Where is Hell located?
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I heard from Dr K Sri Dhammanada, who is a great Theravadin wise master in my opinion, that hell is not located in this earth.
In his humourous way, he said that you can have the best equipment to dig into the earth crust, but you cannot find hell located there. -
Yes according to Buddhist cosmology, hell is probably not located on Planet Earth but far away from it.Originally posted by marcteng:I heard from Dr K Sri Dhammanada, who is a great Theravadin wise master in my opinion, that hell is not located in this earth.
In his humourous way, he said that you can have the best equipment to dig into the earth crust, but you cannot find hell located there.
But then.. there is one exception in the sutras. It is called the 'Lonely hell', and it is known as the hell on Earth.
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol5no3f.htm
10. Is there really a hell on earth? How does it manifest?
Sufferings from retribution of negative karma constitute hell on earth.
'Hell' on earth exists everywhere and it is there for everyone to see. In fact, we see it very frequently.
The term 'hell on earth' is not found in the Buddhist Sutras. However, whilst in deep meditation one day, I realized that this is in fact the hell on earth. In the Sutras, it is referred to as the 'lonely hell'. The karma or deeds that we commit can be classified as collective karma meaning the deeds collectively committed by a group of people, or individual karma meaning deeds committed by an individual acting alone. If everyone in the family is very fine and only one person is suffering from the retribution of his negative karma that he himself has committed, then this is the lonely hell or hell on earth. The father of a wealthy family, bedridden and suffering as a result of a stroke that left him paralysed is an example of hell on earth. The mind creates all things and phenomena. As human beings, we must transform the hell on earth so that everyone can be in the heaven on earth. -
hell itself is not a stage or place that you recarnate to... In buddhism people are known to be recarnating every minute or second... the change of moods and the change of events can lead a person's mind into recarnating into different stages.... for example if a person is hungry he/she is suffering in the hugry ghost stage... same thing applies to hell stage where people in normal life suffer from great illness or suffering this is considered in hell stage...
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There is truly a physical location called hell. I don't really agree with certain sects on this.. like soka gakkai..Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:hell itself is not a stage or place that you recarnate to... In buddhism people are known to be recarnating every minute or second... the change of moods and the change of events can lead a person's mind into recarnating into different stages.... for example if a person is hungry he/she is suffering in the hugry ghost stage... same thing applies to hell stage where people in normal life suffer from great illness or suffering this is considered in hell stage...
While it is true that rebirth happens every moment in life, there is also a real reincarnation after death. We do not just end here. -
And why is it said that rebirth happens every moment? Hopefully the following excerpt should provide insights:
Life (Self) is nothing other than the continuous flow of the Now Moment.
The Now Moment ceases as it arises. This moment must completely ceased
and serves as the CAUSE for the next moment to arise.
Therefore Self is a process of series Self1, Self2, Self3, Self4, Self5, Self6...etc
A fixed entity 'Self' does not exist, what really exists is a momentary Self.
Under deep meditation, one is able to observe and sense the karmic and mental factors from moment to moment,
it is these factors that are succeeded from moment to moment and life and life but not a fixed entity.
When the karmic and mental factors subsides, it is known as "The True and Only (and Inherently egoless) Conscious Light (Itself)".
- Thusness -
[del].
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the concept of hell as a physical realm has been influenced by other chinese folk customs and traditional chinese religion. traditional chinese ancestor worship says that our ancestors will be gone to another place after death. this belief has been incorporated into buddhism when buddhism was introduced into china more than 1500 years ago.originally posted by An Eternal NowThere is truly a physical location called hell. I don't really agree with certain sects on this.. like soka gakkai..
While it is true that rebirth happens every moment in life, there is also a real reincarnation after death. We do not just end here.
buddhism never intended hell to be a physical place. nor was heaven. ask the monks at guan ming shan and u will know.
i think i have typo error the previous. i meant we are fluctuating between the 10 worlds of hell, hunger, animality, anger, tranquility (neutral), rapture (heaven), learning, realisation, bodhisattva and buddhahood every moment. these 10 worlds describe the life conditions we are experiencing at that moment.
reincarnation occurs when we die. we have an eternal life, thus when we die, we do not jus end, like u say, we are one with the universe, waiting for the most appropriate opportunity (which corresponds to our karma, actions) to be reborn. -
I'm lost. Buddhism also got hell and heaven concept one mah? I am very lost really. Is this some modern Buddhism teachings?
