Where is Hell located?
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Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:
Let's put it this way. Buddha has attained enlightenment for a very long time, this is stated in Lotus Sutra, I and Bodhiruci agrees on this.
I too is not here to pick a quarrel with you. But your previous post was kinda insulting to me. Let me tell you, it is true that Jataka Tales states the previous lifes of the Buddha. But from what i know Jataka Tales are just [b]tales used by buddhist teachers to illustrate the doctrines of their faith or to magnify the glory and sancity of the Buddha...
And also you mentioned that you are not ignorant however in your previous post you asked me what is NUS buddhist society... i'm just trying to clear the doubts in you....
here's several URL that can prove my word
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/jt/jt02.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/bt_intro.htm
http://www.encyclopedia-glossary.com/en/Jataka.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka_Tales
i'm sorry if i have offended you in anyway......[/b]
However it is also TRUE that Shakyamuni Buddha manifested in Tushita Heaven as their Teacher - in the Inner Courtyard. Down there, he delivered many of the Celestial Beings. An enlightened person like Buddha can manifest in various forms. Pls see The Lotus Sutra[25] - The Universal Gate of Bodhisattva Kanzeon.
Jataka Tales are also true accounts of Buddha's past lives. Buddha said he could remember many many aeons (96 aeons?) of past lives. -
i here-by apologise to bohiruci if i have offended you in anyway in the process of posting my post..... hope that you can understand and accept my apology...
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Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:
point noted .. i might need to see abt jataka tales ,but i think most of them is true ,not all are false
I too is not here to pick a quarrel with you. But your previous post was kinda insulting to me. Let me tell you, it is true that Jataka Tales states the previous lifes of the Buddha. But from what i know Jataka Tales are just [b]tales used by buddhist teachers to illustrate the doctrines of their faith or to magnify the glory and sancity of the Buddha...
And also you mentioned that you are not ignorant however in your previous post you asked me what is NUS buddhist society... i'm just trying to clear the doubts in you....
here's several URL that can prove my word
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/jt/jt02.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/bt_intro.htm
http://www.encyclopedia-glossary.com/en/Jataka.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka_Tales
i'm sorry if i have offended you in anyway......[/b]
those website u point to me is website they claim they are tales
but Tibetan rinpoche also use jataka tales , that is open to interpretation difference
for me , i take it as true that jataka tales is true
I dun have doubts ... i just wondering why u mentioned NUSBS ?
so are u a Buddhist of Which Lineage ?
Active in National University of SIngapore Buddhist society ?
I also apologise to Drannoel ,perhaps my mother in hospital affected me alot
the future of my $ health is uncertain due to the amount of physio she need to undergo .. -
I still disagree with what you said about Shakyamuni Buddha not being freed from sufferings. A Buddha, in fact even at the Arhat level, one is already freed from sufferings. Even if they (just an example) get tortured, killed, etc, they feel the pain but there is no Afflictions at all - their mind remain pure Buddha Mind. There is no 'Sentient Mind' that suffers all the emotions and sufferings of the pain. The Pain comes just as it is - the Buddha has no attachments at all to this pain, and he certainly never suffers. Once the pain is over, he also totally forget about it. Even while in pain, he also never suffers. Only Pure AwarenessOriginally posted by dranoel maxwell:A Buddha is any being who has become awakened to the ultimate truth of life, one who perceives the true entity of all phenomena, and who leads others to attain the same truth of life. In Hinayana the word means one who has entered the state of nenlightenment. In India the word buddha was originally a common noun meaning "awakened one," but in Buddhism it is used to mean one who has become awakened to the ultimate irvana, in which both body and mind are extinguished. Provisional Mahayana generally teaches that one becomes a Buddha after eradicating illusions through aeons of austere and meritorious practices, gradually acquiring the thirty-two features of a Buddha. Although a Buddha is ridded off the 3 poisons of buddhism(Greed, Hatred, Ignorance) and is always at the higher states of life. He/she still can experience the 4 lower states of life but will not be influenced or trapped in the lower states of life. Thus due to a Buddha's wisdom and high life condtion he/she can easily return to the higher states of life and not trap or get influenced in the lower states of life. When Shakyamuni was savouring the joy of enlightenment under the pipal tree, he was simultaneously troubled by the dilemma of whether he should preach the law to others. The devilish functions continued to plague Shakyamuni even after he had become a Buddha. They vied to attack him through even the smallest breach in his heart.
