Looking for a long poem about hell

Q & A
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I remember coming across a long poem about hell, I think in either the sagathavagga or a sanskrit parallel to a sutta in the sagathavagga, I think it was in tristubbha, and having recently come across a long poem in prakrit from the Jain Sūtrakṛtāṅga about a similar topic I wanted to compare but can’t remember for the life of me where I found the Buddhist one.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Comprehensive Index of Pāli Suttas lots of listings on hell here. Maybe something will jog your memory

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I started, but there are a LOT of pages, was hoping someone remembered something…

I think it reproduced the “born with an axe in their mouth” line?
It’s a longish description of a particular hell…

the poem was longer in the Sanskrit version?

If that’s ringing any bells for anyone, any help is appreciated!

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Yes that’s one of the shortcomings of a comprehensive index. And in this case ironic since so many people claim there is no hell in Buddhism.

And much to my dismay, the ax in the mouth simile is missing from the index as a head word. I’ll get on that.

Are you looking for Snp3.10? I found it by doing a page search for ax.

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Perhaps the verses to the Mahānāradakassapa Jātaka ?

I think this is probably the most culturally influential text on hell in Theravada countries. For example, it’s the source of most of the images used to depict hell in SE Asian temple murals.

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I am woefully ignorant of the jataka literature and so it was almost certainly not from there… as I recall there was a connection in the parallels with the the first parjika offence? something about monks who tell false stories about other monks going to hell? sigh. keep those suggestions coming! I am sure it’s just around the corner :slight_smile:

OK! I think I have found it! I think it must have been snp3.10 So for now I will mark this answered.

Thanks to everyone who helped!!

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Did you read my post where I told you this, lol? If you aren’t going to be reading answers then there is not much point in us offering them :flushed_face:

Any way, I’m glad you got the sutta you needed and I’m happy it helped me improve the index. The axe simile is now inclulded. I’d swear there are other instances but I can’t find them.

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Oh no! I thought you said SN3.10!! Which I was looking at at the time which is why i must have gotten confised!!

Thank you @Snowbird ! I am sure that your answer sunk in at some level and resolved things for me and I appreciate it very much!

I have my head in the clouds i guess.

thanks again.

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I very well could have. It’s just by chance I didn’t this time :face_with_open_eyes_and_hand_over_mouth:

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