諸法集要經卷第七
Chapter 7: Collection of All Dharmas
觀無畏尊者集
Collected by the Venerable Guān Wúwèi
西天譯經三藏朝散大夫試鴻臚卿宣梵大師賜紫沙門臣日稱等奉 詔譯
Translated by the Tripitaka Master from the Western Regions, the Court Gentleman of the Court of Sacrifices, the Grand Master of the Imperial Banquets, the Master of Xuanfan, the Purple-Robe Monk Chen, and others, by imperial decree.
說罪品第十五之餘
Chapter 15: Confession of Sins (Continued)
明了罪福相， 是為具智者，
於此無正解， 乃愚癡所作。
善達諸功德， 於過惡亦然，
二種如實知， 常獲於樂分。
若人造諸罪， 如與冤同處，
樂行善利者， 如近於良友。
由愛染造作， 境界常現前，
展轉癡暗中， 常受諸楚毒。
欲境如稠林， 貪愛常遊處，
愚夫不達法， 何因能出離？
墮彼地獄中， 和合受眾苦，
當知不作罪， 無由來至此。
行善獲勝報， 無量福莊嚴，
為惡自招殃， 決定無能免。
謂自他苦樂， 循環三有海，
由業風所吹， 如波依於水。
若人生於逸， 常造作諸惡，
以是因緣故， 當墮於地獄。
從地獄得脫， 生於餘趣中，
復為欲所牽， 忘昔所受苦。
此心由慣習， 暫悟即還迷，
樂壞苦復生， 不思惟後患。
為五根所誑， 狂亂侵佗境，
受流轉無窮， 皆由愛纏縛。
墮地獄鬼趣， 傍生及邊夷，
或暫生天中， 須臾還退殃。
受諸趣流轉， 如世間車輪，
皆由業習牽， 而不生疲厭。
設使生天中， 受極妙快樂，
福盡還退墮， 此皆輪迴行。
墮蓮華地獄， 百千俱胝數，
受無量苦惱， 愚癡無厭怖。
三界無有樂， 皆為苦所逼，
眾生癡所盲， 未嘗懷憂畏。
愚夫迷苦因， 於苦不能了，
是苦從因起， 如種生其果。
由苦樂所拘， 於三有往返，
唯除寂滅樂， 永離諸憂惱。
若在所生處， 能思念諸苦，
是苦不復生， 離苦獲安隱。
若人能憶念， 地獄中苦惱，
則於彼樂中， 少分而不著。
如是了知已， 世間悉虛假，
當離諸過患， 以慧善修作。
壽命不久住， 瞬息剎那間，
斷除彼惡因， 常奉行眾善。
了住壽非堅， 一切由心造，
依正行所作， 不求邪活命，
未來世苦惱， 何不生驚怖？
癡索鎮縈纏， 獄火常燒煮。
癡為不善法， 違白淨福業，
能引惡眾生， 長淪於苦海。
若人不怖罪， 樂多造諸惡，
展轉地獄中， 為獄火燒炙。
如一微細火， 則能燒諸物，
愚夫罪少許， 亦墮於地獄。
若人怖惡道， 不作諸罪行，
能攝受正法， 捨惡而從善。
惡友生放逸， 起無慚無愧，
智者常遠之， 彼如火如毒。
苦法為魔障， 樂法無所礙，
於二善分別， 一切皆通達。
遠彼惡知識， 樂廣行施忍，
慈念諸眾生， 是生天要行。
地獄品第十六
Chapter 16: The Hell Realm
若人邪活命， 造作眾惡業，
今當說其報， 後墮於地獄。
謂等活黑繩， 眾合二號叫，
