蜘蛛の糸The Spider's Thread

About this story

One day, Shakyamuni Buddha is strolling by a lotus pond in Paradise when he glimpses a sinner named Kandata writhing in Hell below. Moved by a single good deed Kandata once performed, sparing a spider's life, Buddha lowers a single spider's thread from Paradise to give him a chance at salvation. This classic short story explores themes of karma, compassion, and human nature.

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Source

This text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko

Base edition (底本): 「芥川龍之介全集2」ちくま文庫、筑摩書房
1986（昭和61）年10月28日第1刷発行
1996（平成8）年7月15日第11刷発行

Typed in by 平山誠、野口英司. Proofread by もりみつじゅんじ.

Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced some archaic words with modern ones.

The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 4 parts.

What you'll learn

Buddha walks by the lotus pond in paradise and sees the criminal Kandata suffering in hell. Remembering that Kandata once spared a spider's life, Buddha lowers a spider's thread from paradise to hell to give him a chance at salvation.

Kandata sees the spider's thread and begins to climb up from the blood pool. Exhausted, he rests and looks down to see many other sinners climbing behind him. Fearing the thread will break, he shouts at them to get off, at which point the thread snaps and he falls back into hell.

Buddha watches the entire scene from the lotus pond. Seeing Kandata fall back into hell due to his selfish heart, Buddha looks sad and resumes his walk, while the lotus flowers continue to bloom beautifully, indifferent to the drama.

Key vocabulary

犍陀多かんだた	Kandata (name of the protagonist)
極楽ごくらく	Paradise, Sukhavati (Buddhist pure land)
蜘蛛くもの糸いと	spider's thread
地獄じごく	hell
蓮はす	lotus (plant)
無慈悲むじひ	mercilessness, cruelty

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～て居ります N3Polite progressive/state form of 'いる', often used in literary writing.

  池いけの中なかに咲さいている蓮はすの花はなは、みんな玉だまのようにまっ白しろで、そのまん中なかにある金色きんいろの蕊しべからは、何なんとも云いえない好よい匂においが、絶間たえまなくあたりへ溢あふれて居おります。

• ～でございます N4Polite copula (です), often used in formal or polite speech.

  ある日ひの事ことでございます。

• ～ながら N4While doing A, do B; indicates simultaneous actions.

  御ご釈迦しゃか様さまは極楽ごくらくの蓮池はすいけのふちを、独ひとりでぶらぶら御ご歩あるきになっていらっしゃいました。

• ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regret; 'to finish doing something (unfortunately)'.

  見みる見みる中なかに暗くらの底そこへ、まっさかさまに落おちてしまいました。

• ～て参る N3Humble form of '来る' (to come) or motion verb '行く' (to go), often used in polite narrative.

  銀色ぎんいろの蜘蛛くもの糸いとが、まるで人目ひとめにかかるのを恐おそれるように、一ひとすじ細ほそく光ひかりながら、するすると自分じぶんの上うえへ垂たれて参まいるのではございませんか。

Cultural notes

• Buddhist Cosmology: Hell and ParadiseIn Buddhism, hell (地獄, jigoku) is a realm of suffering for those who committed evil deeds, while Paradise (極楽, gokuraku) is a Pure Land of bliss. The story illustrates the concept of karma and the possibility of salvation through good deeds, as well as the danger of selfishness.
• The Spider's Web as a Buddhist SymbolThe spider's thread represents the fragile connection between salvation and damnation. In Buddhist art, the spider's web can symbolize illusion or the interconnectedness of all beings. Here, it serves as a lifeline that breaks under the weight of selfishness.
• Akutagawa's Literary StyleRyunosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) was a master of the short story, known for his psychological depth and use of classical Japanese. 'The Spider's Thread' (1918) blends Buddhist allegory with a modern narrative, showcasing his ability to adapt traditional themes for contemporary readers.

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