Itivuttaka 20

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, there is the case where a certain person is corrupt-minded. Having encompassed that mind with [my] awareness, I discern, ‘If this person were to die at this instant, then as if he were to be carried off, he would thus be placed in hell.’ Why is that? Because his mind is corrupt. It’s because of corrupt-mindedness that there are cases where beings–at the break-up of the body, after death–reappear in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell.”

Knowing the case

of a corrupt-minded person,

the One Awakened explained its meaning

in the presence of the monks.

If that person

were to die at this instant,

he’d reappear in hell

because his mind is corrupt–

as if he were carried off

and placed there.

It’s because of corrupt-mindedness

that beings go

to a bad destination.