29. The Hay Ghost (PV29)

Monk:

One ghost spreads burning hay on his head while another hits himself on the head with an iron rod. And a third ghost eats his own flesh and blood.

You are eating filthy and disgusting excrement. Why is this happening? Of what evil deeds are these the results?

Ghost:

The ghost putting burning hay on his head injured his mother in the human world, while the one hitting himself on the head with an iron rod was a dishonest and cunning trader. The ghost eating his own flesh and blood stole meat and lied about it to the seller.

For my case, in the human world I was a very bossy housewife who ordered others around in the family. Even though I was capable of giving gifts to others, I was greedy and never gave anything. When people came to my house begging for food, I hid the food and lied by swearing an oath, saying, “There is no food in my house, believe me. If there is any that I have hidden, then let it turn to excrement and I will eat it!”

It is the result of both greed and the fact that I lied. Now good rice turns into excrement when I am about to eat it.

All actions have a result; the results of bad deeds will not simply go away without ripening. Therefore because of my bad deeds I must eat and drink this filthy and disgusting excrement full of worms.

Translated by: Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera

According to Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera's translation from the Pali.

Stories of Ghosts from the Petavatthu © 2018 Mahamegha Publications.

For more information visit mahamevnawabm.org.

Prepared for Sutta Central by a volunteer.