3.10. To Kokāliya on the Results of Slander

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:

“Purisassa hi jātassa,

kuṭhārī jāyate mukhe;

Yāya chindati attānaṁ,

bālo dubbhāsitaṁ bhaṇaṁ.

Yo nindiyaṁ pasaṁsati,

Taṁ vā nindati yo pasaṁsiyo;

Vicināti mukhena so kaliṁ,

Kalinā tena sukhaṁ na vindati.

Appamatto ayaṁ kali,

Yo akkhesu dhanaparājayo;

Sabbassāpi sahāpi attanā,

Ayameva mahattaro kali;

Yo sugatesu manaṁ padosaye.

Sataṁ sahassānaṁ nirabbudānaṁ,

Chattiṁsati pañca ca abbudāni;

Yamariyagarahī nirayaṁ upeti,

Vācaṁ manañca paṇidhāya pāpakaṁ.

Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti,

Yo vāpi katvā na karomicāha;

Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti,

Nihīnakammā manujā parattha.

Yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati,

Suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa;

Tameva bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ,

Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto.

Yo lobhaguṇe anuyutto,

So vacasā paribhāsati aññe;

Asaddho kadariyo avadaññū,

Macchari pesuṇiyaṁ anuyutto.

Mukhadugga vibhūta anariya,

Bhūnahu pāpaka dukkaṭakāri;

Purisanta kalī avajāta,

Mā bahubhāṇidha nerayikosi.

Rajamākirasī ahitāya,

Sante garahasi kibbisakārī;

Bahūni duccaritāni caritvā,

Gacchasi kho papataṁ cirarattaṁ.

Na hi nassati kassaci kammaṁ,

Eti hataṁ labhateva suvāmi;

Dukkhaṁ mando paraloke,

Attani passati kibbisakārī.

Ayosaṅkusamāhataṭṭhānaṁ,

Tiṇhadhāramayasūlamupeti;

Atha tattaayoguḷasannibhaṁ,

Bhojanamatthi tathā patirūpaṁ.

Na hi vaggu vadanti vadantā,

Nābhijavanti na tāṇamupenti;

Aṅgāre santhate sayanti,

Ginisampajjalitaṁ pavisanti.

Jālena ca onahiyāna,

Tattha hananti ayomayakuṭebhi;

Andhaṁva timisamāyanti,

Taṁ vitatañhi yathā mahikāyo.

Atha lohamayaṁ pana kumbhiṁ,

Ginisampajjalitaṁ pavisanti;

Paccanti hi tāsu cirarattaṁ,

Agginisamāsu samuppilavāte.

Atha pubbalohitamisse,

Tattha kiṁ paccati kibbisakārī;

Yaṁ yaṁ disakaṁ adhiseti,

Tattha kilissati samphusamāno.

Puḷavāvasathe salilasmiṁ,

Tattha kiṁ paccati kibbisakārī;

Gantuṁ na hi tīramapatthi,

Sabbasamā hi samantakapallā.

Asipattavanaṁ pana tiṇhaṁ,

Taṁ pavisanti samucchidagattā;

Jivhaṁ balisena gahetvā,

Ārajayārajayā vihananti.

Atha vetaraṇiṁ pana duggaṁ,

Tiṇhadhārakhuradhāramupenti;

Tattha mandā papatanti,

Pāpakarā pāpāni karitvā.

Khādanti hi tattha rudante,

Sāmā sabalā kākolagaṇā ca;

Soṇā siṅgālā paṭigiddhā,

Kulalā vāyasā ca vitudanti.

Kicchā vatayaṁ idha vutti,

Yaṁ jano phusati kibbisakārī;

Tasmā idha jīvitasese,

Kiccakaro siyā naro na cappamajje.

Te gaṇitā vidūhi tilavāhā,

Ye padume niraye upanītā;

Nahutāni hi koṭiyo pañca bhavanti,

Dvādasa koṭisatāni punaññā.

Yāva dukhā nirayā idha vuttā,

Tatthapi tāva ciraṁ vasitabbaṁ;

Tasmā sucipesalasādhuguṇesu,

Vācaṁ manaṁ satataṁ parirakkhe”ti.

Kokālikasuttaṁ dasamaṁ.

SC 1Thus have I heard:

SC 2At one time the Radiant One was dwelling at Jeta’s Grove in the park of Anāthapiṇḍika near Sāvatthī. Now at that time the bhikkhu Kokāliya approached the Radiant One, and having done so saluted him and sat down to one side. Seated there Kokāliya bhikkhu said this to the Radiant One: “Sir, Sāriputta and Moggallāna are of evil desires, under the influence of evil desires.”

SC 3When this was said the Radiant One spoke to the bhikkhu Kokāliya: “Don’t say this Kokāliya, don’t say so! Clear your mind towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna for they are very friendly.” A second time Kokāliya repeated his allegation and the Radiant One replied in the same way. An even a third time Kokāliya spoke his accusation and the Radiant One replied.

SC 4After this the bhikkhu Kokāliya rose from his seat, saluted the Radiant One and circumambulating him, keeping him on the right, departed. Only a short time after he left, Kokāliya’s whole body broke out in boils the size of mustard seeds, then grew to the size of green-gram, then to chickpeas, then to jujube seeds, then to jujube fruits, then to myrobalan fruits, then to young bael fruits, then to mature bael fruits, and when they had reached this size all over his body, blood and pus was discharged and Kokāliya died. After death, he appeared in the Paduma Hell as a result of hardening his heart against Sāriputta and Moggallāna.

