261. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Prince Jeta’s grove, in the monastery of Anāthapiṇḍika. Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Monks.”

“Venerable Sir,” those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said:–

“It is as if monks, there were two house with doors, and a man with good eyesight standing between them should see people entering and leaving the houses, coming out and going in. In the same way, monks, with the divine eye purified beyond the ability of human sight, I see living beings coming and going between superior and inferior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate states according to kamma, knowing: ‘These dear beings endowed with good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, good mental conduct, not revilers of the Noble Ones, holding right-views and acting in accordance with right-views; they, with the break-up of the body after death, arise in fortunate heavenly realms. [Otherwise] These dear beings endowed with good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, good mental conduct, [179] not revilers of the Noble Ones, holding right-views and acting in accordance with right-views; they, with the break-up of the body after death, arise among human beings. These dear beings endowed with bad bodily conduct, bad verbal conduct, bad mental conduct, revilers of the Noble Ones, holding wrong-views and acting in accordance with wrong-views; they, with the break-up of the body after death, arise in hungry ghost realms. [Otherwise] These dear beings endowed with bad bodily conduct, bad verbal conduct, bad mental conduct, revilers of the Noble Ones, holding wrong-views and acting in accordance with wrong-views; they, with the break-up of the body after death, arise among animals. [Otherwise] These dear beings endowed with bad bodily conduct, bad verbal conduct, bad mental conduct, revilers of the Noble Ones, holding wrong-views and acting in accordance with wrong-views; they, with the break-up of the body after death, arise in states of loss, in unfortunate destinations, in hell.

262. “There, monks, the warders of hell, taking hold of him by the arms show him to King Yama: ‘This person, sir, showed no respect to their mother, their father, to recluses, to priests, to elders of the clan. May the king decide on a punishment.’ Then, monks, King Yama cross-questions, interrogates, and examines him about the first heavenly messenger. ‘Look here my man,¹ did you not see among mankind the first heavenly messenger?’

‘I did not see it, Lord,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, did you not see among humankind a young human baby lying on its back, soiled by its own urine and excrement?

‘I saw it, Lord,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, as an intelligent and mature person, did it not occur to you: “I too am subject to birth, I have not gone beyond birth. I should do good by body, speech, and mind”?

‘I was not able to, Lord, I was negligent,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, you failed to do good by body, speech, or mind through your own negligence. Surely they will deal with you according to your negligence. The evil kamma was done by you, it was not done by your mother or father, [180] it was not done by your brother or sister, it was not done by your friends and associates, it was not done by your blood-relatives, it was not done by recluses and priests, it was not done by deities. The evil kamma was done by you, only you will experience its results.’

263. “Then, monks, King Yama, having cross-questioned, interrogated, and examined him about the first heavenly messenger, he cross-questions, interrogates, and examines him about the second heavenly messenger. ‘Look here my man, did you not see among humankind the second heavenly messenger?’

‘I did not see it, Lord,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, did you not see among humankind a woman or a man decrepit, crooked and bent by age, relying on a stick to move around, trembling as they walk, afflicted by disease, youthful vitality gone, with broken teeth, grey-haired, balding, with a bare scalp, wrinkled, and affected with freckles.’

‘I saw it, Lord, he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, as an intelligent and mature person, did it not occur to you: “I too am subject to aging, I have not gone beyond aging. I should do good by body, speech, and mind”?

‘I was not able to, I was negligent, Lord,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, you failed to do good by body, speech, or mind through your own negligence. Surely they will deal with you according to your negligence. The evil kamma was done by you, it was not done by your mother or father, it was not done by your brother or sister, it was not done by your friends and associates, it was not done by your blood-relatives, it was not done by recluses and priests, it was not done by deities. The evil kamma was done by you, only you will experience its results.’

264. “Then, monks, King Yama, having cross-questioned, interrogated, and examined him about the second heavenly messenger, he cross-questions, interrogates, and examines him about the third heavenly messenger. [181] ‘Look here my man, did you not see among humankind the third heavenly messenger?’

‘I did not see it, Lord,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, did you not see among humankind a woman or a man afflicted by disease, suffering, gravely ill lying on their back, soiled by their own urine and excrement?’

‘I saw it, Lord, he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, as an intelligent and mature person, did it not occur to you: “I too am subject to disease, I have not gone beyond disease. I should do good by body, speech, and mind”?

