Answering Venerable Anuruddha, the Buddha teaches that ladies who break the five precepts—killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and consuming intoxicants—are reborn in hell after death.

SN 37.14 Five Threats

“Pañcahi, anuruddha, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo …pe… nirayaṁ upapajjati. Katamehi pañcahi? Pāṇātipātī ca hoti, adinnādāyī ca hoti, kāmesumicchācārī ca hoti, musāvādī ca hoti, surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhāyī ca hoti imehi kho, anuruddha, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatī”ti.

Cuddasamaṁ.

Paṭhamapeyyālavaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Mātugāmo puriso ca,
āveṇikā tidhammo ca;
Kodhano upanāhī ca,
issukī maccharena ca;
Aticārī ca dussīlo,
appassuto ca kusīto;
Muṭṭhassati pañcaveraṁ,
kaṇhapakkhe pakāsito.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcahi, anuruddha, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo …pe… nirayaṁ upapajjati.

“Anuruddha, when ladies have five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Pāṇātipātī ca hoti, adinnādāyī ca hoti, kāmesumicchācārī ca hoti, musāvādī ca hoti, surāmerayamajjappamādaṭṭhāyī ca hoti

They kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, and consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor.

imehi kho, anuruddha, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatī”ti.

When ladies possess these five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.”

Cuddasamaṁ.

Paṭhamapeyyālavaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Mātugāmo puriso ca,

āveṇikā tidhammo ca;

Kodhano upanāhī ca,

issukī maccharena ca;

Aticārī ca dussīlo,

appassuto ca kusīto;

Muṭṭhassati pañcaveraṁ,

kaṇhapakkhe pakāsito.

Qualities:

Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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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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Last updated on July 27, 2026