64. The Divine Messengers （六四）天使经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying at the Jeta Grove Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma.

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus, saying: "With my pure divine eye, surpassing that of humans, I see the passing away and rebirth of beings, their good and bad forms, whether fine or not, and their going and coming to good and bad places, according to the actions of those beings. I see it as it truly is. If these beings have practiced evil bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished wrong views and wrong view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely go to an evil place and be reborn in hell. If these beings have practiced fine bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have not slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished right views and right view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely ascend to a good place and be reborn in heaven.

Just as when it rains heavily, bubbles appear and disappear on the water's surface. If a person with eyes stands in one place and observes their arising and disappearing, I am also like this. With my pure divine eye, surpassing that of humans, I see the passing away and rebirth of beings, their good and bad forms, whether fine or not, and their going and coming to good and bad places, according to the actions of those beings. I see it as it truly is. If these beings have practiced evil bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished wrong views and wrong view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely go to an evil place and be reborn in hell. If these beings have practiced fine bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have not slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished right views and right view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely ascend to a good place and be reborn in heaven.

Just as when it rains heavily, raindrops fall up and down. If a person with eyes stands in one place and observes their rising and falling, I am also like this. With my pure divine eye, surpassing that of humans, I see the passing away and rebirth of beings, their good and bad forms, whether fine or not, and their going and coming to good and bad places, according to the actions of those beings. I see it as it truly is. If these beings have practiced evil bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished wrong views and wrong view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely go to an evil place and be reborn in hell. If these beings have practiced fine bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have not slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished right views and right view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely ascend to a good place and be reborn in heaven.

Just as a lapis lazuli gem, naturally pure and flawless, with eight facets well-polished, strung on a fine string, may be blue, yellow, red, black, or white. If a person with eyes stands in one place and observes this lapis lazuli gem, naturally pure and flawless, with eight facets well-polished, strung on a fine string, may be blue, yellow, red, black, or white; I am also like this. With my pure divine eye, surpassing that of humans, I see the passing away and rebirth of beings, their good and bad forms, whether fine or not, and their going and coming to good and bad places, according to the actions of those beings. I see it as it truly is. If these beings have practiced evil bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished wrong views and wrong view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely go to an evil place and be reborn in hell. If these beings have practiced fine bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have not slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished right views and right view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely ascend to a good place and be reborn in heaven.

Just as two houses share a common door, with many people coming and going. If a person with eyes stands in one place and observes their coming and going, I am also like this. With my pure divine eye, surpassing that of humans, I see the passing away and rebirth of beings, their good and bad forms, whether fine or not, and their going and coming to good and bad places, according to the actions of those beings. I see it as it truly is. If these beings have practiced evil bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished wrong views and wrong view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely go to an evil place and be reborn in hell. If these beings have practiced fine bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have not slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished right views and right view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely ascend to a good place and be reborn in heaven.

Just as a person with eyes stands on a high building and observes the people below coming and going, sitting, lying down, running, and jumping, I am also like this. With my pure divine eye, surpassing that of humans, I see the passing away and rebirth of beings, their good and bad forms, whether fine or not, and their going and coming to good and bad places, according to the actions of those beings. I see it as it truly is. If these beings have practiced evil bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished wrong views and wrong view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely go to an evil place and be reborn in hell. If these beings have practiced fine bodily, verbal, and mental actions, have not slandered the noble ones, and have accomplished right views and right view karma, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will definitely ascend to a good place and be reborn in heaven.

If there are beings born among humans who are not filial to their parents, do not respect śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, do not practice the truth, do not perform meritorious deeds, and do not fear the sins of the next world, because of this, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will be born in the realm of King Yama. The people of King Yama will take them to the king and say: 'Your Majesty! This being, when he was a human, was not filial to his parents, did not respect śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, did not practice the truth, did not perform meritorious deeds, and did not fear the sins of the next world. I only pray that Your Majesty will punish him for his crimes.'

"Then King Yama will first ask the messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him: 'Have you ever seen the first messenger come?' That person will reply: 'No, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'Have you ever seen in a village or town a boy or girl, young and weak, lying on their back in their own excrement and urine, unable to speak to their parents, who then pick them up and place them in a clean place, bathe their body, and make them clean?' That person will reply: 'Yes, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'When you became aware later, why did you not think: "I myself have the nature of birth, not apart from birth. I should practice excellent bodily, verbal, and mental actions."'" That person will say: 'Your Majesty! Am I really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost?' King Yama will tell him: 'You are really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost. Now I will punish you, as is done to those who practice heedlessness and are heedless. This evil karma of yours was not done by your parents, nor by the king, nor by the gods, nor by śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas. You yourself did evil and unwholesome karma. Therefore you will now definitely receive retribution.'