‘I was not able to, Lord, I was negligent,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, you failed to do good by body, speech, or mind through your own negligence. Surely they will deal with you according to your negligence. The evil kamma was done by you, it was not done by your mother or father, it was not done by your brother or sister, it was not done by your friends and associates, it was not done by your blood-relatives, it was not done by recluses and priests, it was not done by deities. The evil kamma was done by you, only you will experience its results.’

265. “Then, monks, King Yama, having cross-questioned, interrogated, and examined him about the third heavenly messenger, he cross-questions, interrogates, and examines him about the fourth heavenly messenger. ‘Look here my man, did you not see among humankind the fourth heavenly messenger?’

‘I did not see it, Lord,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, did you not see among humankind a robber caught in the act subjected to various kinds of punishments — being lashed with whips, flogged with canes, subjected to the “gruel pot,” the “polished conch shell,” “the mouth of Rāhu,” “the fire garland,” “the burning hand,” “the blades of grass,” “the bark-dress,” “the antelope,” “the flesh hooks,” “the coin cutting,” “the lye-pickling,” “the bar turn,” “the straw foot-stool,” scalding with boiling oil, being fed to dogs, being impaled alive on a stake, being decapitated with a sword.’ ²

‘I saw it, Lord,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, as an intelligent and mature person, did it not occur to you: “Those who do evil deeds have such punishments inflicted upon them here and now, [182] so what will happen to them hereafter? I should do good by body, speech, and mind”?

‘I was not able to, Lord, I was negligent,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, you failed to do good by body, speech, or mind through your own negligence. Surely they will deal with you according to your negligence. The evil kamma was done by you, it was not done by your mother or father, it was not done by your brother or sister, it was not done by your friends and associates, it was not done by your blood-relatives, it was not done by recluses and priests, it was not done by deities. The evil kamma was done by you, only you will experience its results.’

266. “Then, monks, King Yama, having cross-questioned, interrogated, and examined him about the fourth heavenly messenger, he cross-questions, interrogates, and examines him about the fifth heavenly messenger. ‘Look here my man, did you not see among humankind the fifth heavenly messenger?’

‘I did not see it, Lord,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, did you not see among humankind a woman or a man one day dead, two days dead, or three days dead, bloated, discoloured, and festering?’

‘I saw it, Lord,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, as an intelligent and mature person, did it not occur to you: “I too am subject to death, I have not gone beyond death. I should do good by body, speech, and mind”?

‘I was not able to, Lord, I was negligent,’ he says.

“Then, monks, King Yama says: ‘Look here my man, you failed to do good by body, speech, or mind through your own negligence. Surely they will deal with you according to your negligence. The evil kamma was done by you, it was not done by your mother or father, it was not done by your brother or sister, it was not done by your friends and associates, it was not done by your blood-relatives, it was not done by recluses and priests, it was not done by deities. The evil kamma was done by you, only you will experience its results.’

267. “Then, monks, King Yama, having cross-questioned, interrogated, and examined him about the fifth heavenly messenger, he is silent. Then, monks, the warders of hell [183] torture him with the fivefold pinion — they drive a red-hot iron stake through each hand, through each foot, and through the middle of his chest. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted. Then, monks, the warders of hell, having laid him down, pare him with axes … Then, monks, the warders of hell, having hung him upside down, pare him with adzes … Then, monks, the warders of hell, having bound him to a chariot, drive him back and forth on ground that is burning, blazing, and glowing … Then, monks, the warders of hell make him climb up and down a great pile of coals that are burning, blazing, and glowing … Then, monks, the warders of hell, having hung him upside down, plunge him into a crucible of molten metal that is burning, blazing, and glowing. There he is cooked in the boiling slag, and as he is cooked in the boiling slag he is goes down, up, and across. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted.

Then, monks, the warders of hell, throw him into the Great Hell. Thus, monks, is the great hell:–

“It has four sides and four doors, laid out in four parts.
Delimited by iron walls, and with an iron roof.
Its floor is iron, heated and glowing with fire.
It is a hundred leagues ³ across, and always remains pervaded.”

268. “Monks, the flames that arise from the eastern wall strike the western wall, the flames that arise from the western wall [184] strike against the eastern wall, the flames that arise from the northern wall strike against the southern wall, the flames that arise from the southern wall strike against the northern wall, the flames that arise from the bottom strike against the top, and the flames that arise from the top strike against the bottom. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted.

“There is, monks, from time to time, after a long period, an occasion when the eastern door opens. He runs towards it quickly at once. As he runs quickly, his outer skin burns, his inner skin burns, his flesh burns, his sinews burn, his bones emit smoke, and it is the same when he lifts his foot. When, monks, finally reaches the door, it is shut. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted.

