Devadūtasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 130

Messengers of the Gods · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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of that oneTassa with swiftsīghena with speedjavena of one runningdhāvato the outer skinchavimpi burnsḍayhati, the inner skincammampi burnsḍayhati, the fleshmaṁsampi burnsḍayhati, the sinewsnhārumpi burnsḍayhati, the bonesaṭṭhīnipi smokesampadhūpāyanti, the escapeubbhataṁ just like thattādisameva ishoti.
whenYato andca indeedkho heso, monksbhikkhave, mostly arrivedbahusampatto ishoti, thenatha thattaṁ the gatedvāraṁ is slammed shutpidhīyati.
heSo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā experiencesvedeti, notna andca as long astāva deathkālaṁ makeskaroti untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

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 isHoti indeedkho thatso, monksbhikkhave, timesamayo whenyaṁ sometimeskadāci occasionallykarahaci longdīghassa of timeaddhuno with the passingaccayena of thattassa of the Great Hellmahānirayassa easternpuratthimaṁ gatedvāraṁ is openedapāpurīyati.
theySo theretattha with swiftsīghena speedjavena rundhāvati.
of thatTassa with swiftsīghena speedjavena runningdhāvato outer skin toochavimpi burnsḍayhati, inner skin toocammampi burnsḍayhati, flesh toomaṁsampi burnsḍayhati, sinews toonhārumpi burnsḍayhati, bones tooaṭṭhīnipi smokesampadhūpāyanti, escapeubbhataṁ such liketādisameva ishoti.
theySo through thattena doordvārena make it outnikkhamati.

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; and they make it out that door.

of thatTassa indeedkho andpana, monksbhikkhave, of the great hellmahānirayassa immediately adjacentsamanantarā adjacent indeedsahitameva vastmahanto dung hellgūthanirayo.
theySo theretattha fallpatati.
in thatTasmiṁ indeedkho andpana, monksbhikkhave, in the dung hellgūthaniraye needle-mouthedsūcimukhā creaturespāṇā outer skinchaviṁ bore throughchindanti, outer skinchaviṁ having cutchetvā inner skincammaṁ bore throughchindanti, inner skincammaṁ having cutchetvā fleshmaṁsaṁ bore throughchindanti, fleshmaṁsaṁ having cutchetvā sinewsnhāruṁ bore throughchindanti, sinewsnhāruṁ having cutchetvā bonesaṭṭhiṁ bore throughchindanti, bonesaṭṭhiṁ having cutchetvā marrowaṭṭhimiñjaṁ devourkhādanti.
theySo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā experiencesvedeti, notna andca yettāva deathkālaṁ doeskaroti untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

Immediately adjacent to the Great Hell is the vast Dung Hell. And that’s where they fall. In that Dung Hell there are needle-mouthed creatures that bore through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until they reach the marrow and devour it. And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

of thatTassa indeedkho thenpana, monksbhikkhave, of the dung hellgūthanirayassa immediately adjacentsamanantarā right theresahitameva vastmahanto hell of burning chaffkukkulanirayo.
heSo theretattha fallspatati.
heSo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā he feelsvedeti, notna butca yettāva deathkālaṁ doeskaroti untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

Immediately adjacent to the Dung Hell is the vast Hell of Burning Chaff. And that’s where they fall. And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

of thatTassa indeedkho furthermorepana, monksbhikkhave, of the Hell of Burning Chaffkukkulanirayassa immediately adjacentsamanantarā just adjacentsahitameva vastmahantaṁ silk-cotton forestsimbalivanaṁ upwardsuddhaṁ a league highyojanamuggataṁ of sixteen-inch thornssoḷasaṅgulakaṇṭakaṁ burningādittaṁ blazingsampajjalitaṁ glowingsajotibhūtaṁ.
thereTattha they make climb upāropentipi they make climb downoropentipi.
theySo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā experiencevedeti, notna andca yettāva deathkālaṁ makekaroti untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

Immediately adjacent to the Hell of Burning Chaff is the vast Red Silk-Cotton Forest. It’s a league high, full of sixteen-inch thorns, burning, blazing, and glowing. And there they make them climb up and down. And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

of thatTassa indeedkho butpana, monksbhikkhave, of the Red Silk-Cotton Forestsimbalivanassa immediately adjacentsamanantarā immediately adjacentsahitameva vastmahantaṁ Sword-Leaf Forestasipattavanaṁ.
theySo theretattha enterpavisati.
itsTassa blown by the windvāteritāni leavespattāni fallenpatitāni and the handhatthampi cutchindanti, and the footpādampi cutchindanti, and both hands and feethatthapādampi cutchindanti, and the earkaṇṇampi cutchindanti, and the nosenāsampi cutchindanti, and both ears and nosekaṇṇanāsampi cutchindanti.
theySo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā they feelvedeti, notna butca yettāva deathkālaṁ they makekaroti as long asyāva notna thattaṁ bad deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

