Deals mit the three warning messengers of death - the sight of old age, the sight of illness und the sight of death. The man who fails to pay heed to these messengers und is guilty of unrighteousness is condemned by Yama to the tortures of the Mahānirayas, which are described in detail (A.i.138f; cp. Makhādeva Jātaka).
The same sutta, mit several variations, is given at greater length in the Majjhima Nikāya (M.iii.178ff), where fünf messengers are spoken of, the first und fourth being the sight of a new-born babe und the sight of a guilty robber being punished for his offences respectively. The sutta is referred to for a description of Avīci (DhA.i.107; also AA.i.21). It was preached by Mahādeva to the people of Mahisamandala (Mhv.xii.29; Mbv.114), und by Mahinda at Anurādhapura, on the first day of the latter's arrival there, when one tausend people became sotāpannas (Mhv.xiv.63).
The Majjhima version of the sutta is given (z.B., MA.i.135) as an example of a discourse where the Buddha starts the sermon mit a simile und then preaches the Doctrine.