<Iv

o;ll .... 'TI!M

J. AMBASAKKHARA
:. SERlSAKA
]. NANDAKA
f . REVATI
}. THE SUGARC .... NE
6. RAJAH'S SONS
CONTENTS
IV
7 THE RAJAH'S SON.
8, THE DUNGEATERS
9 THE DUNG-EATERS
1<1, THE: CROWD _
II. PATALIPUTTA
12. THE MANGOES
13 THE AXLE AND THE TREE
14 COLLECTING OF WEALTH
IJ. THE GUILDLEADER'S SONS
16. SIXTY THOUSAND HAMMERS
r ... Gl";
'.
93
93
97
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"7
"7
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"9
BOOK I
I
THF. STORY OF THE LIKENESS TO FIELDS
While the Blesseu One was dwelling at Kalandaka-nivApa
l
in Velu\'ana near Rajagaha, ll e told this story.
At Ra.j agaha t hele was a n immensely wealthy banker
known only by the lIame of MahadhanaseHhi. He had an
only son, who was amiable and charming. When he rcached
the years of his parents refl ected thus: "If our
son spell(h a thousand per day, even in a hundred yenrs this
accumulation oi wealth will not come to an end." They
did not t each him a crait, thinki ng: .. Since t.he learning
of a crall would be a fatigui ng exertion, let him with sound
body and IlIillll comfortably enjoy his wealth." Inst ead,
when lit: was comc of agc, t they procured him a charming
brillc, but totally lacking in a conception of Dhamma. With
heT he passed the time, given t o enj oyment, delighting in and
hankering after pleasure. At thc denth of his parents, he gave
lavishly t o dance!'!, singers, and others, and having wasted
his wealth and become poor, he managed to live by borrowing
money. But when he could no longer secure a loan and was
presssed by his creditors, he gave them field and iarm, house,
and his other po::scssions, and became a beggar, and lived
in the poor-house in that same city.
Now one day some robbers met him and thus addressed
him: " Look here, man, what do you get out of this hard
life? You arc young and active. Come with us and make a
comfortable living by stealing. We will train you." .. He
agTced and went with them. The thi eves gave him a hIge
cl ub ; as they entered a house in which they had made a brflach,
they stationed him at the opening saying : .. Tf anyone else
l Usually l ran.bled as Feedinjl:jl:found.-EO .
&/Ihi, lit.: best ; of l en translated as tleasurcr ; a ' guild.leader.'
D.II_"" '" welltb.-ED.
I SiJtteen years old.
I
, STORIES OF TIlE DEPARTED
comes here, fmd kill him." He, mentally dull and not
knowing friend from foe, stood there, and awaited only the
llpprmr.h of others.
Now the pr.ople of the house got up, and running very quickly
and looking this way and that. saw the man standing at the
breach. With the words, "Here they are, the rogues, the
they seized him, and brought him before the king,
saying: this thief was caught house-breaking," The
king commanded the town-watch: "Cut off his head. "
These took him into custody and led him to the place of
execution, flogging him with whips as he went along after the
execution-drum. At the same time the populace shouted
"This plundering robber has been captured in this ci ty."
Now at that moment in the 5ame city, the town belle,
Sulasa by rrame, was standing at a window. She 5aw him led
along, and since she had been acquainted with him in the past,
she felt sympathy for him, who had attained great prosperity
in this very town, and sent out sweetmeats and water and had
this mes;;age delivered to the town-watch: "May your honour
wait until this man shall have eaten these sweetmeats and
drunk the water."
Now while in this same city the venerable Mahi'imoggaWina
was contemplating clairvoyantly and noticed this man's
predicament, his mind was moved with compassion, and he
thought: " Since this man has not accomplished any merit,
but done wickedness, he will be reborn in hell; now, if I go
and he gives me the sweetmeats and the drink, he will be reborn
among the terrestrial devas. Let me help this man." He
aemrdingly appeared before the culprit as the drink and
sweetmeats were being brought. When he saw the elder, his
mind was at ease, and he thought: " What benefit shall I
derive from eating these swetmeats if I am put to death?
Now these will become provisions for my journey to the other
world," So he had the sweetmeats and the water given to
the elder. When Moggallana saw that his'-tnisery had grown
into joy, he sat down, 2te and drank and arose and went his way.
The man, however, was led by the headsmen to the place
of execution and beheaded. On account of the pious act done
to the elder Moggallana, unsurpassed field of merit, he was
worthy of rebirth in the sublime devaM\Vorld, But his affection
THE BOAR
,
went forth to Sulasa as he thought: " I attained this gift
thanks to her," and so at the moment of death his heart became
impure, and h& was reborn in a lower state and became a
dryad in a large banyan tree 6f dense shade in the jungle.
Now it came to pass that he seeing Sulasa in her garden
bore her to his abode. Her mother lamenting, slle bade him
after a week take her back. And she told the people, who
asked her, what had happened, and they were full of wonder
and said; " The Arhans verily are the world's incomparable
field of merit: even a small act of mercy done unto them
gives men rebirth among devas." Monks narrated the affair
to the Blessed One, who then spoke these stanzas in explanation
of this:
1. "Like unto fields are the Arhans; the givers are like
unto farmers; resembling seed is the gift; from this is prOM
duced fruit ."
2. " This seed and cultivated field are for the petas and the
giver. This the pctas enjoy ; the giver incrf'.;U;p.fl thmllgh t.hp.
pious act."
3. "For doing a meritoriol1s act here on I'arth and honouring
the petas, to heawn l hI' :'Ifl hi s station, sinc.e he
has nmlf' a goorl
At the. I'nd of t he. rliscourse eighty-four t housand persons
we.re c.onverted to Dhamma.
2
THE STORY OF THE BOAR
While the Teacher was dwelling near Rajagaha at Kalan
dakanivapa in Veluvana, he told this story.
Once upon a time, they say, when the blessed Kassapa 2
preached his doctrine, a monk, subdued in his body, but
lacking restraint in speech, abused monks. After death, he
was reborn in hell. After he had roasted there for one Buddha
M
interval, he left and was reborn in this Buddha-period near
Rajagaha, at the foot of Vulture's Peak. As a result of that
very offence, he was . afflicted with hunger and thirst. His
L S"KK". lit.: lh" {wodu).
I The prevjouR . B\lddha.

S TORI ES OF TilE D E PART ED
body was gold-coloured, but hi<l mouth was like t hat of a
boar.
At t hat time, t he Vf! np. rahle Narada was living at Vulture's
Peak. With bowl :mrl robe, he set out very early in the
morn:ng for On hi!! way to Rajagaha he saw t he peta
on the road. Tn asking hi m about the deed he had done. he
spoke thp. followi ng stanza: .
(. " Your body, golden all over, illuminates all t he regtons:
hilt Y0nT mouth is simply that of a boar. What deed have
VOH ilone in your previous existence ? ..
. Tn reply the peta s3.id :
2 ... In my body I was subdued : in my speech I was not
restrained. Therefore. I have such an appearance as yOU see,
NArada."
The peta also gave the elder this advice:
3. "So, Narada, I myself tell you this which you ,see for
yourself. Do not commit evil with your mouth, lest, mdeed,
you become
Then the venerable havi ng made his round for
charity in Rajagaha, returned after di nner from collecting alms
and t old this incident t o the Teacher, who used it in t eachi ng
Dhamma.
3
THE STORY OF THE PETA WITH A FUTRID MOUTH
While the Teacher was sojourning at in
Veluvana, he told this story.
Once upon a time in days of the Blessed Kassapa,
two men of good family, under his instruction, left the worldly
life. Abounding in the practice of morality a nd livi ng wi t h
aust ere penance, they dwelt harmoniously in a certain settle
ment in a village.
Then a cer tain monk of evil disposition, who found delight
in slander, came to their abode. The elders received him
kindly and on t he second d'\Y went with him t o collect alms.
The people were rendering the elders the highest possible
obedience and serving them with ricegruel, boiled rice, and
other foods. And he thought: " Nice is this village as a
resort for aln..:;, and the people, endowed with faith, give
PET A O F THE PUTR I D MO U TH
,
savoury food. Here is shade too and water. One can live
happily here; but not as long as the3c monks arc dwelli ng
in this same place. Well then I I ahall so act as to do for them
so that they come not again t o st ay here." And he slandered
them the one t o the ot her. They both became grnduo.lly
suspicious and thought , .. It may, after all, be so," and lost
trust , avoided each other, nnd soon, without telling each olher,
each went to a pleasanter place.
The people asked the slanderous monk, .. Reverend sir,
where are the elders s one ? " He replied: " All night t hey
were quarrell ing wit h each other ; t hey set out without heeding
my words, as I said : Do not quarrel, be harmonious ' ; and
among other things I :tdded : Those who are so disposed
arc gl addened by a big fi sht .''' Then the people entreated:
.. J ust let the ciders go ; for our sake, howe,\'cr, you st ay here
and have no regrets." He assented saying, " All ri ght ."
While dwel!il:g there he considered aft er a few days: " Through
covetousness for a dwelling, I estranged these monks, Alas I
I have been intent upon much wickedness." Overcome by
deep remorse and having fallen sick from agitation, in a very
shor t ti me he died and was reborn in the Avichi hell . Later
he was reba'm in this Buddhaperiod not far from R1jagaha
as a pcta with a put rid mouth. His body was gold.coloured,
but worms coming out here and there from his mouth, were
devouring it , as it emitted a disagreeable odour. Then the
venerable Naracia, coming down from Vulture's Peak, saw him
and asked him in this stanza about his deens:
I . " You have a beautiful, heavenly complelCi {m; floating
you are standing in t he air. Yct worms are devouring yOl lr
mout h which has a putrid odour ; what act did YOll commit
of yore? "
The peta replied:
2 . " A monk I was. wicked and of ill speech : t hollgh fiU.p.d
for austerit y, I was unrest rained with my mout h ; J obt ainp.rl
my complexion with aust erity and a putrid mOllth on acC'.onnt
of my slander."
3. " Nnw this hm; been seCll hy ynnrself, Narada. They who
are ann ,drtnous w('l\Ild say: 'Do not backbite
nor speak falsely. Then you wi ll hecome a Yakkha enjoying
as you will.'"
6 STORIES OF THE DE PART ED

THE STORY OF THE BISCUIT-DOLI.
While the Teacher was dwelling at SavaHhi in J etavana
he told this story.
The nurse had given Anlithapil)Qika's grand-daughter a
biscuit-doll as plaything. The child let it fall one day and it
broke. She cried out, "rody daughter is dead," and wept , and
none of the servants could pacify her.
Now at that time, t he Teacher was in the home of the
householder Anat hapil)l;iika, who was seated near him. The
nurse t ook the child and went t o her master, who said: " Why
is the girl crying ? " took her on his lap. and having appeased
her by saying, " I will give you a daughter as a gift ," said
to the Teacher: " Reverend Sir, for the sake of my great
granddaughter, on account of a pastry-doll, I am anxious to
bestow a gift . Therefore consent to come to-morrow to my
house with five hundred monks," I The Blessed One agreed.
Accordingly the Blessed One came, and after the meal, he
ga\'e thanks and spoke these stanzas :
I .. , With whatever concern the liberal one should give a
gift to the forefathers and the departed or also to the deities of
the homestead" ;
2, " And to the four great kings, t he celebrated guardians
of the world, Kuvera, DhataraHha, Vi riipakkha, and VirOI-
haka ; with this forsooth t hey all arc honoured, and the
bcstowcrs are not without reward."
3. "For ruf're weeping or grief or any other lament ation
is of no avail; all this is of no help to the departed person.
Such a practice have the kinsmen.
4 ... But indeed this gift which is given and well estabJj shed
in the Church, with immediate effect serves a long time for the
benefit of the departed."
Thus the One expounded Dhamma and departed.
The guild leader's wife and re1ativt!S followed his t!xample.
Thus they uestowed for a mouth. Tlltm King
Pasenatli uf hetldug uf this also prc:;enled bounteuus
gifts to the assembly. When the citizens saw this, lhey ill
turn did as the king and for n whole month practi sed great
I ' 500' actuall y amour.ts only tt) . many.'-ED.
U U T S 1 UJ:: T H E WA L L 1
- ------'
giving, a great generosity which had it5 origin in the
dolJ.l

THE STORY OF THE PETAS OUTSIDE THE WALL
While the Teacher was at Rajagaha, he t old this
story.
Ninety-two cycles ago there was a city called K!sipuri.
In t hat place, king J ayasena was reigning; his Queen was
called Sirima. Their son Phussa attained supreme enlight en-
ment.
1
Now Ki ng J ayasena displayed pride, thinking: ,. Since
my son, who is born as a Buddha, has made the great renuncia-
tion, I alone have the Buddha, I alone have Dhamma, I alone
have the Church." All the ti me he alone was in attendance
upon him and gave no opportunity to others.
The three younger brothers of the Blessed One, bom of a
different mother, thought : "The Buddhas indeed are bom
for the benefit of the whole world. not for the sake of just one
pcrson. Now our iat her gives no opportunity to others.
How now can we servc the Blessed One and t he Church ?
Come along, let us perform some stratagem." So they caused
a disturbance, as it were, on the borderland. Then the king,
when he heard about this disturbance, sent forth these three
sons to pacify the border. Thcy did so and, upon thei r return,
the king in his pleasure granted them a boon, saying: "Take
whatever you wish." They said : " We wish to wait upon
the Hl essed One, " The king, denying this, said: "Take
something else," They replied: " We do r.ot care for anyt hing
else." The king s,lid: "Well , you can t ake your choice."
They approached the Hl essed One and said : "Reverend
Sir, we wish to serve the .Hle$scd One t hree months. Let the
Blessed One consent to spcnd with us for three mont hs the
retreat of the rainy season." The .Hl cssed One
The three sons personally sent a written message t o the man
appointed over the province, saying: .. During these three
months we must serve the Blessed Olle; beginning with a
1 The 18th Buddha Dipaiikara. See Bv. XIX. etc.
8
S T OR IE S OF TH E DEPA R TED
monast ery ; provide all his l1:!cds." Then they served with due
honour tht! Blessoo One and the Order of t he monks. When
they, as rulers of the province, had dedicated tilt: illOl1Ustery,
they oU&':fvu.l the rdrcat uf t he ra iny season . of them,
a ,royal, of a huuseholder, a believer, tugether
wIlh l uo; wife, flJ unu ("II(1), H e July !Save a uOlJatiull lu lIlI:
Order of lllOllks at whose head was t he BuJdha. Tile Inau who
was set over the province followed his example a nd with
eleven t housa nd people dispatched gifts with all due honour.
t hat peoP!C weTe offended in heart ; having
hindered . cont ributions, they themseJve.'5 atc the gifts and
with fire the refectory. After t he king's sons with their
retinue had honoured the Dlessed One and bidden him farewell
they went directly to thei r fat her; ,
Upon his return, the Dlessed One c:. ttai ned Nirvana thc
king's and the man set over the province, and tilc'royal
treasurer, III the coursc of time, di ed and with the multitude
were reborn in heaven, but the people who were offended in
heart wcre reborn in hell. Thus nincty-two cycles passed hy,
as these two stat es of persons were reborn rcspectivcl y from
heaven to heaven and from hell to r.eJl. Then in that auspicious
cycle, at t he time of the blessed Kassnpa, the people who were
offcnded in heart were reborn among the retas.
At thil t time, men would give a "'ift for the benefit
of thei r pcta kinsmen a l:d indicate: be for our
relatives." Thcrell p:m the pcta:; recei ved happmess. Then
these pct as t oo noticed this, and having approached Kas3apn
asked Idm : " How now, reverend si r, can we t oo attain
such bliss?" Tr.c Blessed Olle said : "At this tirr.e, you
cannot attain it, but in time to come, thcre will be a universal
Buddha nan:.ed Gotamn; in the t ime of t hat Blessed One,
there will n ldng Bimbis1!.ra, who ninety-two cycles
from now WI ll be a lnnsman unto YOll . He will give a gift to
the .Buddha and ascribe the credit to you; then YOIl will
attam (blessedness): Now when thi5 was spol,cn, it wos tiS
though one had said t o t hose pel as: " To-morrow you shall
receive."
Then 1 :;. iter this Buddha-interval had the Blessed
, here: the Commemary is mOTe or lcs! a duplica.te of that on t ile
'" the l<huddaka.p.ltha (VII). Ct . M i tlot ' hlhclog;u I, s. n .o.
OU T S ID E T H E WALL
9
One w:;s born unto us in the world ; thc three princes too with
a thousand men passed from the world oi the devas and were
reborn in the kingdom of Magadha in brahman families.
In course of time. having given up the worldly life, the three
became ascetics with matted hair. sojourr.ing at Mount Gaya;
the man set over t he province bcc('.me King Bimbisara; the
royal treasurer, the son of a householder, became guild-leader
by the name of Visakha ; his wife became the daughter of a
guild-leader and was known as Dhammadinn3.; but the rest
of the multitude were reborn as attendants of the king. Now
our Blessed One. reoorn in the world, at the end of seven weeks
came to Benares, where he set rolling the wheel of Dhamma.
He inst ructed the three ascet ics, aiter he had begun with a
group of five, and obtained as many as a thousand followers.
Then he proceeded to Rajagaha and established King Bimbisara
in the fruits of the first way toget her with eleven myriads of
brahmans and laymen dwelling in AIi ga and Magadha. I
The petas, however, surrounded the house t hj nking; "Now
t he king will ascribe a gift t o our credit." As the ki ng gave a
donation, he thought only, " Where now, I wonder, may the
Blessed One br! dwelli ng?" Accordingly he did not ascribe
the credit of t he gift to anyone, Thus, since the petas, who
had not received a donation, were without hope, they uttered
during the night dreadful outcry at the king's residencc.
The agitated king told the Blessed at daybreak of what
had oeemed and asked; " Did you hear a noise like t hat?
Reverend sir, I wonder now what may happen to me."
The Blessed One replied: " Do not fear, great king ; no evil
will befall you, but prosperity will come your way. Now
verily, these are your kinsmen who have been reborn among the
petas. For one Buddha-interval they have been wandering
about, yearning just for t his : ' He 'Nill bestow upon t he Buddha
a gift and ascribe t o us its merit.' Yesterday when you
presented a gi ft, you made no transfer of credit. Consequently
they have lost hope and uttered outcry." The king said:
" How now, reverend si r, coul d they obt ain what is given as a
gift?" The Buddha said ; " b .dced they can, great king."
The king said:. .. Then, reverend sir, let the Blessed One
l Thece (olloW!<, briefly, :he Sakka tnbute &om the Nidlnakathl of the
Jltab.-ED.
"
!:iTO NIE S O F THE: DEPARTED
__
accept my invitation for to-morrow; I shall transft r to them
the vi rtue of the gift. " The Blessed One agreed .
. Then the king had a. generous bounty prepared and had the
time announced to t he Blessed One, who came to the royal
palace. The petas cnme, thinking : "To-day we shall get
something," and s tood outside the walls and fenccs. The
Blessed One then brought it about that everyone of them
beC3me visible to the king. As the ruler gave water to wash
in, he ascribed t o them the merit with the words: " Let thi s
be for my kinsmen," Instantly there came into existence lor
the pelas lotus-.ponds full of lotuses and water-lilies. They
bathed and drank there, and alleviated of th"ir sufferings
Irom distress, fatigue, and thirst, they became gold-coloured.
The king handed out ri ce gruel and solid and soft food and made
over the merit of the giit . In a moment there came into being
for them other, even deva-foods, of which they joyfully partook.
The king made a donation of clothe:; and dwellings and made
over the merit of the gift. There came into exhtence for them
deva-clothes, deva-mansions, and couches, covers, and orna-
ments. The BJessC' d One so resolved that all this bliss of theirs
should be manifest to the king, who, seeing thi s, was very mnch
pleased. Then the Blessed One, having eaten and being
invited, in order to tllank King Bimbisara, told the story
of t he petas outside the waIL
r. .. They stand outside the walls and at the open spaces
and at the cross-roods ; they arc standing at the doorposts,
havi ng gone to their own house.
2. " Allhough abulIddlll loot.! amI think, hard alld art:
served, no one needs lhese beiu/:::. Uecause of (lheir) ads .
3. " They who arc compassionate give thei r kinsmen at
the proper time pure, excellent, suitable food and dri nk (with
the words): 'Let this be for our kinsmen ; let the relatives
be blessed! .
4. " And these coming together there, the departed spirit s
of the kinsmen who have assembled greatly rejoice at the
abundant food and dilnk, saying:
5. ". Long li ....e our kinsmen through whom we receive. Piety
has been shown us, and the givers are not reward.'
6. ". For there is no ploughing there. nor is cowherding
DEV OU R ER OF FIVE C IlllnR!;.l\'
"
found there : w r is there trading there as here, nor commerce
with gold.'
7. ". With gift!> from here, the pcbs, the dead in the other
world, maintHin water rained on a height
flows down to the low ground, even so the gift hence given
supports the petas.'
8 ... , J ust as full strea ms of water fill the ocean, even so t he
gift hence given supports the pcbs.'
9 ... , My kinsfol k and compa r.ions, each one save to me,
worked for me. }'lay each one give gi ft s to the pcbs, remem-
bering what was done in thei r past. '
1 0 ... , For 1 mere weeping or grief or any la.llleillalioll
is of no avail; all this is of no help to thc departed person.
Such a practice the kinsmen.'
II. " , Hut indeed this gift which is given and well established
in the Church with immediate effect serves a long time for the
benefit of the departed.'
12. "Nov.: this is the duty defined for killsmcn; to the petas,
moreover, high piety has been paid, and strength has been
bestowed upon the monks. Ko little good has been pursued
by you. "
At the end of t he discourse, insight into Dhamma was
rEceived by eighty-four thousand people whose understanding
began, as it were, irom the incident of rebi rth in the realm
of the petas. Their hearts were sti rred wit h praise; and they
made earnest Efforts. On t he foll owi ng day, the B!essed One
t aught to devas and men this same discourse of "Outside
the wall." Thus for as long as seven days there was such a
conversion as this to Dhamma.
6
THE STORY OF THE DEVOURER OF FIVE CHILDREN
Whil e the Teacher was living at s..'i.vatthi, he t () ld this story.
I n a village Hul fal from S1I.vattM a cert ain landowner's
wife w .... s Varrcli. His relatives said: " Lct us procure you
a llotlier girl." He was unwilling out 1) affecti on for his wife.
, See I.
"
OF TH E DEPARTED
Then, when his wife heard of this, she urged her husband t o
marry again and not cut off his lineage. But when the new
wife was with child, the barren wife, who was overcome by
envy, satisfied with food and dr ink a certain Wanderer, I
and employed him to bring about abortion. The second wife
tol d her mother. who summoned her kinsfolk and they spoke
thus t o the barren wife: " You have caused the deatn of her
unborn child," Sho replied: " r am not guilty," The
kinsmen said: " If you are not, toke an oath." She t ook
the oath, inviting, were she guilty, the date told below.
Not long afterwards she cii<!d, and was reborn, not far from
that same town, as an ill-favoured pet[. At t hat time, eight
elders who were spending the rainy season in the province
and were going to Savatthi to see t he Teacher, came to 0.
place in the forest supplied with sh:tdc and w:"ltc;r, not far
from this same village. Then the petl appeared unt o the
of whom one asked her :
I . .. You are naked a nd ugly in form ; an ill-smelling and
putrid odour you breathe fort h ; you are all covered with
flies. Now who arc you that are standing here jI ..
The pen:
2. " I, venerable Si r, am a peti, a wretched denizen of Yama's
world. Si nce I had done a wicked deed, I went hence to peta-
world.
3 "At daybreak I give birth t o five sons, in the evening
again to five ot hers, 1111 of whom I devour; even these are not
enough for me.
4 " My heart is scorched and smokes with hunger; I get
no water to drink. Behold the misfortune come t o me."
When lhe eltler had heard t his, he asked her :
J. " Now wllal wicked deed was done by body, speech, and
mind ? Iu relribution of what offence do you devour the
flesh of yoUl" sons? ..
Then the peti told the elder what she had done:
6. " The other wife of my husband was with child, and I
, Pa,ibbfljallg, a roaming stvdcat.
I Note that in the two S\l ttIUI ( .... . i , 138: M . Hi, 1;9) of the post n:ortem
tribunal great is laid OD ill deeds lIS bavill g been doDe "by YO\l yea.
by you . . ... Here, in thc foll:)wing verses, the ,ame notion become!
-Eo.
DEVOURER O F SEVEN C IIIL OREN .,
devised evil against her ; I myself with a cornl pt spirit c.aused
the 13.11 of her unborn child.
7. " When it was two months old j ust. hlonrl flowed forth.
Then her mot ht:r in anger brought hp. r kinsfolk to me. And
she both administered an oath to mr. and had me reviled.
8. " I, even I, took the oath fal sely: ' May I eat
the flesh of chi ldren if it W;\ S donp. hy me. '
9. " In consequence of hot h t.hp. deed and the perjury, I
devour t he flesh of with the blood of the
past."
The elders, movr n wi th for her, went to the house
of that landlord, :mrl han him transfer t o t he petr the virtue
of the ::Il mc;-gi H hr. made them. All at once the peti, freed
from hfif mi!';P.ry, obtained great blessedness and showed herself
(in ;\ during the night to her husband. Then the elders
in nll p. t.ime came to Savatthi and t old t he matter to the
One.
