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pv.31 Petavatthu

The Small Chapter

The Ghost Serini

Man:

You are naked, ugly, and very thin. Your ribs and veins are sticking out from your body. Who are you?

Female Ghost:

I am a ghost. I did evil deeds when I was in the human world. As a result, I have to suffer in the ghost world.

Man:

What evil deed have you committed by body speech or mind to make you suffer here?

Female Ghost:

In the human world, I had plenty of wealth and many opportunities to collect merit. But I was very greedy and did not give anything to anybody.

Now, as a result of my greed, if I get close to a river to drink, the river appears empty to me and full of sand. As I go towards the shade of a tree to rest, the spot becomes scorched by the sun. The wind feels like fire blowing on me, burning me. But I deserve all these sufferings because I have done lots of evil.

Please, could you go to the city of Hatthinipura, find my mother and tell her, “I have seen your daughter reborn in the miserable world of Yama because she did evil deeds.”

And also tell her that I collected four hundred thousand coins and hid them under the couch I slept on. I have not told anyone about it.

Ask her to take the money and use it for giving alms in my name. She should dedicate the merit of this gift to me. Then I will be happy and get whatever I want.

Man:

Very well.

The man went to the city of Hatthinipura, found the mother of the female ghost and spoke to her thus:

Man:

I have seen your daughter reborn in the miserable world of Yama because she did evil deeds. She told me to tell you that she has collected four hundred thousand coins and hid them under the couch she slept on. She has not told anyone about them.

She wants you to use that money for giving alms in her name. You should dedicate the merit of this gift to her. Then she will be happy and get whatever she wants.

The mother used the money to offer alms to monks and assigned the merit of the donation to her. The ghost became very happy and had a very beautiful body.

- Translator: Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera