經律異相 50

English (machine translation) 50

Language: English

50.1

Compiled by the Liang śramaṇas Sengmin, Baochang, and others

1. Experiencing various forms of suffering in the Avīci Hell / 2. Eighteen small hells each surrounded by eighteen hells surrounding Avīci / 3. Setting forth the causes and demonstrating the forms of suffering of the sixty-four hells / 4. Demonstrating the forms of experiencing suffering in the five great hells

50.3

1. Experiencing various forms of suffering in the Avīci Hell

50.4

The Avīci Hell (in the Liang language, 'unobstructed', also called 'incessant', or 'fierce fire entering the heart') is exactly eight thousand yojanas in length and breadth. It has seven layers of iron walls and seven tiers of iron nets. Below, there are eighteen compartments, encircled in seven folds, all of which are forests of knives. There are further seven folds of forests of swords. At the four corners are four great copper dogs, forty yojanas wide and long; their eyes are like flashing lightning, their fangs like sword-trees, their teeth like mountains of knives, their tongues like iron thorns. All the hair on their bodies burns with fierce fire, its smoke foul and stench-ridden. There are eighteen hell wardens whose mouths resemble yakṣas, their sixty-four eyes scattering iron pellets; their dog-like fangs protrude upwards four yojanas high, and streams of fire from the tips of their fangs scorch and boil iron carts. Fire bursts from the wheel-rims, and sharp-bladed swords and halberds burn the city of Avīci so that it is red like molten copper. The wardens have eight heads and sixty horns; fires burn at the tips of their horns, and the fire transforms into copper, and again into knife-wheels, which in succession amid the blazing flames fill the city of Avīci. Inside the city are seven iron banners; fire wells up like boiling liquid iron, and molten iron spurts out of the four gates. Above, there are eighteen cauldrons, overflowing with boiling copper to fill the city. Between two compartments are eighty-four thousand great iron pythons, spitting venom into the fire, filling the interior of the city with their bodies; their roaring is like heavenly thunder, raining down five hundred great iron pellets. Furthermore, five hundred billion worms, each with eighty-four thousand beaks from whose tips streams of fire pour like rain, fill the city of Avīci. When these worms descend, fierce fire flares intensely, illuminating eighty-four thousand yojanas above the hell, surging against the great ocean and Mount Wojiao, piercing straight through down to the bottom of the ocean like axle-trees dripping. If anyone kills their father, harms their mother, or curses and reviles their six close kin, at the time of their death the copper dogs transform into eighteen carts, shaped like jewelled canopies; all the flames transform into jade maidens. Seeing them from afar, the sinners are pleased at heart and wish to go thither. When the wind-knives dismember them, freezing cold in their distress makes them lose their voices; they wish only to obtain good fire and be comfortably placed on the cart to warm themselves by the fire. Immediately upon dying, they sit in the golden carts and gaze at the jade maidens, but all [the maidens] take iron axes and hack their bodies to pieces. In the time it takes to bend or extend an arm, they fall straight into Avīci. From the upper compartment, like a whirling wheel of fire, they reach the lower compartment, their bodies filling the compartment. The copper dogs roar loudly, biting bones and sucking marrow. The rākṣasa hell wardens take great axes to chop them, and use pitchforks to spear their necks and make them stand up, their entire bodies engulfed in flames filling the Avīci Hell. King Yama declares with a loud voice: 'Foolish men, seed of hell! When you were in the world, you were unfilial to your parents and perverse, arrogant, and without principle. The place where you are born now is called the Avīci Hell!' The wardens again take them from the lower compartment up to the upper compartment, passing through eighty-four thousand compartments, their suspended bodies passing through all the way to the border of the iron net. A single day and night is sixty small kalpas in Jambudvīpa, lasting for an entire great kalpa. Those who commit the five heinous crimes, at the point of death, eighteen wind-knives like iron fire-carts dismember and hack their bodies. Because they are oppressed by the heat, they make this thought: 'If I could obtain beautiful flowers and cool, great trees to play beneath, would that not be delightful?' When they make this thought, eighty-four thousand evil forests of swords transform into jewelled trees, their flowers and fruits lush and arrayed before them; the intensely hot flames transform into lotus blossoms. The sinners, swifter than torrential rain, sit upon the lotus blossoms. The iron-beaked worms arise from the fiery blossoms, boring through their bones and entering their bodies, writhing about. All the sword-branches shave away their flesh and bones; boundless forests of knives descend from above; and the eighteen painful matters such as fire-carts and burning coals all arrive at once to greet them. When this appearance manifests, they sink into the earth. From the lower compartment their bodies spread out like blooming flowers, filling the lower compartment, while the fire below blazes fiercely. Reaching the upper compartment, their bodies fill it; because the burning distress is acute, their eyes open wide and their tongues protrude. Tens of billions of [streams of] molten copper and hundreds of thousands of knife-wheels descend from the sky, entering at the neck and exiting at the feet. All these painful matters exceed what was described above by hundreds of thousands of times. Those who have committed all five heinous crimes suffer punishment for five kalpas. Furthermore, there are sentient beings who violate the four grave prohibitions, vainly consume the offerings of the faithful, slander [the Dharma] with false views, do not recognise cause and effect, sever the study of prajñā, defame the Buddhas of the ten directions, steal the property of the Saṅgha, act lustfully without principle, violate pure-precepted nuns, sisters, and female relatives, and commit all manner of evil deeds. As the karmic retribution of such people, at the point of death, wind-knives dismember their bodies; they toss and turn on their beds without rest, as though being flogged. Their minds are wildly disordered and they give rise to mad and foolish thoughts, seeing their own chambers, men and women, young and old, as nothing but impure things, with feces, urine, and foul stenches overflowing outside. The rākṣasa wardens lift them up on great iron forks. The Avīci Hell and the various forests of knives transform into jewelled trees and cool ponds; the flames transform into golden-leaved lotuses; the various iron-beaked worms transform into ducks and geese; and the sounds of bitter pain seem like melodious songs. When the sinners hear this, they think: 'I shall sport therein.' Sitting upon the fire-lotuses, the various creatures vie to tear them apart; dogs eat their hearts. In an instant, their bodies, like iron flowers, fill the eighteen compartments. These sinners undergo eighty-four thousand great kalpas, and then re-enter the eighteen compartments in the eastern direction, suffering pain as before; and so too in the south, west, and north. Those who slander the Vaipulya sūtras, commit all five heinous crimes, destroy the Saṅgha, defile bhikṣuṇīs, sever all wholesome roots, and possess all manner of sins fill the Avīci Hell with their bodies, and their four limbs also fill the eighteen compartments. This Avīci Hell burns only such sentient beings who are the seed of hell. When the kalpa is about to end, the eastern gate opens; outside the eastern gate, clear springs, flowing water, and forests of flowering and fruiting trees all appear at once. When these sinners see from the lower compartment that the bright fire has temporarily subsided, they rise from the lower compartment, crawling on their bellies and slithering along, scrambling upward until they reach the upper compartment. Their hands clutch the knife-wheels; meanwhile, hot iron pellets rain down from the sky. They run toward the eastern gate, and once they reach the threshold, the rākṣasa hell wardens take iron pitchforks in hand and stab them straight through the eyes; iron dogs gnaw their hearts, and they swoon and die. The south, west, and north gates are also like this, lasting for half a kalpa.

