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"Having heard his words, I slandered the monks; By the result of that karma, I came to the ghost world from here." 771. "That enemy in the guise of a friend, who was a family intimate to you; Upon the breaking of the body, the foolish one, what destiny did he attain after death?" 772. "I stand on the head, on the skull, of that very evil-doer; And he, having reached another realm, is my attendant. 773. "Whatever excrement, venerable sir, others excrete, that is my food; And whatever I excrete, that he lives upon." The Story of the Excrement-Eating Ghost, the Eighth. 9. The Story of the Excrement-Eating Female Ghost 774. "Having emerged from the pit of excrement, who are you, wretched one, standing there? Undoubtedly an evil-doer, what do you believe?" 775. "I, venerable sir, am a female ghost, a miserable one, belonging to the world of Yama; Having done evil deeds, from here we went to the realm of ghosts.” 776. “What evil deed was done by body, speech, or mind? By the ripening of what kamma do you experience this suffering?” 777. “There was a resident with me, envious, stingy towards families; settled in my house, a miser, a slanderer. 778. Having heard his words, I slandered the bhikkhus; by the ripening of that kamma, from here I went to the realm of ghosts.” 779. “That enemy in the guise of a friend, who was close to your family; after the breaking up of the body, that foolish one, what destiny has he gone to?” 780. “I stand on the head, on the skull, of that very evil-doer; and he, having reached another realm, is my attendant. 781. Whatever you, venerable sirs, eat and drink, that becomes my food; and whatever I eat, that he subsists on.” The Story of the Dung-Eating Female Ghost, the Ninth. 10. The Story of the Group of Ghosts 782. “Naked, of wretched appearance, emaciated, covered with veins; with protruding ribs, very thin, who are you here, sirs?” 783. “Venerable sirs, we are ghosts, wretched, belonging to the world of Yama; having done evil deeds, from here we went to the realm of ghosts.” 784. “What evil deed was done by body, speech, or mind? By the ripening of what kamma did you go to the realm of ghosts?” 785. “At unguarded fords, we collected half-coins; though there were gifts to be given, we made no island for ourselves. 786. Thirsty, we approach a river, it turns empty; in the heat, we approach shade, the sun turns towards us. 787. And a wind like fire burns and blows upon us; this, venerable sirs, we deserve, and other evil worse than that. 788. Even for leagues we go, hungry, greedy for food; without obtaining it, we return, alas, our lack of merit! 789. Hungry, fainting, exhausted, we fall upon the ground; we lie supine, we fall face down. 790. And there, having fallen, a.)], struck down to the ground; We beat our chests and heads, alas, our lack of merit! 791. "This, venerable sirs, we deserve, and other evil besides; Though there were things to be given, we made no island for ourselves. 792. "Surely, having gone from here, and obtained a human birth; Generous and endowed with virtue, we shall do much good." The Story of the Group of Petas, the Tenth. 11. The Story of the Pāṭaliputta Peta 793. "You have seen hells, animal wombs, Petas, asuras, or even humans and devas; You have seen the ripening of your own kamma, I shall take you to Pāṭaliputta, unharmed; Go there and do wholesome deeds." 794. "You are my well-wisher, O yakkha, my benefactor, O deity; I will do your bidding, you are my teacher. 795. "I have seen hells, animal wombs, petas, asuras, or even humans and devas; I have seen the ripening of my own kamma, I shall do not a little merit." The Story of the Pāṭaliputta Peta, the Eleventh. 12. The Story of the Ambavana Peta 796. "And this pond of yours is very lovely, level, with good banks, and much water; Full of flowers, frequented by swarms of bees, how did you obtain this delightful one? 797. "And this mango grove of yours is very lovely, bearing fruits in all seasons; Full of flowers, frequented by swarms of bees, how did you obtain this mansion?" 798. "Mango fruit, water, gruel, cool shade, delightful; By the gift given by my daughter, by that I obtain this here." 799. "See thus the visible result of kamma, the ripening of giving, taming, and restraint; I, who was a slave in noble families, become the mistress of the house, a daughter-in-law." The Story of the Ambavana Peta, the Twelfth. 13. The Story of the Akkharukkha Peta 800. "What one gives, that does not exist (for oneself), one just gives a gift, having given, one crosses both; By that gift, one goes to both, Wake up, do not be heedless! The Thirteenth Chapter on the Petas of Akkharukkha. 14. The Chapter on the Petas who Hoarded Wealth 801. “We hoarded wealth, by fair means and foul; Others now enjoy it, we are partakers of suffering.” The Fourteenth Chapter on the Petas who Hoarded Wealth. 15. The Chapter on the Peta Sons of a Merchant 802. “Sixty thousand years, fully complete in every way; For us burning in hell, when will there be an end?” 803. “There is no end, how can there be an end? No end is seen; For such evil deeds were done, by you and me, dear sir.” 804. “We lived a wretched life, who gave not to the worthy; When there were things to be given, we made no island for ourselves.” 805. “So I, having gone from here, and obtained a human birth; Generous and endowed with virtue, will do much good.” The Fifteenth Chapter on the Peta Sons of a Merchant. 16. The Chapter on the Peta of Sixty Peaks 806. “Why do you run like a madman, like a bewildered deer? Surely you are an evil-doer, why do you cry out?” 807. “I, venerable sir, am a peta, a wretch from the world of Yama; Having done evil deeds, I have gone from here to the peta world.” 808. “Sixty thousand peaks, fully complete in every way; Fall upon my head, and they split my skull.” 809. “What evil was done by body, speech, or mind? By the ripening of what karma, do you experience this suffering? 810. Sixty thousand peaks, fully complete in every way; Fall upon your head, and they split your skull.” 811. “Then I saw the Fully Awakened One, Sunetta, with faculties developed; Seated at the root of a tree, meditating, fearless from all sides. 812. With a blow of a sling-stone, I would split his skull; By the ripening of that karma, I experience this suffering.” Sixth. 813. “Sixty thousand peaks, completely full in every way; fall upon my head, and they split my skull.” 814. “By righteousness, O wretched man, sixty thousand peaks, completely full in every way; fall upon your head, and they split your skull.” The Story of the Ghost of the Sixty Peaks, the Sixteenth. The Fourth Great Chapter is concluded. Its Summary – Mango-sugar, Serīsa, Piṅgala, Revatī, Sugarcane; Two Princes, Two Excrement stories, Gaṇa, Pāṭali, Mango-grove. Akkha-tree, Wealth-collection, Merchant's son, Sixty Peaks; Thus, sixteen stories, the chapter is therefore called. Now, the Chapter Summary – Serpent, Upper Chapter, Minor and Great, in four parts; Fifty-one stories, in four recitations. The Pāli Text of the Stories of the Ghosts is concluded.