經律異相 49.38

49.38

無間大地獄。有十六小獄。各縱廣五百由旬。捉彼罪人剝取其皮從足至頂。即以其皮纏罪人身。著火車輪蹍熱鐵地。周行反覆身體碎爛。皮肉墮落萬毒並至故使不死。又有鐵城四面火起。東焰至西西焰至東。南北上下亦復如是。焰熾迴遑間無空處。東西馳走燒炙其身皮肉燋爛。苦痛辛酸萬毒並至。罪人在中久乃門開。其諸罪人奔走往趣。身諸枝節皆火焰出。走欲至門門自然閉。餘罪未畢故使不死。又其中罪人舉目所見但見惡色。耳聞惡聲鼻聞臭氣。身觸苦痛意念惡法。彈指之頃無不苦時。故名無間地獄。久受苦已命終。為重罪行生惡趣。乃至寒氷地獄。爾乃命終。為重罪行生惡趣業。墮無間獄罪不可稱名。八大地獄各有十六小地獄。

The great Avīci hell has sixteen minor hells, each five hundred yojanas in extent. Seizing those sinners, they strip off their skin from feet to crown, and immediately wrap the sinners' bodies with their own skin. Placing them on the wheels of fire-chariots, they roll over the hot iron ground, going back and forth all around so that their bodies are shattered and pulped, their skin and flesh drop away, and myriad afflictions arrive at once, yet it makes them not die. Furthermore, there is an iron city ablaze with fire on all four sides; the eastern flames reach to the west, the western flames reach to the east, and it is likewise for south, north, above, and below. The flames blaze and whirl about, leaving no empty space; dashing back and forth, it scorches their bodies so that skin and flesh are charred and rotted, in bitter pain and misery, with myriad afflictions arriving at once. When the sinners have been inside for a long time, the gate finally opens; those sinners scramble and run toward it, flames shooting forth from every joint of their bodies. As they run, about to reach the gate, the gate spontaneously shuts. Because their remaining retribution is not yet finished, it makes them not die. Furthermore, whatever the sinners therein raise their eyes to see, they see only foul forms; their ears hear only evil sounds, their noses smell only foul odours, their bodies touch only bitter pain, and their minds think only of evil phenomena; within the snap of a finger, there is no moment without suffering. Hence it is called the Avīci (Uninterrupted) hell. Having endured suffering for a long time, their life ends. One who performs heavy sinful deeds is born into the evil destinies, [transiting through these hells] up to the Cold Ice hell, only then does their life come to an end. For the karma of heavy sinful deeds born into the evil destinies, one falls into the Avīci hell, its retribution beyond reckoning. The eight great hells each have sixteen minor hells.