One day, the Buddha was strolling alone along the edge of a lotus pond in Paradise. The blooming lotus flowers in the pond were each pure white like jewels, and the place was filled with the indescribably wondrous fragrance continually emitted from each flower's golden center. It was just morning in Paradise. 

一天，佛世尊独自在极乐净土的宝莲池畔闲步。池中莲花盛开，朵朵都晶白如玉。花心之中金蕊送香，其香胜妙殊绝，普薰十方。极乐世界大约时当清晨。

After a time, the Buddha paused at the edge of the pond and from between the lotus leaves that covered it saw a glimpse of the state of things below. Now this celestial pond just happened to lie directly over Hell, and peering through that crystal-clear water was like looking through a magnifying glass at the River of Death and the Mountain of Needles and such. 

俄顷，世尊伫立池畔，从覆盖水面的莲叶间，偶见池下的情景。极乐莲池之下，正是十八地狱的最底层。透过澄清晶莹的池水，宛如戴上透视镜一般，把三恶道上之冥河与刀山剑树的诸般景象，尽收眼底。

The Buddha saw there, in the depths of Hell, a single man writhing along with the other sinners. This man was named Kandata, and he had been a notorious thief who had performed murder and arson and other acts of evil. In his past, however, he had performed just one good deed: one day, when walking through the deep forest, he saw a spider crawling along the road. At first he raised his foot to crush it, but suddenly he changed his mind and stopped, saying, "No, small though it may be, a spider, too, has life. It would be a pity to meaninglessly end it," and so did not kill it. 

这时，一名叫犍陀多的男子，同其他罪人在地狱底层挣扎的情景，映入世尊的慧眼。世尊记得，这犍陀多虽是个杀人放火、无恶不作的大盗，倒也有过一项善举。话说大盗犍陀多有一回走在密林中，见到路旁爬行一只小蜘蛛，抬起脚来，便要将蜘蛛踩死。忽转念一想：“不可，不可，蜘蛛虽小，到底也是一条性命。随便害死，无论如何，总怪可怜的。”犍陀多终究没踩下去，放了蜘蛛一条生路。

Looking down upon the captives in Hell the Buddha recalled this kind act that Kandata had performed, and thought to use his good deed as a way to save him from his fate. Looking aside, there on a jade-colored lotus leaf he saw a single spider, spinning out a web of silver thread. The Buddha carefully took the spider's thread into his hand, and lowered it straight down between the jewel-like white lotuses into the depths of Hell.

世尊看着地狱中的景象，想起犍陀多放蜘蛛生路这件善举。虽然微末如斯，世尊亦拟施以善报，尽量把他救出地狱。侧头一望，说来也巧，净土里有只蜘蛛，正在翠绿的莲叶上，攀牵美丽的银丝。世尊轻轻取来一缕蛛丝，从莹洁如玉的白莲间，径直垂向香渺幽邃的地狱底层。 

（一九一八年四月） 艾莲 译