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B0102050702ubbarivaggo (upper ghost chapter)

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Adorned with all ornaments; In Angura's great giving, Are present with ladles. 311. Much, much He gave, for a long time the khattiya gave; Respectfully and with his own hands, making it esteemed again and again. 312. For many months and fortnights, and seasons and years; Aṅkura gave great gifts, for a long time. 313. Having thus given and sacrificed, Aṅkura for a long time; He, having left the human body, went to Tāvatiṃsa. 314. Having given a spoonful of alms, Indaka to Anuruddha; He, having left the human body, went to Tāvatiṃsa. 315. In ten ways Indaka surpasses Aṅkura; In forms, sounds, tastes, smells, and delightful touches. 316. In lifespan and fame, and beauty and happiness; In sovereignty Indaka surpasses Aṅkura. 317. When the Buddha in Tāvatiṃsa, on the Paṇḍukambala stone; At the root of the Pāricchattaka tree, the best of men resided. 318. Deities from ten world-systems, having gathered together; Attended the Fully Awakened One, residing on the mountain peak. 319. No deity in splendor, surpasses the Fully Awakened One; Surpassing all deities, only the Fully Awakened One shines. 320. Aṅkura was then twelve yojanas away; Not far from the Buddha, Indaka shone. 321. The Fully Awakened One, looking at Aṅkura and also Indaka; Honoring the worthy of offerings, spoke these words. 322. "A great gift was given by you, Aṅkura, for a long time; You are seated too far away, come near me." 323. Urged by the developed one, Aṅkura said this; "What is my gift worth, devoid of a worthy recipient? 324. "This Indaka, the yakkha, gave a small gift; He surpasses us, like the moon among the star-clusters." 325. "Just as in a barren field, much seed is sown; It does not yield abundant fruit, nor does it satisfy the farmer. 326. "Likewise, a great gift, established among the immoral; Does not yield abundant It is fruitless, nor does it please the giver. 327. Just as in a good field, even a little seed sown; when rain is properly given, the fruit pleases the cultivator. 328. Likewise, among the virtuous, among those of such qualities; even a little deed done, becomes a great fruit of merit. 329. One should give alms discerningly, where given, it is greatly fruitful; having given alms discerningly, givers go to heaven. 330. Discerning alms, praised by the Sugata, to those worthy of offerings in this world; gifts given to these are greatly fruitful, like seeds sown in a good field. The Story of the Petī of Aṅkura, the Ninth. 10. The Story of Uttara's Mother, the Petī. 331. A bhikkhu gone for a day's rest, sitting on the bank of the Gaṅgā; a petī approached him, ill-favored, fearful to behold. 332. Her hair was exceedingly long, hanging down to the ground; covered by her hair, she spoke to the ascetic. 333. Fifty-five years, since I passed away; I have not known food, nor drink, nor water; Give me water, venerable sir, I am thirsty for water. 334. This Gaṅgā, with cool water, flows from the Himālaya; Drink from here, taking it, why do you beg water from me? 335. If I, venerable sir, from the Gaṅgā, take water myself; it turns into blood for me, therefore I beg water. 336. What evil deed was done, by body, speech, or mind; by the ripening of what kamma, does the Gaṅgā become blood for you? 337. My son, named Uttara, was a faithful lay follower; and he, against my will, gave to ascetics. 338. Robes and almsfood, requisites and lodging; I reviled him for that, afflicted by stinginess. 339. That which you, against my will, give to ascetics; robes and almsfood, requisites and lodging. 340. This for you... in this world, let blood be in the north; By the ripening of that action, the Ganges becomes blood for me.” The Story of Uttara’s Mother, the Tenth. 11. The Story of the Thread Ghost 341. “Formerly, I approached a monk who had gone forth, and being asked, I gave him thread; The ripening of that bears abundant fruit, and many bundles of cloth arise for me. 342. “This delightful mansion, strewn with flowers, adorned with many paintings, frequented by men and women; I enjoy and wear (clothes), with abundant wealth, and it does not diminish. 343. “Following the ripening of that very action, happiness and comfort are obtained here; Having gone back again to the human world, I will perform merits, O Nayayyaputta.” 344. “You have been here for seven hundred years, You will be old and aged there; All your relatives are dead, What will you do there, having gone from here?” 345. “For seven years that I have been here, endowed with divine happiness; Having gone back again to the human world, I will perform merits, O Nayayyaputta.” 346. He, seizing her by the arm by force, brought back the very weak old woman; “Exhort others who come here too, ‘Perform merits, happiness is obtained.’” 