Please Explain the Buddhist Concept of Hell?

Question

In Dhammapada, it is written:


136. A fool does not know when he commits his evil deeds: but the wicked man burns by his own deeds, as if burnt by fire.
137. He who inflicts pain on innocent and harmless persons, will soon come to one of these ten states:
138. He will have cruel suffering, loss, injury of the body, heavy
affliction, or loss of mind,
139. Or a misfortune coming from the king, or a fearful accusation, or loss of relations, or destruction of treasures,
140. Or lightning-fire will burn his houses; and when his body is destroyed, the fool will go to hell.

For sins as small as lying or speaking rude words [which in Islam or Christianity would most likely be forgiven after simple repentance, if one stays away from bigger sins] people would have their tongues cut off. Please see:
http://www.thaiworldview.com/wat/wat6.htm

American Buddhists like to claim that Buddha did not believe in God. But how can one believe in Hell and not in God?

Answer 1

Buddha believed in all gods....but gods, like humans are dooomed to travel through many incarnations (death and rebirth).

Hell is merely another incarnation. Its obviously a bad-one you would like to avoid. But it doesn't matter that you go to hell of something little because you will eventually learn from your mistakes and be reincarnated back on earth.

The same thing is true of heaven. You can reach heaven and be buddha-like, but if you "sin" you will be reincarnated back on earth for another try.

Only if you reach FO...which in theory only Siddartha Gautama (the first Buddha) has reached, will you be completely free.

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It is true that buddhism treads the line between a religion, a phillosophy, and a form of atheism. But most buddhists (western and eastern alike) accept buddhism as a religion. They believe that there is a certain amount of magical-aspects to it.

You cannot blame holly wood for that. In fact, I would argue that holly wood's version of buddhism comes closer to a existential, secular version of buddhism..

Answer 2

The buddha enjoyed using a pictoral language. A "hell" is a life of much suffering. If you're hooked on drugs or caught in a life of crime, that that life would be "hell".

Remember that buddhism is an independant psychological practise, where external influences have very little importance to the practise.

However, the hollywood version of buddhism is growing larger, due to peoples desire for entertainment. Holllywood buddhism contains reincarnation, heavens, hells, mystical powers, etc. etc.
As hollywood buddhism is growing, the psychological practise is dying and is today almost completely gone.

People will rather have everything served on a silver platter along with entertainment, than risk working for a result themselves.

Answer 3

there have been copious discussions approximately your question. i comprehend there are remarkable human beings obtainable who have not got faith in God, be that because it would desire to, human beings won't get into heaven for stable deeds by myself nor can they, "purchase" their way into the dominion. If that have been the case, greater a lot could be there. there have been bills of human beings loss of existence and coming lower back with sufficient faith and concept. All have mentioned they sense a astounding peace, see a mind-blowing easy, see kinfolk, their dad or mum Angel or see who they suspect is Jesus Christ, Our Lord. they'd't show the incredulous love they sense and then they're advised to pass lower back. All have mentioned they did not desire to proceed to be in the international. a number of those human beings have even cried over having to return lower back right here and a few have long gone right into a deep melancholy. I observed a narrative a pair of guy on television, who became right into a proclaimed atheist. sometime, he died on the working table for a jiffy and went directly to hell or his view of it. What he observed there terrified him a lot that when he have been given out of the well being middle, he at recent referred to as a Minister? Priest? He "replaced his track" immediately and he's now a Church member. He mentioned what he observed made him comprehend he became into "barking up the incorrect tree." =] additionally, all you're able to would desire to do is look in the replicate to have faith there's a God. <><

Answer 4

Hell would be like being a Jew in Europe when the Nazis took over. Just because there was a place of inexplicable cruelty, it does not automatically mean that there was a coresponding place of goodness in the world. That's not the way the world works.

Though that does seem like an odd translation to me.

Answer 5

buddhist concept of hell is when you had a bad day at work, buddhist concept of heaven is when you had a good day at work. Buddhist doesn't believe hell and heaven is on the afterlife, they believe it's part of daily life that we go through

Answer 6

there are 18 floor
the most wicked will be on the bottom

Answer 7

First try to understand your own religion then ask any question if raised in your mind.

Answer 8

No dessert.