The Buddha teaches on heaven and hell (1st), presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.211 Heaven and Hell (1st)

“Dasahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye. Katamehi dasahi? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti, luddo lohitapāṇi hatapahate niviṭṭho adayāpanno sabbapāṇabhūtesu.

Adinnādāyī hoti, yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ gāmagataṁ araññagataṁ vā, taṁ adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādātā hoti.

Kāmesu micchācārī hoti, māturakkhitā piturakkhitā mātāpiturakkhitā bhāturakkhitā bhaginirakkhitā ñātirakkhitā gottarakkhitā dhammarakkhitā sasāmikā saparidaṇḍā antamaso mālāguḷaparikkhittāpi, tathārūpāsu cārittaṁ āpajjitā hoti.

Musāvādī hoti, sabhaggato parisaggato ñātimajjhagato pūgamajjhagato rājakulamajjhagato abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho: ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ jānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti, so ajānaṁ āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ āha: ‘passāmī’ti, passaṁ āha: ‘na passāmī’ti. Iti attahetu parahetu āmisakiñcikkhahetu sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti.

Pisuṇavāco hoti, ito sutvā amutra akkhātā imesaṁ bhedāya, amutra sutvā imesaṁ akkhātā amūsaṁ bhedāya. Iti samaggānaṁ bhettā bhinnānaṁ anuppadātā vaggārāmo vaggarato vagganandī, vaggakaraṇiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

Pharusavāco hoti, vācā aṇḍakā kakkasā parakaṭukā parābhisajjanī kodhasāmantā asamādhisaṁvattanikā, tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

Samphappalāpī hoti, akālavādī abhūtavādī anatthavādī adhammavādī avinayavādī, anidhānavatiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti akālena anapadesaṁ apariyantavatiṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ.

Abhijjhālu hoti, yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ taṁ abhijjhātā hoti: ‘aho vata yaṁ parassa taṁ mama assā’ti.

Byāpannacitto hoti, paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: ‘ime sattā haññantu bajjhantu ucchijjantu vinassantu ahesun’ti.

Micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, viparītadassano: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dasahi dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

Dasahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge. Katamehi dasahi? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti nihitadaṇḍo nihitasattho lajjī dayāpanno, sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī viharati.

Adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti. Yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ gāmagataṁ araññagataṁ vā, na taṁ adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādātā hoti.

Kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti. māturakkhitā …pe… antamaso mālāguḷaparikkhittāpi, tathārūpāsu na cārittaṁ āpajjitā hoti.

Musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti. Sabhaggato parisaggato ñātimajjhagato pūgamajjhagato rājakulamajjhagato abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho: ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ jānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti, so ajānaṁ āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ āha: ‘na passāmī’ti, passaṁ āha: ‘passāmī’ti. Iti attahetu parahetu āmisakiñcikkhahetu na sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti.

Pisuṇavācaṁ pahāya pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hotina ito sutvā amutra akkhātā imesaṁ bhedāya, amutra sutvā imesaṁ akkhātā amūsaṁ bhedāya. Iti bhinnānaṁ sandhātā sahitānaṁ anuppadātā samaggārāmo samaggarato samagganandī, samaggakaraṇiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

Pharusavācaṁ pahāya pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti. vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā, tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

Samphappalāpaṁ pahāya samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti kālavādī bhūtavādī, atthavādī dhammavādī vinayavādī, nidhānavatiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti kālena sāpadesaṁ pariyantavatiṁ atthasaṁhitaṁ.

Anabhijjhālu hoti. Yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ taṁ anabhijjhātā hoti: ‘aho vata yaṁ parassa taṁ mama assā’ti.

Abyāpannacitto hoti appaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: ‘ime sattā averā hontu abyāpajjā anīghā, sukhī attānaṁ pariharantū’ti.

Sammādiṭṭhiko hoti aviparītadassano: ‘atthi dinnaṁ, atthi yiṭṭhaṁ, atthi hutaṁ, atthi sukaṭadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, atthi ayaṁ loko, atthi paro loko, atthi mātā, atthi pitā, atthi sattā opapātikā, atthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dasahi dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Dasahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

“Someone with ten qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Katamehi dasahi?

What ten?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti, luddo lohitapāṇi hatapahate niviṭṭho adayāpanno sabbapāṇabhūtesu.

It’s when a certain person kills living creatures. They’re violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings.

Adinnādāyī hoti, yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ gāmagataṁ araññagataṁ vā, taṁ adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādātā hoti.

They steal. With the intention to commit theft, they take the wealth or belongings of others from village or wilderness.

Kāmesu micchācārī hoti, māturakkhitā piturakkhitā mātāpiturakkhitā bhāturakkhitā bhaginirakkhitā ñātirakkhitā gottarakkhitā dhammarakkhitā sasāmikā saparidaṇḍā antamaso mālāguḷaparikkhittāpi, tathārūpāsu cārittaṁ āpajjitā hoti.

They commit sexual misconduct. They have sexual relations with women who have their mother, father, both mother and father, brother, sister, relatives, or clan as guardian. They have sexual relations with a woman who is protected on principle, or who has a husband, or whose violation is punishable by law, or even one who has been garlanded as a token of betrothal.

Musāvādī hoti, sabhaggato parisaggato ñātimajjhagato pūgamajjhagato rājakulamajjhagato abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho: ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ jānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti, so ajānaṁ āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ āha: ‘passāmī’ti, passaṁ āha: ‘na passāmī’ti. Iti attahetu parahetu āmisakiñcikkhahetu sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti.

They lie. They’re summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, my man, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ So they deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason.

