經律異相 50.15

50.15

灰河地獄者。長二百由旬。廣十二由旬。下有利刀岸上劍樹。滿中猛火廣十二丈。復有融灰以覆火上。厚四十丈。以偷盜父母師長善友兄弟姊妹。如是癡人無有慚愧。不識恩養不從師教。此人罪報命欲終時。氣滿心腹喘息不續。即作是念。我心如泥氣滿胸中。得一微火爆我身者不亦快乎。獄卒應念化作妻子。手擎火鑪微灰覆上。至罪人所。罪人歡喜。氣絕命終生灰河中。諸劍樹間有一羅剎。手執利劍欲來傷害是人恐怖走入灰河。舉足下足刀傷其脚。劍樹雨刀從毛孔入。羅剎以叉叉出其心。躄地悶死尋復還活。一日一夜五百億生五百億死。飢渴逼故張口欲食。劍樹雨刀從舌頭入。擗腹裂胸悶絕而死。由前世聞法僧名故。罪畢之後得生人中。貧窮下賤。覺世非常出家學道。時世無佛成辟支佛。世若有佛成阿羅漢。

As for the Hell of the River of Ashes: It is two hundred yojanas long and twelve yojanas wide. Below are sharp blades, and on the banks are sword trees. It is filled with fierce fires twelve zhang across, and molten ashes cover the fire to a depth of forty zhang. Because they stole from their parents, teachers, elders, good friends, brothers, and sisters—such foolish people having no shame or remorse, not recognizing the care of those who raised them, and not obeying their teachers' instructions—when the retribution for such persons' sins arrives and their lives are about to end, breath fills their hearts and bellies and their respiration ceases to continue. They then form this thought: 'My heart is like mud, and breath fills my chest. If I could get a little fire to warm and dry my body, would that not be pleasant?' In response to their thought, the hell wardens transform into wives and children holding fire braziers covered with a little ash, and come to the sinner's place. The sinner rejoices. When his breath ceases and his life ends, he is born in the River of Ashes. Between the sword trees there is a rākṣasa holding a sharp sword who approaches to harm him. The person, terrified, runs into the River of Ashes; lifting and lowering his feet, the blades wound his feet. The sword trees rain down blades that enter through his pores. The rākṣasa forks out his heart with a pitchfork; he collapses to the ground and dies in agony, but immediately revives. In a single day and night, he is born five hundred billion times and dies five hundred billion times. Pressed by hunger and thirst, he opens his mouth wishing to eat; the sword trees rain blades that enter through the tip of his tongue, splitting his belly and ripping his chest, so that he faints and dies. Because in a past life he heard the names of the Dharma and Saṅgha, after his penalty is finished he manages to be born among humans, poor and lowly. Perceiving that the world is impermanent, he leaves home to practice the Path. When there is no Buddha in the world, he becomes a pratyekabuddha; if there is a Buddha in the world, he becomes an arhat.