The Buddha teaches on heaven and hell (2nd), presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.212 Heaven and Hell (2nd)

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

Adinnādāyī hotikāmesumicchācārī hotimusāvādī hotipisuṇavāco hotipharusavāco hotisamphappalāpī hotiabhijjhālu hotibyāpannacitto hotimicchādiṭṭhiko hoti viparītadassano: ‘natthi dinnaṁ …pe… 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 hotikāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hotimusāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hotipisuṇaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hotipharusaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hotisamphappalāpaṁ pahāya samphappalāpā paṭivirato hotianabhijjhālu hotiabyāpannacitto hotisammādiṭṭhiko hoti aviparītadassano: ‘atthi dinnaṁ …pe… ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, dasahi dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

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

They steal. …

kāmesumicchācārī hoti

They commit sexual misconduct. …

musāvādī hoti

They lie. …

pisuṇavāco hoti

They backbite. …

pharusavāco hoti

They speak harshly. …

samphappalāpī hoti

They indulge in talking nonsense. …

abhijjhālu hoti

They’re covetous. …

byāpannacitto hoti

They have cruel intentions. …

micchādiṭṭhiko hoti viparītadassano:

They have wrong view. …

‘natthi dinnaṁ …pe…

sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.

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

They give up stealing. …

kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti

They give up sexual misconduct. …

musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti

They give up lying. …

pisuṇaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti

They give up backbiting. …

pharusaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti

They give up harsh speech. …

samphappalāpaṁ pahāya samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti

They give up talking nonsense. …

anabhijjhālu hoti

They’re content. …

abyāpannacitto hoti

They’re kind hearted. …

sammādiṭṭhiko hoti aviparītadassano:

They have right view. …

‘atthi dinnaṁ …pe… ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.

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

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

Dutiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Compassion

Compassion

A mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty.

Also known as: benevolence, concern, sympathy, kindness towards those who are suffering
Pāli: karuṇā, anukampa
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Right view

Right view

View that is in line with the Dhamma — teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth.

Also known as: right understanding, right belief, view that is inline with the Dhamma
Pāli: sammādiṭṭhi
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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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Slaughtering

Slaughtering

The deliberate killing of a living being, carried out with the intention of ending its life while disregarding its natural drive to continue living.

Also known as: killing, murdering, taking life
Pāli: pāṇātipāta
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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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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026