Hell Beings

[Motova]

What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? Is that a "role" anyone can be born into? Do they enjoy torturing people? If a hell being enjoys killing endless beings in Hell, then will they be reborn to suffer the same torture they inflicted?



/Dylan

[randomseb]

Are they perhaps, emanations of your own mind, a sort of personification of the neuroses you build up and carry along with you where ever you go like a huge mountain on your back?

[Motova]

Are they perhaps, emanations of your own mind, a sort of personification of the neuroses you build up and carry along with you where ever you go like a huge mountain on your back?

Perhaps, but isn't it said that one is tortured amongst others? So wouldn't that suggest that a Hell being would torture those around you as well?

[Grigoris]

Where exactly is that said?

[Motova]

Where exactly is that said?

I couldn't tell you... I remember I read somewhere that beings are boiled together in a pot of oil. Are you implying that each hell being has a personalized entourage of torturers?



/Dylan

[KathyLauren]

Hell, like all of samsara, is a product of your mind's delusion. Your hell is yours alone.

Om mani padme hum
Keith

[Johnny Dangerous]

Mythology is to truth what notation and theory is to music, a way of describing truth. The notes themselves h ave no meaning though outside the context of describing music. They definitely aren't music itself.

[dude]

What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? Is that a "role" anyone can be born into? Do they enjoy torturing people? If a hell being enjoys killing endless beings in Hell, then will they be reborn to suffer the same torture they inflicted?



/Dylan

Of course

[randomseb]

Are they perhaps, emanations of your own mind, a sort of personification of the neuroses you build up and carry along with you where ever you go like a huge mountain on your back?

Perhaps, but isn't it said that one is tortured amongst others? So wouldn't that suggest that a Hell being would torture those around you as well?

The Tibetan book of the dead interpretations I've seen suggest emenations of your own mind, not sure why there'd be something as specific and westernized as everyone burning together in some pot, though!

[Konchog1]

They're creations of your own mind. There is traditional reasoning for it, but I forgot.

Hopefully, someone else remembers.

[Motova]

What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? Is that a "role" anyone can be born into? Do they enjoy torturing people? If a hell being enjoys killing endless beings in Hell, then will they be reborn to suffer the same torture they inflicted?



/Dylan

Of course

[Alfredo]

They're ectoplasmic demons, made from semen ejaculated by hanged men. (Wait, no, that's incubi.)

The worst fate in hell is reserved for masochists, who will cry "Beat me! Beat me!" And the demons will answer, "No!"

[treefairy]

well, if i remember correctly, one is faced with their wrongs upon hitting the consciousness field in chikai, where you become aware of all. Then based on that, if you did something terribly wrong, you would probably condemn yourself to something terrible.......

[muni]

So wouldn't that suggest that a Hell being would torture those around you as well?

Grasping/clinging tortures grasping/clinging.

[dude]

Where exactly is that said?

Are you serious?

Here's just one quick example

""Then the hell-wardens torture [the evil-doer] with what's called a five-fold imprisonment. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil kamma is not exhausted."
Devaduta Sutra

[dude]

What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? Is that a "role" anyone can be born into? Do they enjoy torturing people? If a hell being enjoys killing endless beings in Hell, then will they be reborn to suffer the same torture they inflicted?



/Dylan

"What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? "
They're living beings. Living beings appear in the world in accordance with their karma. Whether, they're rich, poor, tall, short, smart, stupid, have power over others, others have power over them; all that is karma. What form we are born with also karma; we could be born as humans, animals, insects....

"Is that a "role" anyone can be born into?"
Of course, if they make the cause; it's all karma.

[Grigoris]

Are you serious?

Here's just one quick example

""Then the hell-wardens torture [the evil-doer] with what's called a five-fold imprisonment. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil kamma is not exhausted."
Devaduta Sutra

Not exactly the answer I was looking for but really, I currently fail to see why I asked the question anyway... I think I may have misread Motovas statement.

[dude]

Are you serious?

Here's just one quick example

""Then the hell-wardens torture [the evil-doer] with what's called a five-fold imprisonment. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil kamma is not exhausted."
Devaduta Sutra

Not exactly the answer I was looking for but really, I currently fail to say why I asked the question anyway... I think I may have misread Motovas statement.

Oh, okay, in that case I'm sure I didn't understand the question either. But thanks for asking, it got me thinking about how to answer the opening question better.

[dude]

Where exactly is that said?

I couldn't tell you... I remember I read somewhere that beings are boiled together in a pot of oil. Are you implying that each hell being has a personalized entourage of torturers?



/Dylan

Oh yeah. There's karma even in hell. Some people made the cause to be tortured, others made the cause to be torturers. There's even a King of Hell. He's in hell with everybody else, but he can do what he wants and tell everybody else what to do. Same as things are in this world. Which is to say : the conditions of Hell exist in the here and now, as do all the other realms.

[Nicholas Weeks]

Did not read this all - too scary. But the Hell Wardens are projections from the minds of those being tortured. Sort of a subconscious knowledge of wrongs done and suffering due.

http://www.khandro.net/doctrine_hells.htm