Immediately adjacent to the Red Silk-Cotton Forest is the vast Sword-Leaf Forest. They enter that. There the fallen leaves blown by the wind cut their hands, feet, both hands and feet; they cut their ears, nose, both ears and nose. And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

of thatTassa indeedkho andpana, monksbhikkhave, of the sword-leaf forestasipattavanassa immediately adjacentsamanantarā continuous itselfsahitameva vastmahatī acid-waterkhārodakā rivernadī.
heSo theretattha fallspatati.
heSo theretattha downstream tooanusotampi is sweptvuyhati, upstream toopaṭisotampi is sweptvuyhati, downstream-upstream tooanusotapaṭisotampi is sweptvuyhati.
heSo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā he feelsvedeti, notna andca as long astāva deathkālaṁ he makeskaroti untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

Immediately adjacent to the Sword-Leaf Forest is the vast Acid River. And that’s where they fall. There they are swept upstream, swept downstream, and swept both up and down stream. And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

himTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wardens of hellnirayapālā with a hookbalisena having pulled outuddharitvā on solid groundthale having placedpatiṭṭhāpetvā they said thusevamāhaṁsu:
hey‘ambho manpurisa, whatkiṁ do you wanticchasī’ti?
heSo says thusevamāha:
I am hungry‘jighacchitosmi, sirbhante’ti.
himTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wardens of hellnirayapālā with a hottattena with an iron spikeayosaṅkunā mouthmukhaṁ having openedvivaritvā burningādittena blazingsampajjalitena glowingsajotibhūtena red-hottattaṁ copper balllohaguḷaṁ into the mouthmukhe they shove inpakkhipanti burningādittaṁ blazingsampajjalitaṁ glowingsajotibhūtaṁ.
itSo of that onetassa lips toooṭṭhampi burnsdahati, mouth toomukhampi burnsdahati, throat tookaṇṭhampi burnsdahati, stomach toourampi burnsdahati, intestines tooantampi entrails tooantaguṇampi having takenādāya from belowadhobhāgā comes outnikkhamati.
heSo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā he feelsvedeti, notna andca yettāva deathkālaṁ he doeskaroti untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

The wardens of hell pull them out with a hook and place them on solid ground, and say, ‘My man, what do you want?’ They say, ‘I’m hungry, sir.’ The wardens of hell force open their mouth with a hot iron spike—burning, blazing, and glowing—and shove in a red-hot copper ball, burning, blazing, and glowing. It burns their lips, mouth, tongue, throat, and stomach before coming out below dragging their entrails. And there they feel painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

himTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wardens of hellnirayapālā they saidevamāhaṁsu:
my man‘ambho manpurisa, what?kiṁ do you want?icchasī’ti?
heSo he saidevamāha:
I am thirsty‘pipāsitosmi, sirbhante’ti.
himTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wardens of hellnirayapālā with hottattena with an iron spikeayosaṅkunā mouthmukhaṁ having forced openvivaritvā burningādittena blazingsampajjalitena glowingsajotibhūtena moltentattaṁ coppertambalohaṁ into the mouthmukhe pourāsiñcanti burningādittaṁ blazingsampajjalitaṁ glowingsajotibhūtaṁ.
itTaṁ of himtassa the lips toooṭṭhampi burnsdahati, the mouth toomukhampi burnsdahati, the throat tookaṇṭhampi burnsdahati, the chest toourampi burnsdahati, the stomach tooantampi the entrails tooantaguṇampi takingādāya from belowadhobhāgā comes outnikkhamati.
heSo theretattha painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā feelsvedeti, notna butca as yettāva deathkālaṁ makeskaroti, untilyāva notna thattaṁ bad deedpāpakammaṁ is eliminatedbyantīhoti.

The wardens of hell say, ‘My man, what do you want?’ They say, ‘I’m thirsty, sir.’ The wardens of hell force open their mouth with a hot iron spike—burning, blazing, and glowing—and pour in molten copper, burning, blazing, and glowing. It burns their lips, mouth, tongue, throat, and stomach before coming out below dragging their entrails. And there they feel painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

themTamenaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wardens of hellnirayapālā againpuna in the Great Hellmahāniraye toss backpakkhipanti.

