Bālapaṇḍitasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 129

The Foolish and the Astute · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā mahāniraye pakkhipanti.
So kho pana, bhikkhave, mahānirayo—
Catukkaṇṇo catudvāro,
vibhatto bhāgaso mito;
Ayopākārapariyanto,
ayasā paṭikujjito.
Tassa ayomayā bhūmi,
jalitā tejasā yutā;
Samantā yojanasataṁ,
pharitvā tiṭṭhati sabbadā.

The wardens of hell toss them in the Great Hell. Now, about that Great Hell: ‘Four are its corners, four its doors, neatly divided section by section. Surrounded by an iron wall, of iron is its roof. The ground is even made of iron, it burns with fierce fire. The heat forever radiates a hundred leagues around.’

Anekapariyāyenapi kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayakathaṁ katheyyaṁ;
yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, na sukarā akkhānena pāpuṇituṁ yāva dukkhā nirayā.

I could tell you many different things about hell. So much so that it’s not easy to completely describe the suffering in hell.

Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā tiṇabhakkhā.
Te allānipi tiṇāni sukkhānipi tiṇāni dantullehakaṁ khādanti.
Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā tiṇabhakkhā?
Hatthī assā goṇā gadrabhā ajā migā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā tiṇabhakkhā.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā tiṇabhakkhā.

There are, mendicants, animals that feed on grass. They eat by cropping fresh or dried grass with their teeth. And what animals feed on grass? Elephants, horses, cattle, donkeys, goats, deer, and various others. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who feed on grass.

Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā gūthabhakkhā.
Te dūratova gūthagandhaṁ ghāyitvā dhāvanti:
‘ettha bhuñjissāma, ettha bhuñjissāmā’ti.
Seyyathāpi nāma brāhmaṇā āhutigandhena dhāvanti:
‘ettha bhuñjissāma, ettha bhuñjissāmā’ti;
evameva kho, bhikkhave, santi tiracchānagatā pāṇā gūthabhakkhā,
te dūratova gūthagandhaṁ ghāyitvā dhāvanti:
‘ettha bhuñjissāma, ettha bhuñjissāmā’ti.
Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā gūthabhakkhā?
Kukkuṭā sūkarā soṇā siṅgālā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā gūthabhakkhā.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā gūthabhakkhā.

There are animals that feed on dung. When they catch a whiff of dung they run to it, thinking, ‘There we’ll eat! There we’ll eat!’ It’s like when brahmins smell a burnt offering, they run to it, thinking, ‘There we’ll eat! There we’ll eat!’ In the same way, there are animals that feed on dung. When they catch a whiff of dung they run to it, thinking, ‘There we’ll eat! There we’ll eat!’ And what animals feed on dung? Chickens, pigs, hounds, jackals, and various others. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, after death is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who feed on dung.

Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā andhakāre jāyanti andhakāre jīyanti andhakāre mīyanti.
Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā andhakāre jāyanti andhakāre jīyanti andhakāre mīyanti?
Kīṭā puḷavā gaṇḍuppādā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā andhakāre jāyanti andhakāre jīyanti andhakāre mīyanti.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo, idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā andhakāre jāyanti andhakāre jīyanti andhakāre mīyanti.

There are animals who are born, live, and die in darkness. And what animals are born, live, and die in darkness? Moths, maggots, earthworms, and various others. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, after death is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who are born, live, and die in darkness.

Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā udakasmiṁ jāyanti udakasmiṁ jīyanti udakasmiṁ mīyanti.
Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā udakasmiṁ jāyanti udakasmiṁ jīyanti udakasmiṁ mīyanti?
Macchā kacchapā susumārā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā udakasmiṁ jāyanti udakasmiṁ jīyanti udakasmiṁ mīyanti.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā udakasmiṁ jāyanti udakasmiṁ jīyanti udakasmiṁ mīyanti.

There are animals who are born, live, and die in water. And what animals are born, live, and die in water? Fish, turtles, dolphins, and various others. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, after death is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who are born, live, and die in water.

Santi, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā asucismiṁ jāyanti asucismiṁ jīyanti asucismiṁ mīyanti.
Katame ca, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā asucismiṁ jāyanti asucismiṁ jīyanti asucismiṁ mīyanti?
Ye te, bhikkhave, sattā pūtimacche vā jāyanti pūtimacche vā jīyanti pūtimacche vā mīyanti pūtikuṇape vā …pe…
pūtikummāse vā …
candanikāya vā …
oligalle vā jāyanti, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānagatā pāṇā asucismiṁ jāyanti asucismiṁ jīyanti asucismiṁ mīyanti.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bālo idha pubbe rasādo idha pāpāni kammāni karitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tesaṁ sattānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati ye te sattā asucismiṁ jāyanti asucismiṁ jīyanti asucismiṁ mīyanti.

There are animals who are born, live, and die in filth. And what animals are born, live, and die in filth? Those animals that are born, live, and die in a rotten fish, a rotten carcass, rotten porridge, a cesspool, or a sump. A fool who used to be a glutton here and did bad deeds here, after death is reborn in the company of those sentient beings who are born, live, and die in filth.

Anekapariyāyenapi kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, tiracchānayonikathaṁ katheyyaṁ;
yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, na sukaraṁ akkhānena pāpuṇituṁ yāva dukkhā tiracchānayoni.

I could tell you many different things about the animal realm. So much so that it’s not easy to completely describe the suffering in the animal realm.

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