So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Then the mendicant Kokālika went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, Atha kho kokāliko bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho kokāliko bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, Sāriputta and Moggallāna have corrupt wishes. They’ve fallen under the sway of corrupt wishes.” “pāpicchā, bhante, sāriputtamoggallānā, pāpikānaṁ icchānaṁ vasaṁ gatā”ti.

When this was said, the Buddha said to Kokālika, Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā kokālikaṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: “Don’t say that, Kokālika! Don’t say that, Kokālika! “mā hevaṁ, kokālika, mā hevaṁ, kokālika. Have confidence in Sāriputta and Moggallāna, Pasādehi, kokālika, sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ. they’re good monks.” Pesalā sāriputtamoggallānā”ti.

For a second time … Dutiyampi kho …pe… For a third time Kokālika said to the Buddha, tatiyampi kho kokāliko bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Despite my faith and trust in the Buddha, Sāriputta and Moggallāna have corrupt wishes. They’ve fallen under the sway of corrupt wishes.” “kiñcāpi me, bhante, bhagavā saddhāyiko paccayiko, atha kho pāpicchāva sāriputtamoggallānā, pāpikānaṁ icchānaṁ vasaṁ gatā”ti. For a third time, the Buddha said to Kokālika, Tatiyampi kho bhagavā kokālikaṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: “Don’t say that, Kokālika! Don’t say that, Kokālika! “mā hevaṁ, kokālika, mā hevaṁ, kokālika. Have confidence in Sāriputta and Moggallāna, Pasādehi, kokālika, sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ. they’re good monks.” Pesalā sāriputtamoggallānā”ti.

Then Kokālika got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Atha kho kokāliko bhikkhu uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. Not long after he left his body erupted with boils the size of mustard seeds. Acirappakkantassa ca kokālikassa bhikkhuno sāsapamattīhi piḷakāhi sabbo kāyo phuṭo ahosi; 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. 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. Then the mendicant Kokālika died of that illness. Atha kho kokāliko bhikkhu tenevābādhena kālamakāsi. He was reborn in the Pink Lotus hell because of his resentment for Sāriputta and Moggallāna. Kālaṅkato ca kokāliko bhikkhu padumaṁ nirayaṁ upapajji sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā.

Then, late at night, the glorious divinity Sahampati, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, 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: “Sir, the mendicant Kokālika has passed away. “kokāliko, bhante, bhikkhu kālaṅkato; He was reborn in the Pink Lotus hell because of his resentment for Sāriputta and Moggallāna.” kālaṅkato ca, bhante, kokāliko bhikkhu padumaṁ nirayaṁ upapanno sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā”ti. That’s what the divinity Sahampati said. Idamavoca brahmā sahampati; Then he bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right side, before vanishing right there. idaṁ vatvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the mendicants all that had happened. 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.

When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha, Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, how long is the lifespan in the Pink Lotus hell?” “kīvadīghaṁ nu kho, bhante, padume niraye āyuppamāṇan”ti? “It’s long, mendicant. “Dīghaṁ kho, bhikkhu, padume niraye āyuppamāṇaṁ; It’s not easy to calculate how many years, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of years it lasts.” taṁ na sukaraṁ saṅkhātuṁ ettakāni vassāni iti vā ettakāni vassasatāni iti vā ettakāni vassasahassāni iti vā ettakāni vassasatasahassāni iti vā”ti. “But sir, is it possible to give a simile?” “Sakkā pana, bhante, upamā kātun”ti? “It’s possible,” said the Buddha. “Sakkā, bhikkhū”ti bhagavā avoca:

“Suppose there was a Kosalan load of twenty packs of sesame seed. And at the end of every hundred years someone would remove a single seed from it. “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsatikhāriko kosalako tilavāho; tato puriso vassasatassa vassasatassa accayena ekamekaṁ tilaṁ uddhareyya. By this means the Kosalan load of twenty packs of sesame seed would run out faster than a single lifetime in the Abbuda hell. Khippataraṁ kho so bhikkhu vīsatikhāriko kosalako tilavāho iminā upakkamena parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya, na tveva eko abbudo nirayo. Now, twenty lifetimes in the Abbuda hell equal one lifetime in the Nirabbuda hell. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati abbudā nirayā evameko nirabbudo nirayo. Twenty lifetimes in the Nirabbuda hell equal one lifetime in the Ababa hell. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati nirabbudā nirayā evameko ababo nirayo. Twenty lifetimes in the Ababa hell equal one lifetime in the Aṭaṭa hell. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati ababā nirayā evameko aṭaṭo nirayo. Twenty lifetimes in the Aṭaṭa hell equal one lifetime in the Ahaha hell. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati aṭaṭā nirayā evameko ahaho nirayo. Twenty lifetimes in the Ahaha hell equal one lifetime in the Yellow Lotus hell. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati ahahā nirayā evameko kumudo nirayo. Twenty lifetimes in the Yellow Lotus hell equal one lifetime in the Fragrant Water Lily hell. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati kumudā nirayā evameko sogandhiko nirayo. Twenty lifetimes in the Fragrant Water Lily hell equal one lifetime in the Blue Water Lily hell. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati sogandhikā nirayā evameko uppalako nirayo. Twenty lifetimes in the Blue Water Lily hell equal one lifetime in the White Lotus hell. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati uppalakā nirayā evameko puṇḍarīko nirayo. Twenty lifetimes in the White Lotus hell equal one lifetime in the Pink Lotus hell. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati puṇḍarīkā nirayā evameko padumo nirayo. The mendicant Kokālika has been reborn in the Pink Lotus hell because of his resentment for Sāriputta and Moggallāna.” Padumaṁ kho pana bhikkhu nirayaṁ kokāliko bhikkhu upapanno sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā”ti. That is what the Buddha said. Idamavoca bhagavā. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say: Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“A person is born “Purisassa hi jātassa, with an axe in their mouth. kuṭhārī jāyate mukhe; A fool cuts themselves with it Yāya chindati attānaṁ, when they say bad words. bālo dubbhāsitaṁ bhaṇaṁ.

When you praise someone worthy of criticism, Yo nindiyaṁ pasaṁsati, or criticize someone worthy of praise, Taṁ vā nindati yo pasaṁsiyo; you choose a losing hand with your own mouth: Vicināti mukhena so kaliṁ, you’ll never find happiness that way. Kalinā tena sukhaṁ na vindati.

A losing hand at dice is a trivial thing, Appamatto ayaṁ kali, if all you lose is your money Yo akkhesu dhanaparājayo; and all you own, even yourself. Sabbassāpi sahāpi attanā, What’s a really terrible hand Ayameva mahattaro kali; is to hate the holy ones. Yo sugatesu manaṁ padosaye.

For a hundred thousand times a hundred million, Sataṁ sahassānaṁ nirabbudānaṁ, times five hundred and thirty-six times <j>a thousand times ten million years Chattiṁsati pañca ca abbudāni; a slanderer of noble ones goes to hell, Yamariyagarahī nirayaṁ upeti, having aimed bad words and thoughts at them. Vācaṁ manañca paṇidhāya pāpakaṁ.

A liar goes to hell, Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti, as does one who denies what they did. Yo vāpi katvā na karomicāha; Both are equal in the hereafter, Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti, those men of base deeds. Nihīnakammā manujā parattha.

Whoever wrongs a man who has done no wrong, Yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati, a pure man who has not a blemish, Suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa; the evil backfires on the fool, Tameva bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ, like fine dust thrown upwind. Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto.

One addicted to the way of greed, Yo lobhaguṇe anuyutto, abuses others with their speech, So vacasā paribhāsati aññe; faithless, miserly, uncharitable, Asaddho kadariyo avadaññū, stingy, addicted to backbiting. Macchari pesuṇiyaṁ anuyutto.

Foul-mouthed, divisive, ignoble, Mukhadugga vibhūta anariya, a baby-killer, wicked, wrongdoer, Bhūnahu pāpaka dukkaṭakāri; worst of men, cursed, base-born—Purisanta kalī avajāta, quiet now, for you are bound for hell. Mā bahubhāṇidha nerayikosi.

You stir up dust, causing harm, Rajamākirasī ahitāya, when you, sinner, malign the good. Sante garahasi kibbisakārī; Having done many bad deeds, Bahūni duccaritāni caritvā, you’ll go to the pit for a long time. Gacchasi kho papataṁ cirarattaṁ.

