Universality Of He11

[SeerObserver]

hel_l seems to be very similar across religions. This surprises me more than the similarities of the heavenly concepts. It is somewhat expected, if you will, that across various philosophies the afterlife for those deserving of reward will be some concept of comfort and abundance. While there are differences in what heaven is described as, those two factors are generally the main underlying principles. In a way of thinking it's almost common sense, so to speak, that such will be the afterlife appropriate for having lived righteously.

Across religions, the afterlife for those on the other end of the spectrum entail similar concepts as well. But why is that? hel_l, purgatory, etc. all seem to consist of extreme heat, pits of fire, minions, and other common factors. How is it that religions of different foundation and practice come to have such similarities in this regard as well?

PS - I edited this thinking that I somehow made a typo. The underscore in the word "hel_l" is generated as a censor of sorts. I would not have expected the forum to censor that word. Food for thought?

Edited February 2, 2009 by camerata
Title modified.

[jumnien]

Ah, the hel_l Realms! Right to the Core of buddhist thought. Understand that, and the rest easily follows...

[SeerObserver]

Another issue worth discussing, from a Buddhist perspective or otherwise are the minions in hel_l. hel_l's minions are inflicting pain and killing upon other beings. These beings are receiving this treatment as a result of their karma. It is a retribution for their misdeeds.

hel_l's minions are beings as well. Therefore the law of karma applies to them. What do you do to become one of hel_l's minions? What a bad position to have to be in as well. You are born into an existence where your purpose is to commit demerit and it's your sole occupation and all you know to do. Is that correct?

How long are minions of hel_l damned, how much longer are they damning themselves for, and how is it that one is born into such a baneful existence? One thought I have heard is that these beings are accustomed to following misleading and dangerous masters.

[Brucenkhamen]

The most obvious difference between the he//s described in Buddhism (whether you take the descriptions literally or not) and the he// of other religions is that the Buddhist he//s are impermanent.

They are not places of eternal punishment but temporary conditions arising as a result of your kamma and subect to the same charateristics of all conditioned things.

[SeerObserver]

The most obvious difference between the he//s described in Buddhism (whether you take the descriptions literally or not) and the he// of other religions is that the Buddhist he//s are impermanent.

They are not places of eternal punishment but temporary conditions arising as a result of your kamma and subect to the same charateristics of all conditioned things.

Yes. Good that you brought this up in case a reader is not aware of that difference. Running with your theme in that the same rules apply to hel_l as other conditioned things, I am still interested in the situation I raised regarding hel_l's minions/wardens. As they are also beings...what kind of life does one lead to be reborn as one of them?

And when you are born into an existence that is in place pretty much to inflict damage, how can you ever get out of this cylcle of demerit so that you can enter the stream? As this is a conditioned thing, there has to be an end. But what is it that brings that end? When someone's demerits have been punished and/or their merits catch up, their time in a hel_l realm comes to an end, and they are born in at the very least a better position than their previous existence. Even if a minion of hel_l's term ends for a similar reason, what are they to be reborn as (considering their previous occupation)?

[Brucenkhamen]

Yes. Good that you brought this up in case a reader is not aware of that difference. Running with your theme in that the same rules apply to hel_l as other conditioned things, I am still interested in the situation I raised regarding hel_l's minions/wardens. As they are also beings...what kind of life does one lead to be reborn as one of them?

And when you are born into an existence that is in place pretty much to inflict damage, how can you ever get out of this cylcle of demerit so that you can enter the stream? As this is a conditioned thing, there has to be an end. But what is it that brings that end? When someone's demerits have been punished and/or their merits catch up, their time in a hel_l realm comes to an end, and they are born in at the very least a better position than their previous existence. Even if a minion of hel_l's term ends for a similar reason, what are they to be reborn as (considering their previous occupation)?

I can't say I've given the matter much thought. If I were to find myself in he// whether that may be on earth, in this life, or somewhere beyond that, then the simple answer would be to continue practising the path to liberation from where you are.

The orthodox view might say that this would be more difficult in he//, I suspect the opposite may be true because one would be more motivated and have less distractions pulling you away from practise.

As for the minions, I can't comment, where did you hear there was such a thing/person in Buddhist teachings?

[sabaijai]

One of my favourite 'angels-on-a-pinhead' comments about hel_l is, if you're a sadomasochist, it might seem like heaven. To be united with things you don't like, or apart from things you do, this is hel_l.