法苑珠林 77.17

77.17

At that time, Śakra happened to be going to where the Buddha was together with his heavenly host. He happened to see Rucika drunkenly dancing and singing, claiming to excel Śakra. Śakra thought to himself, 'This stingy and greedy man drinks wine in a secluded place and insults me. I shall trouble him.' He immediately transformed his own body into Rucika's form, went to Rucika's house, and gathered the mother, wife, male and female slaves, and relatives. Sitting in front of his mother, he addressed her, saying, 'In the past and recently, there has been a great stingy ghost following and pursuing me, making me stingy and sparing, so that I did not wear clothes, eat well, or give to my relatives—all on account of the stingy ghost. Today when I went out, I met a man of the Way who gave me a good incantation that enabled me to dispel the stingy ghost. However, this stingy ghost looks similar to me. If he comes, you should give him a sound beating with clubs. He will certainly falsely claim, "I am Rucika." None of the family members must believe his words! Close the gate quickly. If the stingy ghost should come, wait until what I am doing is finished, and only then open the gate.' He then prepared good food, filling the whole family to satisfaction. He also opened the storehouses, brought out various treasures, clothes, and necklaces, and bestowed them upon the mother, wife, family members, and relatives, and gave to other people as well. Having finished, they played music, sang, danced, and rejoiced, beyond all description. People heard that Rucika's stingy ghost had been dispelled, and all came to watch. When Rucika sobered up from the wine, he returned home and reached the gate. Hearing the sounds of singing and dancing, he was greatly astonished. He knocked on the gate and cried out, but no one responded. Hearing the cries, Śakra said to the crowd, 'The one knocking on the gate and crying out is probably the stingy ghost.' Hearing of the stingy ghost, the people opened the gate and fled to avoid him. Rucika was able to enter. His household and relatives all refused to recognize him, saying he was the stingy ghost, and thereupon seized his feet, dragged him upside down, beat him with clubs, and drove him out of the gate. Reaching the alley, he wept loudly, crying out, 'How strange! Is my present physical form different from the original, or is it not different from the original? Why do my family members abandon me like this, claiming I am a ghost and refusing to recognize me at all? What am I to say now?' At that time, Rucika was as if raving mad. Bystanders and relatives all came to comfort him: 'You are Rucika, and I am your relative, so I have come to look after you. You should strengthen your resolve and devise an expedient method to make yourself clear.' Having heard this, Rucika felt a little comforted in his mind, wiped away his tears, and said, 'I beg you all to look at my face again. Am I now truly Rucika or not?' Everyone answered, saying, 'At present you are indeed Rucika.' He then said to the crowd, 'Can you all testify for me or not?' The crowd all said, 'We will testify for you that you are indeed Rucika.' Rucika replied, 'If that is so, listen to me explain the circumstances:'