1"Bhikkhus, there are these three divine messengers. [n.380] Mp: "The old person, the sick one, and the corpse are called ‘divine messengers’ (devadūta) because they inspire a sense of urgency, as if warning one: ‘Now you must go into the presence of death.’" What three?

"Here, bhikkhus, someone engages in misconduct by body, speech, and mind. In consequence, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell. There the wardens of hell grab him by both arms and show him to King Yama, [n.381] The legendary god of death and the judge of one's future destiny. saying: ‘This person, your majesty, did not behave properly toward his mother and father; he did not behave properly toward ascetics and brahmins; and he did not honor the elders of the family. May your majesty inflict due punishment on him!’

2(1) "Then King Yama questions, interrogates, and cross-examines him about the first divine messenger: ‘Good man, didn’t you see the first divine messenger that appeared among human beings?’ And he replies: ‘No, lord, I didn’t see him.’

3"Then King Yama says to him: ‘But, good man, didn’t you ever see among human beings a man or a woman, eighty, ninety or a hundred years of age, frail, bent like a roof bracket, crooked, wobbling as they go along leaning on a stick, ailing, youth gone, with broken teeth, with grey and scanty hair or bald, with wrinkled skin and blotched limbs?’ And the man replies: ‘Yes, lord, I have seen this.’

4"Then King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, didn’t it occur to you, an intelligent and mature person: "I too am subject to old age, I am not exempt from old age. Let me now do good by body, speech, and mind"?’ – ‘No, lord, I could not. I was heedless.’

5"Then King Yama says: ‘Through heedlessness, good man, you failed to do good by body, speech, or mind. Surely, they will treat you in a way that fits your heedlessness. That bad kamma of yours was not done by your mother or father, nor by your brother or sister, nor by your friends and companions, nor by your relatives and family members, nor by the deities, nor by ascetics and brahmins. Rather, you were the one who did that bad kamma, and you yourself will have to experience its result.’

6(2) "When King Yama has questioned, interrogated, and cross-examined him about the first divine messenger, he again questions, interrogates, and cross-examines him about the second divine messenger: ‘Good man, didn’t you see the second divine messenger that appeared among human beings?’ And he replies: ‘No, lord, I didn’t see him."

Then King Yama says to him: ‘But, good man, didn’t you ever see among human beings a man or a woman, sick, afflicted, gravely ill, lying in his own urine and excrement, having to be lifted up by some and put down by others?’ And he replies: ‘Yes, lord, I have seen this.’

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7"Then King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, didn’t it occur to you, an intelligent and mature person: "I too am subject to illness, I am not exempt from illness. Let me now do good by body, speech, and mind"?’ – ‘No, lord, I could not. I was heedless.’

8"Then King Yama says: ‘Through heedlessness, good man, you failed to do good by body, speech, or mind. Surely, they will treat you in a way that fits your heedlessness. That bad kamma of yours was not done by your mother or father, nor by your brother or sister, nor by your friends and companions, nor by your relatives and family members, nor by the deities, nor by ascetics and brahmins. Rather, you were the one who did that bad kamma, and you yourself will have to experience its result.’

9(3) "When King Yama has questioned, interrogated, and cross-examined him about the second divine messenger, he again questions, interrogates, and cross-examines him about the third divine messenger: ‘Good man, didn’t you see the third divine messenger that appeared among human beings?’ And he replies: ‘No, lord, I didn’t see him.’

10"Then King Yama says to him: ‘But, good man, didn’t you ever see among human beings a man or a woman, one, two, or three days dead, the corpse bloated, livid, and festering?’ And he replies: ‘Yes, lord, I have seen this.’

11"Then King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, didn’t it occur to you, an intelligent and mature person: "I too am subject to death, I am not exempt from death. Let me now do good by body, speech, and mind"?’ – ‘No, lord, I could not. I was heedless.’

12"Then King Yama says: ‘Through heedlessness, good man, you failed to do good by body, speech, or mind. Surely, they will treat you in a way that fits your heedlessness. That bad kamma of yours was not done by your mother or father, nor by your brother or sister, nor by your friends and companions, nor by your relatives and family members, nor by the deities, nor by ascetics and brahmins. Rather, you were the one who did that bad kamma, and you yourself will have to experience its result.’

13"When, bhikkhus, King Yama has questioned, interrogated, and cross-examined him about the third divine messenger, he falls silent. Then the wardens of hell torture him with the fivefold transfixing. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand and another red-hot iron stake through the other hand; they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot and another red-hot iron stake through the other foot; they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, [n.382] Reading with Ce dukkhā tibbā khaṭukā vedanā. Be and Ee add a fourth adjective, kharā. yet he does not die so long as that bad kamma is not exhausted.

"Next the wardens of hell throw him down and pare him with axes. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die so long as that bad kamma is not exhausted.

15Next the wardens of hell turn him upside down and pare him with adzes …. Next the wardens of hell harness him to a chariot and drive him back and forth across ground that is burning, blazing, and glowing …. Next the wardens of hell make him climb up and down a great mound of coals that are burning, blazing, and glowing …. Next the wardens of hell turn him upside down and plunge him into a red-hot copper cauldron that is burning, blazing, and glowing. He is cooked there in a swirl of foam. And as he is being cooked there in a swirl of foam, he is swept now up, now down, and now across. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die so long as that bad kamma is not exhausted.

