Sutta Nipata Chapter 3: The Great Chapter
3:10 To Kokāliya on the Results of Slander
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato.(More copyright information)
3:10 To Kokāliya on the Results of Slander
So I have heard:
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then the mendicant Kokālika went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, Sāriputta and Moggallāna have wicked desires. They’ve fallen under the sway of wicked desires.”
When this was said, the Buddha said to Kokālika: “Don’t say that, Kokālika! Don’t say that, Kokālika! Have confidence in Sāriputta and Moggallāna, they’re good monks.”
For a second time … For a third time Kokālika said to the Buddha: “Despite my faith and trust in the Buddha, Sāriputta and Moggallāna have wicked desires. They’ve fallen under the sway of wicked desires.” For a third time, the Buddha said to Kokālika: “Don’t say that, Kokālika! Don’t say that, Kokālika! Have confidence in Sāriputta and Moggallāna, they’re good monks.”
Then Kokālika got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Not long after he left his body erupted with boils the size of mustard seeds. The boils grew to the size of mung beans, then chickpeas, then jujube seeds, then jujubes, then myrobalans, then unripe wood apples, then ripe wood apples. Finally they burst open, and pus and blood oozed out. Then the mendicant Kokālika died of that illness. He was reborn in the Pink Lotus hell because of his resentment for Sāriputta and Moggallāna.
Then, late at night, the beautiful Brahmā Sahampati, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him: “Sir, the mendicant Kokālika has passed away. He was reborn in the Pink Lotus hell because of his resentment for Sāriputta and Moggallāna.” That’s what Brahmā Sahampati said. Then he bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right side, before vanishing right there.
Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the mendicants all that had happened.
When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha: “Sir, how long is the life span in the Pink Lotus hell?”
“It’s long, mendicant. It’s not easy to calculate how many years, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of years it lasts.”
“But sir, is it possible to give a simile?”
“It’s possible,” said the Buddha.
“Suppose there was a Kosalan cartload of twenty bushels of sesame seed. And at the end of every hundred years someone would remove a single seed from it. By this means the Kosalan cartload of twenty bushels of sesame seed would run out faster than a single lifetime in the Abbuda hell. Now, twenty lifetimes in the Abbuda hell equal one lifetime in the Nirabbuda hell. Twenty lifetimes in the Nirabbuda hell equal one lifetime in the Ababa hell. Twenty lifetimes in the Ababa hell equal one lifetime in the Aṭaṭa hell. Twenty lifetimes in the Aṭaṭa hell equal one lifetime in the Ahaha hell. Twenty lifetimes in the Ahaha hell equal one lifetime in the Yellow Lotus hell. Twenty lifetimes in the Yellow Lotus hell equal one lifetime in the Sweet-Smelling hell. Twenty lifetimes in the Sweet-Smelling hell equal one lifetime in the Blue Water Lily hell. Twenty lifetimes in the Blue Water Lily hell equal one lifetime in the White Lotus hell. Twenty lifetimes in the White Lotus hell equal one lifetime in the Pink Lotus hell. The mendicant Kokālika has been reborn in the Pink Lotus hell because of his resentment for Sāriputta and Moggallāna.”
That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
657
“A person is born
with an axe in their mouth.
A fool cuts themselves with it
when they say bad words.
658
When you praise someone worthy of criticism,
or criticize someone worthy of praise,
you choose bad luck with your own mouth:
you’ll never find happiness that way.
659
Bad luck at dice is a trivial thing,
if all you lose is your money
and all you own, even yourself.
What’s really terrible luck
is to hate the holy ones.
660
For more than two quinquadecillion years,
and another five quattuordecillion years,
a slanderer of noble ones goes to hell,
having aimed bad words and thoughts at them.
661
A liar goes to hell,
as does one who denies what they did.
Both are equal in the hereafter,
those men of base deeds.
662
Whoever wrongs a man who has done no wrong,
a pure man who has not a blemish,
the evil backfires on the fool,
like fine dust thrown upwind.
663
One addicted to the way of greed,
abuses others with their speech,
faithless, miserly, uncharitable,
stingy, addicted to backbiting.
664
Foul-mouthed, divisive, ignoble,
a life-destroyer, wicked, wrongdoer,
worst of men, cursed, base-born—
quiet now, for you are bound for hell.
665
You stir up dust, causing harm,
when you, evildoer, malign the good.
Having done many bad deeds,
you’ll go to the pit for a long time.
666
For no-one’s deeds are ever lost,
they return to their owner.
In the next life that stupid evildoer
sees suffering in themselves.
667
They approach the place of impalement,
with its iron spikes, sharp blades, and iron stakes.
Then there is the food, which appropriately,
is like a red-hot iron ball.
668
For the speakers speak not sweetly,
they don’t hurry there, or find shelter.
