 808 [No. 809]

佛說犢子經

吳月氏優婆塞支謙譯

聞如是：

一時佛在舍衛國祇洹阿那邠遲阿藍精舍。

爾時佛遇風患，當須牛乳。時有婆羅門大富，去城不遠。時佛遣阿難言：「汝往到婆羅門家從乞牛乳。」

阿難受教而往，便至婆羅門家。婆羅門問阿難言：「來何所求？」

阿難言：「如來曏者小遇風患，故遣我乞牛乳耳。」

婆羅門言：「牛在彼間，自𤚲取之。」

阿難即往到牛群所。有一牸牛，性常弊惡，無人能近。阿難即自思惟：「我法不應自𤚲取牛乳。」

爾時帝釋知阿難所念，即來，化作婆羅門像，在牛邊立。阿難往倩言：「婆羅門！為我𤚲取牛乳。」

語牛言：「如來遇小風患。汝與乳湩，令如來服之。差者，汝得福無量，不可稱計。如來者，是天上、天下之大師也。當以慈心憂念一切蠕動之類，欲令度脫一切苦惱。」

牛言：「此手捫摸我乳，一何快耶！前兩乳取去，置后兩乳用遺我子。我子朝來未有所食。」

爾時犢子在邊立住，聞有佛名，即語母言：「持我乳分盡用與佛。佛者，天上、天下之大師也。甚難得值。

【現代漢語翻譯】現代漢語譯本《佛說犢子經》

吳月氏優婆塞支謙譯

我聽聞是這樣的：

一時，佛陀在舍衛國祇洹阿那邠遲阿藍精舍（Jetavana Anathapindika-arama，祇園精舍）。

當時，佛陀偶感風疾，需要牛乳。當時有一位婆羅門（Brahmin，印度教祭司）非常富有，住在離城不遠的地方。佛陀派遣阿難（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）說：『你前往婆羅門家乞討牛乳。』

阿難接受教誨前往，便到了婆羅門家。婆羅門問阿難說：『來這裡有什麼請求？』

阿難說：『如來（Tathagata，佛陀的稱號之一）近日偶感風疾，所以派遣我來乞討牛乳。』

婆羅門說：『牛在那邊，你自己擠取吧。』

阿難便前往牛群所在之處。有一頭母牛，性情向來暴躁兇惡，沒有人能夠靠近。阿難心想：『我的戒律不允許自己擠取牛乳。』

當時，帝釋（Indra，佛教的護法神）知道阿難的想法，便化作婆羅門的樣子，站在牛的旁邊。阿難上前請求說：『婆羅門！請您為我擠取牛乳。』

帝釋對牛說：『如來偶感小疾。你佈施乳汁，讓如來服用。病好之後，你得到的福報無量無邊，不可計數。如來是天上、天下的大導師。應當以慈悲之心關懷一切蠕動之類，想要讓他們脫離一切苦惱。』

母牛說：『這隻手撫摸我的乳房，多麼舒服啊！先前擠走了我前面的兩個乳房的奶，留下後面的兩個乳房的奶給我的孩子。我的孩子早上到現在還沒有吃東西。』

當時，小牛犢站在旁邊，聽到有佛的名號，便對母牛說：『把我應得的乳汁全部用來供養佛陀。佛陀是天上、天下的大導師。非常難得遇到。』

【English Translation】 English version The Buddha Speaks of the Calf Sutra

Translated by Upasaka Zhi Qian of the Yuezhi in Wu

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was in the Jeta Grove, Anathapindika-arama (祇洹阿那邠遲阿藍精舍) in the country of Shravasti (舍衛國).

At that time, the Buddha was suffering from a wind ailment and needed cow's milk. There was a wealthy Brahmin (婆羅門) not far from the city. The Buddha sent Ananda (阿難) saying, 'Go to the Brahmin's house and beg for cow's milk.'

Ananda, receiving the instruction, went and arrived at the Brahmin's house. The Brahmin asked Ananda, 'What do you seek here?'

Ananda said, 'The Tathagata (如來) recently suffered a minor wind ailment, so he sent me to beg for cow's milk.'

The Brahmin said, 'The cows are over there; take the milk yourself.'

Ananda then went to where the cows were. There was a cow that was always ill-tempered and vicious, and no one could get near it. Ananda thought to himself, 'My precepts do not allow me to take the milk myself.'

At that time, Indra (帝釋), knowing Ananda's thoughts, transformed himself into the form of a Brahmin and stood by the cow. Ananda went forward and requested, 'Brahmin! Please milk the cow for me.'

Indra spoke to the cow, 'The Tathagata is suffering from a minor ailment. Give your milk so that the Tathagata may drink it. If he recovers, you will gain immeasurable and countless blessings. The Tathagata is the great teacher of those above and below the heavens. He should be mindful of all moving creatures with a compassionate heart, desiring to liberate them from all suffering.'

The cow said, 'This hand caressing my udders, how pleasant! The milk from the front two udders was taken away, leaving the milk from the back two udders for my calf. My calf has not eaten anything since morning.'