燒然極燒然， 無間地獄等；
如是八地獄， 方面各一門，
彼一一獄門， 四獄為城郭；
鐵城遍圍繞， 造惡者充滿，
獄卒叉罪人， 如魚烹鼎鑊；
雨山石器杖， 斫截碎其身，
日夜常悲啼， 渴令飲銅汁；
為極苦逼切， 發聲大號吼，
受種種治罰， 向四方奔竄。
若人癡所覆， 橫生諸惡見，
招彼地獄因， 如海深且廣。
此下劣惡見， 損害於自佗，
無量苦因緣， 汝為自纏縛。
由著邪見故， 恃己生憍慢，
永墮惡道中， 長時受極苦。
由造彼惡業， 汝今來至此，
下劣愚癡人， 自作何愁怖？
作惡希善報， 則無有是處，
種植於深淵， 必無其果利。
若人縱愚癡， 數親近和合，
為彼少樂故， 後受於多苦。
愚夫妄為樂， 戀著於妻孥，
起染污煩惱， 皆由愛惑心；
於己命終時， 無一能捄護，
獨趣險惡道， 慘然而長逝。
又彼地獄中， 本無諸苦器，
隨造惡有情， 自心之所變。
譬如然妙香， 倏爾飄無狀，
亦如群宿禽， 夜集曉還散。
或劫取佗財， 及害彼身命，
造此極不善， 皆為癡所致。
謂由彼癡故， 從暝入於暝，
失生天正行， 及最上寂靜。
彼妻子眷屬， 纏縛難出離，
沒生死海中， 而無所依怙。
貪求造眾惡， 云為於妻孥，
及自受酸辛， 彼各知何所？
於無量生中， 常貪著美色，
由是造諸過， 鄙劣而無愧。
先造彼罪惡， 後不生追悔，
定墮地獄中， 長劫無出期。
親屬雖眾多， 於己何能捄？
見餘著欲者， 受報亦如此。
自行於善行， 必招其樂果，
愚夫癡所蔽， 於此殊無悟。
若為癡所覆， 貪恚亦隨生，
所愛為佗有， 己苦無能免。
內為三毒燒， 外獄火圍繞，
長劫受楚毒， 何時免惡道？
自心造諸惡， 曾不生愧恥，
為獄火燒炙， 何用徒悲啼？
汝輩極暗鈍， 樂行於非法，
不須生悔恨， 於苦當安忍。
愚夫造眾罪， 作已生驚怖，
業果常相隨， 皆從因緣起。
於善何曾修， 於惡不能斷，
若離彼惡者， 地獄不復見。
若人癡所覆， 不了於業果，
為邪師所悞， 轉增其過咎。
由怖先造罪， 常生於熱惱，
無正法對治， 終為苦逼切。
若能離諸過， 於苦則無分，
住正念思惟， 不應作諸罪。
若樂作眾惡， 彼於苦無厭，
以苦而加苦， 何由能出離？
心不生厭患， 彼何有寂靜？
我於罪眾生， 故不生悲愍。
汝為癡所縛， 造彼非法行，
彼因汝自作， 匪我而能捄。
積集彼癡行， 罪惡悉盈滿，
不能持淨戒， 苦報孰能免。
若人造惡業， 隨因則受報，
應知苦因緣， 自作而自受。
汝為愛索拘， 狂亂無慚𧹞，
受極險治罰， 彼苦無能說。
若人造眾惡， 則受諸楚毒，
不作則不受， 無因亦無報。
如是諸過患， 果在於地獄，
於諸善法中， 曾不生欣樂；
不修於福業， 造無量罪惡，
受報亦如然， 愚夫徒悔惱。
捨離諸善人， 多行於詭詐，
不修真實因， 求樂不可得。
積集眾罪垢， 從愚癡心起，
長劫受極苦， 皆由昔所造。
地獄諸有情， 為獄卒囚執，
苦切而責之， 業盡汝當出。
又彼愚癡人， 為自心所誑，
不了所作業， 煩惋懷悲愴；
以非利為善， 以良友如冤，
損壞於自他， 常處大黑暗。
彼三毒惡行， 與深冤無異，
能牽諸有情， 至焰摩羅所。
是癡何因生？ 皆由計我所。
不修施等行， 以何而濟度？
罪為第一冤， 隨惡趣顯現，
於此世他生， 而不相捨離；
所造作諸惡， 如利刀毒火，
險惡極可畏， 作已汝當受。