7
THE PETA STORY OP THE DEVOUREl<. U.F SEVRN CHILDREN
While the Teacher was li ving at Savatthi, he told t his story.
In a cert ain village not far from Savatthi, a lay disciple
had two sons, handsome and gifted and good. Because of
them their mother despised her husband. I n disgust at being
slighted by his wife, he brought home another one, a young
maiden, who became with child. The elder wife, moved by
jealousy, persuaded a certain physician, in return for a fee,
to cause in her rival. Questioned by both the
kinsfolk and her husband, she swore falsely, inviting the doom
that actually befell her.
At that t ime many elders, who had kept the Retreat of the
rainy season in an abode in the village, were going to 5avatthl
t o see the Blessed One : on that occasion they spent the ni ght
near that village. Then thi" peti appeared unto these elders.
The chief among them asked her in a st anza :
1. "You are naked and ugly in form; an ill-smelling and
putrid odour you breathe forth. YOII are a U covered with
flies. who are you that are standing here? ..
The petl :
'.
STOHIES OF THE DEPARTED
2. " I, fevcrt m.l sir, am a pdf, a wretched denizen of Varna's
world. SillQe I hau liolle an t!vil deed, I went from here t o the
world of the petas.
3 " At daybreak I give birth to seven children ill l he
evening again to seven others, all of whom I de vou'r ' even
thc!lc are not enough for me.
4 heart is $cOI"(; hed and smokes with hunger ; I do
not attain serenity of mind. As though burnt with fire. I
suffer t orture, "
Then the chief elder asked her :
,5 "Now what wicked deed was done by body, speech, and
mmd? Through what offence do you devour fl esh of
children ? "
The peU;
6. "I had two SOliS; both llad attuim.,d adolescence. Bllt
I. havi ng witnessed the strength of the sons, despised my
husband.
7. "Then my husband was angry and married wother wife.
And when she became witIl child, I meditated cyil against her.
8. "And r with mind corruptcd caused thc fall of her
unborn child. This fcU in the third month, foul and bloody.
9. "Then I her mother in anger brought her relatives t o mc.
And she administered an oath to me nod had me reviled.
I. even I, t ook the terrible oath falsely: ' May I eatthe fl esh
of children if it was done by me.'
10. " I n consequence of both t he deed a nd the perjury,
I devour t he flesh of chi ldren, since I am stained with the blood
of my past."
s
THe: STl) KY 0 1' THE ox
While the Teacher was livi ng at j etavana, he t old t hi; story.
At the father of a certain householder died. The
son was torment cd with grief and was lamenting. As he was
going around like a mad man, he would ask whomever he saw:
".00 then not see my lather ?" No one was able to dispel
hiS But, ill his heart as a lamp in a jar, there was
burning the immediat e condition of the First Way. As the
I S.,,1, 6.7 9.
T HE O X
"
Tffi.c.her \vas surveying the world in the morning, he saw this
ac;surance and t hought: .. It is meet to give t his man the fruit
of the First Way after he has told his past experience and
pressed his grief"; so on the followin.l{ day, he ret urned after
the he went with a junior monk t o the man's
house-door. Upon hearing that the Teacher was come, he
went out to weJcome him. When the Teacher was seated the
host said : " Reverend sir, you know whither mv father has
gone." Then the Teacher addressed him : .. lay disciple,
do you ask about your father in t his state or the past one ? "
Upon hcarin.l{these words and having his grief allayed :-" I had
a good many fathers," he recovered a little composure. Then
the Teacher uttering a briei address departed to his abode.
Then his monks started a conversation hereO:l.
Upon his arrival, the Teacher asked: " Well , monks, ior
what discussion arc you now seat ed in conclave ?" They
told him the matter. Saying, " It was not only at this moment
that I dispelled the man's grief, but in a previ ous life it had
already been removed," the Teacher, upon their request,
told what had hapPfned.
Once l upon a time in Benares, t he fathcr of a certain
holder died. Overcome by grief and lamentation he beat
upon his breast and reverentially walked around the funeral
pile. His son, Sujiita by name, an intelligent and clever lad,
endowed with the highest wisdom, who was considering a means
of dispelling his fat her '!,: grief, saw outSIde the city a dead ox,
before which he set some grass and wat er that he had brought.
He offered it a morsel , and commanding like a li ving one, he
st ood t here, saying: " .Eat, eat , drink, drink." When the
passers-by saw him, they said: ,. Hallo, Sujli.ta, are you mad
that you offer graB!; and water to a dead ox ?" But he
replied never a word. So the people went to his father and
told him : .. Your son has become mad and offers grass and
water to a dead ox." When the householder heard this,
his grief for his father left him. Agitated, he quickly went
and reproved the lad: " Arc you not Sujll.ta, intelligent,
clever, and wise? Why do you offer grass and water to a
dead ox ?" In that connexion he spoke two stallzas :
I. " Why now appearing like a mad man, do you cut the
) ./11., No ..
,6 STORIES O F THE DEPARTED
green grass and lIIutter tu all old ox whose life is gone, Eat,
Eat ' .
2 ... For 1I0t by food and dri nk would a dead ox ari se.
you are childish and simple-minded, just li ke anyone else.
I n reply Suj ata spoke the following;
3 ... These feet, this head, this body with t he tail, the
eyes likewise are here. Let this ox get up.
4. "But the hands and feet , body and head of grar.dfathcr
arc not seen. \ccping upon H.c mound of earth is it not
you wlto are fooli sh ?"
The {ather:
5 ... Verily r was glowing, being like a fire over which ghee
had been poured. Now sprinkled as with water, ] make an
end of all my pain.
6, "Verily, you drew from me the sting, the grief that
was rooted in my heart ,1 you who dispelled from me, over-
come with sorrow, the mourni ng for my father.
7 ... Verily r have laid asidc my grief herein and am calm
and have made an end. r do not mourn, I do not weep.
having heard you, my boy.
8. " So do the wise who are compassionate. They divert
us from grief just as Sujiita his falher."
And the father wa.shed his head, patook of food, and
attended to his busincss. At death, he was a yon-farer to
heaven.
Thus Sujdta became a Protector of the world.
2

THE STORY 09 THE :-'tASTER WEAVER
While the Tf>:l ch('.r li ving at Sivatthi, he told this story.
Just ::I nou':n having acquired matter for practice
from Tt':ar.her, were investigating a place in which to live.
thl' Rr: t.rt':at of the miny season was near, they saw a
forestabode with shade and water, and at a COIl-
venient distance from it a village for getting food. They
passed the night there. and next day, entered the village to
, = TJotrlfrJ'JoiJ, J3I.
, He wu i5'.erl the 12th Duddil ... .
THE MA STEn
"
collect alms. The people welcomed the monks and begged
them to enter upon residence for the Retreat of the rainy
season. Then the of too Wf>;lVt':T$\' guild respectfully
served two monh with four rlf life, while
the rest of t he I".ared for a monk apiece.
Now t.hl! ..... i fe of the chief weaver was unbelieving. without
fait.h, unorthodox. and greedy, and did not minister to the
monh. Thereupon master weaver married her younger
and made her mistress in his house. She had faith
and zealously cared for the monks. All these weavers too,
gave one cloak to each of the monks who were observing the
Retreat of the rainy season. Then the selfish wife of the
head of the weavers' guild. in a wi cked spirit. abused her
husband, saying: " Whatever food and drink you give
as a gUt to the ascetics who are the true followers of the
Buddha. may that in the next world be turned i!lto muck
and may the cloaks become burning piates of iron."
At his death the master weaver was reborn in the Vindhya
forest as a dryad endowed with splendour. His stingy wife
was reborn as a peti not far from his abode. She was nude,
ugly. and overcome with hunger and thirst, and as she ap-
proached the earthdeva, she said : " My lord, I am naked
and walk around exceedingly tormented with hunger and
thirst : give me dothes and food and drink." He gave her
some of his excellent devafood and drink; this, immediately
upon her taking it, was turned into muck, and the cloak:
with which she was clad became a burning iron plate. Vomiting
and wailing, she went about in great misery.
At that time, a certain monk, who was goi ng to pay his
respects to the Teacher, with a large camvan entered the
Vindhya forest. The caravan, after having been travelling
at night, saw by day a place abounding in shade and water,
where they unharnessed the oxen and stopped to rest. Then
the monk, who with a desire to be alone had strolled away
a short distance, spread his cloak on the thick grass at the
foot of a tree and lay down. Weary in body from the journey
by night, he fell asleep. When the men of the caravan had
rested, they went on their way, but that monk did not
awake. Then having g6t up at eventide and missing his
companions, he followed a side path and finally came to the
, STORI ES OF THE DEPAR T ED
abode of t he deva. When that dt va saw
him, he ca me up i ll human form and welcomed him; he
t ook him imo his lllausi UII , and aft er he had given hi m oi nt-
ment for his fect and olher presents, he paid hi m homage
and sat down. At this time, the peli ai!)u came and said:
" Give me, my lord, food, drink, alld a c1uak," He gave
her these which, the moment they were gra!>pcd by
her, invariably they turned into muck and buruiu!{ plates of
iron. 'When the man saw this, he became t;really agitated
and asked the cleva in these t wo stanzas :
1. " Dung and urine, blood and pus acciUC 10 her ; oC
what is thi s the result ? Now what deed has thi s wUlIlau
done, who is always feeding blood and pus ?
2. " New and lustrous, forsooth, soH, wbile, awl Juwny
are the clot hes given her, but t hey become divers melal vlatcs.
Now what deed has this woman clone? "
The cl eva:
3 " This was my wife, venerable one ; she was lJot liis-
posed to give, niggardly and stingy was she. When I gave to
recluses and brahmans, she abused and censured me, sayillg :
4 ," Dung nnd uri ne, blood and pus, even fi lth may you
feed upon for all time. Let that be your lot in the other
world, and may your c1ot hc!> be like metal plate:i.' Si ncc
she has committed such a wi cked deed, she shall, ior a 10ll g
time aftcr arr ivQ.i here, eat that filth.
" Nowi; thcrco.ny meansof freeing her from the worl d of t he
pdas?" He said :" If one presents a gift t o the Blessed One and
t o the Community of Ari yans, or even toone monk and transfers
to her the credit , a nd she appreciates it, in that way she will
have release from sufferi ns." When the deva heard this,
he gave that monk food and drink and t ransferred the virtue
of the gift to t hat petro Instantly she had suffici ent; she
was of joyful hea rt, and satisfied wi th the deva-food. Then
he gave into the hand of the same monk a pair of deva-cloa ks
for the Blessed One and ascribtld the credit of the gi ft t o the
pcti. Immediately thereupon, she was clad in deva-garments,
well-provided with everything that is t o be dC5ired, the counter-
part of a divine-nymph.
Fnrthermore that monk t hrough t he potency of that deva
on that very day reached Savatthi.
THE BA L DI1 E ADED WOMAN
.,
10
THE STORY OF THE HALD-HEA.DED WOMA.N
While the Teacher wa; living at S;'lvatthl, he told this st ory.
Once upon a ti me there was a t Bcnares, a certain woman
living on her ocaut y ; Now her lOllS black hair, fine, soft .
and glossy had a m03t benut iful curl; her tresse; made two
handfuls, and when loose, hung down t o t:er girdle. Then
a few envious women t ook counsel t oget her, and having
bribed the handmaiden sent her a drug whieh would destroy
her ha.ir. Now the maid prepared that drug with the bathing
powder nnd gave it to her mistress at the time that she bathed
in the Ganges. She moist ened her hair well t o the roots with
that concocti on and plullged into the water. J ust as she
wa5 immersed in the river, her hair fo1l1 out, roots and aU,
and her head resembl ed a bitter gourd. Then, ugly ;!
pigeon whose feathers
1
have been plucked out, being nll11hlp.
out of shame, t o enter the city, wrapped her head in a shawl
and made her abode outside the city. Ht! r eonr.,
and havi ng pressed sesame she made her li ving hy
trading in oil and spirit uous liquor.
Onc day, as two or three drunken men had fall en into a
deep sleep, she stole all their dothes, whieh were hll ng;lJg Inost! .
Then aile day, she saw on his round for alms a !'::Iilltly elnrr
and, having invited him t o come in, she B"tl ve hi m a cake mane
of kernels and miKed wit h sesame oil. Out of pit y for her.
he accepted it and ate it. She stood there with::l hl'lppy hear t .
holding over him a sunshade The elder with a !'itirred mind,
thanked her and took leave. Now sh(> then mane a wish :
" May I ha.ve long hair which is fin(>, lind soft with
a most beaut iful curl." At a "l1hsrql1 r. nt time she died.
and as a result of her merit oriOI1S deNI , shp. reborn out in
mid ocean all al one ill a golden ma nsion ; her htli .. wa; restored
just as she had desi red it. but ."hl'! had st olen the
garments of the men, she was nudf'. Shl': rebom again
and again in that gold(,l1 ml'lnsif)n ;I nri without any clothes
spent one Buddha-intPfval therp.
Then our Blessed Onp was reborn ir. the world. and while
. The l","".lati"u fOl! ow3 the
luilc; /a .p"M,MIfiJ. Dictionary. Ixm, g./Ill .
01<' THE DEPARTED
he was sojourning in S!l:vatthr a hundred merchant s, whose
home was there, embarked in a ship for Suvannabhumi.
The ship st orm-t ossed arrived at that t his peU
with the mansion appeared t o them. When t he eldest mer-
chant saw her, he asked;
I. "Who, pray, are you, staying in a mansion ? Not coming
out. Come out , lady; let us see you and your potencv."
The peU; .
2 . " r am distressed: r am ashamed to come out naked
clothed with my hair. By me little good was done ." '
Merchant :
3 " Come. r give you a cloak; put it on; don the
wrap and come out , beaut iful 0110 . Come out, lady. Let us
see you and your potency. "
he said t his, he held out to her his own m::mtle.
The peU:
4 "What is given by your hand into mine does not help
me. But this disciple here is a faithful pupil of the truly
enlightened one.
5 " Having dressed this man, transfer to me the merit
then I shall be blest, fl ouri shing in al l pleasure." '
After having heard her, the traders bathed and anointed
that lay disci ple and clothed him wit h a pair of garments.
In making known the matter, the Redactors littered three
stanzas:
6. After the traders had bat hed and anointed him, they
clothed him with the garments and ascribed t o her t he vir tue
of the gift .
7 F rom t he gi ft came the result : food, clothes, and drink.
8. Therf':llpon pmf':, havi ng d ean clot hes, wearing t he best
d oth, she came out of the mansioll, saying:
Thl!': 11'; t.hl': fr1llt of yom gift."
The traders :
9 "The mansion, or va.rierf .,> Iyle, pleasant shines bright
o devI, 1 tell us of what deed this is the
The devI :
10 ... To a travel ling monk menrfi r.,mt, an IIpright one,
I with pious mind gave a cake of I';eerfs with oil.
I DI MU.
T H E E L EP HA NT
II. " For this good deed I en joy as a reward a long time
in the mansion ; now but li ttle while remains.
12 . " After four months will be my death; down to the
l' xrp.eding severe and t errible hell r shall fall.
1.1 . " It is four- cornered and ha.s four doors ; it is divided
int o parts by measure ; it is surrounded by an iron fence,
is covered on the t op wi th iron.
14. " Its iron fl oor is glowin.e; wit h heat. Flashi ng on all
for a hundred },ojanas, it ever stand3.
IS. " There for a long time r shall experience gri evous
pain and the fruit of evil deeds. Therefore r bewail this
that i!> tr ue."
That disciple's mind was aroused by pity, al:d he said :
" 0 devi, through the power of one gilt you bes:owed upon
me, you have beell rich ill t he fulft lment of all desires. But
now, by bestowing a gi ft upon these lay disciples and bearing
in mi nd the virtues of the Teacher, yon will be released from
rebirth in helL" The peti very happy, satisfied them with
deva-food ' and drink, garments and jewels, and gave into
their hands a suit of garments lor l he Blessed One. She sent
her respects, saying: " Go to Savatthi and saInte the TeachET
with my words : ' Reverend Sir, a cert ain peti greet5 with
her head the feet of the Blessed One '. " Then by her pot ency
she brought ship that same day to their haven. The
merchant s in duc ccurse deli vered the gi ft to t he Teacher,
and told the whole matter.
11
THE STORY OF THE F. LEPHANT
Wl lilc tin.: Tcachcl wa'5 li ving at J etavana, he t old thh story.
TIl,.: VCIIl: I<lulc Salpkicca, a t the age oi seven attained
1 evell iii the tonsure hall, and whi le still a. novice,
was dwelli ng in a forest haUl:t wit h thirty monks, from whom
he warded off deat h at the hand of five hundred robbers.
After he converted the marauders and induced them t o
take up the ascetic li fe, he went t o the Teacher o. t Denares
wi th t hese monks, and dwelt t here at Isipat ana.
1 T!aenga.,hl, Nt). 240 ; Dhalnlllap:l.lla Ccmmy. ii, 210 ff.
"
STOR IE S O F THE DEP AR TED
At that time there dwelt at Benares a heretical brahman
having two sons and Q. daughter. These three joined the
laity in honouring and enter taining reclu5Cs and brahmans,
though thei r parents showed no such respect. Now it COl me
to pass lhat in a storm all five were crushed and I.::i lled by
the falling of their weak old house. ThereuFon tl:e brahman
and his wife were rehorn as petas, and the twO sons and
daughter became terrest rial devas. Now a nephew of that
brahman. a pupil of Sarpkicca, went to meet him at his biddi ng
and, as he stood, saw by Teacher's potency, the two devas
and their sister riding t o attend a meeting of Yakkhas, saw
also the t wo pet as following t hem, and spoke to these:
1: . " Leading the way. forsooth, one goes on a white elephant ,
but in the middle, one is in a car drawn by she-mules; and
at the very end a young woman who entirely illuminat es
t he t en regions, is carri ed in a litter.
2. "But you people with hammers in your hands, having
sad faces alld spli t and broken bodies, as human beings what
evil 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 ,
the four-foot ed beast, was our son ; he was the eldest child.
Rf':Ca nse he gave gift s, he now rejoices happily.
4 . .. He who is in the middle on t he chariot drawn by
in the swift-going car which is yoked to four,
"Was Ollr second child. As an unselfish and noble giver he
"hinp_".
5. "Shp. who j " r:arrief"l hehi nf"l in a li l tflr. :I. l:lf"ly. wi!'P. ,
having t he gentle eye" of the noe, om f"I :l1Ighter ;
was the youngest child. Happy wit h half a portion of hllr
she rejoices.
6. " And these with tranquil minds in their previous exist-
ence gave gifts t o recl uses and the brahmans. But we were
ni ggardly and abused recluses and the brahmans. Since
they gave gifts, they roam about, and we are dried up like
a reed cut down,"
T HE SNAKE
' .1
I n declaring t heir wickedness, thus they explained: " We
arc your mother's brother and his wife," Upon hearing this,
the neph<)w was grieved and asked!
7. " What kind of food do you have? What ki nd of a
bed? How do you ma intai n yourselves, you great offenders,
who, while food is abundant and plenty, have lost happiness
and to-day have obtained sorrow?"
Thfl plltas :
8. "WP. stri ke mell ether-and drink pus and blood. AI-
tho\1gh WP. have drunk much, we are not nourished, we are
not
9 ." as do unbcst owing mort als lament who after
death nrp. in the abode of Varna; having discerned and
food, they nci ther enjoy it nor do good with it.
10. "Suffering hunger and thirst in another world, the
pctas for a lOllg time lament, since they are in torment.
Because they have donc decds of gri evous consequence,
they receive suffering as their bitter fruit s;
II . "For momentary arc wealth and property; fleeting
is the life here on earth : knowing transience from the
transient. let the wise man prepare a refuge.
12. " All men who are acquainted with Dhamma and have
this knowledge do not neglect gifts after they have heard
the words of the Arhans."
12
THE SNAKF. STORY
While the Teacher was sojourning at J etavana, he told
this story.
At Sa vaUhl, it is said, the son of a certain la y died.
The father was plunged into lament at ion and grief and did not
go out; he was unable t o do anything and just stayed ill
the house. Then t he Teacher, rising at dawn from a ttaiument
of the great pity was surveying the world with Ids Buddha-eye;
having seen the lay disciple, he took buwl and robe, a.nd stood
at the door of his house, The Ja.y disdlJle quickly went out
to meet him, t ook his howl, ami welcomed him in, The
Blt:sscd One said to him: " WilY, lay disciple, do you appear
'.
STOltlt:: S O F THE DEPARTE D
overcome by grid. as it were?" He replied : "Vf'. riiy,
Blessed One, my beloved son has di ed; thereforp. T am over-
come wit h grief." Then the Onf'. , who dispels grief.
told him the Serpcnt.Jataka (bir t h-story).
1
Once upon a time, in the Kit s; ('.()Jl11try at BenaTes there
was 3. brahman family by the of nhammapai a, in which
t he brahman, his wife, their son , r1anghter , daughter-in-Jaw
and maid-ser vant , all of t hem, frmnr! delight in meditation
on death. 2 Whoever among thpm Wf'.n t forth from the house
would t ell the of the homp.hold and t ake leave totally
unconcerned. Then one day brahman with his son
went t o a field and ploughed. while t he son set firc to dry
grass a nd sticks. Therellpon " hlack snake came
out from a hole in the tree and hit the brahmau' s son. The
latter died and was reborn 11_" Sakka, king of devas. Then
the brahman, having bathed, purified, and anointed himself,
and surrounded by hi s attendants, put the body on t he funeral
pyre and applied the fire just as though he was burning a
heap of wood. He standing t here. free from gri ef, without
self-mortification, lmd having his mind fixed upon the idea
of impermanenCf'.
Now the brahman'." son, having become Sakka, became
our BodhisaHa. Havi ng considered t he good deed done in
his previous birt h anti feeli ng compassion for his father and
kin!; folk, he Wf' nt to their place, disguised as a brahman.
When he I'aw that they were not in mournill g, he said : " Hey!
You an animal ; give me meat ; I a:-n hungry."
The father repl ied: "It is not an animal ; brahman, it is
a being." The Bodhis:l tta asked: that one
an enemy of yours?" The father replied : " He was no
enemy, but one nurtured in our own bosom, our own t ender
son of excellent qualities." TIle Bodhisatta asked: ., Why
do you not mourn for him ? " Then t he brahman said:
I. " Just as t he serpent ca;t s aside its old skin and attains
a body that is its own, so also is it when the (human) body
is deprived of enjoyment and when the deceased has fulfi lled
his time.
, No. 3.54.
Ilh<i itatiop (M); . for S"'nl ,) ;, ",UWlr mbdfJlneu of. attention t o,
musing';'n the Shakespeari an idiom.-En.
THE SNA I(E
"
2. " He! who is being burnt does not know that his kinsmen
mOllrn ; therefore I do not bewa il him; he has gone to his
bonrn."
Then Sakka addressed the brahman's wife : " Good woman,
what was tlmt dead man t o you ?" She repli ed: "For
ten mont hs I bore him in me, I Sl.:ckl ed him, I placed his
hands and feet; he grew up, my son, sir." He asked:
., Even if the father as man does not weep, surely a mother's
heart is tender. Why do YaH not weep ?" Upon hearing
him, she said:
3. " Uncalled I he came t hence, unbidden he has gone
hence. As he came, so he went. Why here bewail ?
4. " He who is being burnt docs not know that his kinsmen
mourn ; t herefore I do not bewa il hi m; he has gone to his
b Ol.UIl . "
Then he asked the sister : " Good woman, what was that
Olle to you?" "Sir, he was my brother." " Good woman,
sisters verily have affection for their brothers. Why do you
not wee;) ?" She explained :
5. " If I should weep, "[ should become thi n. What reward
would there be for me? There would he more discomforts
for oll r kinsmen, companions, and fri ends.
6. " He who is being burnt does not know that his kinsmen
mOll rn ; therefore I do not bewai l him; he has gone to his
bourn. "
Then he asked the widow: " What was tha t one t o you ? "
" Sir, he was my husband. " "My lady, wives verily have
affection for their husbands. Wherefore do YOII not weep? "
She explained :
,. " Just as an infant cries for the moon departi ng, so
that very same thi ng does he who mourns for t he departed.
8. " He who is being burnt does not know that his kinsmen
mourn; therefore I do not bewail hi m; he has gone to his
bourn."
Then he asked H:e maid-servant : " ' ",'oman, what was
t hat man to you? " .. Sir, he was my maSter." " If so,
he probably you, and you will have been houseke,;:per;
t herclore you do not weep, t hinking: . Me:hinks I am happily
TlterlztJllIiI, Il9
S T O RIES OF THE DEPARTED
released of this mal' who is dead ' ." She replier!: "My lord.
do not speak so to me. It is not fit. The gentleman was
to me very full of pat ip.nc:I' , amity, and kindness. aeti ng
properly, like a grown lip "on nourished. " .. Then why do
you not weep?" She "aid:
9. " Just a . ~ in the case of a brahman a broken wat er-pot
is not restored. so that "arne vain effort makes he who bewails
the departed.
10 ... He who is heing burnt docs not know that his kinsmen
mourn ; therp. fore I do not bewail him ; he has gOlle to his
bourn."
When SaH a had heard their religiolli talk he was pleased
and said : "Von have rightly developed attent ion to death.
Hp.nceforth you must not do ploughing and other labour. "
He filled their house with seven royal treasures and advised
them with the words: "Diligently bestow gifts, observe the
moral precepts, and keep the feast-day." Thereupon he
revealed himself unto them and went to his own abode.