50.5

2. Eighteen small hells each surrounded by eighteen hells surrounding Avīci

50.6

The Avīci Hell has eighteen small hells. Each of the small hells has eighteen cold hells, eighteen darkness hells, eighteen small heat hells, eighteen knife-wheel hells, eighteen sword-wheel hells, eighteen fire-cart hells, eighteen boiling excrement hells, eighteen boiling cauldron hells, eighteen ash river hells, five hundred billion sword forest hells, five hundred billion thorn forest hells, five hundred billion copper pillar hells, five hundred billion iron machine hells, five hundred billion iron wheel-rim hells, eighteen iron cavern hells, eighteen iron pellet hells, eighteen sharp stone hells, and eighteen drinking molten copper hells—so many hells of this kind. Dying in the Avīci Hell, one is born in the cold ice; dying in the cold ice hell, one is born in a place of darkness, where for eighty million years the eyes see nothing, taking the body of a great worm, crawling on one's belly and writhing, with all faculties blocked and benighted, to be eaten by foxes and wolves. Later, one is born among animals, taking the forms of birds and beasts for fifty million lifetimes. Returning to birth among humans, one's six sense faculties are incomplete, and one is impoverished and base. After passing through five hundred lifetimes, one is born as a hungry ghost. Afterwards, one meets a good friend (kalyāṇamitra) and generates the bodhicitta.

50.7

Regarding the Eighteen Cold Hells: there are ice mountains in the eight directions, with eighteen compartments per mountain. There are also eighteen small ice mountains. Between the cold ice mountains it is like earthen lotus flowers, eighteen yojanas high. Above are ice wheels, exactly twelve yojanas in length and breadth, falling from the sky like falling hail. [Those who] robbed, plundered, stripped, and froze sentient beings to death—when the karmic retribution of such persons brings them near death, all knife-winds turn into searing fire. The sinner thinks, 'Why do I not now lie upon the ice?' When they form this thought, the hell-warden rākṣasas, holding ice wheels in their hands, tread upon the void and arrive. Having seen them, the sinner feels affection and longing for them. Their breath ceases, their life ends, and they are born upon the ice mountains. Once born, the eighteen ice mountains seem as if fanned with fans; all the cold ice enters through their pores. Among the eighteen compartments, they fill one compartment completely. They split, tear, and burst open like red lotus flowers. The ice wheels, above and below, completely cover their body. The ice mountains of the eight directions collapse together all at once. Without any other words, [the sinner] can only say, 'A-la!' At that time, the sinner there thinks: 'When shall I be free of cold ice and be born into searing fire?' At that time, there are iron-beaked birds in the sky that vomit fire to break the ice and peck at their brain. The sinner then dies. The hell-wardens again strike the ground with iron tridents, shouting, 'Live, live!' At the sound, [the sinner] immediately revives. The fire on their body rages fiercely, and they wish to obtain the previous ice to extinguish this fire. The hell-wardens again welcome them with ice wheels and place them into the hell. In this way, there is none of the eighteen compartments they do not pass through. The lifespan and years of this cold hell are equal to eighty million years by the sun and moon of the Cāturmahārājakāyika heaven. When the punishment is completed, they are reborn below into poverty, baseness, and ugliness. For fifty lifetimes they are slaves to others; their clothes do not cover their forms, and their food does not fill their mouths. When this punishment is completed, they meet a good friend and arouse the bodhicitta.

