法苑珠林 77.41

77.41

是時舍主即出奉迎。敷置茵褥請入就坐。耶舍見其家內有二餓鬼。裸形黑瘦飢虛羸乏。鎖其身首各著一床。復有一鉢滿中香飯。以瓶盛水安置其側。爾時舍主即取此食奉施比丘。語言。大德。慎勿以食與此餓鬼。爾時比丘見其飢困。即以少飯而施與之。鬼得食已即吐膿血。遍流在地污其宮殿。爾時比丘怪而問之。此鬼何緣受斯罪報。舍主答曰。斯鬼前世。一是吾息。一是兒婦。我昔布施作諸功德。而彼夫妻常懷恚惜。我數數教誨都不納受。因立誓曰。如此罪業必獲惡報。若受罪時我當看汝。由是因緣得斯苦惱。小復前行至一住處。堂閣嚴飾種種奇妙。滿中眾僧經行禪思。日時以到。鳴椎集食。食將欲訖。爾時餚饍變成膿血。便以鉢器共相打擲。頭面破壞血流污身。而作是言。何為惜食。今受此苦。耶舍前問其意。答言。長老。我等先世迦葉佛時。同止一處。客比丘來咸共瞋恚。藏惜飲食而不共分。以此緣故今受此苦。

Thereupon the master of the house came out to receive him, spread cushions and mats, and invited him to enter and take a seat. Yaśas saw inside the house two hungry ghosts, naked, dark, emaciated, starved, and enfeebled. Their bodies and heads were chained, each lying on a bed. There was also a bowl filled with fragrant rice, with a jar of water set by its side. The master of the house then took this food and offered it to the bhikṣu, saying: 'Venerable, be careful not to give food to these hungry ghosts.' Seeing their hunger and distress, the bhikṣu gave a little rice to them. Having received the food, the ghosts immediately vomited pus and blood, which flowed all over the ground and defiled the palace. The bhikṣu, wondering at this, asked: 'Due to what causes do these ghosts suffer this retribution for sin?' The master of the house replied: 'In their previous lives, these ghosts were my son and daughter-in-law. Formerly, when I practiced dāna and performed various merits, that couple was constantly harboring anger and stinginess. Though I admonished them repeatedly, they would not accept it at all. I then made a vow: "For such sinful karma, you will surely reap evil retribution. When you suffer retribution, I will watch you." It is due to these causes and conditions that they endure such torment.' Proceeding a little further, he arrived at a dwelling whose halls and pavilions were adorned and varied in wondrous ways. It was filled with monks practicing walking meditation and meditating. When the time arrived, the wooden mallet was struck to gather them for the meal. Just as the meal was about to finish, the delicacies turned into pus and blood. They then hurled bowls and utensils at one another; their heads and faces were broken, and blood flowed to defile their bodies. They said: 'Why did we begrudge food, so that we now suffer this agony?' Yaśas went forward and asked them the reason. They answered: 'Elder, in our past lives during the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, we dwelt together in one place. When visiting bhikṣus arrived, we all felt resentment, hiding and begrudging food and drink rather than sharing with them. Because of these causes, we now suffer this agony.'