When a person beomes a Buddha he/she still has to under go sufferings. Sufferings and pain are not optional, it is a process of life. However due to a Buddha's states of life, he/she can view sufferings as a part of life and a joy in life. When Shakyamuni became a buddha he is not ridded of sufferings, because he still has to experience; bith, age, sick, death. These 4 points are considered sufferings, but due to a buddha's high life condition and wisdom he is able to view sufferings as a joy. Buddhism recogisnes the suffering in this world thus buddhism teaches us how to discover the ultimate truth within themselves, tapping an inner source of happiness and the strength and wisdom to overcome suffering. The eightfold path are right views, thinking, speech, action, right way of life, right endeavor, right mindfulness, and right meditation. These paths are the eradication of suffering, all these eight paths are set to change our views about sufferings they do not rid sufferings from the face of the earth. Sufferings are part of life and not optional, it is whether one views it in a different way that one can release from sufferings.
Four Noble Truths:
The four noble truths are the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering, and the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering. Shakyamuni is said to have expounded the four noble truths at Deer Park in Varanasi, India, during his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. They are: (1) all existence is suffering; (2) suffering is caused by selfish craving; (3) the eradication of selfish craving brings about the cessation of suffering and enables one to attain nirvana; and (4) there is a path by which this eradication can be achieved, namely, the discipline of the eightfold path. The eightfold path consists of right views, right thinking, right speech, right action, right way of life, right endeavor, right mindfulness, and right meditation.
he was simultaneously troubled by the dilemma of whether he should preach the law to others.
As you know, Shakyamuni Buddha is enlightened a long time ago already. He is free from such dilemma, but it is a tradition to be asked by someone (i.e the Brahma) before he starts teaching. But he already knew what was going to happen.
Shakyamuni Buddha is not tempted here, and his mind remains completely free from sufferings, affliction, and is abiding in the eternal bliss. -
First, you need to define what this 'life' you are talking about is.Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:Buddhism does not believe in the concept of heaven or an afterlife, but rather speaks of the eternity of life. Our physical body must at some point decline and need to be replaced, but the essence of out life will continue to be reborn again in a new body at some time in the future.
If you define 'life' as being our body, then obviously, as everyone knows, this 'life'/'body' is definitely not eternal.
That is why I am suggesting to you that 'eternal life' refers to our Buddha Nature, which is the eternal Tathagathagarbha.
However, the reason why we are constantly trapped in samsara and undergoing rebirth, is because we have not ceased our 7th Consciousness (the consciousness of an illusional self). This 7th Consciousness is the so called 'soul' which brings us into the future lifetimes.
Even so, all these while, our Buddha nature remains pure and untainted. It is only that we have not realised it. Buddha Nature is not reborn, it is unborn and eternal, ever IS.
Hope this clarifies. -
I think it is futile to argue about dharma, must lest get angry over such discussions. Dharma is to be lived and practised. May we all attain enlightenment soon.Originally posted by bohiruci:point noted .. i might need to see abt jataka tales ,but i think most of them is true ,not all are false
those website u point to me is website they claim they are tales
but Tibetan rinpoche also use jataka tales , that is open to interpretation difference
for me , i take it as true that jataka tales is true
I dun have doubts ... i just wondering why u mentioned NUSBS ?
so are u a Buddhist of Which Lineage ?
Active in National University of SIngapore Buddhist society ?
