English
the eṇeyyaka punishment, the baḷisamaṃsika punishment, the kahāpaṇika punishment, the khārāpatacchika punishment, the palighaparivattika punishment, the palālapīṭhaka punishment, the pouring of hot oil, the feeding to dogs, the impalement on a living stake, the beheading with a sword. Some, having committed evil at night, experience the result that very night. Some, having committed evil at night, experience it in the daytime. Some, having committed evil in the daytime, experience it in the daytime. Some, having committed evil in the daytime, experience it at night. Some experience it after two or three days have passed. All of them experience the result in this very life. Is there, Venerable Nāgasena, anyone who, having given a gift to one, or two, or three, or four, or five, or ten, or a hundred, or a thousand, or a hundred thousand, with their retinue, has experienced wealth, or fame, or happiness in this very life, or by virtue, or by the Uposatha observance? Yes, great king, there are four men who, having given gifts, having undertaken virtue, having performed the Uposatha observance, in this very life, with that very body, attained the city of the Thirty-three gods. Who are they, Venerable? King Mandhātā, great king, King Nimi, King Sādhīna, and Guttila the musician. Venerable Nāgasena, that is separated by many tens of thousands of existences, and it is beyond our perception. If you are able, tell us about it in the present existence, during the time when the Blessed One was alive. Even in the present existence, great king, Puṇṇaka the slave, having given food to the Elder Sāriputta, having given, that very day he attained the position of a treasurer. He is now known as Puṇṇaka the Treasurer. Gopālamātā Devī, having sold her hair and with the eight kahāpaṇas received, gave alms-food to the Elder Mahākaccāyana and seven other monks. That very day she attained the position of chief queen to King Candapajjota. Suppiyā the laywoman, having given a covering made from the flesh of her own thigh to a certain sick monk, on the second day itself her wound healed, her skin was restored, and she became healthy. Mallikā Devī, having given the Lord a lump of sour gruel in the evening, that very day became the chief queen of King Kosala. Sumana the garland-maker, having honored the Lord with eight handfuls of jasmine flowers, that very day attained great prosperity. Ekasāṭaka the brahmin, having honored the Lord with his upper robe, that very day obtained everything. All these, great king, experienced wealth and fame in this very life.” “Venerable Nāgasena, you searched and sought, and found only six people.” “Yes, great king.” “In that case, Venerable Nāgasena, unwholesome deeds are exceedingly more powerful, not so wholesome deeds. For I, Venerable Nāgasena, in a single day see ten men being impaled on stakes due to the ripening of evil deeds. I see twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand men being impaled on stakes due to the ripening of evil deeds. Venerable Nāgasena, there was a general’s son named Bhaddasāla of the Nanda clan. King Candagutta had arrayed his army against him. In that battle, Venerable Nāgasena, on both sides there were eighty thousand headless bodies. It is said that for every head that fell, one headless body arose. All these met with ruin and disaster due to the ripening of evil deeds. For this reason too, Venerable Nāgasena, I know that unwholesome is exceedingly more powerful, not so wholesome.” “Is it heard, venerable Nāgasena, that in this Buddha’s dispensation King Kosala gave an unequalled gift?” “Yes, great king, it is heard.” “Did King Kosala, venerable Nāgasena, having given that unequalled gift, thereby obtain any visible-world enjoyment, or fame, or happiness?” “No, great king.” “If, venerable Nāgasena, King Kosala, even having given such an unsurpassed gift, did not obtain thereby any visible-world enjoyment, or fame, or happiness, then, venerable Nāgasena, unwholesome is exceedingly more powerful, not so wholesome.” “Because it is slight, great king, unwholesome ripens quickly. Because it is extensive, wholesome ripens over a long time. This should also be examined, great king, with an analogy. Just as, great king, in a border region, a grain called kumudabhaṇḍikā is harvested in a month and kept indoors, while rice ripens in five or six months. What is the difference here, great king, what is the distinction between kumudabhaṇḍikā and rice?” “Because kumudabhaṇḍikā is slight, venerable, and rice is extensive. Rice, venerable Nāgasena, is fit for kings, food for kings, kumudabhaṇḍikā is food for slaves and laborers.” “Just so, great king, because it is slight, unwholesome ripens quickly. Because it is extensive, wholesome ripens over a long time.” “That which ripens quickly there, venerable Nāgasena, is indeed exceedingly more powerful in the world. Therefore, unwholesome is more powerful, not so wholesome. Just