若人心寂靜， 不著諸境界，
不隨癡所行， 則離於惡報。
聞地獄苦聲， 愚暗不生怖，
如持彼乾薪， 投之於烈火。
又世間火然， 焰久即能滅，
當知彼業火， 長時而熾盛；
常火勢可斷， 業火長相續，
若人造惡行， 畢竟為所燒。
是故彼業火， 常燒地獄人，
不怖惡道者， 無能免斯害。
以慧當揀擇， 於己善防護，
遠離彼惡業， 則不受諸苦。
為癡之所覆， 常造作眾惡，
今受此極苦， 悲號徒爾為。
謂初中後分， 及盡苦邊際，
苦因與苦果， 皆不可愛樂。
昔在於人間， 廣作諸惡業，
招此險惡報， 汝今當自受。
離顛倒分別， 因果常相應，
如昔之所作， 隨業而受報。
汝能於自身， 常生其保重，
云何起殺業， 伺斷佗壽命？
汝求彼財利， 備受諸艱辛，
云何於佗財， 興心而劫盜？
汝於自妻妾， 專意而防護，
云何於佗色， 而生於侵暴？
汝作妄語罪， 欺誑於良善，
為佗不信受， 彼舌極可畏。
汝樂飲酒罪， 引生於癡鈍，
招非法誹謗， 何不生遠離？
如是五種惡， 皆汝先所造，
今受此惡報， 何為徒悲慟？
不善法如毒， 應當常遠離，
能令諸有情， 長淪於苦海。
又彼貪欲火， 於三有熾然，
見善利不修， 後樂何所得？
說巧笑言辭， 增長於貪欲，
斯為大過咎， 當斷無有餘。
墮彼地獄已， 發聲大號哭，
獄卒咸謂言： 如彼因而受。
不遠離諸惡， 作已還復造，
彼因即增長， 受報亦如此。
若畏未來苦， 當現修眾善，
則無地獄報， 亦不生悲啼。
放逸如彼地， 出生諸不善，
無量諸有情， 皆為貪所牽。
汝昔造眾罪， 起貪等惡行，
愚夫不了知， 當苦何人代！
不生慈愍心， 隨諸惡流轉，
無邊苦海中， 憑何而濟度？
資財及所愛， 命盡悉遺棄，
由造此眾罪， 為獄卒所追。
極猛惡火聚， 充遍於虛空，
乃至地方所， 熾焰而無間。
苦切不可觀， 惶怖何所至？
鋒刃為其道， 驅逐令履踐。
險難廣如海， 獨逝而無伴，
何時得解脫， 於我誰能捄？
我為苦逼切， 疲乏不能往，
為彼所執縛， 牽挽而將去；
妻孥朋屬等， 到此皆如冤，
縱無量珍財， 求囑無能脫。
由昔放逸故， 樂壞翻為苦，
為死羂所牽， 冥莫何歸趣？
彼琰摩獄卒， 極暴惡忿怒，
執縛加凌辱， 心生大惶怖。
我觀彼惡處， 種種苦治罰，
一切情非情， 皆騰於猛焰。
復有大毒蟒， 周匝悉圍繞，
悲號求出離， 無歸亦無捄。
墮黑暗獄中， 深廣猶大海，
虛空宿曜光， 長劫何由覩？
謂由彼五根， 顛倒生貪著，
流轉三有中， 何由能寂靜？
一切身肢分， 為利鋸分解，
無量極苦惱， 言莫能盡宣。
積集罪如山， 眾苦常圍繞，
念念常增長， 心作身自受。
受極苦迫窄， 辛酸唯自知，
琰摩勅彼言： 汝觀昔所作。
若了知自罪， 於苦能堪忍，
乃至業未盡， 一一當思惟。
昔由癡所覆， 今徒生悔惱，
汝作如是因， 自受如是果。
由惡作所起， 造增上重罪，
墮難中險難， 受苦中極苦。
愚夫造罪已， 如以薪投火，
從劫而至劫， 業盡或當出。
非諸天脩羅， 夜叉鬼神等，
我為死羂拘， 彼皆不能捄。
為彼索所縛， 牽至琰摩所，
惶怖無依歸， 隨業之所趣。
若離欲過患， 三界中最勝，
解脫一切縛， 則不造諸罪。
若和合因緣， 先從父所得，
彼如是劬勞， 汝何行殺害？
又復害母罪， 惡業無過此，
墮於地獄中， 受增上極苦。
斷三有結縛， 是名阿羅漢，