I also apologise to Drannoel ,perhaps my mother in hospital affected me alot
the future of my $ health is uncertain due to the amount of physio she need to undergo .. -
in sutras, a lot of metaphors are used by shakyamuni to describe things. this is in acordance to the beliefs of the people at that time. it is not intended to be true.
i have seen the arguments on the Buddha attaining enlightenment from the infinite past. it is true that in chapter 15 of the lotus sutra, shakyamuni told his disciples in the "ceremony of the air" there will be people spreading the law in the future and "many bodhisattvas of the earth" "spring out from the earth". the disciples asked, why is it that shakyamuni has so many disciples and shakyamuni revealed that he had in fact attained enlightenment since the infinite past. it should be noted that shakyamuni should not be treated as a deity or god because of this. in the sutras he might have described what he had experienced, like his previous existence etc, but it is to be noted that some of these are metaphors. many of these are actually ways for shakyamuni to convince the people whom he is talking to.
on another note, the lotus sutra is considered the most important in mahayana. however, does anyone which chapters are the most important in the sutra? it is in fact chapter 2 and 16. chapter 2 revealed the 10 factors of life, while chapter 16 revealed that all beings, be it men, women, good ppl, evil ppl all can attain enlightenment. the last sentence of the chapter quoted shakyamuni as saying "at all time, i think to myself, how can i cause living beings to gain entry into the unsurpassed way and quickly acquire the body of a buddha?" this in fact shows that Buddhism is for the masses and all can gain enlightenment. -
well i'm not from NUSSBS just that i heard of it from some buddhist friends studying in NUS. Anyway i truely and sincerely pray for your mothers' health.....Originally posted by bohiruci:point noted .. i might need to see abt jataka tales ,but i think most of them is true ,not all are false
those website u point to me is website they claim they are tales
but Tibetan rinpoche also use jataka tales , that is open to interpretation difference
for me , i take it as true that jataka tales is true
I dun have doubts ... i just wondering why u mentioned NUSBS ?
so are u a Buddhist of Which Lineage ?
Active in National University of SIngapore Buddhist society ?
I also apologise to Drannoel ,perhaps my mother in hospital affected me alot
the future of my $ health is uncertain due to the amount of physio she need to undergo .. -
hahaha, I just read ur comments, dhamma is to be practised. here and now.
anyway if Budhha didnt propagate the dhamma, you, me and the whole lot wont know abt the dhamma, much less Jataka tales isnt it.
Anyway there are a lot of things we dun understand, so its better to be open minded. The Buddha didnt reveal so much as they are not conducive to leading to Nibbana or enlightenment.
Praise the lord Buddha, always compassionate and merciful Buddha, out of compassion for the beings in this saha world, you propagated a wonderful dhamma without parallel, a light that illuminates the darkness in this world. -
There're the Ten Worlds which refers to the 10 kinds of life-conditions. The 10 are Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Rapture, Learning, Realization, Bodhisattva and Buddhahood.
Nichiren Daishonin who founded Nichiren Buddhism, states in the Gosho, "First of all, as to the question of where exactly hell and the Buddha exist, one sutra states that hell exists underground and another sutra says that the Buddha is in the west. Closer examination, however reveals that both exist in our five-foot-body." (WND, p 1137)
The world of Hell does not exist underground and Buddhahood does not exist in the Western Paradise. Instead, both worlds exist within our own lives.
The original meaning of the word Hell, is an undergound prison. The Buddhist sutras describe a total of 136 kinds of hell, including the eight hot hells and the eight cold hells.
The state of the Hell is the lowest state of life. it is a state where one is imprisoned by extreme suffering.
Nichiren Daishonin states, "Rage is the world of Hell." "Rage" refers to the resentment one feels when things do not go according to his/her wishes or the hatred one directs towards the person nwho brings suffering upon him/her. The state of Hell is where one's life-force is weakened to the extreme and where one is utterly devoid of freedom. The frustrating groan of despair of such a helpless state if life is called "Rage".
