Petavatthu(Ghost stories)1.20

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2.8 Story of a Rich Miserly Man Chulasetthi

While the Teacher(Buddha) was staying at Veluvana, he told this story of Chulasetthi. At Benares Chulasetthi was a householder(lay person), unbelieving, irreligious, miserly, mean and disrespectful towards meritorious action. At death he was born among the petas(hungry ghosts) having an ugly figure with rotting & bleeding flesh and with shrunken skinny head. His daughter Anula, was living in the house of her husband at Andhakavinda. Anxious to entertain brahmans(priests) in the name of her father, she prepared rice and other food as a gift. When the peta knew this, he set out hopefully through the air for that place and arrived at Rajagaha. At that time, king Ajatasattu at the instigation of Devadatta(opponent of Buddha) had murdered his father. On account of remorse and having a bad dream, he could not sleep. As he was walking about on the upper terrace, he saw that peta coming through the air, whom he asked :

1. "A naked, emaciated, ascetic like, you are, sir. Where are you going at night and for what reason? Tell me this at least; we may be able to give you wealth and everything else."

The Peta(ghost):

2. "There is a city, Benares, far famed; at that place I was a householder, rich, but mean & miserly. I did not give and was greedy minded for enjoyment. Due to bad morals I came to the region of fallen, of Yama.

3. "As if pricked by needles I am exhausted with the pangs of hunger because of those sins; for that very reason I go to the kinsmen(relatives) for food. But those of unrighteous nature do not believe that the fruit of generosity(donation) comes to pass in the other world.

4. "My daughter talked to me : 'I will give a donation to the fathers and the grandfathers' . The brahmans(priests/holy men) talk to each other (about prepared meal) saying, 'I am going to Andhakavinda to dine'. "

5. To him the king said : "After you have received it, then you should again come here quickly. I too will do to you honour. If you have any wish, tell it to me; we will hear for your cause and will do what can be done".

6. Saying, "So be it," he went (to Andhakavinda ). There many partook of food, but they were not worthy of the gift. Afterwards he came to Rajagaha a send time and appeared in the presence of the king.

7. When the king saw the peta coming to him, even for the second time he said: "Now what shall I give ? Tell me this , whether there is any means by which you may be satisfied for quite a while."

The peta :

8. "Serve Buddha and his Sangha(order of monks), O king , with food, drinks and with robes to monks. Ascribe this gift to my benefit. In this way I shall be content for quite a while."

9. After that then the king descended and straightaway gave boundless gifts with his own hands to the Sangha (order of monks) ; he told about the matter to Tathagata(Buddha), and to this peta he ascribed the virtue of the donation.

10. Honoured, becoming exceedingly radiant , the peta appeared before the king , saying: " I now a being, possessed of the highest potency(power) ; men are not like me in potency. "

11. "See this incomparable splendour of mine, which was brought about by you when you gave beyond measure to the Sangha. Satisfied continually and for all time with the many gifts, I go about happy , O lord of men."

After the peta left, the king told about this to the monks, and the monks told this to Bhagva(Buddha). Bhagva(Buddha) then taught the beneficent Dhamma ,to people, about the greatness of the donation of wealth. Having listened, many people then changed their attitude of miserliness and made up their minds for gaining merit from donations.