Petavatthu(Ghost stories)1.11

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1.11 The Elephant

While Teacher  was staying at Jetavana, he told this story.The venerable Sankiccha, at the age of seven attained Arhatship(Final Enlightenment) even in the tonsure hall, and while still a novice, was dwelling in a forest with thirty monks, from whom he warded off death at the hand of five hundred robbers. After he had converted the marauders and induced them to take up the holy monks life, he went to the Teacher at Benares with these monks, and dwelt there at Isipatana.

At that time there dwelt at Benares a brahman(priest) with wrong views, having two sons and a daughter. The elder son had a friend who was a lay disciple of Buddha. Once both went to ven. Sankiccha's forest dwelling. Ven. Sankiccha taught them Dhamma(the path). With this they attained kindheartedness. And then they started honoring monks with food.

Listening to the monks, the younger son & daughter too started following the Dhamma. They all three gained merit by honouring and entertaining monks and brahmans, though their parents had no faith & showed no such respect and would rather send these away saying 'come next month' or 'come next week' etc. Now it came to pass that in a storm all five were crushed and killed by the falling of their weak old house. Thereupon the brahman and his wife were reborn as petas, and the two sons and daughter became terrestrial devas(angels). Now a nephew of that brahman, a pupil of Sankiccha, went to meet him, when asked by him, and, as he stood, saw by his Teacher's potency, the two devas and their sister riding to attend a meeting of Yakkhas(terrestrial angels), saw also the two petas(ghosts) following them, and spoke to these:

1. "Leading the way, one goes on a white elephant;

in the middle, one is in a car drawn by she-mules;

and at the very end a young woman;

who entirely illuminates the ten regions, is carried in a palanquin"

2. "But you people with hammers in your hands;

having sad faces and split and broken bodies;

looking as human beings, what sin have you done;

on account of what do you drink each other's blood? "

The petas:

3. " He who goes at the very head on the white elephant;

on the four-footed beast,on the elephant;

was our son, he was the eldest child;

because he gave donations, now rejoices happily."

4. "One in the middle, on chariot drawn by she-mules;

in the swift-going car which is yoked to four;

was our second child;

As an unselfish and noble giver he shines."

5. "She who is carried behind in a palanquin ;

A lady, wise, having the gentle eye of the dove;

was our daughter,the youngest child;

Happy with her portion of share, she rejoices."

6. "And these with glad minds in their previous existence;

gave gifts to monks and the brahmans;

But we were miserly;

and abused monks and the brahmans;

Since they gave gifts, they roam about;

and we are dried up like a reed cut down"

In declaring their wickedness, thus they explained: "We are your mother's brother and his wife," Upon hearing this, the nephew was grieved and asked:

7. " What kind of food do you have? What kind of a bed?

How do you maintain yourselves, you great offenders,

who, while food is abundant and plenty,

have lost happiness and to-day have obtained sorrow?"

The petas :

8. "We strike each other

and drink pus and blood.

Although we have drunk much,

we are not nourished, we are not satisfied.

9 ."Just as do non donating mortals lament;

who after death are in the abode of Yama;

Having discerned and attained food,

they neither enjoy it nor do good with it.

10. "Suffering hunger and thirst in another world,

the petas for a long time lament, since they are in torment.

Because they have done deeds of grievous consequence,

they receive suffering as their bitter fruits;

11 . "For momentary are wealth and property;

fleeting is the life here on earth ;

knowing transience from the transient,

let the wise man prepare an island of refuge.

12. "All people who know Dhamma and have this knowledge,

do not neglect donating gifts after they have heard the words of the Arhants."