“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, devadūtāni. Katamāni tīṇi?
“Bhikkhus, there are these three divine messengers. What three?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati. So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā nānābāhāsu gahetvā yamassa rañño dassenti: ‘ayaṁ, deva, puriso amatteyyo apetteyyo asāmañño abrahmañño, na kule jeṭṭhāpacāyī. Imassa devo daṇḍaṁ paṇetū’ti.
Here|, bhikkhus,::::,| a certain person engages in |bodily misconduct::killing living beings, harming others, theft, or sexual misconduct [kāyaduccarita]|, |verbal misconduct::false speech, harsh speech, divisive speech, idle chatter [vacīduccarita]|, and |mental misconduct::yearning with strong eagerness and desire, having ill will or hatred, delighting in harm [manoduccarita]|. Having engaged in misconduct by way of body, speech, and mind, after the breaking up of the body at death, they are reborn in a |state of loss::state of misery [apāya]|, in a bad destination, in a |realm of downfall::realm of misery [vinipāta]|, in |hell::a place of intense suffering, lit. no good fortune [niraya]|. Bhikkhus, then the hell wardens seize that person by both arms and present them to |King Yama::lord of the underworld, who acts as a moral examiner and questions the recently deceased about their failure to heed the divine messengers—aging, illness, and death. He reminds beings that they alone are responsible for their past deeds [yama]|, saying: ‘This person, your majesty, did not respect his mother, did not respect his father, did not respect ascetics, did not respect the |Brahmans::a title used for an Arahant, an awakened being [brahmañña]|, and did not respect the elders in his family. May your majesty impose due punishment on him.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā paṭhamaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjati samanugāhati samanubhāsati: ‘ambho, purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu paṭhamaṁ devadūtaṁ pātubhūtan’ti?
1.) Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama cross-questions, closely examines, and admonishes that man about the first divine messenger: ‘Good man, did you not see the first divine messenger that appeared among human beings?’
So evamāha: ‘nāddasaṁ, bhante’ti.
He replies: ‘No, venerable sir, I did not see.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā āsītikaṁ vā nāvutikaṁ vā vassasatikaṁ vā jātiyā jiṇṇaṁ gopānasivaṅkaṁ bhoggaṁ daṇḍaparāyaṇaṁ pavedhamānaṁ gacchantaṁ āturaṁ gatayobbanaṁ khaṇḍadantaṁ palitakesaṁ vilūnaṁ khallitasiraṁ valitaṁ tilakāhatagattan’ti?
Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did you never see among human beings a woman or a man, eighty, ninety, or a hundred years of age, frail|,::::;| bent like a |rafter::roof bracket [gopānasivaṅka]|, hunched over, leaning on a staff for support, shaking, walking with difficulty, youth gone|,::::;| with broken teeth, with grey and scanty hair or bald, with wrinkled skin and limbs marked by aging spots?’
So evamāha: ‘addasaṁ, bhante’ti.
And he replies: ‘Yes, venerable sir, I have seen.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho, purisa, tassa te viññussa sato mahallakassa na etadahosi—ahampi khomhi jarādhammo jaraṁ anatīto, handāhaṁ kalyāṇaṁ karomi, kāyena vācāya manasā’ti?
Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did it never occur to you, an intelligent and mature person—I too am subject to aging, I am not exempt from growing old. Let me now do good by body, speech, and mind?’
So evamāha: ‘nāsakkhissaṁ, bhante. Pamādassaṁ, bhante’ti.
And he replies: ‘I was unable, venerable sir. I was |negligent::inattentive, careless, intoxicated [pamāda]|, venerable sir.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho, purisa, pamādatāya na kalyāṇamakāsi kāyena vācāya manasā. Taggha tvaṁ, ambho purisa, tathā karissanti yathā taṁ pamattaṁ. Taṁ kho pana te etaṁ pāpakammaṁ neva mātarā kataṁ, na pitarā kataṁ, na bhātarā kataṁ, na bhaginiyā kataṁ, na mittāmaccehi kataṁ, na ñātisālohitehi kataṁ, na devatāhi kataṁ, na samaṇabrāhmaṇehi kataṁ; atha kho tayāvetaṁ pāpakammaṁ kataṁ, tvaññevetassa vipākaṁ paṭisaṁvedissasī’ti.
Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, due to negligence, you did not do good by body, speech, or mind. Surely, they will treat you in a way that fits your negligence. That bad |kamma::action, deed, doing, volitional act [kamma]| of yours was not done by your mother or father, nor by your brother or sister, nor by your friends and companions, nor by your relatives and family members, nor by the deities, nor by ascetics and brahmins. But rather, you were the one who did that bad kamma, and you yourself will have to experience its result.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā paṭhamaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjitvā samanugāhitvā samanubhāsitvā, dutiyaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjati samanugāhati samanubhāsati: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu dutiyaṁ devadūtaṁ pātubhūtan’ti?
2.) Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| after having cross-questioned, closely examined, and admonished him regarding the first divine messenger, King Yama cross-questions, closely examines, and admonishes him about the second divine messenger, saying: ‘Good man, did you not see the second divine messenger that appeared among human beings?’
So evamāha: ‘nāddasaṁ, bhante’ti. Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā ābādhikaṁ dukkhitaṁ bāḷhagilānaṁ, sake muttakarīse palipannaṁ semānaṁ, aññehi vuṭṭhāpiyamānaṁ, aññehi saṁvesiyamānan’ti?
And he replies: ‘No, venerable sir, I did not see.’ Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did you never see among human beings a woman or a man, sick, afflicted, gravely ill, lying in their own urine and excrement, unable to rise on their own, being lifted by others, and being laid down by others?’
So evamāha: ‘addasaṁ, bhante’ti.
And he replies: ‘Yes, venerable sir, I have seen.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, tassa te viññussa sato mahallakassa na etadahosi: “ahampi khomhi byādhidhammo byādhiṁ anatīto, handāhaṁ kalyāṇaṁ karomi kāyena vācāya manasā”’ti?
Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did it never occur to you, an intelligent and mature person—I too am subject to illness, I am not exempt from illness. Let me now do good by body, speech, and mind?’
So evamāha: ‘nāsakkhissaṁ, bhante. Pamādassaṁ, bhante’ti.
And he replies: ‘I was unable, venerable sir. I was negligent, venerable sir.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, pamādatāya na kalyāṇamakāsi kāyena vācāya manasā. Taggha tvaṁ, ambho purisa, tathā karissanti yathā taṁ pamattaṁ. Taṁ kho pana te etaṁ pāpakammaṁ neva mātarā kataṁ, na pitarā kataṁ, na bhātarā kataṁ, na bhaginiyā kataṁ, na mittāmaccehi kataṁ, na ñātisālohitehi kataṁ, na devatāhi kataṁ, na samaṇabrāhmaṇehi kataṁ; atha kho tayāvetaṁ pāpakammaṁ kataṁ. Tvaññevetassa vipākaṁ paṭisaṁvedissasī’ti.
Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, due to negligence, you did not do good by body, speech, or mind. Surely, they will treat you in a way that fits your negligence. That bad kamma of yours was not done by your mother or father, nor by your brother or sister, nor by your friends and companions, nor by your relatives and family members, nor by the deities, nor by ascetics and brahmins. But rather, you were the one who did that bad kamma, and you yourself will have to experience its result.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā dutiyaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjitvā samanugāhitvā samanubhāsitvā, tatiyaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjati samanugāhati samanubhāsati: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu tatiyaṁ devadūtaṁ pātubhūtan’ti?
3.) Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| after having cross-questioned, closely examined, and admonished him regarding the second divine messenger, King Yama cross-questions, closely examines, and admonishes him about the third divine messenger, saying: ‘Good man, did you not see the third divine messenger that appeared among human beings?’
So evamāha: ‘nāddasaṁ, bhante’ti.
And he replies: ‘No, venerable sir, I did not see.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā ekāhamataṁ vā dvīhamataṁ vā tīhamataṁ vā uddhumātakaṁ vinīlakaṁ vipubbakajātan’ti?
Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did you never see among human beings a woman or a man who had been dead for one day, for two days, or for three days—bloated, discolored, and |festering::suppurating, decomposing [vipubbakajāta]|?’
So evamāha: ‘addasaṁ, bhante’ti.
And he replies: ‘Yes, venerable sir, I have seen.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, tassa te viññussa sato mahallakassa na etadahosi—ahampi khomhi maraṇadhammo maraṇaṁ anatīto, handāhaṁ kalyāṇaṁ karomi kāyena vācāya manasā’ti?
Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did it never occur to you, an intelligent and mature person—I too am subject to death, I am not exempt from death. Let me now do good by body, speech, and mind?’
So evamāha: ‘nāsakkhissaṁ, bhante. Pamādassaṁ, bhante’ti.
And he replies: ‘I was unable, venerable sir. I was negligent, venerable sir.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, pamādatāya na kalyāṇamakāsi kāyena vācāya manasā. Taggha tvaṁ, ambho purisa, tathā karissanti yathā taṁ pamattaṁ. Taṁ kho pana te etaṁ pāpakammaṁ neva mātarā kataṁ, na pitarā kataṁ, na bhātarā kataṁ, na bhaginiyā kataṁ, na mittāmaccehi kataṁ, na ñātisālohitehi kataṁ, na devatāhi kataṁ, na samaṇabrāhmaṇehi kataṁ; atha kho tayāvetaṁ pāpakammaṁ kataṁ. Tvaññevetassa vipākaṁ paṭisaṁvedissasī’”ti.
Then|, bhikkhus,::::,| King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, due to negligence, you did not do good by body, speech, or mind. Surely, they will treat you in a way that fits your negligence. That bad kamma of yours was not done by your mother or father, nor by your brother or sister, nor by your friends and companions, nor by your relatives and family members, nor by the deities, nor by ascetics and brahmins. But rather, you were the one who did that bad kamma, and you yourself will have to experience its result.’
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā tatiyaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjitvā samanugāhitvā samanubhāsitvā tuṇhī hoti. Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā pañcavidhabandhanaṁ nāma kāraṇaṁ karonti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ hatthe gamenti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ dutiyasmiṁ hatthe gamenti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ pāde gamenti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ dutiyasmiṁ pāde gamenti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ majjhe urasmiṁ gamenti. So tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vediyati, na ca tāva kālaṁ karoti yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhoti.
When|, bhikkhus,::::| King Yama has cross-questioned, closely examined, and admonished him regarding the third divine messenger, he falls silent. Then the wardens of hell torture him with the fivefold transfixing. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand and another red-hot iron stake through the other hand; they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot and another red-hot iron stake through the other foot; they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he experiences painful, agonizing, and piercing feelings, yet he does not die so long as that bad kamma has not been exhausted.
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā saṁvesetvā kudhārīhi tacchanti. So tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vediyati, na ca tāva kālaṁ karoti yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhoti.
Then|, bhikkhus,::::| the wardens of hell lay him down and hack him apart with machetes. There he experiences painful, agonizing, and piercing feelings, yet he does not die so long as that bad kamma has not been exhausted.
Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā uddhampādaṁ adhosiraṁ gahetvā vāsīhi tacchanti …pe…
Then|, bhikkhus,::::| the wardens of hell seize him, suspend him upside down, and hack him apart with axes ...
tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā rathe yojetvā ādittāya bhūmiyā sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya sārentipi paccāsārentipi …pe…
Then|, bhikkhus,::::| the wardens of hell harness him to a chariot and drive him back and forth across a blazing, fully ignited, and glowing ground ...
tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā mahantaṁ aṅgārapabbataṁ ādittaṁ sampajjalitaṁ sajotibhūtaṁ āropentipi oropentipi …pe…
Then|, bhikkhus,::::| the wardens of hell force him to ascend and descend a massive mountain of burning, fully ignited, and blazing embers ...
tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā uddhampādaṁ adhosiraṁ gahetvā tattāya lohakumbhiyā pakkhipanti, ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya. (…) So tattha pheṇuddehakaṁ paccamāno sakimpi uddhaṁ gacchati, sakimpi adho gacchati, sakimpi tiriyaṁ gacchati. So tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vediyati, na ca tāva kālaṁ karoti yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhoti. Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā mahāniraye pakkhipanti.