They lie upon a spread of coals,
they enter a blazing mass of fire.
669
Wrapping them in a net,
they strike them there with iron hammers.
They come to blinding darkness,
which spreads about them like a fog.
670
Next they enter a copper pot,
a blazing mass of fire.
There they roast for a long time,
writhing in the masses of fire.
671
Then the evildoer roasts there
in a mixture of pus and blood.
No matter where they settle,
everything they touch there hurts them.
672
The evildoer roasts in
worm-infested water.
There’s not even a shore to go to,
for all around are the same kind of pots.
673
They enter the Wood of Sword-Leaves,
so sharp they cut their body to pieces.
Having grabbed the tongue with a hook,
they stab it, slashing back and forth.
674
Then they approach the impassable Vetaraṇi River,
with its sharp blades, its razor blades.
Idiots fall into it,
the wicked who have done wicked deeds.
675
There dogs all brown and spotted,
and raven flocks, and greedy jackals
devour them as they wail,
while hawks and crows attack them.
676
Hard, alas, is the life here
that evildoers endure.
That’s why for the rest of this life
a person ought do their duty without fail.
677
Experts have counted the loads of sesame
as compared to the Pink Lotus Hell.
They amount to 50,000,000 times 10,000,
plus another 12,000,000,000.
678
As painful as life is said to be in hell,
that’s how long one must dwell there.
That’s why, for those who are pure, well-behaved, full of good qualities,
one should always guard one’s speech and mind.”
Kokālikasutta
Evaṁ me sutaṁ:
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho kokāliko bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho kokāliko bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "pāpicchā, bhante, sāriputtamoggallānā, pāpikānaṁ icchānaṁ vasaṁ gatā"ti.
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā kokālikaṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: "mā hevaṁ, kokālika, mā hevaṁ, kokālika. Pasādehi, kokālika, sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ. Pesalā sāriputtamoggallānā"ti.
Dutiyampi kho … pe … tatiyampi kho kokāliko bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "kiñcāpi me, bhante, bhagavā saddhāyiko paccayiko, atha kho pāpicchāva sāriputtamoggallānā, pāpikānaṁ icchānaṁ vasaṁ gatā"ti. Tatiyampi kho bhagavā kokālikaṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: "mā hevaṁ, kokālika, mā hevaṁ, kokālika. Pasādehi, kokālika, sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ. Pesalā sāriputtamoggallānā"ti.
Atha kho kokāliko bhikkhu uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. Acirappakkantassa ca kokālikassa bhikkhuno sāsapamattīhi piḷakāhi sabbo kāyo phuṭo ahosi; sāsapamattiyo hutvā muggamattiyo ahesuṁ; muggamattiyo hutvā kaḷāyamattiyo ahesuṁ; kaḷāyamattiyo hutvā kolaṭṭhimattiyo ahesuṁ; kolaṭṭhimattiyo hutvā kolamattiyo ahesuṁ; kolamattiyo hutvā āmalakamattiyo ahesuṁ; āmalakamattiyo hutvā beḷuvasalāṭukamattiyo ahesuṁ; beḷuvasalāṭukamattiyo hutvā billamattiyo ahesuṁ; billamattiyo hutvā pabhijjiṁsu; pubbañca lohitañca pagghariṁsu. Atha kho kokāliko bhikkhu tenevābādhena kālamakāsi. Kālaṅkato ca kokāliko bhikkhu padumaṁ nirayaṁ upapajji sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā.
Atha kho brahmā sahampati abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho brahmā sahampati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "kokāliko, bhante, bhikkhu kālaṅkato; kālaṅkato ca, bhante, kokāliko bhikkhu padumaṁ nirayaṁ upapanno sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā"ti. Idamavoca brahmā sahampati; idaṁ vatvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.
Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi: "imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ brahmā sahampati abhikkantāya rattiyā … pe … idamavoca, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati, idaṁ vatvā maṁ padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyī"ti.
Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "kīvadīghaṁ nu kho, bhante, padume niraye āyuppamāṇan"ti?
"Dīghaṁ kho, bhikkhu, padume niraye āyuppamāṇaṁ; taṁ na sukaraṁ saṅkhātuṁ ettakāni vassāni iti vā ettakāni vassasatāni iti vā ettakāni vassasahassāni iti vā ettakāni vassasatasahassāni iti vā"ti.
"Sakkā pana, bhante, upamā kātun"ti?
