The 18 Levels of Hell

(Minghui.org) Some people believe that nothing exists after we take our last breath. People with religious beliefs may not share the same view. Except for those who committed unforgivable crimes, a person’s soul does not expire. The soul will reincarnate many times over within the six realms, waiting to be born into a human body and learn a righteous Dharma. This is the only opportunity for him to be redeemed and to exit the cycle of reincarnation, returning to where he was first created—his heavenly home.

In the Ming Dynasty novel Journey to the West, Monk Tang Sanzang says, “It is difficult to be born into a human body, difficult to be born in the East, and difficult to encounter a righteous Dharma. To encounter all three is the greatest fortune.” A being with a human body who practices a righteous Dharma is the only way to leave the bitter cycle of samsara (death followed by reincarnation). It may take thousands of years for a being to be born as a human in a place where a righteous Dharma is taught. When this happens, the person is considered extremely lucky, because otherwise, he is likely to commit wrongdoings and accumulate karma throughout his life. After he dies, his soul will leave his body and be punished in hell before reincarnating into one of the six realms, i.e., he may not become a human again for a very long time.

People who commit unforgivable crimes, like torturing or killing people of faith or harvesting their organs for profit, do not go to the 18 Levels of Hell and do not reincarnate. They enter Avici Hell after death. Avici Hell exists separately from the 18 Levels of Hell. The souls in Avici suffer for eternity without let up until they are completely disintegrated. The scriptures Ksitigarbha Sutra and Scripture on the 18 Hells provide detailed descriptions of Avici Hell.

The earliest documentation of the 18 Levels of Hell dates back to Buddhist classics such as the Yogacarabhumi Sastra and the Tripitaka. Yamaraja, the King of Hell, governs the 18 levels. Each level is overseen by one of Yamaraja’s 18 judges. The 18 levels differ in the duration and method of suffering they mete out. The time the judges “sentence” a person to is astronomical when converted to Earth years.

The following are summaries of what evil deeds warrant certain punishments in each of the 18 Levels of Hell. We hope that once they have a general idea, people will actively avoid evildoing, uphold kindness, and cultivate virtue instead.

First Level: The Hell of Tongue-ripping

Those who say things that harm others are sent to this level. Other crimes include lying to gain personal profit or achieve personal goals, selling inferior goods through false advertising, or making empty promises to remain in political power.

Also, those who intentionally defame or spread rumors about others to cause distress or damage their reputations; those who use hurtful or vulgar language to insult others or harm their self-esteem; and those who spread false rumors or gossip to create conflicts and disputes among families and coworkers all belong to this realm.

The ghosts will pry open the person’s mouth, use pliers to clamp the tongue, and slowly pull until the tongue is completely ripped out. However, the tongue will grow back, only to be ripped out again and again, causing unabated suffering.

One day in the Hell of Tongue-ripping equals 3,750 years on Earth. Those guilty of the crimes must serve 10,000 years at this level, which equals 13.5 billion years on Earth.

Second Level: The Hell of Scissors

If a person destroys someone’s marriage or pushes a widow loyal to her late husband to remarry or find a new man, they will be sentenced to the Hell of Scissors, where their fingers are repeatedly cut off.

In the story Outlaws of the Marsh, Pan Jinlian, a married beauty, had no intention of seducing Ximen Qing, a wealthy merchant. Her neighbor, Wang Po, however, encouraged her to curry favor with Ximen. Wang then gave Pan poison to kill her husband. The moment Wang conceived this evil plan, the Hell of Scissors awaited her.

One day in the Hell of Scissors equals 7,500 years on Earth. The guilty must serve 20,000 years at this level, which equals 54 billion Earth years.

Third Level: The Hell of Iron Trees

People who sow discord among family members will be thrown into this level when they die. It is filled with trees whose branches are like knives. The guilty are forced to climb a tree, where the branches impale their backs, and they end up hanging from the tree. After serving their time here, they will enter the Hell of Mirrors of Crimes and the Hell of Steamers.

One day in the Hell of Iron Trees equals 15,000 years on Earth. The guilty must serve 40,000 years at this level, which equals 216 billion years on Earth.

Fourth Level: The Hell of the Mirrors of Crimes

If a person concealed the crimes he committed, bribed authorities to avoid punishment, or became a fugitive to evade the law, he will be sent to the Hell of Mirrors of Crimes after death. He will be repeatedly shown the horrific crimes he committed. After serving his time at this level, he will be sent to other levels of Hell befitting his crimes.

One day in the Hell of Mirrors of Crimes equals 30,000 years on Earth. The guilty must serve 80,000 years at this level, which is equivalent to 432 billion years on Earth.

Fifth Level: The Hell of Steamers

The people who like to gossip about everyday matters, spread rumors, or frame or slander others will be thrown into the Hell of Steamers after death. Here they are interminably exposed to steam and then sent to the Hell of Tongue-ripping.

One day in the Hell of Steamers equals 60,000 years on Earth. The guilty must serve 160,000 years here, which is 864 billion Earth years.

Sixth Level: The Hell of Copper Pillars

Those who commit arson to destroy evidence, seek revenge, or kill others will enter the Hell of Copper Pillars after death. The ghosts strip them naked and chain them to a hollow copper pillar that is one meter wide and two meters tall. The pillar is filled with burning coals that keep it red-hot.

One day in the Hell of Copper Pillars equals 120,000 years on Earth. The guilty must serve 320,000 years at this level, which is 1.728 trillion years on Earth.

