10.
The Discourse on Kokālika
181.
At Sāvatthī.
Then the monk Kokālika approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the monk Kokālika said this to the Blessed One -
"Sāriputta and Moggallāna have evil desires, venerable sir, they have come under the control of evil desires."
When this was said, the Blessed One said this to the monk Kokālika -
"Do not say so, Kokālika;
do not say so, Kokālika.
Have confidence, Kokālika, in Sāriputta and Moggallāna.
Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well-behaved."
For the second time the monk Kokālika said this to the Blessed One -
"Although, venerable sir, the Blessed One is trustworthy and reliable to me;
yet Sāriputta and Moggallāna have evil desires, venerable sir, they have come under the control of evil desires."
For the second time the Blessed One said this to the monk Kokālika -
"Do not say so, Kokālika;
do not say so, Kokālika.
Have confidence, Kokālika, in Sāriputta and Moggallāna.
Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well-behaved."
For the third time the monk Kokālika said this to the Blessed One -
"Although, etc.
they have come under the control of desires."
For the third time the Blessed One said this to the monk Kokālika -
"Do not say so, etc.
Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well-behaved."
Then the monk Kokālika rose from his seat, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and departed. Not long after the monk Kokālika had departed, his whole body was covered with boils the size of mustard seeds. Having been the size of mustard seeds, they became the size of mung beans; having been the size of mung beans, they became the size of chickpeas; having been the size of chickpeas, they became the size of jujube stones; having been the size of jujube stones, they became the size of jujube fruits; having been the size of jujube fruits, they became the size of myrobalans; having been the size of myrobalans, they became the size of unripe wood-apples; having been the size of unripe wood-apples, they became the size of billa fruits; having been the size of billa fruits, they burst open. Pus and blood oozed out. Then the monk Kokālika died from that very illness. Having died, the monk Kokālika was reborn in the Paduma hell, having harboured ill-will in his mind towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna.
Then Brahmā Sahampati, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated almost the entire Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Brahmā Sahampati said this to the Blessed One - "Kokālika, venerable sir, the monk is deceased. And having deceased, venerable sir, the monk Kokālika has been reborn in the Paduma hell, having harboured hostility in his mind towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna." This Brahmā Sahampati said, and having said this, having paid respect to the Blessed One, having circumambulated him keeping him on his right, disappeared right there.
Then the Blessed One, after that night had passed, addressed the monks - "This night, monks, Brahmā Sahampati, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated almost the entire Jeta's Grove, approached me; having approached, he paid respect to me and stood to one side. Standing to one side, monks, Brahmā Sahampati said this to me - 'Kokālika, venerable sir, the monk is deceased. And having deceased, venerable sir, the monk Kokālika has been reborn in the Paduma hell, having harboured hostility in his mind towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna.' This, monks, Brahmā Sahampati said, and having said this, having paid respect to me, having circumambulated me keeping me on his right, disappeared right there."
When this was said, a certain monk said this to the Blessed One - "How long, venerable sir, is the life-span in the Paduma hell?" "Long indeed, monk, is the life-span in the Paduma hell. It is not easy to reckon - so many years, or so many hundreds of years, or so many thousands of years, or so many hundreds of thousands of years." "But is it possible, venerable sir, to make a simile?" "It is possible, monk" - the Blessed One said -
"Just as, monk, a Kosalan cartload of sesame seeds measuring twenty khāris. From that a man might remove one sesame seed at the end of every hundred years; more quickly, monk, would that Kosalan cartload of sesame seeds measuring twenty khāris come to utter elimination and exhaustion by this method, but not one Abbuda hell. Just as, monk, twenty Abbuda hells, so is one Nirabbuda hell. Just as, monk, twenty Nirabbuda hells, so is one Ababa hell. Just as, monk, twenty Ababa hells, so is one Aṭaṭa hell. Just as, monk, twenty Aṭaṭa hells, so is one Ahaha hell. Just as, monk, twenty Ahaha hells, so is one Kumuda hell. Just as, monk, twenty Kumuda hells, so is one Sogandhika hell. Just as, monk, twenty Sogandhika hells, so is one Uppala hell. Just as, monk, twenty Uppala hells, so is one Puṇḍarīka hell. Just as, monk, twenty Puṇḍarīka hells, so is one Paduma hell. In the Paduma hell, monk, the monk Kokālika has been reborn, having harboured hostility in his mind towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna." This is what the Blessed One said, and having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
An axe is born in his mouth;
With which the fool cuts himself,
Speaking ill-spoken words.
Or blames one who is praiseworthy;
He gathers misfortune with his mouth,
By that misfortune he finds no happiness.
The loss of wealth at dice;
Together with all, together with oneself,
This indeed is a greater misfortune;
He who corrupts his mind towards the Fortunate Ones.
And thirty-six and five abbudas;
He who blames the noble ones goes to hell,
Having directed speech and mind to evil."