諸經要集 18.12

18.12

As the New *Vibhāṣā-śāstra* says: Question: Where are the hells located? Answer: For the most part, they are beneath this Jambudvīpa. How are they arranged? Some say: Forty thousand yojanas down from this continent reaches the bottom of the Avīci Hell. The Avīci Hell is twenty thousand yojanas in length, breadth, height, and depth. In the nineteen thousand yojanas above it, the remaining seven hells are arranged. That is, above it is the Tapana Hell; above that is the Pratāpana Hell; above that is the Mahāraurava Hell; above that is the Raurava Hell; above that is the Saṃghāta Hell; above that is the Kālasūtra Hell; and above that is the Saṃjīva Hell. Each of these seven hells is ten thousand yojanas in length and breadth. In the remaining one thousand yojanas above them, five hundred yojanas are white clay, and five hundred yojanas are mud. Some say: Below this mud, the Avīci Hell is in the center, and the other seven hells surround it on all sides, just as villages surround a great city. Question: If so, how can the statement in the *Prajñapti-śāstra* be reconciled? It says that Jambudvīpa has a circumference of six thousand and three and a half yojanas, while each hell is vast in size. How could they fit beneath this continent? Answer: This continent of Jambudvīpa is narrow at the top and broad at the bottom, like a heap of grain, and therefore can accommodate them. Thus the sūtra says that the four great oceans gradually become deeper as one enters them. Moreover, each great hell has sixteen adjuncts [utsada]: that is, each has four gates, and outside each gate there are four adjuncts. The first is the fiery embers adjunct, meaning that within this adjunct fiery embers come up to the knees. The second is the corpse-filth adjunct, meaning that this adjunct is filled with the mud of corpse filth. The third is the razor-edge adjunct, meaning that within this adjunct there are further three kinds: first, the blade-edge road, where blades are laid face-up to form a path; second, the sword-leaf forest, where the leaves of this forest are entirely of sharp, saw-like sword blades; third, the iron-thorn forest, where the forest has sharp iron thorns sixteen finger-widths long. Although these three, such as the blade-edge road, differ, they are identical in being iron forests, and therefore this adjunct encompasses them. The fourth is the fierce great river, meaning that within this adjunct there are four great rivers of hot, saline water. Together with the base hell, these make seventeen [places]. Thus, the eight great hells together with their retinues comprise one hundred and thirty-six places. Therefore the sūtras say that there are one hundred and thirty-six narakas. Thus the *Dīrgha-āgama* says: The great hells are eight in total number. Each of the eight hells is surrounded by sixteen small hells, just as the four continents are surrounded by eighty thousand continents. Outside the eighty thousand continents there is further a great ocean, and outside the ocean there is further a great Vajra Mountain; outside this mountain there is yet another mountain, also named Vajra (*Loutan jing* calls them the Great Iron Enclosure Mountains). Between the two mountains, the majesty and radiance of the sun, moon, and heavenly deities do not shine at all. The eight great hells are: first, Saṃjīva (Thinking); second, Kālasūtra (Black Rope); third, Saṃghāta (Crushing); fourth, Raurava (Crying Out); fifth, Mahāraurava (Great Crying Out); sixth, Tapana (Burning); seventh, Pratāpana (Great Burning); eighth, Avīci (Uninterrupted). (The differences in names in the *Loutan jing* and other sūtras are due to translation inaccuracies, but the general meaning is entirely the same.) As for the sixteen [adjuncts] of the first, the Saṃjīva Hell: the sentient beings therein grow iron claws on their hands, and harboring mutual wrath and fury, they scratch one another with their claws; their flesh falls away at each strike, and they think they are dead, hence it is named 'Thinking'. Furthermore, the sentient beings therein harbor murderous intentions, grasping knives and swords in their hands to hack and pierce one another; flayed, sliced, and hacked into pieces, their bodies lie shattered on the ground. They think they are dead, but a cold wind blows and revives them, and they rise up again. They think to themselves: 'I am now revived!' After long suffering their punishments, they exit the Saṃjīva Hell, terrified and begging for pardon, when without realizing it they suddenly arrive at the Black Sand Hell. A hot gale violently arises, blowing hot black sand that strikes their bodies, burning through the skin and piercing the bone; flames surge up within their bodies, swirling all around them, and their bodies are burned and charred. Because their sin is not yet exhausted, they are caused not to die. After long suffering the pain, they exit the Black Sand Hell and arrive at the Boiling Excrement Hell. Boiling excrement and iron pellets naturally fill the space before them. The sinners are driven and forced to embrace the iron pellets, burning their bodies, hands, and feet; [the wardens] also force them to take them in their mouths, and passing from the throat down to the belly, they scorch and char everything as they pass through. There are iron-beaked worms that gnaw the flesh to the marrow, bringing immeasurable agony. Because their punishments are not yet exhausted, they again will not die. After long suffering the pain, they exit the Boiling Excrement Hell and arrive at the Iron Nail Hell. The hell wardens throw them onto hot iron, stretch out their bodies, and drive nails into their hands and feet, five hundred nails driven all over their bodies. In bitter agony they wail and moan, yet they do not die. After long suffering the pain, they exit the Iron Nail Hell and arrive at the Starvation Hell. They are immediately thrown onto hot iron, and molten copper is poured into their