Buddhism FAQ0 >> 9.Hell
Buddhism FAQ[]
(Frequently Asked Questions About Buddhism)
9. What Buddhism says about hell?[]
Ans:
Hells are the spiritual jails where beings with worst behavior(kamma sanhara sans. karma sanskar) get themselves into. Also as in jails, they continue to act in bad manner towards each other, suffer more on & on until they realize that it is wrong and also for the period destined. Hell are not for forever. After their death in hell or on completion of their sentence, they may again take rebirth either in hell again or in any higher realm(only if they want to do good).
Description of Hell in Nimi-Jataka[]
Then the king, thinking that go to heaven he would in any case, and that he might as well choose to see hell (*9), recited the next stanza:
"I'd see the place of sinful men; please let me go to hell; Where they who once did cruel deeds and where the wicked dwell."
Then he just showed him Vetarani (*10), the river of hell.
To explain this, the Master said;
"Matali showed the king Vetarani, A river stinking, full of corrosive brine, Hot, covered all with burning flames of fire."
The king was terrified when he saw creatures thus intensely suffering in Vetarani, and he asked Matali what sins they had done. Matali told him.
This the Master explained:
"Then Nimi, when he saw the people fall In this deep river-flood, asked Matali "Fear comes on me to see it, charioteer: Tell me, what is the sin these mortals did Who are thrown in the river?" He replied, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "Who in the world of life are strong themselves, Yet hurt the weak, oppress them, doing sin, These cruel creatures lived for sin, and they Are thrown into the stream Vetarani."
Thus did Matali answer his question. And when the king had seen the hell Vetarani, he caused this place to disappear, and driving the chariot onwards showed him the place where they are torn by dogs and other beasts. He answered the, king's question as follows.
This the Master explained:
"Black dogs and speckled vultures, flocks of crows Most horrid, prey upon them. When I look, Fear seizes on me. Tell me, Matali, What sin have these committed, charioteer, Whom ravens prey on?" Matali replied, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "These are the rustics, the misers, foul of tongue To brahmins and ascetics, that do hurt; These cruel creatures lived for sin, and they Are those you see of ravens here the prey."
His other questions are answered in the same way.
"Their bodies all blazing they lie fallen down, Pounded with red-hot lumps: when I see, Fear seizes on me. Tell me, Matali, What sins have these committed, charioteer, Who lie there beaten with the red-hot lumps?" Then Matali the charioteer replied, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "These in the world of life were sinful men, Who hurt and did torment those without sin, Both men and women, sinful as they were. These cruel creatures lived for sin, and they Now lie there beaten with the red-hot lumps."
"Others lie struggling in a pit of coals, Roaring, their bodies charred: when I see, Fear seizes on me: tell me, Matali, What sin have these committed, charioteer, Who lie there struggling in the fiery pit?" Then Matali the charioteer replied, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "These are they who before a crowd of men bribed a witness and declined to pay a debt; And thus destroying people, mighty king, These cruel creatures got sin, and they Lie there now struggling in the pit of coals."
"Blazing and flaming, all one mass of fire, I see an iron cauldron, huge and great: Fear comes upon me, as I look upon it. Matali, tell me, charioteer divine-- What sin these mortals did, that here headfirst They're thrown into the iron cauldron huge?" Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "Whosoever has hurt a brahmin or ascetic, Foul men of sin, and he a virtuous man, Those cruel creatures lived for sin, and they Now headlong fall into the iron bowl."
"They wring them by the neck and threw them in, Filling the cauldron full of boiling water! Fear seizes on me: tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those mortals, That with their heads all battered, there they lie?" Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "These are the wicked men who in the world Caught birds, and did destroy them, mighty king; And thus, destroying other creatures, they By these their cruel acts gave rise to sin, And they lie over there, with their own necks wrung."
"There flows a river, deep, with shallow banks, Easy of access: there go the men, Scorcht with the heat, and drink: but as they drink, The water turns to chaff (*11); which when I see, Fear seizes on me. Tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those mortals, That as they drink, the water turns to chaff?" Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "These men are they who mixed good grain with chaff, And sold it to a buyer, doing ill; Therefore now scorched with heat and parched with thirst, Even as they drink, the water turns to chaff."
