iti.48 Itivuttaka

A State of Misery

This was said by the Lord. …

“Bhikkhus, these two will go to a state of misery, to hell, by not giving up such conduct as this. What two? One who while no liver of the holy life pretends to be one who lives the holy life, and one who falsely accuses another who lives the holy life in complete purity of not living it. These two will go to a state of misery, to hell, by not giving up such conduct as this.”

The false-accuser goes to hell
And also one who denies the deed he did;
Both these become equal hereafter,
Persons of base actions in the world beyond.

Many imposters wear the yellow robe
Though evil-natured and uncontrolled.
Because of their evil deeds,
Those evil ones are born in hell.

Far better for him to swallow
A fiery hot iron ball
Than that immoral and uncontrolled
He should eat the country’s alms.

- Translator: John D. Ireland

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

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Bound for Loss

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Mendicants, two kinds of people are bound for a place of loss, bound for hell, if they don’t give up this fault.
What two?
Someone who is unchaste, but claims to be celibate; and someone who makes a groundless accusation of unchastity against a person whose celibacy is pure.
These are the two kinds of people bound for a place of loss, bound for hell, if they don’t give up this fault.”
The Buddha spoke this matter.
On this it is said:
“A liar goes to hell,
as does one who denies what they did.
Both are equal in the hereafter,
those men of base deeds.
Many who wrap their necks in ocher robes
are unrestrained and wicked.
Being wicked, they are reborn in hell
due to their bad deeds.
It’d be better for the immoral and unrestrained
to eat an iron ball,
scorching, like a burning flame,
than to eat the nation’s alms.”
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.