And t he brahman and his fami ly bestowed gifts and performed
other meritorious deeds. and having lived to a good old age,
were reborn in the world of the devas,
END OF BOOK I
n OO K [{
I
THE STORY OF THE FI NDING RELEASE IN TRANSMIGRATION
While t he Teacher was sojourning at Veluvana, he t old
[lJis story.
In a ....illage called IHhakiivati in Magadha and in Digharajt
village dwelt many who, finding rel ease ill transmigration,
held wrong opinions. And long ago a cert ain woman was
reborn in one such family. Killing many beetles and grass-
hoppcl' s 1!he on dying was reborn a pet!. enduri ng for five
hundred years the pang::; of hunger and thirst. Now our
Blessed One wa:; then ot Rajagaha, WllCll she was once more
born into the same fa mil y at ItthaMvati. And one day
whcn she WitS playing wit h other Sirls in the high road near
the village gate, t he venerable SoripuUa with twelve monks
passed by and the girls hast ened to salute him. But she
3tood there disrespectful. Then the elder, discerning her past
and future, and movcd wit h sympathy commented on her
attitudc t o the girls. They took her hands and dragged her
to pny homage. Dying subsequently in childbirth she was
again born among the Petas. And she appeared by night to
Sdriputta, who :;eeing hor said :
I. " Naked and of hideous appearance ar.:: you, t'maciated
and wi th prominent vein", You thi n one, with your ribs
standing out, now who are you, you who are here 1 "
The peti:
2 . , r, venerable si r , am a peti, a wretched denium of
Varna's world; since [ had done a wicked deed. T went
from here t o t he world of petas.
S:iriputta :
3. " Now what evil deed was done with your horly, speech,
or mind? I Because of what act h<lvr. you gone hence to
I_hr. wMld of pctas ? "
I Cf. above I, 6, 5'.
27
S TO R IE S O F TH E DEPARTED
- -
The peB.:
4. " Revcrend sir, I did not have compaS3ionntc relotives,
lather and mother, or even ot her kinsmen who ... 'ould urge
me, saying, 'Give, wilh devotion in your heart, u s ift t o
recluses and brahmans.'
5. " From that timc lor five hundred years in t hi; form I
ha\'e been nude, consumed by hunger and t hirst ;
this is the fruit of my wicked deeds.
6. " With a bdieving heart, I worship you, sir. 0 wise,
powerful one, pily me I Go, givc some gift in my name;
free me from my lIl isery, 0 venerable one."
The redactors continuc the narrative:
,. Consenting with the words, "Very well ," the com-
passionate Sariputta gave to the monks a morsel of food,
a handful of cloth, and a bowl of water and ascribd to her
t he donation.
S. Immcdiately thcreupon, when this was t ranslerred to
her, t he result came to pass. This was the frui t of the gift:
food, clothing, and drink.
9. Then pure, having clean garments, wearing the best
BenaTes cloth, dressed in various clothes and ornaments,
she approached Sa.riputta-.
S!riputta :
10. " 0 devi,l you are of excellent appearance, you who
are illuminating all the regions like the morning star. 2
II . .. As n result of what is such an appearancc ? As a
result of what is this your portion here, and why fall t o your
lot whatever pleasures are dear to the mind?
12. "This I ask of you. devi. a very powerful one, you who
h:lve become human, what good deed have you done? Whence
have you such radiant majesty, and why does your
illuminate all the regions? ,.
The petT :
13. " Me, with all my bones exposed, 4 famiRhen.
I ..
1 O!ad}.f t4faM. literally . star of h. ealing.
.. <lnl i .. ',xt "/1.8.
4 UpaTMpfallitf$. Variant readi ngs: {If, D, and B, Il ppapr/uhif!', '$howir.g
laulldlce,' . a jaundice clIlour' ; C, from
Itch:
SARJPTJTTA'S MOTHER
naked, and with wrinkled skin, you, merciful seer, have seen
here in my misery.
14 "When you gave 10 the monks a morscl of food, a
handful of cloth and a bowl of water, you transferred to me
the virtue of the gi ft .
I'); " Behold the fruit of the morsel : desiring pleasure,
I enjOy for ten hundred years food with many flavours.
16. " BpjlOid what sort of result there is from the handful
of clolh: as many clothes as there are in tIle kingdom of
Nand..1r:'ija.
17 "Venerable sir, r have more than that number of
garments and coverings, silken and woollen, li nen and
cotton.
18. "Many and precious are they; moreover they are
hanging in the sky ; and I wear whichever one, I assure yOU,
strikes my fancy. .
H). " Bcho:d what sort of result there is from the bowl
of wat er: four deep, well-laid-out lotus-ponds.
20. " They have dea." waters and beautiful banks ; they
arc cool al:d have picaslllg fragrance; t hey are covered with
t he pink lotus and the blue lotus and full of the filament s
of the water-l ily.
21. " I for my part enjoy myself, play and rejoice, having
110 fear from any quartcr. Reverend si r, I have come hither
to the world 10 worship H,e compassionate seer,"
2
THE: STORY OF Till> UOTIIH OF TIm E J, Dlm SARIT'UTTA
\\lhile the Teacher was dwelling at Veillvana, he told this
story.
One day the venerables Sariputta, Mahamoggallana,
and Kappina were sojourning in a ccrt ain spot
III the forest not far from R1ijagaha. Now at that time in
Benares a certain brahman of great wealth and resources
was a well unto recluses and brahmans, indigents, tramps,
wayfarers and beggar3, gave away food, drink, clothes, lodging
and other benefits. He ordered his li fe and gave, according
t o opportuni ty and as was fitt ing, to those coming and going,
,0 S T OR I ES Ot' T HE D li?A RTI!D
everything nece!sary for the road. I He said to his wife :
" Macl tlm, do not neglect this bU3iness of giving, but carc!fully
look after it, as has been appointed." She assented but
when he was gone away. she cut short the rul e of chari t)!
for the monks. Furthermore, to wayfarers who h::.d mme for
shelter !!hc pointed out an abar.doned tumble-down sheo
behind the house, saying: ' Stay there_" When thr. wan
came there for food. drink, and other t hings, she would
utter El ( Ur5C, enumerati ng t o each one whatp.vpr impure
and loathsome, saying : " Eat dung! drink llrine I drink
blood! ent the brain of your mot ht" f 1" Taken up at her
death by the power of kamw, she was r(\hom as a peti who
endured misery in conformity with hel' mishehaviour. Remem-
bering their kinshi p in her former I"xi stenc.e and desiring to
QPproach Sariputta, she came to hi!; abone. There the devas
of his home refused her admittancp.. Wherefore she spoke as
follows : " In t he fifth previous life I was mother of the
honourable elder Sariputta; permit me to enter the door
t o see him." Upon hearing this, t hey granted her admittance.
When she was inside, she stOrtrl at the far end of the cloister
And saw him. As he not iced her, he was moved in his mind
by compassion, and so he her:
I. " Naked and of hideoll s appearance are you. emaciated
and wit h prominent veins. VOIi thin one, \o,.1th your ribs
standing out, who are yotl now, YOIl who arc here? "
The peti :
2 ... I was your own mot her formerly in other lives. I
ha"e been reborn in the peta-world. arnicted with hunger
and t hirst .
3. "The disr.arrled, the cast-out. saliva, nose-mucus.
phlegm, the h.t of burning bodies. and t he blood of delivered
women ;
4- " Ann the blood both of t he wounded and of those
whose noses and heads are cut off. in short whatever (dis-
gusting) i.e; with men and women, r. half dead with
hunger,
5. " Pus and blood I eat of animals and of men; I am
without refuge and without a home. lying upon the black bed. J
Read witll U. (.ie Hardy).
I Lit., (jdlf.'"l , Commeotary : The pyrr
SAR I PUTTA'S M O THER ,.
6. "Give, dear son, a gift for me, and when you have
given it. assign to me the credit; thus indeed I may be
freed from eati ng pus and blood,"
The followin/?, day Sariputta with t he other three, seeking
alms in R;ijagaila arrived at the residence of I(ing Bimhisli ra,
When the king asked : " Reverend sirs, why have you come
hither?" the vcnerable l\{ahamoggall ana t old the king what
had happened. Saying, " Reverend sirs, it is pumitted,"
the king dismissed them, summoned his minister, and bade
him: .. Build in the grove t he ci ty four cabins provided with
shade and wat er."
When t he huts were fini shed, he gave them with all life-
necessities t o the elder Sariplitta. Then the latter presented
it t o t he universal congregation of monks at whose head
was the Buddha and assigned the credit to the petr. She
deriving its benerlts was reborn ill the deva-world. Rich
in all she wanted. she one day a pproached the venerable
Mahamocgallana, and told him in detail both her peta and
deva rebirth.
Wherdore it is said:
7 Afrer he had heard his rr.other's speech, the compassionate
Upat issa I summoncd Moggallii.na, Anuruddha, and Kappina.
8. Having mM1e (our huts,
2
he gav(: them t o the Church
of the four regions: he designated t he huts, tile food and
the dr ink as a gift of his mother.
9 I mmediately aft cnvards, when the credit for this was
transferred to her, the result was produc(' d; of the gift, this
was the fru it: food, drink, and clot hes.
10. Thereupon, pure, havi ng clean garment s. dressed in
the best 13cnares cloth and ornaments, arrayed in various
kinds of clothes and ornaments, she approached Kolit a. 3
:
11 . " Devi, you are of excellent you who are
illuminati ng all the regions like the morning star.
12, " As a result of what do you have such an appearance?
On account of what is happiness your porti on here, and why
fall t o your lot whatever pleasures are dear t o the heart ?
, Upa.tissa. U.e personal name of S;l.riputtl. (Stiri' s sonl.
I K:l/ I}o lialv:i : a CUIlOUS misst at eme;lt ;0 the taxt .
I Kol' u. . the proper " " n' O 01 Mog",llt nll. T h .. i. on1)' ill t h
Uurmcse MS .. Pharre CoDCoCtion.
"
STUltl ES OF TH E DE P ARTED
:3. "This I ask of you, devi, very powerf tll YOII who
have become human, what good deed haw ),011 done?
Whence have you such radiant majesty, and why your
splendour illuminate all the regions? "
The PCl tj:
1+ "Through the gift of Sl1riputia T am happy, havi ng
no fear from any quart er. Reverend sir, it. is you, t he merciful
seer here in the world, that I have camp. hither t o worship. "
THE STORY OF MATTA
While the Teacher was sojourning at J etavan .. 'l, he t old
this story.
At there was a certain landowner, believing and
pious. His ",ife, however, named Matta, was unbelieving.
without faith, of an angry disposition and barren. Then this
man, out of fear lest his li neage be cut off, married a young
woman by the name of Tissa. She was believi ng, pious and
pleasant to her hmband. She bore a son, who was named
BhUta. As the mistress of the house, she respectfully ser ved
four monks. Unable to endure her rival, Matta when she had
swept the house, poured the rubbish upon t he head of Ti!'sa.
At a subsequent ti me Matta died, and being reborn as a pen ,
she endured five-fold misery through the power of her own
karma. Her suffering is clear from the text. I Then one day
that peti with memory of the past appea.red unto Tissa, who
was making her ablutions behi nd t he house. When Tiss;'l
saw her, she asked her :
I . "Naked and of hideous appearance are you, emaciated
and with prominent veins. You t hi n one, wi th your ribs
standi ng out, now who are YOll , you who arc here? "
Matta :
2 . .. I am you are Tissa; formerl y I was your
,fellow wife. In consequence of having done an evil deed,
I went from here t o the world of the pet as,"
Tiss.i :
3 ... Now what evil deed was done with your lKH.ly, speedl ,
1 Pdlilo.
PETI MAT T A
or mind? As a result of what act have you gone from here
to the world of the pctas ? "
Matt a:
4 ... Both wrnthful :lnrl nnkincl T. nigg;uclty.
and df'cpj-ful. r language to you, r
haw' (;"(1nf'. fmm herf t.o the: wnrirl of t he pcb s."
Tn fhe fol lowing stanza<; the conversation is continued:
Tissfi :
5 " I too, know it all , how violent you were; but there
is something else now which I shall ask you. Why are you
covered with dirt? "
:\fatta ;
6 ... YOII had washed your head and were d ressed in clean
clothes; and I, forsoot h, was sii U more so ; I was more
adorned than you.
7 " While I was thus bedight and was looking on, you
were talki ng wit h our hmband. On account of tha.t, grea.t
jealousy and wrat h in me,
8. " Then I took some dust . and you, forsooth, I best rewed
with dust. In consequence of that deed, I am covered with
dust."
Tiss!l. :
9 ' 1 verily know it all ; you me with dust.
But there is something else IIU\\< which I shall ask you. Why
are you eaten up witll the itch ? "
Matta :
roo " lioth of us fetChing simples, we went into the forest.
You took t he remedies, and I the frui ts of the
II. " Then without your knowJedge, I scattered t hem over
your bed. I n consequence of this deed I am devoured with
the itch."
Ti5sa:
12: .. Verily I know it aJl; you bestrewed my bed. But
there is something else now which I shall ask you. Why are
you nude; "
Mattll :
13 "There was an assembly of friends; a gadltri ng of
kinsmen t ook place; and you were invited with uur husband,
whi le I was not.
ST O KI ES O F TH E D EP A nr C:D
I4. "Thcn without your knowledge, I took away your
garment . In consequence of this deed, I am naked."
Tjss1i. :
I 5. " Verily, I know it all . You took away my clothes.
But now something else I shall ask yon. Why do you have
an odour of ordure? "
Mo.ttii :
r o. "Your perfume alld garland and new ointment I threw
int o the cesspool. p.vil deed was committed by me .
In consequence of thi s conc1nct, I give out a smell of ordure."
Tisstl. :
17. " Verily I know it all : that evil was done by you.
But now something else I shall ask you. Why are YOII in
distress? ..
l\IatHi. :
I8. property was in our house belonged t o
both of tiS f': qually. Though deeds of charit y are a dut y,
I did not provide for a refuge. As a result of t hat
sin, I am in misery.
19. " Thr.!';e very words YOIl t old me: ' You are
wicked for not with evil works will you easily obtain
bliss.' "
:
:20. " With a host ile attit ude you approached me ; and
YOll a i!'O envied me. Behold of what nature is t he punishment
of evil deeds t
:21. " You had maid-servant s in the house; verily also
those vari ous ornaments of yours; these are now enjoyed
by others. Pleasures are :lOt eternal.
22 ... Now the father of Bhiita will come home from market _
Pcrhaps he will give you something. Go not hence t ill t hen."
Matta :
23. " Naked and of ugly appearance am I, lean and with
my veins standing out on the surface. Here i!; my loincloth ;
let not the father of Bhiita see me."
TissA :
24. "Come, what shall I give you, or what shall I do for
you t hat you may be happy and blest with all you desire ? ..
Matta. :
25. " Here are four monks from t he congregation a nd four
FET t MAT TA
"
other rr.en. Feed these eight and transfer to me the credit
of the gi ft. Then I shall be happy, blest in the fulfilment of
all I desi re. "
Narrative:
26. She assented, saying, .. Very well," and fed the eight
monks. She clothed them with garments and ascribed to
her t he virtue of t he donation.
27. I mmediately thereupon, when t he credit for this was
transferred to her, the result came to pass. This was the
fruit of the gi ft : load, clot hes, and drink.
28. Then purc, having clean clothes, wearing the best
Benares cloth, dressed in various kinds of garments and
orna ment s, she approached her co-wife.
TissA:
29. "0 devi, you are of excellent appearance, you who are
illuminating all the regions like t he morning star.
30. " As a result of what do you have such a form? On
account of what is happiness your portion here, and why fall
to your lot whatever pleasures are dear to the heart ?
31. .. This I ask of you, devi, you very powerful one, who
have become human I : What golXl have you done? Whence
have you such radi ant majesty, and why does your splendour
ill uminate all the regions 1 ..
MatU :
32. " I am MatU. , you are Tiss.1l . Formerly 1 was your
fellow-wife. In consequence of having done a n evil deed,
I went from here to the world of the petas. Through the
gift presented by you I rejoice, having nothing to fear from
any quarter.
33. " May you li\'e long, sist er, with all your kinsfolk t
May you attain the abode free from sorrow and passion,
the dwelli ng of those who have will-power. I
34 " Here livi ng a religious life and giving gifts, beautiful
one, remove the stai n of selfishness t ogether with its roots
and enter heaven blameless."
, Ct . I I I. 'l.
, Cammy, : liibhena a'iitipaIlY'yena Q//uo
/4nam: "(of those who) by devafur.ction carr y nut their (l WII will." Is
thi ., a. tv ftl1h group of tbe neKt wo rld : I"''''' alld /limmit4-
vasllla&/tnl4 1 {Th" word liMa comes nNre&t in Pali t er m. t(l (lur ' will.'
but is r;vely
3
6 STORIE S OF T HE DI.O-'AI(Tl' l)
4
THE STORY OF N'\'NDA
While the Teache r was living nt Jetavnna , he told this
story.
In a cer tain village not far from Sivauhi there was a lay
di scip!e believing nnd pious. His wife, however, who was
called Nandii, was unbelieving. irreligious, avaricious, quick-
tempered, rough in ]wr speech, and disrespecHul and di s_
obedient to her husband; she would rail like a drum and
indulge in abuse. Dying and reborn as a petr, she sojourned
ncar that same villase. Then one day she appeared before
the lay disciple Nandasena, as he was coming Oll[ of the
village, When he saw her, he addressed her with this stanza:
Y. " Dark and of ugly appearance you arc; your body is
rough and yOli arc hor ri ble t o behold. You are red-eyed:
you have yellow t eeth. r deem that yO\! :tre not human. "
Thc peti :
z. ,. r am Nandasclla; formerly I was your wi fe.
For having bl!en abusive, I went hence t o rcta-world."
Nandasena :
3. " Now what w:cked deed was committed by body,
speech, or mind ? In consequence of what act haw' YOll
gone irom here to the peta-world ? "
The peti:
4. " I was wrathful and rough in speeeh , r
no roverenee to you. Therefore, for ahmive langnagr:,
I went from here to peta-world."
Nandasena:
5. "Come, I give yOll a r:loak; put on this garment.
When YOll have PlIt it on, wme, I will lead you home.
6. "Ootlles and fnon and drink you shall obtaiJl. if YOII
come home. Yon will hehold your sons, and you shall see
your daughter a villi'l in.
,. " What to; gi vp. 1l by your hand int o mine does not profit
me. rr:gards the monks , who are abounding in the
moral free from passion, and learned,
R. " Regale them with food and drink and t ransfer to
me the benefit of the gift. Then I shall be happy, blest in
t he fulfi lment oi all desires."
PEr I NANDA
31
By the redactors were spoken the next three stanzas:
g. Then promising wit h the words, " Very well," he made
abundant giit s: food, drink, solid food, clot hes, dwellings,
umbrellas, perfumes, wreaths, and various kinds of sandals.
After he had refreshed with food and drink the monks who
were abounding in the moral precepts, free from passion,
and learned, he transferred to her the virt ue of t he gift.
10. I mmediately thereafter, when t he credit for this was
transferred to her, the result came to pass. Of the gift,
this was the fruit: food, clothes, and drink.
II. Then pure, having clean clothes, weari ng the finest
Benarcs cloth, bedecked with various garments and ornament",
she approached her husband.
Nandasena:
12. "0 devi, you arc of excellent appearance, you who
are illuminati ng all the regions like the morning star.
13. "Because of what do you have such an appearance?
On account of what is happine.;;s your portion here, a nd why
fall t o your lot whatever pleasures are dear to the heart ?
14. " I ask you, devi, very powerful one, you who have
become human, what good deed have you done ? Why
have you such radiant majest y, and why does your splendour
illuminate all t he regions? "
Thr. Iwli:
lS " 1 am Nandi} , Na ndasena; formerly I was your wife.
For having committed an evil deed, T went from here to the
pd a-world. Through the gift given by you, I rejoice, being
free from fear from any quarter.
16. " May YOli live long, householder , wit h all your kins
folk : may you attai n the a bode free from sorrow and passion,
the dwelling of those who have will-power.
1
17. " Here living a religious life and givi ng gi fts, house-
holder. may you remove the stain of selfishness I together
with its roots and enter heaven blameless."
1 S: II. , . II).

,.
STORI E S 0 '" TilE D E P ARTED

THE STOny OF' MAITAKUt-lJ;lALI
This has been already tuhl in the Vi mana vatthu (vii, 9).
hence it is to be by that. 1

THE STORY OF I{Af':lHAI
While the Teacher was sojourni ng at J etavana, he told
Ihis story.
At S5.vo,( thi, thCl son of a certain lay disciplt' di ed. Th"!
afflicted fo.ther could neither bathe nor eat nor mi nd his
business, nor serve t he Buddha. Talking confus.E'dly, hp.
WQuid say : "Where is my dear boy, who left me bf' hind (
Whither is he Sone before us;: " As the Teacher WAS
veying the world at dawn, he saw that that man was
for the frui ts of cOl1version ; on the following day,
by a group of monks, he walked around in SavaUhi to bra fnr
alms. After his meal , he wtnt with Ananda, his :lI trndant ,
to the door of th:l.t man's honse. Thereupon his
told the lay disciple and brought him into t he of
the When the latter saw hi m sitting nile side,
he said, " What, lay di sciple, ar! you grif'ving}" He rcpHcel.
" Yes, reverend sir." " l ay di sciplf', thc wise men of old
die! not bewail a dead son, afipf they har! heard a story of
the sages " ; then being entreniprl hy the head of the house,
he t old this story.
Once upon a t ime ill the city of Dvaravati there were ten
royal brothers, . Candadeva, Suriyadcva.
Aggideva, Varu,)-adeva, Ajj l1 na. Pajjuna, Glmtapa l)dita, and
Ari.kura. Of these. :I d(':lT son of t he great king Vasudeva
died. The monarch, with grici, neglected all his
obligati ons, and making :IT\ atljali salutation to t he bed, he
lay clown, talking nonsense, At that time Ghatapal)dita
thought : "No one else besides me is able to dispel my
I The text merely ,ive! the title. The Commentary refers \IS t o tho
.. v .. Uhll .
Fllr t bis stOl"Y, d . jdta/l" FaI,lSboU, IV, 79 l'H.
brother' :; grief. With a ruse I shall remove his son ow."
So he assumed the appearance of a madman, and looki ng at
the sky, he roamed through the enti re city. saying: " Give
me a hare, give me a hare I" Then the whole ci t y thol1ght,
has gone mad." At that time, thfl privy
councillor, RohiQeyya by name>, went to King ami
opened conversation wit h hi m by this "tan1.:l :
r , .. Arise. KaQha. I Why yon lying cl own ? What
good does sleep do Yotl? H(' who i." yonr own hrother, your
heart and right fye, is hy t he ",;nds. Ghata is
raving, Kesava ! t " . '
The Teacher r.nntinued the narrati ve with this st anza:
2. "When he heard this st at ement of Rohil)cyya , Kesava
with H flmr ir. d look arose, oppressed with grief for his brother."
Thp: n t he king came down from the terrace, and went to
meet He held him fast with both hands, and
in the c:nnversation with him, said :
3. " Why now like a mad one do you roam through the
whole city of DvaravatI and mutter, ' A hare. a hare ' ? What
kino oj hare do you want?
4 ... I will have a hare ma<l e for you of gol<l , of jewels,
of copper, of silver alro. of precious stones, and coral.
5. " There are also other little rabbits runni ng in the woods
and forest; these also I wilt send to you. What kind of hare
do you want? ..
:
6. " I do not want these hl\res, tlle rahhits that inhabit the
earth; the hare of the moon T wish : that one bring down
to me, Kcsava! "
\"hen the king heard him, hr. distressed at the thought :
.. Beyond a doubt , my gone mad," and said :
7 . .. Now' my kin!>man , YOIl will surely throwaway your
sweet li fe. You yf'nm fnr that is not to be desired
in you wid} for t he hare of the moon. "
When GhHtap:lI)f;tita had heard the words of the king, he
stoorl " Brot her. you have come to ruin your
I Kacha, t ho family name of tho king.
j Kcuva. 3:lother ml. mo lor Visudeva .
N","d",. M, C, " nd D ...... d ""''''. which '",,,n in the tra.ol -
];l.IloD. Cf. P.T.S. Dic/j, ,,.vy.
,. STOR I ES OF THE DEPARTED
life without that of the moon whw.h Y(1ll desire,"
and spoke this stanza:
8. " If, Ka1,lha. you are so wise as you teach another. why
do you still t oday mourn for your son that died in the past? ..
As he stood in the middle of the road. he spoke a3 follows:
" I indeed desire that which is intelligi ble. but you mourn
f Of t hat which is not intelligible."
Then in expour.ding to him Dhamma, he said :
9. " This is not possi ble for man or even for a spirit, but
whence can the unattainable be acquired that the son born
unto me should [ot die?
10. "It is not possible with incantations, nor wit h drugs
from roots, nor with herbs, nor wi tI1 wealth, Kal)ha, t o bring
hither the departed one whom yOll mourn.
II, " The very wealt hy, those owning many goods, also
those possessing kingdoms, and t he warri ors, they who are
opulent with abounding riches, these ctlso are not free from
old age and death.
12. " The Kshat riyas , the Brahmans, the V:lisyas, the
Siidras. the the Pukkusas, both these and others
with thei r lineage. t hey too a re not free from old age and death.
