SA-2 60（六〇）

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī. At that time, there was a great elder in the city named Mahānāman. He had no son and died of illness. At that time, according to the law of the country, if one did not have a son, after death, the family property would be confiscated by the state. For this reason, all the property of Mahānāman should have been taken by the king. At that time, King Prasenajit, with his body covered in dust, went to where the Buddha was. After paying homage, he sat to one side. The Buddha said to the king, "Why is it that today your body is covered in dust, your countenance changed, and you have come here?"

King Prasenajit said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! In the city of Śrāvastī, there was a great elder named Mahānāman who died yesterday. Since he had no son, all his wealth and treasures were confiscated by the palace. I went to see his wealth and treasures, and that is why my body is covered in dust."

The Buddha asked the king, "Was Mahānāman really very wealthy?"

The king replied, "Indeed, World-Honored One! How was he wealthy? He had thousands of millions of gold, silver, and precious treasures, beyond measure. Not to mention other wealth. Although he had precious treasures and many stored goods, due to his stinginess and greed, he was reluctant to eat them. What he ate was coarse and rough millet mixed with chaff. When making soup, he would cook a piece of ginger and then take it out to sell for money. What he wore was only coarse hemp cloth, and he used coarse and worn-out cloth as his inner garment. He rode a dilapidated cart, and used a tree leaf as an umbrella. I have never seen him perform even a little giving to śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, the poor, or beggars."

The Buddha said, "Such a foolish person is not a good man. Why? Although he has wealth and treasures, he cannot open his mind and enjoy it righteously. He also cannot make offerings to his parents, wife, and children, or give to his servants and maids. He does not give to śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas from time to time, and he also does not seek the good rewards of rebirth in heaven."

The Buddha told the king, "This Mahānāma has already planted some good roots with the Pratyekabuddha Tagarasikhin in the past. At that time, he gave food and drink, but he did not give with a sincere mind, he did not give with faith, he did not give with his own hands, he did not give with respect, and he threw it to them. After giving, he regretted it and thought, 'How can I give my food and drink to this shaven-headed śramaṇa? It would be better to give it to the servants in my own home.' When he died, he was reborn in the home of a great and wealthy elder in Śrāvastī. Although he was reborn in the home of a wealthy elder, because he had regretted giving food in the past, he naturally did not like to wear fine clothes, he also did not like to eat fine food, and he did not enjoy carriages and horses or adornments. Great King, you should know that in the past, Mahānāma's family was wealthy. For the sake of money and wealth, he killed his half-brother. Because of this, he entered hell and suffered various torments for countless years. Because of this, his wealth was confiscated by the government seven times. Mahānāma gave food to the Pratyekabuddha Tagarasikhin. Because of this, his blessings were exhausted. Like a great criminal, after he died, he entered hell. Mahānāma's death was also like this. He entered the great wailing hell."

At that time, King Prasenajit again said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! Did Mahānāma really enter the great wailing hell after his death?"

The Buddha said, "He really did enter."

At that time, upon hearing this, the king wept with tears streaming down. He adjusted his robes, bared his right shoulder, joined his palms, and spoke a verse:

Wealth, grain, silk, and precious treasures, slaves, servants, and attendants, none of them
follow or can take even a small portion. When death overtakes and one
abandons the corpse, all the wealth and treasures, though arrayed, are not stored
at all, and one cannot take even a little with one. What is
the thing that follows a person, like a shadow following its form? The
retribution of good and evil is certainly not lost, and only this follows
a person like a shadow.

At that time, the World-Honored One replied in verse:

Good and evil follow a person, like a shadow following a
form, wherever they go, they never part. It is like having
little provisions, crossing a dangerous path, increasing suffering. Practicing evil is
also like this, unable to reach the good path. It is
like having abundant provisions, happily crossing a dangerous path. Cultivating merit
is also like this, peacefully reaching a good place. It is
like being separated for a long time, arriving at a distant
place, safely returning home, the mind is very joyful, with wife
children, and relatives, joyfully extremely happy. Cultivating goodness is also like
this, good karma comes to welcome. It is also like being
separated from relatives, meeting and being joyful. Therefore, one should accumulate
goodness, for the sake of the next life. If one wishes
for blessings in the next life, one should practice the right
way. Not being criticized now, one will experience happiness in the future.

The Buddha spoke thus. The bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.