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Nope. The 31 planes of existence is accepted in all traditions, including Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana. I do not know that Guang Ming Shan denies the 31 planes of existence.Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:the concept of hell as a physical realm has been influenced by other chinese folk customs and traditional chinese religion. traditional chinese ancestor worship says that our ancestors will be gone to another place after death. this belief has been incorporated into buddhism when buddhism was introduced into china more than 1500 years ago.
buddhism never intended hell to be a physical place. nor was heaven. ask the monks at guan ming shan and u will know.
i think i have typo error the previous. i meant we are fluctuating between the 10 worlds of hell, hunger, animality, anger, tranquility (neutral), rapture (heaven), learning, realisation, bodhisattva and buddhahood every moment. these 10 worlds describe the life conditions we are experiencing at that moment.
reincarnation occurs when we die. we have an eternal life, thus when we die, we do not jus end, like u say, we are one with the universe, waiting for the most appropriate opportunity (which corresponds to our karma, actions) to be reborn.
http://www.cambodianbuddhist.org/english/website/ptf/loka.html
It is definitely not influenced by Chinese traditions.
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No, the 31 planes of existence is taught by Buddha himself..Originally posted by askxyz:I'm lost. Buddhism also got hell and heaven concept one mah? I am very lost really. Is this some modern Buddhism teachings? -
Yes, reincarnation occurs within 49 days after we pass away, and we will be reborned within the 31 planes of existence. Or if you want to summarise it, the 6 realms.Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:reincarnation occurs when we die. we have an eternal life, thus when we die, we do not jus end, like u say, we are one with the universe, waiting for the most appropriate opportunity (which corresponds to our karma, actions) to be reborn.
It is only possible that we become Arhat, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, or Buddha, if we cultivate very very well... otherwise we will fall into samsaric cyclic rebirths. -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:No, the 31 planes of existence is taught by Buddha himself..
What is the 31 planes of existence? This is something new to me. I never heard before. I remember last time I read somewhere that hell and heaven is a concept which applies on earth i.e either sufferings on earth or good life on earth. Also, how did Buddha know about the 31 planes of existence? -
Dranoel maxwell's views are not totally wrong, it can be said this way also.Originally posted by askxyz: What is the 31 planes of existence? This is something new to me. I never heard before. I remember last time I read somewhere that hell and heaven is a concept which applies on earth i.e either sufferings on earth or good life on earth. Also, how did Buddha know about the 31 planes of existence?
However it is wrong to deny the 31 planes of existence. It was meant to be literal and not metaphoric. There truely are such realms.
In Samadhi, you may develope the 6 Supernatural Powers and be able to see these realms yourself. The Buddha is omniscient and therefore able to see for himself.
However a Buddhist should not have this (gaining supernatural powers) as his aim. The aim is to attain enlightenment. -
Where will the Buddhist go to after reaching enlightenment?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Dranoel maxwell's views are not totally wrong, it can be said this way also.
However it is wrong to deny the 31 planes of existence. It was meant to be literal and not metaphoric. There truely are such realms.
In Samadhi, you may develope the 6 Supernatural Powers and be able to see these realms yourself. The Buddha is omniscient and therefore able to see for himself.
However a Buddhist should not have this (gaining supernatural powers) as his aim. The aim is to attain enlightenment. -
Depends. If he is freed from cyclic rebirth, he may enter into Nirvana.Originally posted by askxyz:Where will the Buddhist go to after reaching enlightenment?
But Shakyamuni Buddha is very compassionate, even though he is Enlightened, he did not enter Nirvana. If you're interested, you can read here: Lotus Sutra Chapter Sixteen :
The Life Span of the Tathagata -
Hmm... Can I ask is entering into Nirvana something like in heaven? Where is that place? What will those who reach there be doing?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Depends. If he is freed from cyclic rebirth, he may enter into Nirvana.
But Shakyamuni Buddha is very compassionate, even though he is Enlightened, he did not enter Nirvana. If you're interested, you can read here: Lotus Sutra Chapter Sixteen :
The Life Span of the Tathagata
he he... sorry if I ask too much questions. -
I think I have to clarify on 'eternal life'. 'Eternal Life' probably refers to our True Self/Buddha Nature, but our individual 'self' is illusional. It is this 'individual self'/'false self' that leads us to go through cyclic rebirth. The false self is also known as the 'seventh consciousness'.Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:reincarnation occurs when we die. we have an eternal life, thus when we die, we do not jus end, like u say, we are one with the universe, waiting for the most appropriate opportunity (which corresponds to our karma, actions) to be reborn.
The Buddha Nature have not left us even though we are in Samsara, just that we have not realised it yet. -
No, Nirvana is not a heaven. Heaven is still in Samsara, it is part of the 6 realms/31 planes of existences.Originally posted by askxyz:Hmm... Can I ask is entering into Nirvana something like in heaven? Where is that place? What will those who reach there be doing?
he he... sorry if I ask too much questions.
Nirvana is beyond Samsara, it is the cessation of sufferings, afflictions, fetters forever. Nirvana is beyond time and space, so the question as to "where is that place" or "what will those who reach there be doing" is irrelevant. It is eternal and highest bliss but not tainted by dualism. It cannot be imagined or conceived by ordinary human mind.
But if you practise the dharma well, purify your mind, you will experience it. -
This is something new to me. Okay, if I have further questions, I will come to ask here.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:No, Nirvana is not a heaven. Heaven is still in Samsara, it is part of the 6 realms/31 planes of existences.
Nirvana is beyond Samsara, it is the cessation of sufferings, afflictions, fetters forever. Nirvana is beyond time and space, so the question as to "where is that place" or "what will those who reach there be doing" is irrelevant. It is eternal and highest bliss but not tainted by dualism. It cannot be imagined or conceived by ordinary human mind.
But if you practise the dharma well, purify your mind, you will experience it.
Thanks for your help. -
NP, feel free to enquireOriginally posted by askxyz:This is something new to me. Okay, if I have further questions, I will come to ask here.
Thanks for your help. -
The prime concern of Buddhism is our life-state, the joy or suffering we experience at each moment. This is always seen as an interaction between external conditions and inner tendencies; the same conditions (the same workplace, for example) that will be experienced by one person as unremitting misery may be a source of exhilarating challenge and satisfaction to another. Strengthening our inner state so that we are able to resist and even transform the most difficult and negative conditions is the purpose of Buddhist practice.originally posted by An Eternal NowNope. The 31 planes of existence is accepted in all traditions, including Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana. I do not know that Guang Ming Shan denies the 31 planes of existence.
http://www.cambodianbuddhist.org/english/website/ptf/loka.html
It is definitely not influenced by Chinese traditions.
Based on his reading of the Lotus Sutra, the sixth-century Chinese Buddhist T'ien-t'ai developed a system that classifies human experience into ten states or "worlds." This Ten Worlds teaching was adopted and elaborated by Nichiren, who stressed the inner, subjective nature of these worlds: "As to the question of where exactly Hell and the Buddha exist, one sutra reads that Hell exists underground and another sutra says that the Buddha is in the west. However, closer examination reveals that both exist in our five-foot body."
The 10 Worlds:
1. Hell--a condition of despair in which one is completely overwhelmed by suffering
2. Hunger--a state dominated by deluded desire that can never be satisfied
3. Animality--an instinctual state of fearing the strong and bullying the weak
4. Anger--a state characterized by an unrestrained competitive urge to surpass and dominate others and often a pretence of being good and wise
These four states above are referred to as the Four Evil Paths because of the destructive negativity that marks them.
5. Humanity--is a tranquil state marked by the ability to reason and make calm judgments. While fundamental to our identity as humans, this state can also represent a fragile balance that yields to one of the lower states when confronted with negative conditions
6. Rapture is a state of joy typically experienced when desire is fulfilled or suffering escaped
The worlds thus far are sometimes grouped together as the Six Lower Worlds. These are all basically reactions to changing external conditions in which we experience a lack of real freedom and autonomy.
What Buddhism refers to as the Four Noble States represent the effort to live with integrity, inner freedom and compassion. Below are the Four Noble States.
7. Learning-- describes a condition of aspiration to enlightenment
8. Realization--indicates the ability to perceive unaided the true nature of phenomena. Together, these are sometimes referred to as the Two Vehicles as people manifesting these states are partially enlightened and free from some deluded desires
But these worlds above can be very self-absorbed, and in many Buddhist texts we find the Buddha admonishing the people of the Two Vehicles for their selfishness and complacency.
9. Bodhisattva--is a state of compassion in which we overcome the restraints of egotism and work tirelessly for the welfare of others. Mahayana Buddhism in particular emphasizes the Bodhisattva as an ideal of human behavior
10. Buddhahood--is a state of completeness and perfect freedom, in which one is able to savor a sense of unity with the fundamental life-force of the cosmos. For a person in the state of Buddhahood, everything--including the inevitable trials of illness, aging and death--can be experienced as an opportunity for joy and fulfillment. The inner life-state of Buddhahood makes itself visible through altruistic commitment and actions enacted in the world of Bodhisattva
Buddhahood continues to exist even within a person whose life is dominated by the lower life-states of Hell, Hunger or Animality. The reverse is also true. The life-state of Buddhahood is not separate or discontinuous from the other nine worlds. Rather, the wisdom, vitality and courage of Buddhahood can infuse and transform the manner in which a tendency toward, for example, Anger, functions in a person's life. When Anger is directed by the compassion of the worlds of Buddhahood and Bodhisattva, it can be a vital force in challenging injustice and transforming human society.