Then|, bhikkhus,::::| the wardens of hell seize him, suspend him upside down, and plunge him into a boiling copper cauldron, blazing, fully ignited, and glowing. There, as foam bubbles up, he is boiled and suffers, rising up once, sinking down once, and moving sideways once. There he experiences painful, agonizing, and piercing feelings, yet he does not die so long as that bad kamma has not been exhausted. Then|, bhikkhus,::::| the wardens of hell cast him into the great hell.
So kho pana, bhikkhave, mahānirayo—
Now|, bhikkhus,::::,| as to that great hell—
Catukkaṇṇo catudvāro,
vibhatto bhāgaso mito;
Ayopākārapariyanto,
ayasā paṭikujjito.
It is rectangular, with four doors,
and is divided into separate compartments;
it is surrounded by iron fortification,
and shut in with an iron roof.
Tassa ayomayā bhūmi,
Jalitā tejasā yutā;
Samantā yojanasataṁ,
Pharitvā tiṭṭhati sabbadāti.
Its ground is made of iron,
blazing and infused with fire.
It extends for a hundred |yojanas::yojana is a unit of distance used in ancient India, ranging from 3.5 to 15 km [yojana]| in all directions,
which it ever covers pervasively.
Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, yamassa rañño etadahosi: ‘ye kira, bho, loke pāpakāni kammāni karonti te evarūpā vividhā kammakāraṇā karīyanti. Aho vatāhaṁ manussattaṁ labheyyaṁ, tathāgato ca loke uppajjeyya arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, tañcāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ payirupāseyyaṁ. So ca me bhagavā dhammaṁ deseyya, tassa cāhaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ ājāneyyan’ti.
Bhikkhus, once in the past, this thought occurred to King Yama: ‘Those who commit evil deeds in the world are subjected to various forms of punishment. Oh, if only I could obtain human birth, and if a |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]|, an Arahant, a perfectly Awakened One were to arise in the world! Then I would associate closely with that Blessed One, and he would teach me the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, and I would come to understand his Dhamma.’
Taṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā sutvā evaṁ vadāmi, api ca kho, bhikkhave, yadeva me sāmaṁ ñātaṁ sāmaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sāmaṁ viditaṁ tadevāhaṁ vadāmīti.
Bhikkhus, I do not say this having heard it from some other ascetic or Brahmin. But rather, I say this only because I have myself known it, seen it, and understood it.
Verse
Coditā devadūtehi,
ye pamajjanti māṇavā;
Te dīgharattaṁ socanti,
hīnakāyūpagā narā.
Though warned by the divine messengers,
those people who remain negligent;
they |sorrow::grieve [socati]| for a long time,
having fared on to a lower realm.
Ye ca kho devadūtehi,
santo sappurisā idha;
Coditā nappamajjanti,
ariyadhamme kudācanaṁ.
But those who, when warned by the divine messengers,
are virtuous and noble here;
who do not become negligent,
in regard to the noble Dhamma—
Upādāne bhayaṁ disvā,
jātimaraṇasambhave;
Anupādā vimuccanti,
jātimaraṇasaṅkhaye.
Who, seeing the danger in |clinging::grasping, acquiring, appropriating, taking possession, identifying; fuel for fire; lit. taking near [upādāna]|,
which leads to birth and death;
are liberated by non-clinging,
bringing and end to birth and death.
Te appamattā sukhino,
diṭṭhadhammābhinibbutā;
Sabbaverabhayātītā,
sabbadukkhaṁ upaccagun”ti.
Those |diligent::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]| ones are at ease,
|completely calmed in this very life::perfectly extinguished here and now [diṭṭhadhammābhinibbuta]|;
having overcome all |hostility::hatred, ill will, animosity, enmity [vera]| and fear,
they have transcended all |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|.”