Avīci

Avīci
Avīci
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	Vô Gian địa ngục
Simplified Chinese	Vô Gian địa ngục
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Wújiàn dìyù
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization	Mòuh gaan deih yuhk
Jyutping	Mou4 gaan3 dei6 juk6
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	A Tì địa ngục
Simplified Chinese	A Tì địa ngục
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Ābí dìyù
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization	A beih deih yuhk
Jyutping	Aa3 bei6 dei6 juk6
Burmese name
Burmese	အဝီစိငရဲ
IPA	[a̰wìsḭjɛ́]
Korean name
Hangul	아비지옥
Hanja	A Tì địa ngục
Revised Romanization
Transcriptions
Revised Romanization	Abijiok
McCune–Reischauer	Abijiok
Alternative Korean name
Hangul	무간지옥
Hanja	Vô Gian địa ngục
Revised Romanization
Transcriptions
Revised Romanization	Muganjiok
McCune–Reischauer	Muganjiok
Japanese name
Kanji	Vô Gian địa ngục
Hiragana	むげんじごく
Romanization
Transcriptions
Romanization	Mugen jigoku
Alternative Japanese name
Kanji	A Tì địa ngục
Hiragana	あびじごく
Romanization
Transcriptions
Romanization	Abi jigoku
Sanskrit name
Sanskrit	Avīci (Sanskrit:अवीचि)
Pali name
Pali	Avīci

AvīciorAvici(SanskritandPalifor "without waves" ) is one of the hells (naraka) inHinduismandBuddhism.In Hinduism, it is one of the twenty-eight hells located in the kingdom ofYama,where individuals are reborn for bearing false witness and outright lying while transacting business or giving charity.^[1]In Buddhism, it is the lowest level of theNarakaor "hell" realm, with the most suffering, into which the dead who have committed grave misdeeds may be reborn.^[2]It is said to be a cube 20,000yojanas(240,000 to 300,000 kilometers) on each side, buried deep underneath the divine (nonvisible) earth.^[3]Avīciis often translated into English as "interminable"or"incessant",referring to suffering without periods of respite, although it is believed to be ultimately impermanent.

Avīci-punishable offenses/transgressions

There are various evil acts which can lead one to being committed to the torments ofAvīci.People reborn inAvīcihave generally committed one or more of the FiveAnantarika-karma( "Grave Offenses" ):^[4]^[5]

Intentionally killing one'sfather.
Intentionally killing one'smother.
Killing anarhat(enlightened being).
Shedding the blood of aBuddha.
Creating aschismwithin thesangha(the community of Buddhist monks, nuns, andlaypeoplewho try to attainenlightenment).

Details about Avīci

Buddhism teaches that going to Naraka is temporary, allowing the offenders to work off the karma they garnered in life.Avīciis sometimes cited as lasting 3.39738624×10¹⁸or 339,738,624×10¹⁰years,^[6]about 3.4 quintillion years.

The Lotus Sutra provides an example of humans who have to endure long-term suffering inAvīci.^[7]^[8]Somesutrasstate that rebirth inAvīciwill be for innumerablekalpas(aeons). When the offending soul passes away after onekalpa,it is reborn in the same place, suffering for anotherkalpa,and on and on until it has exhausted its badkarma.^[9]For this reason, theAvīcihell is also known as the "nonstop way" (Vô gian đạo).

Nichirenfamously wrote that Buddhist monks who ignored the passages in theLotus Sutra,which claimed superiority over other sutras, would fall intoAvīci.^[10]Outside of Nichiren, it is extremely rare for a Buddhist monk to condemn anyone toAvīci,although the Lotus Sutra itself states of anyone who slanders it: "when his life comes to an end, he will enter the Avichi Hell."

Some believe rebirth inAvīci(or any lower realm, for that matter) should be seen as a process of purification. If anyone correctly follows the teachings of Buddha, they will be able to attain enlightenment without going to any hell even if they have accumulated a vast amount of negative karma (excludingAnantarika-karma).

There are many stories of people who have accumulated negative karma but avoided all the levels of Naraka because they attained enlightenment before their karma ripened, this should not be taken as the means is a justification for the ends but by doing one pure act of kindness can eradicate all past discretionary behaviour. If one has Anantarika-karma, he will not be able to attain enlightenment in this life because this negative karma will ripen immediately.

