諸經要集 15.44

15.44

又百緣經云。佛在王舍城迦蘭陀竹林。爾時目連。在一樹下。見一餓鬼身如燋柱。腹大如山咽如細針。髮如錐刀纏刺其身。諸支節間皆悉火然。渴乏欲死。脣口乾燋。欲趣河泉變為涸竭。假令天降甘雨。墮其身上皆變為火目連即問業緣。餓鬼答言。我渴乏不能答汝。儞自問佛。目連即詣佛所具述前事。向佛廣說。宿造何業受是苦惱。爾時世尊告目連言。汝今諦聽。吾當為汝分別解說。此賢劫中波羅奈國。有佛出世號曰迦葉。有一沙門。涉路而行。極患熱渴。時有女人。名曰惡見。井傍汲水。僧從乞水。女報之曰。使汝渴死我終不與。令我水減不可持去。于時沙門既不得水。服道而去。時彼女人。遂復慳貪。有來乞者終不施與。其後命終墮餓鬼中。以是業緣受如是苦。佛告目連。欲知彼時女人不施水者。今此餓鬼是。佛說是惡見緣時。諸比丘等。捨慳貪業。得四沙門果者。或有發無上菩提心者。聞佛所說。歡喜奉行。

The Baiyuan jing also says: The Buddha was in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha. At that time, Maudgalyāyana was beneath a tree and saw a hungry ghost whose body was like a scorched pillar, whose belly was as large as a mountain, whose throat was like a fine needle, and whose hair was like awls and knives wrapping around and piercing its body. Flames burned between all its joints; it was parched with thirst to the point of death, its lips and mouth scorched dry. Whenever it approached a river or spring, it would dry up; even if heaven sent down sweet rain, falling upon its body it all turned to fire. Maudgalyāyana immediately asked about its karmic causes. The hungry ghost replied: “I am too parched and exhausted to answer you; go ask the Buddha yourself.” Maudgalyāyana immediately went to the Buddha's place, recounted the previous events in detail, and asked the Buddha at length: “What karma did it commit in a past life to suffer such torment?” At that time, the Bhagavat told Maudgalyāyana: “Listen closely now; I shall analyze and explain it for you. In this Bhadrakalpa, in the country of Vārāṇasī, a Buddha appeared in the world named Kāśyapa. There was a śramaṇa traveling along the road who suffered severely from heat and thirst. At that time, there was a woman named Evil View drawing water beside a well. The monk begged for water from her. The woman replied to him: ‘Even if you die of thirst, I will never give to you; it would diminish my water and I could not carry it away.’ At that time, since the śramaṇa did not receive water, he continued on his way. That woman was furthermore stingy and greedy, and whenever anyone came begging, she never gave. Later, after she died, she fell among the hungry ghosts; because of these karmic causes, she suffers such torment.” The Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: “If you wish to know who that woman was who would not give water at that time, she is this hungry ghost.” When the Buddha explained this karmic condition of Evil View, various bhikṣus abandoned the karma of stinginess and greed, some attaining the four fruits of a śramaṇa, and some giving rise to the mind of unexcelled bodhi. Hearing what the Buddha said, they rejoiced and practiced accordingly.