1Then the bhikkhu Kokālika approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said: "Bhante, Sāriputta and Moggallāna have evil desires and have come under the control of evil desires."
The Blessed One replied: "Do not say so, Kokālika! Do not say so, Kokālika! [n.2110] Mā h’evaṁ Kokālika, mā h’evaṁ Kokālika. Sn p. 124 has the same reading, but SN I 150,7–8 reads: mā h’evaṁ Kokālika avaca, mā h’evaṁ Kokālika avaca. Place confidence in Sāriputta and Moggallāna, Kokālika. Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well behaved."

2A second time the bhikkhu Kokālika said to the Blessed One: "Bhante, although I consider the Blessed One worthy of faith and trust, I still say that Sāriputta and Moggallāna have evil desires and have come under the control of evil desires."

"Do not say so, Kokālika! … Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well behaved."

3A third time the bhikkhu Kokālika said to the Blessed One: "Bhante, although I consider the Blessed One worthy of faith and trust, I still say that Sāriputta and Moggallāna have evil desires and have come under the control of evil desires."

"Do not say so, Kokālika! Do not say so, Kokālika! Place confidence in Sāriputta and Moggallāna, Kokālika. Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well behaved."

4Then the bhikkhu Kokālika rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated the Blessed One keeping the right side toward him, and departed. Not long after the bhikkhu Kokālika had left, his entire body became covered with boils the size of mustard seeds. These then grew to the size of mung beans; then to the size of chickpeas; then to the size of jujube pits; then to the size of jujube fruits; then to the size of myrobalans; then to the size of unripe belli fruits; [n.2111] The unripe belli fruit is about the size of a peach, the ripe fruit the size of a pomegranate. then to the size of ripe belli fruits. When they had grown to the size of ripe belli fruits, they burst open, exuding pus and blood. He then just lay on banana leaves like a fish that had swallowed poison.

5Then the independent brahmā Tudu approached the bhikkhu Kokālika, [n.2112] The sutta refers to Tudu as a paccekabrahmā. Neither Mp nor Mp-ṭ define the term, but Spk-pṭ I 213 (VRI ed.), commenting on its occurrence at SN I 146,26–27, explains it as a brahmā who travels about alone, not as a member of an assembly (paccekabrahmā ti ca ekacārī brahmā, na parisacārī brahmāti attho). Mp says that in his past life he had been Kokālika's preceptor. He passed away as a non-returner and was reborn in the brahmā world. When he heard that Kokālika was slandering Sāriputta and Moggallāna, he came to request him to place confidence in them. stood in the air, and said to him: "Place confidence in Sāriputta and Moggallāna, Kokālika. Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well behaved."

"Who are you, friend?"

"I am the independent brahmā Tudu."

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"Didn’t the Blessed One declare you to be a non-returner, friend? Then why have you come back here? See how much wrong you have done." [n.2113] Since the Buddha had declared Tudu a non-returner, Kokālika reproaches him for reappearing in the human world. As a non-returner he does not, of course, take rebirth into the human world, but he can manifest himself before humans.

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6Then the independent brahmā Tudu addressed the bhikkhu Kokālika in verse:

7"When a person has taken birth
an axe is born inside his mouth
with which the fool cuts himself
by uttering wrongful speech.

8"He who praises one deserving blame [n.2114] The following three verses are at AN4.3.
or blames one deserving praise
casts with his mouth an unlucky throw
by which he finds no happiness.

9"Slight is the unlucky throw at dice
that results in the loss of one's wealth,
the loss of all, oneself included;
much worse is this unlucky throw
of harboring hate against the holy ones.

10"For a hundred thousand
and thirty-six nirabbudas, plus five abbudas, [n.2115] In the Indian numbering system one koṭi = ten million; a koṭi of koṭis = one pakoṭi; a koṭi of pakoṭis = one koṭipakoṭi; a koṭi of koṭipakoṭis = one nahuta; a koṭi of nahutas = one ninnahuta; a koṭi of ninnahutas = one abbuda; twenty abbudas = one nirabbuda.
the slanderer of noble ones goes to hell,
having defamed them with evil speech and mind."

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11Then the bhikkhu Kokālika died on account of that illness, and because of his resentment against Sāriputta and Moggallāna, after death he was reborn in the red-lotus hell. [n.2116] Mp states that the red-lotus (paduma) hell is not a separate hell realm but a particular place in the great avīci hell where the duration of the torment is measured by units of padumas. The same applies to the abbuda hell, etc., mentioned below.

12Then, when the night had advanced, Brahmā Sahampati, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, stood to one side, and said to him: "Bhante, the bhikkhu Kokālika has died, and because of his resentment against Sāriputta and Moggallāna, after death he has been reborn in the red-lotus hell." This is what Brahmā Sahampati said. He then paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping the right side toward him, and disappeared right there.