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31 planes of existences is the elaborated version of 6 realms, whereby 10 worlds is based on the 6 samsaric realms (hells, ghosts, animals, asuras, men, devas) plus the 4 other Bodhi 'realms' (sravakas, pratyeka-buddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas). All are valid explanations. It is also true that every moment we undergo samsaric 'rebirth' (however ordinary people cannot easily transcend the 6 samsaric realms into the 4 'Bodhi' in a short time. it requires practise). In reality, Buddhahood is not far away from us, because Buddha Nature is always present even during the most obscured moments. We simply cannot perceive it. Therefore it requires practise and cultivation before we can attain enlightenment. Another thing is although the 6 realms can happen right now, if we commit unwholesome karma, we will certainly be reborned in a REAL place called hell in the future, it is clearly stated in the suttas, and even described them. There are also real places called heaven, the suttas also clearly described them. Therefore it is not very right to think that there is no literal hell and heaven in future lifetimes. There are 6 samsaric realms, not just the human world.
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within
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I agree with your explanation about humans having to practise and cultivate the inner buddhood in order to attain enlightenment. It is also true that everyone process the buddha nature, it is under constant practise of buddhism that we can awaken the buddha nature in us. When a person is feeding an animal or helping a person he/she is displaying a state of buddhahood in them because they are showing compassion which is one of the characteristic of buddhahood. A person that gained enlightenment(eg. Shakyamuni) is one whose always at the state of buddhahood, meaning to be able to treat everything calmly and not falling into the lower state of life. A buddha is a person of courage, tenacity and continuous action; and one who struggles ceaselessly against devilish functions. Buddhahood is not about being a god or being a superior it's a state of mind that a person manifest. Therefore one who has attained a state of buddhahood is not free from problems, pain and sufferings; he is still subject to temptation by devilish forces. It is thus that ceaseless effort to advance and improve our faith has to be made lest it be destroyed in just a moment.originally posted by An Eternal Now31 planes of existences is the elaborated version of 6 realms, whereby 10 worlds is based on the 6 samsaric realms (hells, ghosts, animals, asuras, men, devas) plus the 4 other Bodhi 'realms' (sravakas, pratyeka-buddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas). All are valid explanations. It is also true that every moment we undergo samsaric 'rebirth' (however ordinary people cannot easily transcend the 6 samsaric realms into the 4 'Bodhi' in a short time. it requires practise). In reality, Buddhahood is not far away from us, because Buddha Nature is always present even during the most obscured moments. We simply cannot perceive it. Therefore it requires practise and cultivation before we can attain enlightenment. Another thing is although the 6 realms can happen right now, if we commit unwholesome karma, we will certainly be reborned in a REAL place called hell in the future, it is clearly stated in the suttas, and even described them. There are also real places called heaven, the suttas also clearly described them. Therefore it is not very right to think that there is no literal hell and heaven in future lifetimes. There are 6 samsaric realms, not just the human world. -
Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:
Yes true enough
I agree with your explanation about humans having to practise and cultivate the inner buddhood in order to attain enlightenment. It is also true that everyone process the buddha nature, it is under constant practise of buddhism that we can awaken the buddha nature in us. When a person is feeding an animal or helping a person he/she is displaying a state of buddhahood in them because they are showing compassion which is one of the characteristic of buddhahood. A person that gained enlightenment(eg. Shakyamuni) is one whose always at the state of buddhahood, meaning to be able to treat everything calmly and not falling into the lower state of life.A buddha is a person of courage, tenacity and continuous action; and one who struggles ceaselessly against devilish functions. Buddhahood is not about being a god or being a superior it's a state of mind that a person manifest. Therefore one who has attained a state of buddhahood is not free from problems, pain and sufferings; he is still subject to temptation by devilish forces. It is thus that ceaseless effort to advance and improve our faith has to be made lest it be destroyed in just a moment.
I do not agree with the part that Buddha still has to struggle with 'devilish functions' or 'sufferings'. A Buddha is completely pure and therefore liberated from Greed, Hatred, Ignorance. There is absolutely no need to struggle against 'devillish functions' (do you mean the Maras?) or any form of temptations and desire. Not even one such temptation will arise in his pure mind. After his enlightenment, the Maras have no power over him any more. Also, you should know that after enlightenment, a person is completely freed and liberated from sufferings. He still feels pain at times, pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. And when he is enlightened he no longer suffers.
If you go back to the basics you would know about the 4 Noble Truths, and the very first teaching is already dealing with the total liberation of sufferings.