愚癡行殺害， 今受此苦報。
一切諸法藏， 顯示解脫門，
汝破和合僧， 今受此苦報。
常發虛妄言， 指東而談北，
所說無誠信， 今受此苦報。
又復生綺語， 損壞真實寶，
無益於自佗， 今受此苦報。
起兩舌惡業， 互相而讒謗，
離散彼親朋， 今受此苦報。
說無義惡語， 如刀杖毒火，
令佗生熱惱， 今受此苦報。
護惜己身命， 損害諸有情，
常無慈愍心， 今受此苦報。
佗所有珍財， 偷取或劫奪，
恣為五欲因， 今受此苦報。
樂作欲邪行， 如火益其薪，
常生疑怖心， 增長諸不善；
樂著於邪見， 損壞佗善根，
受惡報無窮， 受第一苦惱。
此諸惡境界， 汝愚癡隨轉，
皆由身語心， 相應而造作。
造彼眾惡已， 將終苦現前，
為獄卒所驅， 速趣於地獄。
是地獄苦惱， 極難堪忍受，
假使海深廣， 燒然亦枯涸。
若人了諸惡， 因果非可樂，
常當正思惟， 於罪不應作。
謂佛法僧寶， 眾德皆圓滿，
得生於人中， 何不能親近？
初作微細罪， 如小火所燒，
後廣造惡因， 如投身火聚。
於罪徒憂怖， 意不斷諸惡，
常思受苦報， 今汝復何造？
當知彼少罪， 則能生眾苦，
業盡當出離， 餘無有能捄。
彼琰摩使者， 檢察隨釋放，
若惡報未盡， 還牽受眾苦。
於身肢方面， 分裂而斫截，
無數罪有情， 生悲愁號叫。
復有惡有情， 多作離間語，
猶如一種子， 後增長無數。
皆由彼惡慧， 而生於鬪亂，
於親屬朋友， 悉為作破壞。
常遠諸善言， 樂發於惡語，
當割截其舌， 因果還相似。
百千功德門， 由舌而破壞，
今受此苦報， 何時獲出離？
墮彼地獄中， 極熱生飢渴，
譬如以芥子， 擲須彌火聚。
又彼地獄火， 復從飢渴生，
及墮落諸天， 受報亦如此。
所造眾惡業， 皆由三毒起，
展轉猛焰間， 無藏竄逃避。
無智諸有情， 妄起於分別，
不善說為善， 於良友如冤。
云何諸眾生， 不悟真實法？
設為彼開示， 心不生愛樂。
不樂聞正法， 輕毀說法師，
於濁惡世中， 何由生慧眼？
愚夫之境界， 愛欲長迷惑，
不依正法律， 無因能自悟；
為癡索所牽， 常樂作諸惡，
作已受極苦， 徒生於憂悔。
由增上愚癡， 於法說非法，
彼因既顛倒， 則錯行亂學；
無明慧揀擇， 耽嗜於五欲，
於善不修習， 見惡則隨作。
諸天心著樂， 投放逸火中，
不遇勝善緣， 彼即隨退墮。
又彼愚癡人， 憎嫉諸賢善，
矯現諸威儀， 誑佗而求利。
口雖說正法， 心常伺他咎，
是人於世間， 為第一惡者。
若人著欲樂， 則是求苦惱，
為自心所誑， 樂壞非他受。
是故以正慧， 常修十善行，
於諸非義利， 畢竟永除斷。
樂利益於佗， 繫心無暫捨，
常依淨善法， 應當如是住。
If a person lives by wrongful means And creates all sorts of evil deeds, I shall now explain their karmic results: They fall into the hells.
These are called: Revival, Black Rope, Crushing, Two Howling Hells, Burning, Great Burning, And the Unremitting Hell—these eight.