At that time, the calf was standing nearby and, upon hearing the name of the Buddha, said to its mother, 'Use all of my share of the milk to offer to the Buddha. The Buddha is the great teacher of those above and below the heavens. It is very rare to encounter him.'

我自食草，飲水，足得活耳。何以故？我先身以來常飲乳食，今當生牛身亦復飲乳。世間愚癡者甚多無量。我先世時坐隨惡知識教，不信佛經，使我作牛、作馬經十六劫，而今乃得聞有佛名。持我所食分，盡用與佛，滿器而去，令我後世智慧聰明，得道如佛。」

阿難持乳還至佛所。

佛問阿難：「彼牛母子有何言說？」

阿難言：「大可怪也。牛先甚大弊惡，不可得近。有一婆羅門為我𤚲乳，牛即調善。母子共說。」

佛言：「此牛子母先世時不信佛經故，墮牛、馬中經十六劫。今乃得悟，聞有佛名，便有慈心，以乳施佛。彼牛母子後世，當爲彌勒佛沙門弟子，得大羅漢。犢子死後，當爲我懸繒、幡、蓋，散華，燒香，受持經戒。過二十劫后當作佛，名乳光如來，度脫一切。」

佛言：「牛以好善心意與佛乳故，度諸苦難，后得無量福報。以是因緣，佛不可不信，經不可不讀，道不可不學。普告天上、天下，皆悉令知。」

佛說犢子經

【現代漢語翻譯】現代漢語譯本『我』自己吃草，喝水，這樣就足夠活下去了。為什麼呢？因為我前世以來常常喝奶吃食物，現在當了牛身也還是喝奶。世間的愚癡之人非常多，數也數不清。我前世的時候因為聽從惡知識的教導，不相信佛經，使得我做了牛、做了馬經歷了十六劫，而今才能夠聽到有佛的名字。我願意把我所吃的那一份食物，全部用來供養佛，裝滿器皿然後離去，希望我後世能夠智慧聰明，得道成佛。』

阿難（Ananda）拿著牛奶回到佛陀那裡。

佛陀問阿難（Ananda）：『那牛母子說了些什麼？』

阿難（Ananda）回答說：『真是太奇怪了。那牛先前非常兇惡，難以接近。有一位婆羅門（Brahman）為我擠奶，牛立刻變得溫順。母子一起說了那些話。』

佛陀說：『這牛母子前世因為不相信佛經的緣故，墮落到牛、馬之中經歷了十六劫。如今才得以醒悟，聽到有佛的名字，便生起了慈悲之心，用牛奶來佈施給佛。那牛母子後世，將會成為彌勒佛（Maitreya）的沙門弟子，得到大阿羅漢（Arhat）的果位。小牛死後，將會為我懸掛綢緞、幡、傘蓋，散花，燒香，受持經戒。經過二十劫之後將會成佛，名為乳光如來（Dugdhaprabha Tathagata），度脫一切眾生。』

佛陀說：『牛因為以美好的善心供養佛陀牛奶的緣故，度過各種苦難，以後得到無量的福報。因為這個因緣，佛陀不可不信，佛經不可不讀，佛道不可不學。普遍告知天上、天下，都讓他們知道。』

佛說犢子經

【English Translation】 English version 'I' eat grass and drink water, which is enough for me to live. Why is that? Because in my previous lives, I often drank milk and ate food, and now that I am born as a cow, I still drink milk. There are countless foolish beings in the world. In my previous life, I followed the teachings of evil advisors and did not believe in the Buddhist scriptures, which caused me to be a cow and a horse for sixteen kalpas (aeons), and now I am able to hear the name of the Buddha. I wish to use all the food that I eat to offer to the Buddha, fill the vessel and then leave, hoping that in my future lives I will be wise and intelligent, and attain enlightenment like the Buddha.'

Ananda (Buddha's attendant) took the milk back to the Buddha.

The Buddha asked Ananda (Buddha's attendant), 'What did the cow and her calf say?'

Ananda (Buddha's attendant) replied, 'It's very strange. The cow was very fierce and difficult to approach before. A Brahman (priest) milked her for me, and the cow immediately became gentle. The mother and son said those words together.'

The Buddha said, 'This cow and her calf, because they did not believe in the Buddhist scriptures in their previous lives, fell into the realm of cows and horses for sixteen kalpas (aeons). Now they are awakened, hear the name of the Buddha, and develop a compassionate heart, offering milk to the Buddha. In their future lives, the cow and her calf will become Shramana (ascetic) disciples of Maitreya Buddha (Future Buddha), and attain the state of a great Arhat (enlightened being). After the calf dies, it will hang silk banners, flags, and canopies for me, scatter flowers, burn incense, and uphold the precepts. After twenty kalpas (aeons), it will become a Buddha named Dugdhaprabha Tathagata (Milk-Light Thus-Gone One), liberating all beings.'

The Buddha said, 'Because the cow offered milk to the Buddha with a good and virtuous intention, it will overcome all suffering and receive immeasurable blessings in the future. Because of this cause, the Buddha must be believed in, the scriptures must be read, and the path must be learned. Proclaim this to all beings in heaven and on earth, let them all know.'

The Sutra of the Calf Spoken by the Buddha