THERE IS A LONG TRADITION of Buddhist descriptions of hell, from the second century BCE until the twentieth century, stretching from Iran and India to China and Japan. These descriptions initially relied heavily on Hindu texts but developed their own distinctive features as elements from various cultural traditions were incorporated and as individuals sought to avoid hell by making additions to the text and then distributing copies freely as pious acts.
THIS ANTHOLOGY includes twenty-two texts:
- The Great Story
- The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha
- The Friendly Epistle
- The Sutra on the Eighteen Hells
- The Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on the Retribution of Sinful Karma and the Education and Transformation in the Hells
- Avalokiteswara’s Descent into the Hell Avîchi
- The Systematic Philosophy
- Mu-lien Rescues His Mother
- T‘ai Tsung in Hell
- The Essentials of Pure Land Rebirth
- The Precious Record Transmitted to Men to Move Them
- Miao-shen Visits Hell
- Nangsa Obum
- The Numbered Discourses of the Buddha
- Tibetan Book of the Dead
- Treatise of the Exalted One on Response and Retribution
- Governor Kwoh Visits Hell
- Voyage to the Western Sea of the Chief Eunuch San-Pao
- Strange Stories from The Liaozhai Studio
- T’ang-cheuk’ounn Taken to Hell
- Wang Hsiu’s Voyage to Hell
- A Thai Near-Death Experience
This book also includes a preface, introduction, glossary, notes and bibliography to provide a comprehensive overview of the nature of Buddhist hell.
Buddhist Hell is published in conjunction with www.Hell-on-Line.org, a website that presents a comprehensive collection of materials on the more than 100 visions, tours and descriptions of the infernal otherworld from the cultures around the world dating from 2000 BCE to the present.
Twenty-two texts, 216 pages.
Preface, introduction, glossary, notes, bibliography and web resources. Illustrated.
Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-59910-131-6
Price: $20.00
Kindle Edition
ASIN: B008G5LR80
Price: $9.99
E-Book
ISBN:
978-1-59910-1323
Pricing will vary.
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ITALICA PRESS, INC.
