English
Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. In the Minor Collection Stories of Hungry Ghosts 1. The Chapter of the Serpent 1. The Story of the Hungry Ghost Like a Field 1. Arahants are like a field, Donors are like farmers; The gift is like a seed, From this, fruit is produced. 2. This seed, this cultivation, this field, Is for the hungry ghosts and the donor; The hungry ghosts enjoy it, The giver grows in merit. 3. Having done good here, And honored the hungry ghosts; One goes to a heavenly abode, Having done a wholesome deed. The first story of the hungry ghost like a field. 2. The Story of the Hungry Ghost with a Pig's Mouth 4. Your body is all golden, All directions shine brightly; Your mouth is like a pig's, What deed did you do in the past? 5. By body I was restrained, By speech I was unrestrained; Therefore, my appearance is like this, As you see, Nārada. 6. Therefore, Nārada, I tell you, This you have seen for yourself; Do not do evil with your mouth, Lest you become one with a pig's mouth. The second story of the hungry ghost with a pig's mouth. 3. The Story of the Hungry Ghost with a Putrid Mouth 7. You possess a divine, beautiful form, You stand in the sky, in the air; But worms eat your mouth, putrid-smelling, What deed did you do in the past? 8. I was a monk, with very wicked speech, An ascetic in form, unrestrained in mouth; By ascetic practice I gained this form, But my mouth is putrid from slander. 9. This you have seen for yourself, Nārada, Those who are compassionate and wise would say: 'Do not speak slander, nor falsehood, Lest you become a yakkha, desiring pleasures.' The third story of the hungry ghost with a putrid mouth. 4. The Story of the Hungry Ghost with the Daughter on the Back 10. Whatever object one takes as a basis, And gives a gift, unselfish; Whether for former hungry ghosts, Or for the deities of the place. 11. And for the four great kings, The glorious guardians of the world; Kuvera and Dhataraṭṭha and Virūpakkha, Virūḷhaka; And they are honored, and the givers are not without fruit. Not weeping or sorrow, nor any other lamentation; That is not for the benefit of the departed, thus stand the relatives. But this offering given, well-established in the Saṅgha; For a long time is for their benefit, it is helpful in its proper place. They stand outside the walls, at the crossroads and junctions; They stand at the doorposts, having come to their own home. When there is abundant food and drink, and edibles and savories are set out; No one remembers them, due to the condition of their deeds. Thus do they give to their relatives, those who are compassionate; Pure, excellent, at the proper time, suitable food and drink; ‘May this be for our relatives, may our relatives be happy.’ And they, having gathered there, the assembled ghost-relatives; When there is abundant food and drink, rejoice respectfully. ‘May our relatives live long, for whose sake we receive this; And offerings are made for us, and the givers are not without fruit.’ ‘Indeed, there is no farming there, nor is cattle-rearing found there; Nor is there such trade, buying and selling with gold; They subsist on what is given from here, the departed ghosts there.’ ‘Just as water rained on high ground, flows down to the low ground; Even so, what is given from here, is helpful to the departed.’ ‘Just as full rivers, fill the ocean; Even so, what is given from here, is helpful to the departed.’ ‘He gave to me, he did for me, my relatives, friends, and companions; One should give offerings to the departed, remembering what was done before.’ ‘Not weeping or sorrow, nor any other lamentation; That is not for the benefit of the departed, thus stand the relatives.’ ‘But this offering given, well-established in the Saṅgha; For a long time it is beneficial to him, it is suitable in its place.’ 25. “Thus this duty to relatives has been shown, and a great offering has been made to the departed; And strength has been given to the bhikkhus, by you much merit has been produced.” The Story of the Petī Outside the Wall, the Fifth. 6. The Story of the Petī Who Ate Five Sons 26. “Naked, of wretched appearance, you smell foul and putrid; Surrounded by flies, who are you standing here?” 27. “I, venerable sir, am a petī, a miserable one from the world of Yama; Having done evil deeds, I have gone from here to the world of petas. 28. “At one time five sons, and in the evening another five; Having given birth, I eat them, yet they are not enough for me. 29. “My heart burns and smokes with hunger; I cannot get water to drink, see me fallen into misfortune.” 30. “What evil deed was done by body, speech, or mind; By the ripening of what kamma do you eat the flesh of sons?” 31. “My co-wife was pregnant, I wished evil upon her; I, with a corrupted mind, caused an abortion. 32. “Her two-month-old embryo, only blood flowed forth; Then her mother, angered, gathered my relatives; And made me take an oath, and made me reviled. 