Hell And Heaven

When we talk about hell and heaven all people want to know what they look like. There are many books written about them, some illustrate what they look like, for instance hell is described as an unpleasant place, on the contrary, heaven is a pleasant place. They were created with different purposes; some want the readers to avoid doing evil and cultivate good, but some just want to scare people, or please them, for their own sake.

Buddhism also explains this matter; the explanation is different. It depends on the teacher’s learning or experience. Some of them explain that they exist here and now, some explain that they exist in the next world.

For me, I have been asked about this matter also. I didn’t talk too much about this because I haven’t seen it with my own eyes. When I answered this question, I refered to what is in the Tipitaka, sometimes I told stories, which had a moral content. This is one of the stories which I told those who asked me:

A woman who had worked all her life to bring about good, was granted one wish: "Before I die let me visit both hell and heaven." Her wish was granted.

She was whisked off to a great banqueting hall. The tables were piled high with delicious food and drink. Around the tables sat miserable, starving people as wretched as could be. "Why are they like this?" she asked the angel of death who accompanied her. "Look at their arms," the angel replied. She looked and saw that attached to the people’s arms were long chopsticks secured above the elbow. Unable to bend their elbows, the people aimed the chopsticks at the food, but missed every time and sat hungry, frustrated and miserable. "Indeed this is hell! Take me away from here!"

She was then whisked off to heaven. Again she found herself in a great banqueting hall with tables piled high. Around the tables sat people laughing, contented, joyful. "No chopsticks I suppose," she said. "Oh yes there are. Look – just as in hell they are long and attached above the elbow, but look… here people have learnt to feed one another". She saw the difference between hell and heaven; that was the helping hand.

According to the story, it shows that hell and heaven can be seen here and now; anywhere there is selfishness or the selfish, there will be restlessness, hunger, crimes, civil war etc. that can be called ‘hell’ and wherever there is generosity or help, there will be happiness, joy, harmony, unity etc. that can be called ‘heaven’.

In each moment of our life, we can see hell and heaven; whenever we are selfish, that means we are in hell and life can be miserable. Whenever we are generous to others, we are in heaven and life can be happy. Have you ever experienced hell and heaven in your life here and now?