---
title: "起世經 · 1"
description: "起世经是隋代高僧阇那崛多等人翻译的重要佛教经典，属于阿含部经典之一。该经主要阐述宇宙生成、世界构造及众生轮回的佛教世界观，详细描绘了世界的形成、毁灭及再生过程，并探讨了众生业力与轮回的关系。阇那崛多是北印度高僧，隋文帝时期来华，参与译经事业，对汉传佛教经典的传播贡献卓著。起世经在佛教中具有重要地位，为研究佛教宇宙观和轮回思想提供了经典依据，对后世佛教哲学和修行实践影响深远。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmadf8tq2001el804oh872mn8"
---

### 起世經地獄品第四之一

> Chapter 4, Part 1: The Hells

「諸比丘！於四大洲、八萬小洲，諸餘大山及須彌山王之外，別有一山，名斫迦羅前代舊譯云鐵圍山，高六百八十萬由旬，縱廣亦六百八十萬由旬，彌密牢固，金剛所成，難可破壞。諸比丘！此鐵圍外，復有一重大鐵圍山，高廣正等，如前由旬。兩山之間，極大黑暗無有光明，日月有如是大威神大力大德，不能照彼令見光明。諸比丘！於兩山間，有八大地獄。何等為八？所謂活大地獄、黑大地獄、合大地獄、叫喚大地獄、大叫喚大地獄、熱惱大地獄、大熱惱大地獄、阿毘至大地獄。

> “Monks, beyond the four great continents, the eighty thousand lesser continents, the various great mountains, and Mount Sumeru, there is another mountain called Cakravāla<note>In ancient translations, this was known as the Iron Ring Mountain.</note> It is six hundred and eighty thousand yojanas high, and also six hundred and eighty thousand yojanas wide and deep. Dense, solid, and firm, it is made of diamond and is difficult to break apart. Monks, outside this Iron Ring Mountain there is yet another great Iron Ring Mountain, equally high and wide, with the same measurements in yojanas. Between these two mountains, there is immense darkness without any light. Even the sun and moon, with their great power, strength, and virtue, cannot illuminate it to bring forth light. Monks, between these two mountains there are eight great hells. What are these eight? They are the Reviving Hell, the Black Rope Hell, the Crushing Hell, the Screaming Hell, the Great Screaming Hell, the Hell of Tormenting Heat, the Hell of Great Tormenting Heat, and the Avīci Hell.

「諸比丘！此八大地獄，各各復有十六小地獄，周匝圍遶而為眷屬。是十六獄，悉皆縱廣五百由旬。何等十六！所謂黑雲沙地獄、糞屎泥地獄、五叉地獄、飢餓地獄、燋渴地獄、膿血地獄、一銅釜地獄、多銅釜地獄、鐵磑地獄、凾量地獄、雞地獄、灰河地獄、斫截地獄、劒葉地獄、狐狼地獄、寒氷地獄。

> “Monks, each of these eight great hells is surrounded by sixteen smaller hells, serving as their attendants. These sixteen hells are each five hundred yojanas in length and width. What are these sixteen? They are: the Black Cloud Sand Hell, the Excrement and Mud Hell, the Five Trident Hell, the Starvation Hell, the Thirst Hell, the Pus and Blood Hell, the Single Copper Cauldron Hell, the Multiple Copper Cauldron Hell, the Iron Millstone Hell, the Measuring Bowl Hell, the Chicken Hell, the Ash River Hell, the Chopping and Cutting Hell, the Sword Leaf Hell, the Fox and Wolf Hell, and the Ice Cold Hell.

「諸比丘！何因緣故，名活大地獄？諸比丘！此活大地獄所有眾生，生者有者出者住者，手指自然皆有鐵爪，長而纖利，悉若鋒鋩。彼諸眾生，既相見已，心意濁亂，心濁亂故，各以鐵爪，自爴其身，令皆破裂，或自擘身擘已復擘，乃至大擘；裂已復裂，乃至大裂；割已復割，乃至大割。諸比丘！彼諸眾生，自割裂已，作如是知：『我今已傷，我今已死。』以業報故，即於是時，復有冷風，來吹其身，須臾復生肌體皮肉、筋骨血髓，生已還活。既得活已，業力因緣，復起東西，更相謂言：『汝諸眾生，願欲得活已勝我耶！』諸比丘！當知此中少分說故，名為活耳。然於其中，更有別業，受極重苦，痛惱逼迫，楚毒難堪，乃至先世，或於人身、或非人身，所起所造，惡不善業，未盡未滅、未除未轉、未少分現、未全分現，於其中間，命報未盡，求死不得。

