法苑珠林 7.8

7.8

問曰。云何名地獄耶。答曰。依立世阿毘曇論云。梵名泥犁耶。以無戲樂故。又無喜樂故。又無行出故。又無福德故。又因不除離惡業故。故於中生。復說。此道於欲界中最為下劣。名曰非道。因是事故。故說。地獄名泥犁耶。如婆沙論中。名不自在。謂彼罪人為獄卒阿傍之所拘制不得自在。故名地獄。亦名不可愛樂。故名地獄。又地者底也。謂下底。萬物之中地最在下。故名為底也。獄者局也。謂拘局不得自在。故名地獄。又名泥黎者梵音。此名無有。謂彼獄中無有義利。故名無有也。問曰。地獄多種。或在地下。或處地上。或居虛空。何故並名地獄。答曰。舊翻地獄名狹處。局不攝地空。今依新翻經論。梵本正音名那落迦。或云捺落迦。此總攝人處苦盡。故名捺落迦。故新婆沙論云。問何故彼趣名捺落迦。答彼諸有情無悅無愛無味無利無喜樂。故名那落迦。或有說者。由彼先時造作增長增上暴惡身語意惡行往彼令彼相續。故名捺落迦。有說。彼趣以顛墜。故名捺落迦。如有頌言。

Question: Why are they called 'hells'? Answer: According to the *Lokasthitābhidharma-śāstra*, the Sanskrit name is *niraya*. It is so called because there is no sport or amusement; because there is no joy or pleasure; because there is no leaving or escaping; because there is no merit; and because it is born into due to not abandoning evil karma. It is also said: among the desire realm, this destiny is the most inferior and is called the non-path. For these reasons, hell is called *niraya*. As stated in the *Vibhāṣā-śāstra*, it is named 'unfree,' meaning that the sinners are restrained by the hell-wardens (*apāma*) and cannot be free, hence the name 'hell'; it is also named 'unlovely and unpleasant,' hence 'hell.' Furthermore, *di* (earth) means bottom, referring to the lowest depth; among the ten thousand things, earth is at the very bottom, hence it is called 'bottom.' *Yu* (prison) means confinement, referring to being restrained and unable to be free, hence it is called 'earth-prison' (hell). Moreover, the name *nili* is a Sanskrit sound, which here means 'non-existent,' meaning that in that hell there is no beneficial purpose, hence it is called 'non-existent.' Question: There are many kinds of hells—some under the earth, some on the earth, and some in empty space; why are they all called 'earth-prisons' (hells)? Answer: In the old translations, the name 'earth-prison' was narrow in scope and confined in location, not encompassing those on earth or in space. Now, according to the newly translated sūtras and treatises, the correct sound of the Sanskrit text is *naraka*, or *nāraka*. This comprehensively includes all places and states of suffering, and is thus called *nāraka*. Hence the *New Vibhāṣā* states: 'Question: Why is that destiny called *nāraka*? Answer: Those sentient beings have no joy, no love, no savor, no benefit, and no joy or pleasure; therefore it is called *naraka*. Some say: because they formerly created, increased, and intensified exceedingly fierce evil bodily, vocal, and mental actions, going there and causing them to continue, it is called *nāraka*. Some say: because in that destiny they fall headlong, it is called *nāraka*.' As a verse says: