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Dhammapada 306–319

Nirayavagga

22. Hell · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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not·real·speakerAbhūtavādī to hellnirayaṁ goesupeti,
whoYo or indeedvāpi having donekatvā notna I dokaromi and I saycāha;
both indeedUbhopi theyte after passing awaypecca equalsamā becomebhavanti,
base·deedNihīnakammā menmanujā in the hereafterparattha.

A liar goes to hell, as does one who denies what they did. Both are equal in the hereafter, those men of base deeds.

ocher cloth·neckKāsāvakaṇṭhā manybahavo,
wicked·naturepāpadhammā unrestrainedasaññatā;
wickedPāpā by badpāpehi by deedskammehi,
to hellnirayaṁ theyte are rebornupapajjare.

Many who wear a scrap of ocher cloth are unrestrained and wicked. Being wicked, they are reborn in hell due to their bad deeds.

betterSeyyo iron ballayoguḷo eatenbhutto,
scorchingtatto like a flame of fireaggisikhūpamo;
and ifYañce would eatbhuñjeyya immoraldussīlo,
unrestrained eater of the country's almsraṭṭhapiṇḍamasaññato.

It’d be better for the immoral and unrestrained to eat an iron ball, scorching, like a burning flame, than to eat the nation’s alms.

fourCattāri thingsṭhānāni a mannaro away·thinkpamatto,
toward·goĀpajjati another·wife·near·associateparadārūpasevī;
not·meritApuññalābhaṁ notna down·desirenikāmaseyyaṁ,
ill-repute,Nindaṁ thirdtatīyaṁ in hellnirayaṁ fourth.catutthaṁ.

Four things befall a heedless man who sleeps with another’s wife: wickedness, poor sleep, ill-repute, and rebirth in hell.

un-·merit·gainApuññalābho andca destinationgatī andca badpāpikā,
of a frightened oneBhītassa with a frightened onebhītāya pleasureratī andca briefthokikā;
a kingRājā andca punishmentdaṇḍaṁ heavygarukaṁ imposespaṇeti,
thereforeTasmā a mannaro another's wifeparadāraṁ notna should sleep withseve.

He accrues wickedness and is reborn in a bad place, all so a frightened couple may snatch a moment’s pleasure, for which rulers impose a heavy punishment. That’s why a man should not sleep with another’s wife.

kusa grassKuso asyathā wrongly graspedduggahito,
it cuts the hand onlyhatthamevānukantati;
the ascetic lifeSāmaññaṁ wrongly taken updupparāmaṭṭhaṁ,
drags to hellnirayāyupakaḍḍhati.

When kusa grass is wrongly grasped it only cuts the hand. So too, the ascetic life, when wrongly taken, drags you to hell.

whateverYaṁ anykiñci laxsithilaṁ actkammaṁ,
and corruptsaṅkiliṭṭhañca whateveryaṁ observancevataṁ;
suspiciousSaṅkassaraṁ spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ,
notna thattaṁ ishoti very fruitfulmahapphalaṁ.

Any lax act, any corrupt observance, or suspicious spiritual life, is not very fruitful.

should doKayirā ifce what should be donekayirāthenaṁ,
staunchlydaḷhamenaṁ forth·striveparakkame;
laxSithilo forhi forth·goneparibbājo,
all the morebhiyyo up·stirākirate dustrajaṁ.

If one is to do what should be done, one should staunchly strive. For the life gone forth when laxly led just stirs up dust all the more.

not·doAkataṁ bad·dodukkaṭaṁ betterseyyo,
later onpacchā it plaguestappati bad·dodukkaṭaṁ;
do + andKatañca good·dosukataṁ betterseyyo,
whichyaṁ having donekatvā not·after·burnnānutappati.

A bad deed is better left undone, for it will plague you later on. A good deed is better done, one that does not plague you.

a cityNagaraṁ asyathā frontierpaccantaṁ,
guardedguttaṁ inside·outsidesantarabāhiraṁ;
soEvaṁ you should wardgopetha yourselvesattānaṁ,
the momentkhaṇo for youvo don'tmā pass byupaccagā;
who missed the momentKhaṇātītā forhi grievesocanti,
in hellnirayamhi together + sentsamappitā.

As a frontier city is guarded inside and out, so you should ward yourselves— don’t let the moment pass you by. For if you miss your moment you’ll grieve when sent to hell.

of what is not shamefulAlajjitāye are ashamedlajjanti,
of what is shamefullajjitāye notna are ashamedlajjare;
upholding wrong viewMicchādiṭṭhisamādānā,
beingssattā gogacchanti to a bad placeduggatiṁ.

Unashamed of what is shameful, ashamed of what is not shameful; beings who uphold wrong view go to a bad place.

not·fearfulAbhaye seeing fearbhayadassino,
in fearbhaye and not seeing fearcābhayadassino;
upholding wrong viewMicchādiṭṭhisamādānā,
beingssattā they gogacchanti to a bad placeduggatiṁ.

Seeing danger where there is none, and blind to the actual danger, beings who uphold wrong view go to a bad place.

not·faultAvajje fault·seeingvajjamatino,
in the faultvajje and·fault·seeingcāvajjadassino;
wrong·view·upholdingMicchādiṭṭhisamādānā,
beingssattā gogacchanti bad·destinationduggatiṁ.

Seeing fault where there is none, and blind to the actual fault, beings who uphold wrong view go to a bad place.

fault·andVajjañca as a faultvajjato having knownñatvā,
not·fault·andavajjañca not·faultavajjato;
right view·upholdingSammādiṭṭhisamādānā,
beingssattā gogacchanti to a good placesuggatiṁ.
Hell·chapterNirayavaggo twenty-seconddvāvīsatimo.

Knowing a fault as a fault and the faultless as faultless, beings who uphold right view go to a good place.

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