13. " They who recite a charm, the six parts which were
thought out by brahmans, both these and ot hers with t heir
knowledRe, these also are not free from old age and death.
14. " Verily t he rishi5 also who are rightoom men, ascet ics
who have subdued themselves, these also. the ascetics. leave
t he body at the j){'OI,er time.
15. " They who in their sojourn have developed their
spirit ,
1
they whose duli es arc iulfilled, and they who are free
from human passion cast aSide t his body at the end of their
good and evil deeds."
Thus expuunds to him Dhamma. When the
king had heard him, the pangs of his grief were gone and his
mind serene. In praising GhatapaI,lQita, he said:
16. " Verily, me, glowing, being like a fire over which ghee
had been poured, you spri nkled with water, as it were; now
I put an end t o all my pain.
17 ... Verily, you drew
1
from me the sting, the grief that
1 11Mvit'"WI.
I Abb!'lhmfl , emend to p. V" I , 8, ft, 01' t o aMII/ili, v . V., \ ' II, 9.9.
DH ANAP }.L A
"
was rooted in my hf':lrt, yon who dispelled from me. overcome
with sorrow, t.he mourning for my son.
l B. " Now have I laid aside my grief ; calm am I and
r neither mourn nor since I heard your words.
]C). "So do the wise who are compassionate ; they t urn
11'; ;!.way l flom grief. just as Ghata did his eldest brother.
20. " Whoever has such companions and attendants, they
follow wi th encouraging words. as did Ghata hi5 eldest brother.
The Teacher repeated this selmon and said : " Thus. lay
disciple, the wise men of old removed grief for a son, after
having heard a story of the sages." Then in explaining the
truths. he applied the j at aka to the incident. At the end
of the discoune, the Jay disciple was established in the fruits
of conversion.
7
THE STORY OF DHANAP,o\I.A
While the Teacher was sojourning at ] ctavana, he told
t his story.
Before the Buddha was born, there was ill t he kingdom of
Dasanna in the ci t v of Erakaccha, a trcasUlt:r uamed Dhana-
was irreligious, lIle M and heretical.
His works can be understood from the Pa tio At his death he
was reborn as a peta in a wiluemcss. Tormented by
hunger and thirst , he wandert!fJ hit her and thither.
At that time some mtrchants who lived at SavaUhi filled
five hundred wit h and having gone to Uttara-
palha, sold their merchalluisc. '111ereupon they loaded on
their c.:arts for the return journey. They set out on
the homeward road. and at evening arrived at the foot of a
certai n tree. Then: they unharnessed their oxen and made
their abode for tile night: Then that pcta, was tormented
by thi rst, came to that place t o get somet hing to drink, and
not obtaini ng eycn a drop, he uHered 0. cry. When the
merchanb saw him, they asked him:
I. "Naked and of hideous appearance are you, thin and
with your veins visible. Your ribs stand out, and you are
emaciated. Now who are you, sir ?"
I Vi"iva!l<1yi: "ivalla><1,,/i. M. C, D. and B.
S TORIE S O F TH E DEPARTED
The peta:
2. "I, venerable sirs, am a peta, an unfortunat e denizen of
Varna' s world. Since I had done evil I went from t hi; world
t o the region of the petas."
The merchants :
3 "Now what evil was done with your body, speech, or
mind ? Because of what act have you gone fTom here to
the world of the petas? "
The peta:
4 " There is a city of the DasaJ)I.las, famous, known by
the name of Erakaceha. There I formerly was a treasurer;
by the name of Dhanapo11a t hey knew me.
s.. " Eighty cartIoads of gold belonged to me; I had
abundant gold and many pearls and cat' s-eye gems.
6. " To sueh an extent was I the owner oi b'Tent wt! aJ th,
but I did not like t o give. When I t ook my meals, I lockec.1
my door so that the beggars should not sec me.
7, " Unbelieving and miserly was I, avaricious and .
I used to restrain many of those who were charitable and
were active,
It "Saying: ' There is no reward for giving. W11t!uce is
thl'! fruit of seH-restraint i .
.. The lotm-ponds, the wdb, ami till:: vhwled pleasure
gardens, the wayside watering plal:ts, and lhe passag( s at
the place hard t o cross I havt: dt:stwyed.
9. "So I , not virtuous ill lILy c.1ecus, left the world an
evildoer. I was rel;orn ill the }'ela-regioll and am affl icted
with hunger and. thi rst. It is fil ly-rive years since I died.
10. " I do not rewgnise either loud 01 drinking wat er,
As the withhuluilll:; , su the loss: as the loss, so the with-
hulding. Fur the they say, know it : ' As the wi th-
hulc.1illt5:, so tilt:
II . "I , in the past, withheld; 1 did 1I0t give away many
treasures. Although deeds of charity are a duty, I did not
provide a refuge for myself.
12. " Now I feel bitter remorse, and I am burdened with t he
fruit of my own deeds. After four months will come my death. I
r3 .. D OWll to the exceedingly severe and terrible hell I
1 Cf. I . 10. ff.
DHANAPALA
shall bll ; it four-cornered and has four doors: it is divided
into parts by measure; it is sur rounded by an iron fence and
is covered on the t op wi th iron.
J4. " TI!': iron floor is gl owing with heat. Flashing all
sides for :l. hundred yojanas. it stands for all time. .
15. "'n lCre for a long time I shall e:xperience grievous
pain and the fru it of my evil deeds. Therefore, I bewail
thi !'> reali ty.
1fi. " For this reason I tell you something excellent, all of
you who a re assembled here; do not commit a sinful act
e. ither openly or in secret.
17 . .. Ii this evil deed you do or will perform, grief will
not leave you, even though ,Vou fly I up in the air to escape it.
18. " Be respectful to mother and father; ill the family
honour t he elders ; reverence recluses and brahmans. Thus
you will come to heaven,
19. "2Not in t he sky nor in the middle of the ocean, not
even though one enter the cleft of the mountai ns, i5 found
that region of the earth where one could stand and free him-
self from his evil deeds. "
The merchants felt sorry for him and sprinkled water in
his mout h. But , on account of t he wicked deed s of t hat peta,
he could not swallow. I They asked him; " Now can' t you
get just a little relief ? " He repli ed ; " Yes, when this evil
deed is dest royed. If a present be given eit her to Tathlgata
or to disciples of Tathagnta and the virtue of the gift be
transferred to me, then I shall be released from this peta-
c:xi stence." When the merchants had heard hi m, they went
to Savntthi. tolel the Blessed One, gave for seven days
a great donation t o the Chapter of monks, at whose head
was the Buddha, and ascribed the gift to the peta .
1 UpncrMpi; read upnu iJpi. C. D. and B.
I In Min"YIlOf's text , but omitted hy D, C. and D ; quoted by the Ccmmen-
t37 to explain IS: d . Dhammapaclir. , 1:17.
P .r.S Dic/ iJnaY)" s. v. U<UJ""". : .. at
I'vA. ''''I t n ,,"""' . .
cure is rr.entioned in the Conly.- ED.
S T O RIES OF THE DEPARTED
8
lHI!: STORY OF CULASEITHI'
While the Teacher was $Ojouming at Vcluvo. na, he t old
this story,
At Benares, CiilascHhi was a householder, unbelieving, irre-
ligious, niggardly, mean and disrcsp::ctful t oward meritorious
acti on. At death he was reborn among the r etns. His daughter
Anula W83 dwelling in the house of her husband at Alldhaka-
vinda. Anxious to entert ain brahmans in t he name of her
fat her, she prepared ri ce and ot her food as a gi ft. When t he
peta kr.ew tllis, he set out hopefully through the air for that
place and arrived at Rajagaha. At that time, ki ng Aj:Hasattu
at the instigE.t ion of Dcvadat ta had murdered his father. On
account of remorse and a bud dream, he could not sleep.
As he was walking about on the upper terrace, he saw that
peta coming through the air, whom he asked:
1:. " :\ naked, emaciated ascet ic you are, si r. Whither
arc you going by night and for what reason ? Tell me this
at least; we may be able t o give you wealth with everyt hing
clsc. "
The peta:
z. "There is a ci ty, Benares, far-famed ; at that place
I was a householder, rich, but mean. I did not give and was
greedy-minded for enjoyment. By my bad morals I came
t o the region of Ya.ma.
3. " As if pricked by needl E!s I am exhausted with the pangs
of hunger because of those si ns; for that very reason I go to
the kiMmell for food. But of a sordid nature do not
believe that the fruit of generosity comes to pass in the other
world.
4 .. AI y daughter talked to me oft : ' J will give a gift
to t he fathers and the grandfathers.' The br .. hmans off!'r
t o others the prepared meal by saying, ' I am going t o Andha-
k avinda to dine'."
The narrative continues:
5 To him the king said : "After yon hBVP- received it , then
you should again come hit her qui ckl y. T t oo will do you
, . Junior guild -leader.' Peon . ' Chilla.
A}olHUR A
honour. If you have any motive, tell it to me; in a state-
ment of your cause, we shall hear what is worthy of belief."
6. Saying, "So be it ," he went (t o Andhakavinda)
Thp. Te t hey partook of food. but they were not worthy of
thp. gift. Afterwards he came to Rajagaha a second time
and appeared in the presence of the king.
7. Whcn the ki ng saw the peta coming to him, even faT the
second time, he said : .. Now what shall I g- ive? Tell me
this, whether there is allY means by which you may be satisfied
for quite a while."
The {leta:
8 . .. Serve Buddha and the Church, 0 king, with food, drink,
and the robes of monks. Ascri be this gift 10 my benefit.
I n t his way I shall be content for Quite a while."
9. Thereupon the king descended and st rai ghtway gave
gifts with his own hand to the Church ; he tol d
the a ffair to Tathagata, and to this pet a he ascribed the
virt ue of the donation.
10. Honoured, exceedingly radiant, the peta appeared
before the king, saying: " I now a m a bei ng,l possessed
of the highest potency; mell arc not li ke unto me ill potency.
I I. .. Behold this incomparable splendour of mine, which
was brought about by you when YOli gave beyond measure
t o the Church. Satisfied continually and for all ti me wit h
t he many gifts, I go about happy, 0 lord of men."
9
TIl E STORY OF ANKURA
While the Teacher was living at Savatthl, hc t old this story.
I n this case, Arikura is no peta, but became of his connexion
with the pet a, the tale is called thc AlIkItTapela-st ory. In
the to,."n of Asitanj ana, t he region of Kalpsabhuga, lhe
province of Uttara:patha, I there were born to UVasagara,
son of king l\Iahlisagara, lord of Uttaramatlhul'a, and to
Devagabbha, daughter of Mahakarpsaka, lhese children :
Atljanadevr, Vasudeva, Baladeva, Camhuleva, Suriyadeva,
I YakUa.
I III noet hemmost I llcia.
S TOHIJ:; S U F T HE DE I'AH"J EO
Aggideva, Varul'). sdevn., Ajjune., Puj juna, a nd
Ankura. Vnsudeva and brothers, beginni ng at the city
of Asit aii jann, and having in due course brought t o t heir
death all the king;; in sixt y three thomand cities in the whole
country of the rO!Je-npplcs (India), stopped at Dvaravati,
where they made thei r abede. Then they divided the ki ngdom
into tell par ts, bul they had forgotten thi r ;ister Afijanadevl.
When t hey remembered her, one remarked, ., l et us make
eleven divisions." There\lpon the youngest of them all .
Alikura, eaid; " Gi ve my share to her ; I shall make my
livi ng in You remit my t axes, each in Ilis respective
realm." They agreed and aft er they had given hi!'i allotment
to their sister, the nine kings Ji ved in Dv;'iravati.
Aitlturn. however engaged in tradt'! and constantly gave
large donations. Now he had a slave, a keeper of his stores,
who W:loS interest ed in his welfare. Alikura gave him to wife
a lady of good family. and the slave dying YOllng, Aukura
gave his son the wages which used to be given to hi s father.
'When t his boy was come of age, there arose I'lpini on in
the ki llg' s court t ha t the slave was not a slave. When
Anjanadevi heard about it, she used the {'xample of a milch
cow and freed him from his serfdcm, sa.ying: " A f!'('l'd
mother has nothing less than a freed son." But shame
drove the youth away a nd he went to the ci ty of Rheruva ,
where he married the daught er of a certain tail l'l r and made
hi; livelihood at the tail or's trade.
At that time was in thl' ci ty I'l l RIU' 1"l\ v;t a great gui ld
leader, Asayha, who ga\'c large donations to redll Se..<i, brahmans,
tramps, wayfarer;, beggars and IUf' ndir.ants. That tailor,
with joy and satisfact ion t hf' lT'a l , pointni out to those who
did not know the place, the r(',<:.irlrnc.1' of the Asayha, with
the words: "Let them go anr! receive what is to be
obtained." Hi; rlef'd i.e; rekrrf'fi t o in the Pali . When
he died he wa .. rf'Mrll as an earth-deva in a desert region
in a cert ain hanyan trf'e, where hi s right hand was bestowing
objf'd<; nf pleasure and delight .
Now in that same Bheruva th(! re was a cert ai n man who
was oc.cupied with the largtssc of Asayha. but since he was
unbelieving, irreligious, heret ical and di sres pectful toward
meritorious action, at death he was reborn as a !:leta near
hN KUItA
the place of abode of t hp. Rhovf! deva. What had been done
by him is found in t hp. P:tii.
Now Asayha al..n dier! and attained companionshi p with
Sakka, king of in the ThriccTen rf!gion. Thf!1\ at a
subseqttent Ankura. placed his wares upon five hundred
waggon;, ;t certain brahman did likewise. The two men
with the tholl !';and carts entered upon a di fficult d(!scrt road
and lQ<;t t heir way. As they werc wandering around in
that S;l me place, gmss, water and food becam(! exhausted.
Ankurn .. ent his messengcrs to look for wa ter. Then that
yakkha. whose hand was bestowing objects of pleasure and
nel ight, saw t heir predicament , and remembering the favour
ilone hi m in his fOrnl(! r life by Ailkura, showed hi m the banyan
tree in which he lived, thi nki ng: " Here now, 1 mmt
provide this man with help. " Now this banyan t ree was
full of branches with t hi ck foliage, gave dense shade and
had many thousands of shoots. It was a yojalJa in length,
breadth and height. Upon seeing it AIikura, pleased and
de1i ghted. had the camp set up under it . The yakkha st retched
out his ri ght hand and at once supplied the whole company
with water ; then he R3\'C each one of them whatever they
wished. After these lllany folk had been provided with
necessities according t o thtir desire, and had rest ed from
the journ(!y, U:e brahmanmerchant unwisely conc(! ived this
idea: .. Having gone from here t o Kamboja in search of
wealth, what shall we accomplish? Let us in some way seite
this same yakkha and place him upon a waggoll. Then we
shall go wit h him directly to our city." With t his idea in mind,
he told his project to Aftkura :
I. .. The object for which we are going to Kamboja wi th
our goods is in our meeting this yakkha who
gives u; al l we want ; let us take this yakkha nlong.
2. " This yakkha taking with his consent or by force, let
us li ft hi m upon the waggon and quickly go to Dvaraka.
1
"
WhelJ the brahman had thu$ spoken, Aitkura, referring to
the practice of good men, objected and 5aid :
3 ... Of the tree in whose shade one happens t o sit or lie
down, not a branch of it should he break; for he would
be a bet rayer of his friend, yea, an evildoer. "
, Sa.n.1e al Ov;havatl.
"
STORI E S 01' TIl 3 DEPARTIiD
In reply, the brallman n"I !l intained as a matter of common
sense that the root ro f rhr Illatter is the removal of humb11g:
4 ... Of the trp;p' h whose shade one happens to sit or li e
(\() wn, even its trunk he may cut , if such should be t o his
advantagr."
AJi.Jcura :
5. "Of the tree in whose shade onp. h:tprw.ns t o sit or lie
down, not a leaf of it should he inj 11 rp: ; for he would be a
betrayer of his fri end, yea, an evildoer, "
The brahman:
6 ... Of the tree in whose shade one happens t o si t or
lie UOWIl, that even together wi t h its roots he may pull out,
if should be t o his .cclvantagc."
Alikura :
7. " In whose house one happt!lls lu abide even though
for a single night, with whom (me uLl ains food and drink,
against him one shollid not even mctlilalt: evil with the mind.
Gratitude is applauded by good 1111:: 11.
8. " In whose house one hapJ.>I.::H!> to tarry even though
for a single night and be mi nistercu unt o wi th food and drink,
against him one shoulj nut eve .. meditate wickedness wit h
the mind. He whose hand (.;ollunils no injury makes a r. end
o f treachery to fri ends.
9 ... Whoever in tine pa!>l \\ as good in his and
later 011 sinfully commits illl injury, that man, dest itute of
clean hands, will not good for tune." I
Then that brahman became silent. The yakkha, however.
had heard the two. and angry wit h the brahman, said :
" Let thi s brallllw.ll receive his due; aft erwards
I shall under stand:' Tll tll ill ., howing tll a t be could not
at all be overrome by a[:y one. he sa:d :
10. " I woulli Hoi Le ca:. ily subdued by a deva or by a
human being or by a sOl'ereign. A yakkha am I. endowed
with the highest j>Otcncy; I go a great distance (i n a flash)
and am blest willi beauty and !Strength."
AI'tkura;
11. " Your hand i:s entirely golden, dripping with honey,
, Miuay,,"" s text hue the following l rom DII.:unmapacla [25 :
uBeud5 the fa-ultle., mnn, t he pe .... ou pure .. nd f......, from blemish,
Ull on fool evil [eturns just as fino dust tt:rnwn aga.ost wiod.
AN I<: UR A
"
and streams of gifts flrp. from its fi ve fingers: various
sweet juices are trickling from it. I believe that you are
Purindad:. .
Yakkh:. :
17. . .. T am 1I0t a god nor a gandharva nor even Sakka
Purinrb.Oa. Ali kura, recognize me as a peta, who have
comf' hit.her from Bheruv3."
Arlkttra :
T3 . .. \Vhat was your cha racter , how was your conduct in
yom previous existence in Bheruva ? On 30:ount of what
holy life of yours are good works being accomplished by
ynm hands i "
Y?. kkha:
T4 .. Formerly I was a tailor in Bheruva. eking out a
very mIserable exist ence. I d id not have the means to give.
IS. " Now my workshop was in the neighbourhood of
Asayha, who was a believer . a mas ter in the practices of
charity. doing good deeds, and unassuming.
16. " Thit her wellt the beggars, the paupers of vari ous
lineage ; and t f.cse asked me there for the dwelling of Asayha.
saying : Whither shall we go ? Good lllck to you ! Where
nrc the gift s dispensed ? ' "
17. " When I was asked by J made known to them
the house of Asayha as I st retched out :ny ri ght arm and said:
Go thither and good luck betide you ; there in the abode of
Asayha presents are dealt out'. "
r8 . .. Therefore my ha!1d gives yOll what yOIl wish: f.or
that reason. my hand is d ripping with honey ; on account
of that holy life I of mine, good deeds are accomplished wil h
my hands."
Alikura:
19. " Thus we sec you did not gi ve a gi ft to anyone with
YOUT own hands. but rejoicing in the alms of another and
stretching out your hand, you made known.
20. " Therefore your hand gives what is want ed; for
that reason your hand is dri pping wit h honey; on account
of that holy life of yours good works are accomplished with
yOl1r hands.
21. " Lord, that pious man, who with his own hands
,
STORIES OF THE DEPARTED
presented the gratuities, after he had laid aside his modal
hody, pray now, to what region went he? "
Yakkha:
22. " I do r.ot know the death and rebirth of Allgirasa.
1
the achiever of the impossible. but I heard in the presence
of Vessavana 2 that Asayha had gone to companionship with
Sakka.'
Ailkura:
23. " It is
as is fitting:.
what
works !
sufflcient forsooth 10 do good and to give gifts
When he has seen aile who with his hand dis
is desired, who will not perform meritorious
24. " Verily now, when I shall have gone from here and
arrived at Dvaraka, J shall give out presents which are to
bring me happiness.
25. " J shall give food and drink, clothes and lodging
places, a wayside watering place and a well, and passages
at the place hard t o cross."
Then appeared a pet a, whom Ailkura asked :
26. "Whv are your fmgers crooked, and your mouth
distorted, and eyes dripping? What evil deed has
been done by you? "
The peta:
27. " For the pious householder Allgira5a (Asayha), who
stayed at home, I was connected with his charity; I was
HlP overseer of his bounty.
28. " There, when I saw that the beggars, those desiring
f(Jod, had arrived, J stepped to one side and made a face.
29. " Whereiore my fingers arc deformed, and my month
out of shape, and my eyes dripping. Such a wicked deed
was done by me."
Alikura:
30. " joJstiy, wretch, i,,; your mouth misshapen since y OIl
made <L grimace over the gifts of another. "
31. " For how could one, in dispensi ng gifts consisting of
food and dri nk, solid food, clothes and lodging places, but
depend upon the services of another ?
A nglrolso1 lSo1. a.pplied t o Asayha with word p!ay upoa
At " yha.
Same a, l{u vera ; d . I . ,1. 'J ,
ANK U RA ,.
3:2. "Verily now llprm my going from here and arriving
at Dvaraka, I shRll give ont which are to bring me
happiness.
33, " I give both food and drink, clothes and lodging
places, wayside watering place and a well, and passages
at thf' plac:e hard to cross."
The redadors cOlltirmc the narrat ive in t hese stanzas :
34. ThpIWlIl he turned back and arrived at Dvaraka.
Anku r:'! f'st:'l hlishcc\ s\\ch almsgiving as would bring him
happ;m:ss.
35. With a serene mind he gave food and drink, clothl!ii
:'Inc! l1dging places, a wayside watering place and a well ..
30. " Who is hungry? Who is thirsty? Who wants to
put I on a cloak? Whose draughtanimals are weary? From
this place they shall bitch Ihem to the waggon, Who wants
a parasol and perfume? Who, a wreat h ? Who, sandals ? "
37. Thus shouted the barbers, the couks, and the scent
sellcrs cont inually both evening and morning, there in the
abode of Ankura.
Then foll1wS a conversation between Ailkura and Sindhaka.,
a young man, who was appointed over his chari ty.
Atikura :
38. " The people think of me, ' At'lkura sleeps well.' Sindha
h, I slf'cp hfHHy . . since I rio not see any beggars."
39. " Thc pp.ople think of me. 'Ankura sleeps well. ' Sindha
b, T slf' p.p b:l dly, since the wayfarer s are so few in number."
Sindhalm:
-to. " If Sakka, lord of the Thricc.tcn, should grant you
a wish, in making your choice, for wl:at in the whole world
would you express a desire? "
Ailkura :
4[. " If Sakka, lord of the Thricc.T(,Il. should gr:'lnt me a
wish, I would that in the morni ng when I have f1ri sen, at
sunrise, there should be present dcva-meah find piolls heggars ;
42. " That, when I the virtue of my gift may not
waste away, and after I have given, r may n1t feel regret.
I give, lIlay I cause my IWfl.rt t1 Thus would I
ch1OSp. a wish from
1 D, reads p<lrii"ass.ui . Cf. P .T.S. Diet" s. 1/. .
"
S T O Rt!! 5 O F THE DEPARTED
Thus Ankura mnde his desire known. In fh"t plnce tht'.re
was sift ing :I man by t llp name of Sonaka of goon hchaviouf.
He wi ... hr.rl to rli ssuarlc him from over-much giving and
said :
43 ... Do not give all your goods to others: but ward
gifts and wealth. For this reason wealth is assuredly better
than giving. With over-much giving. fami lies become no
more.
44 ... Wise men do not approve of non-giving nor of over-
giving. Therefore. look you, wealth is better than almsgiving.
He who has resolute righteousness should steer a middle
course."
Ailkura:
45. " Ah well . for all you say. I for my part, will give.
and may the good, the pious men, resort' to me. As a cloud
filling a uullah. J want to refresh all the beggars.
46. "If onc has a tranquil count enance at sight of mendi-
cants and is joyful upon bestowing a gi ft, that is happiness
for him who dwells in a house.
47. " Ii OIlC has a tranquil countenance at the sight of
mendicants and is joyful upon bestowing a gift. that is the
attainment of meri t.
48. " Just before be5towi ng the gift, one should be happy;
while giving it . he should make his heart rejoice; after
giving he becomes joyiul . That is the attainment of merit ."
The redactors of the Pali continue t he narrative:
49. Sixty thousand cartloads of food daily are distributed
to t he people in the house of At'lkura. who has a ciesire to do
good.
50. There live with Ailkura three thousand cooks ador ned
with jewels and earri ngs. 7.ealously devoted to the of
alms.
51. Sixty thousand youths, jewels and earrings,
split the firewood at At'lkura's extensive prescnUtion of giits,
52. Sixteen thousand women bedecked with every orna-
ment knead dough into vario1ls forms at the great almsgiving
of Ailkura.
53. Sixteen thousand women arrayed in all fmery, spoon
in hand, arc attending at Ankura's great donation.
54. )'1uch he gave to many ; long time, this nobleman
Jo.NK U RA
continued to give assiduously and with hi!'! own hann, again
and ag:lin showi ng his care.
55. Many months and fortn ights. and seaS<lns and years.
yp.a . for a long time. Aitkura continued his great giving.
56. So Ailkura gave and offered alms for a long time;
then when he left hi; mortal body. he entered the thrice-ten
heaven.
