Niraya Vagga — The Chapter on Hell

Verse 306

This verse was spoken to the monks concerning Sundarī the female wanderer, who was used as a tool to slander the Blessed One.

The Buddha pointed out the harm of musāvāda (false speech): two kinds of people — one who delights in speaking falsehood, and one who does evil and then denies it, saying "I did not do it" — both alike accumulate evil kamma. When they leave this world, they share an equal destination in the next life, falling together into hell.

The lesson is that covering up one's wrong with a lie does not erase the kamma; it only heaps another layer of sin upon it. The wise therefore keep their speech truthful and admit the truth, rather than using falsehood to mask their misdeeds.

Verse 307

This verse was spoken to the monks concerning beings tormented by suffering in hell as the result of their evil deeds.

The meaning is that even though the ochre robe wound about the neck is a mark of a recluse, if within one is a person of evil nature, unrestrained in body, speech, and mind, one will not escape hell. For what truly protects a person is conduct, not merely the outward garb.

The lesson is that a uniform or a status is no guarantee of goodness. One who wears the yellow robe should guard the mind, and not let lack of restraint turn this exalted station into a mere shell wrapped around sin.

Verse 308

This verse was spoken concerning the monks dwelling on the bank of the Vaggumudā River, who praised one another as having attained special qualities so that the villagers would offer them food in a time of famine.

The Buddha compared: to swallow a red-hot iron ball glowing like a flame is still better than for an immoral, unrestrained monk to eat food that villagers offer out of faith. For the red-hot iron ball brings suffering only in this life, whereas consuming what is given in faith while lacking virtue leads to hell for many hundreds of lives.

The lesson is that the four requisites offered by devotees carry an immense weight of gratitude. The recipient should have virtue worthy of their faith, or else the offering becomes a debt that must be repaid far into the future.

Verse 309

This verse was spoken to Khema, a merchant’s son, who was in the habit of consorting with the wives of others.

The Buddha set forth the four conditions, causes of suffering, that a heedless philanderer must undergo: acquiring demerit, gaining a wretched destination hereafter, gaining only a small and fearful pleasure, and receiving punishment — all arising from transgressing against another man’s wife.

The lesson is that sensual pleasure gained through breaking the precept gives little happiness but is exchanged for enormous suffering. One who is heedful therefore abstains entirely from wronging another’s spouse, so as not to fall into these four conditions.

Verse 310

This verse was spoken to Khema, a merchant’s son, who was fond of consorting with the wives of others, continuing from the previous verse.

The Buddha laid bare the harm of adultery: one gains demerit, gains a wretched destination hereafter, the pleasure of a man and woman who both tremble in fear is but scant, and one suffers heavy punishment from the king. For these reasons a man should not consort with another’s wife.

The lesson is that a relationship that must be hidden in fear has no true happiness; it brings both danger in this life and suffering in the next. The wise therefore keep their faithfulness in matters of sensuality.

Verse 311

This verse was spoken to an unruly monk who practiced slackly and would not heed admonishment.

The Buddha compared it to kusa grass: if grasped clumsily, it will cut the hand and wound it — just so, the life of a recluse practiced badly and carelessly will drag that person down into hell.

The lesson is that although the state of the ordained is noble, if handled carelessly and slack toward the training rules, it becomes a danger to oneself. One who is ordained must therefore conduct oneself with care, like grasping kusa grass in the right way, so as not to be cut.

Verse 312

This verse was spoken to the unruly monk, continuing from the previous story.

The Buddha pointed out that three things are not of great fruit: a slack deed done half-heartedly, a defiled observance practiced with a blemish, and a holy life that must be recalled with misgiving about one’s own purity. For work done without full willingness and effort yields only a meager result.

The lesson is that goodness done in a perfunctory way brings only slight benefit. One who desires abundant fruit should therefore do everything — especially the practice of the Dhamma — purely and to the full, not slackly, so as not to be left in doubt afterward.