13Then, when the night had passed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, last night, when the night had advanced, Brahmā Sahampati approached me and said to me … as above … He then paid homage to me, circumambulated me keeping the right side toward me, and disappeared right there."

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14When this was said, a certain bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "How long, Bhante, is the life span in the red-lotus hell?" [n.2117] Ce should be corrected by bringing the word dīghaṁ down a line. Thus the paragraph begins with evaṁ vutte and the question with kīva dīghaṁ nu kho bhante. The mistake is in both the printed and electronic versions of Ce.

"The life span in the red-lotus hell is long, bhikkhu. It is not easy to count it and say it is so many years, or so many hundreds of years, or so many thousands of years, or so many hundreds of thousands of years."

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15"Then is it possible, Bhante, to give a simile?"

"It is, bhikkhu," the Blessed One said. "Suppose there was a Kosalan cartload of twenty measures of sesamum seed. At the end of every hundred years a man would remove one seed from it. In this manner the Kosalan cartload of twenty measures of sesamum seed might be depleted and eliminated more quickly than (1) a life in a single abbuda hell would go by. (2) One life in the nirabbuda hell is the equivalent of twenty lives in the abbuda hell; (3) one life in the ababa hell is the equivalent of twenty lives in the nirabbuda hell; (4) one life in the ahaha hell is the equivalent of twenty lives in the ababa hell; (5) one life in the aṭaṭa hell is the equivalent of twenty lives in the ahaha hell; (6) one life in the water-lily hell is the equivalent of twenty lives in the aṭaṭa hell; (7) one life in the sweet-fragrance hell is the equivalent of twenty lives in the water-lily hell; (8) one life in the blue-lotus hell is the equivalent of twenty lives in the sweet-fragrance hell; (9) one life in the white-lotus hell is the equivalent of twenty lives in the blue-lotus hell; and (10) one life in the red-lotus hell is the equivalent of twenty lives in the white-lotus hell. Now, because he harbored resentment against Sāriputta and Moggallāna, the bhikkhu Kokālika has been reborn in the red-lotus hell."

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

16"When a person has taken birth
an axe is born inside his mouth
with which the fool cuts himself
by uttering wrongful speech.

17"He who praises one deserving blame [n.2118] The following three verses are at AN4.3.
or blames one deserving praise
casts with his mouth an unlucky throw
by which he finds no happiness.

18"Slight is the unlucky throw at dice
that results in the loss of one's wealth,
the loss of all, oneself included;
much worse is this unlucky throw
of harboring hate against the holy ones.

19"For a hundred thousand
and thirty-six nirabbudas, plus five abbudas, [n.2119] In the Indian numbering system one koṭi = ten million; a koṭi of koṭis = one pakoṭi; a koṭi of pakoṭis = one koṭipakoṭi; a koṭi of koṭipakoṭis = one nahuta; a koṭi of nahutas = one ninnahuta; a koṭi of ninnahutas = one abbuda; twenty abbudas = one nirabbuda.
the slanderer of noble ones goes to hell,
having defamed them with evil speech and mind."

1Atha kho kokāliko bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho kokāliko bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "pāpicchā, bhante, sāriputtamoggallānā, pāpikānaṁ icchānaṁ vasaṁ gatā"ti.

"Mā hevaṁ, kokālika, mā hevaṁ, kokālika. Pasādehi, kokālika, sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ. Pesalā sāriputtamoggallānā"ti.

2Dutiyampi kho kokāliko bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "kiñcāpi me, bhante, bhagavā saddhāyiko paccayiko, atha kho pāpicchāva sāriputtamoggallānā, pāpikānaṁ icchānaṁ vasaṁ gatā"ti.

"Mā hevaṁ, kokālika, mā hevaṁ, kokālika. Pasādehi, kokālika, sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ. Pesalā sāriputtamoggallānā"ti.

3Tatiyampi kho kokāliko bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "kiñcāpi me, bhante, bhagavā saddhāyiko paccayiko, atha kho pāpicchāva sāriputtamoggallānā, pāpikānaṁ icchānaṁ vasaṁ gatā"ti.

"Mā hevaṁ, kokālika, mā hevaṁ, kokālika. Pasādehi, kokālika, sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ. Pesalā sāriputtamoggallānā"ti.

4Atha kho kokāliko bhikkhu uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. Acirapakkantassa ca kokālikassa bhikkhuno sāsapamattīhi pīḷakāhi sabbo kāyo phuṭo ahosi. Sāsapamattiyo hutvā muggamattiyo ahesuṁ, muggamattiyo hutvā kalāyamattiyo ahesuṁ, kalāyamattiyo hutvā kolaṭṭhimattiyo ahesuṁ, kolaṭṭhimattiyo hutvā kolamattiyo ahesuṁ, kolamattiyo hutvā āmalakamattiyo ahesuṁ, āmalakamattiyo hutvā tiṇḍukamattiyo ahesuṁ, tiṇḍukamattiyo hutvā, beḷuvasalāṭukamattiyo ahesuṁ, beḷuvasalāṭukamattiyo hutvā billamattiyo ahesuṁ, billamattiyo hutvā pabhijjiṁsu, pubbañca lohitañca pagghariṁsu. So sudaṁ kadalipattesu seti macchova visagilito.

