五、沙彌救蟻
從前有一位沙彌，隨侍一位得道高僧，高僧有宿命通，知沙彌七日內，性命將盡，便叫他回家探望母親，並且吩咐他說：「八天以後再回來。」其目地就是要讓他命終在家。
七日後，沙彌回寺，高僧見沙彌不死，並且相貌改相貌改變，甚感奇怪。於是入三昧禪定，觀察沙彌在七日中的經過，始知沙彌於回家時，適逢下雨，雨後溪漲，路見無數的螞蟻被水所困，沙彌即以樹枝做橋，救出水中無數的螞蟻。
高僧乃以在三昧境中所見情景，再問沙彌，果然是事實，因而非常欣慰的對沙彌說：「你的壽命在七日內，本已將盡，因你一念慈悲，救了無數的蟻命，功德無量，如今相貌已改，來日定得長壽。」
後來，沙彌果然因此免於夭死，而且活到八十多歲，還證得羅漢聖果，永離六道輪迴之苦。
5. The Shramanera Saved The Ans
Long ago, there was a shramanera who left the home life under a High Sanghan. His Master who had certified to the path, possessed the spiritual power of knowing other’s past lives. One day, he realized that the shramenera had only seven more days to live. So, he told him to go back to visit his mother and said, “You can come back after the eighth day.” He expected that he would die in his home by then.
After seven days, the shramanera returned. The High Sanghan was very surprised to see him alive and noticed that his physiognomy had undergone a change too. He sat in meditation and entered Samadhi so as to contemplate the happenings within the past seven days. He found that the shramanera, on his way home, had used a branch to save many ants that were surrounded by flood from a stream. The stream had overflowed its banks as it was raining heavily that day.
After that the High Sanghan questioned the shramanera about what he had seen when he was in
Samadhi and found that it was indeed true. The Master was very glad and said, ”You were supposed to die within the past seven days but because of a single thought of kindness and compassion, you had saved many ants and hence accrued abundant merits and virtues. Your physiognomy has undergone a transformation and you will attain longevity.”
Thus, the shramanera really escaped from the destiny of a short lifespan and lived till the age of eighty. Besides that, he was certified to the sagely fruition of Arhatship, thereby freeing himself from the sufferings of transmigration on the six paths forever.