Petavatthu(Ghost stories)40

Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Petavatthu >> STORY OF SUGAR-CANE

40. THE STORY OF THE SUGAR-CANE (4.5)
While the Lord Buddha was at the Bamboo Grove monastery, a certain man carrying sugar-cane chewed  a stalk as he went. The verses show what happened.

One day the venerable Elder Monk Maha-Moggallana was going for alms to Rajagaha city  and met a peta, who said:

1. "Here  to me a great grove of sugar-cane appears, broad and bearing a plentiful good crop. Yet it does not offer me anything to eat. Tell me, reverend sir, of what is this the result ?

2 . "I am afflicted(sick) and am being devoured(by hunder); I struggle, I am trying to get something to eat,  I am well near dead; wretched I lament. Of what deed is this the result ?

3. "I am overcome, and I am falling to the earth.  I roll around in he heat like a fish, and as I weep,  tears are dripping from me. Tell me, reverend sir, of what  is this the result?

4. "I am hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, I am terrified and get no pleasure nor happiness. Good luck to you ! asking of this matter. How now might I get some sugar-cane as food? "

Mahamoggallana :

5. "In previous time, when you were a human being in a former life, you did of yourself a deed. Now I tell you of this matter, and when you hear, know it as such.

6. "You were eating sugarcane as you were walking along, and a man was coming up behind you. He told you that he wanted some of it, and you replied him never a word.

7. "Although you refused to speak, he begged you and said to you, 'Sir, give me sugarcane.' Then you gave him some from behind(without looking/disrespect). Ill consequence of that deed you have this result.

8. "Look here ! You may take some sugarcane behind you(without looking) ; take it and eat it to your heart's content. Through this very act you will become pleased, delighted, joyful, and happy."

9. "He went and took it from behind(without looking). When he had it in his hands, he ate to his heart's content. By that very means he became pleased, delighted, joyful, and happy.

The peta gathered a bundle of the sugarcane and gave it to the elder monk who brought it to the Buddha at Veluvana monastery. The Lord Buddha together with the monks ate of it and gave thanks. From that time on, the peta could eat sugarcane in comfort. In the course of time he was reborn among the Thrice-Ten(among angels in heaven).