"Sakkā, bhikkhū"ti bhagavā avoca:
"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsatikhāriko kosalako tilavāho; tato puriso vassasatassa vassasatassa accayena ekamekaṁ tilaṁ uddhareyya. Khippataraṁ kho so bhikkhu vīsatikhāriko kosalako tilavāho iminā upakkamena parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya, na tveva eko abbudo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati abbudā nirayā evameko nirabbudo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati nirabbudā nirayā evameko ababo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati ababā nirayā evameko aṭaṭo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati aṭaṭā nirayā evameko ahaho nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati ahahā nirayā evameko kumudo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati kumudā nirayā evameko sogandhiko nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati sogandhikā nirayā evameko uppalako nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati uppalakā nirayā evameko puṇḍarīko nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati puṇḍarīkā nirayā evameko padumo nirayo. Padumaṁ kho pana bhikkhu nirayaṁ kokāliko bhikkhu upapanno sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā"ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
657"Purisassa hi jātassa,
kuṭhārī jāyate mukhe;
Yāya chindati attānaṁ,
bālo dubbhāsitaṁ bhaṇaṁ.
658
Yo nindiyaṁ pasaṁsati,
Taṁ vā nindati yo pasaṁsiyo;
Vicināti mukhena so kaliṁ,
Kalinā tena sukhaṁ na vindati.
659
Appamatto ayaṁ kali,
Yo akkhesu dhanaparājayo;
Sabbassāpi sahāpi attanā,
Ayameva mahattaro kali;
Yo sugatesu manaṁ padosaye.
660
Sataṁ sahassānaṁ nirabbudānaṁ,
Chattiṁsati pañca ca abbudāni;
Yamariyagarahī nirayaṁ upeti,
Vācaṁ manañca paṇidhāya pāpakaṁ.
661
Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti,
Yo vāpi katvā na karomicāha;
Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti,
Nihīnakammā manujā parattha.
662
Yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati,
Suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa;
Tameva bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ,
Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto.
663
Yo lobhaguṇe anuyutto,
So vacasā paribhāsati aññe;
Asaddho kadariyo avadaññū,
Macchari pesuṇiyaṁ anuyutto.
664
Mukhadugga vibhūta anariya,
Bhūnahu pāpaka dukkaṭakāri;
Purisanta kalī avajāta,
Mā bahubhāṇidha nerayikosi.
665
Rajamākirasī ahitāya,
Sante garahasi kibbisakārī;
Bahūni duccaritāni caritvā,
Gacchasi kho papataṁ cirarattaṁ.
666
Na hi nassati kassaci kammaṁ,
Eti hataṁ labhateva suvāmi;
Dukkhaṁ mando paraloke,
Attani passati kibbisakārī.
667
Ayosaṅkusamāhataṭṭhānaṁ,
Tiṇhadhāramayasūlamupeti;
Atha tattaayoguḷasannibhaṁ,
Bhojanamatthi tathā patirūpaṁ.
668
Na hi vaggu vadanti vadantā,
Nābhijavanti na tāṇamupenti;
Aṅgāre santhate sayanti,
Ginisampajjalitaṁ pavisanti.
669
Jālena ca onahiyāna,
Tattha hananti ayomayakuṭebhi;
Andhaṁva timisamāyanti,
Taṁ vitatañhi yathā mahikāyo.
670
Atha lohamayaṁ pana kumbhiṁ,
Ginisampajjalitaṁ pavisanti;
Paccanti hi tāsu cirarattaṁ,
Agginisamāsu samuppilavāte.
671
Atha pubbalohitamisse,
Tattha kiṁ paccati kibbisakārī;
Yaṁ yaṁ disakaṁ adhiseti,
Tattha kilissati samphusamāno.
672
Puḷavāvasathe salilasmiṁ,
Tattha kiṁ paccati kibbisakārī;
Gantuṁ na hi tīramapatthi,
Sabbasamā hi samantakapallā.
673
Asipattavanaṁ pana tiṇhaṁ,
Taṁ pavisanti samucchidagattā;
Jivhaṁ balisena gahetvā,
Ārajayārajayā vihananti.
674
Atha vetaraṇiṁ pana duggaṁ,
Tiṇhadhārakhuradhāramupenti;
Tattha mandā papatanti,
Pāpakarā pāpāni karitvā.
675
Khādanti hi tattha rudante,
Sāmā sabalā kākolagaṇā ca;
Soṇā siṅgālā paṭigiddhā,
Kulalā vāyasā ca vitudanti.
676
Kicchā vatayaṁ idha vutti,
Yaṁ jano phusati kibbisakārī;
Tasmā idha jīvitasese,
Kiccakaro siyā naro na cappamajje.
677
Te gaṇitā vidūhi tilavāhā,
Ye padume niraye upanītā;
Nahutāni hi koṭiyo pañca bhavanti,
Dvādasa koṭisatāni punaññā.
678
Yāva dukhā nirayā idha vuttā,
Tatthapi tāva ciraṁ vasitabbaṁ;
Tasmā sucipesalasādhuguṇesu,
Vācaṁ manaṁ satataṁ parirakkhe"ti.
Kokālikasuttaṁ dasamaṁ.