Dhp306-319 — Chapter 1

Minor Collection

Sayings of the Dhamma 306–319

22. Hell

A liar goes to hell,

as does one who denies what they did.

Both are equal in the hereafter,

those men of base deeds.

Many who wear a scrap of ocher cloth

are unrestrained and wicked.

Being wicked, they are reborn in hell

due to their bad deeds.

It’d be better for the immoral and unrestrained

to eat an iron ball,

scorching, like a burning flame,

than to eat the nation’s alms.

Four things befall a heedless man

who sleeps with another’s wife:

wickedness, poor sleep,

ill-repute, and rebirth in hell.

He accrues wickedness and is reborn in a bad place,

all so a frightened couple may snatch a moment’s pleasure,

for which rulers impose a heavy punishment.

That’s why a man should not sleep with another’s wife.

When kusa grass is wrongly grasped

it only cuts the hand.

So too, the ascetic life, when wrongly taken,

drags you to hell.

Any lax act,

any corrupt observance,

or suspicious spiritual life,

is not very fruitful.

If one is to do what should be done,

one should staunchly strive.

For the life gone forth when laxly led

just stirs up dust all the more.

A bad deed is better left undone,

for it will plague you later on.

A good deed is better done,

one that does not plague you.

As a frontier city

is guarded inside and out,

so you should ward yourselves—

don’t let the moment pass you by.

For if you miss your moment

you’ll grieve when sent to hell.

Unashamed of what is shameful,

ashamed of what is not shameful;

beings who uphold wrong view

go to a bad place.

Seeing danger where there is none,

and blind to the actual danger,

beings who uphold wrong view

go to a bad place.

Seeing fault where there is none,

and blind to the actual fault,

beings who uphold wrong view

go to a bad place.

Knowing a fault as a fault

and the faultless as faultless,

beings who uphold right view

go to a good place.