Each of these eight hells has one gate on each side. And outside each hell-gate, there are four hells forming its outer walls. An iron city surrounds them completely, filled with wrong-doers; Hell-guards impale them on spikes, like fish boiled in a cauldron.
Mountains of stone weapons and clubs rain down; They hack and slice the bodies into pieces; Day and night, they cry out in sorrow. Thirst makes them drink molten copper.
Crushed by unbearable pain, they roar and scream, Suffering all kinds of punishments and tortures as they run, panicked, in all directions.
If a person is blinded by ignorance, They generate all kinds of wrong views; This becomes the cause for falling into hell, Deep and vast as the ocean.
This vile, lowly wrong view Harms both oneself and others. It is the cause of endless suffering; You are tangled in it by your own doing.
Because you cling to wrong views, You become arrogant, relying on yourself, And fall forever into evil destinies, Enduring extreme pain for a long time.
By creating such evil deeds, You have now come to this place. You lowly, foolish person— What did you do to deserve this terror and grief?
If you do evil and hope for a good reward, That can never happen. It is like planting seeds in a deep abyss— No fruit or benefit will come from that.
If a person, trapped in ignorance, Repeatedly engages in wrong-doing, For the sake of a little pleasure, They suffer great pain later.
Fools mistake these things for pleasure— They cling to their wives and children; All these defiled, afflicted states arise From a heart longing for affection.
When their life finally ends, No one can save them. They go on alone toward a terrifying, dangerous path, Passing away in misery.
Furthermore, in those hells, There are no actual instruments of torture. But according to the evil beings who go there, They are all created by their own minds.
It is like burning fine incense— It suddenly vanishes without a trace. Or like birds that gather at night And scatter at dawn.
Sometimes people steal others' property Or harm other people's lives; Doing such extreme evil deeds Is all because of ignorance.
Because of that ignorance, They go from darkness into deeper darkness. They lose the right path to heavenly rebirth And the supreme peace.
Their wives, children and relatives Entangle them so tightly it's hard to break free; They drown in the ocean of birth and death, With no one to rely on.
Driven by greed, they create evil deeds, Saying it's for the sake of their wives and children. But they themselves must suffer the sorrow; What do those loved ones truly know?
For countless lives, They always crave attractive forms, And because of this they create so many faults, Base and shameless.
First they do those evil deeds; Later they feel no regret. They are destined to fall into hell, With no end to their time there for eons.
Even if their relatives are many, How can they possibly save them? Look at others attached to desire, Receiving similar karmic results.
Whoever does good deeds Will definitely experience happy results. But fools are blinded by ignorance, And cannot grasp this at all.
If someone is covered by ignorance, Greed and anger also arise. What they love belongs to others; Their own suffering cannot be escaped.
Internally, burned by the three poisons; Externally, surrounded by the hell-fire; They suffer torment for eons. When will they ever escape the evil path?
They themselves create all kinds of evil in their minds, And never feel shame or embarrassment. Now that they are being scorched by the hell-fire, What's the use of crying and wailing?
You people are extremely dull and ignorant, You delight in doing what is wrong. Don't bother feeling regret or remorse now— For this suffering, you simply must endure.
Fools create all sorts of offenses, And after doing so, they panic. But karmic results inevitably follow; Everything arises from causes and conditions.
When did they ever cultivate virtue? When did they ever cut off evil? If a person could abandon evil deeds, They would never see the hells again.
If someone is covered by ignorance, And does not understand karmic results, They are misled by wrong teachers, And only increase their faults.
Terrified by wrongs they've previously committed, They constantly burn with anxiety. Since they have no true Dharma to counter it, They are always crushed by suffering.
If one can abandon all faults, They won't experience suffering at all. Just maintain right mindfulness and reflect— Do not create any more evil.
If someone enjoys doing all sorts of harmful acts, They never grow weary of suffering; They add suffering to suffering; How can they possibly escape?
If the mind doesn't develop revulsion for this, How can they ever find peace?
For those sentient beings who commit evil, I do not feel pity.
