經律異相 46.25

46.25

There was a man whose occupation was selling wine. A ghost manifested and came to drink wine without paying money, and told the host, "Tomorrow a person holding flowers will come, dressed in white above and below, wearing a blue sash. In the sash will be a thousand catties of gold and silver. He will bathe in the lake and suddenly die without emerging. You go and take the gold and silver, and you will certainly be free of worry thereafter." The next day, the host kept watch and saw a man enter the water to bathe; he came ashore, put on his clothes, washed his feet, and then fell backwards onto the ground and died. The wine merchant went and took the gold and silver according to the amount. On a later day, the ghost came. The host prepared food, served wine, and told the spirit, "I saw the man put on his clothes and prepare to leave before dying. Why didn't you kill him in the water so he wouldn't come ashore?" The ghost said, "I cannot kill people or sicken people. I only know when a person's lifespan and fortune are depleted." The merchant said, "The ghosts and spirits in heaven and on earth know when people's lifespans, transgressions, and blessings are due to arrive or have not yet arrived. They cannot give life to people, nor can they kill people; they cannot make people wealthy, noble, poor, or base. They only wish to make people do evil and commit slaughter, and taking advantage of people's decline, they go to disorder them, telling them of their fortunes and misfortunes so that people will face them and make offerings." (from the sixth fascicle of the Ten-Fascicle Avadāna Sūtra).