Dhammapada Commentary ( Dhammapada Atthakatha )
Edited by
Bhikkhu Pesala
22 — Niraya Vagga
Hell
Liars Suffer in Hell
1. Abhūtavādī nirayaṃ upeti,
yo v’āpi
1 katvā na karomī c’āha
Ubho’pi te pecca samā bhavanti,
nihīnakammā manujā parattha.306
1. The speaker of untruth goes to hell, and also he who, having done
something, says, “I did not do it.” Both after death become equal, men of
base actions in the other world.
The Female Wanderer Sundarī
At that time the gain and honour lavished on the Buddha and his disciples
was like the great flood at the confluence of five great rivers. The followers of
other sects assembled and discussed what they could do to bring discredit to the
Buddha, and regain the honour and gains they had lost since the arising of the
Buddha in the world. They conspired with Sundarī, a beautiful female wanderer.
Every evening, when the people were returning from Jetavana after listening to
the Dhamma, she set out in the opposite direction wearing flowers and perfumes,
saying that she was going to stay with the recluse Gotama in the perfumed
chamber. In the morning, when the people were on their way to Jetavana to offer
alms, she returned having spent the night in another place, saying that she had
spent a wonderful night with the recluse Gotama. When this had gone on for a
few days, and gossip was starting to spread among the non-believers, the
followers of other sects hired some thugs and had Sundarī murdered and her
body thrown away on the heap of flowers left by the perfumed chamber. Saying
that she had disappeared, they found her and carried her body through the city
telling the people that the Buddha’s disciples had had her murdered to cover up
the recluse Gotama’s wrong doing. The non-believers started to abuse the monks,
but the Buddha told them to be patient, and just to recite the above verse in reply.
1
c’āpi
The king sent his men into the city to investigate, and they overheard the
thugs, who had become drunk, arguing about who had murdered Sundarī, and
who deserved the most money. They arrested the thugs, and took them to the
king’s court, where they confessed that they had been hired by the followers of
other sects. The ascetics were punished for the crime of murder, and the gain and
honour accorded to the Buddha and his disciples increased all the more.
Corrupt Monks Suffer in Hell
2. Kāsāvakaṇṭhā bahavo, pāpadhammā asaññatā
Pāpā pāpehi kammehi, nirayaṃ te upapajjare.307
2. Many with a yellow robe on their necks are of evil disposition and
uncontrolled. Evil-doers on account of their evil deeds are born in hell.
The Oppression of Evil Deeds
While descending from Vulture’s Peak, the Elder Moggallāna saw skeleton-
like ghosts all on fire. When he smiled at this sight, the Elder Lakkaṇa asked him
why he smiled. He told him to ask again later, in the presence of the Buddha.
The Buddha confirmed that he had also seen these ghosts, and related how in
the time of the Buddha Kassapa they had been corrupt monks, and were now still
suffering the consequences of their evil deeds, reciting the above verse.
Do Not Be Immoral
3. Seyyo ayoguḷo bhutto, tatto aggisikhūpamo
Yañce bhuñjeyya dussīlo, raṭṭhapiṇḍaṃ asaññato.308
3. Better to swallow a red-hot iron ball (which would consume one) like a
flame of fire, than to be an immoral and uncontrolled person feeding on
the alms offered by people.
The Vaggumudā Monks
This story is told in the Vinaya Piṭaka, regarding the fourth offence of defeat
for making false claims regarding superhuman attainments. The monks dwelling
on the banks of the river Vaggumudā in the country of the Vajjians, made false
claims about each other’s attainments during a time of food shortage, in order to
obtain more offerings. The devotees offered food to them, even though going
hungry themselves. When the monks came to pay respects to the Buddha after the
Rains Retreat, the Buddha inquired how they had fared for alms during the Rains,
and the truth came out. Rebuking the monks severely for telling lies regarding
superhuman attainments for the sake of their stomachs, the Buddha laid down
the fourth rule of defeat, and uttered the above verse.
Adultery Leads to Hell
4. Cattāri ṭhānāni naro pamatto,
āpajjati paradārūpasevī
Apuññalābhaṃ na nikāmaseyyaṃ,
nindaṃ tatiyaṃ nirayaṃ catutthaṃ.309
5. Apuññalābho ca gatī ca pāpikā,
bhītassa bhītāya ratī ca thokikā
Rājā ca daṇḍaṃ garukaṃ paṇeti,
tasmā naro paradāraṃ na seve.310
4. Four misfortunes befall a careless man who commits adultery:
acquisition of demerit, disturbed sleep, thirdly blame, and fourthly a
state of woe.
5. There is acquisition of demerit as well as evil destiny. Brief is the joy of
the frightened man and woman. The king imposes a heavy punishment.
Hence no man should frequent another’s wife.
