法苑珠林 77.41

77.41

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.'