Petavatthu(Ghost stories)33

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33. A SECOND STORY OF A HUNTSMAN (3.8)
While the Lord Buddha was living at Veluvana, he told also this other story.

At Rajagaha, they say, a certain youthful huntsman, though rich, renounced the pleasures of wealth and went about night and day killing deer. He also, following the advice of an elder monk, at the entreaty of a lay friend, gave up night-hunting with similar result in the hereafter.

In the following stanzas the elder, Narada, asked him:

1. In a terraced building, a mansion, upon a couch over­laid with a woollen coverlet, with five kinds of musical instruments, you find delight in that which gives good music.

2 . "Then at daybreak toward sunrise, expelled to a grave­yard you undergo much pain.

3. "Now what evil act was committed by body, speech. or mind? For what deed do you undergo this suffering? " Then the peta told him the following story:

4. " In beautiful Rajagaha city, in delightful Giribbaja, formerly I was a huntsman; a sportsman was I, unrestrained.

5 . "I though of such a nature, had a friendly companion, a pious layman of the faith: frequenting his family was a monk, a disciple of Gotama(Buddha). And he, having compassion on me, restrained me again and again saying:

6. " Do not perform an evil deed ... (verses 5-10 as in the previous story 3.7 ) '."