50.8

Regarding the Dark Hell: there are eighteen tiers of dark mountains, eighteen tiers of dark nets, eighteen tiers of iron beds, and eighteen tiers of iron curtains. Each mountain is eighty-four thousand yojanas high, and each curtain is also eighty-four thousand yojanas thick. Between each curtain are eighteen tiers of Iron Enclosure Mountains, where rākṣasas are as numerous as a forest. These mountains are somber and dark. [Those who] stole the lamps and lights of the Buddha and the Saṅgha; stole from parents, teachers, and elders; slandered those who preach the Dharma; also reviled worldly debate masters and the like; and showed no respect for the noble and base, feeling no shame or remorse—because of these sins, when they are about to die, lightning flashes swiftly and ceaselessly before their eyes. They immediately think: 'What sin have I committed to constantly see this fire?' They immediately close both eyes, not wishing to see it. When they are about to die, the hell-warden rākṣasas lift up great iron beds and spread great iron wheels, arriving through the sky like a great flock of clouds, formless yet with sound. The sinner wishes to go there, and at the end of life, they sit upon the iron bed and fall into the dark place. Knife-wheels, above and below, sever and slice their body. There are great iron crows with long and sharp beaks and claws that fly down from the mountains to tear at the sinners. Pressed by urgent pain, they run swiftly seeking light but find none. Caltrops beneath their feet pierce through their bones to the marrow. Flustered and terrified in this way, they pass five million billion years, with days and months as before. That person's head strikes the dark mountains; their brains flow and their eyes pop out. The hell-warden rākṣasas spear their eye sockets with iron tridents and reset them. When their punishment is completed, they then emerge and become poor people, squint-eyed, blind, and unable to see in darkness, or driven away by people with leprosy. Such karmic retribution lasts for five hundred lifetimes. After this has passed, they meet a good friend and arouse the bodhicitta.

50.9

Regarding the Eighteen Minor Hot Hells: like the Avīci hell, they also have seven tiers of walls and seven tiers of iron rims, adorned with immeasurable evils. Because of not following the teacher's instructions, giving rise to an evil and rebellious mind, failing to recognize nurture and kindness, stealing from the teacher, harming the teacher, defiling the teacher's pure food, sitting on the teacher's bed and seat, taking the teacher's almsbowl and concealing it in impurity, committing various evil deeds, and giving poison to the teacher to drink; or if śramaṇas or brāhmaṇas commit various unlawful acts without shame or remorse, stripping images, destroying stūpas, plundering Dharma treasures, or killing uncles, parents, brothers, and sisters—when they are about to die, eighteen hell-wardens each use iron tridents to lift them and place them into a compartment of the hell. It is like a great jeweled canopy raining fine mist; the raindrops are like flowers, and searing distress enters their heart. Seeing the rain as cool, they think: 'May I sit beneath the sheltering canopy; would it not be joyful if the cool rain sprinkled upon me?' Their breath ceases, their life ends, and in an instant they sit atop a forest of swords. There are tens of billions of sword blades, and all the blades emit fire, burning and piercing their body. The jeweled canopy in the air turns into a wheel of fire, which falls directly from above to cleave their skull, shattering their body into thousands of pieces. From above, copper pellets rain down, entering through their pores. The hell-warden rākṣasas pierce the sinner's eyes with great iron tridents, or pierce their heart with iron arrows, so that they faint and die. In a moment they revive and sit upon a bed of swords, and a fierce hurricane blows them down into the hell. At that time, King Yama declares: 'Hell-spawn, you committed numerous evils, killing your teacher and slandering your teacher. The place where you are now born is called Tongue-Pulling Avīci. In this hell you shall pass three kalpas.' Having spoken these words, he immediately vanishes.

50.10

Regarding the Knife-Wheel Hell: there are knife mountains on four sides. Between the mountains, knives are piled like wheels. There are eight hundred million billion extremely large knife-wheels, descending in sequence like falling raindrops. Because of delighting in afflicting others and killing sentient beings, at the time of death, suffering from the disease of reverse qi and with a heart as hard as stone, they make this wish: 'Would it not be delightful to obtain a sharp knife to scrape away these ailments?' At that time, the hell-warden carries a knife-wheel on his head, concealing it so that it is not visible. Arriving at the sinner's place, he speaks with humble and courteous words: 'I have a sharp knife capable of cutting away severe illness.' The sinner is delighted and thinks to himself: 'Only this brings joy.' Their breath ceases, their life ends, and they are born atop the knife-wheel. Like a drunk elephant running, they fall between the knife mountains. At that time, the four mountains close together simultaneously. The four kinds of knife mountains cut and carve their body; unable to endure it, they faint and die. The hell-warden rākṣasas drive and urge the sinner, making them climb the knife mountain to reach the summit. Knives wound from beneath the feet up to the heart. Out of fear of the hell-wardens, they crawl upward. Having reached the mountain summit, the hell-wardens hold tree switches in their hands. Before they die, iron dogs bite their heart, inflicting hundreds of kinds of painful poisons. Iron worms gnaw and eat, devouring all their flesh. Soon [the wardens] again cry out, 'Live!' With iron wheels attached to their feet, they fall from the void. In one day and one night, they are born sixty billion times and die sixty billion times. Such [punishment] is manifold, lasting for eighty million years of the Cāturmahārājakāyika lifespan. When their sin is exhausted, they emerge and fall among animals, serving to feed the mouths of the multitude for five hundred lifetimes. For another five hundred lifetimes they take on lowly and base forms. Later, they meet a good friend and arouse the bodhicitta.