347. “I have seen that by not doing good, ghosts suffer, and so do humans; And having performed actions that lead to pleasant feelings, gods and humans, beings, are established in happiness.” The Story of the Thread Ghost, the Eleventh. 12. The Story of the Ear-Mutilated Female Ghost 348. “With golden stair-steps and planks, strewn with golden sand; There, fragrant and delightful, with pure and pleasing scents. 349. “Shaded by various trees, stirred by various fragrances; Covered with various lotuses, spread with white lotuses. 350. “They waft sweet scents, stirred by the pleasant breeze; Resounding with geese and cranes, chirping with ruddy geese. 351. “Teeming with various flocks of birds, frequented by various groups of lakes Trees bearing various fruits, forests bearing various flowers. 352. Not among humans such a city, a city like this. Many palaces are yours, made of gold and silver; Shining brightly they appear, all around the four directions. 353. Five hundred slave women are yours, who are your attendants; They wear conch bracelets, adorned with golden anklets. 354. Many couches are yours, made of gold and silver; Covered with deer skins, prepared with woolen blankets. 355. Where you have gone to dwell, abundant in all desires; When half the night has passed, then you rise and go. 356. Having gone to the garden ground, around the lotus pond; On its bank you stand, on the beautiful green grass. 357. Then your ear-cropped dog, eats your limbs; And when you are eaten, made into a chain of bones; You enter the lotus pond, your body becomes as before. 358. Then you, with all your limbs, very beautiful and lovely to behold; Having covered yourself with a cloth, you come to me. 359. What, by body or by speech, or by mind, evil was done? By the ripening of what kamma, does your ear-cropped dog eat your limbs? 360. In Kimbila, a householder, was a faithful lay follower; I was his wife, immoral and unfaithful. 361. When I was unfaithful, my husband said this; ‘This is not fitting, not proper, that you are unfaithful to me.’ 362. I then spoke a terrible oath, and a lie; ‘I am not unfaithful to you, by body or by mind. 363. ‘If I am unfaithful to you, by body or by mind; May that ear-cropped dog, eat my limbs.’ 364. The ripening of that kamma, mu and with fault, both. Seven hundred years, I have endured it; The dog, Ear-Mutilated, eats my limbs, limb by limb. 365. "You, O god, are of great help, you have come here for my sake; I am completely freed from Ear-Mutilated, sorrowless, fearless. 366. "Therefore, O god, I salute you, I entreat you with joined palms; Enjoy divine pleasures, delight, O god, with me." 367. "Divine pleasures have been enjoyed, I have delighted with you; Therefore, O beautiful one, I entreat you, quickly lead me back." The story of the female ghost of Ear-Mutilated, the twelfth. 13. The Story of the Female Ghost Ubbarī 368. There was a king named Brahmadatta, the chief of charioteers of Pañcāla; After the passing of days and nights, the king died. 369. Going to his cremation ground, his wife Ubbarī weeps; Not seeing Brahmadatta, she cries, "Brahmadatta!" 370. A sage also came there, a muni accomplished in conduct; And he asked those who were gathered there. 371. "Whose is this cremation ground, perfumed with various scents? Whose wife is this weeping, for her husband gone far away? Not seeing Brahmadatta, she cries, 'Brahmadatta!'" 372. And those who were gathered there explained to him: "It is Brahmadatta's, venerable sir, it is Brahmadatta's, good sir. 373. "This is his cremation ground, perfumed with various scents; This is his wife weeping, for her husband gone far away; Not seeing Brahmadatta, she cries, 'Brahmadatta!'" 374. "Eighty-six thousand named Brahmadatta have been burned in this cremation ground; For which one do you grieve?" 375. "The king who was the son of Cūḷanī, the chief of charioteers of Pañcāla; For him, venerable sir, I grieve, my husband, the giver of all desires." 376. "All were kings named Brahmadatta; All were sons of Cūḷanī, the chiefs of charioteers of Pañcāla. 377. "You were the chief queen to all in succession; Why, having abandoned the former ones, do you..." Do you grieve for the past? O venerable one, For me, a woman, for a long time; For me, a woman, You speak much of transmigration. She was a woman, he was a man, Even came into an animal womb; Thus of these past ones, No end is seen. Indeed, me being aflame, Like fire sprinkled with ghee; Like sprinkling with water, You would extinguish all my pain. Indeed, you have drawn out my dart, The grief residing in my heart; You who, for me overcome by grief, Have dispelled my grief. I am one whose dart is drawn out, I am cooled, I am at peace; I do not grieve, I do not weep, Having heard you, O great sage. Having heard that word of his, The well-spoken word of the ascetic; Taking bowl and robe, She went forth into homelessness. And she, having gone forth, From home to homelessness; Developed a mind of loving-kindness, For rebirth in the Brahma-world. Wandering from village to village,