When he had thus been reborn there and was enjoy-
ing in the time of our Blessed One. a young
man by the name of Indaka with devotion in hili mind sent a
measure of food to the venerable elder Anuruddha, as the latter
was going on his round for alms. When Indaka died, aOO
through the power of the good work becoming a field of merit.
he was reborn among the Thrice-Ten, Wherefore it is said:
57. "To Anuruddha Indaka gave ladles full of food.
Whcn he laid aside his body, he became admitted among
the thrice-ten.
58. " I n ten points I ndaka outshines Al'lkura, viz. in
appearance, in voice, in taste, in smell, and in delightful
touch;
SQ. " In length of life, and in fame forsooth, in complexion
in good fortune, and in lordship, Indaka outshines Al'lkura."
The red;tclors show the matter in the following stanzas:
60. When in the Thrice-Ten heaven upon the stone pat;du-
fWlllbdld 1 at the foot of t he Coral Tree. Buddha. the best of
men, was sojourning,
Dr. While devas had assembled in the len worlds, t hey
paid homage to the thoroughly enlightened one. who was
t arrying on the t op of the Mount.
62. No deva outshines the thoroughly Enlightened One
in appearance ; excelling all devas. He alone is brilliant.
63. At the same time Ailkura was there, twelve yojllntU
from him; not far from the Buddha, Indaka surpassed
Atikura,
04 As the Buddha beheld' Ailkura and Indaka and making
them become gift-wort hy, he spoke these words:
65 "Great giving for a long while, Ankura, you gave;
you are sitting too far away; come hither llear to me."
L A hind of orolmcotat stone 01 which Slkka', throne wu "lade.
H
STORIl!:S O F THE nEP ."RTED
66. Urged by him of tl".e developed spirit,
1
Ankura spoke
3 5: foll ows : " What avails me that gift of mine 1 It was
destitute of a person worthy of reward."
67_ " Allhaugh I ndaka here. this yakkha, gave but a
trining gift, he outshines us as the moon does the multitudes
of st ars."
Theil spoke the Buddha:
68. " ]ust as in a sterile: fi eld, seed, though much be
sown, docs not yield abundant fruit nor please the husband-
man,
69. " Even so, bount iful giving bestowed upon the wicked
docs not yield abundant fr uit-, nor delight the donor.
70. " Ar.d just :l5; when scanty seed is sown in good ground
the gladdens the farmer when there is plenty of rain,
7r. "Even so when paid to the righteous, the vi rt uous,
a deed. though it be slight, becomes merit fraught with great
return."
The redactors conti nue the nal'ratiw:
72. \\'ith discrimination, the gift should be given, when
Il w. t whicll is bestowed leads to gre,d reward. If they give
alms with due considcration, the benefactors go t o heaven.
73. Onc should seek an allspiciou;; and very excellent gift
for t hose who arc worthy of favour here in world of t he
li ving.
3
Gifts to these a rc abundantly fruitful , as arc seeds
sown in a fertile field.
10
nil:: STUKY OF UTTAR!\'S MOTHER
After the pa.ssing away of the Teacher, when the first great
council was going on, the venerable Maha-Kacca.yana
t
with twelve monks was in a certain forest lodge ncar by
Kosambi. To him came Uttara, son of and successor t o Ki ng
Udella's privy councillor, seeking. with woodwrights, timber
for repairs, and by the elder was taught Dhamma. Hi m
I lIki1vit"I/e"'" Con,y. two synonyms, ... nd
lIyiYII'''''nabhot vllU/i),<I . Note t he absence o[ that m the )1allh. Comy. ;
puit"I/II ._ ED .
U.ijh"" gol. cr. \' in', V.,
, {'V(I/Okt. a rare compou :ul. - l'.n .
I I' SUltlLS (:allc<t
Ul'TARA'S )fQTHER
.,
t hcreaHer Uttara often entertained and built him a cell-
5ettlement (vihara).
Rul UUara' s mother grudged his gift s. She said: " What-
f!ver food and drink you give in this manner, without my
consent. to recluses, may that become blood in your other
world." Nevertheless, on the day of dedication of the
monastery, she permitted a bunch of peacock tail-feathers
to be given. At her death, she was reborn as a pett, in
return for her donation of a bunch of peacock tail-feathers,
her hair was black, glossy, curly, fine, and long. Whenever
she went down, thinking: " I shall drink water of the Ganges
river ," then the river became full of blood. After she had
wandered about for fifty-five years, overcome by hunger and
t hi rst, she saw Dnc day the elder Kankhlirevata I sitting for
his midday re5t on the bank of the Ganges. And this dialogue
ensued after t he redactor's two verses (I , 2):
1, As a monk had gone to his noonday rest and was
seated upon the bank of the Ganges, he was approached by
a pcti of horrid appearance and of timid iogk,
2. Her hair was very long and hung down t o the ground;
clothed with her t resses, she thus addressed the ascetic :
The petI:
3. " It is fifty-five years since 1 died. I know neither food
nor drinking-water. Give me some wat er, reverend sir;
I am thirsty for a drink. "
Monk :
4. " Here is the Ganges with its cool waters; it flows
from the Himtllaya. Take some from it and drink. Why do
you ask me for water ? ..
The peti :
5. " Reverend sir, if ! myself t ake water from t he Gange:;,
i t turns into blood. Therefore I beseech you for watt:r."
Monk :
6. " Now what offence was committed with body, speech,
and mind? 1n consequence of what deed does til l! Ganges
at your touch become blood ? "
The peti:
7 ... Reverend sir, my son Vttara was a believing layman,
L'See 1-her"t;ii!hil , ver. J ; i, 2t.
"
STORI E S O F TH E DEPARTE D
and he, against my will, gave to recl uses c1othinS. bowl-food ,
medicine and dwelling.
8. " Moved by avarice I revi led him, saying :
against my will YOll give t o recluses, clothing. bowl-fooo.
medicine :lnd A
9. ". Ma y 0 UU:trit. her:ome hlood ioc you in the
ot her world .' As <I nf that. nf!ec1, the Ganges becomes
blood at my t Oll ch."
Then the venp.rnble Revat a gave wafer t o t he Order of
monks in the nrlme of the pelT ; he went all his round for
alms, and having t Aken food. he gave it to the monks. Then
he t ook SIlme r.lS from a rubbi sh heap, and having cleansed
and sprinklrd fhf' m and having made bark-clot hes. he gave
it to tI ,e monh. Hecame of thi s, the peti attained cleva-
bliss Anrl tolrl this to the elder and showed him the deva-
had obtained.
11
THE STORY OF THE THREAD
In a certain villcge ncar SavatlhI, seven hundred years
before our Tt:w.:!ter arose, a certain youth in the servi ce of a
Lone BullulJ a I died on his wedding day from snake-bite.
In his allelldanee: he had not done: many deeds of IT.erit ,
yet uet:ausc of his affection for his bride he wa5 reborn as
a mansion-peta, in potency a nd splendour. Wishing to
howe his maiden in his mansion, and seeing 0. Lone Buddha
sewing robes, he approached him in human form and said :
" Venera ble 1;ir, arc you in need of thread ?" The answer
was : " Lay disci ple we are busy making robes." Pointing
to t he bereaved br:de's house, the deva, said ' " YOll can
for t hread ill t hat house." He did so and was given a
ball of t hread by the maiden. The deva, still as art h-man,
got the gi rl 's mother to let him stay a few days and filled
all the vessels in the house with mOlley. Then with the gi rl
he departed to hi!. mansion. TJle mother ga much of
t o kin and poor wayfarers. Dying she! said: "If
I Pa,u lla :-01111 who >ought only his owp salvatioll.
THF: THREAD
"
my daughter comes back, show her this money." After
700 years our Blessed One was horn in the world and came
to SAvatt hr. Then that woman still living with the deva
begged him to take her back saying:
I. " I, in the past, gave t o a monk who had renounced the
world at his approach and entreaty some thread. As a
result, abundant blessing:; fall t o my lot , and myriads of
garments arc produced for me.
2. " The mansion is covered over with fl owers and is a
delight ; it is variously adorned, and manservants and hand-
maidens are in attendance. So I enjoy it , and I clothe myself,
nor docs the abundant wealth at any time come to an cnd.
3. " As a reward for just one deed, joy and happiness are
here obtained. And I, when I have gone once more to the
worl d of men, will perform good deeds. Lead me thither,
my lord."
When the spirit heard her, out () f pity for her whom he
loved, he was unwilling t o go; so he said:
4. " It is seven hundred years ago that you came hither.
You will become bot h decrepit and old there, and all your
relatives, by my troth, are dead. What will you do, if you
have gone from here to that place? "
She not him, spoke again:
5. "J ust seven I years ago I came hither and have enjoyed
heavenly bliss. And I when I have gone once more to the
world of men, will perform good deeds. Lead me thither,
my lord."
6. Then, without more ado, he took her by the arm, and
leadi ng her back as a very tottering and aged woman, he said:
"Tell also the oiher people who have come t hither, 'Do
good works, then happiness will be secured '. "
When that woman came to the abode of her ki nsmen,
she made hcrseJf known unto them. She took the money
which they gave beck t o her, and bestowing gi ft s upon recluses
and brahmans, she advised those who were coming and going
to her :
7 ." It has been seen by me that petas, through not per-
formi ng a good deed, come t o grief: li kewise do human
' Sk
58
STORlES OF' THE DEPARTED
beings. By doing an act yielding happiness, both devas
and men (arc) a race persisting in happiness.
12
THE STORY OF THE PETt
While the Teacher was living at S5.vatthi, he told this story.
Once upon a time, it is said, in the days of the Buddha
Kassapa, there lived in Kimbila a certain lay disci ple, a
convert, who was of the same faith with five hundred lay
disciples and given to the pursuit of meritorious deeds such
as planti ng of pleasure-groves. building bridges. making
paths, 1 and other mefu! works. He had a monastery built
for the church and used to go thi ther wit h them from time
to time. Their wives, who too were in mutual concord.
would go to the monastery with garlands, perfumes, ointments,
resting on the way in parks and hostels. Then one day,
some rogues who were sitting down. together in t he hostel
of a certain lady, while t hose women were resting there,
saw their great beauty and became enamoured. Knowing
them to be good, they started a conversation: " Who is
able to perform a breach of morality with even onc of them "
Thereupon one said, "I am. " Saying, " Let us make with
him a wager for a thousand (coins)," they made the bet,
adding: "If you succeed, we mllst give you the
if not, YOIl must give them t o us." With the deSire to Will
and in fear of losing, he was reciting with many tricks while
the women were at the hostel, playing a seven-stri nged, swect-
toned lute, and singing love-songs, and he brought a ccrtain
woman among them to break the moral law, making t hose
rogues lose the thousand. Beaten by him, they told the
affair to her husband, who did not believe it, but asked her:
"Are you 01 such a sort as those men have said?" She
denied, saying: " I do not know such a thing." Since he
did not trust her, she pointed to a dog which was standing
near by, and took an oath : " If such a wicked deed was done
by me, may this crop-eared black dog devour me, when I
am reborn here or there I" Moreover, when the ot her womell,
P ET I
"
who knew she had transgressed, were questioned: "Did
this woman do such a wicked act, or did she not do it ? II
they falsely swore: " If we know, may we become her slaves
in this or that rebirth."
Then t hat adulteress, consumed by remorse for her sin,
wasted away and died. She was reborn as a mansion peti
on t he shore of Lake Kal)l)amUl:l<;ia, one of the seven great
lakes in the king of mountains. Furthermore,
there came into being on all si des of the mansion a 10tus-
pond suitable for enjoyment. When the other women died,
in consequence of t he oath they had taken, the)' became
her slaves. In that place, on account of the good deeds
performed in her previous existence, she enjoyed heavenly
bliss during tlle dayt ime, but at midnight, urged on by
the force of her evil deeds, she arose from her bed and
went to the bank of the lotus-p:md, being there devoured
by a great dog. Thereafter she immediately reappeared with
her former beauty, and having mounted to her mansion, lay
down upon her couch. The other women, however, endured
with difficulty their continual serfdom to her. Thus five
hundred and fifty years passed by, and since they were
cnjoying cleva-bliss without thei r husbands, they began to
long for them.
::-.:low there was at that place a river which issued from Lake
K3I:lI:lamuJ;lQa and through a cleft in the mountain flowed
into the Ganges. Near it was a park with mango trees that
bore deva iruit, with bread-fruit trees, and others. Thus they
thought: "Come now I we will throw these mangoes into
the river; t hus, indeed, having seen the fruit floating down,
some man or other may come hither to get the mangoes.
Then we shall enj oy ourselves with them." They did so.
Now as regards the mangoes cast adrift, ascetics got some;
foresters, others; and others stuck t o the bank. One,
however, reached the stream of the Ganges and in t he course
of time got as far as Benares.
At that time, t he king of Benares was bathing in the Ganges
in water surrounded by a copper net. Then that mango
which had been carried down came that way and was caught
in the copper net. When the king's bodyguard found the
large deva-mango excellent in colour, smell , and taste, they
S T O R I ES OF THE DEPARTR D
brought it to him. As an experiment, the king took a piece
of it and gave it to a notorious robber who had been placed
in jail. When he had eaten it, he said: "Yonr mfljl'sty,
I have ne\'er before eaten such a mango; m('thinks this is;!
deva-mango." The king gave him another sli ce, After hp.
had eaten that, his wrinkled skin and grey hfli r IpH him ;
he became very handsome and, as it were, r<,s torl'd to yOll th .
When the ki ng saw that, he was full of wondl' r. :l tp. of the
mango and also received splendollf in his body, askp.rl:
"Where are such mangoes foun d? " His mr. n replied:
" It is said, YOll r maje:;.t y, in the HimAlaya, king of moun-
tains." " Ts it ros.<;i hl e to procure them ?" " Your maj Esty.
the forfstf'fs know thaL" The king sent for t he foresters,
gave to a ponr forester a thousand coins, and sent him away,
saying: "r.n. quickly hring me the mango lruit. " That
one then went up the GangI's to Lake Kal.wamuJ;lda. \Vhen
he had goof! hf. yonn the mad of men, he saw in succession
three who rHreden him. The third advised him:
" Lf'avr. this great Ganges; follow that small river. going up
stwam Ilntil you see a fissure in the mountain. Then you
mllst enter there at night with a fmbrand. Since this river
does not flow by night. you can travel that way," He did so.
and at sunrise he reached a regi on. where was a very delightful
mango grove. Then. when those women. who were without
husbands, saw him coming even from afar. t hey ran up to
him. saying: " That man belongs to me. that man belongs
to me," he had not done the good works which were
suit able for enjoyi ng deva-bliss with them in that place,
So at the mere sight of them, he was fright ened and fled
with a shout. Upon reaching Benares, he t old the king
what had happened.
When t he king heard that , there was aroused in him a
desire to see those women a nd to enjoy the mangoes. So
he entrusted the ki ngdom to privy councillors. and on
the pretext of going hunting, he took his bow and quiver and
sword, and wit h a few men, he set out as the forest er told
him. After a few yojanas distant, he left t hose men and
went on with just the forester. Him too, after a while, he
sent back ; at sunrise he reached the mango grove.
Then, ,vrlen those women saw him as a young reborn son
PE T t 6.
of a dc,,"a, and went out t o meet him they knew that he was
a ki ng, and took him up into the mansion. They gave him
deva-food and waited on him accordi ng to his wishes,
Then, after one hundred and fifty years had passed by,
t he king rose at midnight. and saw the transgressing petl
going to the shore of t he lotus-pond. Curious, he followed her.
Then he saw that she was devoured by a dog upon her arrival
there. For three days he considered, not knowing what to
make of it, thell he shot the dog wit h a sharp arrow; having
thus deprived it of life and having immersed the woman in
the lotus-pond, he t hereupon saw her wit h her former beauty
restored.
He then asked her what had happened to her :
I. " Here are staircase landing5 of gold, resting upon the
golden sands; there are beautiful sweet-smelling lilies, a
deli ght to the heart.
2, "Various trees form a canopy over the waters, breezes
fragrant with different scents blow over them; the ponds
are covered with many pink lotuses and bedecked with the
white lotus.
3, " Stirred by the wind, the delightful pools emit a pleasant
odour; they resound with the r.oisc of swans and herons;
they are resonant with the sound of ruddy geese.
4. " Filled with divers swarms of birds and resounding
wit h a multitude of various songs, the trees yield divers ki nds
of fruit, the forests produce manifold fl owers.
5 " Such a city as this is not found among men, You
have many palaces built of gold and silver.
6. " Brightly gleaming, the four regi ons all are radiant,
You have these ftve hundred maidservants that wait upon you.
7, "They are wearing armlets of shells and ate adorned
with golden garments, You have many beds made of gold
and silver,
8. ' They are overspread with t he skins of Kadali ante-
lopes; thcy arc all rcady a nd are covered with woollen
blanket s. When you lie down upon them, you are richly
endowed with all pleasure.
9 ." Yet whell midnight has arrived, you get up and go
out; when you have come to the pleasure garden on aU
sides of the lotus-pond .
'"
S T O R I ES OF T H E DEP AR TED
ro. " Upon bank you stand, fair one. upon the green
turf ; Thp. n a dog, wit h cropped ears, I devours you, limb
aft er li mb.
II. " When you are devoured and made a chain of bones .
you plunge into the lotuspool, where your body becomes
just as before.
12. " Then with a complete body, very handsome, beautiful
t o behold, arrayed in your cloth(!s. you come into my presence.
13. " Now what wicked deed was committed by body,
speech . and mind ? As a punishment of what sin does the
cropeared dog devour your body, one part aft er the other?"
When she was thus asked by t he king, the petT told him
her story:
14. " In Kimbila was a householder, a pious layman;
his wife was I , a wicked adul teress.
IS. "Since 1 was unchaste, my husband t hus addres5cd me :
, It is not fitting or proper that you are unfaithful to me.'
16. "Then I falsely uttered a terri ble oath: . I do not
deceive you with my body or in thought.
17. "But if I trespass with my pcr;;Qn or my mind, then
may t hat crop-eared dog devour me, limb after limb.'
18. "The penalty for both that deed and the falsehood
I have been enduring for seven hundred years; ever since
t hat t ime t he crop-eared dog has been devouring me, limb
after limb."
Thus she spoke; then in two stanzas she praised the favour
he had done her :
19. " Lord, you are \'ery powerful; for my sake you
have come hither. Released from the cropeared one, I am
frcc from sorrow aud wit hout fear from any source.
20 . .. Lord, I honour you and beseech you saluting; take
advantage of non-human pleasures; lord, with me enjoy

Thereupon t he ki ng, t ired of living there, made known
his intention of leaving and spoke t he fmal st anza:
21. " I have partaken of deva-delights and had my joy
with you. Now, fair one, 1 pray you, quickly take me back. "
I ... "j(h Clopped or II. wcr<! play upon
tho lake. In the prose trame-story. is used in
thIS SDse.
UR R o\ R I 6,
that mansion-petl, having heard t he words of t he
ki ng, was unable to endure a separation. She was perplexed
in her heart wit h grief and sorrow, and her body was trembli ng.
Even though she appealed to hi m wit h various means, she was
not able to induce him to remain there. She brought t he
ki ng with many costly gems t o his ci t y and t ook him up to
his palace. Then wi th weeping and lamentation, she returned
st mightway fo her own abode. Now, when the king saw that ,
he was greatly moved, and havi ng performed merit orious
works in gifts and ot her ways, he became desti ned for heaven.
Then, when our Blessed One had been born i n the world.
and came in the course of time to dwell in Sa.vat t hi, the vener-
able )'1ahamogallana one day on his wanderings in the moun-
tains saw that lady with her ret inue and asked her what deed
she had committed. She told him all and he t old the incident
to t he Blessed One.
13
THE STORY OF UBBARI
While the Teacher was at J ctav3na, he told
this story.
At SavatthI the husband of a lay-disciple died. She went
in her grief to the cemet ery and wept. When the Blessed One
saw that she had attai ned the conuiliulls for lhe fruit of
conversion, moved by pity, he went tu hel" house and asked
why she was grieving? " Indeed, One, I mourn because
of separation from one dear to Illt!. " Theil the Dlessed One
told a story.
Once upon a time, ill t he Pailciila country, in the city of
Kapila, t here was a kill/:: whuse name was Clllani I Brahmadatta,
given to deeds lJencOdal to his people. without disturbi ng
the ten norms of killl)ship. Once upon a time wishing to
hear what t hey were sa yillg ill his domain, he assumed the
01 a tailor, amI without any attendant , left the cit y.
As he travelled from \'i1Iage to village and from district to
district, he Ioullu lhe whole land without thicvl:ls and without
oppression, the people on friendly t erms and dwelling, met hi nks,
wi th thei r houses open. With fresh joy he set out on his
I P ron. CbO' !anj (abo, above, P.lii ch:i.ia).
'<
S T ORIES OF T t l E DEPARTED
return, and in a cerbJin t own entered the house of a poor
widow. When she saw him, she saId: "Now, who are
you, siT ? Whence are you come hither?" HI'! replied:
" My good woman, I am a t ailor ; 1 ;un going aroll nri , doing
needle-work for a wage. If yon havp. any .<;ewing. give me
both clothes and headtirf', and I will makP. fnr YOIl ." She
then said : " We nil work to be in eit her clothe ...
or headtire. no it for othf'r .... .'iiT." While he was abiding
there for a few cl:'lY"', he .c;aw 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 any one, give her
t,o me. T am able to make a living for you with comfort ."
She e:a VP. him the girl. Having remained with her for a few
days, hp. gavp. hP.T a thou!\and kahdj>at/3s and said : "I Ehall
rf'tmn within just a few days. My dear . do not fret." 1
he went to his OWI1 city. Having had const ructed
amI 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 bat hed in vessels
of gold and silver, he had her named Ubbari and made her
(]lIeen-consort. He gave the village to her relatives and
then t ook her to the city with great pomp. Lh'ing happily
with her, he enjoyed a sllccessful reign and passed away.
UbbarI' s grief thereupon is thus told by t he redactors t :
I. There was a king, Brahmadatta, lord of the charioteers
of the Paiic<i las; then after the lapse of some days and
the sovereign ful fi lled his time.
2. UbbarI, his wife, went to his funeral pyre and lamented.
Although she did not see Brahmadatta, she lamented,
" 0 Brahmadatta ! "
3. A Rishi arrived there, a holy man accompli shed in
righteous conduct, and on that occasion he asked those who
had dul y assembled there:
4. " Whose funeral pyre is this over which are wafted
various aron:as? Whose wife is this that mourns for her
husband who is gone far away from here? Alt hollf!: h she does
not see Rrahmadatta, she wails, . 0 Brahmadatta I' "
Road ... .. hh_'P/Ai , ..ee P ._b. ..... y. I . ..... .. U a'Plhati and s. I'.
MIf1tllj.li.
I Cf. U/lbi'l . Itl Tbe.:1!!ithll. No. 3]. rt it t hat we have bere the
l am" at ol)', t hQ Oawe ightly altered._ ED.
U BBARl
6,
5. And they who were there thereon explained: " Venerable
sir, she is the wife of Brahmadatta: good fortune to you and
to Brahmadatta t
6 ... This is his funeral pyre over which are wafted various
aronlaS ; this is his wife who is mourning for her spouse gone
far from here. Although she does not see Brahmadatta, she
laments, ' 0
The ascetic to Ubbarl:
7. "Eighty-six thousand men bearing the name Brahma-
datta have been burnt in this cemet ery; 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 Pai'lca.las,
my husband who granted me every wish."
The ascetic;
9. " Verily all who bore the name of Brahmadatta were
kings; all forsooth were the sons of Culani, the chiefs of
the charioteers of the Pai\calas.
10. " For all in successive order you were the queen-comort .
Why do you neglect your former husbands and bewai l only
the last one? ..
UbbarI:
II. " Myself so long beil1g woman, sir, isit of my womanhood
in the course of things that you say so much ? " 1
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
t o what has been. "
Ubbari :
13. "Verily me, glowing, being like a fire over which
ghee had been poured, YOll sprinkled, as it were, with water.
Now I plit an end to all my sllfferi ng.
14. " Veril y you drew 2 from me the dart that grief rooted
I Read "bMil/l". Cf. P. V. J, 8, 6 ; :1100 d . Vimilna.vatthu. VII, 9. 9.
where we find abtn<llhi.
J MSS. gIve here an [cndniu!I; Ill""", Iv.:. rJ! Ihu
form where tbe In ot the Vedic 411n: is retained. in pla.ee of th" 1I5u&1 allaHi.
"Or," 50 COIllY., , . ""u me han told me) is the PIU. " But with bAol safl
in t h" t ext. lhe all .. i8 r""planati o:\ in Comy. i , th!1.t Ihe a3i<3.
" ill woman always 'Noman. or is l he al!lO reborn as man ' " P.T.S. Diaima",
err. in caUin, alu ... , o::ll y a poetiC form. Anguttara I So4 , etc.-ED.
66 O F T HE D EPARTED
in my hea.rt, you who dispelled from me, overcome with
sorrow, the mourning for my husband.
I5. "'Tis I now am dart.drawn, am become cool. J cIo
not mourn, I do not weep, ha\'ing heard you, grp;at
In portraying Ubbari's attai nment, the Tear,her spoke
four stanzas:
16. "When she had hea rd words of his, the admir-
able utterance of the she taking bowl and robe,
went forth into t he homel('_o..<; state.
