iti.20 Itivuttaka

A Corrupted Mind

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Mendicants, when I’ve comprehended the mind of a person whose mind is corrupted, I understand:
‘If this person were to die right now, they would be cast down to hell.’
Why is that?
Because their mind is corrupted.
Corruption of mind is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.”
The Buddha spoke this matter.
On this it is said:
“Knowing a person’s
corrupted mind,
the Buddha explained this matter
in the mendicants’ presence.
If that person
were to die at this time,
they’d be reborn in hell,
for their mind is corrupted.
Such a person is cast down as surely
as if they’d been carried off and put there.
For corruption of mind is the reason
sentient beings go to a bad place.”
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.