I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery offered by Anathapindika in Jeta’s grove in Savatthi. The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus from there.
‘Bhikkhus, these three are the marks, characteristics and attainments of the fool. What are the three? The fool has foolish thoughts, foolish words and foolish actions. If the fool was not with foolish thoughts, words and actions, how are the wise to know this good person is a fool, an unworthy one. Since the fool thinks, speaks and acts foolishly, the wise know he is a fool. The fool experiences unpleasantness and displeasure here and now in three ways. Bhikkhus, if the fool is with a crowd, in the street corner or a junction, and if the people there were talking some current topic, and if he destroyed living things, took the not given, misbehaved sexually, told lies and took intoxicating drinks, it occurs to him. These things the people are talking are evident in me too. This is the first instance that the fool experiences unpleasantness and displeasure.
Again, bhikkhus, the fool sees an offender taken hold by the king and given various kinds of torture caned and wipped, flogged with the jungle rope, flogged with the soiled stick, hands severed, legs severed, or both hands and legs severed, ears and nose severed, put in the boiling gruel pot, shell tonsured, put in Rāhu’s mouth, garlanded with the blazing garland, hands scorched, the bark dress given, put with snakes, putting hooks in theflesh, cutting pieces of flesh from the body, driving a spike from ear to ear, beating to make the body like straw, immersing in the boiling oil, giving to the dogs to be eaten, raising on a spike alive until death, and cutting the neck with the sword. Bhikkhus, then it occurs to the fool, for the reason of doing evil this robber, evil doer is punished. If the king gets hold of me, I too will be subjectedto these same punishments. This is the second instance that the fool experiences unpleasantness and displeasure.
Again, bhikkhus, when the fool is relaxed on a chair, on the bed or on a cover on the floor, he thinks of his misbehaviours by body, speech and mind. At such times they press on him heavily. Like the shadow of a huge mountain peak, would fall on the earth heavily in the evening. In the same mannerwhen the fool is relaxed on a chair, on the bed or on a cover on the floor, he thinks of his misbehaviours by body, speech and mind. At such times they press on him heavily. Bhikkhus, then it occurs to the fool. I did not do good and merit. Didn’t dispel the fear of the frightened, did evil bloody faults and later I will reap their results. He grieves, laments, beats his breast and comes to bewilderment of mind. Bhikkhus, this is the third instance that the fool experiences unpleasantness and displeasure.
Bhikkhus, the fool misbehaving by body, speech and mind, at the breakup of the body after death, goes to decrease, is born in hell. Saying it rightly that hell is completely unwelcome and disagreeable. It is not easy to give a comparison for that unpleasantness.
Then a certain bhikkhu said. ‘Venerable sir, is it possible to give a comparison?’
The Blessed One said ‘It is possible, bhikkhu. An evil doer, a robber is taken hold and shown to the king and is told. Great king, this is a robber, an evil doer, mete the suitable punishment to him. Then the king would say. ‘Good one, whip this person six thousand times in the morning,’ He is whipped six thousand times in the morning. In the mid day the king would ask ‘Good one, how is that man?’ ‘Great king he is alive as he was,’ Then the king would say. ‘Good one, whip this person six thousand times in the mid day,’ He is whipped six thousand times in the mid day. In the evening the king would ask ‘Good one, how is that man?’ ‘Great king he is alive as he was,’ Then the king would say. ‘Good one, whip this person six thousand times in the evening,’ He is whipped six thousand times in the evening. Bhikkhus. would that man whipped six thousand times three times a day feel unpleasant and displeased?’
‘Even if given sixty whips, he would feel unpleasant and displeased, so what to speak of it when given six thousand whips three times a day’
Then the Blessed One took a small stone that fitted his fist and addressed the bhikkus. ‘Bhikkhus, which is bigger in size, the stone in my fist or the Himalaya mountains?’