5Atha kho turū paccekabrahmā yena kokāliko bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā vehāse ṭhatvā kokālikaṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: "pasādehi, kokālika, sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ. Pesalā sāriputtamoggallānā"ti.

"Kosi tvaṁ, āvuso"ti?

"Ahaṁ turū paccekabrahmā"ti.

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"Nanu tvaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā anāgāmī byākato, atha kiñcarahi idhāgato? Passa yāvañca te idaṁ aparaddhan"ti.

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6Atha kho turū paccekabrahmā kokālikaṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

7"Purisassa hi jātassa,
kuṭhārī jāyate mukhe;
Yāya chindati attānaṁ,
bālo dubbhāsitaṁ bhaṇaṁ.

8Yo nindiyaṁ pasaṁsati,
Taṁ vā nindati yo pasaṁsiyo;
Vicināti mukhena so kaliṁ,
Kalinā tena sukhaṁ na vindati.

9Appamattako ayaṁ kali,
Yo akkhesu dhanaparājayo;
Sabbassāpi sahāpi attanā,
Ayameva mahattaro kali;
Yo sugatesu manaṁ padūsaye.

10Sataṁ sahassānaṁ nirabbudānaṁ,
Chattiṁsati pañca ca abbudāni;
Yamariyagarahī nirayaṁ upeti,
Vācaṁ manañca paṇidhāya pāpakan"ti.

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11Atha kho kokāliko bhikkhu teneva ābādhena kālamakāsi. Kālaṅkato ca kokāliko bhikkhu padumaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā.

12Atha kho brahmā sahampati abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho brahmā sahampati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "kokāliko, bhante, bhikkhu kālaṅkato. Kālaṅkato ca, bhante, kokāliko bhikkhu padumaṁ nirayaṁ upapanno sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā"ti. Idamavoca brahmā sahampati. Idaṁ vatvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

13Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi: "imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ brahmā sahampati abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati maṁ etadavoca: ‘kokāliko, bhante, bhikkhu kālaṅkato; kālaṅkato ca, bhante, kokāliko bhikkhu padumaṁ nirayaṁ upapanno sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā’ti. Idamavoca, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati. Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyī"ti.

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14Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "kīva dīghaṁ nu kho, bhante, padume niraye āyuppamāṇan"ti?

"Dīghaṁ kho, bhikkhu, padume niraye āyuppamāṇaṁ. Na taṁ sukaraṁ saṅkhātuṁ: ‘ettakāni vassānīti vā ettakāni vassasatānīti vā ettakāni vassasahassānīti vā ettakāni vassasatasahassānīti vā’"ti.

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15"Sakkā pana, bhante, upamaṁ kātun"ti?

"Sakkā, bhikkhū"ti bhagavā avoca: "Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsatikhāriko kosalako tilavāho tato puriso vassasatassa vassasatassa accayena ekamekaṁ tilaṁ uddhareyya. Khippataraṁ kho so, bhikkhu, vīsatikhāriko kosalako tilavāho iminā upakkamena parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya, na tveva eko abbudo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati abbudā nirayā; evameko nirabbudo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati nirabbudā nirayā; evameko ababo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati ababā nirayā; evameko aṭaṭo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati aṭaṭā nirayā; evameko ahaho nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati ahahā nirayā; evameko kumudo nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati kumudā nirayā; evameko sogandhiko nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati sogandhikā nirayā; evameko uppalako nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati uppalakā nirayā; evameko puṇḍarīko nirayo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, vīsati puṇḍarīkā nirayā; evameko padumo nirayo. Padumaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, nirayaṁ kokāliko bhikkhu upapanno sāriputtamoggallānesu cittaṁ āghātetvā"ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

16"Purisassa hi jātassa,
kuṭhārī jāyate mukhe;
Yāya chindati attānaṁ,
bālo dubbhāsitaṁ bhaṇaṁ.

17Yo nindiyaṁ pasaṁsati,
Taṁ vā nindati yo pasaṁsiyo;
Vicināti mukhena so kaliṁ,
Kalinā tena sukhaṁ na vindati.

18Appamattako ayaṁ kali,
Yo akkhesu dhanaparājayo;
Sabbassāpi sahāpi attanā,
Ayameva mahattaro kali;
Yo sugatesu manaṁ padūsaye.

19Sataṁ sahassānaṁ nirabbudānaṁ,
Chattiṁsati pañca ca abbudāni;
Yamariyagarahī nirayaṁ upeti,
Vācaṁ manañca paṇidhāya pāpakan"ti.

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Navamaṁ.