Put another way, the state of Hell is a condition where one feels unhappiness no matter what he/she sess or does. -
I do not deny that 10 worlds exist in mind, but to deny that there is a real realm 'out there' in a conventional sense is also wrong.Originally posted by Spirit of Fire:There're the Ten Worlds which refers to the 10 kinds of life-conditions. The 10 are Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Rapture, Learning, Realization, Bodhisattva and Buddhahood.
Nichiren Daishonin who founded Nichiren Buddhism, states in the Gosho, "First of all, as to the question of where exactly hell and the Buddha exist, one sutra states that hell exists underground and another sutra says that the Buddha is in the west. Closer examination, however reveals that both exist in our five-foot-body." (WND, p 1137)
The world of Hell does not exist underground and Buddhahood does not exist in the Western Paradise. Instead, both worlds exist within our own lives.
The original meaning of the word Hell, is an undergound prison. The Buddhist sutras describe a total of 136 kinds of hell, including the eight hot hells and the eight cold hells.
The state of the Hell is the lowest state of life. it is a state where one is imprisoned by extreme suffering.
Nichiren Daishonin states, "Rage is the world of Hell." "Rage" refers to the resentment one feels when things do not go according to his/her wishes or the hatred one directs towards the person nwho brings suffering upon him/her. The state of Hell is where one's life-force is weakened to the extreme and where one is utterly devoid of freedom. The frustrating groan of despair of such a helpless state if life is called "Rage".
Put another way, the state of Hell is a condition where one feels unhappiness no matter what he/she sess or does.
Indeed Buddhism is the practise of inner cultivation, once our minds are liberated from those 10 worlds, then he no longer needs to go through the samsaric cycle of reincarnations. -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now: I do not deny that 10 worlds exist in mind, but to deny that there is a real realm 'out there' in a conventional sense is also wrong.
No, no, no, u're wrong. If there's a real realm 'out there', so where is it? Where's the proof? This is a very mundane thinking of human, & dun try to answer me 1st, without thinking it through.
Indeed Buddhism is the practise of inner cultivation, once our minds are liberated from those 10 worlds, then he no longer needs to go through the samsaric cycle of reincarnations.
If there's a real realm 'out there', then what's the use of karma? According to Buddhism, we create karma on three levels: through thoughts, words and actions. Acts of course have a greater impact than mere words. Likewise, when we verbalize our ideas, this creates more karma than merely thinking them. However, since both words and deeds originate in thoughts, the contents of our hearts--our thoughts--are also of crucial importance.
Karma can be thought of as our core personality, the profound tendencies that have been impressed into the deepest levels of our lives. The deepest cycles of cause and effect extend beyond the present existence; they shape the manner in which we start this life--our particular circumstances from the moment of birth--and will continue beyond our deaths. The purpose of Buddhist practice is to transform our basic life tendency in order to realize our total human potential in this lifetime and beyond.
The important thing to recognize, however, is that cause and effect both exist simultaneously within us in the present moment. As one of the ancient Buddhist texts states: "If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present."
Karma is thus, like everything, in constant flux. We create our own present and future by the choices we make each moment. In this light, the teaching of karma does not encourage resignation, but empowers us to become the protagonists in the unfolding drama of our lives.
As for the 10 worlds, we cannot liberate it, they're in our life-state. 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.
The purpose of Buddhist practice--for Nichiren Buddhists this includes the recitation of the mantra Nam-myoho-renge-kyo--is to bring forth the life-state of Buddhahood which can illuminate our lives and the lives of others and enable us to generate lasting value as we live out our lives in the Ten Worlds.
moderator: after much consideration and discussions with my moderators and other friends, I have decided to remove and ban all further postings of soka gakkai links for several reasons which I shall state in a seperate post. I apologise for this descision to our SGI forumers. -
and there is the life stream..