For no-one’s deeds are ever lost, Na hi nassati kassaci kammaṁ, they return to their owner. Eti hataṁ labhateva suvāmi; In the next life that stupid sinner Dukkhaṁ mando paraloke, sees suffering in themselves. Attani passati kibbisakārī.

They approach the place of impalement, Ayosaṅkusamāhataṭṭhānaṁ, with its iron spikes, sharp blades, and iron stakes. Tiṇhadhāramayasūlamupeti; Then there is the food, which appropriately, Atha tattaayoguḷasannibhaṁ, is like a red-hot iron ball. Bhojanamatthi tathā patirūpaṁ.

For the speakers speak not sweetly, Na hi vaggu vadanti vadantā, they don’t hurry there, or find shelter. Nābhijavanti na tāṇamupenti; They lie upon a spread of coals, Aṅgāre santhate sayanti, they enter a blazing mass of fire. Ginisampajjalitaṁ pavisanti.

Wrapping them in a net, Jālena ca onahiyāna, they strike them there with iron hammers. Tattha hananti ayomayakuṭebhi; They come to blinding darkness, Andhaṁva timisamāyanti, which spreads about them like a fog. Taṁ vitatañhi yathā mahikāyo.

Next they enter a copper pot, Atha lohamayaṁ pana kumbhiṁ, a blazing mass of fire. Ginisampajjalitaṁ pavisanti; There they roast for a long time, Paccanti hi tāsu cirarattaṁ, writhing in the masses of fire. Agginisamāsu samuppilavāte.

Then the sinner roasts there Atha pubbalohitamisse, in a mixture of pus and blood. Tattha kiṁ paccati kibbisakārī; No matter where they settle, Yaṁ yaṁ disakaṁ adhiseti, everything they touch there hurts them. Tattha kilissati samphusamāno.

The sinner roasts in Puḷavāvasathe salilasmiṁ, worm-infested water. Tattha kiṁ paccati kibbisakārī; There’s not even a shore to go to, Gantuṁ na hi tīramapatthi, for all around are the same kind of pots. Sabbasamā hi samantakapallā.

They enter the Sword-Leaf Forest, Asipattavanaṁ pana tiṇhaṁ, so sharp they cut their body to pieces. Taṁ pavisanti samucchidagattā; Having grabbed the tongue with a hook, Jivhaṁ balisena gahetvā, they stab it, slashing back and forth. Ārajayārajayā vihananti.

Then they approach the impassable Vetaraṇī River, Atha vetaraṇiṁ pana duggaṁ, with its sharp blades, its razor blades. Tiṇhadhārakhuradhāramupenti; Idiots fall into it, Tattha mandā papatanti, the wicked who have done wicked deeds. Pāpakarā pāpāni karitvā.

There dogs all brown and spotted, Khādanti hi tattha rudante, and raven flocks, and greedy jackals Sāmā sabalā kākolagaṇā ca; devour them as they wail, Soṇā siṅgālā paṭigiddhā, while hawks and crows attack them. Kulalā vāyasā ca vitudanti.

Hard, alas, is the life here Kicchā vatayaṁ idha vutti, that sinners endure. Yaṁ jano phusati kibbisakārī; That’s why for the rest of this life Tasmā idha jīvitasese, a person ought do their duty without fail. Kiccakaro siyā naro na cappamajje.

Experts have counted the loads of sesame Te gaṇitā vidūhi tilavāhā, as compared to the Pink Lotus Hell. Ye padume niraye upanītā; For there are five times ten thousand times ten million, Nahutāni hi koṭiyo pañca bhavanti, plus another twelve hundred times ten million years— Dvādasa koṭisatāni punaññā.

as painful as life is said to be in hell, Yāva dukhā nirayā idha vuttā, that’s how long one must dwell there. Tatthapi tāva ciraṁ vasitabbaṁ; That’s why, for those who are pure, well-behaved, <j>full of good qualities, Tasmā sucipesalasādhuguṇesu, one should always guard one’s speech and mind.” Vācaṁ manaṁ satataṁ parirakkhe”ti.

Kokālikasuttaṁ dasamaṁ.