50.11

Regarding the Sword-Wheel Hell: it is exactly fifty yojanas in length and breadth, entirely filled with sword trees. The quantity of trees is like rice, sesame, bamboo, and reeds. Each sword tree is forty yojanas high, with eighty-four thousand sword-wheels as leaves, eighty-four thousand sword-wheels as flowers, eighty-four thousand sword-wheels as fruits, and eighty-four thousand [streams of] boiling copper as branches. Because of delighting in killing without satiety, when such a sinner is on the verge of death, they contract a great fever and think: 'My body is now sometimes hot and sometimes cold; my whole body is stiff and hard, just like an iron anvil.' They then make a vow: 'If I obtain a vajra sword to cut away this ailment, the joy would be unspeakable.' At that time, the hell-warden transforms his body into the form of their parents or close friends, stands before the person, and tells them: 'I have a secret method matching what you desire, which I shall give to you.' The sinner says: 'Quickly, quickly, I wish to have it!' Their breath ceases, their life ends, and, like a galloping horse, they are born among the sword flowers. Immeasurable swords and knives scrape their bones and tear their flesh, shattering and falling into the void. There are also iron crows descending from the trees to gouge their eyes and peck their ears. A great rākṣasa holds an iron axe in his hand, splits their head, and extracts their brain. Iron dogs come and lick it. When they are dead, [the wardens] cry out, 'Live!' They drive them to climb the tree; before reaching the treetop, their body is shattered like dust. In one day and one night, their body is killed like dust, beyond reckoning. Because of the sin of killing people, they suffer such calamity for eighty trillion years, and are then born among animals. Their bodies constantly bear heavy loads, and upon dying their skin is flayed. After five hundred lifetimes, they are reborn among humans, poor, short-lived, sickly, and emaciated. After this has passed, they meet a good friend and arouse the bodhicitta.

50.12

Regarding the Fire-Cart Hell: each copper cauldron is exactly forty yojanas in length and breadth, filled with fire. Below are twelve wheels, and above are nine thousand four fire-wheels. There are sentient beings who, having become disciples of the Buddha, or serving Brahmā and the ninety-six heterodox ways, or being householders, deceitfully misled others, practiced wrong livelihood, and acted with flattery and deceit. When such a sinner is about to die, the wind element stirs first, and their body becomes cold as ice. They then think: 'When shall I obtain a great blaze of fierce fire? Sitting inside it would forever dispel this cold illness.' Having thought this, the hell-warden rākṣasa transforms into a fire-cart resembling a golden lotus flower. The hell-warden sits atop it in the image of a young boy, holding a white whisk, dancing and beating a drum as he arrives. The sinner develops attachment [and thinks]: 'If I sit atop this, the joy will be unspeakable.' Their breath ceases, their life ends, and they are carried upon the fire-cart. Their limbs and joints catch fire, and their body is scorched and falls apart. The hell-warden cries out, 'Live!' and at the sound they revive. The fire-cart runs over their body eighteen times, crushing their body like dust. From the sky rains boiling copper, sprinkling all over their body, and they immediately revive. Going back and forth like this, they go up to the edge of the boiling broth and fall down into the cauldron. Run over by the fire-cart, in one day and one night they die ninety billion times and are born ninety billion times. When this person's punishment is completed, they are born into a poor and base family, driven by others, bonded to others, and without autonomy. Only after paying off their gain and support for a long time do they attain release. Due to the merit of their former wholesome aspiration upon going forth, they meet a good friend who preaches the Dharma to them; their mind opens and understands, and they become an arhat.

50.13

Regarding the Boiling Excrement Hell: it is eighty yojanas [across], with eighteen iron cities. Each iron city has eighteen compartments. Within each compartment, on all four walls, there are tens of billions of sword trees. The ground is like knife blades, three feet thick. Upon the blades are hundreds of thousands of caltrops, beyond reckoning. Between each caltrop and sword tree, iron worms are born, immeasurable in number. Each iron worm has hundreds of thousands of heads; each head has hundreds of thousands of beaks; and the tip of each beak has hundreds of thousands of viper-worms. These viper-worms vomit hot excrement from their mouths, boiling like molten copper, filling the iron enclosure. Above are iron nets and iron crows. Because of breaking the eight precepts of the fast day; defiling śrāmaṇerīs or śikṣamāṇās; defiling the bhikṣu precepts or bhikṣuṇī precepts; defiling the upāsaka precepts or upāsikā precepts; and among these seven assemblies as well as all others, defiling the pure food of the Saṅgha or defiling the food of parents; stealing and eating beforehand, or handling it with impure hands; or monastery administrators, relying on their own authority, defiling the pure food of the Saṅgha; or disciples of the four assemblies sitting upon the beds of the Saṅgha with impure bodies; or committing sthūlātyaya offenses and failing to repent for a long time; or vainly consuming Saṅgha food, sitting among the Saṅgha assembly, and participating in poṣadha with the Saṅgha—when such numerous, immeasurably impure, and evilly karma-laden sinners are about to die, their whole body becomes fragrant, like musk, unbearable to be near. They then think: 'Where may I go so as not to smell this fragrance?' The hell-warden transforms his body like a painted vase filled with feces and filth, approaches the sinner's place, and touches them with his hand, causing that sinner's heart to give rise to attachment. Their breath ceases, their life ends, and they fall into the boiling excrement. Their body rots, and the multitude of worms bite and eat them, scraping their bones to the marrow. Urged by thirst, they drink the hot, boiling excrement. Viper-worms and maggots gnaw at the root of their tongue. In one day and one night, they are born ninety billion times and die ninety billion times. When their punishment is completed, they emerge and are born into a poor and base family, lacking autonomy. Even when born into the world, they constantly encounter evil kings and belong to masters of wrong views, with various evil matters pressing upon their bodies, and goiters, swellings, and malignant sores serving as their clothing. Due to the wholesome causes and conditions of hearing the Dharma in past lives, they meet a good friend, go forth to study the path, and become an arhat.

