In the Niraya Sutta, we hear what the Buddha taught about the ways in which one may be deposited in hell as if brought there. The Buddha told his attendant monks about 10 bad qualities in one’s actions that could result in this eventuality.
The Buddha described these 10 bad qualities as follow:
First is one who destroys life: who is murderous and bloody-handed, who is given to striking blows, given to acting violently, without any feeling of mercy for fellow living beings.
Second is one who is in the habit of taking what isn’t given: stealing the wealth and property of fellow beings in the village or the forest.
Third is one who engages in acts of sexual misconduct: who has sexual relations with someone who is protected by mother, father, mother and father, brother, sister, or other relatives, or protected by the Dhamma, or who has a spouse, where a violation involves a penalty, or with one already engaged.
Fourth is one who speaks falsely: telling lies and untruths when summoned to a council or assembly or when addressing his relatives, his guild, or the court, and questioned as a witness thus: “So, good witness, tell what you know,” then, not knowing, says, “I know,” or knowing, says, “I do not know;” not seeing, says, “I see,” or seeing, says, “I do not see.” In this way, such a person consciously speaks falsehoods for their own sake and benefit or for another’s sake and benefit, or for the foolish fulfillment of some trifling worldly wish.
Fifth is one who speaks in a manner causing division between others: hearing something here they repeat it there in order to divide these people from those people. Or, having heard something there they repeats it here, to divide people, dividing those who are united, becoming a creator of divisions, enjoying and rejoicing and delighting in factions, speaking words creating factions, being someone destroying life, who is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings.
Sixth is one speaks harshly: uttering rough, hard, offensive, hurtful words to others, which induce anger and make it difficult to remain concentrated and keep a clear cool head.
Seventh is one who indulges in idle chatter: speaks the wrong thing at an improper moment, or continually speaks lies and falsehoods, saying what is unbeneficial, speaking contrary to the Dhamma and discipline, or rambling foolishly and saying many unreasonable, unbeneficial, worthless things.
Eighth is one who is full of longing: coveting the wealth and property of others, thinking that what belongs to another would better belonging to them.
Ninth is one with a mind full of ill will and intentions of hate: wishing that such worthless, hated beings be slain, be slaughtered, be cut off, destroyed, and annihilated.
Tenth is one who holds wrong views and incorrect perspectives: imagining that nothing has been given, nothing sacrificed, nothing offered, thinking there is no fruit or result of good and bad actions, thinking there is not this world nor another world, that there are no mother, no father, there are no beings spontaneously reborn, there are in the world no ascetics and brahmins of right conduct and right practice who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, have made it known to others.
On the other hand, the Buddha also told his attendant monks that when one’s actions possess 10 good qualities, one is deposited in heaven as if brought there.
First is one who, having abandoned the destruction of life, abstains from the destruction of life. With rod and weapon laid down, they kindly and conscientiously dwell compassionately toward all living beings.
Second is one who, having abandoned the taking of what is not given, abstains from taking what is not given and does not steal the wealth and property of others in village or the forest.
Third is one who, having abandoned sexual misconduct, abstains from sexual misconduct and does not have sexual relations with someone who is protected by mother, father, mother and father, brother, sister, or relatives, or protected by the Dhamma, or who has a spouse, where a violation involves a penalty, or with one already engaged.
Fourth is one who, having abandoned false speech, abstains from false speech when summoned to a council or assembly or addressing his relatives, his guild, or the court, and questioned as a witness thus: “So, good man, tell what you know,” then, not knowing, says, “I do not know,” or knowing, says, “I know;” not seeing, says, “I do not see,” or seeing, says, “I see.” In this way, such a person does not consciously speak falsehood for their own sake, or for the foolish fulfillment of some trifling, worldly wish.
Fifth is one who, having abandoned divisive speech, abstains from divisive speech. Having heard something here, this person does not repeat it there in order to divide those from these, or having heard something there, this person does not repeat it to these, dividing them from those. Thus this person is one who reunites those who are divided, a promoter of unity, enjoying concord, rejoicing in concord, delighting in concord, speaking words which promote concord.
Sixth is one who, having abandoned harsh speech, abstains from harsh speech. This person speaks words that are gentle and pleasing to the ear, and lovable, which go to the heart, which are courteous in a way which would be desired by many and agreeable to many.
Seventh is one who, having abandoned idle chatter, abstains from idle chatter. This person speaks at a proper time, speaks truth, speaks what is beneficial, speaks on the Dhamma and the discipline, speaking at a proper time, words worth recording, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.
Eighth is one who, having abandoned longing, does not long for the wealth and property of others, and does not think that what belongs to another should better belong to them.
Ninth is one whose mind is full of good will and whose intentions are free of hate, wishing that all beings may live happily and be free from enmity, affliction, and anxiety.
Tenth is one who holds right views and has correct perspectives, thinking there is what is given, sacrificed, and offered, there is fruit and result of good and bad actions, there is this world and another world, there are mother and father, there are beings spontaneously reborn, there are in the world ascetics and brahmins of right conduct and right practice who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, have also made them known to others.
This is what the Buddha said about the ways that one may be deposited in hell or in heaven.
References
Paṭhamanirayasaggasutta—Bhikkhu Bodhi: Aṅguttara Nikāya: The Book of the Tens; 10.211. Hell (1) (Sutta Central)
Related features from BDG
Sensuality, Contact, and Attachment
Hindering the Hindrances
The Four Sublime States
