"Two hell wardens explain to Revati the results of her evil deeds and show her the results of her husband's merit"
The Ghost Revati
Peta Vatthu 4.4 | Revatī Sutta
In praise of the lay follower Nandiya’s generosity, the Supreme Buddha uttered the following verse.
Supreme Buddha:
When somebody safely returns home having lived in a faraway country for a long time, his relatives, friends, and associates welcome him with joy. In the same way, when someone who does meritorious acts in this world goes to the next world, his own meritorious deeds will welcome him.
Nandiya asked Revati, his wife, to continue practicing generosity when he went away, but Revati stopped. When it was time for her to die, she was addressed by two messengers from hell.
Hell Wardens:
Evil, greedy Revati! Now you must get up. The doors of hell are opening for you. Evil doers have to suffer terribly in hell. We are here to bring you to that miserable world.
Both hell wardens with big red eyes grabbed Revati’s hands. They first took her to the Tavatimsa Heaven, where her husband had been reborn.
Revati:
What a wonderful mansion this is! It is made of golden nets, shining like the rays of the sun and filled with beautiful gods. Whose mansion is this? Goddesses with beautiful bodies adorned with sandalwood cream beautify the whole mansion. Who enjoys this heavenly mansion?
Hell Wardens:
In the human world, in the city of Baranasi there was a lay follower named Nandiya who was generous and helpful to others. He is the owner of this beautiful mansion. Goddesses with beautiful bodies adorned with sandalwood cream beautify the whole mansion. Nandiya enjoys this heavenly mansion.
Revati:
Ah! I was Nandiya’s wife. I had authority over the whole family. I want to stay and enjoy my husband’s mansion. I don’t even want to see hell, let alone live there.
Hell Wardens:
Evil woman, the hell for you is down there. You did not do anything to earn merit in the human world. Those who are greedy, make others angry, and lead evil lives can never live with gods.
Revati:
Oh, what is that terrible smell? What is that rotten excrement, urine, and filth?
Hell Wardens:
Evil Revati, this is Samsavaka hell. It is as deep as the height of more than one hundred humans. You are going to boil here for a thousand years.
Revati:
Why? What bad action did I do by body, speech, and mind to have to boil in this terrible hell?
Hell Wardens:
You deceived monks, beggars, and virtuous people with lies. Those were your evil deeds. That is why you have to suffer in this deep hell for a thousand years.
In this hell, beings’ hands are cut off, legs are cut off, ears are cut off, and noses are cut off. Then a flock of ravens chase the beings and eat their flesh with their sharp beaks.
Revati:
No, no! Please take me back to the human world. Surely I will do more meritorious deeds. I will practice generosity, behave well, keep the precepts, and restrain my senses. I will do many meritorious deeds which lead to happiness and freedom from remorse.
Hell Wardens:
You are too late. You were heedless in the human world. Now weep! You will experience the results of what you did.
Revati:
Now, when I go back to the human world, who will encourage me to collect merit? Who will ask me to offer robes, shelter, food and drink to virtuous people? Who will teach me that greedy, angry, and evil people won’t go to heaven?
Surely when I go from this world to the human world I will practice generosity, behave well, keep the precepts, and restrain the senses. I will do many meritorious deeds.
I will enthusiastically make bridges in places where it is hard to cross, plant trees, set out pots of water for drinking, build parks and ponds. Furthermore, I will observe the Eight Precepts four times a month on each of the four moon phases. I will protect the precepts carefully and practice generosity eagerly. I have seen the results of merit with my own eyes.
Shaken with fear, Revati was deluded in thinking that she could return to the human world. The hell wardens grabbed her legs, turned her upside down and threw her into the terrible Samsavaka Hell.
Revati:
Previously I was very greedy and insulted monks and virtuous people. I cheated on my husband and lied to him. Now I am boiling in this frightful hell.
"A monk explains to a ghost the results of giving reluctantly."
Sugar Cane Ghost
Peta Vatthu 4.5 | Ucchu Sutta
Ghost:
Bhante, as a result of my meritorious deeds, a large farm of sugar cane has appeared for me. Unfortunately, I am unable to eat from it. Please tell me why I cannot eat them. Even though I try very hard to pluck out a stalk, I fail every time. Leaves of the sugar cane cut my body and I become very weak and faint. I am suffering very much. Please tell me what bad deed I did in the past.