50.14

As for the Hell of the Eighteen Cauldrons of Boiling Liquid: There are eighteen cauldrons, each measuring exactly forty yojanas in length and breadth. Sevenfold iron nets are filled with boiling iron. Five hundred rākṣasas fan large stone coals to heat the copper cauldrons, the flames blazing continuously. For sixty days the fire cannot be extinguished. In Jambudvīpa time, it takes a full one hundred and twenty thousand years. The boiling broth in the cauldrons surges upward, turns into fire-wheels, and falls back into the cauldrons. Because they broke the Buddha's prohibitive precepts, killed living beings for sacrificial offerings, burned hills and wildernesses to eat meat, harming living beings, and ate beings alive or burned them with fire, when such sinners are about to die, their bodies and minds are distraught and troubled; they lose control of their bowels and urine without restraint; they become either as hot as boiling broth or as cold as ice. Then they form this thought: 'If I could obtain much warm water and enter it to bathe, would that not be delightful?' The warden rākṣasas transform into servants holding bath basins and arrive at the sinner's place. The sinner gives rise to affection and delight. When his breath ceases and his life ends, he is born in the boiling cauldron. He swiftly melts and rots away, with only bones remaining. Iron pitchforks hoist them out, and iron dogs devour them. Vomited out onto the ground, he immediately revives. The hell wardens drive and press him to enter the cauldron again. Because the iron cauldron is scorching hot, he climbs up the sword trees; his flesh and bones are cut and destroyed, and he drops back into the boiling cauldron. In a single day and night, he dies and is born as many times as the sands of the Ganges. When his penalty is finished, he is born as a pig, sheep, chicken, or dog; there is no place of short lifespans that he does not experience. Having undergone such bodily forms for eighty million years, after his life ends he is reborn among humans, where he receives two kinds of retributions: first, being sickly; second, having a short lifespan. After passing kalpas beyond reckoning, he meets a good spiritual friend, receives and upholds the five precepts, and practices the six perfections.

50.15

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.

50.16

As for the Hell of the Sword Forest: It spans eight thousand yojanas and is filled with sword trees. They have red-hot iron pellets as their fruit. The trees are twenty-four yojanas high. Because of being unfilial to parents, disrespectful to teachers and elders, committing evil karma of speech, lacking a mind of compassion and love, and attacking people with blades and staves, when [such a person] is about to die, his mind is like paste or glue, forming attachments everywhere. He then forms this thought: 'My mind is bound and attached, clinging to everything without letting go. Indulging in alcohol and craving sensuality, even when encountering suffering and disaster my mind still does not cease. If I could obtain a sharp blade to sever this craving!' In response to his voice, the hell wardens transform into attendants holding mirrors, who say: 'Your mind has much attachment; you may look into this mirror.' He sees the image of a sharp sword.

50.17

Thereupon he forms this thought: 'My body is frail and can no longer bear sensual matters. If I could obtain this sharp sword to sever my heart, would that not be pleasant?' As he forms this thought, his breath ceases, his life ends, and he receives the body of a hungry ghost. Amid the sword trees, iron pellets magically appear; entering his mouth from the crown of his head, they exit, scorching and rotting his intestines and stomach. The hell wardens strike and beat him, driving him to climb the trees. Iron-beaked insects devour him, and in fright he climbs the trees. Revolving in this manner, he passes through the entire sword forest. In a single day and night, there are eighty thousand deaths and births. After his penalty is finished, he is born into an era of famine and a kalpa of epidemics. He becomes a lowly person whose breath is perpetually foul and whom people hate to see. Later, he meets a good spiritual friend and gives rise to the bodhicitta.

