Is it true that Buddhism teaches of a hell?

Question

I dont recall where I may have seen this, but I remember something about Buddhists believing in a hell of sorts. Is this true and if so can anyone elaborate on it? Thanks

Answer 1

In Tibetan Buddhism there is both a "heaven" and a "hell" but neither is a permanent place as viewed in many theologies.

A person's rebirth according to Tibetan Buddhism is based on one's accrued merit achieved during a lifetime: merit is based upon the karma (action) they performed. If the accumulated merit is negative, one goes into one of the lower realms of rebirth (the hell realm being the lowest) dependent upon the amount of negative merit accrued until the negative merit is removed. One may then achieve rebirth in a more positive realm.

The same holds true if one is reborn in one of the higher realms (the realm of the gods being the highest) but even that is temporary. A human rebirth is the most auspicious since it gives one the opportunity to gain enlightenment and end the cycle of rebirth totally.

I hope this is of some help in answering your question.

May all be at peace.

John

Answer 2

In many discourses the Buddha describes hell as an actual place while in others he seems to suggest that it is only a name for the experience of extreme suffering.

He says "When the average ignorant person says that hell is under the sea, he is saying something that is false and without basis, the word hell is a name for painful feeling".

The Buddhist conception of hell differs considerably from those of some other religions. There is no divine judge to condemn one to hell, rather one's own evil Kamma gives rise to rebirth in this realm.

http://www.buddhanet.net/

Answer 3

Yes, sort of. There are six worlds in the Buddhist cosmology, including the world of humans and animals (both different worlds), the world of asuras, the highest world, the world of devas, and the lower worlds, being the world of hungry ghosts (or gaki), and the lowest world, the world of hell. These are where those with the worst karma are reborn (generally from animals or gaki that have died). It is presumably painful to endure, much like a normal hell, but, since you can still die there, it is obviously not eternal, and is in fact a necessary part of experiencing all of Samsara.

Answer 4

Not the same way Christians do.
This gives a good description of some Buddhists' belief in Hell. I say some Buddhists because Buddhists are not required to believe any of the teachings of Buddhism. They are to study them and only accept them if they find them valid and helpful to their journey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naraka_%28Buddhism%29
Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Yes, and you can go and see life size models of the various tortures administered in Chinese hell in Singapore at Haw Par villa:
http://www.travelpod.com/travelblogphotoalbums/ninedeuce/tma/1148216820/0/12/YES/tpod.html

Answer 6

I've never heard of this. Suffering is the endless cycle of being reborn and having desires. Moksha is the release of this cycle, being able to join the world soul.

Answer 7

i believe in Tibetan buddhism hell is referred to as 'bardo' and all sorts of demons are encountered there...but it is not hell as christians conceive of hell, but merely stages that the soul passes through on its way to it's next incarnation...

Answer 8

hell on earth if I'm not mistaken

Answer 9

Nice Beret.

Answer 10

my lady just get in the car cause you are indeed going to your mother-in-law's house.