> Monks, why is it called the Reviving Hell? In this Reviving Hell, all beings who are born, who appear, who dwell there, naturally have iron claws on their fingers—long, sharp, and keen as blades. When these beings see one another, their minds become disturbed and confused. Due to this mental confusion, they use their iron claws to tear at their own bodies, causing them to split open. They rip themselves apart again and again, tearing and tearing until they are utterly shredded, cut and re-cut until they are completely mangled. Monks, after these beings have thus torn and cut themselves, they think: 'I am now wounded; I am now dead.' Yet due to the force of their karmic retribution, a cool wind then blows upon their bodies, and in an instant, flesh, skin, sinews, bones, blood, and marrow are restored, and they come back to life. Once revived, driven by the power of their karma, they rise up once more to the east and west, saying to one another: 'Beings, do you wish to live and best me?' Monks, know that this is only a brief description of why it is called 'Reviving.' Yet within it, there are other karmic deeds that bring extreme suffering—intense pain, torment, agony, and anguish beyond endurance—continuing until the evil and unwholesome actions performed in past lives, whether as humans or non-humans, are completely exhausted, extinguished, removed, and transformed. Not even a fraction of this karma has yet been realized, nor has it fully manifested. As long as life’s retribution remains, they long for death but cannot die.

「復次，諸比丘！活大地獄所有眾生，生者有者乃至住者，手指復生純鐵刀子、半鐵刀子，極長纖利。各各相看，心意濁亂，既濁亂已，乃至各各爴裂擘割，破截而死，冷風來吹，須臾還活。諸比丘！如是如是，少分說故，名為活耳。諸比丘！復有別業，而於其中，極受苦惱，苦未畢故，求死不得。乃至往昔，或於人身、或非人身，所作所造，惡不善業，未盡未滅、未除未離，如是一切次第具受。

> "Furthermore, monastics, among all the beings in the 'Reviving Hell'—those who are born there, those who exist there, and those who dwell there—on their fingers, pure iron knives and half-iron knives grow again, extremely long, sharp, and slender. Looking at each other, their minds become disturbed and confused. Once confused, they proceed to tear, rip, split, and cut one another, until they are mutilated and die. A cold wind blows, and in an instant, they are revived. Monastics, this is why it is called 'Reviving Hell'—as a brief explanation. Furthermore, there are other kinds of karma within it, causing them to experience extreme suffering. Because their suffering is not yet exhausted, they seek death but cannot die. Until the evil, unwholesome actions—whether committed in a human form or a non-human form in the past—are fully exhausted, eliminated, removed, and abandoned, they must undergo all such experiences one after another."

「復次，諸比丘！活大地獄所有眾生，於無量時，苦報盡已，從此獄出，東西馳走，更求餘處屋舍室宅，求救護處、求歸依處。如是求時，以罪業故，即自往入黑雲沙小地獄中，其獄縱廣五百由旬。既入獄已，上虛空中，起大黑雲，雨諸飛沙，其焰熾燃，極大猛熱，墮於地獄眾生身上，至皮燒皮、至肉燒肉、至筋燒筋、至骨燒骨、至髓燒髓，出大烟焰，洞徹熾燃，受極苦惱，以其苦報未畢盡故，求死不得。乃至往昔人非人身，所作所造惡不善業，不滅不除、不轉不變、不離不失，次第而受，經無量時。

> Furthermore, monks, when living beings in the Great Hell of Activity have endured their suffering for an immeasurable time and their karmic retribution is finally exhausted, they emerge from that hell. They run frantically in all directions, searching for another place—a house, a shelter, a refuge, a place of safety. As they search, driven by their past evil karma, they unknowingly enter the Small Hell of Black Cloud Sand. This hell is five hundred yojanas in every direction. Once inside, a massive black cloud appears in the sky above, raining down swirling sands. These sands are ablaze with raging flames, intensely hot and fierce. They fall upon the beings in this hell, burning their skin, then their flesh, then their sinews, then their bones, and finally their marrow. Thick smoke and blazing fire burst forth from their bodies, enveloping them completely. They experience excruciating agony. But because their previous evil deeds have not yet been fully paid off, they cannot die. Thus, they continue to suffer, retribution for the evil, unwholesome actions they committed in their past lives—whether as humans or non-humans—never disappearing, never being canceled, never changing, never being removed, never being lost. They must experience each consequence in order, for an immeasurable span of time.