SC 5Then as the night passed, Brahmā Sahampati of great radiance illuming the whole of Jetavana, came to the Radiant One and after saluting him stood to one side and said this: “Venerable, the bhikkhu Kokāliya has died and appeared subsequently in the Paduma Hell as a result of hardening his heart against Sāriputta and Moggallāna.”

SC 6When this was said, a certain bhikkhu spoke to the Radiant One thus: “How long, venerable, is life in the Paduma Hell?”

SC 7“Bhikkhu, life in the Paduma hell is surely long, not easy to reckon in terms of years, of hundreds of years, of thousand of years, in tens of hundreds of thousands of years.”

SC 8“But can a simile be made, sir?”

SC 9“It can, bhikkhu. Suppose that there was a Kosalan cartload of twenty measures of sesame seed, and that from this a man might take a single seed every century. That Kosalan cartload of twenty measures of sesame seeds would be more quickly used up in that way than would a lifetime in the Abbuda Hell. Moreover, bhikkhu, there are twenty lifetimes in the Abbuda Hell to equal one in Nirabbuda Hell … twenty in Nirabbuda to equal one Ababa … twenty in Ababa to equal one Aṭaṭa … twenty in Aṭaṭa to equal one Ahaha … twenty in Ahaha equal to one Kumuda … one Sogandhika … one Uppālaka … one Puṇḍarīka … one Paduma. It is in Paduma that Kokāliya bhikkhu has arisen for hardening his heart against Sāriputta and Moggallāna.

SC 10The Radiant One spoke thus and having said this spoke further (these verses).

SC 11SC Verse 663For every person come to birth,
an axe is born within their mouths,
with which these fools do chop themselves
when uttering evil speech.

SC 12SC Verse 664Who praises one deserving blame,
or blames that one deserving praise,
ill-luck does tear by means of mouth
and from such ill no happiness finds.

SC 13SC Verse 665Trifling the unlucky throw,
by dice destroying wealth,
even all one’s own, even oneself as well;
compared to that greater “throw”—
the thinking ill of Sugatas.

SC 14SC Verse 666Having maligned the Noble Ones
with voice and mind directing ill,
one then arrives at (self-made) hell,
of millions of aeons (slow to end).

SC 15SC Verse 667With one denying truth there goes to hell
that one who having done, says “I did not”.
Humans having made such karmas base,
equal are they in the other world.

SC 16SC Verse 668Whoso offends the inoffensive one,
who’s innocent and blameless, both,
upon that fool does evil fall,
as fine dust flung against the wind.

SC 17SC Verse 669That person prone to coveting
will speak of others in dispraise—
one faithless and ill-mannered too,
jealous, set on slandering.

SC 18SC Verse 670One foul mouthed, of baseless talk,
ignoble, treacherous, evil, doing
wrong deeds, luckless, ill-begotten human scum—
Speak little here! Or else hell-dweller be!

SC 19SC Verse 671Dirt do you scatter for your own happiness
whenever you revile those who are good,
faring through the world many evils you have done,
in the long night falling down a precipice.

SC 20SC Verse 672No one’s karma is destroyed,
truly as Master it returns;
so the foolish misery bring
upon themselves in future time.

SC 21SC Verse 673Bashed by bars of iron,
iron spikes’ edges bite,
and the food appropriately is
like white-hot balls of iron.

SC 22SC Verse 674And softly speak no speakers there,
they hasten not to help nor to safety lead,
they enter all-directions fire,
on burning ember-mats they lie.

SC 23SC Verse 675Tangled they are in fiery nets,
and pounded there with hammers of iron,
and led, immersed, through darkness blind,
spreading in all directions.

SC 24SC Verse 676And enter they in iron cauldrons afire,
in which for long they’re stowed;
rising up and sinking down,
bubbling in masses of fire.

SC 25SC Verse 677There the evil-doers cook
in a mixed stew of blood and pus;
to whatever direction they turn,
there they fester at the touch.

SC 26SC Verse 678Then the evil-doers cook
in worm-infested waters;
and cannot flee for there are sides,
vast vessels with all surfaces concavities.

SC 27SC Verse 679There looms the sharp-edged Swordleaf scrub—
they enter and their limbs are slashed;
and there with hooks their tongues are seized,
pulled to and fro, they’re beaten up.

SC 28SC Verse 680They draw near Vetaraṇī Creek,
biting and bladed, hard to cross;
there headlong down the foolish fall—
these evil-doers evil done.

SC 29SC Verse 681Then while they wail, the mottled flocks
of ebon ravens them devour;
jackals, hounds, great vultures, hawks,
and crows rend them and ravage there.

SC 30SC Verse 682Misery unmitigated, this mode of life,
which evil-doers get to see,
therefore let one in life’s remainder be
not careless, one who does what should be done.

SC 31SC Verse 683Those who know reckon the term
of these in the Paduma Hell in loads
of sesame, five myriad lakhs of seeds
and then, twelve hundred lakhs beside.

SC 32SC Verse 684Thus are Hell’s many ills here told,
and terms that must be spent there too;
towards, therefore, those praiseworthy,
the friendly, pure—guard both words and thoughts.