Pāpavagga · Evil · Gāthā 126

Gabbhameke uppajjanti, nirayaṃ pāpakammino; saggaṃ sugatino yanti, parinibbanti anāsavā.

Gabbhameke uppajjanti, nirayaṃ pāpakammino; saggaṃ sugatino yanti, parinibbanti anāsavā.

Some are reborn in the womb, evildoers go to hell, those of good conduct go to heaven, those free of taints attain nibbana.

Gabbhameke uppajjanti — some are reborn in the womb: ordinary rebirth, continuation of the samsaric cycle in the human or animal world.

Nirayaṃ pāpakammino — evildoers go to hell: niraya are realms of intense suffering. Not eternal theological hell but a temporary state conditioned by very harmful actions.

Saggaṃ sugatino yanti — those of good conduct go to heaven: sagga are realms of wellbeing. Neither are eternal — they are states conditioned by very beneficial actions.

Parinibbanti anāsavā — those free of taints attain nibbana: the final and supreme category. The anāsava (free of contaminating taints) are not reborn in any conditioned realm but attain parinibbana — final nibbana, unconditioned.