Buddhist Dhammapadha those who suffered for their evil deeds

Chapter XXII - NIRAYA VAGGA - Woeful state

CORRUPT MONKS SUFFER

CORRUPT MONKS SUFFER

Kasavakantha bahavo papa dhamma asannata
Papa papehi kammehi nirayam te upapajjare. [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 a woeful state on account of their evil deeds. [307]

XXII:02 Those who suffered for their evil deeds

Once the Venerable Moggallana was coming down a hill with Venerable Lakkhana when he saw some unhappy spirits. Back at the monastery, Moggallana told Lakkhana in the presence of the Buddha, that he had seen five suffering spirits with their bodies engulfed in flames. Thereupon, the Buddha said, 'During the time of the previous Buddha, those five spirits were bhikkhus. They were not interested in their spiritual development. Instead, they had committed much evil. For the evil deeds they have suffered in hell and now they are paying out the remaining term as suffering spirits.'

Notes:

*The Buddha here was not admonishing the bhikkhu for having given service, but he was admonishing him not to forget the ultimate goal of one who has renounced the world: to free the mind from all defilements and distractions.