The Story of Those Who Suffered for Their Evil Deeds

While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (307) of this book, with reference to some petas.

Once, the Venerable Maha Moggallana was coming down the Gijjhakuta hill with Thera Lakkhana when he saw some petas. When they were back at the monastery, Thera Maha Moggallana told Thera Lakkhana, in the presence of the Buddha, that he had seen a peta who was just a skeleton. Then he added that he had also seen five bhikkhus with their body burning in flames. On hearing the statement about those bhikkhus, the Buddha said, "During the time of Kassapa Buddha, those bhikkhus had done much evil. For those evil deeds they had suffered in niraya and now they are serving out the remaining term of suffering as petas."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 307: Many men wearing the yellow robe up to their necks who have an evil disposition and are unrestrained in thought, word and deed are reborn in niraya on account of their evil deeds.