一切經音義 25.411

25.411

步屈（纂文云吳人以步屈名桑闔方言蠖又名步屈也闔古合字戶合反今詳此蟲即槐蟲之類是也步步屈身要因前足捉物方移後足經喻外道欣上厭下取一捨一不離斷常等見如步屈蟲也）。

Inchworm (步屈: the Zuanwen says: "The people of Wu call the sanghe an inchworm (buqu). The Fangyan says: 'The looper caterpillar (huo) is also called an inchworm.'" He (闔) is the ancient character he (合), hu + he fanqie. Examining this insect now, it is of the kind of the locust-tree caterpillar. In each step it bends its body, having to grasp an object with its front legs first before moving its rear legs. The sūtra uses it as a metaphor for non-Buddhists who delight in the higher realms and detest the lower, grasping one and abandoning another, never departing from views such as annihilationism and eternalism, just like an inchworm).