Seventh Level: The Hell of the Mountain of Knives

People who have committed blasphemy or taken a life will be cast into the Hell of the Mountain of Knives. They are stripped naked and forced to climb a mountain that has long, sharp blades protruding from it.

The trails up the mountain are terrifying: Every step the guilty takes comes with excruciating pain and mangled flesh. If he falls off the mountain, he will be cut into pieces.

He will spend 640,000 years at this level, which is 3.456 trillion years on Earth, and he will experience constant, excruciating pain.

Eighth Level: The Hell of Ice Mountain

A woman who murders her husband, commits adultery, or aborts a pregnancy with ill intent will be cast into the Hell of Ice Mountain, naked, after death. Those who are addicted to gambling, disrespectful to their parents, or unkind and unjust will also be punished here. They will spend 1.28 million years at this level, which is 6.912 trillion Earth years.

Ninth Level: The Hell of the Deep Fryer

People who commit the following crimes will be sent to the Hell of Deep Fryer after death: prostitution, theft, robbery, bullying, kidnapping women and/or children, or framing others to steal their property or wives. The guilty will be repeatedly thrown into boiling oil after being stripped naked. They will spend 2.56 million years, which is equal to 13.824 trillion Earth years.

Those with more serious offenses are punished in the Hell of Ice Mountain before coming to this level.

Tenth Level: The Hell of the Cattle Pit

This level is meant to redress injustices to animals. Those who slaughter animals at will or for fun are cast into the Hell of Cattle Pit after death. The guilty will be trampled and gored by herds of wild oxen. They will spend 5.12 million years in this level, which is 27.648 trillion Earth years.

Eleventh Level: the Hell of the Crushing Boulder

A person who kills or abandons her baby, no matter the reason, will be cast into the Hell of the Crushing Boulder. After death, the person is laid in a large square stone trough over which a boulder of the same size is suspended by a rope. A ghost will cut the rope with an axe. The person will be repeatedly crushed by the boulder for 10.24 million years, which equals 55.296 trillion years on Earth.

Twelfth Level: The Hell of Mortars and Pestles

The Hell of Mortars and Pestles is reserved for those who waste food. For example, those who carelessly throw away leftovers after a banquet or what they don’t like after only a few bites. After death, the person will be repeatedly pounded to death in a mortar. Those who use foul language while eating will also be punished here. The sentence for this level is 20.48 million years, which equals 110.592 trillion years on Earth.

Thirteenth Level: The Hell of the Blood Pool

Those who disrespect their parents or elders, are dishonest, or participate in wicked practices, will be punished in the Hell of the Blood Pool when they die. The guilty will have their tongue cut off and eyeballs scooped out and be immersed in a pool of blood while being otherwise tortured. To make it worse, the air is filled with the stench of blood and the surroundings are eerie and horrifying. This person will suffer this punishment for 40.96 million years, which equals 221.184 trillion years on Earth.

Fourteenth Level: The Hell of Wrongful Death

Committing suicide does not bring relief; it puts one in a worse situation. After the person dies, he will go to the Hell of Wrongful Death, because he did not cherish his life. Once he enters the realm, he will be forced to repeatedly kill himself the way he did and will forever lose the opportunity to reincarnate as a human. This person will suffer here for 81.92 million years, which is 423.68 trillion years on Earth.

Human bodies are very precious in the eyes of the divine, and the opportunity to be reincarnated as a human is extremely rare. Committing suicide is far more sinful than wasting food or committing blasphemy. Those who glorify or promote suicide in their books or movies have also committed a serious crime.

Fifteenth Level: The Hell of Dismemberment

Tomb raiders are cast into the Hell of Dismemberment after death, and their bodies are repeatedly torn to pieces. While they endure extreme pain, other sinful souls ridicule them and find their suffering amusing.

Throughout history, those who desecrate graves have been considered especially morally degenerate. Those who dig up the graves of people who have no descendants to visit them and offer sacrifices for them are considered the most immoral. Therefore, human laws often impose very harsh penalties on tomb raiders. The Statutes of Qing Dynasty stipulated that, “If a person’s grave is dug up and a corpse is exposed, the ringleader shall be beheaded immediately, and the accomplices, regardless of the number of times they participated, shall be sentenced to death by hanging with reprieve. If the coffin is dug up, and clothing and ornaments are taken out through an opening in the coffin, but the corpse is not exposed, the ringleader shall be executed by hanging immediately, and the accomplices shall also be sentenced to death by hanging with reprieve.”

Sixteenth Level: The Hell of Fire Mountain

Those who enrich themselves at the public’s expense, engage in bribery and corruption, steal, rob, commit arson, or condone evil, as well as monks and Taoists who break their precepts, are sent to the Hell of Fire Mountain after death. They will be burned alive but will never die.

Seventeenth Level: The Hell of Mills

Those who waste grain, thieves, corrupt officials, bullies, and monks and Taoists who eat meat are sent to the Hell of Mills after death. They are broken down in a grinder to the consistency of ground meat. Their bodies will re-form, and they will be ground up again. This cycle repeats endlessly.

Eighteenth Level: The Hell of Saws

This level is reserved for those who cause others severe bodily harm, engage in unethical or unfair business practices, traffic women and/or children, or cheat their customers.

According to classical texts, the guilty are stripped naked, their limbs are bound to four wooden stakes so that they form a T-shape, and a saw cuts them from the groin to the head, splitting them open. The saw is enormous, incredibly sharp, and is forged from hellfire.