「諸比丘！彼諸眾生，如是受苦，經無量時已，從黑雲沙地獄出，更復馳走，求屋求宅、求救求覆、求歸依處。如是求時，又復自入熱糞屎泥小地獄中，其獄亦廣五百由旬。罪人入已，自咽已下在糞泥中，其糞熱沸，烟焰俱出，燒彼罪人手足耳鼻頭目身體，一時燋燃。乃至往昔若人非人，所起所造惡不善業，未盡未滅、未除未轉、不離不失，次第而受。

> "Monks, after beings have suffered in this way for an immeasurable time, they emerge from the Black Cloud Sand Hell. Then they run frantically again, seeking shelter, seeking a dwelling, seeking rescue, seeking cover, seeking a refuge. As they search in this way, they involuntarily enter the small hell of Hot Excrement Mud. This hell is also five hundred leagues wide. Once sinners enter it, they sink into the excrement mud from the throat down. The excrement is boiling hot, sending up smoke and flames that burn the sinners' hands, feet, ears, noses, heads, faces, and bodies all at once, charring them completely. This continues until their previous evil and unwholesome actions—done by themselves or others, committed and created, not yet exhausted, not yet eliminated, not yet removed, not yet transformed, not yet abandoned or lost—are fully experienced, one after another."

「復次，諸比丘！於糞屎小地獄中，有諸鐵蟲，名為針口，在糞泥中，鑽諸眾生，一切身分，悉令穿破。先鑽其皮，既破皮已，次鑽其肉，既破肉已，次鑽其筋，既破筋已，次鑽其骨，既破骨已住於髓中，食諸眾生一切精髓，令其遍身受嚴劇苦。然彼壽命，亦未終畢，乃至是人惡不善業，未滅未盡，如是次第具足受之。

> "Next, monks, in the hell of filth and excrement, there are iron insects called 'Needle-Mouths.' They burrow through every part of beings trapped in that mud of waste. First, they pierce the skin; having broken through the skin, they then pierce the flesh; having broken through the flesh, they then pierce the sinews; having broken through the sinews, they then pierce the bones; having broken through the bones, they settle in the marrow and feed on all of the being's marrow, causing severe, agonizing pain throughout their entire body. Yet their life does not come to an end until the evil, unwholesome karma they have created is completely exhausted. In this way, they fully undergo such suffering step by step.

「諸比丘！彼地獄中諸眾生等，於無量時受苦痛已，從糞屎泥小地獄出，又復奔走，求室求宅、求護求洲、求歸依處。爾時，即入五叉小地獄中，其獄亦廣五百由旬。彼諸罪人入此獄已，時守獄卒執取罪人，高舉𢷏之，置於熾燃熱鐵地上，烟焰洞起，罪人在中，悶絕仰臥。獄卒乃以兩熱鐵釘，釘其二脚，熱焰熾燃；又以二釘，釘其兩手，焰亦熾燃；於臍輪中，下一鐵釘，焰轉猛熾。獄卒於是，復以五叉，磔其五體，極受苦毒。乃至彼處，壽命未終，惡業未盡，往昔所造人非人身一切惡業，於此獄中，次第而受。

> Monks, after the beings in that hell have endured immense suffering for an immeasurable time, they emerge from the lesser hell of filth and mud. Again they rush about, seeking shelter, seeking a home, seeking protection, seeking an island of refuge, seeking a place of safety. At that moment, they enter the lesser hell of the Five Stakes. This hell is also five hundred leagues in breadth. When those beings guilty of wrongdoing enter this hell, the guards of hell seize them, lift them up, and cast them down onto a blazing hot iron ground, from which flames and smoke burst forth. The beings, lying there, fall unconscious. The guards then drive two red-hot iron stakes into their two feet, blazing with fierce flames. Then, they drive two stakes into their two hands, also blazing. Then, they drive a stake into their navel, and the flames blaze even more furiously. Finally, the guards take five stakes and impale them through their five limbs, inflicting them with extreme, unbearable pain. This continues until their life span in that place is exhausted. As long as their evil deeds remain unexhausted, all the evil deeds they committed in the human or other realms, they must experience the results of, one after another, in this hell.

