XXII.NIRAYAVAGGA. HELL

306. The speaker of untruth goes to hell; and also he who having done it says, "I did not"; both after death become equal, men of base actions in the other world.

307. Many on whose neck is the yellow robe are of evil disposition and uncontrolled; evil ones by their evil deeds are born in hell.

308. Better to eat an iron ball red-hot, like a flame of fire, than as an immoral, uncontrolled person eat the alm of people.

309. Four misfortunes befall a careless man who commits adultery: acquisition of demerit, disturbed sleep, blame the third, and hell the fourth.

310. There is also acquisition of demerit as well as evil destiny; brief is the joy of the frightened man and woman; the king imposes a heavy punishment; hence no man should frequent another's wife.

311. Just as kusa grass wrongly grasped cuts the hand indeed; even to the ascetic life wrongly handled drags one to hell.

312. Any loose act, any corrupt vow, a dubious holy life, none of this is of great fruit.

313. If aught should be done, let one do it; let one promote it steadily, for slack asceticism scatters dust all the more.

314. An evil deed is better not done; a misdeed hereafter torments one; better it is to do a good deed, after doing which one does not grieve.

315. Like a border city, guarded within and without, so guard yourself; surely, do not let slip this opportunity, for they who let slip the opportunity grieve when born in hell.

316. Beings who are ashamed of what is not shameful, and are not ashamed of what is shameful, embrace false views and go to a woeful state.

317. Beings who see fear in what is not to be feared, and see no fear in the fearsome, embrace false views and go to a woeful state.

318. Beings who imagine wrong in the faultless and view no wrong in what is wrong, embrace false views and go to a woeful state.

319. Beings knowing wrong as wrong and what is right as right, embrace right views and go to a blissful state.