"The types of sufferings characteristic of the hells- intense heat, cold, physical torture, etc.– are not impossible experiences, not something beyond human imagination." -Dalai Lama

“Some people doubt the existence of the hell realms. However, many independent cultures speak of these realms, and there are people with clairvoyant powers who can perceive them. In Buddhism it is said that through meditation we can develop certain extraordinary powers of memory ourselves and thus recollect some of our previous lives, in which case we would be able to remember our own experiences in hell.

There are many levels of natural law that are beyond the comprehension of ordinary beings and can only be perceived by beings with highly developed states of consciousness. The working of the laws of karma is one of these more subtle truths.

No two human beings have identical bodies or minds. Each of us is fully unique, down to the smallest hair, wrinkle or muscular feature. Why are we so complicated? Why are the animals and insects individually so unique? This is where the Buddhist theory of karma and its evolution comes into focus. But more on that later.

Numerous Buddhist scriptures write of the hells in very real terms, to the extent that they describe their precise location and so forth. Whether or not these realms are externally real places or whether they are merely states of mind is a point of debate within Buddhism. Shantideva wrote, “Who created the guardians and weapons of torture in the hells? Indeed they are formed from the karmic imprints that one carries within one’s mindstream.” However, whether they are external states or are merely states of mind does not affect our problem- how to avoid experiencing them. If we find ourselves in the hell realms, the experience of suffering will be inevitable. The types of sufferings characteristic of the hells- intense heat, cold, physical torture, etc.– are not impossible experiences, not something beyond human imagination.

Were the hells and the other realms of suffering not to exist, there would not be much need for Dharma study and practice. But if we look around us we can see that we are enmeshed  by suffering on every side. How can we not expect similar conditions not to be present with us after the body dies? But then we have not wealth, power, friends, or even a body with which to protect ourselves. There is nothing but our positive and negative karmic imprints and our spiritual understanding or lack of it. When one is without wisdom and is carrying the imprints of mainly negative karmic actions, the bardo will transform into hellish visions and one’s heart will fill with regret. It would have been better not to have been so proud and confident in the supposed non-existence of the hells when one still possessed the powers of discernment.

"The distance between our present existence and the hells could be as short as a single breath." -Dalai Lama

The practitioner of initial perspective thus pursues prolonged meditation upon the types of sufferings of the individual hell realms and determines to abandon the causes of these lower rebirths- negative actions preformed from a deluded mind. This meditation should be regularly performed, not only for a few days, but for months on end, until one develops a natural aversion to engaging in degenerating activities. At the moment, we make great efforts to protect ourselves from cold, heat, insect bites and so forth. Would it not be wise to also protect ourselves from future sufferings of this nature by avoiding their causes, negative activities of body, speech, and mind?

The scriptures abound in descriptions of the nature of the various hells. They speak of four main types: the eight hot hells, the eight cold hells, the four hells surrounding the lower hells, and the occasional hells where beings have periodic respite. Each of these realms is described as having a different intensity of misery, duration of lifespan and so forth. Their main characteristic is violently intense suffering, and their main cause is negative karma created by violent anger and the harming of others.

"One should contemplate the sufferings of the hells in this light and resolve to avoid the ways that lead to them." "Make a resolution to avoid its cause, meaningless and deluded activity based on the ignorant mind." -Dalai Lama

I really wish there were no suffering in this world and no suffering after death. I wish there were no hells or ghost regions. But it would not be wise to believe that these do not exist and to continue in the negative ways that draw the mind down to these realms. The distance between our present existence and the hells could be as short as a  single breath.

Negative ways do not have beneficial effects on the mind even in this life. If there is a future life, how can we expect negativity to benefit it? Alternatively, positive ways have positive effects on the mind in this life and lay the foundations for happiness after death. One should contemplate the sufferings of the hells in this light and resolve to avoid the ways that lead to them.”

The Dalai Lama discusses the phenomenon of hungry ghosts before dealing with the animal kingdom. “The sufferings of the animal realms are obvious to us. Work and farm animals experience being driven, beaten, killed, and eaten by human beings. We would go to an institution and claim our human rights if someone tried to do these things to us, but animals can do nothing but look on pathetically. The fish in the Kangra Lake are not respected as owning the lake; to the humans they are merely sources of food. We forget they are living beings who, like us, grasp at an “I” and aspire to happiness. We forget that they do not want pain and do not want to die, and we pull them out of the water on hooks and in nets, causing them to die in fear and agony. The same is the case with chicken, cattle, goats, and so forth. There is nobody they can turn to for help, and they do not have the intelligence to help themselves. This is the karma and the suffering of their realm. We should meditate on what we would experience if we were reborn amongst them.

"The wild animals, birds, insects and so forth usually suffer even more intensely. Theirs is the jungle law, and the old and the weak are devoured alive." -Dalai Lama

The wild animals, birds, insects and so forth usually suffer even more intensely. Theirs is the jungle law, and the old and the weak are devoured alive. Continually having to chase food and seek shelter, they often experience long periods of deprivation. Their great shortcoming is lack of wisdom, and as a result they are unable to cultivate spiritual progress. Thus their lives are controlled by the forces of karma and delusion, until they eventually die in terror.

We should meditate upon the various sufferings of the animal world and then ask ourselves, “Do I want this suffering? Could I bear it?” If you do not, then make a resolution to avoid its cause, meaningless and deluded activity based on the ignorant mind.

In this and in many previous existences we have created many karmas that could result in rebirth in any of the three lower realms. We should cease creating such causes and should seek the methods that purify the mind of previous karmic instincts and elevate it from darkness to lasting joy.”

-Tenzin Gyatso, H.H. Dalai Lama XIV, The Path To Enlightenment, 1982