[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122) › 88.128 # 法苑珠林 88.128 法苑珠林 88.128 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [88.128](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.88.128) 問曰。何故諸惡鬼神等輩。於此六齋日惱害眾生。答曰。天地本起經說。劫初成時有異梵天王子。是摩醯首羅等諸鬼神父。修其梵志苦行。滿天上十二歲。於此六日每割血肉以著火中。過十二歲已。天王來下語天子言。汝求何願。答言。我求有子。天王言。供養仙人法。以燒香甘果等。汝云何以血肉著火中。如罪惡法。汝破善法樂為惡事。令汝生惡子噉肉飲血。當說是時火中有八大鬼出。身黑如墨。髮黃眼赤。有大光明。摩醯首羅神等從此八鬼生。以是故摩醯首羅等神。於此六日有大勢力惱害眾生。諸鬼之中摩醯首羅最大第一。一月之中皆有日分。摩醯首羅一月有四日分。謂八日十四日二十三日二十九日。餘神一月有二日分。謂有一日十六日。其月二日十七日十五日三十日屬一切神。摩醯首羅為諸神王。又得日多。故數四日為齋。餘日是一切神日。亦數為齋。是故諸惡鬼神。於此六日輒有勢力也。但佛法之中日無好惡。隨世惡因緣故。佛教眾生齋戒。以除其患也。 > Question: Why do those evil ghost-spirits and their kind harass and harm sentient beings on these six fasting days? Answer: The Tiandi benqi jing states: When the kalpa first formed, there was a prince of a distinct Brahmā heaven, who was the father of Maheśvara and other ghost-spirits. He cultivated brāhmaṇa austerities, completing twelve heavenly years. On these six days, he would continually slice his blood and flesh to place into the fire. After twelve years had passed, the heavenly king came down and said to the devaputra, 'What wish do you seek?' He replied, 'I seek to have sons.' The heavenly king said, 'The method for making offerings to rṣis uses burning incense, sweet fruits, and the like. Why do you place blood and flesh into the fire like a sinful method? You have destroyed wholesome dharmas and delight in evil deeds; I shall cause you to bear evil sons who eat flesh and drink blood.' At the time this was spoken, eight great ghosts emerged from the fire, their bodies black as ink, their hair yellow, their eyes red, having great brilliance. Spirits such as Maheśvara were born from these eight ghosts. For this reason, spirits like Maheśvara possess great power on these six days to harass and harm sentient beings. Among all ghosts, Maheśvara is the greatest and foremost. Within one month, there are allotted days: Maheśvara has four allotted days in a month—namely, the eighth, fourteenth, twenty-third, and twenty-ninth days. Other spirits have two allotted days in a month—namely, the first and sixteenth days. The second, seventeenth, fifteenth, and thirtieth days of the month belong to all spirits. Maheśvara is the king of spirits and also receives the most days; therefore, four days are counted as fast days. The remaining days are the days of all spirits, and are also counted as fast days. For this reason, evil ghost-spirits constantly possess power on these six days. However, within the Buddha's teaching, days have neither good nor evil; accommodating worldly evil causes and conditions, the Buddha taught sentient beings to observe fasting and precepts to eliminate those afflictions." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 88.127](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.88.127) - [Next: 88.129](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.88.129) - [Up: 88](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.88) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122~en-mt.88.128) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.88.128](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.88.128) · Pramāṇa