as, venerable Nāgasena, whatever warrior, having entered a great battle, seizes an enemy by the armpit, and dragging him, brings him quickly to his lord, that warrior is called capable and brave in the world. And whatever physician quickly removes a dart…” He extracts the dart, removes the disease, that physician is called skilled. The calculator who quickly calculates and swiftly shows, that calculator is called skilled. The wrestler who swiftly lifts his opponent and throws him on his back, that wrestler is called capable, brave. Just so, Venerable Nāgasena, that which ripens quickly, whether wholesome or unwholesome, that in the world is exceedingly powerful. "Both of those, great king, are deeds to be experienced in a future state. Yet unwholesome deeds, being blameworthy, become experienceable in this very life in an instant. By former kings, great king, this rule was established: ‘Whoever takes life, he is worthy of punishment. Whoever takes what is not given, whoever goes to another's wife, whoever speaks falsely, whoever destroys a village, whoever harms the road, whoever practices deceit, whoever practices fraud, he is worthy of punishment, to be killed, to be cut, to be broken, to be slain.’ Taking that as a basis, they investigate and investigate, and punish, kill, cut, break, and slay them. But, great king, is there any rule established by anyone: ‘Whoever gives a gift, or observes morality, or performs the Uposatha observance, to him wealth or fame should be given’? Do they, then, investigate and investigate, and give wealth or fame, just as a thief's deed results in killing and binding?" "No, Venerable Sir." "If, great king, they were to investigate and investigate, and give wealth or fame to givers, then wholesome deeds would also be experienceable in this very life. But since, great king, they do not investigate givers, saying ‘we shall give wealth or fame,’ therefore wholesome deeds are not experienceable in this very life. For this reason, great king, unwholesome deeds are experienceable in this very life, but in a future state, they experience an exceedingly more powerful feeling." "Excellent, Venerable Nāgasena! Without a wise one like you, this problem could not be well-resolved. The worldly, Venerable Nāgasena, has been made known by the supramundane." Wholesome and Unwholesome The Third Question on the Alabala Bird. 4. The Question on Ancestors and Others 4. "Venerable Nāgasena, these donors, having given a gift, dedicate it to their departed ancestors, saying, 'May this reach them.' Do they receive any result from that?" "Some, great king, receive it, some do not receive it." "Who, venerable sir, receive it, and who do not receive it?" "Those reborn in hell, great king, do not receive it. Those gone to heaven do not receive it. Those reborn in the animal realm do not receive it. Of the four kinds of departed spirits, three kinds do not receive it: the 'vomit-eaters,' the 'hungry and thirsty,' and the 'scorched by craving.' The departed spirits who live on what is given by others receive it, and they receive it only if they remember it." "In that case, Venerable Nāgasena, the donors' gift is wasted, fruitless, if those for whom it is dedicated do not receive it?" "No, great king, that gift is not fruitless, without result. The donors themselves experience its fruit." "In that case, Venerable Nāgasena, enlighten me with a reason." "Here, great king, some people prepare fish, meat, liquor, rice, and snacks and go to their relatives' house. If those relatives do not accept that offering, would that offering be wasted or perish?" "No, venerable sir, it belongs to the owners themselves." "Just so, great king, the donors themselves experience its fruit. Furthermore, great king, if a person has entered a chamber and there is no exit in front, how would he exit?" "By the way he entered, venerable sir." "Just so, great king, the donors themselves experience its fruit." "So be it, Venerable Nāgasena, I accept this as it is: the donors themselves experience its fruit. We do not dispute that reason." "Venerable Nāgasena, if the gift given by these donors reaches the departed ancestors, and they experience its result..." experience. Therefore, if a cruel, blood-handed killer, with evil thoughts, having killed people, and done a terrible deed, were to dedicate it to his departed relatives, saying, 'May the result of this deed of mine reach my departed relatives,' would the result of that deed reach his departed relatives?" "No, great king." "Venerable Nāgasena, what is the reason, what is the cause, that wholesome karma reaches, but unwholesome karma does not reach?" "This question, great king, should not be asked. And do not, great king, because you think 'there is one who can answer,' ask what should not be asked. 'Why is space unsupported? Why does the Ganges not flow upwards? Why are these humans and birds two-legged, and beasts four-legged?' You will ask me even that!"