Bālapaṇḍitasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 129

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

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himTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wardens of hellnirayapālā in the Great Hellmahāniraye tosspakkhipanti.
thatSo indeedkho nowpana, monksbhikkhave, Great Hellmahānirayo—
four-corneredCatukkaṇṇo four-dooredcatudvāro,
dividedvibhatto section by sectionbhāgaso measuredmito;
surrounded by an iron wallAyopākārapariyanto,
with ironayasā roofedpaṭikujjito.
of itTassa made of ironayomayā the groundbhūmi,
burningjalitā with firetejasā endowedyutā;
all aroundSamantā a hundred leaguesyojanasataṁ,
having pervadedpharitvā it standstiṭṭhati foreversabbadā.

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.’

in many waysAnekapariyāyenapi indeedkho Iahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, talk about hellnirayakathaṁ I could tellkatheyyaṁ;
so much so thatyāvañcidaṁ, monksbhikkhave, notna easysukarā by descriptionakkhānena to attainpāpuṇituṁ howyāva sufferingdukkhā hellsnirayā.

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

there areSanti, mendicantsbhikkhave, animalstiracchānagatā beingspāṇā grass-eaterstiṇabhakkhā.
theyTe freshallānipi grasstiṇāni driedsukkhānipi grasstiṇāni by cropping with their teethdantullehakaṁ eatkhādanti.
whichKatame andca, mendicantsbhikkhave, animalstiracchānagatā beingspāṇā grass-eaterstiṇabhakkhā?
elephantsHatthī horsesassā cattlegoṇā donkeysgadrabhā goatsajā deermigā, whoye orvā and various otherspanaññepi anykeci animalstiracchānagatā beingspāṇā grass-eaterstiṇabhakkhā.
thatSa indeedkho heso, mendicantsbhikkhave, foolbālo hereidha formerlypubbe a gluttonrasādo hereidha badpāpāni deedskammāni having donekaritvā of the bodykāyassa breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā of thosetesaṁ of sentient beingssattānaṁ in the companysahabyataṁ is rebornupapajjati whoye thosete sentient beingssattā grass-eaterstiṇabhakkhā.

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.

there areSanti, monksbhikkhave, animaltiracchānagatā beingspāṇā dung-eatersgūthabhakkhā.
theyTe from afardūratova dung-smellgūthagandhaṁ having smelledghāyitvā they rundhāvanti:
here‘ettha we will eatbhuñjissāma, hereettha we will eatbhuñjissāmā’ti.
just asSeyyathāpi indeednāma brahminsbrāhmaṇā by the smell of a burnt offeringāhutigandhena they rundhāvanti:
here‘ettha we will eatbhuñjissāma, hereettha we will eatbhuñjissāmā’ti;
even soevameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, there aresanti animaltiracchānagatā beingspāṇā dung-eatersgūthabhakkhā,
theyte from afardūratova dung-smellgūthagandhaṁ having smelledghāyitvā they rundhāvanti:
here‘ettha we will eatbhuñjissāma, hereettha we will eatbhuñjissāmā’ti.
whichKatame andca, monksbhikkhave, animaltiracchānagatā beingspāṇā dung-eatersgūthabhakkhā?
chickensKukkuṭā pigssūkarā houndssoṇā jackalssiṅgālā, whoye orvā and others toopanaññepi anykeci animaltiracchānagatā beingspāṇā dung-eatersgūthabhakkhā.
thatSa indeedkho heso, monksbhikkhave, foolbālo hereidha previouslypubbe a gluttonrasādo hereidha evilpāpāni deedskammāni having donekaritvā of the bodykāyassa by breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā of thosetesaṁ of beingssattānaṁ companionshipsahabyataṁ is rebornupapajjati whoye thosete beingssattā dung-eatersgūthabhakkhā.

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.

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.

there areSanti, O monksbhikkhave, animalstiracchānagatā beingspāṇā in waterudakasmiṁ are bornjāyanti in waterudakasmiṁ livejīyanti in waterudakasmiṁ diemīyanti.
whichKatame andca, O monksbhikkhave, animalstiracchānagatā beingspāṇā in waterudakasmiṁ are bornjāyanti in waterudakasmiṁ livejīyanti in waterudakasmiṁ die?mīyanti?
fishMacchā turtleskacchapā dolphinssusumārā, whoye orvā and various others toopanaññepi anykeci animalstiracchānagatā beingspāṇā in waterudakasmiṁ are bornjāyanti in waterudakasmiṁ livejīyanti in waterudakasmiṁ die.mīyanti.
thatSa indeedkho heso, O monksbhikkhave, foolbālo hereidha formerlypubbe a gluttonrasādo hereidha evilpāpāni deedskammāni having donekaritvā of the bodykāyassa at the breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā of thosetesaṁ beingssattānaṁ companionshipsahabyataṁ is rebornupapajjati whoye thosete sentient beingssattā in waterudakasmiṁ are bornjāyanti in waterudakasmiṁ livejīyanti in waterudakasmiṁ die.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.

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.

by many waysAnekapariyāyenapi indeedkho Iahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, talk about animal birthtiracchānayonikathaṁ I would tellkatheyyaṁ;
so much so thatyāvañcidaṁ, monksbhikkhave, notna easysukaraṁ by tellingakkhānena to reachpāpuṇituṁ howyāva sufferingdukkhā animal realmtiracchānayoni.

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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