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buddhist hell

Gjallarhorn

Gjallarhorn

N'yog-Sothep
willy1590 said:
so can you believe as a buddhist that hell is just being reborn as a human or animal in lower forms?
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Hell is one of the six realms of rebirth, the others being Deva (angel/god), Human, Asura (demigod/tainted god), Animal, and Preta (ghost).

So of course. :D
 
O

Onkara

Well-Known Member
willy1590 said:
So hell isnt a literal place its just not being enlightened?
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Hi Willy
Based on my understanding of Theravada, hell is true but it is a realm. It is a state of mind or consciousness, which one's consciousness 'enters' not physically but due to certain behaviour or intentions and habits of thought. For this reason it is realm, rather than a physical place.

The way to avoid it is to avoid craving and repeating patterns of behaviour based on those cravings and its intentions.

My personal example would be worrying about something which might happen to us, we can get ourselves so worked up worrying about something that it feels like we are trapped, in a realm.

I suggest further research.

e.g. Vipaka Sutta: Results
 
willy1590

willy1590

Member
so in a sense is the hell realm not torture in a pain sense but mental suffering such as loneliness or sadness?
 
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Onkara

Well-Known Member
willy1590 said:
but does that mean we don't feel the pain the same as we would in physical form?
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No, there is no physical pain in my opinion, unless it is psychosomatic e.g. alcholism, drug addiction, overwhelming lust or fear, which can be felt physically and one might say "I am suffering!".

It isn't like the Christian concept of a place where the soul goes after the body dies because in Buddhism there is no soul. So there is only rebirth (I guess instantly) into a new body. So hell would imply a state whilst living on earth and as such it is likely to be mental. See the example link. :)
 
willy1590

willy1590

Member
ok,i was thinking about looking into pure land buddhism alot more but wanted to know the beliefs in hell,so hell isnt torture,it's rebirth as a lower form?
 
Gjallarhorn

Gjallarhorn

N'yog-Sothep
willy1590 said:
ok,i was thinking about looking into pure land buddhism alot more but wanted to know the beliefs in hell,so hell isnt torture,it's rebirth as a lower form?
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Like I said, it's both. It's entering a psychological state of self-torture, also known as being a short-fused jerk.
 
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Onkara

Well-Known Member
It's confusing because everything in Buddhism starts and ends in the mind. The body is an extension of the mind (my description). So if the mind is healthy, the body is healthy, if the mind is ill then the body can be ill. So if your mind is in a state of hell, the body will likely follow and be unwell and suffer.

Look up psychosomatic online. :) Psychosomatic is a modern term, my guess is that over 2000 years ago Buddha may have used "realms of hell", an example being alcoholics, who would drink to get drunk mentally, but their bodies would suffer likewise due to alcohol and mental suffering.
 
willy1590

willy1590

Member
I hear buddhism has these horrific hells of torture but is this to be taken literally or is it just a metaphor for rebirth as a lower form or lonely afterlife?
 
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