seek everywhere for such a bad man; and
they saw by the side of a pond a man tall and strong, with a black
countenance, yellow hair, and green eyes, hooking up the fish with his
feet, while he called to him birds and beasts, and, when they came, then
shot and killed them, so that not one escaped. Having got this man, they
took him to the king, who secretly charged him, "You must make a square
enclosure with high walls. Plant in it all kinds of flowers and fruits;
make good ponds in it for bathing; make it grand and imposing in every
way, so that men shall look to it with thirsting desire; make its gates
strong and sure; and when any one enters, instantly seize him and punish
him as a sinner, not allowing him to get out. Even if I should enter,
punish me as a sinner in the same way, and do not let me go. I now
appoint you master of that naraka."

Soon after this a bhikshu, pursuing his regular course of begging his
food, entered the gate of the place. When the lictors of the naraka saw
him, they were about to subject him to their tortures; but he,
frightened, begged them to allow him a moment in which to eat his
mid-day meal. Immediately after, there came in another man, whom they
thrust into a mortar and pounded till a red froth overflowed. As the
bhikshu looked on, there came to him the thought of the impermanence,
the painful suffering and inanity of this body, and how it is but as a
bubble and as foam; and instantly he attained to Arhatship. Immediately
after, the lictors seized him, and threw him into a caldron of boiling
water. There was a look of joyful satisfaction, however, in the
bhikshu's countenance. The fire was extinguished, and the water became
cold. In the middle of the caldron there rose up a lotus flower, with
the bhikshu seated on it. The lictors at once went and reported to the
king that there was a marvellous occurrence in the naraka, and wished
him to go and see it; but the king said, "I formerly made such an
agreement that now I dare not go to the place." The lictors said, "This
is not a small matter. Your Majesty ought to go quickly. Let your former
agreement be altered." The king thereupon followed them, and entered the
naraka, when the bhikshu preached the Law to him, and he believed, and
was made free. Forthwith he demolished the naraka, and repented of all
the evil which he had formerly done. From this time he believed in and
honored the Three Precious Ones, and constantly went to a patra tree