33. “I then spoke a terrible oath, a lie; ‘May I eat the flesh of sons, if that was done by me.’ 34. “By the ripening of that kamma, and of the lie both; I eat the flesh of sons, smeared with blood and pus.” The Story of the Petī Who Ate Five Sons, the Sixth. 7. The Story of the Petī Who Ate Seven Sons 35. “Naked, of wretched appearance, you smell foul and putrid; Surrounded by flies, who are you standing here?” 36. “I, venerable sir, am a petī, a miserable one from Yama’s unworldly. Having done evil deeds, I went from here to the realm of ghosts. 37. “Seven children in the morning, and seven more in the evening; I give birth to them and eat them, but even they are not enough for me. 38. “My heart burns and smokes with hunger; I find no peace, like one burned by fire in the sun.” 39. “What evil deed was done by body, speech, or mind? By the ripening of what karma do you eat the flesh of your children?” 40. “I had two sons, both in the prime of youth; Empowered by my sons, I disrespected my husband. 41. “Then my husband, angry, brought in a co-wife for me; She conceived a child, and I wished evil upon her. 42. “With a corrupted mind, I caused her to miscarry; Her three-month-old fetus fell out, covered in blood. 43. “Then her mother, enraged, brought my relatives; She made me swear an oath, and she reviled me. 44. “I spoke a terrible oath, a lie; ‘I will eat the flesh of my children, if that was done by me.’ 45. “By the ripening of that karma, and of the lie, I eat the flesh of my children, smeared with blood.” The story of the ogress who ate seven children is the seventh. 8. The Story of the Ox Ghost 46. “Why, like a madman, having cut green grass, do you say ‘Eat, eat’ to a dead, old ox? 47. “A dead ox will not rise with food and drink; You are foolish and dull-witted, just like that dull-witted one.” 48. “These are the feet, this is the head, this is the body with the tail; The eyes remain just as they are, this ox will rise. 49. “The hands and feet of my grandfather, his body and head are not seen; Weeping at a mound of earth, are you not the dull-witted one?” 50. “You, who are burning, like fire sprinkled with ghee; You extinguish all my pain, as if by sprinkling water. 51. “You have pulled out the dart for me, sorrow rooted in the heart; He, when I was overcome with sorrow, removed my father's sorrow. 52. "So I have had the dart pulled out, I am cooled, I am extinguished; I do not grieve, I do not weep, having heard you, young man." 53. Thus do the wise, who are compassionate; They turn away from sorrow, as Sujāta did his father. The Story of the Ox-Ghost, the eighth. 9. The Story of the Great Weaver-Ghost 54. "Feces, urine, blood, and pus, she consumes; what is the result of this? What deed did this woman do, who always feeds on blood and pus?" 55. "New, beautiful garments, soft, clean, and hairy; Given, they become infested with worms; what deed did this woman do?" 56. "This was my wife, venerable sir, she was not a giver, stingy, miserly; When I gave to ascetics and brahmins, she would revile and abuse me. 57. "'Feces, urine, blood, and pus, may you consume, unclean, always; May this be yours in the other world, and your clothes be like worms'; Having committed such evil conduct, she has come here and feeds for a long time." The Story of the Great Weaver-Ghost, the ninth. 10. The Story of the Bald-Headed Ghost 58. "Who is within the mansion, standing, but not coming out? Come out, good lady, let us see you outside." 59. "I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, to come out naked; I am covered only by my hair, my merit is little." 60. "Here, I give you an upper garment, wear this cloth; Having worn this cloth, come out, beautiful one; Come out, good lady, let us see you outside." 61. "Given into my hand by your hand, it is not suitable for me; This lay follower here is faithful, a disciple of the Perfectly Enlightened One. 62. "Having clothed him, dedicate the merit to me; Then I shall be happy, fulfilled in all desires." 63. And having bathed him The merchants did not smear her; Having covered her with clothes, they gave her a gift. Immediately after it was offered, the result arose; Food, clothing, and drink—this is the fruit of the gift. Then, pure, in clean clothes, wearing excellent Benares cloth, She came out of the mansion, smiling, saying, "This is the fruit of the gift!" "Your mansion shines, beautifully adorned and charming. O deity, tell us, being asked, of what deed is this the fruit?" "To a monk on his rounds, I Gave a trough-cleaner, with an upright mind, with a clear heart. The result of that wholesome deed, for a long time, I enjoy in this mansion, but now it is little. After four months, my death will occur; I shall fall into a hell, utterly bitter and dreadful. Four-cornered, four-doored, divided and measured into sections;