The People of VerañjāVerañjakasutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Now at that time the brahmins and householders of Verañjā were residing in Sāvatthī on some business.Tena kho pana samayena verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasanti kenacideva karaṇīyena. The brahmins and householders of Verañjā heard:Assosuṁ kho verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā:

“It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—is staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.“samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. He has this good reputation …Taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato: It’s good to see such perfected ones.”Sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotī”ti.

… They said to the Buddha:Atha kho verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā appekacce bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu; appekacce bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu; appekacce yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu; appekacce bhagavato santike nāmagottaṁ sāvetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu; appekacce tuṇhībhūtā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho verañjakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “What is the cause, worthy Gotama, what is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell?“ko nu kho, bho gotama, hetu, ko paccayo yena m’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti? And what is the cause, worthy Gotama, what is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm?”Ko pana, bho gotama, hetu, ko paccayo yena m’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjantī”ti?

“Unprincipled and immoral conduct is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.“Adhammacariyāvisamacariyāhetu kho, gahapatayo, evam’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti. Principled and moral conduct is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”Dhammacariyāsamacariyāhetu kho, gahapatayo, evam’idhekacce sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjantī”ti.

“We don’t understand the detailed meaning of the worthy Gotama’s brief statement. …”“Na kho mayaṁ imassa bhoto gotamassa saṅkhittena bhāsitassa, vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa, vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāma.

“Householders, a person of unprincipled and immoral conduct is threefold by way of body, fourfold by way of speech, and threefold by way of mind. …” …“Tividhaṁ kho, gahapatayo, kāyena adhammacārī visamacārī hoti, catubbidhaṁ vācāya adhammacārī visamacārī hoti, tividhaṁ manasā adhammacārī visamacārī hoti.