"King Yama, having first asked the messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him, will further ask the second messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him: 'Have you ever seen the second messenger come?' That person will reply: 'No, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'Have you ever seen in a village or town a man or woman who is very old, with a life span that has reached its limit, with a life that is about to end, with falling teeth, white hair, a bent body, and a walking stick, with a trembling body?' That person will reply: 'Yes, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'When you became aware later, why did you not think: "I myself have the nature of aging, not apart from aging. I should practice excellent bodily, verbal, and mental actions."'" That person will say: 'Your Majesty! Am I really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost?' King Yama will tell him: 'You are really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost. Now I will punish you, as is done to those who practice heedlessness and are heedless. This evil karma of yours was not done by your parents, nor by the king, nor by the gods, nor by śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas. You yourself did evil and unwholesome karma. Therefore you will now definitely receive retribution.'

"King Yama, having first asked the messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him, will further ask the third messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him: 'Have you ever seen the third messenger come?' That person will reply: 'No, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'Have you ever seen in a village or town a man or woman who is seriously ill, lying on a bed, a couch, or the ground, with extreme pain in their body, very heavy pain, unbearable, causing their life to be cut short?' That person will reply: 'Yes, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'When you became aware later, why did you not think: "I myself have the nature of illness, not apart from illness. I should practice excellent bodily, verbal, and mental actions."'" That person will say: 'Your Majesty! Am I really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost?' King Yama will tell him: 'You are really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost. Now I will punish you, as is done to those who practice heedlessness and are heedless. This evil karma of yours was not done by your parents, nor by the king, nor by the gods, nor by śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas. You yourself did evil and unwholesome karma. Therefore you will now definitely receive retribution.'

"King Yama, having first asked the messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him, will further ask the fourth messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him: 'Have you ever seen the fourth messenger come?' That person will reply: 'No, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'Have you ever seen in a village or town a man or woman who has died, for one, two, up to six or seven days, pecked at by crows and kites, eaten by foxes and wolves, burned by fire, buried in the ground, or rotten and decayed?' That person will reply: 'Yes, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'When you became aware later, why did you not think: "I myself have the nature of death, not apart from death. I should practice excellent bodily, verbal, and mental actions."'" That person will say: 'Your Majesty! Am I really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost?' King Yama will tell him: 'You are really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost. Now I will punish you, as is done to those who practice heedlessness and are heedless. This evil karma of yours was not done by your parents, nor by the king, nor by the gods, nor by śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas. You yourself did evil and unwholesome karma. Therefore you will now definitely receive retribution.'

"King Yama, having first asked the messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him, will further ask the fifth messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him: 'Have you ever seen the fifth messenger come?' That person will reply: 'No, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'Have you ever seen the king's men catch criminals and punish them in various ways, cutting off their hands, feet, or both hands and feet, cutting off their ears, noses, or both ears and noses, or cutting them up, pulling out their beards and hair, or both beards and hair, or wrapping them in cloth and burning them with fire, or burying them in sand and burning them with fire, or putting them in an iron donkey's belly, or putting them in an iron pig's mouth, or putting them in an iron tiger's mouth and burning them, or putting them in a copper cauldron, or putting them in an iron cauldron and boiling them, or cutting them into pieces, or piercing them with sharp stakes, or hooking them with hooks, or lying them on an iron bed and pouring boiling oil on them, or sitting them on an iron mortar and pounding them with an iron pestle, or using dragons, snakes, or other creatures, or whipping them with whips, or beating them with sticks, or hitting them with clubs, or impaling them alive on high poles, or beheading them?' That person will reply: 'Yes, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'When you became aware later, why did you not think: "I now see evil and unwholesome dharmas."'" That person will say: 'Your Majesty! Am I really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost?' King Yama will tell him: 'You are really ruined, long decayed, and forever lost. Now I will punish you, as is done to those who practice heedlessness and are heedless. This evil karma of yours was not done by your parents, nor by the king, nor by the gods, nor by śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas. You yourself did evil and unwholesome karma. Therefore you will now definitely receive retribution.'

