經律異相 49.25

49.25

These are called the cold hells. Question: What are the hot hells? Answer: First, those with a tormentor; second, those with few tormentors; third, those without a tormentor. These three modes of governance are interrogation and torture. Those with a tormentor: first, Saṃjīva (Reviving); second, Rows (Cāra); third, Kālasūtra (Black Rope). In the Saṃjīva hell, hell wardens with sharp knives and axes butcher, flay, chop, and hack sinful sentient beings, like chopping the tips of grass. Their skin and flesh are hacked apart, but since the conditions of their sins are not yet exhausted, cold winds blow and they revive as before. Furthermore, due to their sinful deeds, iron claws grow on their hands, as sharp as knives; each conceives hatred and resentfully tears and slashes at one another, like cutting down bamboo and reeds. Hearing one another, they die with hearts full of resentment, and therefore are born herein. In the Kālasūtra hell, they pin the sinners to the ground, mark them with black carpenter's cords, and chop and hack them apart; because of chopping sentient beings, they are born in that hell.