I7 . .. And she, !e:lving house and home and going forth
into the houself'ss sh .te, c":lIltivated a mind of amity in order
to be reborn in Rr:lhmll 's world.
18. " She from village to village, to towns and
royal tJrnvelll is the name of the village where she
Clldf':d hf'.r lays.
T9. " After she had cultivated heart of amity for the sake
of being reborn in Brahmll's world and had put away tile
thoughts of a woman, she became a denizen of the world
of the Brahmas."
R OO K III
THE STORY OF NOT SINI{l NG (IN THE WATER)
While the Teacher was dwelling at Veluvana, he told
this story.
West Be"?-res, beyond the Ganges as you pass V;\'c;a.-
bhag1lma, In a vllJage called Cundatthila, 1 there lived a hunter.
He Kill ed deer in the forest, cooked the best meat on the
embers, ate of it and what was left he bound in a basket of
leave3 which he carried on a pole to the village. When the
children saw him at the town-gate, they stretched out thei r
hands ran up to hi.m, crying, " Give me meat, give me
meat I So he would give to each one of them a little piece
of meat. One day he took only fl owers and gave each child
a cluster. he was reborn a peta. Hungry. thirsty,
he wal.ked ui;> the, his native village
and Kmg s chid miniSter, after subduing
a rebelhon, was gOing back by boat down the river, and he
saw t he peta going along and asked him:
1. " Wit hout sinking in the water, you walk here upon
the Ganges; you naked ; yet, as though free from your
former lot, you beanng garlands are adorned. Whither will
you be going, peta? Where will be your dwelling? "
Now what was then spoken by t he peta and Koliya is
narrated in the following stanzas. by the redactors:
2. The peta said: " I will go to CundaHhiia ho.ixt here
and Vasabhagama, near Benares."
3 And when the minister renowned' under the name of
Koliya had seen llim, he gave the peta barley meal and
boiled rice and a suit.
4 Then he stopped his boat and caused a fee to be given
to a baIber; the barber feed, the result in the peta was seen.
5 Thereupon clad in tine garments bearing garlands and
adorned, the peta stood there, gift s wrought upon him at
I PrOIl . Chcondat' tiht
68
STORIES OF THE DEPARTED
once; for this reason one should again and again bestow
gifts out of sympathy for the petas.
So Kaliya, the minister felt sorry for the pcla and ga ve him
a si ft in this prescribed fashi on. He continued dowm:trf'.;r, m
and arrived at Benarcs at sunrise. The Blessed Onf'. , who
had come through the ai r to welcome t hem, stood nn thl'. hanle.
Kaliya, pleased and delighted, invited the Rl f'_<;.<;erl One t.n
dine with him. The Blessed One in siienr.p. ar.ct'.ptert thl'.
invitation. With a serene mi nd Knliya entertained the
Buddha and the monks. Thr.n, a r.rowd heing assembled.
the Blessed One Ottt 01 made certain petas appear
t o them and t ell how thf':y c.ame to be thus. This the redactors
set for th:
6. Some dressed in raggerl !'>tri ps of cloth. others covered
with their hair, the PP.tM go in quest of food and roam from
region to region.
7. Some set out for far country and having naught
received, return hllngry, fainting, staggering, and sinking
t o the earth.
8. Some fell down thp. re prone on the earth. They had
not done meritorious of yore ; they were as though
consumed by fi re in saying:
9. " Of yore we were wicked wives and mothers of house-
holds. We did not provi cl e a refuge for ourselves in the
bestowal of given thi ngs.
I O ... Yea, much foorl and drink were even tnrown away,
and we gave naught t.o the assembled world-forsakers.
u ... While we, wi lli ng wicked deeds. lazy. wilful. and
eating much. bestowp.ct hits and mor:;els. we abused the t akers.
1:2 . .. l1)Qse hOllsr.s and those hand-maidens. even t hose
ornaments of ours arc now at the service of others: our
portion is trouhle.
T3. " The basket-makers are a reproach, and the carriage-
makp.rs nre perfidious ; the women become beggars
and the bathers t oo again and again.
):4. "Among such base and wretched families are they
born. Such is the destiny of the niggardly.
15. "They who of yore wrought good deeds, were givers,
open-handed, shall fill the bright world and light up Nandana
Grove.

I 6. " Rejoicing nnd delighting in shall
possess I palaces; passing thenc!'! thp.y am horn in hi gh and
wealthy families.
I? .< I n a building with pinnacles. even in a palace. upon a
couch OVE'rlaid with a coverlet, t they who had sub-
dued thE'ir bodies are horn in a good family wi th all the
comforts of life ; each one ha!l in his hand a peaoock-fan.
18. .. From place to plare go, bearing garlands and
adorned; attendant s st and hy seeking (for them) pleasure
both evening and morning.
19 . . " This :inn charming Nandana Grove, this
great forf'st of Thri<:e-Ten belongs not to those who wrought
not merit ; only to those who wrought merit.
20. "For those who have not wrought merit. there is happi-
ness nei thr:r here nor beyond; but for those who have so
wrought. comes happiness both here and beyond.
:n. "MnICh good must be accomplished b.y those desiring
comprmionship ; for they who have wrought merit rejoice
;n Iwavr:n, with wealth.
2
THE STORY OF SANuvASIN
While the Tf'ar:her was living in Bamboo Wood. he told
this story.
Once nron a time at Benares the son of king Kitava, while
returni ng from his enjoyment in the park. saw a lone Buddha,
Sunetta by name. who was coming fort h on his alms-round,
and imllitecl him with rude words. Hardl y had he passed
on whE'n he felt an intense burning of his body like the heat
of hell fire. Of t his he died and was reborn in the great hell
AVichi. Thereafter he died and was leborn as peta, and
thereaft er was, in this Buddha-period. reborn in a fi shermen's
village near KUlJOi-town. Mindful of former Jives he would
not go with others a-fishing and threw back the fish they
brought in. His kin expelled him from home, but one brother
1 read ::i,. S,.
I roo.d M. c. n. n : d . GOtillfll!l/"lIln , P.T.S.
Dk;l ionllO)" i. v. Go!,a
l

,0 OF T HE DEPARTED
held him in affection. The elder Ananda induced him to
become a monk: lalcr as arahan he dwelt with twelve
monks on Mount Sc1. nuvasin. But his kinsmen were reborn
as pet as. Now his father and mot her feeling ashamed at
the idea, " In a previous life we cast him out of the house,"
did not approach him. but sent his brother who had cherished
an affection for him. When man had entered the village
of the elder for alms. he knelt on the earth with his ri ght
knee, made himself manifest wit h a respectful salutation,
and spoke the stanzas, " Reverend sir, your mother and
father, etc." But the flve first stanza; were placed by
the redactors t o make clear the connexion.
1. There was an elder of KUIJc;1inagara, dwelling on Sanu-
va:sin; a recluse with developed faculties, Potthapada by
name.
2 . His mother, father, and brother became miserabl e
denizens of Yama's world. Doing evil deeds, they went
hence to peta-worl d.
3. TIley in evil bourn, their bones like needles, weary,
naked, and emaciated, alarmed and in great fear- they
did not appear ruthl ess.
4. His brot her came hastily, nude, alone on a solitary
way, on all fours like a waterpot he showed himself to the
elder.
5. Now the venerable ma n, unheeding silently departed ;
but the other made him know, addressed the elder : " I am
your brot her gone to the petas."
6 ... Reverend sir, your mother and father are miserable
denizens of Yama's world. Doing wicked deeds, they went
hence to pet a-world.
7. " They are in evil bourn ... (as in 3) .
8. "Be merciful and compassionat e; give a gift and
ascribe to us the credit. By your gift which is bestowed
the ruthless ones will maintain themselves. "
9. When the elder and twelve other monks had gone their
rounds for alms, they assembled at the same place for t he
sake of serving a meal .
1 0. The elder addressed them aU: " Give me whatever
you have received. I will make a dinner for the Order out
of compassion for my kinsmen."
SANU V .... s I
,.
11 . They committed it to his care: thf\ p.l rlf\r invit,f\fi thf\
company; as the elder served the ml':l l. hi'! a::or.rihen t hf\
virtue of gift t o hi!> mnt lH' r, fathpr ami hrother, ::oaying:
.. Let this be. for my kinsmr.n ; let my relativcs be blessed."
12. this transfer of merit was made,
food produced, dean, savoury. well prepared. richly
supplied wi t h flavours and condiments. Then declared his
brothf\r who han become handsome, st rong. and happy:
13 ... Thf'.re i::o a.bundant food. reverend sir. but look. we
are nude. Sir, exert desire that we may obtai n raiment."
T4. After the elder had picked up some shreds of cloth from
a. rubbish heap. he convert ed the rags into garments and
gave them to the church of t he four regions.
15. As he gave his offering, the venerable monk transferred
the vi rtue of the gi ft to his mother, fa ther, and brother,
saying: "Let this be for my kinsmen; let my relatives
be blessed."
16. Immediately after this transier of merit , raiment was
produa:d ; then. dressed in fme rai ment, hc showed himself
to the elder with the words:
17. " As many coverings as there arc in the kingdom of
Nandaraja. reverend sir, we have more than t hat number
of garment s and cloak;.
18. "They arc of silk and of wool, of flax and of cotton;
many and precious are they ; and they are hanging in the sky.
19. " Now we wear whichever to our mind is dear. Lord,
exert desi re that we may obtain a house. "
20. The cider built a hut of leaves and presented it t o the
church of t he four regions. As he made his gift s ... (as iff
I4, 15)
21. No sooner was made t his t ransfer of merit , than houses
were produced. There were buildings with \lpper st oreys
and homes which were portioned off and well lai d out.
Peta :
22. " Among men there are no such dwellings as we have
here. Whatever dwellings are found even among devas
such have we here.
23. JJ Blazing brightly, on all sides the four regions are
shining; lord, exert desire that we may obtain a drink of
water."
l'
S T O RII! S O F THE DEPARTED
24 Then the sage fi lled a watcrpot and gave it t o the
church of the four regions. As he made his gift ... (as 20)
25 I mmedi:>.tely alief thi s transCer of merit was made,
drinking water was produced; there were four deep
out I lotns-ponds.
26. had clear waters well banked; cold and little
; they Wf'rr mVflrp.rl with the red and the blue lot us
and fll11 of the filamf!nt;; of thi! water-lily.
27. Then after t hey harl hnthp.I'I ani! thf.y
to the elder. saying : .. Reverenrl ;;i r, WP. h:wp. ll hunda nt
water, but our feet are painfully chapperl.
28 ... As we roam about. we li mp upon the gr:lvri, on
thorny herbs. Lord . exert des.ire that we may nhbin a
vehicle."
29. The elder took a shoe and presented it to r.hmch
of the four regions. As hc gave it ... in 24).
30. No sooner was made this transfer of merit , t h;m fhp.
pctas approached in a chariot . saying: "Yollr reVp.ff!nCp..
out of compassion We were furnished with food and dothe.'l.
31. " With a house and with both drinking water and
a vehicle as gifts. Lord. we come to pay homagp. t.o yOl! ,
the compassionale one among the seers in the world."
The elder t old t his incident to the Blessed One. who in
t eaching made this story Jlis theme.
3
THE STOnY Of"
While the Teacher was dwelling at he told this
siory concerning a certain peti.
Long ago in the time of the bles;;cd Kassapa. a certain
woman, aboundi ng in the pract ice of right eous deeds. and
givi ng a beautiful dwelling over into the possession of t he
company of monks died, and on account of another act which
was wicked, was reborn as a mansion-peti on Himavant, the
king of mountains, near lake Rathakara. By virtue 01
her good deed there was produced for her a superb mansion,
comisting entirely of jewels, on all sides very pleasing, charm-
I Read w""mrilil with B: ct. II, I. 19.
nA T l lAI<ARA
"
ing, a nd rJplightful. having a lot us-pond, resembling the
Nandana grove, and adorned, herself being gold-coloured,
h:m(homc, att ractive and amiable. There, without men,
she (lwelt , but there arose in her desire for men's company.
And she cast some mangoes int o the river, thinking. " This
is a strat agem." All is to be understood as in the story of
KaOl;lamU\l oa (I I, 12). I n this case, a cer:ai n young man who
lived in Bcnarcs on the banks I of the Ganges a frui t of
the mango and wished t o know its origin. So going in due
he came in t he pursuit of his object to her dwelling
place, She welcomed him to her abede, and when he had
seen the magnificence of it , he asked her quCS!iO:1S :
1. " You have ascended into a brilliant and shining mansion
that has pillars of cat's-eye gems and is variCRatcd in manifold
ways. There you remai n, '1cry flowerful devi, like the full
moon in its course.
2. "Like unto gold is your complexion; you have a
splendid appearance and are a wondrous sig-ht. Seated on
matchless couch, you are alone not for you ig there husband.
.1. " Yo'j ha ve on all sides also these lotus-ponds wit h
their abundant flowers and many white blossoms, at bottom
and on bank covered with goldcn sands, where is found no
mud nor marsh.
4. "Beautiful swans also, a delight to my heart , move
ever around on the water. When flock ing they utter pleasing
notes; they have full voices like the sound of dmms.
5. " Refulgent and splendid ill comeliness , recli ning in a
boat, brightly in your cur ved eyelashes, in your laughter, your
agreeable' specch, and elegance of every limb you shine.
6. " This mansion, free from dust, having gardens,
and embodying increa5e of happiness and joy, is standing
upon level ground. 0 lady of unexcel!ed excellence, wi th
YOll I would enjoy myself here in gladness." 2
She in reply spoke this stanza:
7. " Perform a deed which will bear fruit here, and let
your mind be centred on this place. By achieving works
whose results are to be felt here, in that way you shall obtain
me who love pleasure."
I 1!f::lo1 (;"".>;iy.1Ifr".. 13 I n r lelU.
I Nllllil"" , play on Nands.nI, ns.me o r a sarden in Indra'. heavtn.
S T O RIES OF THE DEPARTED
When the young man had heard the words of the petr,
he returned to the haunts of men. There he reflected, and
as a result of that, performed meritorious works. Ere long
he died and was reborn there (near her).
In narrating his companionshi p with the pen, the redactors
wrote the fi nal stanza :
8. Saying, " So be it I " he wrought acts the re!'uit of
which was to be fclt over there. After he had done the acts
which WEre to bear fruit in that place. the youth wai reborn
into companionship with her.
4
THE STORY OF THE CHAFF
While the Teacher was dwelling at Savatthi, he told this
story concerning four pctas.
In a certain village not very far from Savatthi. a fraudul ent
merchant made his living with false measures and other
dishonest methons, adulterating rice. His son and son' s wife
and his own wife were also evil as the verses tell. Reborn
as petll s in the Vimlhya forest, their sufferings are here
told.
Nov: the venerable Maharnoggallana. on a journey through
the mountains, one day reached that place saw them, and
asked what deed had been committed by them :
Y . .. One partakes of chaff, another of rice. and this woman
of the blood of her own flesh, while you eat filthy disgust ing
dung. Of what is this the res.ult ? ..
In answer t o the Elder's question, the wife of the fraudulent
merchant thus explained the deeds t hat were committed by
them all :
2. " Tllis. one in the past injured his mother , but that
man was a dishonest trader. This woman ate meat and
deceived wi t h a lying word.
3 ... r. when in human form among men, was a hOll sewife,
mistress of a whole family. From the righteous men r hid
(my belongings) nor ever gave aught thereof. With a lie
I made conceal ment, saying, 'There's none of this in my
hOllse ; if I hide what 's there, may dung be my food.'
THE B O Y
"
4. " I n consequence both of this act and of my lying word,
my meal of sweet-smelli ng rice turns int o dung.
5. " Deeds are not barren ; for an action perishes not.
I bot h eat and drink excrement putrid with worm9. "
When the elder had heard Ihe speeeh of thi; petl, he narrated
the ncws to the Blessed One, who made this matter his theme.

TIlE STOnY OF TilE n o v
At Savatthi many becoming Dhamma-
c1ubmen
l
built in the town a great pavil ion, and there enter-
tained the Teacher , and monks. Une man protested at
all that was given to "shavelings," His mother apologized
to the Blessed One and for a week supplied rice-gruel. Her
son died shortly afterwards and was reborn as t he offspring
of a courtesan. When she knew it was a boy she had him
exposed in a graveyard. There he, guarded only by the
strength o.f his own merit and unmolested, slept happily
as upon hiS mother's lap. They say that deva-bEiings took
care of him. Then when the Blessed One, fill ed with great
pity, rose at dawn and with his Buddha-eye surveyed the
world, he saw the boy and went to the graveyard. Many
gathered together, saying : .. The Teacher has come hither'
it must be for some rCa30n in such a place. " And they asked
hi m: .. Reverend sir, what deed was committed by this
child in a former life ?" The Buddha t old them.
" Then a householder of great wealth adopted the boy
In the very presence of the Blessed One this is my son I ..
The Blessed One went to the with the words:
.. This boy has been taken in charge by a rich man and
is made a help to many people."
After this man's death the boy, inheriting his wealth took
plt!asure in pious charities and other good deeds.
Thi:. matter the redactors show in the six following stanzas ;
1. Of a wonderful nature is the Buddha's knowledge,
as wt! nute how the Teacher made prediction about a person;
,0 S T O R I ES O F Til E D E P A R TE D
though some have wide merit , other!> verily have limited
merit.
:2 . This boy. abandoned in a buri al place. pasicd the ni ght
in sucking his thumh; neit her spirits nor reptiles would
injure the hny of merit; dogs licked his feet : crows
and jack:!l ... ma rie their rounds about him.
3. Flocks of birds removed childbirth impurities. but the
crows cleansed his eyes. No one provided ward for him or
gave him medicine or mustard fumes.
4. They did not learn even the moon's conjunct ion with
the lunar mansion ; nor (to bring luck) did t hey scatter
all the grains over one who had fal len into utter misery,
brought at night and cast into the charnelfield.
5. He who is worshipped by devas and by men saw him
quaking like a lump of fresh butter, in a precari oll s state,
with some life remaining. And when the One of great wisdom
had seen him. he declared: " This hoy because of wealth
will become of a foremost fami ly in this city."
P ious laymen ;
Ii What is his vow ? Now wha t is the rcligiotl s life?
Why docs this good deed have this result. that since such
di saster has befallen him. he should come to enjoy such
potency?
Now t he way in which the Blessed One declared when
asked by those lay di sciples. is made clear by the redactors :
,. TIle people did great honour t o t he company of the
monks wit h the Buddha at their head. On that occasion
this one had a different opinion ; he uttered a harsh and
discourteous expression.
8. Since he had dispelled this thought and aft eT'N'ards
obt.ained joy and peace of mind. for a week he supported
",ith rice-gruel Tathagatha who was dwelling at J et avana.
9. His was the , 'Ow; his. moreover, is this religious life.
That 6000 deed has this result , that when such di saster has
befallen him, he should come t o enjoy such pot ency.
10. He, abiding here in this world for a cent ury and provided
with all pleasures, at the dissolution of his bod)', reborn goes
to companionshi p with 1
1 Sakka gO"crrlOr of dova.$.
P E TI S E R I NI
77
o
THE STORY OF SERI l"I
While the Teacher was li ving at j et.avana, he told this
st ory.
It is said t hat in the Kunt country, in Hatthi nipura there
was a harlot called Seri lli. She, when t.he townsfolk welcomed
the monks coming Oil mission, and llrged her. " Come, thank
them with a gift." refused, saying : " Why should I give
t his gift to the shaveling rp. dllses? Why should I give up
something for him who is of no account ? "
When she died she w:u: rehorn as a peti behiud moat
of a frontier fortress. Thp.n a certain lay disciple of Hatthini
pura, went to this for tifir.rl town in order t o trade. and at
dawn crossed moat to t ransact his busi ness, saw her
and asked her in a ,,-tanza:
I. " Naked . . in TI . I . I)."
She i n turn :
2 . .. I. venerable sir . .. {as 11, I . 2 ) ."
Then hI'! in a asked ;
3. " Now wh,d evil deed .. . (as ;,t II , I. 3) . . . to the
..
Shl'! fp.plip.rI in six sta nzas:
4 ... T was hanging about t he public bat hi ng places for half
a month. Although giving is a duty. I did not provide for
myself a refuge.
5. " In my thi rst I approach the river ; it empt y.
Duri ng t he hot hOUTS I go into t he shade; it becomes
hot.
6 . .. And a consuming wind, fiery-hot, blows over me.
Reverend sir, I deserve further affl iction than t his.
7. " Go t o Hatthinipura and t ell my mothcr : ' I saw
your daughter, an unfortunate denizen of Va rna' s world.
Since she committed a n evil deed, she went from here to the
..
B. " Now I have JXl ssessions to the amount of four hundred
t housand which, without telling anyone, I depoiiited under my
couch.
9. " Then let her give a gi ft in my name and may she
have long life ; and when my mother present s a donation for
,. S TORIE S O F THE DEPA RTED
ml';, mll y !'hil IIsr.ribp. t htl prc.'ip.nt to me. T htln 1 be
h:tpPV, hl t.s.<;r.rl in all my dC.'iires."
While the peti told t his story, he paid attention to her
speech. and thereafter when he had fi nished his business.
went and told the a Hair t o her mot her. The redactors record
this in these verses :
10. He assented with the words . .. So be it," and went
t o Hatthinipura. saying: " I have seen your daughter, a
wretched denizen of Varna's world. Since she committed a
wicked deed, she went from here to the peta-world.
II. "On that occasion she advised me-' Kir.dly tell my
mother: [ have seen your daughter, a wretched denizen
of Varna's world. Si nce she committed an evil deed, she
went from here to the world of the petas.
I2. '" Now I have possessions .. . (as h: 8).
13. '" Then let her give .. .''' (as in 9)
14. Acccordingly she then presented the gift and ascri bed
to her t he donation: and the peti was happy and of beautiful
bodily appearance.
When her mol her heard this, she gave a gift to the company
of monks as desired, ascribi ng it to her.
7
THE STORY OF THE DEERHUNTER
While the Blessed One was living at the Bamboo Grove
he t old this story.
At Rajagaha a certain hunter made his livelihood by
shooting and killing deer night and day. He had, however,
a lay disciple as his fri end, whose counsels he followed in
part, hence bei ng rebom as mansion-pet a. The venerable
elder N5. rada saw him and asked him in this stanza:
I. " You arc 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 fanner life ? "
The pcta explained what he had done:
2. " Of yore in beautiful Rajagaha, in delightful Giribbaja,
I was a deer hunter, a ruthless man of bloody hands.
3, " Among harmless creatures I with a .....icked mind
SECOND HUNTSMAN
'9
walked about, very ruthless, ever finding delight in slaying
others unrestrained,
4. " 1, though of such a nature, had a fri endly companion,
a pious layman of the faith; and he, having compassion
on me, rest rained me again and again, saying :
5. '" Do no evil deed lest, my friend, you come to woeful
plight. If you de3ire 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 my weal, I did not obey
his teaching wholly, since for a long time I had found delight
in wickedness and had no insight.
7. " Again t ins very wise man out of compassion set me up
in sel f-restraint with the words: . If you slay animals during
the day, then at night let restraint arise in you I'
8. "So I killed the animals by daytime and with self-
control abstained at nights. Now I walk aronnd by night;
but during the day I am consumed in misery.
9. " For that good action I enjoy a non-human night
during the daytime the dogs that had just been driven back,
run up a ll all sides to devour me.
roo " Those who are ever devoted to, alwa}'s attachp.d to,
the teaching of the Well-Farer, t hey, methinks, will attain
even unto complete deathlessness, the state transcendent "
8
A SECOND STORY OF A HUNTSMAN
While t he Blessed One was living at Veluvana, he tokI
also this other story.
At Rolj agaha, they say, a certai n yout hful huntsman,
though rich, renounced the pleasures of weallh and went
about night and day killing deer. Ht! also, following the
advice of an elder, at the entreaty of a lay friend, gave up
night-hunting with si milar result in tilt: hereafter.
In the following stanzas tht! dder, Na.rada, asked him:
r. " In a t erraced building, a mallsion, upon a couch over-
laid with a woollen coverlet, with five kinds of musical
ments, you find delight in t hat which gives good music,
80 STORIES OF THE DEPARTED
2 ... Thp.n Ht rlHyhreHk toward sunrise. expelled to a grave-
yard you undergo much pain.
3. "Now what evil act was committed by body, 3peech,
or mind? For what deed do you undergo this suffering? "
Then the peta told hi m the following story:
4. "In beautiful Rajagaha. in delightful Giribbaja, formerly
I was a huntsman; a s{.X>rtsman was I, unrestrained.
5. " I. thougb of such a nature, had a friendly companion,
a pious layman of the faith: frequenting his family was a
monk, a disciple of Gotama. And he, having compassion on
me, restrained me again and again, saying:
6. " , Do not perform an evil deed ... verses 6-II as in the
previous slory 5-10) '."
,
THE STORY OF THE FRAUDULENT DECISIONS
While the Teacher was living at Veluvana, he told this
peta story of the fraudulent decisions.
At that time king Bimbisara kept the feast on six days of
the month. Many people imitated him and commemorated
the feast. The king asked the men who came from time to
time into his presence, " Well now, is the feast day observed
or not obs:!rved by you?" Then a certain man who had been
appointed to a magistracy, a slanderous and dishonest in-
dividual, who received bribes and was brutal. but who was
afraid to state, " I am not a feast-keeper," said, " Sire, I am
a feast-keeper." Then a companion addressed him, when
he had gone from the royal presence; "Friend, what was
kept by you to-day?" He replied : "Friend, out of fear
I said that whll face to face with the king ; I am no feast-
keeper." Then his comrade said to him: "If it be merely
a half-feast, let that be pO to you to-day ; take the feast-
vows." He assented, went homeward, washed his face
and devoted himself to the feast. During the night when he
reached his dwelling, his span of life was cut short by a stake
blown down from his poor abode through a high wind.