"With spikes and spears and arrowheads they pierce Those loudly-wailing folk on either side: Fear seizes on me: tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those mortals, That they lie over there riddled with the spears?" Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "These in the world of life were wicked men Who took what was not theirs, and lived upon it-- Goats, sheep, cows, bulls, corn, treasure, silver, gold: These cruel creatures lived for sin, and they Now over there lie all riddled with the spears."
"Who are these fastened by the neck I see, Some cut to pieces, others all to-torn: Fear seizes on me: tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those mortals, That they lie over there torn in little bits?"
Then answered Matali the charioteer,
Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "Fishers and butchers, hunters of the boar, killers of cattle, bulls, and goats, who killed And laid the corpses in the slaughter-house, These cruel creatures lived for sin, and they Are lying over there torn in little bits."
"The lake of filth and dung, stinking foul, With evil scent unclean, where starving men Eat of the contents! this when I see, Fear seizes on me: tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those mortals, Whom there I see devouring dirt and filth?" Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "These are malicious persons (*12), who, for hurt Of others, lived with them, and harmed their friends: These cruel creatures lived for sin, and now, Poor fools, they have dung and filth to eat."
"The lake is full of blood, and stinking foul, With evil scent unclean, where scorcht with heat Men drink the contents! which when I see, Fear seizes on me; tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those mortals, That they must now drink of the portion of blood?" Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "They who have killed a mother or a father, Whom they should reverence; excommunicate These cruel creatures lived for sin, and they Are those who drink the portion of blood."
"That tongue see, pierced with a hook, like as a shield Stuck with a hundred barbs; and who are those Who struggle leaping like a fish on land, And roaring, ugly skewer when I see it, Fear seizes on me: tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those mortals, Whom I see over there swallowing the hook?" Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "These men are they who in the market-place Haggling and cheapening from their greed of gain Have practised dishonesty, and thought it hidden, Like one that hooks a fish: but for the dishonest There is no safety, dogged by all his deeds: These cruel creatures lived for sin, and they Are lying over there swallowing the hook."
"The women, bent and broken, stretching their arms And wailing, wretched, smeared with stains of blood, Like cattle in the shambles, stand waist-deep Buried in earth, the upper trunk on fire! Fear seizes on me: tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those women, That now they stand all buried in the earth Waist-deep, the upper trunk a mass of flame?"
Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "They were of noble birth when in the world, Lived lives unclean, did deeds of wickedness, Were traitors, left their husbands, and besides Did other things to satisfy their lust; They spent their lives in flirtation; therefore now Stand blazing, waist-deep buried in the earth."
"Why do they seize the persons by the legs And throw them headlong into Naraka (hell) (*13)? Fear seizes on me: tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those men, That they are so hurled headlong into Naraka (hell) ?" Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "These in the world did evil, did seduce Another's wife, stole his most precious thing, So now are headlong thrown in Naraka (hell). They suffer misery for countless years In hell; there is no safety for the sinner, But he is ever dogged by his own deeds. These cruel creatures lived for sin, and they Are now thrown headlong into Naraka (hell)."
With these words, Matali the charioteer made this hell to disappear also, and driving the chariot onwards, showed him the hell of torment for wrong believers. On request he explained it to him.
"Many and various causes I have seen Most terrible, amongst these hells: to see them Fear seizes on me: tell me, Matali, What sin has been committed by those mortals, Why they must suffer this excessive pain, So sharp, so cruel, so intolerable?" Then answered Matali the charioteer, Describing how sin ripens and bears fruit: "Who in the world were wicked wrong believers, Who put their faith in false delusion, Made recruites of others to their wrong belief, They by their wrong belief generate sin Must therefore suffer this excessive pain, So sharp, so cruel, so intolerable."
Time Periods of Various Hells as in Kokaliko Sutta []
...a certain bhikkhu asked the Blessed One(Lord Buddha): "Venerable sir, how long is the life span in the Paduma hell?"