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Although human eyes cannot perceive some realms due our lack of dhyanic capacities, there are many many practitioners including the Buddha himself who have clearly stated to have perceived the other realms apart from what our human eyes can perceive. Not being able to perceive this worlds are by no means proof that they do not exist. If you cultivate well - one day you will develope the powers that Buddha had and therefore be able to perceive that these realms do exist.Originally posted by Spirit of Fire:No, no, no, u're wrong. If there's a real realm 'out there', so where is it? Where's the proof? This is a very mundane thinking of human, & dun try to answer me 1st, without thinking it through.If there's a real realm 'out there', then what's the use of karma?
There is no change in regards to 'purpose'. Karma is a universal law.As one of the ancient Buddhist texts states: "If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present."
Fully agreed with you. Those who resign to karma has in fact fallen into the catergory of superstitious fatalism.
Karma is thus, like everything, in constant flux. We create our own present and future by the choices we make each moment. In this light, the teaching of karma does not encourage resignation, but empowers us to become the protagonists in the unfolding drama of our lives.As for the 10 worlds, we cannot liberate it, they're in our life-state. 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.
Sorry for the confusion caused. Perhaps this explanation is clearer.
What are the Ten Realms?
The ten worlds of existence consist of the Four Enlightened Realms
(Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pacceka-Buddhas and Arahants) and Six Worldly
Realms (Gods, Asuras, Humans, Animals, Hungry Ghosts and Hell-
Beings).
The great Buddhist sages reside In the Four Enlightened Realms. These
sages are no longer trapped in the cycle of birth and death. They are
able to enter and leave the other realms at will, so as to guide and
teach all beings.
Even though we may cultivate to become Buddhas, we will only become Buddhas when we are completely enlightened and liberated. It takes many many lifetimes of practise. -
Mean no harm in this conversation, but just find it interesting....Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Sorry for the confusion caused. Perhaps this explanation is clearer.
What are the Ten Realms?
The ten worlds of existence consist of the Four Enlightened Realms
(Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pacceka-Buddhas and Arahants) and Six Worldly
Realms (Gods, Asuras, Humans, Animals, Hungry Ghosts and Hell-
Beings).
The great Buddhist sages reside In the Four Enlightened Realms. These
sages are no longer trapped in the cycle of birth and death. They are
able to enter and leave the other realms at will, so as to guide and
teach all beings.
Even though we may cultivate to become Buddhas, we will only become Buddhas when we are completely enlightened and liberated. It takes many many lifetimes of practise.
What are the The Ten Worlds?
One way that Buddhism explains life is through a concept known as "the ten worlds." These are ten states or conditions of life that we experience within ourselves and are then manifested throughout all aspects of our lives. Each of us possesses the potential for all ten, and we shift from one to another at any moment, according to our interaction with the environment. That is, at each moment, one of the ten worlds is being manifested and the other nine are dormant. From lowest to highest, they are:
Hell -- This is a state of suffering and despair, in which we perceive we have no freedom of action. It is characterized by the impulse to destroy ourselves and everything around us.
Hunger -- Hunger is the state of being controlled by insatiable desire for money, power, status, or whatever. While desires are inherent in any of the ten worlds, in this state we are at the mercy of our cravings and cannot control them.
Animality -- In this state, we are ruled by instinct. We exhibit neither reason nor moral sense nor the ability to make long-range judgments. In the world of Animality, we operate by the law of the jungle, so to speak. We will not hesitate to take advantage of those weaker than ourselves and fawn on those who are stronger.
Anger -- In this next state, awareness of ego emerges, but it is a selfish, greedy, distorted ego, determined to best others at all costs and seeing everything as a potential threat to itself. In this state we value only ourselves and tend to hold others in contempt. We are strongly attached to the idea of our own superiority and cannot bear to admit that anyone exceeds us in anything.
Humanity (also called Tranquillity) -- This is a flat, passive state of life, from which we can easily shift into the lower four worlds. While we may generally behave in a humane fashion in this state, we are highly vulnerable to strong external influences.
Heaven (or Rapture) -- This is a state of intense joy stemming, for example, from the fulfillment of some desire, a sense of physical well-being, or inner contentment. Though intense, the joy experienced in this state is short-lived and also vulnerable to external influences.