Forthwith after death he was reborn in the hollow of a
mountain as a mansion-peta. For he, although he observed
a half-feast during one night only, ootained his reward, re-
J
CONTEMP T FOR RELICS g,
ceiving a suite of ten thousand maidens and enjoying deva-
attainment; but as a result of fraudulent decisions and in
consequence of his lie, with his own hands he himself cut off
and devoured the flesh of his own back.
The venerable Narada, on his descent from Vulture's Peak,
saw him and addressed him with these four stanzas:
1. "You wear garlands, a tiara, and bangles, and your
limbs are rubbed with !>andal ointment. You have a serene
countenance, and you are radiant, lustrous as the sun.
2. "This non-human retinue appears to me as your attend-
ants ; these ten thousand maidens are your servants.
3. " They wear bracelets of shells and are adorned with
golden fillets; you are powerful, and your appearance is
thrilling.
4. "With your own hand you cut oft the flesh of your own
back and cat it. Now what wicked act was committed by
body, speech, or mind? For what deed do you devour the
flesh of your back? "
The peta t old his story in these four stanzas;
5. " To my own harm I acted in the world of the living,
wi th slander and lying, with fraud and deception.
6. "There I went into the assembly and when the time
came to speak t he truth, I repudiated the good, the
and turned to unrighteousness.
7. "So does he who becomes backbiter devour himself,
as I to-day feed upon flesh from my own back.
8. " Narada, you yourself have seen this fact : Com-
passionate are they who speak appropriate words. Do not
slander, do not speak falsely lest you be backbiter indeed." 1
10
THE: STORY OF CONTEMPT FOR RELICS
When the Blessed One passed away at Kusinaril, in the
Upavattana grove, in the Sill wood of the Mallas, between
two siil trees, and after the dist ribution of the relics had
been made, king Ajatasattu took his portion of them, and
1 Lit.: backf.esher. The pet:!. had not slandered the king, hence
t he word scarcely fiLs our' blckhiter.'-Bn.
S T O RIES O F TIl li: D E P AR TE D
for seven years, seven months, lind days rendered
him worship. But eighty.six people who. on
account of a long-standing unheli ef and heresy, had been
in error and had perverted their thoughts. even in a whole-
some environment. werp. reborn among the pctas. In this
same Rajagaha, the wifp. daughter and daughterinlaw of
a cert ain opulent hotlsehnMer, with devotion in their hearts,
took perfumes. flowers, :lnd other offerings and start ed to go
t o the place of the reli cs , AAying, " We will worship t he relics."
The father of the famil y !!isparaged the adomtion with words
of blame " What is there in the worship of bonei ? "
But they did not mind his talk and went. On their death
they were reborn in t_he deva.world but he was reborn among
the petas.
Then one day thf! venerable Mah.kassapa out of compassion
stood in the conrt of the shri ne, and questioned with three
stanzas the pet f!. who had cont emned the relics:
r. " As y Oll sb_ncl in the air. you breathe forth a stinking,
putrid odour. an!! worms are devouring your putrid face.
2. "What dp.p.n have you committed in t he past for which
they t ake thf:ir and carve you again and ap:ui n ? Do
they on that tlr.count sprinkle you with lye and cut you up
again And tl gtl in ?
3. "Now what wicked deed . . . (as in III, 8, 3)"
The peta replied to him as follows :
"4" " In beaufiful Ri'ij agaha, in deli ghtful Giribbaj a, sir,
I was lord of very abundant wealth and grain.
5. "Of me the wife. daughter and daughter in law were
t aking blossoms of the tamala t ree and of the blue lotus and
new ointment to the relic shrine ; I hindered them. That
wicked deed was committed by me.
6. "There are eight ysix thousand of us ; we have each
our sufferings. Since I made light of the worship at t he
shri ne, I am grievously tormented in hell.
7. "Verily those who, while the festi\'al of a worthy one
is being held for shrine-worship, manifest wickedness, do
you dissuade therefrom.
8. "And behold these women approaching, adorned and
wearing garlands. They enj oy the reward of their floral
offerings. Fortunate and beaut iful are they,
C O N T EM P T FOR RELI C S
"
9. " When thp. see this marvel, wonderful and thrilling
they will WONlhip and adore you, great sage.
10 . "Now when I. who am in this misery, have left this
state and again am a human being, I shall diligently perform
shrine.worship again and again."
Maha kassapa made this incident his text and preached a
to the people who were present .
END OF BOOK III
BO OK I V
THE STORY Ul" Al\l BASAl{KHARA
While the Blessed One was living at J etavana, a Licchavin
rajah named Ambasakkhara. heretic and unbeliever, reigned
in VesA!i. There also lived an upright merchant who bridged
over a swamp with sandalwood planks. His nephew on the
other hand, for bringing stolen goods to his uncle's bazaar,
was punished by the stake.
1
01 these t he verses tell the story.
The first verse was inserted by the redactors.
I. There is a city of the Vajjians called Vesali:; t here lived
Ambasakkhara, the Licchavin. When he saw a pcta outside
the city he wished to know why, and asked him st rcightway :
z ... This man has no bed or couch, goes not forward or
backward; is wi thout food, drink or dothes; neither has
he woman attendant.
3. " Kinsmen and friends of his in the past taki ng com-
passion on him ate now unable to see him. In sooth he is
by them forsaken.
4. " He who is down has no fri ends; friends desert when
they see misery, t hough while they see prosperity they
surround LIS. He who is up has many fri ends.
5. "By enjoyment of all his wealth, his must be
wasted. His body blood-stained and utterly broken, like the
clinging dewdrop, to his life comes ending.
6. " To him, thus enduring to t he bitter end, terrifi ed at t he
stake of ni mb wood (the king spake:) ' You, Yakkha, after
what sort say you Live! 'Tis better to be alive? ' "
The peta:
7. " This man (on the stake) was my kinsman ; I remember
his former life. Seeing him I felt pity for him, lest for his
wickedness he should fall into hell.
8. " Hence departing, 0 Licchavin, this man, doer of
Stll. {J. apeti. This must be:n ,,,. li nge ring an ex <><:u t lon III e n lCi
fixiop. Cf. VCI"!IeS 6d. , 8,.-1':p.
84
AMB J.S A K I{HA RA
"
sinful deeds, will be reborn in hell, .:rowcled and fearful, exceed
;ng hot, severe, frightful.
9. " Even that stake ",;th its divers parts is better than
that hell. May he not fall into hell, severe and frightful,
utterly woeful, altogether painful I
t o. " Now if this man hear what I say, he will be whelmed
in sorrOw and give up his breath. Hence I say it not before
him, lest through me alone come end of life."
The king :
u . "The case of t his man have I learnt, but J would ask
somewhat else of you. If you grant us leave we will ask you,
but let there be no anger t owards us.
The peta:
12. " Truly as to that you have my promise. Not to an
unbeliever comes the tale. Even though I be unwilling, you
may believe my words. Ask as you wish, I will reply as I
am able."
The king:
1:\ . "Whatever I shall see with mine eyes, in all that may
I have full faith. If even when I have seen I believe not, then,
yakkha, you may make it my own doing."
The peta:
14. "Let me have your fait hful promise. When you have
heard Dhamma, may you wi n faith, while you seek higher
knowledge with uncorrupt mi nd. Whate\'er Dhamma has
or has not been heard by you, I will declare all as known."
The king:
15. "Upon a decorated white horse you come hither to
him who is impaled upon a st ake. This is a means of going
that is wonderful and worthy to be seen. Of what deed
is this the consequence? "
Peta :
16. " In the middle of this city of in the pat h through
the swamp there was a hellish spot. One day in a religious
mood I took white sandal wood and laid it in that place.
17. "Thereon placing our feet , both we and others went
across. This is a conveyance that is wonderful and worthy
to be seen. Of that very deed is this the result."
RAjah :
18. "Your countenance illuminates all the regions, and in
86 STORIES U F THE DEPARTED
all your fragrance is wafted. You possess the
potency of a yakkha and have great might . but yon are
naked. Of what is thi; the result? "
Peta :
19. "Free from anger and always of :\ believing mind.
I ,pp, oached the people w;th gentle wo,rl,_ Of that same
deed is this the result ; my deva-countenance is ever bright.
20, "When I noticed the fame Rnd renown of those who
were finn in Dhamma. I proclaimp.c1 it with devotion in my
heart. Of that very deed is fhi !' the result; my deva-
perfume is ever continually wafted fOrth.
21. " While my comp:Lninns were bathing at the ford,
I took their raiment :mn hid it up the bank. I sought to
jest and had no evil lhought . Hence am I nude. and my
life is miserablp.."
:
22. " If anyone commits evil in sport. such, they say.
is the fnlit of hi!> deeds; but H one does so not in sport
what do thf!y is the result of his acts? "
Peta:
23. "Vihat.cver men have wicked intent in the mind and
are comlpt in word and deed, beyond a doubt at breaking
up of body they enter hell.
24. " Rut others, longing for the bright world, find delil':ht
in ch;uity and hold themselves in restraint; thes.e when
horty hreaks up beyond a doubt ellter the bright world."
When the peta had thus briefly analyzed the fruits of action,
the Rajah, unbelieving spoke this verse :
25. "Why. pray, should I really believe this to be the
result of virtue and of sin ? Or what have I seen that I
should sincerely believe? Or who could make me believe
this? "
Peta:
26. "When you have seen and heard, believe: ' This is
the result of virtue and of sin,' If both virtue and sin are
non-existent, would it be that men are blessed or dist ressed ?
27. " And if human beings did not commit virtuous and
wicked deeds here in the world of men, then would not people,
the high and the low, be blessed or distressed in the world
of men,
AMRASAKKHARA
"
28. t But because human beings do commit virtuous
and wicked deeds in the world of men, for that reason people,
the high and the low, are bles."cd or distressed in the world
of men.
29. "Oi t wo sort s now, they say, is the result of deeds ;
one must understand that of the one who is blessed and that
of the one in trouble. The devas enjoy themselves, but the
fools, seeing this twofold result, are t ormented."
He was asked the question: .. But you who thus believe
in the iruit of action, why do you undergo such
misery? "
30. "There are for me no deeds by others wrought; no
one who in bestowing gifts would ascribe them to me: clothes
and couch besides food and dri nk, Therefore I am nude,
and my life is miserable,"
When the king heard that he desired to obtain clothes
and ot her things, he said :
3I. "Now verily there must be some means, yakkha,
whereby you may obtain clothes. Tell me of a SOUTce;
we shall listen to a trustworthy word thereon."
Peta:
32. " There is here a monk by the name of Kappitaka;
he is mnser and moral, worthy and li berated, sense-controlled,
lives restrained by rule, is tranquil, and has attained the
highest views.
33, .. He is kind in speech, affable, meek and pleasant,
and his greeting is sincerely expressed. Peacefully he dwells
in the region of virtue and deserves gifts from devas and
from men.
34. "He is tranquil and has dispelled the haze of wicked
thoughts ; he is freed, lust-free, is . mine-less,' upright ;
he has no lile-substrate nor wish for this and t hat . He has
attained the threefold knowledge brilliantly.
35. " Although they have seen him, he is little known,
has fe w acquaintances; among the Vajjians they call him
sage. Yakkhas know him as free from leanings, a man of
piety, faring through the world.
36. " U you gi ve him, assigni ng t hem to me, a suit or two,
and he accept them, me also you will see furnished with
garments."
"
STOR IE S OF THE DEPARTED
The king:
37 ... In what place dwells the recluse that going we may see
him now jl He is the one who to-day can dispel in me doubt
and uncertainty, the puppet-show of heresy."
The peta:
38. "He is seated in Kappinaccana, surrounded by many
devas. He is delivering a pious talk. true to his repute.
earnest in open abstinence from anger."
The king :
39 "Now wilt I go and do thus. ] will array the recluse
in a suit. This accepted, then you too may be provided
with clothes."
The two went thither and the peta said;
40. " I go not untimely to a worldforsaker. For you,
Licchavin, this is no proper time. Visit him timely, you
will then see him seated alone there."
The following verses were spoken by the redactors:
4I. When he had thus spoken the Liccba\'in surrounded .
with his servants went to that city, to his home, his own
abode.
42. From that time he carried out his householder duties;
he bathed and had selected from a basket ei.e:ht suits and
went to deliver' them attended by his servants.
43 When he arri\'ed at that place, he saw the recluse of
undisturbed thoughts who had returned from his meal, tran.
quil, sitting at the root of a tree.
44 When he came up to him, he spoke to him asking him
about his health and wellbeir.g ; " I am a Licchavin from
Vesali, if you please, and I am known as Ambasakkhara
the Licchavin. "
4? .. Accept from me, reverend sir, these eight fine suits;
I gIve them to you. Just for this purpose have I come
hither that 1 might be happy."
Recl use ;
46 ... Even from afar the recluses and the brahmans avoid
your dwelling. In your home the bowls are broken and also
the monks' cloaks are rent.
47 "Now 'others with axelike kicks make the recluses
fall head foremost; such injuries do world-forsakers and
recluses meet at your hands.
AMBASAKK HARA So
48. "Not even sesame oil with grass did you give them,
nor do you tell the road to him who has lost his way. From
a blind man you yourself take a stick. Such a man you are,
niggard!y and unrestrained.
49. "Now just for what reason and in what form will you
make a distribution among us ? ..
The king:
" Reverend sir, I acknowledge the truth of what you say.
I injured recluses and brahmans,
50. " I wished to playa joke and had no e\il motive; verily,
your rcverence, that offence of mine was indeed a sin. Verily
he committed wickedness in jest. His happi ness is imperfect,
and he experiences pain.
51 . " He i; young and yout hful, but he has nakedness as
his lot . Now what is worse for him than this?
52. "Reverend sir, I saw him in agitation and in sin ;
therefore I give a gift. Lord, accept the eight suits and let
these presents be assigned to the yakkha."
Recluse ;
53. "Surely t he gift in many ways is acceptable, and may
it have endless virtue for you, the giver. I accept from you
the eight suits; may these presents be assigned to the
yakkha."
54. Then iorsooth the Licchavin sipped water (from his
pa1m) for purification and gave the elder the eight suits.
" May they be acceptable I behold the yakkha wearing
clothes."
55. Then he saw him anointed with the essence of sandal
wood, of good birth and of noble appearance, on thoroughbred
mounted, adorned in excellent dothes. He was surrounded (by
attendants) and had attained the potency of a yakkha.
56. With joy and gladness, with happy thoughts and
beaming face, the king saw him ; for he had seen his deed
and its great result ; he had realized it with his own eyes.
57. He went up to him and said : "I will give a gift to t he
recluses and the brahmans; in fact I do not have anything
which is not to be givcn away. You, yakkha, have been
for me a great helper."
The peta:
58. " And you, Licchavin, have given me gift::; which have
,. S T ORIE S OF T HE DEPARTED
not been in vain. I for my pi'l Tt. will form a friendship with
you, I the non_human with YOll the human,"
The king :
59. OJ Way, ki nsman, refuge. friend have you been to me,
yea, deva too. I beseech you wit h an afijali salute, yakkha.
I desire to see you again."
The peta :
60. "If you hecome unbelieving, appear miserly. or entertain
wrong opinion!;, and in t hat same state you are all owed to
see me, even though I notice you, I will not talk to you.
6I. .. If you have respect for Dhamma, find delight in
giving. keep yourself restrained. and are a fountain of supply
for recluse!< and brabmans, and if you thus have opportunity
of seeing me and I see, I shall greet you kindly.
62 ... Quickly free this man from the stake, since through
this event we have fonned intimate relations. I am thinking
of his t orment, now that we have here made mutual friendship,
63. " And if this man is quickly released from tQe stake,
he will zealously practise virtuous deeds and be rreed from
this veritable hell. A deed must be experienced elsewise.
64 ... Go to Kappitaka and at the proper time share wealth
with him. Before him seated ask him yourself. He will
tell you of this matter,
65, "Visit this same monk and ask him- you seek merit
nor is your mind debased- he according to his knowledge
will explain what has not been heard by folk yea, all of
Dhamma will he proclaim. (And thoughtfully he declared
the Dhamma of the happy bourn,)
66. When he had conversed there in secret and fonned
a friendship with the being, he departed to the
Licchavins; then he addressed the assembly which was in
session :
Raj ah :
&,. " Sirs, list en t o a word from me; choosing the better
course I shall obtain my quest. A man of cruel deeds
fastened upon a stake, has been well punished, is one who
has failed.
68. So far for the space of twenty nights, since he has
been fastened, he neither lives nor is dead. Now I will
release him, Let the company allow it J "
A MD ASAKK H ARA ,.
Assembly :
69. "Both this one and another one quickly release.
Who is it may say augbt, you acting thus 1 According to
what you know, so do. The company allows your inten-
tion,"
70. He went up to t he place and quickly loosed the man
strung to t he'stake.
1
Then said to him: " Friend, fear not I "
and handed him to healers.
71. The Licchavin went into the presence of Kappitaka
and in due course shared wealth v.ith him, Before him
seated, seeking reasons he asked him thus:
The king :
72. .. A man of cruel deeds t o stake strung up, has been
well punished, is one who has failed. So far, for the space
of twenty nights, since he has been fastened, he neither
lives nor is dead.
73. " Now I went and released him, reverend sir, at t he
word of this yakkha. Pray now, might there be some means
or other whereby he can escape hell ?
74. " Reverend sir, t ell me if there be a way ; we will
listen wit h trmt to you. Is it not possible to erase those
deeds, alt hough we do not understand it here? "
Recluse:
75 . .. If night and day, earnestly and zealously, he would
perform good works, he would be freed from that hell ; a
deed must be experienced elsewhere."
The king:
76 . .. Learnt is this matter of the man, Now, reverend si r,
pity me also, Teach me, admonish me, very wise one, that
I may not fare into hell."
Recluse:
77. " Even to-day with pious mind find refuge in the
Buddha, Dhamma, and the Church, and simi larly take upon
yourself the fiye moral precepts whole and unbroken.
78 . .. Refrain forthwit h from the t aking of life; reject
in this world what is not given to you : do not indulge In
strong drink, nor speak fal sely; and be content with your
ovm wife,
L
"
S T OKIES OF THE DEP ."I. RTED
79. " And solemnly undertake this excellent eight-fold
good I that leads to happy results."
So. "With a serene mind give t o the upri ght the requisites,
the robe, alms in the bowl. a resting-place. food and drink:,
solid food. raiment. and sleeping quarters.
81. " Refresh with food and drink fhe monks morally
eminent, free from passion, learned. Merit grows always.
82. "S0 practising right eous things earnestly and diligently
night and day. you may free YOl1rself even from t hat hell.
A deed must be experienced elsewhere,"
The king:
83 . .. Even to-day \lith pious r.nind I find refuge in the
Buddha Dhamma and the Church; similarly I take upon
myself the five mont precepts whole and unbroken.
84. " I will forthwith refrain from the taking of life; I
will reject that which is not given to me in this world; I
will not indulge in liquor nor speak fal sely; and I wilt be
content with my own wife.
85 . .. And J !>Olemnl y undertake this excellent eight-fold
good, leading to happy
86. " To the monks morally eminent. free from passion an<J
iearl!ed, J give the requisites. the robe, alms in the bowl.
a resting-place. food and drink, solid food, raiment and
sleeping l]lIarters. Finding delight in the doctrine of the
Bllddha.c; , I waver not."
R7. Such a man became Ambasakkhara. the Licchavin.
layman of Vesiili he. gentle and believing: in performing
he then zealously supported the monks and the
Church.
88. When the man who had been st ake-strung was healed;
of his own accord he happily left the world and came to-the
monk Kappitakuttama. Both of t hem then attained the
fruit s of t he recluse.
89. Of such is t he waiting upon men of worth. Rich in
reward it is for t he good and the wise. He who had been
strung to stake attained highest reward while Ambasakkhara's
was a lesser fruit .
The venerable Mahakappitaka who had gone to S!vatthi
..... be' ll onll wo-.. ld ha v" lookod for tl:e .... ay (' eightfold ' I. tho Commy.
refers to ' k,IS<l/''1I:-ED.
NANDAK.".
to pay homage to t he Teacher, reported to him
as t old t o the king by the peta. The Teacher made it the
theme of a talk to t he many who were present.
2
THE STORY 0 .1" S.l!; K1SAKA
(This ts iaenticalltlith VII, 10 in Vimlllla-vatlhu.)
3
THE STORY OF N.'\NDAKA
Two hundred years after the passing away of the Teacher
ki ng Pingala was reigning in Surattha 1). The head of his
army was Nandaka, of heretical views. The redact ors t ell
about them.
T. Rajah Pingalaka, 'tis said. was lord of the people of
Smat. He had gone on a service to the Moriyas and again
on his way back to Surat.
2. In the heat of the noonday the king came to a swamp ;
he beheld a delightflll road, haunt of the pet as.
3. The ki ng t old his driver : "This is a delightful road ;
peaceful, safe. lucky. Follow this course, chari oteer. "
4. From this JXl int the king of Surat with his army of
four hosts proceeded upon it at the head of the men from
Surat.
5. With a flurried look a man thus addressed the ruler
of Surat: " We are going on a wrong road ; it is frightful.
hair-raising.
6. " In front a way is seen. but behind it is not seen. We
are travelling on a wrong road near Varna's men.
, . .. A non-human odour is blowing; a dreadful noise
is heard." Alarmed the rajah of Surat thus spoke to the
charioteer.
8. " We are going upon a wrong road ; it is frightful and
hair-raising. In front a way is seen, but behind it is not seen .
I tit. ha.ppy .
STORIES O F THE DEPARTED
9 . .. We are travelling on a wrong road near Yama's men.
A non-human odour is blowing; a dreadful noise is
heard."
10. He mounted upon the back of an elephant ; and looking
toward the four directions, he saw a banyan with it.s ahunda nt
shade.
II . .. The tree resembled a dark him'; thnnrler-clrmd in
colour, and its top had the hue of mist. The ki ng asked his
driver : "What is t hat big objed whir.h we see, like the dark
blue thunder-cloud in colour and having a t op with the hue
of mist?
Chariotp.er :
1 2 . "Sire, tha.t is a banyan with abundant shade; it is
a tree t h:tt. looks like the dark blue thundercloud in colour,
and its tnp the hue of mist. "
r3. Thfl raj::lh of Surat set out in t he direr::tion in which
was sef!n that large tree, whir::h in colour had the likeness
of a. dark bltle thunder-cloud and whose top had t he hue of
mist .
q .. Having descended from the back of the elephant,
thp. king approached the tree, and with his ministers and
::lUendants sat down at the roots of the banyan.
I S. He saw a full water-jar and cakes. Then a man who
had the appearance of a deva and was bedecked with all
kinds of ornaments, came ti p and thus addressed t he rajah :
r 6. " Welcome I Sire; you have not come far. Lord,
drink water, eat cakes, 0 conqueror!"
17. The king with his mi ni sters and attendant s drank
water and ate cakes, then the ki ng spoke t hus:
18. "Now pray. are you a deva, or a gatldltarva. or Sakka
Purindada? Not kno ..... ing you we ask. How may we know
yotl ? ..
Peta;
19. " I am not deva, nor surely not Sakka
Purindada. I am a peta. sire. who from Surat have hither
come,
Rajah :
20 . .. How were you virtuous, how behaved you in the
past in Surat? Through what holy living of yours have you
acquired this splendour ?"
NANDAl,.,\
Petn:
21. " Listen t o it , si re, conqueror and ext ender of the
realm. and you too" ministers and attendants of the king,
and let the brahman chaplain lislen.
22 ... I am from Surat , lord ; I was a rn<'lll o f evil intent
and held false doctrines. My charact er had ; I was
niggardly and given t o abusc.
23. " I restrained many who wp,rfl r: harit<l.hle and doing
good, and I barred the way for others who were disposed
to give,
21. " (sayinp,:) 'A gift hrings no reward. Whence comes
th? fruit. of sf'lf-rf'straint? There is no t eacher at all. Who
will c.h;>.stisf' him that bestows no gift s?
25. '" Among living bei ngs one's weight equals another's.
Whf'rf'fnre do they honour the eldest? There is neither
st.rf'ngth 11M energy. Why speak of a man' s exerti on?
26. '" A gi ft bears no fr uit at all ; it does not purge away
an enemy. A man acquires what he is to obtain and receives
what is tending to come.
27. '" There is no mother. father, or brother ; there is
no world beyond the present. There is no gift ; there is no
sacrifice; nothing well-established exists.
28. ,,' Whoever smites a man or cuts off another's head.
does not strike any cleft into living beings. I
29. '" Indest ructible and indivisible is a living being; is
(either) octagonal or spherical li ke a ball ; he is five hundred
yQjallas high. Who is able to dest roy him ?
30. '" J ust as a ball of stri ng which is thrown down rolls
away from him who unwinds it, exactly in the same manner
the livi ng man rolls away from those unwinding him.
31. '" J ust as he who leaves one village fmds his way
into another, even so the living being enter another
body.