mouths; passing from the throat to the belly, it scorches and chars everything as it passes through. Because the remainder of their sin is not exhausted, they still do not die. After long suffering the pain, they exit the Starvation Hell and arrive at the Thirst Hell. They are immediately thrown onto hot iron, and iron pellets are put into their mouths, burning their lips and mouths; passing through to the lower body, everything is scorched and charred, and they weep in bitter agony. After long suffering the pain, they exit the Thirst Hell and arrive at the Single Copper Cauldron Hell. The hell wardens glare furiously, seize the sinners by their feet, and throw them upside down into the cauldron. Along with the boiling soup they surge, boil, and swirl up and down; their bodies break down and are cooked to mush, and all myriad sufferings arrive together, yet they are made not to die. After long suffering the pain, they exit the Single Copper Cauldron Hell and arrive at the Many Copper Cauldrons Hell. Seizing the sinners by their feet, they throw them upside down into the cauldrons; along with the boiling soup they surge, boil, and swirl up and down, their whole bodies rotting and breaking down. [The wardens] take them out with iron hooks and place them into other cauldrons; they cry out in grief and agonizing pain, yet they are caused not to die. After long suffering the pain, they exit the Many Copper Cauldrons Hell and arrive at the Stone Mill Hell. Seizing those sinners, they throw them onto hot stones, stretching out their hands and feet, and press great hot stones down upon their bodies, rotating and grinding them until bones and flesh are crushed to pulp. Through this acute and bitter pain they are caused not to die. After long suffering the pain, they exit the Stone Mill Hell and arrive at the Pus and Blood Hell. Pus and blood boil and surge; the sinners run back and forth within it, their bodies, heads, and faces scalded and rotting away. They are also made to take up the pus and blood and eat it, which burns all the way through, causing agony difficult to endure, yet they are made not to die. After long suffering the pain, they finally exit the Pus and Blood Hell and arrive at the Measuring Fire Hell. There is a great blaze of fierce fire; driving the sinners, [the wardens make them] hold hot iron measures in their hands to measure the blaze of fire, burning their bodies completely. In agonizing burning pain they groan and wail, yet they are made not to die. After long suffering the pain, they exit the Measuring Fire Hell and arrive at the Ash River Hell, five hundred yojanas in length, breadth, depth, and shallowness. The ash-water surges and boils, foul vapors billowing up, surging waves crashing against one another with terrifying sounds. From bottom to top, iron thorns cross every which way. On the banks of the river there is a sword-tree forest whose branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits are all knives and swords. When the sinners enter the river, they rise and fall, overturn and sink with the waves; iron thorns pierce their bodies inside and out, pus and blood flowing forth in myriad sorts of agony, yet they are made not to die. Finally exiting the Ash River and reaching the bank, they arrive at the sword-trees, which cut and pierce them, wounding and destroying their bodies. Furthermore, jackals and wolves come to bite the sinners and eat their raw flesh. When they run up the sword-trees, the sword blades point downwards; when they climb down the sword-trees, the sword blades point upwards. Grasping with hands, hands are severed; treading with feet, feet are severed; skin and flesh fall away, leaving only white bones held together by sinews and veins. At that time, upon the sword-trees, there are iron-beaked crows that peck their heads and eat their brains; they scream in bitter agony, yet they are caused not to die. They fall back into the Ash River and sink with the waves; iron thorns pierce their bodies with myriad agonies; their skin and flesh rot away and pus and blood flow forth, leaving only white bones floating on the surface. A cold wind blows and they immediately rise and stand again. Drawn by past retribution, without realizing it they suddenly arrive at the Iron Pellet Hell. There are hot iron pellets, and the hell ghosts drive them to grasp them and run; their hands and feet rot and break down, and their whole bodies burn with fire; myriad torments arrive together, yet they are made not to die. After long suffering the pain, they finally exit the Iron Pellet Hell and arrive at the Axe and Hatchet Hell. Seizing these sinners, [the wardens] throw them onto hot iron, and with hot iron axes and hatchets chop off their hands, feet, ears, noses, and bodies; screaming in bitter agony, they still do not die. After long suffering their punishments, they exit the Axe and Hatchet Hell and arrive at the Jackal and Wolf Hell. Packs of jackals and wolves contend to come and gnaw them; flesh falls away and bones are damaged, pus and blood flowing forth in myriad sorts of agony, yet they are made not to die. After long suffering the pain, they finally exit the Jackal and Wolf Hell and arrive at the Sword-Tree Hell. Entering that sword forest, a violent wind arises, blowing the sword leaves down upon their bodies; their heads, faces, and bodies are all wounded and mutilated. There are iron-beaked crows that peck out their two eyes; weeping and crying in agonizing pain, they are still caused not to die. After long suffering the pain, they finally exit the Sword-Tree Hell and arrive at the Cold Ice Hell. A great cold wind blows upon their bodies; their entire bodies suffer frostbite, and their skin and flesh fall away. Screaming in bitter agony, only then does their life end. One whose physical actions are unwholesome, and whose vocal and mental actions are likewise, falls into this Saṃjīva Hell, trembling with fear and hair standing on end.