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Majjhima Nikāya 130

Devadūtasutta

Messengers of the Gods · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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himTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, Yamayamo kingrājā fourthcatutthaṁ god·messengerdevadūtaṁ having questionedsamanuyuñjitvā together·along·gripsamanugāhitvā together·along·speaksamanubhāsitvā fifthpañcamaṁ god·messengerdevadūtaṁ questionssamanuyuñjati together·along·gripsamanugāhati addressessamanubhāsati:
my man‘ambho manpurisa, notna youtvaṁ did you seeaddasa among human beingsmanussesu fifthpañcamaṁ god·messengerdevadūtaṁ appearedpātubhūtan’ti?
heSo saysevamāha:
I saw nothing‘nāddasaṁ, sirbhante’ti.
himTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, Yamayamo kingrājā saysevamāha:
my man‘ambho manpurisa, notna youtvaṁ did you seeaddasa among human beingsmanussesu a womanitthiṁ orvā a manpurisaṁ orvā one·day·deadekāhamataṁ orvā two·day·deaddvīhamataṁ orvā three·day·deadtīhamataṁ orvā bloateduddhumātakaṁ lividvinīlakaṁ festeringvipubbakajātan’ti?
heSo saysevamāha:
I saw that‘addasaṁ, sirbhante’ti.
himTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, Yamayamo kingrājā saysevamāha:
my man‘ambho manpurisa, of thattassa to youte sensibleviññussa maturesato maturemahallakassa notna did it occuretadahosi—
I·tooahampi I amkhomhi liable to diemaraṇadhammo, deathmaraṇaṁ not exemptanatīto. I had betterHandāhaṁ goodkalyāṇaṁ I dokaromi by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā’ti?
heSo saysevamāha:
I couldn't‘nāsakkhissaṁ, sirbhante, I was negligentpamādassaṁ, sirbhante’ti.
himTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, Yamayamo kingrājā saysevamāha:
my man‘ambho manpurisa, because of negligencepamādavatāya notna good·didkalyāṇamakāsi by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā.

Then King Yama grills them about the fifth messenger of the gods: ‘My man, did you not see the fifth messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’ He says, ‘I saw nothing, sir.’ King Yama says to them, ‘My man, did you not see among human beings a woman or a man, dead for one, two, or three days, bloated, livid, and festering?’ He says, ‘I saw that, sir.’ King Yama says to them, ‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature— “I, too, am liable to die. I’m not exempt from death. I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’ He says, ‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’ King Yama says to them, ‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.

surelyTaggha youtvaṁ, heyambho manpurisa, sotathā they will dokarissanti asyathā thattaṁ negligent onepamattaṁ.
thatTaṁ indeedkho thenpana yourte thisetaṁ bad·deedpāpakammaṁ notneva by mothermātarā donekataṁ notna by fatherpitarā donekataṁ notna by brotherbhātarā donekataṁ notna by sisterbhaginiyā donekataṁ notna by friends and colleaguesmittāmaccehi donekataṁ notna relative·kinñātisālohitehi donekataṁ notna ascetic·brahminsamaṇabrāhmaṇehi donekataṁ notna by deitiesdevatāhi donekataṁ, by you alonetayāvetaṁ bad·deedpāpakammaṁ donekataṁ, and you alonetvaññevetassa resultvipākaṁ you will experiencepaṭisaṁvedissasī’ti.

Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence. That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’

that oneTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, Yamayamo kingrājā fifthpañcamaṁ god·messengerdevadūtaṁ together·questionsamanuyuñjitvā together·interrogatesamanugāhitvā together·admonishsamanubhāsitvā silenttuṇhī ishoti.

After grilling them about the fifth messenger of the gods, King Yama falls silent.

themTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, hell·wardensnirayapālā five·fold·bindingpañcavidhabandhanaṁ callednāma deed·procedurekammakāraṇaṁ they inflictkaronti—
red-hottattaṁ iron·stakeayokhilaṁ in the handhatthe they drivegamenti, red-hottattaṁ iron·stakeayokhilaṁ in the seconddutiye handhatthe they drivegamenti, red-hottattaṁ iron·stakeayokhilaṁ in the footpāde they drivegamenti, red-hottattaṁ iron·stakeayokhilaṁ in the seconddutiye footpāde they drivegamenti, red-hottattaṁ iron·stakeayokhilaṁ in the middle of the chestmajjheurasmiṁ they drivegamenti.
heSo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā he experiencesvedeti, notna andca yettāva deathkālaṁ he undergoeskaroti untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad·deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

The wardens of hell punish them with the five-fold crucifixion. They drive red-hot stakes through the hands and feet, and another in the middle of the chest. And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

themTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, hell·wardensnirayapālā down·throwsaṁvesetvā with axeskuṭhārīhi they hacktacchanti ……pe…

The wardens of hell throw them down and hack them with axes. …

that·himtamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, hell·wardensnirayapālā up·feetuddhampādaṁ down·headadhosiraṁ having seizedgahetvā with hatchetsvāsīhi they hacktacchanti ellipsis…pe…

They hang them upside-down and hack them with hatchets. …

himtamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, hell·wardensnirayapālā to a chariotrathe having yokedyojetvā on·burnādittāya groundpathaviyā together·blazesampajjalitāya with·glow·becomesajotibhūtāya drive + alsosārentipi, back·drive + alsopaccāsārentipi ……pe…