King Yama, having first asked the messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him, will further ask the fifth messenger to question, examine, teach, and admonish him: 'Have you ever seen the fifth messenger come?' That person will reply: 'No, Your Majesty!' King Yama will further ask: 'Have you ever seen the king's men catch criminals and punish them in various ways, cutting off their hands, feet, or both hands and feet, cutting off their ears, noses, or both ears and noses, or cutting them up, pulling out their beards and hair, or both beards and hair, or wrapping them in cloth and burning them with

The four pillars have four gates, the walls are square with
twelve corners, made of iron as a fence, covered with iron
above. The ground of hell is made of iron, covered with
blazing iron fire, deep immeasurable yojanas, reaching to the bottom of
the earth. Extremely evil, unbearable, the color of fire is hard
to look at, seeing it, the body hair stands on end
fearful and terrified, very painful. Those who fall into hell, feet
up and head down, slander the sages, the well-tamed and well-disciplined.

After a long time, for the sake of those beings, the eastern gate of the great hell with four pillars opens. When the eastern gate opens, those beings run towards it, seeking refuge and protection. When they gather there in immeasurable hundreds of thousands, the eastern gate of hell closes again. They suffer extremely severe pain there, crying and wailing, fainting and lying on the ground, but they cannot die. They must exhaust their evil and unwholesome karma. After a long time, the southern, western, and northern gates also open. When the northern gate opens, those beings run towards it, seeking refuge and protection. When they gather there in immeasurable hundreds of thousands, the northern gate of hell closes again. They suffer extremely severe pain there, crying and wailing, fainting and lying on the ground, but they cannot die. They must exhaust their evil and unwholesome karma.

After a long time, those beings emerge from the great hell with four pillars through the four gates. Next to the great hell with four gates is the hell of rocky peaks, filled with fire, without smoke or flames, causing them to walk on it, going back and forth. The skin, flesh, and blood of their two feet are exhausted when they step down, but when they lift their feet, they grow back, as before. They are punished like this for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of years, suffering extremely severe pain, but they cannot die. They must exhaust their evil and unwholesome karma.

After a long time, those beings emerge from the hell of rocky peaks and enter the great hell of excrement, filled with excrement to a depth of immeasurable hundreds of feet. Those beings all fall into it. In the great hell of excrement, many worms are born, called Lingqulai, with white bodies and black heads, their beaks like needles. These worms drill through the feet of those beings, after drilling through the feet, they drill through the shin bones, after drilling through the shin bones, they drill through the thigh bones, after drilling through the thigh bones, they drill through the hip bones, after drilling through the hip bones, they drill through the spine bones, after drilling through the spine bones, they drill through the shoulder bones, neck bones, and skull bones. After drilling through the skull bones, they eat the brain until it is all gone. Those beings are oppressed like this for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of years, suffering extremely severe pain, but they cannot die. They must exhaust their evil and unwholesome karma.

After a long time, those beings emerge from the great hell of excrement and enter the great hell of iron-clad forest. They see it and think of it as cool, thinking, 'We should go there to cool off.' Those beings run towards it, seeking shelter and refuge. When they gather there in immeasurable hundreds of thousands, they enter the great hell of iron-clad forest. In the great hell of iron-clad forest, a great hot wind comes from the four directions. When the hot wind comes, the iron-clad forest falls down. When the iron-clad forest falls, it cuts off hands, feet, or both hands and feet, cuts off ears, nose, or both ears and nose, and cuts off other limbs and joints. The blood from the cut body is smeared for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of years, suffering extremely severe pain, but they cannot die. They must exhaust their evil and unwholesome karma.

After a long time, those beings emerge from the great hell of iron-clad forest and enter the great hell of iron sword tree forest. The great sword trees are one yojana tall, with thorns six feet long, causing those beings to climb up and down. When they climb up the trees, the thorns point downward, and when they climb down, the thorns point upward. The thorns of the sword trees pierce those beings, piercing their hands, feet, or both hands and feet, piercing their ears, nose, or both ears and nose, and piercing other limbs and joints. The blood from the pierced body is smeared for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of years, suffering extremely severe pain, but they cannot die. They must exhaust their evil and unwholesome karma.

After a long time, those beings emerge from the great hell of iron sword tree forest and enter the great hell of ash river. The two banks are extremely high, all around are thorns, filled with boiling ash water, and it is extremely dark. Those beings see it and think of it as cold water, thinking, 'There is cold water.' Having had this thought, they think, 'We should go there to bathe, drink to our fill, and enjoy the cool pleasure.' Those beings rush towards it, wanting to seek a pleasant place, seeking refuge. When they gather there in immeasurable hundreds of thousands, they fall into the ash river. Having fallen into the ash river, they flow along with the current, against the current, or both along and against the current. When those beings flow along with the current, against the current, or both along and against the current, their skin is cooked and falls off, their flesh is cooked and falls off, or their skin and flesh are cooked and fall off together, leaving only the bone chain. On the two banks of the ash river, there are hell wardens holding swords, large sticks, and iron hooks. Those beings want to cross to the other shore, but at that time the hell wardens push them back into the middle.