You are tied up by ignorance, Creating those wrongful actions. Those causes are your own making, Not something I can save you from.
You gather this ignorant behavior And are completely filled with evil. Unable to uphold pure moral precepts, Who could escape the painful results?
If a person creates evil deeds, They will experience the results according to the cause. You should understand that suffering has its causes, And what you do, you alone experience.
You are bound by the rope of craving, Crazy and shameless, You endure the most dangerous punishments; The pain is beyond description.
If a person creates many evil deeds, They suffer all kinds of torment. If they don't create them, they won't suffer; Without a cause, there is no result.
All these kinds of harm Have their results in the hells. In all kinds of virtuous deeds, They never took any joy.
They didn't cultivate meritorious actions; Instead, they created countless evils. Their karmic results mirror what they did; Fools only regret and suffer in vain.
They abandon good people And act with great dishonesty. They don't cultivate true causes, So they cannot attain happiness.
All the accumulated filth of evil Arises from a foolish, ignorant mind. Enduring extreme suffering for eons Is all because of what they did in the past.
The beings in the hells Are seized by the hell-guards, Who question them harshly: "When your karma is exhausted, you will be released."
And those foolish, ignorant people Are deceived by their own minds. Not understanding the deeds they've committed, They grieve and suffer anguish.
They mistake what is harmful as beneficial; They treat good friends as if they were enemies. They harm both themselves and others, Always dwelling in great darkness.
The evil deeds of the three poisons Are no different from deadly enemies; They drag sentient beings away To the presence of Yama.
Why does such ignorance arise? It all comes from clinging to "me" and "mine."
If one doesn't cultivate generosity and other practices, How can they be rescued?
Evil is the primary enemy; It appears as we go to evil destinies. In both this life and the next, It never leaves us.
The various evils we create Are like a sharp knife, poison, or fire; Dangerous, evil, and extremely terrifying— After you've done them, you must experience them.
If someone's mind is peaceful And doesn't cling to any objects, If they don't follow ignorance, They will be free from evil results.
Hearing the cries of suffering in hell, The ignorant and dull don't feel fear. It's like throwing dry firewood Into a blazing fire.
Worldly fire, even when blazing, Will eventually go out. But you should know that the fire of karma Burns fiercely for a long time.
The fire of ordinary fuel can be extinguished, But the karmic fire continues endlessly. If someone does evil deeds, They will definitely be burned by it.
Therefore, that fire of karma Always burns those people in hell. Those not afraid of evil destinations Cannot escape this harm.
Use wisdom to discriminate. Protect yourself carefully. If you stay far from evil deeds, You won't have to suffer.
Covered by ignorance, They constantly create all sorts of evil. Now they suffer such extreme pain— Why do they just cry in vain?
Considering the beginning, middle and end stages, And the limit of suffering's end, Both the causes and results of pain Are things to never delight in.
In the past, while living among humans, They extensively performed evil deeds. They have now created this dangerous result; You must experience it yourself.
Remove upside-down, distorted thoughts, And you'll see causes and results always correspond. Just as you heard in the past, So are the karmic results you now bear.
You who always value your own life, Why did you commit the act of killing, Lying in wait to cut off others' lives?
You who endured all sorts of hardship To gain profit and property— Why did you then steal others' belongings?
You who protect your own wife With constant, careful vigilance— Why did you then take by force What belonged to others?
You who committed the offense of lying, Deceiving good, honest people— Now others don't trust anything you say; That tongue of yours is extremely terrifying.
You who delight in the offense of drinking alcohol— It dulls your mind and makes you ignorant. It invites wrong and slanderous talk— Why didn't you stay far away from it?
These five types of evil Are all things you did earlier. Now you experience these painful results— What's the use of crying in vain?
Unwholesome dharmas are just like poison— You should always stay far away; They cause all sentient beings To sink for long in the ocean of suffering.
Furthermore, that fire of greed Burns fiercely throughout the three realms. If you don't cultivate what is beneficial, How will you attain happiness later?
Flattering words and charming smiles Only increase craving. This is a major fault; You should cut it off completely.