The six states from Hell to Heaven are called the six paths or six lower worlds. They have in common the fact that their emergence or disappearance is governed by external circumstances. Take the example of a man obsessed by the desire to find someone to love him (Hunger). When he at last does meet that person, he feels ecstatic and fulfilled (Heaven). By and by, potential rivals appear on the scene, and he is seized by jealousy (Anger). Eventually, his possessiveness drives his loved one away. Crushed by despair (Hell), he feels life is no longer worth living. In this way, many of us spend time shuttling back and forth among the six paths without ever realizing we are being controlled by our reactions to the environment. Any happiness or satisfaction to be gained in these states depends totally upon circumstances and is therefore transient and subject to change.
In these six lower worlds, we base our entire happiness, indeed our whole identity, on externals.
The next two states, Learning and Realization, come about when we recognize that everything experienced in the six paths is impermanent, and we begin to seek some lasting truth. These two states plus the next two, Bodhisattva and Buddhahood, are together called the four noble worlds. Unlike the six paths, which are passive reactions to the environment, these four higher states are achieved through deliberate effort.
Learning -- In this state, we seek the truth through the teachings or experience of others.
Realization -- This state is similar to Learning, except that we seek the truth not through othersÂ’ teachings but through our own direct perception of the world.
Learning and Realization are together called the "two vehicles." Having realized the impermanence of things, people in these states have won a measure of independence and are no longer prisoner to their own reactions as in the six paths. However, they often tend to be contemptuous of people in the six paths who have not yet reached this understanding. In addition, their search for truth is primarily self-oriented, so there is a great potential for egotism in these two states; and they may become satisfied with their progress without discovering the highest potential of human life in the ninth and tenth worlds.
Bodhisattva -- Bodhisattvas are those who aspire to achieve enlightenment and at the same time are equally determined to enable all other beings to do the same. Conscious of the bonds that link us to all others, in this state we realize that any happiness we alone enjoy is incomplete, and we devote ourselves to alleviating othersÂ’ suffering. Those in this state find their greatest satisfaction in altruistic behavior.
The states from Hell to Bodhisattva are collectively termed "the nine worlds." This expression is often used in contrast to the tenth world, the enlightened state of Buddhahood.
Buddhahood -- Buddhahood is a dynamic state that is difficult to describe. We can partially describe it as a state of perfect freedom, in which we are enlightened to the ultimate truth of life. It is characterized by infinite compassion and boundless wisdom. In this state, we can resolve harmoniously what appear from the standpoint of the nine worlds to be insoluble contradictions. A Buddhist sutra describes the attributes of the BuddhaÂ’s life as a true self, perfect freedom from karmic bonds throughout eternity, a life purified of illusion, and absolute happiness. Also, the state of Buddhahood is physically expressed in the Bodhisattva Way or actions of a Bodhisattva.
moderator: after much consideration and discussions with my moderators and other friends, I have decided to remove and ban all further postings of soka gakkai links for several reasons which I shall state in a seperate post. I apologise for this descision to our SGI forumers. -
pardon me An Eternal Now can you link me to the thread that states the banning of SGI URLs??? really appreciate it...
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Hi im a novice buddhist. From what i know there is such a thing as a hell realm.. 6 realms..
