10.
The Second Heirless Discourse
131.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, during the day, approached the Blessed One;
having approached, to King Pasenadi of Kosala seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Well now, from where are you coming, great king, in the middle of the day?"
"Here, venerable sir, a millionaire householder in Sāvatthī has died. I have come after having his heirless property conveyed to the royal inner palace. A hundred hundred thousand in gold alone, venerable sir, what then to say of silver! Yet, venerable sir, such was the enjoyment of food of that millionaire householder - he ate porridge of broken rice with vinegar as a second. Such was his enjoyment of clothing - he wore hempen cloth, a garment of three pieces. Such was his enjoyment of vehicles - he travelled in a decrepit little chariot with a leaf-umbrella held over him."
"So it is, great king, so it is, great king! Once in the past, great king, that millionaire householder provided almsfood to a Paccekasambuddha named Tagarasikhi. Having said 'Give almsfood to the ascetic,' he rose from his seat and departed. But having given, afterwards he was remorseful - 'It would be better if slaves or labourers ate this almsfood.' And he deprived his brother's only son of life for the sake of property.
"Because, great king, that millionaire householder provided almsfood to the Paccekasambuddha Tagarasikhi, by the result of that action he was reborn seven times in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. By the remainder of the result of that very action, he held the position of millionaire seven times in this very Sāvatthī. Because, great king, that millionaire householder, having given, was afterwards remorseful - 'It would be better if slaves or labourers ate this almsfood' - by the result of that action his mind did not incline to excellent enjoyment of food, his mind did not incline to excellent enjoyment of clothing, his mind did not incline to excellent enjoyment of vehicles, his mind did not incline to excellent enjoyment of the five kinds of sensual pleasure. Because, great king, that millionaire householder deprived his brother's only son of life for the sake of property, by the result of that action he was tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years. By the remainder of the result of that very action, this seventh time his heirless property enters the royal treasury. For that millionaire householder, great king, his old merit has been brought to an end, and new merit has not been accumulated. But today, great king, that millionaire householder is being tormented in the Great Roruva hell." "Thus, venerable sir, the millionaire householder has been reborn in the Great Roruva hell?" "Thus, great king, the millionaire householder has been reborn in the Great Roruva hell." This he said, etc.
Slaves, labourers, servants, and those who are his dependents.
But what one does by body, by speech, or by mind.
And that follows him, like a shadow that does not depart.
Merits are a support for beings in the world beyond."