Khuddakanikāya Dhammapada Nirayavagga Sundarīparibbājikāvatthu Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti, Yo vāpi katvā na karomi cāha; Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti, Nihīnakammā manujā parattha.

The Chapter on Hell

The Story of Sundarī the Wanderer

The one who speaks falsely goes to hell,

And also the one who, having done, says, I did not do it.

Duccaritaphalapīḷitavatthu Kāsāvakaṇṭhā bahavo, pāpadhammā asaññatā; Pāpā pāpehi kammehi, nirayaṁ te upapajjare.

Both of them, after death, become equal,

Men of low deeds in the hereafter.

The Story of Many Disciples and Others

Many who wear the saffron robe,

Vaggumudātīriyabhikkhuvatthu Seyyo ayoguḷo bhutto, tatto aggisikhūpamo; Yañce bhuñjeyya dussīlo, raṭṭhapiṇḍamasaññato.

Are of corrupt nature, uncontrolled;

With corrupt deeds, they go to hell.

Better is an uncommitted wrong,

For later one regrets a committed wrong;

Khemakaseṭṭhiputtavatthu Cattāri ṭhānāni naro pamatto, Āpajjati paradārūpasevī; Apuññalābhaṁ na nikāmaseyyaṁ, Nindaṁ tatīyaṁ nirayaṁ catutthaṁ.

Better is a good deed done,

Which, having done, one does not regret.

The Story of the Consequences of Misconduct and Wrong Views

Just as a frontier city

Apuññalābho ca gatī ca pāpikā, Bhītassa bhītāya ratī ca thokikā; Rājā ca daṇḍaṁ garukaṁ paṇeti, Tasmā naro paradāraṁ na seve.

Is guarded within and without,

So should you guard yourselves,

Lest the moment pass you by;

For those who have let the moment pass

Dubbacabhikkhuvatthu Kuso yathā duggahito, hatthamevānukantati; Sāmaññaṁ dupparāmaṭṭhaṁ, nirayāyupakaḍḍhati.

Grieve, having fallen into hell.

Those who are shameless feel shame,

And those who are shameful do not feel shame;

Yaṁ kiñci sithilaṁ kammaṁ, saṅkiliṭṭhañca yaṁ vataṁ; Saṅkassaraṁ brahmacariyaṁ, na taṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.

Holding wrong views,

Beings go to a bad destination.

The Story of Khemaka and the Disobedient Disciple

Kayirā ce kayirāthenaṁ, daḷhamenaṁ parakkame; Sithilo hi paribbājo, bhiyyo ākirate rajaṁ.

A heedless man who indulges with another's wife

Falls into four states:

He gains no merit, has restless sleep,

Issāpakataitthivatthu Akataṁ dukkaṭaṁ seyyo, pacchā tappati dukkaṭaṁ; Katañca sukataṁ seyyo, yaṁ katvā nānutappati.

Thirdly, he is blamed, and fourthly, he goes to hell.

He gains no merit, and his destiny is bad,

His pleasure is brief, and he is afraid of the fearful;

Sambahulabhikkhuvatthu Nagaraṁ yathā paccantaṁ, guttaṁ santarabāhiraṁ; Evaṁ gopetha attānaṁ, khaṇo vo mā upaccagā; Khaṇātītā hi socanti, nirayamhi samappitā.

The king imposes a heavy punishment,

Therefore, a man should not indulge with another's wife.

The Story of the Disciple on the Banks of the Vaggumudā and the Nigaṇṭhas

Nigaṇṭhavatthu Alajjitāye lajjanti, lajjitāye na lajjare; Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.

Better to swallow a red-hot iron ball,

Like a flame of fire,

Than for an immoral, unrestrained person

To eat the alms of the land.

Abhaye bhayadassino, bhaye cābhayadassino; Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.

Just as a poorly grasped kusa grass

Cuts the hand,

So a poorly practiced monastic life

Drags one to hell.

Titthiyasāvakavatthu Avajje vajjamatino, vajje cāvajjadassino; Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.

The Story of the Followers of Other Teachers

Seeing fault in the faultless,

And seeing no fault in the faulty,

Holding wrong views,

Vajjañca vajjato ñatvā, avajjañca avajjato; Sammādiṭṭhisamādānā, sattā gacchanti suggatiṁ.

Beings go to a bad destination.

Knowing fault as fault,

And the faultless as faultless,

Holding right views,

Nirayavaggo dvāvīsatimo.

Beings go to a good destination.