Petavatthu(Ghost stories)2.1

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Section II : Ubbarivaggo

1.13 Liberation From Rebirths In World

While the Teacher(Buddha) was staying at Veluvana, he told this story.

In a village called Itthakavati in Magadha and in Digharaji village dwelt many who, finding liberation from rebirths, held wrong opinions. And long ago a certain woman was reborn in one such family. Killing many beetles and grasshopper' she on dying was reborn a peti, enduring for five hundred years, the pang of hunger and thirst. Now our Lord Buddha was then at Rajagaha, when she was once more born into the same family at Itthakavati. And one day when she with playing with other girls in the high road near the village gate, the venerable Thera(Elder Monk) Sariputta with twelve other monks passed by and the girls hastened to salute him. But she stood there disrespectful. Then the elder, discerning her past and future, and moved with sympathy commented on her attitude to the girls. They took her hands and dragged her to pay homage. Dying subsequently in childbirth she was again born among the Petas. And she appeared by night to Sariputta, who seeing her said :

1. " Naked and of hideous appearance are you, emaciated and with prominent veins, You thin one, with your ribs standing out, now who are you, you who are here?"

The peti:

2 . "I, venerable sir, am a peti, a wretched denizen of Yama's world; since I had done a wicked deed. I went from here to the world of petas."

Sariputta :

3. " Now what evil deed was done with your body, speech or mind? I Because of what act have you gone hence to the world of petas ? "

The peti:

4. " Reverend sir, I did not have compassionate relatives, father and mother, or even other kinsmen who would urge me, saying, 'Give, with devotion in your heart, a donation to monks and brahmans."

5. " From that time for five hundred years in this form I have been wandering, nude, consumed by hunger and thirst ; this is the fruit of my wicked deeds."

6. " With a believing heart, I worship you, sir. O wise, powerful one, pity me! Go, give some gift in my name; free me from my misery, O venerable one."

The redactors continue the narrative:

7. "Consenting with the words, "Very well ," the compassionate Sariputta gave to the monks a morsel of food, a handful of cloth, and a bowl of water and ascribed to her the donation.

8. Immediately thereupon, when this was transferred to her, the result came to pass. This was the fruit of the gift:

food, clothing, and drink.

9. Then pure, having clean garments, wearing the best Benares cloth, dressed in various clothes and ornaments, she approached Sariputta.

Sariputta :

10. "O devi(goddess/angel), you are of excellent appearance, you who are illuminating all the regions like the morning star."

11. "As a result of what is such an appearance ? As a result of what is this your portion here, and why fall to your lot whatever pleasures are dear to the mind?"

12. "This I ask of you, devi. A very powerful one, you who have become human, what good deed have you done? From what have you such radiant majesty, and why does your splendour illuminate all the regions?"

The peti :

13. " Me, with all my bones exposed, emaciated, famished, naked, and with wrinkled skin, you, merciful seer, have seen here in my misery."

14. "When you gave to the monks a morsel of food, a handful of cloth and a bowl of water, you transferred to me the virtue of the gift."

15. " Behold the fruit of the morsel : desiring pleasure, I enjoy for ten hundred years food with many flavours.

16. " Behold what sort of result there is from the handful of cloth: as many clothes as there were in the kingdom of Nandaraja.

17. "Venerable sir, I have more than that number of garments and coverings, silken and woollen, linen and cotton.

18. "Many and precious are they; moreover they are hanging in the sky ; and I wear whichever one, I assure you, strikes my fancy.

19. " Behold what sort of result there is from the bowl of water: four deep, well-laid-out lotus-ponds.

20. " They have clear waters and beautiful banks ; they are cool and have pleasing fragrance; they are covered with the pink lotus and the blue lotus and full of the filaments of the water-lily.

21. " I for my part enjoy myself, play and rejoice, having no fear from any quarter. Reverend sir, I have come here to the world to worship the compassionate seer."

Buddha also told the story of King Nandaraja. Thousands of years before in past, in Benares town, there lived a householder who saw one Pacheka Buddha (an enlightened one) in a jungle. The Pacheka Buddha was looking for rags for his robe. The householder asked him 'what are you doing' and when told, he was moved and donated him his own robes. As a result of his donation, after death he was born in Tavantis heaven with many divine riches & with a mansion. After his period (in heaven) was over, he was again born as a human in a village near Benares town. Looking for work he went to Benares. The King of Benares had a daughter only and had no son. In the course of time, this man was married to the princess and became the king Nandaraja. He ruled justly & his kingdom was full of riches. He and his wife alongwith their five sons, gave ample donations to the needy, righteous and enlightened ones looking for them in all directions. Once, searching , the queen found an arihant, an enlightened one , a Pacheka Buddha in the Himalaya region. She invited him on behalf of the king to the palace, and he promised to come on a certain day. On the appointed day the Pacheka Buddha travelled from sky and came down at the northern gate of the city. They fell to his feet, donated him well, became initiated and made him live in the palace. He and his disciples were well looked after. After the death of Pacheka Buddha they cremated him and his remains were kept in a shrine made for him. The body is subject to decay & death, realizing their elder son was so moved that he became a monk too.

Following the path, the entire family enjoyed the bliss of meditation. After their death, both were born in the highest Brahmaloka (abode of Archangels). Later, after their time was over there, the king was was born as the Buddha's foremost disciple, the elder monk Mahakassapa. His wife became the foremost nun, the Bhadda Kapilani.

Thus the Buddha elaborated the tale, then roused and encouraged the congregation with a dhamma discourse.

(Since Mahakassapa and Bhadda Kapilani attained arhatship/enlightenment under the direction of Buddha, there was no more rebirth for them i.e. they achieved liberation from rebirths)