經律異相 50.15

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.