Niraya.– Various lists of hells (niraya) are found in the books. In the Jātaka Commentary ¹ occurs the following: Sañjīva, Kālasutta, Saṅghāta, Jālaroruva, Dhūmaroruva, Mahāvīci, Tapana, Patāpana.

The Saṃyutta and Aṅguttaranikāya and the Suttanipāta contain a different list: Abbuda, Nirabbuda, Ababa, Atata, Ahaha, Kumuda, Sogandhika, Uppala, Puṇḍarīka, Paduma (S.i.149; A.v.173; SN.p.126; see also Dvy. 67).

The Commentaries explain (e.g., AA.ii.853) that these are not separate hells but specified periods of suffering in Avīci. The Devadūta Sutta (M.iii.185) of the Majjhimanikāya contains yet another list: Gūtha, Kukkula, Simbalivana, Asipattavana and Khārodakanadī.

Other names, also, occur sporadically, e.g., Khuradhāra (J.v.269), Kākola (J.vi.247), Sataporisa (J.v.269) and Sattisūla (J.v.143). The most fearful of the hells is, however, the Avīci-mahā-niraya (see s.v. Avīci).

Niraya Vagga.– The twenty-second chapter of the Dhammapada.