Khema the Millionaire’s Son
A nephew of Anāthapiṇḍika, who was a handsome youth, committed adultery
as women were unable to resist his charms. Several times he was arrested, and
taken before the king, but each time he was released in deference to his wealthy
father. Finally the father took him to the Buddha and asked the Buddha to teach
him the Dhamma. The Buddha admonished the young man on the evil
consequences of adultery. On the conclusion of the above verse, Khema attain
Stream-winning. In a previous life, he had made a wish to be attractive to women
when honouring the shrine of the Buddha Kassapa. As a result, in this life he was
irresistible to women.
Corrupt Lives Entail Suffering
6. Kuso yathā duggahito, hattham evānukantati
Sāmaññaṃ dupparāmaṭṭhaṃ, nirayāyupakaḍḍhati.311
7. Yaṃ kiñci sithilaṃ kammaṃ, saṅkiliṭṭhañca yaṃ vataṃ
Saṅkassaraṃ brahmacariyaṃ, na taṃ hoti mahapphalaṃ.312
8. Kayirā ce kayirāthenaṃ, daḷham enaṃ parakkame
Sithilo hi paribbājo, bhiyyo ākirate rajaṃ.313
6. Just as kusa grass, wrongly grasped, cuts the hand,
even so the monkhood wrongly handled drags one to hell.
7. Any loose act, any corrupt practice, a life of dubious holiness —
none of these is of much fruit.
8. If anything should be done, let one do it, and promote it steadily,
for slack asceticism scatters dust all the more.
A Stubborn Monk
A certain monk thoughtlessly broke of a single blade of grass. When he spoke
about it to another monk to confess his offence, the other monk said it was of no
consequence, and deliberately committed a wrong act by pulling up a whole
clump of grass. When the Buddha was informed about it, he rebuked the stubborn
monk, with the above verses.
An Evil Deed is Better Not Done
9. Akataṃ dukkataṃ seyyo, pacchā tapati dukkataṃ
Katañca sukataṃ seyyo, yaṃ katvā n’ānutappati.314
9. An evil deed is better not done: a misdeed torments one hereafter. Better
it is to do a good deed, after doing which one does not grieve.
The Jealous Woman
A certain woman cut off the nose and ears of a maidservant with whom her
husband had misconducted himself, and locked her in a store-room. To hide her
misdeed, she said to her husband, “Let’s go to the monastery to listen to the
Dhamma.” When relatives came to the house and discovered the maidservant,
they released her, and while the husband and wife were listening to a sermon the
maid-servant came there and related the whole incident to the assembly. The
Buddha advised them all not to do any evil.
Guard Yourself Like A Fortified City
10. Nagaraṃ yathā paccantaṃ, guttaṃ santarabāhiraṃ
Evaṃ gopetha attānaṃ, khaṇo vo1 mā upaccagā
Khaṇātītā hi socanti, nirayamhi samappitā.315
10. Like a border city, guarded within and without, so guard yourself.
Do not let slip this opportunity, those who do grieve when reborn in a
woeful state.
A Frontier City
Some monks who spent the rains dependent for alms on a frontier city led a
life of discomfort after the city was attacked by bandits, because the people were
busy fortifying their city to protect themselves. When the monks reported the
matter to the Buddha, he advised them to fortify their minds.
Be Ashamed of What is Shameful
11. Alajjitāye lajjanti, lajjitāye na lajjare
Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti duggatiṃ.316
12. Abhaye ca bhayadassino, bhaye cābhayadassino
Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti duggatiṃ.317
11. Beings who are ashamed of what is not shameful, and are not ashamed
of what is shameful, embrace wrong views and go to a woeful state.
12. Beings who see fear in what is not to be feared, and see no fear in the
fearful, embrace false views and go to a woeful state.
The Naked Ascetics
Some monks remarked that the Nigaṇṭhas were better than the Acelaka
ascetics, as the former used a cloth in front that covered their private parts, while
the latter went entirely naked. The Nigaṇṭhas explained that they did so to keep
dust out of their almsbowl. Hearing their discussion, the Buddha uttered the
above verses. On the conclusion of the discourse many Nigaṇṭhas asked for the
going forth.
1
ve
Embrace Right Views
13. Avajje vajjamatino, vajje cāvajjadassino
Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti duggatiṃ.318
14. Vajjañca vajjato ñatvā, avajjañca avajjato
Sammādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti suggatiṃ.319
13. Beings who imagine faults in the faultless, and perceive no fault in the
faulty, embrace wrong views and go to a woeful state.
14. Beings knowing faults as faults and what is faultless as faultless,
embrace right views and go to a blissful state.
The Disciples of Non-believers
Some disciples who were non-believers, having seen their children playing
with the children of believers, called their children into the house, admonished
them not to pay respect to the recluse Gotama or his disciples, and made them
swear an oath not to visit their monastery.
One day as they were playing with the children of the Buddha’s followers they
felt thirsty. So the son of a lay follower was sent to get some water from the
monastery. This child mentioned the matter to the Buddha who advised him to
bring all the children to the monastery. After they had quenched their thirst the
Buddha preached the Dhamma to them and they became his followers. On
hearing about this the parents were at first displeased, but they were won round
by the believing parents, came to the Buddha and also became his followers.
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