Petavatthu(Ghost stories)32

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32. THE STORY OF THE DEERHUNTER (3.7)
While the Lord Buddha was staying at the Bamboo Grove monastery he told this story.

At Rajagaha city a certain hunter made is livelihood by shooting and killing deer night and day. He had, however, a lay disciple as his friend, whose counsels he followed in part, hence being reborn as mansion-peta. The venerable elder monk Narada saw him and asked him in this stanza:

1. "You are a young attended by men and women; at night you shine with sensuous pleasures; by day for some cause you suffer. What did you do in former life? "

The peta explained what he had done:

2. "In previous life, in beautiful Rajagaha city, in delightful Giribbaja, I was a deer hunter, a ruthless man of bloody hands.

3. " Among harmless creatures I with a wicked mind walked about, very ruthless, ever finding delight in slaying others unrestrained.

4. " I, though of such a nature, had a friendly companion, a pious layman of the faith; and he, having compassion on me, restrained me again and again, saying:

5. " 'Do no evil deed, else, my friend, you come to woeful plight. If you desire happiness after death, delight no more in uncontrolled taking of life'

6. " Although I heard the advice of this man who desired happiness and had compassion on me, I did not obey his teaching wholly, since for a long time I had found delight in wickedness and had no insight.

7. "Again this very wise man out of compassion set me up in self-restraint with the words: 'If you slay animals during the day, then at night let restraint arise in you.'

8. "So I killed the animals by daytime and with self­control abstained at nights. Now I walk around by night; but during the day I am consumed in misery.

9. "For that good action I enjoy a non-human night, but during the daytime, the dogs that had just been driven back, run up on all sides to devour me.

10. "Those who are ever devoted to, always attached to, the teaching of the Tathagata(Buddha), they, I think, will attain even unto complete deathlessness, the state transcendent"