They harness them to a chariot, and drive them back and forth across burning ground, blazing and glowing. …

themtamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, hell·wardennirayapālā greatmahantaṁ coal·mountainaṅgārapabbataṁ on·burnādittaṁ completely·blazesampajjalitaṁ with·glow·becomesajotibhūtaṁ up·make climb·alsoāropentipi down·make climb·alsooropentipi …pe……pe…

They make them climb up and down a big mountain of burning coals, blazing and glowing. …

themtamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, hell·wardennirayapālā upward·footuddhampādaṁ down·headadhosiraṁ having takengahetvā red-hottattāya copper·potlohakumbhiyā onto·throwpakkhipanti burningādittāya fully·blazingsampajjalitāya with·light·becomesajotibhūtāya.
theySo theretattha in boiling scumpheṇuddehakaṁ are searedpaccati.
theySo theretattha in boiling scumpheṇuddehakaṁ while being searedpaccamāno once·alsosakimpi upuddhaṁ they gogacchati, once·alsosakimpi downadho they gogacchati, once·alsosakimpi sidewaystiriyaṁ they gogacchati.
theySo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā they feelvedeti, notna andca yettāva timekālaṁ they makekaroti untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad·deedpāpakammaṁ ended·becomebyantīhoti.

The wardens of hell turn them upside down and throw them in a red-hot copper pot, burning, blazing, and glowing. There they’re seared in boiling scum, and they’re swept up and down and round and round. And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

themTamenaṁ, O monksbhikkhave, hell·wardennirayapālā great·hellmahāniraye they tosspakkhipanti.
thatSo nowkho thenpana, O monksbhikkhave, the Great Hellmahānirayo—
four-corneredCatukkaṇṇo with four doorscatudvāro,
apart·dividedvibhatto section by sectionbhāgaso measuredmito;
surrounded by an iron wallAyopākārapariyanto,
with ironayasā coveredpaṭikujjito.
itsTassa iron·made ofayomayā groundbhūmi,
burningjalitā endowed with fierce firetejasāyutā;
all aroundSamantā a hundred leaguesyojanasataṁ,
having radiatedpharitvā it remainstiṭṭhati alwayssabbadā.

The wardens of hell toss them into 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.’

of thatTassa indeedkho nowpana, monksbhikkhave, great·hellmahānirayassa easternpuratthimāya from the wallbhittiyā flameacci having surged outuṭṭhahitvā westernpacchimāya against the wallbhittiyā crashespaṭihaññati, westernpacchimāya from the wallbhittiyā flameacci having surged outuṭṭhahitvā easternpuratthimāya against the wallbhittiyā crashespaṭihaññati, northernuttarāya from the wallbhittiyā flameacci having surged outuṭṭhahitvā southerndakkhiṇāya against the wallbhittiyā crashespaṭihaññati, southerndakkhiṇāya from the wallbhittiyā flameacci having surged outuṭṭhahitvā northernuttarāya against the wallbhittiyā crashespaṭihaññati, from belowheṭṭhā flameacci having surged outuṭṭhahitvā aboveupari crashespaṭihaññati, from aboveuparito flameacci having surged outuṭṭhahitvā belowheṭṭhā crashespaṭihaññati.
heSo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā experiencesvedeti, notna andca yettāva deathkālaṁ makeskaroti untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad·deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

Now in the Great Hell, flames surge out of the walls and crash into the opposite wall: from east to west, from west to east, from north to south, from south to north, from bottom to top, from top to bottom. And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

there isHoti indeedkho thatso, monksbhikkhave, timesamayo whenyaṁ sometimeskadāci on some occasionkarahaci of a longdīghassa of a periodaddhuno after the passingaccayena of thattassa great·hellmahānirayassa easternpuratthimaṁ gatedvāraṁ open·openapāpurīyati.
theySo theretattha with speedsīghena with forcejavena runsdhāvati.
of that oneTassa with speedsīghena with forcejavena runningdhāvato outer skin toochavimpi burnsḍayhati, inner skin toocammampi burnsḍayhati, flesh toomaṁsampi burnsḍayhati, sinews toonhārumpi burnsḍayhati, bones tooaṭṭhīnipi together·forth·smokesampadhūpāyanti, escapeubbhataṁ just suchtādisameva ishoti.
whenYato andca indeedkho thatso, monksbhikkhave, much·arrivedbahusampatto ishoti, thenatha thattaṁ gatedvāraṁ is closedpidhīyati.
theySo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā feelsvedeti, notna andca as yettāva deathkālaṁ makeskaroti as long asyāva notna thattaṁ bad·deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.
there isHoti indeedkho thatso, monksbhikkhave, timesamayo whenyaṁ sometimeskadāci on some occasionkarahaci of a longdīghassa of a periodaddhuno after the passingaccayena of thattassa great·hellmahānirayassa westernpacchimaṁ gatedvāraṁ open·openapāpurīyati …pe……pe…
northernuttaraṁ gatedvāraṁ open·openapāpurīyati …pe……pe…
southerndakkhiṇaṁ gatedvāraṁ open·openapāpurīyati.
theySo theretattha with speedsīghena with forcejavena runsdhāvati.

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, the eastern gate of the Great Hell is opened. So they run there as fast as they can. And as they run, their outer skin, inner skin, flesh, and sinews burn and even their bones smoke. Such is their escape; but when they’ve managed to make it most of the way, the gate is slammed shut. And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated. There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, the western gate … northern gate … southern gate of the Great Hell is opened. So they run there as fast as they can.

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