After falling into those hells, They cry out loudly. The hell-guards all say to them: "You experience the result of your own actions."
If you don't stay away from evil, And after doing it, you just do it again, That cause only grows stronger, And your karmic result will be the same.
If you fear pain in the future, You should practice virtue right now. Then you won't experience the hellish result, And you won't cry and wail.
Carelessness is like a field That gives rise to all unwholesome things. Countless sentient beings Are all dragged by greed.
In the past, you committed many evil deeds; You acted with greed and other defilements. A fool never understands— When suffering comes, who can take it for you?
If you don't develop a compassionate mind, And instead follow all types of evil, Drifting in the boundless ocean of suffering, How can you ever be rescued?
Wealth and loved ones— When life ends, they're all left behind. Because you create all these evils, You are pursued by the hell-guards.
Extremely fierce masses of fire Fill the entire sky, Reaching even to space, Blazing without pause.
It is too painful to look at; Terrified, where can you go? A path covered in sharp blades Drives you on, forcing you to walk.
Dangers are as vast as the ocean; You go alone, without any companion. "When will I be released? Who can save me?
I am crushed by suffering; I am too exhausted to go on. I am being caught and tied up, Dragged away by force.
My wife, children, friends and relatives— Even they are now like enemies to me. Even if I had boundless wealth, Begging others cannot free me."
Because of past carelessness, What was pleasure has turned to pain. Dragged by death's noose, Where do you go in this darkness?
Yama's messengers— Extremely fierce and angry— Tie people up and abuse them. Their minds become filled with terror.
I see that evil place, With all kinds of painful punishments. Beings and even non-sentient things Burst into fierce flames.
And great venomous snakes Crawl around them everywhere. They weep and cry, seeking an escape, But find no refuge and no savior.
They fall into a pitch-black hell, Deep and vast like the ocean. The starlight in the sky could they see?— Not even once, for eons.
All the five senses— Upside-down, they cause grasping and clinging. Revolving within the three realms, How then can they ever find peace?
Every part of the body Is cut apart by sharp saws. The boundless, extreme pain Cannot be fully described.
The evils they accumulate pile up like a mountain; Suffering constantly surrounds them. Moment by moment, it keeps growing; The mind creates it, and the body experiences it.
Crushed by unbearable suffering, Their bitterness is known to them alone. Yama commands them, saying: "Look at what you did in the past."
If you understand your own faults, You can endure the pain. Until the karma is exhausted, Contemplate each and every thing.
"In the past, I was covered by ignorance; Now I feel regret and sorrow in vain. You did this kind of cause; Now you experience this kind of result."
Because of bad actions that arose, They created enormous, heavy evils. Falling into danger among dangers, Suffering the worst among all sufferings.
Fools create their evil deeds; Then, like throwing wood into a fire, From eon to eon, When the karma is done, perhaps they will emerge.
None among the gods, asuras, Yakshas, ghosts, and spirits— Even though the noose of death has caught me— Any of them can rescue me.
Bound tightly by that rope, I am dragged to Yama's presence. Terrified, with no one to rely on, I go where my karma leads.
If someone abandons the faults of desire, That is the supreme state in the three realms. Free from all bonds, They will not create any evil.
When the cause comes from togetherness, First it comes from the father. He labored and toiled for you— Why did you act to kill him?
And also the act of killing a mother Is a deed of evil like no other. Falling into the hells, You experience the most intense suffering.
One who cuts off the bonds of the three realms Is called an Arhat. Fools kill them out of ignorance; Now they experience these painful results.
The treasury of all dharmas Reveals the door to liberation. You broke up the harmonious Sangha; Now you experience these painful results.
Constantly speaking false, deceptive words, Pointing east while talking about north— Everything you said lacked truth; Now you experience these painful results.
Also, you spoke frivolous, useless words, Harming the true treasure. With no benefit for yourself or others, Now you experience these painful results.
You committed the harmful act of slanderous speech, Backbiting and creating conflict, Separating loved ones and friends— Now you experience these painful results.
You spoke useless, hurtful words, Like knives, clubs, poison or fire. Causing others to feel anxiety and pain, Now you experience these painful results.