「諸比丘！彼諸眾生，受此苦痛，經無量時，從於五叉小地獄出，還復馳走，求救求室、求洲求依、求覆求護，即更來詣飢餓地獄，其獄亦廣五百由旬。罪人入已，時守獄卒，遙見彼人從外而來，即前問言：『汝等今者來至此中，有何所欲？』彼諸眾生，皆共答言：『仁者！我等飢餓！』時，守獄卒即執罪人，𢷏置熾燃熱鐵地上——爾時罪人，悶絕仰臥——便以鐵鉗，坼開其口，取熱鐵丸，擲置口中，彼人脣口，應時燒燃；既燒脣已，即燒其舌；既燒舌已，即燒其腭；既燒腭已，即燒其咽；既燒咽已，即燒其心；既燒心已，即燒其胸；既燒胸已，即燒其腸；既燒腸已，即燒其胃；既燒胃已，經過小腸，從下部出。其丸猛熱，尚赤如初。彼諸眾生，當於是時，極受苦毒，命亦未終。略說乃至，若人非人先世所作，如是次第，此地獄中，種種具受。

> Monks, those beings, after experiencing these torments for countless ages, emerge from the Five-Fork Lesser Hell. They then run frantically, seeking refuge, shelter, an island of safety, and protection. They then arrive at the Hell of Starvation, which is also five hundred yojanas in breadth. When the sinners enter, the wardens of that hell see them coming from afar and ask, "You who have come here now, what is it that you want?" Those beings answer together, "Sir, we are starving!" At that, the wardens seize the sinners and throw them onto a blazing hot iron ground. The sinners immediately faint and fall onto their backs. The wardens then take iron tongs, pry open their mouths, and thrust red-hot iron balls into them. In an instant, the lips catch fire and burn; the tongue catches fire and burns; the palate catches fire and burns; the throat catches fire and burns; the heart catches fire and burns; the chest catches fire and burns; the intestines catch fire and burn; the stomach catches fire and burns. The iron balls pass through the small intestine and exit through the lower body. Still blazing red as when first heated, these balls cause immense agony. Yet, at that time, the beings' lives do not end. In brief, this is how, according to their past deeds—whether as humans or non-humans—they experience all kinds of suffering in this hell, one after another.

「諸比丘！彼諸眾生，於無量時，受是苦已，從此飢餓小地獄出，復更馳走，略說如前，求守護處。然後來詣燋渴地獄，其獄亦廣五百由旬。入此獄已，時守獄卒，遙見彼人從外而來，即前問言：『汝等今者何所求須？』罪人答言：『仁者！我今甚渴。』時，守獄卒即捉罪人，𢷏置熾燃熱鐵地上，在猛焰中，仰臥悶絕，便取鐵鉗磔開其口，融赤銅汁，灌其口中。彼諸眾生，脣口應時悉皆燋爛。唇口爛已，次燒其舌，如是燒腭燒喉、燒心燒胸、燒腸燒胃，直過小腸，從下部出。彼諸眾生，各於是時，受極重苦、受極重痛，其苦特異，難可思議，然彼壽命，未終未盡。略說如前，乃至若人非人所造惡業，未滅未離，如是次第，具足受之。

> "Monks, after these beings have suffered in this way for an immeasurable time and escaped from the minor Hell of Hunger, they again run frantically, as described before, seeking a place of refuge. Eventually, they arrive at the Hell of Burning Thirst, which is also five hundred leagues in width. Upon entering this hell, the guardians see them coming from afar and immediately approach, asking: 'What is it you seek now?' The sinners reply: 'Sir, I am terribly thirsty.' At that moment, the guardian seizes them, throws them onto a blazing hot iron ground amid raging flames, and forces them to lie on their backs until they lose consciousness. Then, using iron tongs, they pry open the sinners' mouths and pour molten copper down their throats. The lips and mouths of these beings are instantly scorched and charred. After their lips and mouths are destroyed, their tongues burn next, followed by their palates, throats, hearts, chests, intestines, and stomachs—the molten copper passes straight through their small intestines and exits from the lower body. At this point, each being experiences extreme pain and unbearable agony beyond imagination. Yet their lives do not end; their lifespan remains unfulfilled. As described earlier, unless the evil deeds committed by humans or non-humans are exhausted and abandoned, these beings must endure this torture completely, one stage after another."

## 起世經卷第二

> Chapter 2 of the Genesis of the World