Fo Shuo Shiba Nili Jing 佛說十八泥犁經

Translated by An Shigao

Colophon

第 17 冊　No. 731 佛說十八泥犁經 後漢 安世高譯 共 1 卷 Volume 17, No. 731; Sūtra on the Eighteen Hells (Fo Shuo Shiba Nili Jing); translated by An Shigao in the Later Han in 1 scroll.

Notes

Date 148-170 from Lancaster (Lancaster 2004, 'K 812')

English Translations

Young, Caroline Chin-i 1989, “The Shih-Pa Ni-Li Ching” In Chinese Hells: The Peking Temple of Eighteen Hells and Chinese Conceptions of Hell, Monumenta Serica, pp. 128–35.

Summary

This text describes eighteen hells (泥犁) and the varying degrees of suffering experienced within them based on one's actions in life. The first eight hells are fiery, while the latter ten are cold, with punishments including being burned, crushed, and frozen for unimaginable lengths of time. The length of stay and severity of suffering in each hell depends on the severity of one's evil deeds, but knowing and practicing the Buddha's teachings can lessen the suffering or even lead to rebirth in a higher realm. Ultimately, the text emphasizes the importance of virtuous behavior and understanding the Buddha's path to avoid these hellish realms and attain a better existence. (AI generated)

Primary Source

An Shigao, 《佛說十八泥犁經》 'Fo Shuo Shiba Nili Jing,' in Taishō shinshū Daizōkyō 《大正新脩大藏經》, in Takakusu Junjiro, ed., (Tokyo: Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō Kankōkai, 1988), Vol. 17, No. 731, Accessed 2016-09-25, http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/T17n0731.

References

  1. Lancaster, L.R. 2004, The Korean Buddhist Canon: A Descriptive Catalogue, http://www.acmuller.net/descriptive_catalogue.

Collection vocabulary analysis