You protect your own life While harming other sentient beings. Always lacking compassion in your heart, Now you experience these painful results.
You stole or forcibly robbed What belonged to others. Indulging for the sake of the five desires, Now you experience these painful results.
You delighted in sexual misconduct, Like putting fuel on fire. Constantly feeling doubt and fear; Increasing all unwholesome things.
You clung to wrong views, Destroying others' roots of virtue. Now you experience endless evil results; You suffer the ultimate pain.
These evil states, O fool, You followed and revolved in. All of them, through body, speech and mind, Were committed accordingly.
After creating all these evils, When death was near, suffering appeared. Driven forward by the hell-guards, They quickly go toward the hells.
The pain of these hells Is extremely hard to endure. Even the deep, vast ocean, When set ablaze, would dry up.
If one understands that all evil actions And their results are not something to delight in, They should constantly reflect on this correctly And not commit any harmful act.
The Triple Gem—the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha— Whose virtues are all complete: Having been born as a human, Why didn't you come close to them?
At first, you commit small, subtle wrongs, Like being burned by a small fire. Later, you broadly do evil deeds, Like throwing yourself into a roaring blaze.
You only worry and fear about punishment, But you don't stop doing wrong. Always thinking about painful results— What are you going to create for yourself now?
You should understand that even a small evil act Can give rise to much suffering. When the karma is exhausted, you'll be released; No one else can save you.
Yama's messengers Inspect and release accordingly. But if the evil results have not yet been exhausted, They drag you back to endure more suffering.
Their body parts on every side Are split, broken, and cut apart. Countless beings, heavy with wrongdoing, Weep in sorrow, screaming.
There are also evil beings Who created much divisive speech. Like a single seed That later grows into countless ones.
All because of their evil wisdom, They caused conflict and disputes. They destroyed all connections Between family members and friends.
They always stayed far from good advice And delighted in saying harmful things. Now their tongues will be cut off— Cause and result are always similar.
If hundreds and thousands of gateways to virtue Are destroyed by the tongue— Now you experience these painful results; When will you ever be released?
Falling into those hells, They feel extreme heat, hunger and thirst; It's like throwing a mustard seed Into a mountain-sized fire.
And that hell fire Also arises from hunger and thirst; Even for gods who fall from heaven, Their results are the same.
All the various evil deeds we do Arise from the three poisons; Spinning between violent flames, We find no hiding place or escape.
Beings without wisdom Make false, discriminating distinctions. They call what is unwholesome wholesome; They see good friends as enemies.
How is it that sentient beings Do not awaken to the true Dharma? Even when it is explained to them, Their minds take no joy in it.
They don't like to hear the true Dharma; They disparage the Dharma teacher. In this corrupt, degenerate age, How can the eye of wisdom arise?
The realm of fools— Craving and desire confuse them. Without turning to the true Dharma, They cannot awaken on their own.
Dragged by ignorance's rope, They always delight in doing evil; Once done, they suffer the greatest pain, And only feel regret and remorse in vain.
Due to extreme ignorance, They call what is the Dharma "not the Dharma." Since their very foundation is upside-down, They practice wrong and confuse their studies.
Without the light of wisdom to choose, They indulge in the five desires. They don't cultivate virtue, And when they see evil, they just join in doing it.
Gods whose minds cling to pleasure Throw themselves into the fire of heedlessness. If they don't encounter a supreme good cause, They immediately fall away.
And those foolish, ignorant people Feel hate and jealousy toward the wise and good. They show off all kinds of formal mannerisms, Pretending just to get something from others.
Though their mouths speak the true Dharma, Their hearts always search for others' faults. Among all people in this world, They are the worst.
If a person clings to desire's pleasures, They are actually looking for pain. Deceived by their own minds, When pleasure crumbles, someone else doesn't suffer.
Therefore, with true wisdom, Constantly practice the ten virtuous actions, And for all unwholesome, meaningless things, Completely and permanently cut them off.
Delight in benefiting others, Focus your mind without a moment's lapse; Always rely on pure, good dharmas— This is how you should live.