The Divine Messengers (sutra)

Bhikkhu Bodhi (sutra translator), from In the Buddha's Words; G.P. Malalasekera, Dictionary of Pali Proper Names; Amber Larson and Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Divine Messengers (devas) can come in human form as drama speaks of them. Here shown are the Tuatha De Danann or the "People of the Goddess Danu," ready to fight for Ireland.

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We're divas, not "messengers."

[The Buddha:] "There are, meditators, three divine messengers. What three?

"There is a person of unskillful conduct in body, speech, and mind. On the dissolution of the body, after death, that person is reborn in the plane of misery, in an unfortunate destination, in the downfall, in purgatories (niraya).
 

What if I manifest as a demon?

"The wardens there (the niraya-palas) seize one by both arms to take one before Yama, the Lord of the Dead [the goodly Judge or King of the Dead, who does not cause death or really mete out punishments but only helps in the transition from one life to another by explaining the why, the karma (deeds) and the good left undone, that is about to lead to the unwelcome-results of our own unskillful actions], saying:

"'This person, your majesty, had no respect for mother and father, nor for wandering ascetics and Brahmins, nor was there honor for the elders of the family. May your majesty decide on the due consequences!'

Yama, Lord of the Dead, a fierce "Dharma-protector," Tibetan thangka (Met Museum)

• Who is the Lord of the Dead Yama? (See, e.g., DhA.iii.337; Yamassa santikam = Maranasantikam). When beings die they are led before Yama to be judged according to their deeds. Birth, old age, sickness, punishment for crimes, and death are regarded as his "messengers" sent among humans as a warning to abstain from deeds better left undone and to do profitable deeds, merit, good karma. Yama questions beings brought before him as to whether they have seen these messengers and profited by see them. If the answer is in the negative, the wardens (nirayapālas) take them away to the different purgatories (M.iii.179ff). In the Mahāsamaya Sutra (D.ii.259) mention is made of two Yamas (dve Yamā), which the Commentary explains (DA.ii.690) by "dve Yamakadevatā" (the twins, whom Rhys Davids calls the Castor and Pollux of Indian Mythology, in Dial.ii.290, n.1). Elsewhere (AA.i.374; MA.ii.953) Ven. Buddhaghosa speaks of four Yamas (im c' esa eko va hoti, catusu pana dvāresu cattāro janā honti) at the four gates (of the nirayas?) He says that Yama is a Vemānika-peta-rājā [king of the departed], who sometimes enjoys all the pleasures of heaven, in a celestial mansion, surrounded by kapparukkhas, and at other times experiences the fruits of his karma. He is a good king. In the Rebirth Tales (Jātakas) the nirayas are particularly mentioned as Yama's abode (Yamakkhaya, Yamanivesana, Yamasādana, etc.) but, more generally, all of The Wheel of Life and Death (samsāra, lit. "the continued wandering on  through rebirth") is considered as subject to Yama's rule, and escape from samsāra would mean escape from Yama's influence, Yama being the "god" (deva) of Death. It is evidently in this sense that Yama is called Vesāyi (J.ii.317, 318). Yama is sometimes mentioned with Indra [Sakka, King of the Gods], Varuna, Soma, Pajāpati, etc., as a deva to whom sacrifices are offered. There is a tradition (A.i.142) that once Yama longed to be reborn as a human being and to sit at the feet of a Tathāgata (a teaching buddha, a fully enlightened teacher). Yama's nayanāyudha is mentioned (SNA.i.225) among the most destructive of weapons. More
  

Yama, or Enma, administrative judge in charge of the dead (SreeBot/Wiki)

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Yama wearing a crown of skulls for effect.

"Then, meditators, King Yama questions, examines, and addresses that person concerning the first divine messenger:

"'Didn't you ever see, my good person, the first divine messenger appearing among humankind?'

 

"And one replies: 'No, lord, I did not!'

"Then King Yama says: 'But, good person, didn't you ever see a man or woman, 80, 90, or a 100 years old, frail, bent like a roof bracket, crooked, leaning on a stick, shakily going along, ailing, youth and vigor gone, with broken teeth, with gray and scanty hair or bald, wrinkled, with blotched limbs?'
 

"And the person replies: 'Yes, lord, I have seen this.'

"Then King Yama says: 'My good person, didn't it ever occur to you, an intelligent and mature person, "I too am subject to old age and cannot escape it; let me now do noble deeds by body, speech, and mind"?'

"'No, lord, I could not do it. I was negligent.'

What if I manifest as a female judge?

"Then King Yama says: 'Through negligence, my good person, you have failed to do noble [meritorious] deeds by body, speech, and mind. Well, you will be treated as befits your negligence.

That unskillful action of yours was not done by mother or father, brothers, sisters, friends or companions, nor by relatives, devas, wandering ascetics, or Brahmins. But you alone have done that unskillful deed, and you will have to experience the fruit [and resultants].'

"When, meditators, King Yama has questioned, examined, and addressed one thus concerning the first divine messenger, he again questions, examines, and addresses the person about the second one, saying:

"'Didn't you ever see, my good person, the second divine messenger appearing among humankind?'

"'No, lord, I did not.'

"'But, my good person, didn't you ever see a man or woman who was sick and in pain, seriously ill, lying in his own filth, having to be lifted up by some and put to bed by others?'

"'Yes, lord, I have seen this.'

What if I manifest as Yamraj, Lord of Justice?

"'My good person, didn't it ever occur to you, an intelligent and mature person, "I too am subject to illness and cannot escape it; let me now do noble deeds by body, speech, and mind"?'

"'No, lord, I could not do it. I was negligent.'

"'Through negligence, my good person, you have failed to do noble deeds by body, speech, and mind. Well, you will be treated as befits your negligence. That unskillful action of yours was not done by mother or father, brothers, sisters, friends or companions, nor by relatives, devas, ascetics, or Brahmins. But you alone have done that unskillful deed, and you will have to experience the fruit.' 

"When, meditators, King Yama has questioned, examined, and addressed one thus concerning the second divine messenger, he again questions, examines, and addresses the person about the third one, saying:

What if I'm a sell-out drug judge?

"'Didn't you ever see, my good person, the third divine messenger appearing among humankind?'

"'No, lord, I did not.'

"'But, my good person, didn't you ever see a man or woman one, two, or three days dead, the corpse swollen, discolored, and festering?'

"'Yes, lord, I have seen this.'

"'Then, my good person, didn't it ever occur to you, an intelligent and mature person, "I too am subject to death and cannot escape it; let me now do noble deeds by body, speech, and mind"?'

'"No, lord, I could not do it. I was negligent.'

"'Through negligence, my good person, you have failed to do noble deeds by body, speech, and mind. Well, you will be treated as befits your negligence. That unskillful action of yours was not done by mother or father, brothers, sisters, friends or companions, nor by relatives, devas, ascetics, or Brahmins. But you alone have done that unskillful deed, and you will have to experience the fruit.'"