The bhikkhu Kokalika

Then the bhikkhu Kokalika approached The Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said: “Venerable sir, Sāriputta and Moggallāna are under the influence of evil desires.

“Kokalika, do not say so! Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well behaved! Arouse pleasant thoughts towards them.

For the second time the bhikkhu Kokalika said to The Blessed One, “Venerable sir, whatever The Blessed One says, Sāriputta and Moggallāna are under the influence of evil desires.

“Kokalika, do not say so! Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well behaved! Arouse pleasant thoughts towards them.

For the third time the bhikkhu Kokalika said to The Blessed One, “Venerable sir, however much they may be truthful and trustworthy to The Blessed One, Sāriputta and Moggallāna are under the influence of evil desires.

“Kokalika, do not say so! Sāriputta and Moggallāna are well behaved! Arouse pleasant thoughts towards them.

Then the bhikkhu Kokalika got up from his seat, worshipped, circumambulated The Blessed One and went away. Soon afterwards, his body was covered with a rash the size of mustard seeds, then the boils became the size of green peas, later they became the size of chick peas, then they became the size of the seeds of the jujube, later they became the size of the jujube. Then they became the size of the fruit emblic myrobalan and the size of the wood apple. Then they burst and pus and blood oozed. He slept on banana leaves like festering flesh.

Then the independent brahma, Taru approached the bhikkhu Kokalika established in space said: Kokalika, develop pleasant thoughts towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna! They are well behaved.

“Friend, who are you?

“I am the independent brahma Taru.

“Friend, weren't you declared a non-returner by The Blessed One? Do you see how you intrude here.

Then the independent brahma Taru recited a verse to the bhikkhu Kokalika:

“To man a dagger is born in the mouth, saying evil words with it,
The fool destroys himself, by praising the blameworthy,
Blaming the praiseworthy. He choses bad luck and does not feel pleasant.
A gambler losing all his wealth and himself, is nothing compared to
Developing a defiled mind towards well gone ones.
Blaming noble ones, with defiled words and thoughts causes births in,
Hundred thousand Nirabbuda hells and five sixty hundred Abbuda hells.

Bhikkhu Kokalika died from that ailment and was born in the Paduma hell for developing a defiled mind towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna.

Then brahma Sahampati, when the night was far gone, illuminating the whole of Jeta's grove approached The Blessed One, worshipped and standing on a side said:

“Venerable sir, the bhikkhu Kokalika has died and is born in the Paduma hell, owing to developing a defiled mind towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna. Then Brahma Sahampati worshipped, circumambulated The Blessed One and disappeared from there.

At the end of that night The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus:

“Bhikkhus, when the night was far gone, illuminating the whole of Jeta's grove Brahma Sahampati approached me, worshipped and standing on a side said:

“Venerable sir, the bhikkhu Kokalika has died and is born in the Paduma hell, owing to developing a defiled mind towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna. Then Brahma Sahampati worshipped, circumambulated me and disappeared from there.

When this was said a certain bhikkhu said to The Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how long is the life span in the Paduma hell?

“Bhikkhu, the life span in the Paduma hell is difficult to enumerate, as it is this amount of years, or this amount of hundred years, or this amount of thousand years, or this amount o hundred thousand years.

“Venerable sir, could a comparison be given?

“Bhikkhu, a comparison could be given. Bhikkhu, there is a man with twenty cart loads of sesame by the Kosala measure. He throws out one seed of sesame at the end of a hundred years and throws another, at the end of another hundred years. In this manner the twenty cart loads of sesame would finish and come to an end but not the span of, one Abuda hell.

Bhikkhu, twenty of these Abuda hell spans is equal to one Nirabbuda hell span. Bhikkhu, twenty of these Nirabbuda hell spans is equal to one Ababa hell span. Bhikkhu, twenty of these Ababa hell spans is equal to one Atata hell span. Bhikkhu, twenty of these Atata hell spans is equal to one Ahaha hell span. Bhikkhu, twenty of these Ahaha hell spans is equal to one Kumudu hell span. Bhikkhu, twenty of these Kumudu hell spans is equal to one Sogandhika hell span. Bhikkhu, twenty of these Sogandhika hell spans is equal to one Uppalaka hell span. Bhikkhu, twenty of these Uppalaka hell spans is equal to one Pundirika hell span. Bhikkhu, twenty of these Pundirika hell spans is equal to one Paduma hell span. Bhikkhu, the bhikkhu Kokalika fell into the Paduma hell for developing an unpleasant mind towards Sāriputta and Moggallāna. The Blessed One further said:

“To man a dagger is born in the mouth, saying evil words with it,
The fool destroys himself, by praising the blameworthy,
Blaming the praiseworthy. He choses bad luck and does not feel pleasant.
A gambler losing all his wealth and himself, is nothing compared to
Developing a defiled mind towards well gone ones.
Blaming noble ones, with defiled words and thoughts causes births in,
Hundred thousand Nirabbuda hells and five sixty hundred Abbuda hells.