The Buddhist Concept of Heaven and Hell... The wise man makes his own heaven while the foolish man creates his own hell, here and hereafter. The Buddhist concept of heaven and hell is entirely different from that in other religions. Buddhists do not accept that these places are eternal. It is unreasonable to condemn a man to eternal hell for his human weakness, but quite reasonable to give him every chance to develop himself. From the Buddhist point of view, those who go to hell can work themselves upward by making use of the merit that they had acquired previously. There are no locks on the gates of hell. Hell is a temporary place and there is no reason for those beings to suffer there forever. The Buddha's Teachings show us that there are heavens and hells not only beyond this world, but in this very world itself. Thus, the Buddhist conception of heaven and hell is very reasonable. For instance, the Buddha once said, "When the average ignorant person makes an assertion to the effect that there is a Hell under the ocean, he is making a statement which is false and without basis. The word 'Hell' is a term for painful sensations." The idea of one particular ready-made place or a place created by god as heaven and hell is not acceptable to the Buddhist concept. The fire of hell in this world is hotter than that of the hell in the world-beyond. There is no fire equal to anger, lust or greed and ignorance. According to the Buddha, we are burning from eleven kinds of physical pain and mental agony: lust, hatred, illusion sickness, decay, death, worry, lamentation, pain (physical and mental), melancholy and grief. People can burn the entire world with some of these fires of mental discord. From a Buddhist point of view, the easiest way to define hell and heaven is that wherever there is more suffering, either in this world or any other plane, that place is a hell to those who suffer. And where there is more pleasure or happiness, either in this world or any other worldly existence, that place is a heaven to those who enjoy their worldly life in that particular place. However, as the human realm is a mixture of both pain and happiness, human beings experience both pain and happiness and will be able to realize the real nature of life. But in many other planes of existence, inhabitants have less chance for this realization. In certain places there is more suffering than pleasure, while in some other places there is more pleasure than suffering.
Buddhists believe that after death rebirth can take place in any one of a number of possible existences. This future existence is conditioned by the last thought-moment a person experiences at the point of death. This last thought which determines the next existence results from the past actions of a man either in this life or before that (then). Hence, if the predominant thought reflects meritorious action, then he will find his future existence in a happy state. But that state is temporary and when it is exhausted, a new life must begin all over again, determined by another dominating 'karmic' energy. This repetitious process goes on endlessly unless one arrives at a 'Right View' and makes a firm resolve to follow the Noble Path, which produces the ultimate happiness of Nirvana. Heaven is a temporary place where those who have done good deeds experience more sensual pleasures for a longer period. Hell is another temporary place where those evil doers experience more physical and mental suffering. It is not justifiable to believe that such places are permanent. There is no god behind the scene of heaven and hell. Each and every person experiences according to his good and bad karma. Buddhist never try to introduce Buddhism by frightening people through hell-fire or enticing people by pointing to paradise. Their main idea is character building and mental training. Buddhists can practise their religion without aiming at heaven or without developing fear of hell.
from: http://www.gotaro3.homestead.com/Page12B.html -
here:Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:pardon me An Eternal Now can you link me to the thread that states the banning of SGI URLs??? really appreciate it...
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=168488
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Maybe you did you see it. It is one of the stickied topics... I will unstick it after a period of time.
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This video streaming about hell in english, from Amitabha Buddhist Society Austrialia, where my master had a part of it.
mms://video1.amtb-aus.org/OL/Hell-English/wmv/Hell-English.wmv
but have to copy the url to a new window for it to work.
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Excellent video.
Is there any way I can get the VCD version?
Thanks. -
Yes, that was a great video indeed. I have finished watching it. Wld recommend ppl to watch it.
BTW, my master was once asked, is hell really as scary as those depicted in paintings/drawings? To this, my master replied that the real hell is much more worse. How could the real hell scenes ever be depicted in images?
It is truly frightening. Therefore we should all abide by the 5 precepts and practise the ten virtuous deeds to avoid rebirth in the lower realms. -
I try to see netrally... not from any religious teaching..
Actually.. HELL or HEAVEN is really in this earth... If terrorists keep on killing, countries and nations keep being greedy and backstabbing others, nature angry... more and more natural and human disasters are coming... That's where hell is... . -
Just poison all the food and water on this planet
And you will witness everyone killing each other for food and for survival -
Yes, in a way that is also very true.Originally posted by trajet:I try to see netrally... not from any religious teaching..
Actually.. HELL or HEAVEN is really in this earth... If terrorists keep on killing, countries and nations keep being greedy and backstabbing others, nature angry... more and more natural and human disasters are coming... That's where hell is... .