Verse 313

This verse was spoken to the unruly monk, who was slack in the duties of a recluse.

The Buddha taught that if one is to do a deed, one should do that deed earnestly and firmly, striving with energy. For the recluse’s practice carried out slackly only scatters dust — that is, defilements such as lust — back upon the practitioner all the more.

The lesson is that practicing the Dhamma half-heartedly not only makes no progress but also opens the way for defilements to swirl back and overwhelm the mind. One who hopes for purity should therefore set to work with resolve, do it to the full, and not let it grow slack.

Verse 314

This verse was spoken to a jealous woman and to the fourfold assembly, concerning the evil deed she did under the power of envy.

The Buddha pointed out that an evil deed is better left undone at all, for whenever it is called to mind it brings torment of heart afterward; whereas a good deed should be done promptly, for whenever it is recalled it gladdens the heart, with no torment to follow.

The lesson is that the deeds we do become memories that stay with the mind for a long time. An evil deed leaves the scar of regret, while a good deed leaves the smile of joy. Before doing anything, then, one should ask one’s heart whether recalling it later will bring happiness or suffering.

Verse 315

This verse was spoken to the visiting monks who spent the rains-retreat in a frontier city.

The Buddha compared: just as a frontier city that would be safe must be guarded both within and without, so too should a monk guard himself, both body and mind, with care. And let not the good moment pass by, for one who lets the opportunity slip away will grieve, crowded together in hell.

Here the moment means an auspicious span of time that is hard to find, such as being born in an age when a Buddha has arisen, being born in a land where the Dhamma is present, gaining right view, and having one’s faculties complete.

The lesson is that a life furnished with the opportunity to practice the Dhamma is rare. Do not put things off; make haste to use this precious time to do good before it is too late.

Verse 316

This verse was spoken to the monks concerning the Nigaṇṭhas, who held the doctrine of going naked and had perverted views.

The Buddha pointed out that beings who are ashamed of what is not shameful and who, on the contrary, are not ashamed of what is shameful, are said to be established in wrong view — mistaken understanding — and go together to a wretched destination, because they set their sense of right and wrong upside down.

The lesson is that hiri, moral shame at evil, must be placed rightly: be ashamed of doing evil, not ashamed of what is blameless. One of right view therefore knows how to discern what should be shamed and what should not.

Verse 317

This verse was spoken to the monks concerning the Nigaṇṭhas, the sectarians of wrong view, continuing from the previous verse.

The Buddha showed that a being who sees what is not to be feared as fearful and sees what is to be feared as not fearful is said to hold to wrong view and goes to a wretched destination, because they place their fear in the wrong place — dreading the blameless while being bold toward what is dangerous.

The lesson is that fear is a reminder to avoid danger, but one must fear the right things: fear evil, fear the unwholesome. One of right view therefore dreads evil deeds, and does not dread what is not harmful.

Verse 318

This verse was spoken to the disciples of the sectarians, who clung to teachings outside the Buddha’s Dispensation.

The Buddha pointed out that a being who sees what is faultless as faulty and sees what is faulty as faultless is said to hold to wrong view and goes to a wretched destination, because they discern good and evil mistakenly, taking the wholesome to be unwholesome and seeing the unwholesome as harmless.

The lesson is that a distorted view is the root of all mistaken action. One who desires a good destination must therefore study diligently to know clearly, in accordance with truth, what is faulty and what is faultless, and not let the mind be led astray by wrong view.

Verse 319

This verse was spoken to the disciples of the sectarians, forming a pair with the previous verse and showing the opposite side.

The Buddha pointed out that a being who knows the faulty as faulty and knows the faultless as faultless, in accordance with truth, is said to hold to right view — correct understanding — and goes to a good destination, because they do not mistake right view for wrong view, nor see the teaching that supports right view as belonging to the wrong side.

The lesson is that right view is the starting point of the Middle Way. When one’s outlook is set correctly, one’s actions, speech, and thoughts follow rightly as well, leading life to a good destination both in this world and the next.