50.18

As for the Hell of the Thorn Forest: It spans eight thousand yojanas and is filled with iron thorns. At the tip of each thorn there are twelve swords. Upon the trees there are also large, red-hot iron hooks. Because of harsh speech, divisive speech, frivolous speech, and unrighteous speech, joking without restraint, speaking falsely of right and wrong, speaking of the faults in the sūtras, and slandering masters of treatise and debate, when the retribution for such sins arrives and his life is about to end, his throat is parched and his tongue is dry. He then forms this thought: 'If I could obtain a sharp thorn to pierce my neck and draw blood, causing manifold streams of water to flow through my veins, would that not be pleasant?' The warden rākṣasas transform into his parents, holding a bright pearl in their hands; from the tip of the pearl thorns sprout, and they hold it toward his mouth as if water were about to drip. The sinner rejoices; his breath ceases and his life ends. In the time of a flash of lightning, he is born amid the thorn forest. The warden rākṣasas hold iron hooks in their hands and pull out his tongue. Eight thousand iron oxen with large iron plows plow and tear his tongue apart. In a single day and night, there are six hundred deaths and births. After this has passed, he manages to be born among humans with narrow shoulders, a wrinkled face, and a stutter in his speech. Such a sinner's body develops various sores, with pus and blood overflowing, and for five hundred lifetimes he is loathed by people. After this has passed, although he speaks, people do not believe or accept it. Meeting a good spiritual friend, he gives rise to the bodhicitta.

50.19

As for the Hell of the Copper Pillar: There is a forest of copper pillars like a mountain of fire, six hundred yojanas high. Below are fierce fires; atop the fires are iron beds, and upon them are blade-wheels. Interspersed are iron-beaked insects and iron-billed crows. Because of greed and delusion growing profuse, and tainted craving for impurity, practicing impure karma at improper places and improper times—or even if there are bhikṣuṇīs, brāhmaṇas, and other practitioners of the brahma-conduct who violate the impure dharma at improper times and in improper places, extending to all who commit sexual misconduct—when such sinners are about to die, their entire bodies bend backward and stiffen, trembling and shuddering unstably. They then form this thought: 'If I could obtain a solid, large pillar of copper or iron, I could bind this body so that it does not shake.' In response to the moment, the hell wardens transform into servants holding iron staves and go to the sinner's place, saying: 'Elder, now your body is rigid and all other things are weak; you may grasp this staff.' His mind immediately rejoices; his breath ceases and his life ends. In the time it takes to raise a staff, he is born atop a copper pillar. Fierce flames blaze, burning his body. Frightened, he looks down and sees atop an iron bed a shapely woman—or if it is a woman, she sees a handsome man. Giving rise to affectionate craving, they throw themselves down from the copper pillar to the ground. The copper pillar pierces the body, an iron net wraps the neck, and iron-beaked insects devour the torso. Falling onto the iron bed, fire arises simultaneously from the six sense faculties of both man and woman. There are iron-beaked insects that enter through the eyes and exit through the male and female organs. If one has defiled the precepts, there are separately nine hundred million small insects, like maggots, with twelve beaks; fire shoots from the tips of their beaks as they gnaw and eat the body. In a single day and night, there are nine hundred billion births and nine hundred billion deaths. Emerging, he takes the bodies of doves and pigeons for five hundred lifetimes; he is then born among nāgas for five hundred lives; afterward, he is born among humans without sex organs, with both sex organs, or with indeterminate organs, as a eunuch for five hundred lifetimes. Even if he manages to become a human, his wife is not chaste and good, his children are not filial and affectionate, and his male and female slaves do not obey him. After this has passed, he meets a good spiritual friend and gives rise to the bodhicitta.

50.20

As for the Hell of the Iron Engine: There is an iron bed, measuring exactly four hundred yojanas in length and breadth. Arranged upon it are trigger mechanisms, and between the trigger mechanisms there are ten thousand billion iron crossbows. At the stock ends of the iron crossbows are one hundred billion sharp blades. Because of lustful desire being unfilial to parents, disrespectful to teachers and elders, failing to follow wholesome teachings, and killing living beings, when this person dies, his body trembles and shakes, and fluids flow from his six orifices. Seeing his own bed as like cotton wool, [he thinks]: 'If I could get a firm and cool place to lie down, would that not be pleasant?' The warden rākṣasas lift a bed on pitchforks, [spread with] fire-melting rugs, and go to the sinner's place. Rejoicing, he wishes to lie down; his breath ceases and his life ends, and he is born atop the iron engine. Ten thousand billion iron trigger mechanisms are moved from below, and the iron triggers rise up incalculably. The iron crossbows are all drawn at once, each shooting two iron arrows into the sinner's heart. In a single day and night, there are six hundred billion deaths and births. Afterward, he is born among animals for five hundred lifetimes, and then is reborn in the human realm, poor, lowly, and ordered about by others, frequently falling into penal prisons and constantly suffering beatings. Later, he meets a good spiritual friend and gives rise to the bodhicitta.

50.21

As for the Hell of the Iron Net: There are eighty-nine layers of iron netting. Between each net are one hundred billion iron needles, and on each iron needle are set five release mechanisms. Because of a depraved mind of crooked flattery and enchanting people with sorcery, harboring slander and malice in the heart, with evil thoughts day and night, when [such a person] is about to die, his body itches. He then forms this thought: 'If I could get a bundle of needles to prick and pierce me, would that not be pleasant?' When he forms this thought, a hell warden transforms into a skilled physician holding sharp needles and calling out: 'I cure diseases!' The sinner's heart rejoices; his breath ceases and his life ends, and he is born amid the iron nets. Crawling down through them, all the mechanisms move, and countless needles shoot into his pores. Tossing and turning amid the iron nets in this way, he dies and is born as in a kṣaṇa. When his penalty is finished, he emerges to be born in borderlands where there is no Buddhadharma, nor does he hear wholesome worldly speech, let alone the true Dharma. Although born among humans, he is subsumed under the three evil destinies. Later, when he meets a good spiritual friend, although he gets to hear the Dharma, his mind does not comprehend it.

