Petavatthu(Ghost stories)2.2

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1.14 The Mother of Elder Monk Sariputta

While the Teacher was dwelling at Veluvana, he told this story.

One day the venerables Sariputta, Mahamoggallana, Anuruddha, and Kappina were staying in a certain spot in the forest not far from Rajagaha. Now at that time in Benares a certain brahman(priest) of great wealth and resources was a well unto helping monks and brahmans, indigents, tramps, wayfarers and beggars, whom he gave away food, drink, clothes, lodging and other benefits. He ordered his life and gave, according to opportunity and as was fitting, to those coming and going, everything necessary for the road. He said to his wife :

" Madam, do not neglect this business of giving, but carefully look after it, as has been appointed." She assented but when he was gone away, she cut short the rule of charity for the monks. Furthermore, to wayfarers who had come for shelter she pointed out an abandoned tumble-down shed behind the house, saying: " Stay there". When the wanderers came there for food & drink, and other things, she would utter a curse, enumerating to each one whatever was impure and loathsome, saying : "Eat dung! drink urine ! drink blood! eat the brain of your mother!" Taken up at her death by the power of karma, she was reborn as a peti who endured misery in conformity with her misbehaviour. Remembering their kinship in her former existence and desiring to approach Sariputta, she came to his abode. There the devas(angels) of his home refused her admittance. Wherefore she spoke as follows : " In the fifth previous life I was mother of the honourable elder Sariputta; permit me to enter the door to see him." Upon hearing this, they granted her admittance. When she was inside, she stood at the far end of the cloister(hut) and saw him. As he noticed her, he was moved in his mind by compassion, and so he asked her:

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

The peti :

2. "I was your own mother formerly in other lives. I have been reborn in the peta-world, afflicted with hunger and thirst."

3. "The discarded, the cast-out, saliva, nose-mucus,phlegm, the fat of burning bodie, and the blood of delivered women ;"

4. "And the blood both of the wounded and of those whose noses and heads are cut off, in short whatever (disgusting) is connected with men and women, I half dead with hunger, eat."

5. "Pus and blood I eat of animals and of men; I am without refuge and without a home, lying upon the black bed."

6. "Give, dear son, a gift for me, and when you have given it, assign to me the credit; thus indeed I may be freed from eating pus and blood."

The following, day Sariputta with the other three, seeking alms in Rajagaha arrived at the residence of king Bimbisara. When the king asked : "Reverend sirs, why have you come here?" the venerable Mahamoggallana told the king what had happened. Saying, " Reverend sirs, it is permitted," the king dismissed them, summoned his minister, and ordered him: "Build in the grove of the city four cabins provided with shade and water." When the huts were finished, he gave them with all life-necessities to the elder Sariputta. Then the latter presented it to the universal congregation of monks(Sangha) at whose head was the Buddha and assigned the credit to the peti. She deriving its benefits was reborn in the deva-world. Rich in all she wanted, she one day approached the venerable Mahamogallana, and told him in detail both her peta and deva rebirth.

Thus it is said:

7. After he had heard his mother's speech, the compassionate Upatissa(Sariputta) summoned Moggallana, Anuruddha, and Kappina.

8. Having made four huts, he gave them to the Sangha of the four regions: he designated the huts, the food and the drink as a gift of his mother.

9. Immediately afterwards, when the credit for this was transferred to her, the result was produced of the gift, this was the fruit, food, drink, and clothes.

10. Thereupon, pure, having clean garments, dressed in the best benares cloth and ornaments, arrayed in various kinds of clothes and ornaments, she approached Kolita (Original name of Mahamogallana).

Maha-Moggallana asked :

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

12. "As a result of what do you have such an appearance? On account of what is happiness your portion here, and why fall to your lot whatever pleasures are dear to the heart ?"

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

The peti:

14. "Through the gift of Sariputta I am happy, having no fear from any quarter. Reverend sir, it is you, the merciful seer here in the world, that I have come here to worship."

Elder Mahamogallana told the incident to Buddha, who then gave a dhamma discourse and gladdened the congregation.