法苑珠林 7.6

7.6

夫論地獄幽酸。特為痛切。刀林聳日劍嶺參天。沸鑊騰波炎爐起焰。鐵城晝掩銅柱夜然。如此之中罪人遍滿。周慞困苦悲號叫喚。牛頭惡眼獄卒凶牙。長叉柱肋肝心碓擣。猛火逼身肌膚淨盡。或復舂頭擣脚煮魄烹魂。裂膽抽腸屠身膾肉。如斯之苦。何可言念。於是沈浮鑊湯之裏。偃仰鑪炭之中。肉盡戈劍之端。骨碎枯形之側。鐵床之上詎可安眠。銅柱之間何宜久附。眼中帶火啼淚不垂。口裏含煙。叫聲難出。如此之處猶為輕者。所以寒氷之內儻遇溫風。炭火之中若蒙涼氣。便為歡樂即復欣然。脫在阿鼻稟形始奇。酸楚鐵牆。縱廣八萬由旬。爆聲震駭臭煙蓬勃。如魚在𨫼脂血焦然。間無暫樂觸緣皆苦。動轉不得纏縛甚嚴。東西交過上下通徹。此間劫燒徙寄他方。他方劫盡還歸此處。如是展轉經無量劫。願令修福悉皆懺悔。當願鑊湯清淨變作華池。鑪炭𣱦氳化成香蓋。危昂劍樹即是瓊林。蓊欝刀山真如鷲嶺。銅柱變色永竪法幢。鐵網改形方開淨土。牛頭擲刃更受三歸。獄卒棄鞭還持五戒。怨家和解。寧有帶忿之容。債主喜歡。人無含瞋之色。亡頭失首之客。藉此完全。粉骨糜筋之士。因茲平復也。

Now, when discussing the dark anguish of the hells, it is singularly agonizing and poignant. Forests of knives tower toward the sun; peaks of swords pierce the sky. Boiling cauldrons surge with waves; blazing furnaces send up flames. Iron cities are barred by day; copper pillars burn by night. In such places, sinners are everywhere replete, agitated and distressed, crying out and wailing in sorrow. Hell-wardens with ox-heads and evil eyes bear ferocious teeth; long pitchforks prop up ribs, and livers and hearts are pounded in mortars. Fierce fires press against bodies, leaving flesh and skin thoroughly consumed; or again, heads are pounded and feet smashed, souls boiled and spirits cooked; gallbladders ripped and intestines drawn out, bodies butchered and flesh minced. How can such suffering be described or conceived? Thereupon they sink and float within boiling soup, or recline amid glowing coals. Flesh is stripped clean on the tips of halberds and swords; bones are crushed beside withered forms. How could one sleep peacefully upon an iron bed? How could one long adhere to a copper pillar? With fire carried in their eyes, tears cannot fall; with smoke held in their mouths, cries can hardly come forth. Such places are still among the lighter ones! Therefore, if amid cold ice one should happen to encounter a warm breeze, or amid coal fires should receive a cool breeze, that would count as joyous and cause for delight. But if one should happen to receive a body in Avīci, it is singular indeed: an agonizing iron wall eighty thousand yojanas across and long, explosive sounds that shock and terrify, stinking smoke billowing up. Like fish in an iron pan, fat and blood are scorched dry; within, there is not a moment of pleasure, for every condition encountered brings suffering. One cannot move or turn, bound exceedingly tight; traversing east to west, penetrating top to bottom. When this realm is burned by the fire of a kalpa, they are transferred to another world; when the kalpa in that other world ends, they return to this place. Circling around like this, they pass through immeasurable kalpas. We pray that they may cultivate merit and all repent; we pray that the boiling soup will become clear and transform into a lotus pond, the glowing coals turn fragrant and become a perfumed canopy, the lofty sword-trees become forests of gems, the luxuriant knife-mountains become Vulture Peak itself. May the copper pillars change color and forever stand as Dharma banners; may the iron nets alter their form to open up a Pure Land. May the ox-headed wardens throw down their blades and receive the Three Refuges; may the hell-wardens cast away their whips and keep the Five Precepts. May enemies be reconciled, showing no trace of anger; may creditors be joyful, harboring no look of wrath. May visitors who lost their heads be made whole through this; may men whose bones and sinews were pulverized be restored to wholeness thereby!