50.22

As for the Hell of the Iron Cavern: It is the supreme method of suffering among the hungry ghosts. There is an iron mountain, measuring exactly twenty-five yojanas in length and breadth. On the mountain there are further five million billion large, red-hot iron pellets, each round iron pellet measuring exactly thirteen yojanas across. Amid the mountain there are also hundreds of thousands of swords and blades. At that time, a small hole opens on the eastern side of that mountain, the size of a Magadhan drona, emitting only black smoke. Because of stinginess and craving, binding attachments, and a mind like adamantine, seeking only for gain without satiety, giving nothing to parents, wives, or children, viewing the instructions of teachers and elders as filth, and giving no food or clothing to slaves, relatives, or friends—such a stingy person does not reflect on impermanence, but protects his wealth as he would his own eyes. When his life is about to end, his sense organs close up, his mouth is shut and he cannot speak, and he silently thinks in his heart: 'After I die, these evil people will consume my wealth like eating iron pellets and reside in my cavern dwelling as if in a dark room.' Having formed this thought, the hell warden transforms into a stingy man who collects much wealth and burns it with fire. The sinner's heart rejoices; his breath ceases and his life ends, and he is born on the fire mountain, as if inside an iron cavern cast of molten copper. Sword-insects and blade-insects devour his torso; smoke blurs his eyes so that he cannot see the flames. Running back and forth, he smashes his head against the iron mountain. Iron pellets penetrate from the crown of his head through his feet; he dies and is born in an instant. When his penalty is finished, he emerges to be born among hungry ghosts, his body tens of yojanas tall, his throat like a needle-case, and his belly like a great mountain. Seeking food everywhere, molten copper is poured down his throat for eight thousand years. He is born among ghosts that eat pus, saliva, and blood, and is further born as an outhouse deity, a pig, a dog, and the like. When his penalty is finished, he is finally born in a poor, lowly place without clothing or food. Meeting a good spiritual friend, he gives rise to the bodhicitta.

50.23

The Iron Pellets Hell: eighty yojanas across, entirely filled with an iron city. It has eighty-eight compartments, and in each compartment are five knife-mountains covering them above. Below there are eighteen great, evil iron snakes, all spitting iron swords whose tips blaze with fire. Because someone slandered and disparaged giving, saying that giving brings no retribution, urged others to hoard and accumulate, and told kings, great ministers, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and all the multitude that giving has no cause and no fruit of retribution, when this person approaches death, their neck stiffens and their pulse contracts. They turn away without speaking, dislike seeing people, lie down with downcast gaze, and think only in their mind: 'If the wealth and treasures I have accumulated could stay with me, it would be unutterably delightful!' At that time, a hell warden transforms into their wife holding a red-hot iron pellet, transformed into a precious vessel before the person, and says: 'I will die with you, entwined together, never to part.' When breath ceases and life ends, they are born inside the iron city, running frantically east and west. The iron snakes disgorge venom and coil around their body, the joints of their limbs blazing with fire. They then think: 'Would that the heavens take pity on me and pour down sweet rain!' In response to their thought, there immediately rains down massive, red-hot iron pellets, entering through the neck and coming out through the feet. When their punishment is finished, they are born as a poor, destitute, solitary, deaf-mute person, for a number of years as described for the Iron Cave. When they meet a good friend, they give rise to the bodhicitta.

50.24

The Sharp Stones Hell: there are twenty-five stone mountains. On each stone mountain are eight pools of water, and in each pool of water are five poisonous dragons. If monks, nuns, novice monks, novice nuns, śikṣamāṇās, upāsakas, upāsikās, or followers of the ninety-five kinds of brahmacārin teachings break minor precepts, remain unrepentant for a long time, and lack remorse in their minds, then when life is about to end, the qi beneath their hearts swells, their abdomens distend like drums, they choke and vomit their food and drink, and cannot swallow water or gruel. They then think: 'If I could get a sharp stone to plug my throat, wouldn't that be wonderful?' At that time, a hell warden transforms into a skilled physician, plucks a sharp stone, makes it into a large medicinal pellet, places it in their mouth, and tells them: 'Close your mouth.' Joy arises in their mind; when breath ceases and life ends, they are born among the stone mountains. Innumerable sharp stones enter through their back and exit through their chest. The hell warden again uses an iron fork to pry open their mouth and stuff stones inside. In a single day and night they experience sixty billion rebirths. This is the retribution in their current rebirth. When life here ends, they fall into the Black Rope Hell. The Black Rope Hell has eight hundred iron chains and eight hundred iron mountains. High iron pillars are erected with chains tied at both ends. The hell wardens rush and press them, forcing them to run upon the burning iron ropes; unable to endure it, they fall down into boiling caldrons. Scrambling to rise in desperate thirst, they drink molten iron and swallow stones as they run. In a single day and night they undergo this suffering ten thousand times. When their punishment is finished, they are reborn in the human world as a servant. Meeting a good friend who explains the true Dharma to them, they attain arhatship.

