ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 12.10

12.10

did this being take that ripened into such suffering?” When he examined that being’s past lives, he saw that after going forth in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, the spirit had acted as steward for the monks. But then he cut off the monks in rainy season retreat from all material support and clothing and offered it to the monks in winter retreat. Then he cut off the monks in winter retreat from all material support and clothing and offered it to the monks in rainy season retreat. Finally, he cut off both from all material support and clothing, used some of it for himself, and offered the rest to others.

Venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana thought, “Though indeed I can see his past actions clearly, still I shall ask the Blessed One about this so that many might become disillusioned with saṃsāra.”

He disappeared from the shore of the great ocean and traveled to Śrāvastī, where the Blessed One sat teaching the Dharma amid a company of hundreds. Then Venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, seeing that the Blessed One was teaching the Dharma amid a company of hundreds, thought, “Now is the time to request the Blessed One to explain about that anguished spirit.” He approached the Blessed One, touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, and took a seat at one side.

Once he had taken a seat at one side, Venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana inquired of the Blessed One, “Lord, it is my custom to wander from time to time among the hell beings, to wander among the anguished spirits, to wander among the animals, to wander among the humans, and to wander among the gods.

“When I return I relate to people how the hell beings suffer through being cut up, hacked apart, beaten, roasted, and so on. When I return I also relate to people how the anguished spirits suffer through hunger, thirst,