The Lord Buddha was respected, honored, revered, and venerated by kings, royal ministers, the wealthy, city dwellers, merchants, caravan leaders, gods, nagas, yakshas, antigods, heavenly birds, kinnaras, and great snakes. Worshiped as such by gods, nagas, yakshas, antigods, heavenly birds, kinnaras, and great snakes, the Lord Buddha—who was renowned and possessed great merit—received provisions of robes, begging bowls, bedding and seats, and medicines to cure the sick. Once he was staying in the city of Rajagriha with the community made up of his disciples at the bamboo grove in Kalandakanivapa (Squirrel Feeding Place).

When the Blessed One awakened to unsurpassed perfect awakening, the venerable Sariputra and Maudgalyayana made this promise: “We will not eat any almsfood as long as there remains even a single being that we have not released from the realms of hell, the animal realm, and the realm of hungry ghosts.” Thereafter, from time to time, those two venerable ones would journey through the realms of hell and journey through the realms of animals and hungry ghosts. In the realm of hungry ghosts, they would hear the incoherent wailing of beings as they suffered various torments. When they returned from these journeys, they would inform the fourfold assembly, who upon listening to them would be deeply moved. Especially for them, those two venerable ones would give explanations of the dharma such that many beings would attain spiritual distinction and become vessels for stories about listening to the dharma.

One time the venerable Mahamaudgalyayana was journeying through the realm of hungry ghosts, and he saw a hungry ghost with a face like a mountaintop, a stomach like an ocean, a mouth like the eye of a needle, and who was totally covered with hair. He was ablaze, completely aflame, a single fiery mass, a perpetual cremation. Racked with sensations that were searing, piercing, distressing, agonizing, and acute, he was crying out in pain. Wherever he wandered, the ground turned into excrement and urine, and so he made his way with difficulty.

“Friend,” the elder asked the hungry ghost, “what deed have you done such that you are racked with sensations that are searing, piercing, distressing, agonizing, and acute?”

“When the sun has already risen, there’s no need of a lamp,” the hungry ghost said. “Ask the Blessed One about the matter. He’ll explain to you the deed that led me to this fate.”

Then the venerable Mahamaudgalyayana approached the Blessed One. At that time the Blessed One had just emerged from meditative seclusion and was giving the fourfold assembly an explanation of the sweet dharma—sweet like pure honey. The assembly of many hundreds of people listened to the sweet dharma of the Blessed One with faculties unwavering.

Now, lord buddhas speak first out of propriety, speak kindly, offer words of welcome—“Come near!”—and smile first and foremost. And so the Blessed One said this to the venerable Mahamaudgalyayana: “Come near, Maudgalyayana! Welcome. Where are you coming from?”

“Bhadanta,” Maudgalyayana said, “I am coming from a journey through the realm of hungry ghosts. There I saw a hungry ghost whose mouth was like the eye of a needle, whose stomach was like a mountain, who was totally covered with hair, and who was foul smelling—really foul smelling.” Then he said,

Throat and lips parched, suffering terribly,
body unstable like a lofty mountain,
hairy face, naked as the sky,
mouth like the eye of a fine needle, skinny,

naked and hirsute,
emaciated like an upright skeleton,
skull in hand, horrific,
running around screaming,

exhausted by hunger and thirst,
tormented by misfortune,
racked with searing sensations,
and crying out in pain.

What terrible sin did he commit
in the world of mortals?

“Maudgalyayana,” the Blessed One said, “that hungry ghost is a sinner. Do you want to hear the deed that led him to this fate?

“Yes, Bhadanta.”

“Then listen to this, Maudgalyayana. Concentrate well and closely. I will speak.”

Long ago, Maudgalyayana, in the city of Rajagriha, there was a certain merchant who was rich, wealthy, and prosperous, with vast and extensive holdings, and who had amassed a wealth like the god Vaisravaṇa. Truly, he rivaled Vaisravaṇa in wealth. He owned five hundred sugarcane mills where sugar was pressed.

When no buddhas are born, solitary buddhas can arise in the world. They have compassion for the poor and neglected, they live in remote areas, and they alone are worthy of people’s offerings.

At that time there was a certain solitary buddha who had compassion for the poor and neglected and who stayed in remote areas. One morning, he got dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Rajagriha for alms.

That Bhadanta had contracted a fatal disease, and a doctor had prescribed sugarcane juice for him as a cure. So he approached the merchant’s factory.

The merchant saw the solitary buddha, who inspired faith through his body and through his mind, and upon seeing him, he said, “Does the noble one need anything?”

“Yes, householder—sugarcane juice,” the solitary buddha said.

The householder instructed one of his workmen: “Provide the noble one with sugarcane juice.”

Then one day the householder went away on a business trip. During that time, there arose in the workman who dispensed the sugarcane juice a meanness with regard to another’s property (in this case, his boss’s). “If I give the noble one sugarcane juice,” he thought, “he’ll just come back again.” Hell-bent on descending into the three realms of existence that no one desires (the realms of hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts), spurning the two realms of existence to which everyone aspires (the realms of gods and humans), and having strayed far, far away from any noble dharma, he produced a sinful thought and said to the solitary buddha: “Hey monk! Give me your bowl. I’ll give you some sugarcane juice.”

Therefore, Maudgalyayana, work hard to rid yourself of meanness! That way you won’t develop faults like that hungry ghost.

Now, the knowledge and insight of arhats, disciples, and solitary buddhas does not operate unless they focus their attention. So the solitary buddha, having compassion for the poor and neglected, thought, “This man is just a worker for hire. Something good should be done for him.” And he offered him his bowl.

That wicked and cruel-hearted man took the bowl, went off to a place hidden from view, filled it up with urine, topped it off with sugarcane juice, and then returned and presented it to the solitary buddha.

The solitary buddha reflected on what the man had done and thought, “This poor man has committed a great sin.” Then he dumped out his bowl to one side and departed.

“What do you think, Maudgalyayana?” the Blessed One said. “The workman at that time and at that juncture is now this hungry ghost. As a result of his deed, he has experienced unending suffering in samsara. Even now, as a hungry ghost, he experiences excruciating suffering. Therefore, Maudgalyayana, work hard to rid yourself of meanness! That way you won’t develop faults like that hungry ghost.

And so, Maudgalyayana, the result of absolutely evil actions is absolutely evil, the result of absolutely pure actions is absolutely pure, and the result of mixed actions is mixed. Therefore, Maudgalyayana, you should reject absolutely evil actions and mixed ones as well and strive to perform only absolutely pure actions. It is this, Maudgalyayana, that you should learn to do.”

This was said by the Blessed One. With their minds uplifted, the venerable Maudgalyayana and various gods, antigods, heavenly birds, and so on rejoiced at the words of the Blessed One.

♦

© 2021 by Andy Rotman, Hungry Ghosts. Reprinted by arrangement with Wisdom Publications.