"Bhikkhu, the life span in the Paduma hell is long and cannot be calculated as it's this much, hundred years, this much thousand years or this much hundred thousand years."
"Venerable sir, could a comparison be given?"
"Bhikkhu, a comparison could be given. `There is a caravan(of carts) with a load of twenty(each), Kosala measures(sacks) of sesame. From it a man releases one seed of sesame, at the end of a hundred thousand years. When released in this manner, the sesame seeds come to an end quickly but not the years in the life span of the Abuda hell. And bhikkhu, twenty life spans in the Abuda hell is equal to one Nirbuda hell life span. Twenty life spans in the Nirbuda hell is equal to, one Ababa hell life span. Twenty life spans in the Ababa hell is equal to one Añaña hell life span Twenty life spans in the Añaña hell is equal to one Ahaha hell life span. Twenty life spans in the Ahaha hell is equal to one Kumudu hell life span.Twenty life spans in the Kumudu hell is equal to one Sogandhika hell life span. Twenty life spans in the Sogandhika hell is equal to, one Uppala hell life span. Twenty life spans in the Uppala hell is equal to, one Pundarika hell life span. And twenty life spans in the Pundarika hell is equal to, one Paduma hell life span. It's in Paduma hell that bhikkhu Kokàlika is born for bearing an angry mind for(insulting chief monks) Sàriputta and Moggallàna."...
Description of Hell in Saṁkicca-Jātaka[]
Men that transgress the law, O sire, and live unrighteously,
What fate they suffer after death in hell, now hear from me.
Sanjiva, Kalasutta and Roruva, great and small,
Sanghata, Great Avici, are names that may well appal,
With Tapana and Patapana, eight major hells in all.
Escape from hence is hopeless, and of Ussadas they tell,
(*5)Twice eight times more in number, a kind of minor hell
Dread flames here torture sinful men, all cruel deeds many,
Horror, amazement, anguish, suffering and terror reign around.
Four square with fourtimes doors is each, in due proportion spaced,
With dome of iron it was over-arched, by iron wall embraced,
Its base of iron wrought is such no raging flame may melt,
Though even a hundred leagues( x 4.23 km) around its mighty power is felt.
All that have outrage done to saints or injured holy men
Fall headlong into hell's abyss, no more to rise again.
In evil plight their mangled frames, piece-meal like fish on toast,
For their misdeeds through countless years in hell are doomed to roast.
Their limbs consumed with burning heat, to torture dread a prey,
Though eager to escape from hell they never find a way.
Seeking an outlet to and fro to east or west they fly,
Or baffled hurry north or south, a hopeless quest to do,
For gods(angels) are there to bar the way, whichever door they try.
Poor souls, for many thousand years they dwell in hell's domain,
With arms outstretched they much mourn their overwhelming pain.
Like deadly poison-snake whose anger it was fatal to arouse,
Shun to attack the saints that live bound by ascetic vows.
Ajjuna (*6), lord of Kekakas, great archer, who annoyed
Gautam, was despite his bulk and thousand arms destroyed.
So Dandaki (*6) defiling Kisavaccha, sinless one,
Like palm tree from the roots cut down, was utterly undone.
Mejjha (*7) for famed Matanga's sake fell from its place of pride,
The land became a wilderness and king and people died.
Assailing black Dipayana (*8) the men of Vishnu race
With Andhakas (*9) looked for Yama's realm, each killed by other's mace
Cursed by a sage, Cecca who once could walk the air, they say,
Was lost and swallowed by the earth on his appointed day.
The self-willed fool can never gain the approval of the wise,
But deceitless souls, equipped with truth, are slow to utter lies.
Whosoever would lie in wait to catch some wise and holy man,
Hurled down to hell will quickly learn to regret his wicked plan.
But who with treacherous cruelty shall aged saints assail,
Shall like a dying palm tree stump, childless and heirless, fail.
Whosoever some mighty sage, a priest of life austere, shall kill,
In Kalasutta hell shall suffer torture many a day.
And if a wicked Maga king his realm should overthrow,
He shall when dead in Tapana like sufferings undergo.
