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Just as, monks, twenty Puṇḍarīka hells, so is one Paduma hell. But in the Paduma hell, monks, the monk Kokālika was reborn, having harbored ill-will towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna." This the Blessed One said, having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, then spoke further— "For a man who is born, An axe is born in his mouth; With which he cuts himself, The fool, speaking ill-spoken words. Whoever praises what is blameworthy, Or blames what is praiseworthy; By his mouth he gathers misfortune, By that misfortune he finds no happiness. Small is this misfortune, Which is the loss of wealth in dice; Even of all one's possessions, together with oneself, This is a greater misfortune; Whoever defiles his mind towards the Fortunate Ones. A hundred thousand Nirabbudas, And thirty-six and five Abbudas; That is the hell to which one who slanders the Noble Ones goes. i, Having set one's speech and mind on evil. The First Chapter. Its summary is – Request, Reverence, Brahmadeva, And Baka Brahmā, and another view; And Pamāda, Kokālika, Tissa, And Turū Brahmā, and another Kokālika. 2. The Second Chapter 1. The Discourse on Sanaṅkumāra 182. Thus have I heard – At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, on the bank of the Sappinī. Then Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra, when the night was far advanced, with a surpassing radiance illuminating the entire bank of the Sappinī, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra spoke this verse in the presence of the Blessed One – The warrior is best among those, who rely on clan; But one endowed with knowledge and conduct, he is best among gods and humans. This is what Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra said. The Teacher assented. Then Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra, thinking, ‘‘The Teacher has assented to me,’’ paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him clockwise, and vanished right there. 2. The Discourse on Devadatta 183. Thus have I heard – At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, on Gijjhakūṭa Mountain, not long after Devadatta had departed. Then Brahmā Sahampati, when the night was far advanced, with a surpassing radiance illuminating the entire Gijjhakūṭa Mountain, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Brahmā Sahampati, concerning Devadatta, spoke this verse in the presence of the Blessed One – Indeed, fruit destroys the plantain, fruit destroys the bamboo, fruit destroys the reed; Honor destroys the evil person, just as a fetus destroys a mule. 3. The Discourse on Andhakavinda 184. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Magadhans, in Andhakavinda. Now at that time the Blessed One was sitting in the open air, in the pitch-dark night, and rain was falling drop by drop. Then Brahmā Sahampati, when the night was far advanced whose surpassing beauty illuminated the entire Andhakavinda, approached the Blessed One; having approached, and having paid homage to the Blessed One, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, Brahmā Sahampati recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One: "One should frequent remote abodes, and wander for the release from fetters. If one finds no delight there, one should dwell in the Sangha, self-protected, mindful. "Wandering for alms from family to family, with senses guarded, wise, mindful, one should frequent remote abodes, released from fear, freed into fearlessness. "Where fearsome serpents are, where lightning flashes, and the god thunders, in the dark gloom of night, there the bhikkhu sits, with no hair standing on end. "This I have seen myself, not heard as a mere report: In one holy life, a thousand who have overcome death. "More than five hundred trainees, and ten times ten, all stream-enterers, not bound for lower realms. "As for this other populace, my mind thinks they are sharers in merit; I cannot even count them, out of fear of false speech." 4. The Aruṇavatī Sutta 185. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthī... ...There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Bhikkhus." "Venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One spoke thus: "Formerly, bhikkhus, there was a king named Aruṇavā. King Aruṇavā, bhikkhus, had a royal capital named Aruṇavatī. In the royal capital of Aruṇavatī, bhikkhus, the Blessed One Sikhī, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened One, dwelt relying on it. The Blessed One Sikhī, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened One, bhikkhus, had a disciple named Abhibhū-Sambhava. A peerless, supreme, excellent pair there was. Then, monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, addressed the monk Abhibhu: ‘Come, brahmin, to a certain Brahma-world let us go, until it is time for the meal.’ ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ monks, the monk Abhibhu replied to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī. Then, monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, and the monk Abhibhu – just as a strong man might extend a flexed arm, or flex an extended arm – vanished from the royal capital of Aruṇavatī and appeared in that Brahma-world. Then, monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, addressed the monk Abhibhu: ‘Let it occur to you, brahmin, to give a discourse on the Dhamma to Brahmā, to the assembly of Brahmā, and to the attendants of Brahmā.’ ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ monks, the monk Abhibhu, having assented to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, to Brahmā, to the assembly of Brahmā, and to the attendants of Brahmā, instructed, urged, inspired, and gladdened them with a discourse on the Dhamma. There, monks, Brahmā, the assembly of Brahmā, and the attendants of Brahmā, grumbled, were annoyed, and complained: ‘Oh, how wonderful! Oh, how amazing! How can it be that a disciple teaches the Dhamma in the presence of the Teacher?!’ Then, monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, addressed the monk Abhibhu: ‘They are grumbling, brahmin, Brahmā, the assembly of Brahmā, and the attendants of Brahmā – Oh, how wonderful! Oh, how amazing! How can it be that a disciple teaches the Dhamma in the presence of the Teacher! Therefore, brahmin, even more arouse Brahmā, the assembly of Brahmā, and the attendants of Brahmā.’ ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ And then, monks, the monk Abhibhū, having assented to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, taught the Dhamma with his body visible, he taught the Dhamma with his body invisible, he taught the Dhamma with his lower half visible and his upper half invisible, he taught the Dhamma with his upper half visible and his lower half invisible. There, monks, Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the retinue of Brahmā were filled with wonder and amazement: 'Wonderful, sirs, amazing, sirs, is the great power and great might of this ascetic!' Then the monk Abhibhū said to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī: 'I recall, venerable sir, having spoken such a statement in the midst of the monastic community: "I am able, friends, standing in the Brahma-world, to make a thousand-world system resound with my voice."' 'This is the time, brahmin, this is the time, brahmin; that you, brahmin, standing in the Brahma-world, should make a thousand-world system resound with your voice.' 'Yes, venerable sir,' And then, monks, the monk Abhibhū, having assented to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, standing in the Brahma-world, recited these verses: 'Strive, go forth, engage in the Buddha's teaching; Shake off the army of Death, as an elephant a reed-house. 'Whoever dwells in this Dhamma and Discipline with diligence; Abandoning the cycle of birth, will make an end of suffering.' Then, monks, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, Sikhī, and the monk Abhibhū, having stirred up Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the retinue of Brahmā— just as… (and so on)… they vanished from that Brahma-world and appeared in the royal city of Aruṇavatī. Then, monks, the Blessed One, Sikhī, I, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, addressed the monks— ‘Did you hear, monks, the verses spoken by the monk Abhibhu, standing in the Brahma-world?’ ‘Yes, indeed, Venerable Sir, we heard the verses spoken by the monk Abhibhu, standing in the Brahma-world.’ ‘And how, monks, did you hear the verses spoken by the monk Abhibhu, standing in the Brahma-world?’ ‘Thus, Venerable Sir, we heard the verses spoken by the monk Abhibhu, standing in the Brahma-world— ‘Strive! Go forth! Engage in the Buddha's teaching! Shake off the army of Death, as an elephant a reed-hut. ‘Whoever in this Dhamma and Discipline, dwells heedfully, abandoning the cycle of birth, will make an end of suffering.’ ‘Thus, Venerable Sir, we heard the verses spoken by the monk Abhibhu, standing in the Brahma-world.’ ‘Good, good, monks! Indeed, it is good, monks! You heard the verses spoken by the monk Abhibhu, standing in the Brahma-world.’ This the Blessed One said. Delighted, those monks rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. 5. The Discourse on the Final Nibbāna 186. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Kusinārā, in the Upavattana Sāla Grove of the Mallas, between the twin sāla trees, at the time of his final Nibbāna. Then the Blessed One addressed the monks— ‘‘Now then, monks, I exhort you— ‘All conditioned things are subject to decay. Strive with heedfulness!’ This was the Tathāgata’s last word.’’ Then the Blessed One entered the first jhāna. Emerging from the first jhāna, he entered the second jhāna. Emerging from the second jhāna, he entered the third jhāna. Emerging from the third jhāna, he entered the fourth jhāna. Emerging from the fourth jhāna, he entered the sphere of infinite space. He entered the sphere of infinite space.