“There is, monks, from time to time, after a long period, an occasion when the western door opens … not exhausted.

“There is, monks, from time to time, after a long period, an occasion when the northern door opens … not exhausted.

“There is, monks, from time to time, after a long period, an occasion when the southern door opens … not exhausted.

269. “Monks, immediately next to the great hell [185] is the great hell of excrement. He falls into that. In that hell of excrement, needle-mouthed beings bite his outer skin, having bitten his outer skin, they bite his inner skin, having bitten his inner skin, they bite his flesh, having bitten his flesh, they bite his sinews, having bitten his sinews, they bite his bones. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted.

“Monks, immediately next to the great hell of excrement, is the hell of embers. He falls into that. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted.

“Monks, immediately next to the great hell of embers, is the great forest of cotton-wood trees a league high with thorns sixteen inches long, burning, blazing, and glowing. He falls into that. There, he is made to climb up and down. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted.

“Monks, immediately next to the great forest of cotton-wood trees is the great forest of sword-leaf trees. He falls into that. The leaves, blown here and there by the wind, cut his hands, cut his feet, cut his hands and feet, cut his ears, cut his nose, cut his ears and nose. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted.

“Monks, immediately next to the great forest of sword-leaf trees is the great caustic river. He falls into that. There, he is swept along with the current, swept against the current, and swept across the current. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted.

270. “Then, monks, the warders of hell drag him out with a hook [186] and having put him on the bank, say to him: ‘Look here my man, what do you want?’ He says: ‘I wish to eat, dear sirs.’ Then, monks, the warders of hell, having held his mouth open with a red-hot iron stake burning, blazing, and glowing, they put into his mouth a red-hot iron ball burning, blazing, and glowing. It burns his lips, it burns his mouth, it burns his throat, it burns his chest, it burns his intestines, it burns his bowels, and comes out of his anus taking his intestines and bowels with it. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted.

“Then, monks, the warders of hell say to him: ‘Look here my man, what do you want?’ He says: ‘I wish to drink, dear sirs.’ Then, monks, the warders of hell, having held his mouth open with a red-hot iron stake burning, blazing, and glowing, they pour into his mouth molten copper, burning, blazing, and glowing. It burns his lips, it burns his mouth, it burns his throat, it burns his chest, it burns his intestines, it burns his bowels, and comes out of his anus taking his intestines and bowels with it. Thereby he feels painful, sharp, rough, excruciating feelings, but does not die from that as long as the result of that evil kamma is not exhausted. Then, monks, the warders of hell throw him back into the great hell.

“Have your heard before, monks, the King Yama thought: ‘Surely, those in the world who make evil, unwholesome kamma have many kinds of torture inflicted upon them. If only I could obtain human existence, and a Tathāgata would arise in the world, a worthy, fully-enlightened Buddha. And that I might serve that Blessed One, and he would teach me the Dhamma, so that I could come to understand it.’

“Monks, I do not tell you something that I have heard from other recluses or brahmins,⁴ I tell you something that I have actually known, seen, and discovered by myself.” [187]

271. Thus spoke the Blessed One. The Fortunate One, having spoken thus, the Teacher said further:–

“Though warned by the heavenly messengers, many young men are negligent.
They grieve for a long time, having gone to an inferior body.

“Those who heed the heavenly messengers, the good people here,
Being warned, are not negligent, always practise the noble Dhamma.

“Having seen danger in attachment, since it leads to birth and death.
By not grasping they are liberated, in the destruction of birth and death.

“They attain the bliss of peace, realising cessation here and now.
They transcend all hatred and fear, having overcome all suffering.”

Notes:

1. Ambo purisa. The Pāli uses the male gender (purisa), but of course the same applies to those of female gender (itthi) who do evil deeds.

2. The exact form that these cruel punishments took can only be guessed at, but they would have been familiar to people at the time when floggings, executions, and so on were performed in public as a deterrent to others.

3. Yojana: A distance that can be travelled with one yoke of oxen, about seven miles.

4. On the eve of his Enlightenment, the Blessed One obtained direct knowledge regarding the destiny of other beings according to their kamma. Others may state these things as facts relying on their hearsay knowledge or study of the texts, but they take it on faith. Only those who have developed the mystic powers, can speak of such things from direct knowledge. Modern-day sceptics may dismiss these accounts as later additions, but it is hard to accept their view, which is just their personal opinion based on what they find agreeable. Please refer to the Kesamutti Sutta and the Caṅkī Sutta regarding belief, and upholding the truth.