English
English version: A hungry ghost asked: 'I see the Ganges River (Ganges River, the holy river of Hinduism), hoping to enter it to relieve my heat and thirst. As soon as I enter it, my body is scorched and rotten, my muscles separate from my bones; I am so thirsty that I want to drink a mouthful, but as it enters my stomach, my internal organs are scorched and rotten, and the pain is indescribable. What sin caused this?' Maudgalyayana (Maudgalyayana, one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, known for his supernatural powers) replied: 'When you were a human, you liked to burn mountains and marshes, and harm living beings. Now you are receiving the immediate retribution (flower retribution), and the ultimate consequence (fruit retribution) is still in hell.' A hungry ghost asked: 'Since I was born, I have been suffering from hunger and thirst, and I want to go to the toilet to get feces to eat. There is a powerful ghost in the toilet who beats me with a stick, and I can never get close. What sin caused this?' Maudgalyayana replied: 'When you were a human, you were the head of a Buddhist temple. When foreign bhikkhus (bhikkhu, Buddhist monks) came, you were stingy and did not give them food. After the guests left, you gave it to the original monks. Because you were stingy with the property of the Sangha, you are now receiving the immediate retribution, and the ultimate consequence is still in hell.' A hungry ghost asked: 'Since I was born, I have been living in filth, surrounded by stench, unable to get rid of it; when I am hungry and thirsty, I can only eat this filth. What sin caused this?' Maudgalyayana replied: 'When you were a human, you were the son of a Brahmin (Brahmin, the priestly class of Hinduism). A Taoist came to you later to beg for food. At that time, you came up with a way to prevent this Taoist from begging again, so you took his patra (patra, a monk's food bowl), filled the bottom with feces, and covered it with rice. The Taoist got the bowl, returned to his original place, washed up, and picked up the bowl to eat, but the stench in the bowl was unbearable. Because of this, you fell into hell, and you will fall into the excrement and dung hell (excrement hell) in the future.' A hungry ghost asked: 'Since I was born, I have had a copper bottle on my shoulder, filled with molten copper. I take it out with a copper spoon in one hand, and then pour it on my head, and the pain is indescribable. What sin caused this?' Maudgalyayana replied: 'When you were a human, you were the karmadana (karmadana, the manager of the temple) of the monastery, responsible for the affairs of the Sangha. There was a bottle of ghee hidden elsewhere, and it was not distributed to the Sangha. After the guests left, it was given to the original monks. This ghee is the property of the resident Sangha, and everyone has a share. Because you were stingy with the property of the Sangha, you are now receiving the immediate retribution, and the ultimate consequence is still in hell.' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 入地狱。”
Chinese
一鬼问言：“我一生已来，或登刀山、剑树地狱，或堕火坑、镬汤地狱，种种受苦，无复休已。何罪所致？” 目连答言：“汝为人时，作天祠主，烹杀三牲，祭祀天神，血肉灌洒四方，语众人言：‘汝等祠祀，大得吉利！’作此魔邪之言、妖㜸之语，轻欺百姓，诳惑父母。以是之故，果入地狱。” 一鬼问言：“我一生以来，常吞铁丸。何罪所致？” 目连答言：“汝为人时，作沙弥子，取净水作石蜜浆。石蜜坚大，盗打取少许；众僧未食，盗食一口故。以是因缘，果入地狱，汝将来世常吞铁丸。” 尔时目连与诸饿鬼说往昔因缘经竟，还来在耆阇崛山。 一切大会，闻佛所说，稽首奉行。 佛说鬼问目连经 现代汉语译本：堕入地狱。 一个饿鬼问道：‘我一生以来，有时登上刀山、剑树地狱，有时堕入火坑、镬汤地狱，种种受苦，没有停止的时候。这是什么罪导致的？’ 目连（Maudgalyayana，佛陀的弟子，以神通著称）回答说：‘你做人的时候，担任天祠的主持，宰杀牛、羊、猪等三牲，祭祀天神，把血肉洒向四方，还对众人说：‘你们这样祭祀，会得到大吉大利！’你说了这些邪魔不正之言、妖妄迷惑之语，轻视欺骗百姓，欺骗迷惑父母。因为这个缘故，所以堕入地狱。’ 一个饿鬼问道：‘我一生以来，常常吞吃铁丸。这是什么罪导致的？’ 目连回答说：‘你做人的时候，做沙弥（Śrāmaṇera，出家男子）时，把干净的水当成石蜜浆。石蜜很大很硬，你偷偷地打碎取了一点；众僧还没吃，你就偷吃了一口。因为这个因缘，所以堕入地狱，你将来世还要常常吞吃铁丸。’ 这时，目连为众饿鬼讲述往昔因缘的经过完毕，返回到耆阇崛山（Gṛdhrakūṭa，灵鹫山）。 所有在场的大众，听闻佛陀所说，叩头行礼，遵奉实行。 佛说鬼问目连经
English
English version: fall into hell.' A ghost asked, 'Since my birth, I have sometimes ascended the Mountain of Knives and the Sword Tree hells, and sometimes fallen into the fiery pit and cauldron hells, enduring all kinds of suffering without end. What sin has caused this?' Maudgalyayana (one of the Buddha's main disciples known for his supernatural powers) replied, 'When you were a human, you were the master of a heavenly shrine, slaughtering the three sacrificial animals (oxen, sheep, and pigs) to worship the heavenly gods, sprinkling blood and flesh in all directions, and telling everyone, 'Your sacrifices will bring great fortune!' You spoke these demonic and evil words, deceptive and bewitching language, belittling and deceiving the people, and deceiving and misleading your parents. Because of this, you have fallen into hell.' A ghost asked, 'Since my birth, I have constantly swallowed iron balls. What sin has caused this?' Maudgalyayana replied, 'When you were a human, as a Śrāmaṇera (novice monk), you treated clean water as rock candy juice. The rock candy was large and hard, and you secretly broke off a small piece; before the monks had eaten, you secretly ate a mouthful. Because of this cause and condition, you have fallen into hell, and in future lives you will constantly swallow iron balls.' At that time, Maudgalyayana finished explaining the past causes and conditions to the hungry ghosts and returned to Gṛdhrakūṭa (Vulture Peak Mountain). All the assembly present, having heard what the Buddha said, bowed their heads, paid homage, and respectfully practiced it. The Buddha Speaks the Sutra of the Ghost's Questions to Maudgalyayana --------------------------------------------------------------------------------