50.25

The Drinking Molten Copper Hell: there are one thousand two hundred kinds of variegated copper carts, and on each copper cart are six thousand copper pellets. Because of stinginess, greed, jealousy, wrong views, and evil talk, refusing to give to parents, wife, children, relatives, and all others, giving rise to stinginess and jealousy in their mind, so that seeing others obtain gain is like an arrow piercing their heart—when such sinners are about to die, they suffer much illness, emaciation, delirium, and sleep-talking. At that time, a hell warden transforms into a copper cart laden with fruit and comes to the sinner's place. Having obtained it, they rejoice and think: 'Obtaining these delicious fruits completely suits my wish!' When breath ceases and life ends, they are born upon the copper cart, and soon go to be born among copper mountains. The copper carts twist their necks, and the hell wardens pry open their mouths with pincers, forcing them to drink molten copper. Fainting and dazed, they collapse to the ground crying, 'Hungry! Hungry!' Immediately the hell wardens tear their mouths open and place copper and iron pellets in their mouths. They swallow eighteen pellets; joint by joint they blaze with fire as they run east and west. After seven days they finally die. The hell wardens cry out: 'In your former life, you flattered, held wrong views, and were stingy, greedy, and jealous; for this reason you receive the retribution of iron pellets. Or you once left the household life, violated minor precepts, went long without repenting, and uselessly consumed the gifts of the faithful; for this reason you eat iron pellets.' This person's retribution lasts for hundreds of millions of years without knowing water or grain. When their punishment is finished, they return to birth among humans, and for five hundred lives their speech will be stammering and indistinct, unable to express themselves. Due to past habituation, after eating they chew clods of earth. After this passes, they meet a good friend and give rise to the bodhicitta (Extracted from Fascicle 5 of the *Sūtra on the Samādhi of the Contemplation of the Buddha*).

50.26

Section 3: The Sixty-Four Hells, Citing the Causes and Revealing the Aspects of Suffering

50.27

First is called Trampling: formerly one trampled people to death, now one is devoured by hell demons for two hundred years.

50.28

Second is called Knife Mountain: formerly one killed sentient beings, now one undergoes punishment for two hundred years. Third is called Scrutiny: with an angry mind one cursed people, calling them birds and beasts; for five hundred years an iron pestle smashes their mouth. When punishment is finished, they are born with a human head and a bird's body, their mouth constantly uttering words of guilt.

50.29

Fourth is called Embracing Knives and Swords: one personally violated the precept against sexual misconduct and also violated those who observe the precepts. Fifth is called Boiling Sand: formerly one covered sentient beings with hot ashes.

50.30

Sixth is called Boiling Well: the well water constantly boils; with an evil mind one threw impure things into a well; when the punishment is finished, for a hundred years they become a frog in a well. Seventh is called Stove Window: hell wardens thrust people headfirst into a stove window; in life, this woman looked at her own shadow and clothes to seduce other men. Eighth is called Mute Demon: the hell constantly burns their tongue with heated iron irons; in life, when their parents and teachers called them, they did not answer; after two hundred years, they are reborn as a mute person. Ninth is called Hot Ashes: seven hundred leagues filled with hot ashes; in life, this person aroused lustful desires, approached a chaste woman to spend the night, but in the end did not succeed; they suffer punishment for two hundred years, and in a later life suffer from sores and terror. Tenth is called Boiling Excrement: thirty thousand leagues filled with feces and urine, into which people are driven; formerly, when gifted fine food, they angrily said it was like eating filth; they undergo punishment for five hundred years and become pigs.

50.31

Eleventh is called Swollen and Stinking: two thousand five hundred leagues in length and breadth, filled with pus and blood; in life, this person entered a sage's room with an unwholesome mind, broke wind, and discharged filth; they suffer punishment for two hundred and forty years, and are later born among poor and lowly people, their bodies constantly stinking. Twelfth is called Impurity: one thousand leagues in length and breadth, filled with mucus and saliva; with a haughty mind and unwashed hands, one rubbed incense to make offerings to the Great Sage; when later born among humans, they are constantly arrogant. Thirteenth is called Impurity: six hundred leagues of pus; in life, while eating, there were rat droppings and dog food that were impure, which they threw into pure food; they undergo punishment for two hundred years and are born as dogs. Fourteenth is called Black Ears: constantly pitch-dark; in life, with an unwholesome mind one obstructed the Buddha's light; they suffer punishment for seven hundred years. Fifteenth is [a hell] forty thousand leagues in length and breadth: constantly hacked, shot at, beaten, scraped, and ground down by pestles; in life, this person committed the five heinous crimes; undergoing punishment readily lasts for several kalpas, or if passing through various hells, there is also a kalpa count of ten thousand years. Sixteenth is called Mutual Killing: wife kills husband, husband kills wife, mother kills child, child kills mother; in the past this person killed another's parents, as well as the parents and children of sentient beings; when born among humans, their parents, children, and grandchildren all die young. Seventeenth is called Hacking the Body: constantly hacked by hell demons; because formerly they hacked sentient beings; in a later life they are prone to facing government officials and lawsuits. Eighteenth is called Fire Cart: this person similarly burned and killed sentient beings; in a later life they are burned. Nineteenth is called Ignorance of the Dharma: filled with foolish people who heard the sound of the gaṇḍī and lay down with arrogant minds; later they are born in the borderlands. Twentieth is called Iron Griddle: because they fried shrimps and crabs; in a later life their lifespan is short.

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經律異相 — Classical Chinese