The wardens of hell toss them back in the Great Hell.

once upon a timeBhūtapubbaṁ, monksbhikkhave, of Yamayamassa kingrañño this occurredetadahosi:
those who‘ye indeedkira, sirbho, in the worldloke badpāpakāni unwholesomeakusalāni deedskammāni dokaronti theyte suchevarūpā variousvividhā punishmentskammakāraṇā are inflictedkarīyanti.
ohAho indeed Ivatāhaṁ human statemanussattaṁ may I obtainlabheyyaṁ. a Realized OneTathāgato andca in the worldloke may ariseuppajjeyya a perfected onearahaṁ a fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho. and that ITañcāhaṁ the Buddhabhagavantaṁ may pay homage topayirupāseyyaṁ.
heSo andca to meme the Buddhabhagavā Dhammadhammaṁ may teachdeseyya. of thatTassa and Icāhaṁ of the Buddhabhagavato Dhammadhammaṁ may I understandājāneyyan’ti.

Once upon a time, King Yama thought: ‘Those who do such bad deeds in the world receive these many different punishments. Oh, I hope I may be reborn as a human being! And that a Realized One—a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha—arises in the world! And that I may pay homage to the Buddha! Let that Buddha teach me Dhamma, so that I may understand his teaching!’

thatTaṁ indeedkho and now Ipanāhaṁ, monksbhikkhave, of anothernāññassa ascetic'ssamaṇassa orvā brahmin'sbrāhmaṇassa orvā having heardsutvā I sayvadāmi, butapi andca only thatyadeva for myselfsāmaṁ knownñātaṁ for myselfsāmaṁ seendiṭṭhaṁ for myselfsāmaṁ realizedviditaṁ that only Itadevāhaṁ sayvadāmī”ti.

Now, I don’t say this because I’ve heard it from some other ascetic or brahmin. I only say it because I’ve known, seen, and realized it for myself.”

this he saidIdamavoca the Blessed Onebhagavā.
thisIdaṁ having saidvatvāna the Holy Onesugato then furtherathāparaṁ this he saidetadavoca the Teacher:satthā:
warned“Coditā by the gods' messengersdevadūtehi,
whoye are negligentpamajjanti sons of Manumāṇavā;
theyTe for a long timedīgharattaṁ sorrowsocanti,
gone to a wretched placehīnakāyūpagā peoplenarā.
whoYe andca indeedkho by the gods' messengersdevadūtehi,
goodsanto true personssappurisā hereidha;
warnedCoditā are not negligentnappamajjanti,
in the teaching of the Noble Oneariyadhamme everkudācanaṁ.
in graspingUpādāne dangerbhayaṁ having seendisvā,
the origin of birth and deathjātimaraṇasambhave;
unattachedAnupādā are freedvimuccanti,
with the ending of birth and deathjātimaraṇasaṅkhaye.
theyTe come to a safe placekhemappattā happysukhino,
quenched in this very lifediṭṭhadhammābhinibbutā;
gone beyond all enmities and fearsSabbaverabhayātītā,
all sufferingsabbadukkhaṁ they have risen aboveupaccagun”ti.
The Discourse on the Gods' MessengersDevadūtasuttaṁ is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ the tenthdasamaṁ.
The Chapter on VoidnessSuññatavaggo is finishedniṭṭhito the thirdtatiyo.

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say: “When warned by the gods’ messengers, those sons of Manu who are negligent sorrow for a long time when they go to that wretched place. When warned by the gods’ messengers, the good and true persons here never neglect the teaching of the Noble One. Seeing the danger in grasping, the origin of birth and death, the unattached are freed with the ending of birth and death. Happy, they’ve come to a safe place, quenched in this very life. They’ve gone beyond all enmities and fears, and risen above all suffering.”

this is its summaryTassuddānaṁ
twofold isDvidhāva emptinesssuññatā ishoti,
abounding in wonderful thingsAbbhutadhammabākulaṁ;
named AciravatabhūmiAciravatabhūmijanāmo,
Anuruddha and the defilementsAnuruddhupakkilesaṁ;
the fool and the wise manBālapaṇḍito and the messengers of the godsdevadūtañca thesete tendasāti.

This is its summary: twofold is emptiness, abounding in wonderful things; named Aciravatabhūmi, Anuruddha and the defilements; the fool and the wise man, and the messengers of the gods — these are the ten.

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