‘Venerable sir, the stone in your fist cannot be reckoned as a comparison, not even as a quarter, nor even as a sign for the Great Himalayas’
‘In the same manner bhikkhus, the unpleasantess and displeasure experienced on account of giving six thousand whips three times a day cannot be reckoned as a comparison, not even as a quarter, nor even as a sign for the unpleasantness and displeasure experienced in hell. The warders of hell give him the fivefold binding. That is two hot iron spikes are sent through his two palms, and two other hot spikes are sent through his two feet and the fifth hot iron spike is sent through his chest. On account of this he experiences sharp piercing unpleasant feelings. Yet he does not die, until his demerit finishes. Next the warders of hell conduct him and hammer himOn account of this he experiences sharp piercing unpleasant feelings. Yet he does not die, until his demerit finishes. Next the warders of hell take him upside down and cut him with a knife. On account of this too he experiences sharp piercing unpleasant feelings. Yet he does not die, until his demerit finishes. Next the warders of hell yoke him to a cart and make him go to and fro on a ground that is flaming and ablaze. On account of this too he experiences sharp piercing unpleasant feelings. Yet he does not die, until his demerit finishes. Next the warders of hell make him ascend and descend a rock of burning ambers. On account of this he experiences sharp piercing unpleasant feelings. Yet he does not die, until his demerit finishes. Next the warders of hell throw him upside down into a boiling, blazing pot of molten. There he is cooked in the molten scum, and he on his own accord dives in comes up and goes across in the molten pot. On account of this too he experiences sharp piercing unpleasant feelings. Yet he does not die, until his demerit finishes. Next the warders of hell throw him to the Great Hell. Bhikkhus, the Great Hell is square and has four gates. It’s divided into two and is enclosed with an iron wall. The top is closed with an iron lid. The floor spreads upto seven hundred miles and it stands there every day.
I may explain the unpleasantness of the hell in various ways, yet it is not easy to explain that unpleasantness completely.
Bhikkhus, there are beings that go on their fours and grinding grass dry or wet with their teeth, eat it. Who are such beings? They are horses, cattle, donkeys, goats, deer or any other animals that go on their fours and eat grass. The fool greedy for tastes do evil things and after death are born in the company of the four-footed and eat grass.
Bhikkhus, there are animals that eat excreta. They run sniffing the smell of excreta, thinking we will eat that and that, like the brahmin that runs for the smell of a sacrifice thinking we will eat here and here. In the same manner animals that eat excreta. run sniffing the smell of excreta, thinking we will eat that and that. Bhikkhus, what are the animals that eat excreta? They are cocks, pigs, dogs, foxes and any other animals that eat excreta. The fool greedy for tastes do evil things and after death are born in the company of the animals that eat excreta.
Bhikkhus, there are crawling things that are born, live and die in the dark. Bhikkhus, what are the crawling things that are born, live and die in the dark? Beetles, worm maggots, earth worms and similar crawling things are born, live and die in the dark. Fools greedy for tastes do evil things and after death are born in the company of those born in the dark.
Bhikkhus, there are things that are born, live and die in the water. Bhikkhus, what are the things that are born, live and die in water? Fish, turtles, crocodiles and similar beings are born, live and die in water. Fools greedy for tastes do evil things and after death are born in the company of those born in water.
Bhikkhus, there are things that are born, live and die in excreta. Bhikkhus, what are the things that are born, live and die in excreta? Things that are born live and die in rotten fish, in rotten flesh, in rotten bread, in a dirty village pool. Fools greedy for tastes do evil things and after death are born in the company of those born, live and die in excreta.
I may explain the unpleasantness of the animal world in various ways, yet it is not easy to explain that unpleasantness completely.
Bhikkhus, a man would throw into the ocean a plough share with a single hole in it. Then with the eastern winds it would be carried west and with the western windscarried east. With the northern winds it would be carried south and with the southern winds carried north. Then there is a blind turtle in the depths of the ocean and it comes up to the surface after the lapse of a hundred years. Bhikkhus this turtle with one eye to see would he put his neck in the plough share and yoke it to the hole to see light?’
‘Venerable sir, it would happen after the lapse of a very long time.’
‘Bhikkhus, it is more likely that the blind turtle would put his neck in the plough share and yoke the eye to the hole to see light rather than the fool once fallen to hell would gain humanity. What is the reason? Here, there is no righteous living, good conduct, merit or a pleasant mind. Here they eat each other, the weaker one is eaten up. Bhikkhus, even if the fool regains humanity after a very long time he is born in a low clan such as with the out castes, the hunters, with the bamboo weavers, chariot builders, rubbish collectors or in such other low family. Born into a poor family without eatables, drinks and clothing, gains them with difficulty. He too is not with pleasant appearance has a deformed body and is with many ailments, either blind, deformed, lame or paralysed, or does not gain eatables, drinks, clothes, conveyances, flowers, scents, ointments, beds, dwellings and illuminations. He misbehaves by body, speech and mind and after death goes to decrease and is born in hell.
Bhikkhus, it is like the gambler, who at the first throw loses his sons, wife and all his wealth and is further pursued. That unlucky throw on account of which the gambler loses his sons, wife and all his wealth is much better than the fool misbehavingby body, speech and mind would after death be born in hell. Bhikkhus, now the fools’ sphere is completely told.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 