Buddhism accepts the principle ofanattā,according to which there is no concept ofself.Consequences are results of actions that are brought by in an impersonal manner described with the concept ofkarma.There is no supernatural being applying its own will to determine someone's fate: "[...] beings are owners of kamma, heir to kamma, born of kamma, related through kamma, and have kamma as their arbitrator.Kammais what creates distinctions among beings in terms of coarseness & refinement. "^[11]^[12]

References

^Bane, Theresa (2014-03-08).Encyclopedia of Imaginary and Mythical Places.McFarland. p. 28.ISBN 978-1-4766-1565-3.
^Gray, David B. (2007)."Compassionate Violence? On the Ethical Implications of Tantric Buddhist Ritual".Journal of Buddhist Ethics.14:238–271.
^Sadakata, Akira (1997).Buddhist Cosmology: Philosophy and Origins,Tokyo: Kōsei Pub., p. 47
^Buswell, Robert E. (2003).The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism.Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 86.ISBN 9781400848058.
^Singh, N.K.; Mishra, A.P. (2010).Global Encyclopaedia of Indian Philosophy.Global Vision Publishing House. p. 50.ISBN 978-8182202948.
^Akhtar Malik (2007).A Survey of Buddhist Temples and Monasteries.Anmol Publications PVT. LTD. p. 50.ISBN 978-81-261-3259-1.
^Phyllis Granoff; Koichi Shinohara (2012).Sins and Sinners: Perspectives from Asian Religions.BRILL. p. 139.ISBN 978-90-04-22946-4.Retrieved21 September2013.
^Kubo Tsugunari, Yuyama Akira (tr.).The Lotus Sutra.Revised 2nd ed. Berkeley, Calif.: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 2007.ISBN 978-1-886439-39-9,p. 268
^Shengyan (2002).The Sword of Wisdom: Commentaries on the Song of Enlightenment.Elmhurst, N.Y.: Dharma Drum Publications. p.159.
^Mujū Ichien (30 August 1985).Sand and Pebbles: The Tales of Muju Ichien, A Voice for Pluralism in Kamakura Buddhism.SUNY Press. pp. 19–20.ISBN 978-0-88706-060-1.Retrieved21 September2013.
^Itivuttaka: This Was Said by the Buddha
^Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta: The Shorter Analysis of Action

[1] Bane, Theresa (2014-03-08).Encyclopedia of Imaginary and Mythical Places.McFarland. p. 28.ISBN 978-1-4766-1565-3.

[2] Gray, David B. (2007)."Compassionate Violence? On the Ethical Implications of Tantric Buddhist Ritual".Journal of Buddhist Ethics.14:238–271.

[3] Sadakata, Akira (1997).Buddhist Cosmology: Philosophy and Origins,Tokyo: Kōsei Pub., p. 47

[Buswell_2003-4] Buswell, Robert E. (2003).The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism.Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 86.ISBN 9781400848058.

[5] Singh, N.K.; Mishra, A.P. (2010).Global Encyclopaedia of Indian Philosophy.Global Vision Publishing House. p. 50.ISBN 978-8182202948.

[Malik_2007-6] Akhtar Malik (2007).A Survey of Buddhist Temples and Monasteries.Anmol Publications PVT. LTD. p. 50.ISBN 978-81-261-3259-1.

[GranoffShinohara2012-7] Phyllis Granoff; Koichi Shinohara (2012).Sins and Sinners: Perspectives from Asian Religions.BRILL. p. 139.ISBN 978-90-04-22946-4.Retrieved21 September2013.

[8] Kubo Tsugunari, Yuyama Akira (tr.).The Lotus Sutra.Revised 2nd ed. Berkeley, Calif.: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 2007.ISBN 978-1-886439-39-9,p. 268

[9] Shengyan (2002).The Sword of Wisdom: Commentaries on the Song of Enlightenment.Elmhurst, N.Y.: Dharma Drum Publications. p.159.

[Ichien1985-10] Mujū Ichien (30 August 1985).Sand and Pebbles: The Tales of Muju Ichien, A Voice for Pluralism in Kamakura Buddhism.SUNY Press. pp. 19–20.ISBN 978-0-88706-060-1.Retrieved21 September2013.

[11] Itivuttaka: This Was Said by the Buddha

[12] Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta: The Shorter Analysis of Action

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