" Next the wardens of hell throw him into the great hell. Now, bhikkhus, as to that great hell:

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16"It has four corners and four doors
and is divided into separate compartments;
it is surrounded by iron ramparts
and shut in with an iron roof.

17"Its floor as well is made of iron
and heated till it glows with fire.
The range is a full hundred yojanas
which it ever covers pervasively.

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18"Once, bhikkhus, in the past King Yama thought: ‘Those in the world who do evil deeds are punished with such diverse tortures. Oh, that I might attain the human state! That a Tathāgata, Arahant, Perfectly Enlightened One might arise in the world! That I might attend upon that Blessed One! That the Blessed One might teach me the Dhamma, and that I might come to understand his Dhamma!

" Bhikkhus, I am not repeating something that I heard from another ascetic or brahmin, but rather I am speaking about a matter that I have actually known, seen, and understood myself."

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19Though warned by the divine messengers,
those people who remain heedless
sorrow for a long time,
having fared on to a lower realm.

20But those good people here who,
when warned by the divine messengers,
never become heedless
in regard to the noble Dhamma;

21who, having seen the peril in clinging
as the origin of birth and death,
are liberated by non-clinging
in the extinction of birth and death:

22those happy ones have attained security; [n.383] I read with Ee te khemappattā sukhitā. Ce te khoppattā sukhitā and Be te appamattā sukhino are both faulty.
they have reached nibbāna in this very life.
Having overcome all enmity and peril,
they have transcended all suffering.

1"Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, devadūtāni. Katamāni tīṇi.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati. So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā nānābāhāsu gahetvā yamassa rañño dassenti: ‘ayaṁ, deva, puriso amatteyyo apetteyyo asāmañño abrahmañño, na kule jeṭṭhāpacāyī. Imassa devo daṇḍaṁ paṇetū’ti.

2Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā paṭhamaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjati samanugāhati samanubhāsati: ‘ambho, purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu paṭhamaṁ devadūtaṁ pātubhūtan’ti? So evamāha: ‘nāddasaṁ, bhante’ti.

3Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā āsītikaṁ vā nāvutikaṁ vā vassasatikaṁ vā jātiyā jiṇṇaṁ gopānasivaṅkaṁ bhoggaṁ daṇḍaparāyaṇaṁ pavedhamānaṁ gacchantaṁ āturaṁ gatayobbanaṁ khaṇḍadantaṁ palitakesaṁ vilūnaṁ khallitasiraṁ valitaṁ tilakāhatagattan’ti? So evamāha: ‘addasaṁ, bhante’ti.

4Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho, purisa, tassa te viññussa sato mahallakassa na etadahosi – ahampi khomhi jarādhammo jaraṁ anatīto, handāhaṁ kalyāṇaṁ karomi, kāyena vācāya manasā’ti? So evamāha: ‘nāsakkhissaṁ, bhante. Pamādassaṁ, bhante’ti.

5Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho, purisa, pamādatāya na kalyāṇamakāsi kāyena vācāya manasā. Taggha tvaṁ, ambho purisa, tathā karissanti yathā taṁ pamattaṁ. Taṁ kho pana te etaṁ pāpakammaṁ neva mātarā kataṁ, na pitarā kataṁ, na bhātarā kataṁ, na bhaginiyā kataṁ, na mittāmaccehi kataṁ, na ñātisālohitehi kataṁ, na devatāhi kataṁ, na samaṇabrāhmaṇehi kataṁ; atha kho tayāvetaṁ pāpakammaṁ kataṁ, tvaññevetassa vipākaṁ paṭisaṁvedissasī’ti. (1)

6Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā paṭhamaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjitvā samanugāhitvā samanubhāsitvā, dutiyaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjati samanugāhati samanubhāsati: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu dutiyaṁ devadūtaṁ pātubhūtan’ti? So evamāha: ‘nāddasaṁ, bhante’ti.

Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā ābādhikaṁ dukkhitaṁ bāḷhagilānaṁ, sake muttakarīse palipannaṁ semānaṁ, aññehi vuṭṭhāpiyamānaṁ, aññehi saṁvesiyamānan’ti? So evamāha: ‘addasaṁ, bhante’ti.

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7Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, tassa te viññussa sato mahallakassa na etadahosi: "ahampi khomhi byādhidhammo byādhiṁ anatīto, handāhaṁ kalyāṇaṁ karomi kāyena vācāya manasā"’ti? So evamāha: ‘nāsakkhissaṁ, bhante. Pamādassaṁ, bhante’ti.

8Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, pamādatāya na kalyāṇamakāsi kāyena vācāya manasā. Taggha tvaṁ, ambho purisa, tathā karissanti yathā taṁ pamattaṁ. Taṁ kho pana te etaṁ pāpakammaṁ neva mātarā kataṁ, na pitarā kataṁ, na bhātarā kataṁ, na bhaginiyā kataṁ, na mittāmaccehi kataṁ, na ñātisālohitehi kataṁ, na devatāhi kataṁ, na samaṇabrāhmaṇehi kataṁ; atha kho tayāvetaṁ pāpakammaṁ kataṁ. Tvaññevetassa vipākaṁ paṭisaṁvedissasī’ti. (2)

9Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā dutiyaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjitvā samanugāhitvā samanubhāsitvā, tatiyaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjati samanugāhati samanubhāsati: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu tatiyaṁ devadūtaṁ pātubhūtan’ti? So evamāha: ‘nāddasaṁ, bhante’ti.

10Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, na tvaṁ addasa manussesu itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā ekāhamataṁ vā dvīhamataṁ vā tīhamataṁ vā uddhumātakaṁ vinīlakaṁ vipubbakajātan’ti? So evamāha: ‘addasaṁ, bhante’ti.

11Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, tassa te viññussa sato mahallakassa na etadahosi – ahampi khomhi maraṇadhammo maraṇaṁ anatīto, handāhaṁ kalyāṇaṁ karomi kāyena vācāya manasā’ti? So evamāha: ‘nāsakkhissaṁ, bhante. Pamādassaṁ, bhante’ti.

12Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā evamāha: ‘ambho purisa, pamādatāya na kalyāṇamakāsi kāyena vācāya manasā. Taggha tvaṁ, ambho purisa, tathā karissanti yathā taṁ pamattaṁ. Taṁ kho pana te etaṁ pāpakammaṁ neva mātarā kataṁ, na pitarā kataṁ, na bhātarā kataṁ, na bhaginiyā kataṁ, na mittāmaccehi kataṁ, na ñātisālohitehi kataṁ, na devatāhi kataṁ, na samaṇabrāhmaṇehi kataṁ; atha kho tayāvetaṁ pāpakammaṁ kataṁ. Tvaññevetassa vipākaṁ paṭisaṁvedissasī’"ti. (3)

13Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, yamo rājā tatiyaṁ devadūtaṁ samanuyuñjitvā samanugāhitvā samanubhāsitvā tuṇhī hoti. Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā pañcavidhabandhanaṁ nāma kāraṇaṁ karonti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ hatthe gamenti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ dutiyasmiṁ hatthe gamenti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ pāde gamenti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ dutiyasmiṁ pāde gamenti. Tattaṁ ayokhilaṁ majjhe urasmiṁ gamenti. So tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vediyati, na ca tāva kālaṁ karoti yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhoti.

14Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā saṁvesetvā kudhārīhi tacchanti. So tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vediyati, na ca tāva kālaṁ karoti yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhoti.

15Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā uddhampādaṁ adhosiraṁ gahetvā vāsīhi tacchanti … pe … tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā rathe yojetvā ādittāya bhūmiyā sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya sārentipi paccāsārentipi … pe … tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā mahantaṁ aṅgārapabbataṁ ādittaṁ sampajjalitaṁ sajotibhūtaṁ āropentipi oropentipi … pe … tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā uddhampādaṁ adhosiraṁ gahetvā tattāya lohakumbhiyā pakkhipanti, ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya. () So tattha pheṇuddehakaṁ paccamāno sakimpi uddhaṁ gacchati, sakimpi adho gacchati, sakimpi tiriyaṁ gacchati. So tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vediyati, na ca tāva kālaṁ karoti yāva na taṁ pāpakammaṁ byantīhoti.

Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, nirayapālā mahāniraye pakkhipanti. So kho pana, bhikkhave, mahānirayo –

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16Catukkaṇṇo catudvāro,
vibhatto bhāgaso mito;
Ayopākārapariyanto,
ayasā paṭikujjito.

17Tassa ayomayā bhūmi,
Jalitā tejasā yutā;
Samantā yojanasataṁ,
Pharitvā tiṭṭhati sabbadāti.

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18Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, yamassa rañño etadahosi: ‘ye kira, bho, loke pāpakāni kammāni karonti te evarūpā vividhā kammakāraṇā karīyanti. Aho vatāhaṁ manussattaṁ labheyyaṁ, tathāgato ca loke uppajjeyya arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, tañcāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ payirupāseyyaṁ. So ca me bhagavā dhammaṁ deseyya, tassa cāhaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ ājāneyyan’ti.

Taṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā sutvā evaṁ vadāmi, api ca kho, bhikkhave, yadeva me sāmaṁ ñātaṁ sāmaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sāmaṁ viditaṁ tadevāhaṁ vadāmīti.

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19Coditā devadūtehi,
ye pamajjanti māṇavā;
Te dīgharattaṁ socanti,
hīnakāyūpagā narā.

20Ye ca kho devadūtehi,
santo sappurisā idha;
Coditā nappamajjanti,
ariyadhamme kudācanaṁ.

21Upādāne bhayaṁ disvā,
jātimaraṇasambhave;
Anupādā vimuccanti,
jātimaraṇasaṅkhaye.

22Te appamattā sukhino,
diṭṭhadhammābhinibbutā;
Sabbaverabhayātītā,
sabbadukkhaṁ upaccagun"ti.

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Chaṭṭhaṁ.