With a weak body I collapse on the ground. I tremble like a fish thrown to the hot ground. I am crying. Please tell me why this is happening to me.
I am starving, thirsty, and weak. Overcome by extreme thirst, I have never experienced any happiness. Please Bhante, tell me how I can eat the sugar cane.
Monk:
You have done an evil deed when you were in the human world. I will tell you what that is.
One day, you were going somewhere while chewing a sugar cane. Another person came up behind you with the idea that you would share with him. But you did not pay attention to him. Then he begged for a sugar cane saying, “Good sir, please give me some sugar cane.” With an angry mind, reluctantly, you passed back a sugar cane without looking at him. That is the karma that you are experiencing now. Therefore, now you should also turn your back to the sugar cane and try to pluck it. Then you will be able to eat as much as you wish. In this way you will be happy and satisfied.
So the ghost turned his back to the sugar cane and plucked it out of the ground. He ate as much as he wished. In this way he became happy and satisfied.
"What are the results of indulging in excessive sensual pleasures?"
The Ghost Princes
Peta Vatthu 4.6 | Kumāra Sutta
Supreme Buddha:
There once was a city called Savatti located near the Himalaya Mountain. I have heard that there were two princes who lived in that city. They enjoyed sensual pleasures too much and thought only about happiness in the present life and not the future.
When they died, they were reborn in the ghost world. Experiencing the results of the evil deeds that they did, with invisible bodies, in the same city, they were crying with regret.
Ghost:
Alas, we had plenty of food and wealth. There were also lots of noble monks living in the city. But we did not give anything to them. We did not collect any merits leading to happiness.
Previously, we were the sons of a royal family. But now we are suffering in the ghost world with hunger and thirst. What greater misfortune can there be than this? When we were in the human world, we were rulers, but in the ghost world, we are not. Having fallen from a high status to low, we are suffering. We are roaming for food, overcome by hunger and thirst.
Supreme Buddha:
Too much enjoyment caused this misfortune. Having understood this danger, one should not be intoxicated with pleasures and not be arrogant. That wise person, after death will be reborn in heaven.
"What happens when you associate with evil monks?"
Excrement Eating Male Ghost
Peta Vatthu 4.8 | Gūthakhādaka Sutta
Moggallana Bhante:
Oh unlucky one, you are standing in a pit of excrement. Who are you? What kind of evil deed did you do? How can I know for sure what happened to you?
Ghost:
Bhante, I am a ghost. As a result of my evil deeds I have been born in this ghost world. I am suffering very much
Moggallana Bhante:
What kind of evil deed did you do by body, speech, or mind to suffer like this?
Ghost:
When I was in the human world, I let a monk stay in my house. The monk was very greedy and jealous of his supporters. He insulted good monks.
I listened to that evil monk’s words. Following him, I too insulted good monks. That is the evil deed I did from which I was reborn in the ghost world.
Moggallana Bhante:
You associated with that evil monk thinking that he was a good friend. What happened to the monk after death?
Ghost:
Bhante, that evil monk has also been born in the ghost world. He is suffering in the same pit of excrement where I suffer. I am standing on his head. He lives as a servant to me here.
Bhante, I have to eat other people’s excrement, while he has to eat mine.
"What happened to a prince that committed evil actions towards a Pacceka Buddha?"
The Son of a King
Peta Vatthu 4.7 | Rājaputta Sutta
Supreme Buddha:
That prince experiences all these wonderful things as a result of his previous good karma, but he is obsessed by delightful forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. One day he went to a park and enjoyed dancing, singing, and playing sports. Upon returning, he entered the city of Rajagaha. There, he saw a Pacceka Buddha named Sunetta who was very calm, concentrated, and virtuous. He led a very simple life. He was on his alms round begging for food.
The prince was riding an elephant, so he climbed down and asked the Buddha mockingly, “Bhante, did you get food?” The prince forcefully snatched the Buddha’s bowl from his hands and smashed it on the ground. Laughing at the Buddha he said, “Hey monk, I am the son of King Kitava. You cannot do anything to me.”