Furthermore, on the two banks of the ash river, there are hell wardens holding hooks and nets, who hook out the beings from the ash river and place them on a hot iron ground, blazing and burning, and they violently throw those beings onto the ground, rolling them on the ground, and ask, 'Where do you come from?' Those beings all answer, 'We do not know where we come from. We are only suffering from great hunger.' Those hell wardens then grab the beings and place them on a hot iron bed, blazing and burning, forcing them to sit on it, and with hot iron tongs they pry open their mouths and put a hot iron ball, blazing and burning, into their mouths. That hot iron ball burns their lips, having burned their lips it burns their tongues, having burned their tongues it burns their gums, having burned their gums it burns their throats, having burned their throats it burns their hearts, having burned their hearts it burns their large intestines, having burned their large intestines it burns their small intestines, having burned their small intestines it burns their stomachs, having burned their stomachs it passes out from their bodies. They are thus tormented for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of years, suffering extremely severe pain, but they cannot die. They must exhaust their evil and unwholesome karma.

Furthermore, those hell wardens ask the beings, 'Where do you want to go?' The beings answer, 'We do not know where to go. We are only suffering from great thirst.' Those hell wardens then grab the beings and place them on a hot iron bed, blazing and burning, forcing them to sit on it, and with hot iron tongs they pry open their mouths and pour molten copper, boiling and burning, into their mouths. That molten copper burns their lips, having burned their lips it burns their tongues, having burned their tongues it burns their gums, having burned their gums it burns their throats, having burned their throats it burns their hearts, having burned their hearts it burns their large intestines, having burned their large intestines it burns their small intestines, having burned their small intestines it burns their stomachs, having burned their stomachs it passes out from their bodies. They are thus tormented for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of years, suffering extremely severe pain, but they cannot die. They must exhaust their evil and unwholesome karma.

If those beings in hell have not exhausted all their evil and unwholesome karma, have not exhausted it all, and have not exhausted it without remainder, then those beings will again fall into the ash river, again ascend and descend the iron sword tree forest great hell, again enter the iron-clad forest great hell, again fall into the excrement great hell, again go to the peak and cliff great hell, and again enter the four-door great hell. If those beings in hell have exhausted all their evil and unwholesome karma, have exhausted it all, and have exhausted it without remainder, then they will later be reborn as animals, or fall into the realm of hungry ghosts, or be reborn in the heavens. If those beings were, as humans, unfilial to their parents, did not know how to respect śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, did not practice the truth, did not create meritorious karma, and did not fear the sins of the next world, then they will experience such unpleasant, unmindful, and disagreeable painful consequences, just as in that hell. If those beings were, as humans, filial to their parents, knew how to respect śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, practiced the truth, created meritorious karma, and feared the sins of the next world, then they will experience such pleasant, mindful, and agreeable happy consequences, just as in the heavenly palace in the sky.

Once, King Yama made this vow in his garden: 'When my life ends, may I be reborn among humans. If there are clans with great wealth and happiness, immeasurable wealth, livestock and industries beyond measure, fiefs, food, and estates of various kinds, what are they? They are the clans of great kṣatriya householders, great brāhmaṇa householders, and great householder householders. If there are other such clans with great wealth and happiness, immeasurable wealth, livestock and industries beyond measure, fiefs, food, and estates of various kinds, may I be born into such a family. Having been born, may I attain the faculties of awakening, and with the true Dharma and Vinaya taught by the Tathāgata, may I attain pure faith. Having attained pure faith, may I shave off my hair and beard, put on the saffron robes, leave home out of faith, and go forth to practice the path. The reason why sons of noble families shave off their hair and beard, put on the saffron robes, leave home out of faith, and go forth to practice the path is only to complete the unsurpassed holy life, to know and realize for oneself in this very life, to accomplish it by oneself, to dwell having personally realized it, to end birth, establish the holy life, do what needs to be done, and not be subject to rebirth, knowing it as it really is.'

Once, King Yama made this vow in his garden. Then he spoke this verse:

Those who are reproached by the messengers of the Lord of Death, and who are
thus negligent, will long be sorrowful and distressed, because they are covered by bad desires
Those who are reproached by the messengers of the Lord of Death, and who are
truly superior people, will never be negligent again, because they have been well taught the
wonderful holy Dharma. Seeing the terror of the messengers, they seek the end of birth
and old age, the extinction without remainder, and thus they have ended birth and old
age. They have attained peace and happiness, and in this very life they have attained
extinction. They have crossed over all terrors, and they have also crossed over the world's defilements.

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

The seventh sūtra on the messengers of the Lord of Death is completed.