A hundred thousand years, as gods(angels) count years, he's doomed to dwell,
Clad in a robe of living flame, midst agonies of hell.
Bright jets of fire on every side shoot from his tortured frame,
His very limbs, hair, nails and all, serve but to feed the flame.
And as his body burns at a fast pace, anguished through and through with pain,
Like a prod-stricken elephant, poor wretch, he roars much.
Whosoever from greed or hatred shall, foul creature, kill his sire,
In Kalasutta hell long time shall suffer in fire.
In iron cauldron boiled till he shall peel,
The parents killer is pierced with shafts of steel,
Then blinded and on filth condemned to feed
He's plunged in brine, to redress his deed.
Then goblins, between his jaws, otherwise they should close,
Hot iron ball or ploughshare between,
These fixed with cords his mouth so firmly support,
They into it a stream of filth can drop.
Vultures, both black and brown, and ravens too,
And birds with iron beaks, a varied crew,
Tearing his tongue to many a fragment small,
Devour the quivering morsel, blood and all.
The goblins moving to and fro
Assail the wretch with many a blow,
On his charred breast or broken limb
With cruel glee they buffet him.
The joy is theirs, but sufferings abide
With all that in such hell reside
For earthly crime of parent killing.
The son that kills his mother straight to Yama's realm is sent,
In retribution for his deed to reap due punishment.
There powerful demons seize upon the guilty mother killer,
And plough with iron shares his back in furrows deep and wide.
The blood like molten copper from his wounds that flows they take,
And give it to the guilty wretch, his burning thirst to satisfy.
He stands plunged in a crimson lake as it was of clotted blood,
Breathing foul stench of Rotting flesh foul or evil smelling mud.
Enormous worms with iron mouths, piercing their victim's skin,
Devour his flesh right greedily and suck the blood within.
In hell one hundred fathoms (fathom=6feet) deep see the victim sinks,
While for a hundred leagues( x 4.23 km) around dead body like he stinks.
By reason of the stench, O king, such is his sorry plight,
Though once possessed of vision keen he suffers loss of sight.
Past out from Khuradhara hell, grim prison house hard to flee,
Abortion-mongers escape not your dread stream, Vetarani (*10).
Silk-cotton trees with thorns foot long of iron wrought, it is said,
On either bank, Vetarani, overhang your gloomy bed.
All clothed in flame, one mass of fire, they stand against the sky,
And all blazing with brilliant light tower a full league(x 4.23 km) on high.
Here fixed upon sharp thorns red-hot in hell appear to view
Unfaithful husbands, guilty wives, the whole adulterous crew.
Beaten with stripes headlong they fall, revolving in their flight,
And there with mangled limbs they lie awake the livelong night.
At dawn they hide themselves in Iron Cauldron (*11), known to fame,
Big as a mountain it is and full of water like to flame.
So clad in wrongdoing like a robe these sinners night and day,
For their ill deeds brought long ago, fit retribution pay.
Whosoever as wife bought with his gold her husband shall despise,
Or shall regard his friends and family with ever contemptful eyes,
Her tongue, wrenched out with hook and line, shall suffer agonies.
She sees her tongue drawn out all full of worms, nor may complain,
Silent unavoidably, in Tapana enduring awful pain.
killers of sheep and swine and cows, and followers of the chase,
Fishermen, robbers, cruel all, making excuses as if these were fair,
Assailed with swords and iron clubs, headlong, these men of blood,
Pursued with spears and arrows fall into a briny flood.
The forger, harassed night and day with club of iron forged,
Feeds only on the filthy mess by some poor rogue vomitted.
Crows, ravens, vultures, jackals too, all armed with iron jaw,
Entomb the struggling wretch alive in their insatiate stomach.
Who shall with beast (*12) hunt beast to death, or bird with bird shall kill,
Overwhelmed with sin shall sink to hell, to regret the cursed day.
Hell is also mentioned in many places :
Lohakumbhi-Jātaka
Saṁkicca-Jātaka
Petavatthu Nos. 2,3,5,10,19,27,36,38,42,50
Dhammapada Verse 17 - Devadatta Vatthu
Diagram[]
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