17. THE SAMI WHO RESCUED THE ANTS

　　 A little monk who is not old enough to get ordained is called a 'sami.'　　

　　 Once there was a little sami who studied Buddhism with a very wise Teacher.He was a very good student. He was respectful, sincere, and obedient. He learned very quickly.　

　　 The Teacher was so wise that he could foretell the future. The Teacher knew from the beginning that his little student could not live very long. One day he counted and realized that the little student had only seven days left to live. He felt very sad.?　

　　 The Teacher called the little sami to him. He said, Hey, little sami, you haven't seen your mother for a long time. I think you need a vacation. You run on home and visit your mother, and come back eight days from now." He did this so at least the little sami could die in his own parents' home.
　
　　 When the little sami left, the Teacher was very sorry. He thought he would never see his little student again.　

　　 Eight day later, who should show up but the little sami! His Teacher was delighted, but he was also puzzled, because the little student looked wonderful. He didn't look like someone who had been about to die.　

　　 Finally, the Teacher decided to find out what had happened. He told the boy,"Son, I have foretold the future many times, and I have never been wrong. ! sent you home because you were doomed to die within seven days, but the seven days have already passed. Not only are you still alive, but you look great. The image of death has left you. How did you do it?"
　　
　　 The little sami was thunderstruck. He didn't have any idea how to answer his Teacher, so the Teacher entered the settled state of meditation. Before long, he understood.　

　　 "Son, on the way home, did you save some ants?"
　　
　　 "Yes, Teacher, on the way home I saw a whole bunch of ants trapped by some water. They were about to drown, so I got a piece of wood and rescued them." "That's it, then. Your kind heart has earned you a long life. The wise men of old said, 'Saving one life earns more merit than building a pagoda of seven stories.' You have saved hundreds of lives, so you will live a very long time now.
　
　　 "You have earned a good future, but you still have to keep working to save living creatures. You must spread the message of the Buddha. Teach all people to be merciful. Tell everyone not to kill living creatures. Let animals live in peace."　　

　　 The little sami never forgot his Teacher's words. He worked very hard and became a great monk. He lived for a long, long time.

17. 救助蚂蚁的沙弥

　　小和尚还不到受戒年龄，就叫做“沙弥”。

　　从前有个小沙弥，他跟着一个非常有智慧的师父学习佛教。他是一个很好的学生，恭敬、诚恳、听话，学得很快。

　　他的师父很有智慧，能够预知未来。他一开始就知道他的小徒弟活不很久。有一天，他掐算出他的徒儿只能再活7天了，因此感到非常难过。

　　师父把小沙弥叫来说，“小沙弥啊，你已经很久没见到你妈妈了。我觉得你应该花时间回家看看你妈妈。八天后再回来吧。”他这么做是让小沙弥至少可以死在自己家里。

　　小沙弥离开以后，师父想到自己再也不能见到小徒弟了，觉得非常悲伤。

　　八天后，小沙弥回来了！他的师父十分欢喜，但是也很疑惑，他的徒弟看起来气色很好，一点也不像曾濒临死亡的样子。

　　最后，师父决定弄个明白。他对小沙弥说：“孩子，我曾经多次预言命运，从未有误。我让你回家是因为你注定要在七天里死去，但是七天已经过去了。你不但没有死，还活的好好的，也没有要死的表象。这是怎么回事呢？”

　　小沙弥听了以后非常震惊，他不知道如何回答。于是他的师父入定来观察，很快就了解了事情的起源。

　　“孩子，在你回家的路上，你救了一些蚂蚁，对吗？”
　　“是，师父。回家的路上，我看到了一群蚂蚁被水困住了，很快就会被淹死。所以我拿来一小块木头，把它们救了起来。”
“这就对了。你的善心给你带来了长寿的果报。老人们常说‘ 救一命，胜造七级浮屠’。你救了好几百条性命，所以你将会长寿。”

　　“你赢得了一个大好前程，但是你还需继续救助生命。你要宣讲佛教，教导人们要慈悲，不要杀生，让所有生物都能平静地生活。”

　　小沙弥牢牢记住他师父的教诲。他精进修持，成为一个了不起的僧人。他活了很大、很大年龄。