Pisuṇavāco hoti, ito sutvā amutra akkhātā imesaṁ bhedāya, amutra sutvā imesaṁ akkhātā amūsaṁ bhedāya. Iti samaggānaṁ bhettā bhinnānaṁ anuppadātā vaggārāmo vaggarato vagganandī, vaggakaraṇiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

They backbite. They repeat in one place what they heard in another so as to divide people against each other. And so they divide those who are harmonious, supporting division, delighting in division, loving division, speaking words that promote division.

Pharusavāco hoti, vācā aṇḍakā kakkasā parakaṭukā parābhisajjanī kodhasāmantā asamādhisaṁvattanikā, tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

They speak harshly. They use the kinds of words that are cruel, nasty, hurtful, offensive, bordering on anger, not leading to immersion.

Samphappalāpī hoti, akālavādī abhūtavādī anatthavādī adhammavādī avinayavādī, anidhānavatiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti akālena anapadesaṁ apariyantavatiṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ.

They talk nonsense. Their speech is untimely, and is neither factual nor beneficial. It has nothing to do with the teaching or the training. Their words have no value, and are untimely, unreasonable, rambling, and pointless.

Abhijjhālu hoti, yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ taṁ abhijjhātā hoti: ‘aho vata yaṁ parassa taṁ mama assā’ti.

They’re covetous. They covet the wealth and belongings of others: ‘Oh, if only their belongings were mine!’

Byāpannacitto hoti, paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: ‘ime sattā haññantu bajjhantu ucchijjantu vinassantu ahesun’ti.

They have ill will and malicious intentions: ‘May these sentient beings be killed, slaughtered, slain, destroyed, or annihilated!’

Micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, viparītadassano:

They have wrong view. Their perspective is distorted:

‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.

‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dasahi dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

Someone with these ten qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Dasahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge.

Someone with ten qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.

Katamehi dasahi?

What ten?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti nihitadaṇḍo nihitasattho lajjī dayāpanno, sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī viharati.

It’s when a certain person gives up killing living creatures. They renounce the rod and the sword. They’re scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings.

Adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti. Yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ gāmagataṁ araññagataṁ vā, na taṁ adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādātā hoti.

They give up stealing. They don’t, with the intention to commit theft, take the wealth or belongings of others from village or wilderness.

Kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti. māturakkhitā …pe… antamaso mālāguḷaparikkhittāpi, tathārūpāsu na cārittaṁ āpajjitā hoti.

They give up sexual misconduct. They don’t have sexual relations with women who have their mother, father, both mother and father, brother, sister, relatives, or clan as guardian. They don’t have sexual relations with a woman who is protected on principle, or who has a husband, or whose violation is punishable by law, or even one who has been garlanded as a token of betrothal.

Musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti. Sabhaggato parisaggato ñātimajjhagato pūgamajjhagato rājakulamajjhagato abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho: ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ jānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti, so ajānaṁ āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ āha: ‘na passāmī’ti, passaṁ āha: ‘passāmī’ti. Iti attahetu parahetu āmisakiñcikkhahetu na sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti.

They give up lying. They’re summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, my man, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I see.’ So they don’t deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason.

Pisuṇavācaṁ pahāya pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hotina ito sutvā amutra akkhātā imesaṁ bhedāya, amutra sutvā imesaṁ akkhātā amūsaṁ bhedāya. Iti bhinnānaṁ sandhātā sahitānaṁ anuppadātā samaggārāmo samaggarato samagganandī, samaggakaraṇiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

They give up backbiting. They don’t repeat in one place what they heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, they reconcile those who are divided and support those who are united, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony.

Pharusavācaṁ pahāya pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti. vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā, tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

They give up harsh speech. They speak in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, likable and agreeable to the people.

Samphappalāpaṁ pahāya samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti kālavādī bhūtavādī, atthavādī dhammavādī vinayavādī, nidhānavatiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti kālena sāpadesaṁ pariyantavatiṁ atthasaṁhitaṁ.

They give up talking nonsense. Their words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. They say things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.

Anabhijjhālu hoti. Yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ taṁ anabhijjhātā hoti: ‘aho vata yaṁ parassa taṁ mama assā’ti.

They’re content. They don’t covet the wealth and belongings of others: ‘Oh, if only their belongings were mine!’

Abyāpannacitto hoti appaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: ‘ime sattā averā hontu abyāpajjā anīghā, sukhī attānaṁ pariharantū’ti.

They have a kind heart and loving intentions: ‘May these sentient beings live free of enmity and ill will, untroubled and happy!’

Sammādiṭṭhiko hoti aviparītadassano:

They have right view, an undistorted perspective:

‘atthi dinnaṁ, atthi yiṭṭhaṁ, atthi hutaṁ, atthi sukaṭadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, atthi ayaṁ loko, atthi paro loko, atthi mātā, atthi pitā, atthi sattā opapātikā, atthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.

‘There is meaning in giving, sacrifice, and offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is an afterlife. There are such things as mother and father, and beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there are ascetics and brahmins who are rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dasahi dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge”ti.

Someone with these ten qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Giving

Giving

The act of generosity, sharing, or offering to others without expecting anything in return. Giving is considered a foundational virtue in Buddhist practice, fostering selflessness and compassion.

Also known as: generosity, charity, donation, almsgiving, donating, philanthropy, providing with, gift with
Pāli: dāna
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Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
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Insight

Insight

Insight is deep, intuitive realization that transforms understanding and guides practice.

Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
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Sexual misconduct

Sexual misconduct

Transgression of boundaries in intimate relations—acting on desire in ways that betray trust, cause harm, or violate the commitments of oneself or others.

Also known as: crossing boundaries, infidelity, inappropriate sexual behavior, unfaithfulness to one's partner
Pāli: kāmesumicchācāra
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Stealing

Stealing

Also known as: theft, taking what is not given, taking what is not offerred, dishonesty regarding possessions
Pāli: adinnādānā
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026