22. Nirayavaggo

22. Hell

306.

Abhūtavādī nirayaṃ upeti, yo vāpi [yo cāpi (sī. pī. ka.)] katvā na karomi cāha [na karomīti cāha (syā.)];

He goes to hell, the one who asserts what didn’t take place, as does the one who, having done, says, ‘I didn’t.’

Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti, nihīnakammā manujā parattha.

Both—low-acting people— there become equal: after death, in the world beyond.

307.

Kāsāvakaṇṭhā bahavo, pāpadhammā asaññatā;

An ochre robe tied ’round their necks, many with evil qualities —unrestrained, evil—

Pāpā pāpehi kammehi, nirayaṃ te upapajjare.

rearise, because of their evil acts, in hell.

308.

Seyyo ayoguḷo bhutto, tatto aggisikhūpamo;

Better to eat an iron ball —glowing, aflame—

Yañce bhuñjeyya dussīlo, raṭṭhapiṇḍamasaññato.

than that, unprincipled & unrestrained, you should eat the alms of the country.

309.

Cattāri ṭhānāni naro pamatto, āpajjati paradārūpasevī;

Four things befall the heedless man who lies down with the wife of another:

Apuññalābhaṃ na nikāmaseyyaṃ, nindaṃ tatīyaṃ nirayaṃ catutthaṃ.

a wealth of demerit; a lack of good sleep; third, censure; fourth, hell.

310.

Apuññalābho ca gatī ca pāpikā, bhītassa bhītāya ratī ca thokikā;

A wealth of demerit, an evil destination, & the brief delight of a fearful man with a fearful woman,

Rājā ca daṇḍaṃ garukaṃ paṇeti, tasmā naro paradāraṃ na seve.

& the king inflicts a harsh punishment. So no man should lie down with the wife of another.

311.

Kuso yathā duggahito, hatthamevānukantati;

Just as sharp-bladed grass, if wrongly held, wounds the very hand that holds it—

Sāmaññaṃ dupparāmaṭṭhaṃ, nirayāyupakaḍḍhati.

the contemplative life, if wrongly grasped, drags you down to hell.

312.

Yaṃ kiñci sithilaṃ kammaṃ, saṃkiliṭṭhañca yaṃ vataṃ;

Any slack act, or defiled observance,

Saṅkassaraṃ brahmacariyaṃ, na taṃ hoti mahapphalaṃ.

or fraudulent life of chastity bears no great fruit.

313.

Kayirā ce kayirāthenaṃ [kayirā naṃ (ka.)], daḷhamenaṃ parakkame;

If something’s to be done, then work at it firmly,

Sithilo hi paribbājo, bhiyyo ākirate rajaṃ.

for a slack going-forth kicks up all the more dust.

314.

Akataṃ dukkaṭaṃ seyyo, pacchā tappati dukkaṭaṃ;

It’s better to leave a misdeed undone. A misdeed burns you afterward.

Katañca sukataṃ seyyo, yaṃ katvā nānutappati.

Better that a good deed be done that, after you’ve done it, won’t make you burn.

315.

Nagaraṃ yathā paccantaṃ, guttaṃ santarabāhiraṃ;

Like a frontier fortress, guarded inside & out,

Evaṃ gopetha attānaṃ, khaṇo vo [khaṇo ve (sī. pī. ka.)] mā upaccagā;

guard yourself. Don’t let the moment pass by.

Khaṇātītā hi socanti, nirayamhi samappitā.

Those for whom the moment is past grieve, consigned to hell.

316.

Alajjitāye lajjanti, lajjitāye na lajjare;

Ashamed of what’s not shameful, not ashamed of what is,

Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti duggatiṃ.

beings adopting wrong views go to a bad destination.

317.

Abhaye bhayadassino, bhaye cābhayadassino;

Seeing danger where there is none, & no danger where there is,

Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti duggatiṃ.

beings adopting wrong views go to a bad destination.

318.

Avajje vajjamatino, vajje cāvajjadassino;

Imagining error where there is none, and no error where there is,

Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti duggatiṃ.

beings adopting wrong views go to a bad destination.

319.

Vajjañca vajjato ñatvā, avajjañca avajjato;

But knowing error as error, and non-error as non-,

Sammādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti suggatiṃ.

beings adopting right views go to a good destination.

Nirayavaggo dvāvīsatimo niṭṭhito.