The two sons of Ananda’s sister became monks and were made to learn to read. After reading for a few days, they became lazy and stopped. They were then entrusted to Maudgalyayana, but acted as before, so Ananda told Maudgalyayana, “You must make them renounce!”
Thus Maudgalyayana took them on a walk, and miraculously revealed a hell of living beings. When they heard the sounds of cutting, hacking, and other such actions, the two nephews went to investigate and witnessed the sufferings of being cut, etc. Since
there were two great boiling kettles there, they asked whether someone would not be placed in them as well. The hell-guardians replied, “Ananda’s two nephews have become monks and are wasting their time through their laziness; after they die, they will be reborn here.” The two were terrified, and each thought, “If I am smart, I will make an effort right now!”
They returned to where Maudgalyayana was and reported what had happened. Then Maudgalyayana said: novices, laziness gives rise to problems such as this and to others as well.
You should have joyous perseverance!” Hence, the two began to persevere enthusiastically. If they recalled hell prior to eating, they were unable to eat. If they recalled it after eating, they vomited.
Then Maudgalyayana took them on a different walk, where they heard from another direction the music of the deities’ magic lutes and the like. When they went to investigate, they saw heavenly palaces filled with goddesses, but no gods. When they asked why there were no gods, they were told, ” Ananda’ s nephews have become monks and are persevering joyously; when they die, they will be reborn here.” The two were delighted, and told Maudgalyayana, who said: “novices, since this benefit, and others as well, arise from joyous perseverance, persevere joyously!”
They did so, and when they were receiving an explanation of the scriptures, they were taught from the authoritative scriptures that you can be reborn from the happy realms into the miserablerealms, as cited previously.
When they heard this, they asked Maudgalyayana, “must we also die as a deity or
human, and then be reborn into the three miserable realms?” He replied, “until you stop your afflictions, you must move like a water wheel throughout cyclic existence in its five realms.”
The two, after they had renounced cyclic existence, said, “Henceforth, we will not indulge in the afflictions; thus, please explain the teachings to us!” Consequently, Maudgalyayana gave them the teachings, and they got enlightened.
Thus, meditation on suffering puts an end to laziness and generates joyous perseverance at accomplishing the path.