万劫不复 wàn jié bù fù beyond redemption

Explanation

佛教认为，世界从生成到毁灭的一个过程为一劫，万劫就是万世的意思。万劫不复的意思就是永远不能恢复。

In Buddhism, the world is considered to go through a cycle of creation and destruction, known as a Kalpa. A myriad of Kalpas means a myriad of epochs. The phrase „万劫不复“ means that one is forever lost.

Origin Story

传说在很久以前，有一个名叫阿难的和尚，他跟随佛祖释迦牟尼学习佛法。有一天，佛祖问他：“你学了这么久的佛法，你觉得人死了以后会怎样？”阿难沉思了一会儿，回答道：“我听说人死后会去轮回，根据生前的行为，会投胎到不同的世界。”佛祖点头说道：“没错，但是你也要明白，有些人犯下了不可饶恕的罪孽，他们死后将会万劫不复，永远不能解脱。”阿难听了，心中十分疑惑，便问：“什么样的人会万劫不复呢？”佛祖回答道：“那些心怀恶念，残害生灵，作恶多端的人，将会坠入地狱，永世不得翻身。他们将永远被痛苦折磨，无法解脱。”阿难听了佛祖的话，心中充满了恐惧，他决心以后要好好修行，做一个善良的人，避免坠入地狱，万劫不复。

chuán shuō zài hěn jiǔ yǐ qián, yǒu yī gè míng jiào ā nán de hé shàng, tā gēn suí fó zǔ shì jiā mó ní xué xí fó fǎ. yǒu yī tiān, fó zǔ wèn tā: “nǐ xué le zhè me jiǔ de fó fǎ, nǐ jué de rén sǐ le yǐ hòu huì zěn yàng？” ā nán chén sī le yī huì ér, huí dá dào: “wǒ tīng shuō rén sǐ hòu huì qù lúnhuí, gēn jù shēng qián de xíng wéi, huì tóu tāi dào bù tóng de shì jiè.” fó zǔ diǎn tóu shuō dào: “méi cuò, dàn shì nǐ yě yào míng bai, yǒu xiē rén fàn le bù kě ráoshù de zuì niè, tā men sǐ hòu jiāng huì wàn jié bù fù, yǒng yuǎn bù néng jiě tuō.” ā nán tīng le, xīn zhōng shí fèn yí huò, biàn wèn: “shén me yàng de rén huì wàn jié bù fù ne？” fó zǔ huí dá dào: “nà xiē xīn huái è niàn, cán hài shēng líng, zuò è duō duān de rén, jiāng huì zhuì rù dì yù, yǒng shì bù dé fān shēn. tā men jiāng yǒng yuǎn bèi tòng kǔ zhēn mó, wú fǎ jiě tuō.” ā nán tīng le fó zǔ de huà, xīn zhōng chōng mǎn le kǒng jù, tā jué xīn yǐ hòu yào hǎo hǎo xiū xíng, zuò yī gè shàn liáng de rén, bì miǎn zhuì rù dì yù, wàn jié bù fù.

Legend has it that a long time ago, there was a monk named Ananda who followed the Buddha Shakyamuni to learn Buddhist teachings. One day, the Buddha asked him:

Usage

这个成语通常用来形容一个人犯了不可弥补的错误，或者陷入无法挽回的境地。

zhè ge chéng yǔ tōng cháng yòng lái xíng róng yī gè rén fàn le bù kě mí bǔ de cuò wù, huò zhě xiàn rù wú fǎ wǎn huí de jìng dì.

This idiom is usually used to describe someone who has made an irreparable mistake or is in an irrecoverable situation.

Examples

• 他犯了不可饶恕的错误，已经万劫不复了。

  tā fàn le bù kě ráoshù de cuò wù, yǐ jīng wàn jié bù fù le.

  He has committed an unforgivable mistake and is beyond redemption.

• 这个项目失败了，我们已经万劫不复了。

  zhè ge xiàng mù shī bài le, wǒ men yǐ jīng wàn jié bù fù le.

  The project has failed, we are lost.

• 他深陷泥潭，已经万劫不复了。

  tā shēn xiàn ní tán, yǐ jīng wàn jié bù fù le

  He is stuck in a quagmire and cannot escape.

Related Idioms

• 万世不复

• 永世不得翻身

Opposite Idioms

• 起死回生

• 东山再起