Petavatthu(Ghost stories)25

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25. THE STORY OF UBBARI (2.13)
While the Teacher was staying at Jetavana, he told this story.

At Savatthi the husband of a lay-disciple died. She went in her grief to the cemetery and wept. When the Lord Buddha saw that she had attained the condition for the fruit of the Path, moved by pity, he went lo her house and asked why she was grieving? "Indeed, Lord Buddha, I mourn because of separation from one dear to me." Then the Lord Buddha told a story.

Once upon a time, in the Pancala country, in the city of Kapila, there was a king whose name was CuIani Brahmadatta, given to deeds beneficial lo his people, without disturbing the ten norms of kingship, Once upon a time wishing to hear what they were saying in his domain, he assumed the disguise of a tailor and without any attendant,  left the city. As he travelled from village to village and from district to district, he found the whole land without thieves and without oppression, the people on friendly terms and dwelling, with their houses open. With fresh joy he set out on his return, and in a certain town entered the house of a poor widow. When she saw him, she said: "Now, who are you, sir? From where have  you come ?" He replied: " My good woman, I am a tailor; I am going around, doing needle-work for a wage. If you have any sewing, give me both clothes and headtire, and I will make for you." She then said: "We have no work to be done in either clothes or headtire. Do it for others, sir." While he was staying there for a few days, he saw her daughter, who was endowed with the mark of future good fortune and merit, and he said to the mother: "If she is not married to anyone, give her to me. I am able to make a living for you with comfort." She gave him the girl. Having remained with her for a few days, he gave her a thousand kahapanas(coins) and said:  I shall return within just a few days. My dear, do not fret."  Thereupon he went to his own city. Having had constructed and adorned a level road between the city and that village, he went there with great pomp. After he had settled a large sum of money upon the girl and had her bathed in vessels of gold and silver, he had her named Ubbari and made her queen-consort, He gave the village to her relatives and then took her to the city with great pomp. Living happily with her. he enjoyed a successful reign and passed away.

Ubbari's grief thereupon is thus told by the redactors :

1. There was a king, Brahmadatta, lord of the charioteers of the Pancalas : then after the lapse of some days and nights, the sovereign fulfilled his time.

2. Ubbari, his wife, went to his funeral pyre and lamented.

Although she did not see Brahmadatta, she lamented, "O Brahmadatta ! "

3. A Rishi arrived there, a holy man accomplished in righteous conduct, and on that occasion he asked those who had duly assembled there:

4- "Whose funeral pyre is this over which are wafted various aromas? Whose wife is this that mourns for her husband who is gone far away from here? Although she does not see Brahmadatta, she wails, 'O Brahmadatta '

5. And they who were there thereon explained: " Venerable sir, she is the wife of Brahmadatta : good fortune to you and to Brahmadatta."

6 . This is his funeral pyre over which are wafted various aromas; this is his wife who is mourning for her spouse gone far from here. Although she does not see Brahmadatta, she laments, 'O Brahmadatta.'

The ascetic to Ubbari :

7. "Eighty-six thousand men bearing the name Brahma­datta have been burnt in this cemetery; for which one of these are you in sorrow? "

Ubbari :

8. "Reverend sir, I mourn for him who was the king, the son of Culani, the lord of the charioteers of the Pancalas, my husband who granted me every wish."

The ascetic:

9. "Verily all who have the name of Brahmadatta were kings; all  were the sons of Culani, the chiefs of the charioteers of the Pancalas.

10."For all in successive order you were the queen-consort. Why do you neglect your former husbands and bewail only the last one? "

Ubbari:

11. "Myself so long being woman, sir, is it of my womanhood in the course of things that you say so much?"

The ascetic :

12 . "You were a woman, you have been a man, as a beast also you were born. Thus this does not appear as limit to what has been."

Ubbari :

13. "Verily me, glowing, being like a fire over which ghee had been poured, you sprinkled, as it were, with water. Now I put an end to all my suffering. "

14. " Verily you drew  from me the dart that grief rooted in my heart, you who dispelled from me, overcome with sorrow, the mourning for my husband.

15. "'So I now am dart-drawn, am become cool. I do not mourn, I do not weep, having heard! you, great seer."

In portraying Ubbari's attainment, the Teacher spoke four stanzas:

16. "When she had heard these words of his, the admirable utterance of the recluse, she taking bowl and robe, went forth into the homeless state.

17. "And she, leaving house and home and going forth into the houseless state, cultivated a mind of amity in order to be reborn in Brahma's world. "

18. "She wandered from village to village, to towns and royal cities; Uruvela is the name of the village where she ended her days."

19. " After she had cultivated heart of amity for the sake of being reborn in Brahma's world and had put away the thoughts of a woman, she became a denizen of the world of the Brahmas(Arch Angels)."