The result of that evil deed was very painful. After death, he fell directly into hell. He suffered for a long time. Exactly how long? Six times eighty-four thousand years. That many years he had to suffer in the miserable hell. One time he was boiled legs first, and another time he was boiled head first. One time boiled from the left side, another time boiled from the right side. Thus he experienced immense pain.
Having gotten angry at that Buddha who never got angry, the foolish prince suffered many hundreds and thousands of years in hell. After a very long time, he died there and was reborn in the ghost world as a ghost suffering from hunger and thirst.
Arrogance caused this misfortune. Having understood the danger of too much enjoyment, wise people should be very humble. If one respects the Buddhas, that person is praised in this very life. After death, that wise person will be reborn in heaven.
"A ghost explains the results of associating with an evil monk."
Excrement Eating Female Ghost
Peta Vatthu 4.9 | Gūthakhādaka Petī Sutta
Moggallana Bhante:
Oh unlucky one, you are standing in a pit of excrement. Who are you? What kind of evil deed did you do? How can I know for sure what happened to you?
Ghost:
Bhante I am a ghost. As a result of my evil deeds I have been born in this ghost world. I am suffering very much.
Moggallana Bhante:
What kind of evil deed did you do by body, speech, or mind to suffer like this?
Ghost:
When I was in the human world, I let a monk stay in my house. The monk was very greedy and jealous of his supporters.
I listened to that evil monk’s words. Following him, I too insulted good monks. That is the evil deed I did from which I was reborn in the ghost world.
Moggallana Bhante:
You associated with that evil monk thinking that he was a good friend. What happened to the monk after death?
Ghost:
Bhante, that evil monk has also been born in the ghost world. He is suffering in the same pit of excrement where I suffer. I am standing on his head. He lives as a servant to me here.
Bhante, I have to eat other people’s excrement, while he has to eat mine.
"Arahant Moggallana talks with ghosts who suffer due to their stinginess in the human world."
Large Group of Ghosts
Peta Vatthu 4.10 | Gaṇa Sutta
Moggallana Bhante:
You are naked, very thin, and ugly. Your rib bones are pressing against your skin. Who are you?
Ghost:
Bhante, we are ghosts. When we were in the human world, we did evil deeds. After death we were reborn in this ghost world and now suffer very much.
Moggallana Bhante:
What evil did you do by body, speech and mind to have come to this ghost world?
Ghosts:
There were many virtuous people and opportunities for collecting merits but we did not give anything. Now we have been roaming for half a month suffering from thirst.
When we feel very thirsty, we go to the river to drink. When we get close to it, the water appears as if it has dried up and all that is left is dry sand. When we are scorched by the sun, we go to the shade of a tree. Once we get there the shade disappears and the sun beats down.
A wind like fire blows and burns us. But we deserve this because we have done lots of evil deeds in our previous life. We are overcome by hunger. We travel many miles searching for food but we cannot find any. We faint and fall on the ground on our backs. Other times we fall face down. We hit our own heads and chests with frustration. Alas, this is our lack of merit. But we deserve this and other more terrible results than this. When we were rich, we did not give anything to others. We did not collect any merit.
Once we escape from this ghost world and are reborn in the human world we hope that we will be generous and virtuous. We must do many wholesome deeds.
"A woman and a ghost discuss doing meritorious deeds to avoid bad destinations."
The Woman from Pataliputta
Peta Vatthu 4.11 | Pāṭalīputta Sutta
When a man who was attached to a woman died on an ocean journey, he was reborn as a ghost in that same ocean. He found the woman and brought her to live in the ghost world for a year. Then she asked to be returned to her home.
Ghost:
You have seen hell beings, animals, ghosts, asuras, as well as gods and humans. You have seen how they experience the results of their own karma. Now I am going to take you to Pataliputta city. When you go there, you must do meritorious deeds.
Woman:
Friend, you wish for me to be happy. I will do what you say. Please be my teacher. I have seen hell beings, animals, ghosts, asuras, as well as gods and humans and how they experience the results of their own karma. I must do lots of meritorious deeds.
