法苑珠林 70.6

70.6

又雜寶藏經云。時有一鬼。白目連言。我常兩肩有眼。胸有口鼻。常無有頭。何因緣故。目連答言。汝前世時。常作魁膾弟子。若殺人時汝常有歡喜心。以繩著髻挽之。以是因緣故受如此罪。此是惡行華報。地獄苦果方在後也。

Furthermore, the Saṃyuktaratnapiṭaka-sūtra states: At that time, a ghost said to Maudgalyāyana: 'I constantly have eyes on my two shoulders, and a mouth and nose on my chest, but constantly have no head. What is the cause and condition for this?' Maudgalyāyana answered, saying: 'In your previous life, you were constantly an executioner's disciple. When killing people, you constantly felt joy in your heart, tying a rope to their topknot and dragging it. Due to these causes and conditions, you suffer this kind of punishment. This is the flower retribution of evil deeds; the bitter fruit of hell lies yet ahead.'