32. '" J ust as he who departs from a house goes into
another, even so dQo3S the living being enter another case,
11. '" After having passed through t he cycle of
migration for eighty-four hundred t housand great kalpas,
I are et hots of tlle theories ascribed in the 5utta$ to t ea.;herti
of the Foandcf'. d,,-y. 500 DISA,., Sultanta . 1 cannot t. h" , jews
In the following verses.-Eo
.'
STORIES OF T HE DEPARTED
bot h t he foolish and the wise will make an end of il l. Rot h
happiness and unhappiness are me:;.sured by and
baskets. He who is victorious understands alL' OUler
people a re dull -wit ted 1 such views did I hold.
34 . . , I was er ring, fi lled with ignorance. r was a heretic.
and not virtuous. I was nigga rdly and ahllsive. In less than
six months I sha'!l die.
35. " Down t o the exceedi ngly SeVl'.ff'. ami ter ri ble hell shall
I fall. It i; four-cornered has four doors
36. " It is divided into pnt<; hy mEasure' it is surrounded
by an iron fence and is on the top with iron. I
37- " Its iron floor is glowing with hr.at. Flashing on all
sides for a }mndrcd y rl'j o'llQs, it exist.s for all time A hundred
t housand units pass by Ano straight way a sound is heard. A
lll e has elapsed, sire. of whic:h a hundredth part is a krorc of
years. The peopl e who and of bad charact er
and abused the rigi1teoll!\ ;lfP. tormented in hell for a hundred
thousand krort of yp.i1rfl Tn that place I shall long suffer
pain.
38. I eXCfwtingl y hewll.il the fruit of evil deeds.
Listen to thi s, sire. rorlCjllt'!ror and extender of the realm:
I have a danghter, Uttara-good luck to you, sire I
39. " She pr. rfnrrn!\ good works and finds delight in t he
moral prt'lY.ph Ilnrl in t he feast days. She is self-restrained .
liberal, wi ,,*, of ." peech. and unselfish.
10. " Shp. il' mmpletely obedier:t to her inst ruction and
is a daughl.er.in.law in others' (sic) famil ies: she is a lay
di!\cipl p. of the klorious Buddha, the Sakya sage.
41. "A monk. eminent in mor .. ls entered the village t o
ask for alms. His eyes were cast down: he was mi ndiul,
donr-gl1arrl ed, and well-restrained. As he was beggi ng from
t o house in regular order, he cam;: to her dwelling.
42 ... Him did Utta ra sec-sire, good luck to you I-she
gave him a water-jar and sundry cakes. saying:
43. " . My father has died. reverend sir: may this help
him I' No sooller was this beheld than the result was
produced.
#. " I am partaking of food and enjoying pleasures like
1 Cf. Mc.jjlliml', iH, 51a. 1)0.
NAN!)A!(A
King Vessaval)a. Hear sire, cnnqm'! ror ::Inn p.xt.p. nder of
t he rep.1m :
45. " The BlI ddh::l callerl highP.flt. in the wnrM and among
devos . Go with yonr wife amI r:hilil tn the Buddha for refuge.
o conqueror.
16. " By t.he eight-fold way they reach the immortal abode.
Go with YOIlT wife and child t o Dhamma for refuge, 0
conquf:for.
11. " Walking the four ways. standing in the four fruits.
Chmr:h i!\ upr ight and devoted to wisdom and morals.
4R. " (;0, conqueror, wit h your wife and child ren to t he
f:hllrr:h for refuge. Quickly abstain from killing; reject what
is not given to you in the world; be 110 st rong-drinker : do
Ilnt. speak falsely; and be content with your own wife."
Rajah :
49. " You will my welfare, yakkha; you will my good.
clp.va 1 I do your word; you are my t eacher.
50 . . , I approach for refuge the Buddha and Supreme
Dhamma, and 1 seek refuge in the Church of men and devas.
5r. " I quickly refrain fro:n t aking life : I refuse wllat
is not givcn to me in the world; no st rOl;g-dri nker. I spea k
not falsely: and I am content with my own wife.
52. " I cast away (mout hed) blustering. quickly as 'twere
into the river'3 stream. I vomit wicked doct rine, delight ing
in the teaching of the Buddhas."
53. Thus spake the rajah of Surat. renouncing his sinful
outlook. When he had paid honour to the Blessed One,
the eminent monarch ascended his chariot looki ng ea3t. 1
4
THE STORY OF REVATl
(This 1:S ideniical with v. 2 oj Vimdna uatJIUl.)
1 I';;,.oh.io. Comy.: !>.,ci,."rli,tlMi,."h.". ' len lhe Cf.
i, 234. - ED.
"
STOR IE S O F THE DEPARTED
G
In t ho Commont ar y II. child i . with n,<) man who ad .. for cane R"d is
the chid f ct itior.cr.
Lit. ( have: a. c ut self. -&/mw'4/11", Q,
I Read with !';, . S ,
R A JAH ' S SONS
99
very act you will become pleased, delighted, joyful, and
happy."
9. He went and took it from behind. \\>'hen he had it
in his hand:;. he ate to his heart' s content. By that very
means he became pleased. deli ghted, joyful, and happy.
The pcta gathered a bundle oj the sugar-cane and gave it
t o the elder who brought it t o the Buddha at Veluvana.
The Blessed One together with the monks partook of it and
gave t hanks. From that t ime on the peta could eat
cane ill comfort. In t he course of time he was reborn among
the Thrice-Ten.

THE STORY OF 'tHE RAJAH'S SONS
While the Teacher was Hving at Jet avana, he told this
story.
It is said that t he king of Kosala, who lived at S;1vatthI
had two amiable sons then in the prime of youth. In their
unrestrai ned youthful passion they committed adultery, and
after death were reborn as pet as who were being crushed in
a trench. During the night they u:;cd to lament with a
dreadful noise; when the people heard it , they were t errified.
Since this was the case, t hey gave a great donat ion to the
company of monks at whose bead was the Buddha, saying,
" This ill omen must cease." Then they t old the Blessed One
what was taki ng place. He said: .. Disciples, you will not
have any end of hearing that noise." He told them the
cause of it and spoke the following stanzas :
I. " There is a city called Sli.vatthI at t he slope of the
Himalayas. I n that place were two princes, sons of a king;
so have I heard.
2 ... Wanton i n lusts t hey found delight in the enjoyment
of desire. They were greedy for present pleasures ; they
did not consider the future.
3. " They left their human state and passeU from this
world to the next. Although unseCII , tiley cry aloud the
wickedness which they committed ill ,tile past;
4 ... Saying: . Many peuple forsooth are served with
STOR I ES OF THE DEPARTED
gi ft s. We have not been able to provide for onrselves a
bles;;ing which brings a wardi ng happiness.
5. '" What wicked deed then may it have been for which
we passed from O1lr roya. l family amI Tp.born in the realm
of thp, pebs., :tffl idt:rl with hunger a mi thirst ? '
6. "Thr.y who have been larch here. will not be lorrl $. nvp, r
t here; men both high and low will wander about t ortl1rerl
with hunger and thi rst.
, . " By knowing that t his distress had its origin in the
wantonness of rul ers. a man may renounce the arrogance
of lordship and thus become a heaven-goer. After the
breaking up oi the body the wise man is reborn in the bright
world."
Thus the Teacher narrated the fate of these petas, and
assigned to them a gift made by these people teaching Dhamma
as was his will. l
7
THE Sr ORY OF THE RAJAH'S SON
While the Teacher "''as li ving at Jctavana, he told this
story.
In it the son of a. rnjah named Kitava 2 once upon a time
injured a lone buddha. He suffered in hell many thousa nds
of years, and b::causc of t hat very offence he was reborn
among thc pctas. His story has already been told in detail
in t he Fcta narratives of Sanuvasi. Now the Teacher. as
he told an cIder the futc of the peta's deeea5ed relatives.
said: .. Not only your kinsmen fonooth, but you also, on
becoming c. peta. in your next existence after having left
this world, will suffer great pain." At the elder's request
he told this story.
I . 1. The of deeds committed in the past
may disturb the mind as regards sight, sound, taste, smell.
and pleasant touch.
2. He had enjoyed dancing, singing, love and sport in
no small degree, and after he had ridden around in the royal
garden, he entered Giribbaja.
t Th8 nro Ajj1,oIJaya. CI. Mrs. Rhys Davids, Buddhiltn, ::md ed . pp.
In f. _ ED.
I Cf. HI. 2 .
THE DUNG - EATERS
'0'
3. There he saw the rishi Sunetta who was self-restrai ned
and tranquil: the latter had few wants, was modest, and
was pleased with the gleanings that came into his bowl.
4. He dismounted from the back of his elephant and
coming to him said, II Reverend sir." Then t he prince
grasping his bowl held it up.
5. He broke the alms-bowl on the ground, and laughi ng
went away with t he words: " I am the son of king Kitava.
What will you, monk do to me ? "
6. The retribution for this unkind deed was severe, since
the prince, 'tis said, was committed to helL
,. And for six times myriads of years he suffered
in hell great pain on account of the sin of which he was guilty.
8. was punished as he in turn was prostrate, lying face
downward, and turned on his left or right side. Now with
his feet up in the air, then in a standing posture. the fool
was tortured for a long time.
9. For many thousands and myriads of years he suffered
in hell great pain for t he sin he had committed.
1 0. Verily such a severe penalty is suffered by men who
perform evil by laying hands on a pious rishi who is free
from sinful blemishes.
II. After he had for many years undergone great affliction
in that place he was killed by hunger and thirst, and deceasing
he became a peta.
12. Thus baying seen the distress caused by the wantonness
of a ruler. one should be no wanton ruler but turn to humility.
13. Even in the present life, he who is respectful t o the
enlightened ones deserves praise; he is endowed with wisdom,
and after the breaking up of the body he is born in the bright
world.
8
THE STORY OF ,HE DUNGE ....TERS
While the Teacher was sojourning at J etavana he told
this story.
They say that in a certain t own not far from S!{vatthi
a certain householder had a monastery built for the sake of
a monk who was his personal friend. Then monks from
'"
STORIES OF THE DEPARTED
"'arious parts came thither and dwelt there. Upon sight of
these men ministered to them necessaries of life. Now the
monk who was the confidant of his patron could not stand
this and was filled with envy (as thQ verses tell): Then
MaM.-Mosgallana. saw him and inquired: '
I. "Who are you, poor fellow. standing there from cesspool
come f Pray now, what wicked deeo did you really perform
that you noise abroad) "1
Peb:
:2. H T, reverend sir, am ;t pe.til, a denizen of
Varna' s world. Since T wrought II wicker! act, I have gone
from thio; world-to tlmJ of the petas."
Elder:
3. "Now wh;'!t evil c"ieerl was performed by body, speech
or mind? In cOllseqllt: nce of what act do you undergo
mise.ry ? "
Feb:
4. "I had a resident monk who was jealous and enviou;;
of the household. In my house he was attacr.ed to desires,
he was miserly and abusive.
5. " I listened to hi;; word and blamed tte monks. Because
of that deed. 1 have gone from here to the region of the petas,"
Elder :
6. "Your bosom friend was an enemy in the guise of n.
friend. Pray now. foolish man. what destiny fell to your
lot upon the breaking up of your body and your going to the
bourn beyond? 'I
Peta:
7. " I am standing on the top, yea, on the head of this
same offender : he has reached the peta realm and attends
upon me alone,
a. "What others void-good luck to you I-becomes my
food, and he in turn lives on what I expel. "
The venerable Mahamoggallana narrated this incident to
the Blessed One who interpreted its meaning and he pointed
out the danger of fault-finding.
1 Sidd .. h<>SI to lxl rce.d with C a <tddiiy",4: d . s. to . .. ,,daAall a.nd
Jadd4y.ui. Cf. P.T.S. Di,tionary.
THE CROWD
9
THE SE.COND STORY OF THE DUNG,EATERS
Whilc the Teacher was sojourning at J etavana he told
this story similar to the last. Here it was a lay-woman who
built a monastery, and was reborn a peta. Verses are similar.
10
THE STURY Ul" "i' HE SET OF PETAS
While the Teacher was living at Jetavana, he told this story.
At Savatthi, it is said, there was a set of irreligious people
who had no faith and were pos5essed of the sin of avarice.
They were indifferent in their lives as to the ideas they accepted
alld other matters. After having lived for a considerable
time they died and were reborn as petas near the city. Then
one day as the venerable Mahamogallana was going to
Savatthi for food, he saw the petas by the way and asked
them:
I. "You are naked and ugly in form; you are emaciated
and have prominent veins, Your ribs stand out and you are
thin. Pray, who are you, sirs?"
Pctas :
2. "We, venerab!e sir, are petas, miserable denizens of
Yarna's world. Since we were guilty of wicked deeds, we
went from here to the region of the petas."
Mahamogallana:
3. "Now what sin was committed
mind? In consequence of what deed
here to the world of the petas ? "
Pdas :
by body,
have you
speech, or
gone from
4. " We have been loitering for a fortnight at the public
landing-places; we have not made for ourselves a refuge by
means of good guts.
5. " The river we approach in fear; . it becomes empty,
The shade on hot days we approach; it is turned into
heat.
6, " A flaming and burning wind blows over us. Reverend
sir, we deserve this affliction and more than this."
"1
STOH I ES O F ThE DEPARTED
7. " Hungry and craving for food we travel y ojar. as. We
return without having gottell a nything at all; nlas I we
bo,ve little merit .
8. "F;J.mishcd and fainting with hunger, reverend sir,
we are smitten to the earth. We are stretched Qut and lie!
sprawling; we fall down head first .
9. "And so we drop down smitten to the earth.
We beat our breast and head. Alas I we have little merit .
10 ... Reverend sir, we deserve this afflict ion and more t han
this, We have not made for ourselves a refuge by mea ns of
good gifts.
II , "Verily when we have gone from here and are reborn
in the human state, we will be munificent; we shall be
devot ed to virtue and accomplish much good."
The elder told the affair to the Blessed One.
II
THI:: Srul{Y OF PATALI PUTTA'
While the Teacher was sojourning at J et a'lana, he told
this story.
It i5 said that a good many merchants from Savatthi and
P<ljaliputta sailed to Suval.ll)abhiimi. There one of t heir
number, a sick Jay-disciple who was attached t o a woman,
died. Although he had done good works, he was not born
in deva-world, but on account of hi5 affection for llis loved
one he was reborn as a rnansion-peta out in the midst of the
ocean. In that place he retained his love for her ; she on
her part took ship and went on a journey t o Sllval)l)abhumi.
Now this peta, wishing to gain her, stopped the course of
the vessel. Then the merchant s revolved in their minds:
"Well, now, how's tllis? This ship doesn' t move." So
they drew lots to det ermi ne. Through non-human potency
the lot fell thrice upon no other than this woman for whom
the peta was yearning. When the t raders sa.w this, they let
down into the sea a bamboo raft on which they placed the
woman. No sooner had she been let down t han the ship
rapidly proceeded in the direction of Suval).l).abhiimi. 'Olen
I '" Patna_
THE MANG O ES
,.,
the non-human took t he woman into his mansion lWei found
happint':!ls with hp. r .
Aft p. r thp.lap5e of a ycar she became dissatisfied and begged
tilC'. peta, saying: " As long as I dwell here, I cannot make
!lIP. other worlds my quest. 1 Please, sir, take me to PltaH-
pntta."
In response to this entreaty, he replied :
1. " YOIl have seen the hell s, the realm of beasts, pctas.
and asuras. also men and devas. You yourself have observed
what arc the results of one's own deeds. I will take you to
Pataliputta in safety. Upon your arrival there perform
good acts."
She was del ighted and replied :
2. " You are my well-wisher, yaAkh'1; you have my good
at heart, 0 cleva. I shall do your word; you are my teacher.
I have seen the hdls, the realm of beasts, the petas and asuras,
also men and det'as. You yourself have observed what are
the results of one's own acts. I will do many a meritorious
act."
Then the peta took the V,lQman and travelled with her
through the air; he placed her in the centre of Pa.taliputta
a nd went his way. Thereupon when her kinsmen, friends,
a nd others saw her, they rejoiced a nd remarked; " We heard
that some time ago you were cast into the ocean and
Well, and to think that you have returned safely!" So they
asked her about her adventures. She told them all .
Those merchants on thei r return to S5vatt hi told the Teacher.
12
THF. STORY OF THE MANGOES
While the Teacher was tl wc!liug at Siivatt hi, he told t his
story.
At 5:l.vatthi thne WolS a cel lain householder whose wealth
WCl S tl\hilusled. Hls wife died, and he, leaving his Olle
daughter with a fri end, borrowed some money, bought wares
t o the amount of olle hundred kaltJ/Ja!tas, and set out with n
caravan to do business. In a very short time he got back
I alllra'!'. Ct. S.JJ. l1. XVII : Mhv. V, I . , .
,"
STORIES OF THE DEPARTED
his capital and gained in addition five hundred kahiipafl4s.
Thereupon he went homeward, but was beset by robbers.
The traders Red hither and thither; but this householder
throwing his coins into a bush hid himS1f. The highwaymen.
however, found him and killed him. On acconnt oi his lust
for wealt h he was reborn as a peta in tI:at very spot .
The daughter t o his memory presented rice gnu'! l in a hrnn7.p.
dish and mangoes to the Blessed One, praying hr, would accept
it as from her father. Hereby the pNa ohtained a fine
mansion.
The traden later repeating t hat jourm';y, and halting for
the night at the same spot, saw the peta anil questi oned him.
I .. Here YOli have a \'ery delightful lotus-pond with an
attractive landing-place. h;mh are level. and it has
abundant it is \'lP.nr.r:kf"!rl v.d th blossoms which are
dotted wit h a Swarm of hr.l's. How rlid you get this all uring
pool ?
2. " Hp.re yOll havp. t.his very charming mango grove which
bears fruit in all seasons; it. is herleckcd with blossoms
which are dotted with a swarm of hees. How did you obtain
t his mansion? ..
Peta:
3. " My d':'II1ght l'f marie a gi ft of ripe mangoes. water.
:Ulrl ri c:c on that aCCOlll1t, I am allowed t o have here
the plea.<iant cool shade."
Then the pcta gave them the five hundred kaMlpat)as.
saying: " Take half from here. and after having explained
this portion of my gain, hand it over to my daughter wit h
the words. ' Live comfort ably.''' The traders in due course
reached Siivatthf, told the daughter of t his matter. and
placed in her hands in fuU t he amount which her father had
given her . She handed it over to her foster-father. But he
restored it to her wit h the words: " This shall belong to no
one but you," and he made her t he wife of his eldest son.
In the course of time. she gave birth to a son whom she
persuaded with this stanza :
4. " Behold the reward. even in this life, of a gift, of selfw
control. and of restraint. I was a maid-servant in worthy
famil ies; now I am a daught.er-in-Iaw and the mistress of a
house."
THE A XLE AND THE T RE E ,.,
Thf'.n one day t he Teacher. who had observed her maturity
of pr.rception. sent forth a radiant image of himself. and
sh.nding as it were in her presence, he revealed himself.
On this occasion he spake this stanza :
5. The right 1 overcomes the unpleasant by what seemeth
pleasant. t he unloved by what seemeth loved. the ill by what
seemcth happy.
13
THE STORY 0.1' 'IHI' AXLE AND THE "IREE
While t he Blessed One was d\vclling at Savatthi, a certain
lay-disciple thue filled some carts with wares and went to
Videha t o do bminess. When he had there disposed of his
goods he loaded his waggons with return-\vares and proceeded
on the road for S.1i.vntthi. As he was journeying along in
a forest the axle of a cart broke. Now a certain man who
wished to get a tree. took his axe and hatchet and set out
from his village. As he was wal king around in the forest.
he came to this place and saw the Jay-disciple dejected on
account of his broken axle. He felt pity for him and cut
down a tree, and having made a strong axle. he fitted it t o t he
cart without charging him anything.
Bllt later on he died and was reborn in this very spot in
the forest as an earth-deva. As he comidered his deed,
he went by night to the hOllse of that lay-disciple, and standing
at the door. spoke this stanza :
" What he gives becomes not just that. Just give the
gift. Giving he traverses both (worlds); by it he goes to
both, Be not slothful."
When the merchant got !Jack to S1ivatthi he told this to the
Teacher.
14
THE STORY OF THE COLLECnNG OF WEALTH
While the Blessed One was sojourning at Bamboo Gro\'e,
at Rlijagaha lour women with f(l lse measures and other
,,'
ST O RIES O F THt: D J: PARTED
ways dealt in ghee, honey, sesame oil, grain, and othr:r articles
of food. During their lifetime they unwisf'ly ;tm:l!lsed riches;
so after death they were !"ehorn pf'lis at a trench outside
the city. At nieht thp.}' Wf'rp. overwhelmed with misery.
and with It \o11(i f1nrl hnrrid noise they wandered around,
lamenting:
" WP. wpalth jmtly and unjust ly : others enjoy
it ; sorrow is ollr portion."
Whf!1l the peop:e hcard this, they were greatly frightened
And in th!'! morning. hringing a large gift sat down nea r the
Blessed Onf' anrl t old him of the cries. He repeated the petis'
verse and toM how they had lived.
1>
THE STORY OF THE GUlLD- I.EADER'S SONS
The Blessed One was dwelli ng in Jetavana at Sli.vatthL
At that time while Pascnadi , ki ng of Kosala. in rille array
was once riding on hi s elephant about the city with power
and he saw at the upper story of home
:l lady looking down, beautiful as a deva.nymph. His
heart was captivated because his mind was trifling by !laturP.
and hard to tame. So he gave a sign to a m:tn who was
$itting next hi:n. And, all waS carrif'd 011t. as in tlw peta
stor y of Ambasakkhara, l but with this difff'rP.ncp. .
Here the man arrived actually before SI\nSf't , hnt. city
gate was closed. So he fastened to thp of dly gat.e
t he red earth and the blue iotll <;.es whir:h h:"lil bronght
and went to the j etavan<'t . Nnw whi le the king wa.c; reposing
he heard in the middle watrh fhe!;p. fonr syllables
2
: "sa, lIa ,
du, and so, " loudly and painfully uttered.
The king was cw.ecrlingly scared, and at daybreak he t old
ch:lpl:1i n what happened. The chaplain, anxious to
m:l.kP. mme gain, said : "Sire, alas J a great calamity has
appeared; perfonn the complete iour-fold sacrifice." And
the king commanded this.
1 See IV, I-
I The lint word. of the l our ill thi" :ua '.IIJo;vIH."."Jo"u4"i,
.. arlhi. and so rnpt'cli vely.
S IXT Y TIl OU S AND
'9
When Malli ka, the queen, heard this, she thus addressed
thp. king: " Why, sire, upon hearing the word of a brahman,
dn you wish to perform a deed involving injury and slaughter
of many creatures? Now the Blessed One, who in know-
ledge and conduct is without a peer, should be consulted ;
and as he will explain so you should act." Then the rajah
went to the Teacher and told him the affai r. The Blessed
One said, " Great king, you arc in no danger on that account,"
and narrated from the very beginning the affair as t he cry
of men reborn in the Lohakumbhi hell . Then he t old him
in full the stanzas which they had started to utter:
I. "Fori them who have been tormented in hell for full
sixty thousand years, in all, when will there be fon end?
2. " There is no end. Whence comes an end ? No end
is Hence verily, sir, you and I ha\e done wrong.
.1. " A miserable life \\Ie led, since we bestowed not what
was there Things to give at hand, no refuge for ourselves
we made.
4. " Indeed, when I have gone from here and am reborn
as man, I will be generous, eminent in morals, I will work
much good."
16
THE STORY OF THE SIXTY THOUSA.ND HAMMERS
While the Teacher was living at Vclllvana, he told this
story.
Once upon a time there was in t he city of Benarcs a certain
cripple wI-.o was good at slinging st ones .... The story is th'.1t
of Jaliilea 107: Siilittaka-J dtaka. The essential part is toW
in lhe verses.) Then one day as the venerable
was coming down :rom Vulture' s Peak, he saw the peta
and asked him :
l. " Pray now, why do you run around as
stray deer ? No doubt it was a wicked deed.
believe about it ? "
if mad like a
What do you
1 The four verses begio. in Pali with thll four sylla.bles $a(/Jhi- : s1xtrl'
HII(IIII;! there i. not), mil-Cr",bJ. life) , sarli a.,.: J ind d .
This' drea.m ' OCCl1rs a.ho 1n lhe Commentary on the Kou ,la-5arpyutta
(I, See }(indred Sayings, t, p. .
110 STORIES OF THE DEPA RTR n
The peta replied :
2. "I, reverend sir, am a peta, a wretched deni1en of
Varna's world. Since I committed a sinful act, I went from
here to the region of the petas.
3. "Sixty thousand hammers complete in all pound upon
my head and split my skull."
The Elder continued:
4. "Now what wrong was perpetrated by body, word,
or mind? In consequence of what deed have you gone from
here to the realm of the petas ?
5. "Sixty. . (as in 3) ."
Peta :
6. "Now I saw Sunetta, a buddha, made perfect in faculties
he wa.s seated at t he root of a tree, musing and (caring naught.
7. " I hit him with a potsherd and cleft his head. Because
of that deed I will be suffering this misery.
8. "Sixty thousand hammers . . , (as in 3)."
Upon hearing this, the Elder explained, saying:
9. "Wicked man, ' tis by Dhamma that sixty thomand
hammers pound upon your skull and cleave your head."
T HE STORIES OF THE DEPARTED ARE FINISHED.