Translated by the Arsacid Tripiṭaka Master An Shigao of the Later Han Dynasty
Heard like this:
When the Buddha was residing at Kalanda Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha, one day at dusk, the venerable Maudgalyāyana arose from meditation and walked along the banks of the Ganges River. There he saw many hungry ghosts, each undergoing different forms of karmic retribution. At that time, all the hungry ghosts, upon seeing the venerable Maudgalyāyana, gave rise to a mind of reverence and approached him to inquire about the causes and conditions behind their sufferings.
One ghost asked: “I have constant headaches. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you enjoyed striking others on the head with a staff. Therefore, you now undergo the retribution of a hungry ghost and will suffer further in hell in the future.”
Another ghost asked: “I possess much wealth, yet I prefer to wear tattered clothing. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you once made offerings and cultivated merit, but later regretted it. Therefore, you now undergo the retribution of a hungry ghost and will suffer further in hell in the future.”
Another ghost asked: “I am always without a fixed place to live, constantly sleeping on the sides of streets and alleys. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, when guests came seeking lodging, you refused to allow them to stay. When the guests no longer wished to stay, you became angry. Because of this, you now undergo the retribution of a hungry ghost and will suffer further in hell in the future.”
Another ghost asked: “I consume food in the quantity of five buckets, yet I am never full. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, when you offer others food, you never allowed them to eat their fill. Therefore, you now undergo the retribution of a hungry ghost and will suffer further in hell in the future.”
Another ghost asked: “My belly is as large as a jar, but my throat is as narrow as the eye of a needle, making it impossible to swallow food. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you were the leader of a settlement. You abused your power to oppress the people, frequently striking others and forcing them to provide you with fine food and drink. Because of this, you now undergo the retribution of a hungry ghost and will suffer further in hell in the future.”
Another ghost asked: “My male organ is covered in ulcers and festering sores, with pain beyond description. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you engaged in sexual acts within a Buddha’s monastery—a place of purity. Therefore, you now undergo this retribution and will suffer further karmic consequences in hell in the future.”
Another ghost asked: “I had many sons, all of whom were handsome and lovable, but they all died young. Whenever I think of them, my heart feels torn apart with sorrow. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, when you saw your sons killing living beings, you were delighted in your heart and even joined them in eating the flesh of the slaughtered beings. Because of the karma of killing, your sons received the retribution of short lives and early deaths. And since you were pleased with their killing, you now experience the pain of grief and will suffer further in hell in the future.”
Another ghost asked: “There is a dog with sharp teeth and eyes that emit a red light, which frequently comes to bite me. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you delighted in hunting with dogs and harming living beings without any compassion. Because of this, you will suffer retribution in hell in the future.”
Another ghost asked: “There is a man who always carries a sharp knife and comes to slice off my flesh, continuing until all of it is cut away. Yet, after a short while, my flesh grows back, and he returns to cut it again. The pain is unbearable. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you delighted in cutting the flesh of living beings, killing them without any compassion. Therefore, you now undergo this retribution and will suffer further in hell in the future.”
One ghost asked: “My entire body suffers from unbearable pain. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you delighted in catching fish and often threw those caught in nets onto sand and soil, letting them suffer great pain as they died. Therefore, you now undergo this retribution and will suffer further torment in hell in the future.”
One ghost asked: “I have always been dull-witted and ignorant of everything. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you enjoyed forcing others to drink alcohol, making them drunk and confused. Because of this, you are now foolish, and you will suffer retribution in hell in the future.”
One ghost asked: “I constantly feel hot and thirsty. When walking and seeing the Ganges River, I long to throw myself into the water to relieve the heat and thirst. But the moment I enter the water, my body is scorched and charred, my burned flesh falling off to reveal the bones. Even though I am extremely thirsty, just one sip of the water burns all five of my internal organs, and the pain is utterly unbearable. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you enjoyed setting fire to forests, mountains, rivers, and wetlands, harming the lives of many sentient beings. Because of this, you now receive this retribution and will undergo further punishment in hell in the future.”
One ghost asked: “I often feel hungry and thirsty and wish to go to the latrine to eat feces, but the strong ghost of the toilet always strikes me with a staff, preventing me from approaching. Why is this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you were the abbot of a Buddha’s monastery. When visiting bhikṣus came, you were miserly and refused to provide them with food. Only after the guest bhikṣus had departed did you dine with the resident bhikṣus. Because of this, you now receive this retribution and will suffer further punishment in hell in the future.”
One ghost asked: “I dwell constantly in filthy places. When hunger and thirst become unbearable, I automatically go to eat these foul things. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you were a brāhmaṇa. One day, a practitioner came to beg for food after the noon meal period had passed. You devised a method to ensure he would never come begging again. You placed feces at the bottom of his alms bowl and covered it with rice on top. That practitioner took the bowl back to his dwelling, washed his hands and face, and prepared to eat, but by that time the rice in the bowl had become so foul-smelling and filthy that it was unbearable to approach. Because of this, you now receive this retribution and will fall into the feces-and-filth hell in the future.”
One ghost asked: “There is always a bronze jar on my shoulders, filled with molten bronze. My hand automatically grabs a ladle to scoop out the bronze and pour it over my own head. It is truly excruciating. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you were the karmadāna—the steward monk—responsible for managing affairs in a Buddha’s monastery. You once hid a jar of clarified butter and, only after the visiting monks had departed, shared it with the resident monks. But this clarified butter was meant for the caturdeśa—the Fourfold Assembly of the Saṅgha—and everyone had a share in it. Because you were miserly with the communal property of the Saṅgha, you now receive this retribution and will suffer in hell in the future.”
One ghost asked: “I am always either climbing the Mountain of Swords and the Forest of Blades, or falling into fire pits or cauldrons of boiling liquid, undergoing endless torment. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you were the abbot of a temple dedicated to heavenly deities. You frequently slaughtered cattle, sheep, and pigs as sacrificial offerings to the deities. When pouring their blood and flesh in all directions, you proclaimed to the people that if they offered sacrifices to the gods in this way, they would receive great fortune. Because you spread such demonic and heretical teachings, deceiving both parents and the common people, you have now fallen into hell.”
One ghost asked: “I constantly and endlessly swallow iron pellets. What offense led to this?”
Maudgalyāyana replied: “In your past life as a human, you were a śrāmaṇera. One day, you prepared a rock sugar syrup using clean water. While doing this, you secretly chipped off a hard chunk of rock sugar to eat. Because the Saṅgha had not yet eaten, and you stole and consumed food beforehand, you have now received the retribution of swallowing iron pellets in hell.”
After the venerable Maudgalyāyana finished explaining the past-life causes and conditions to the hungry ghosts, he returned to Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain.
All those in the great assembly, upon hearing this, bowed their heads in reverence and faithfully accepted the teaching.
Dharma Torch 