Petavatthu(Ghost stories)27

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27. THE STORY OF SANUVASIN (3.2)
While the Teacher was living in Bamboo Wood, he told this story.

Once upon a time at Benares the son of king Kitava, while returning from his enjoyment in the park, saw a lone Buddha, Sunetta by name, who was coming forth on his alms-round, and insulted him with rude words. Hardly had he passed on when he felt an intense burning of his body like the heat of hell fire. Of this he died and was reborn in the great hell Avichi. Thereafter he died and was reborn as peta, and thereafter was, in this Buddha-period, reborn in a fishermen's village near Kundi-town, Mindful of former lives he would not go with others for fishing and threw back the fish they brought in. His kin expelled him from home, but one brother held him in affection. The elder Ananda induced him to become a monk; later as arahant he dwelt with twelve monks on Mount Sanuvasin. But his kinsmen were reborn as petas. Now his father and mother feeling ashamed at the idea, "In a previous life we cast him out of the house", they did not approach him, but sent his brother who had cherished an affection for him. When this man had entered the village of the elder for alms, he knelt on the earth with his right knee, made himself manifest with a respectful salutation, and spoke the stanzas, "Reverend sir, your mother and father, etc." But the five first stanzas were so placed by the redactors to make clear the connection:

1. There was an elder of Kundinagara, dwelling on Sanuvasin ; a recluse(monk) with developed faculties, Potthapada by name.

2. His mother, father, and brother became miserable denizens of Yama's world. Doing evil deeds, they went hence to peta-world.

3. They in evil birth, their bones like needles, weary, naked, and emaciated, alarmed and in great fear-they did not appear ruthless.

4. His brother came hastily, nude, alone on a solitary way, on all fours like a waterpot he showed himself to the elder.

5. Now the venerable man, unheeding silently departed; but the other made him know addressed the elder : "I am your brother gone to the petas realm."

6 . Reverend sir, your mother and father are miserable denizens of Yarna's world. Doing wicked deeds, they went hence to peta-world.

"They are in evil birth .... (as in 3),

"Be merciful and compassionate; give a gift and ascribe to us the credit. By your gift which is bestowed, the ruthless ones will maintain themselves."

9. When the elder and twelve other monks had gone their rounds for alms, they assembled at the same place for the sake of serving a meal.

10. The elder addressed them all: "Give me whatever you have received. I will make a dinner for the Order out of compassion for my (departed) kinsmen."

11. They committed it to his care : the elder invited the group(of monks); as the elder served the meal, he ascribed the virtue of the gift to his mother, father and brother, saying :

Let this be for my kinsmen ; let my relatives be blessed."

12. Immediately after this transfer of merit was made,(divine) food was produced(for petas), clean, savoury, well prepared, richly supplied with flavours and condiments. Then declared his brother who had become handsome, strong, and happy:

13 . "There is abundant food, reverend sir, but look, we are nude. Sir, exert desire that we may obtain garments."

14. After the elder had picked up some shreds of cloth from a rubbish heap, he converted the rags into garments and gave to them in the name of monks of the four regions.

15. As he gave his offering the venerable monk transferred the virtue of the gift to his mother, father, and brother, saying: "Let this be for my kinsmen; let my relatives be blessed."

16. Immediately after this transfer of merit, (divine)garments were produced (for petas): then dressed in fine garments, he showed himself to the elder with the words:

17. "As many coverings as there are in the kingdom of Nandaraja, reverend sir, we have more than that number of garments and cloaks.

18. "They are of silk and of wool, of flax and of cotton ; many and precious are they; and they are hanging in the sky,

19."Now we wear whichever to our mind is dear. Lord, exert desire that we may obtain a house."

20. The elder built a hut of leaves and presented it to the monks of the four regions. As he made his gifts ... (same as in 14, 15).

21. No sooner than was made this transfer of merit, (divine)homes were produced(for petas). There were buildings with upper storeys and homes which were portioned off and well laid out.

Peta :

22. "Among men there are no such dwellings as we have here. Whatever dwellings are found even among devas such have we here.

23. "Blazing brightly, on all sides the four regions are shining; lord, exert desire that we may obtain a drink of water."

24. Then the sage filled a waterpot and gave it to th monks of the four regions, As he made his gift ... (same as in 20)

25. Immediately after this transfer of merit was made, drinking water was produced; there were four deep well-laid­out lotus-ponds.

26. They had clear waters well banked; cold and little scented : they were covered with the red and the blue lotus and full of the filaments  of the waterlily.

27. Then after they had bathed and drunk, they reappeared to the elder saying: "Reverend sir, we have abundant water, but our feet are painfully chapped.

28. "As we roam about, we limp upon the gravel, on thorny herbs. Lord, exert desire that we may obtain a vehicle."

29. The elder took a shoe and presented it to the church of the four regions. As he gave it ... (as in 24).

30. No sooner was made this transfe of merit, than the petas approacbed in a chariot, saying: "Your reverence, out of compassion We were furnished with food and clothes.

31. "With a house an with both drinking water and a vehicle as gifts. Lord, we come to pay homage to you, the compassionate one among the seers in the world."

The elder told this incident to the Lord Buddha, who in teaching made this story his theme.