Thailand’s Buddhist Vision of Hell in Literature & Temples
Depictions of Hell at Thai temples will often feature sinners in a boiling cauldron of blood or water, as seen here at Wat Khao Tham Phra in Sakon Nakhon (Northeast Thailand).
Terrifying representations of hell have been used by most societies to encourage good behavior and tamp down on evil. Thailand is no different in its depictions of hell, which trace their origin to traditional Thai folklore, as well as the Traiphum Phraruang (ไตรภูมิพระร่วง) or Traiphum Katha (ไตรภูมิกถา) — a treatise on Buddhist cosmology.
Written during the 19th century of the Sukhothai period by King Phra Maha Thammaraja I (พระมหาธรรมราชาที่ I), who based his treatise on ancient Buddhist texts, the Traiphum Phraruang involves 3 worlds, where we can see the influence of Hinduism on Thailand’s Buddhist cosmology:
1. Kam Phum (กามภูมิ), the realm related to sensual desires (e.g. love, greed, anger, etc.) and delusion. It is divided into two areas: heaven and hell.
2. Roop Phum (รูปภูมิ), the form filled land of Brahma (who in Hinduism is known as the creator god, who is part of the Supreme Trinity, along with Shiva and Vishnu)
3. Arup Phum (อรูปภูมิ), the land of formless Brahma
Thai language Note: Students of the Thai language might expect the Thai word “phum” (ภูมิ) to be pronounced “phumi” or “bhumi,” especially as it is pronounced this way in the name of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช) the Great. However, the Thai word (ภูมิ), which means grounds or site, is pronounced as “phum”. And when it is combined with other Thai words to form a new word or name, it can be pronounced either “phum” or “phumi” (also spelled as “bhumi”), depending on the new word/name that is being formed.
The 8 Pools of Thai Hell
According to the Traiphum Katha, hell in “Kam Phum” is filled with the dead who have committed sins through body, speech, and mind. They descend into the netherworld and are reborn as hell creatures to live out their karma under the human world.
This Thai vision of hell is called “narok” (นรก), which is derived from the Buddhist term for hell “naraka” (in the Pali language). In hell there are 8 large pools where the dead are placed, depending on the sins they committed:
Sancheep Narok (สัญชีพนรก) — This pool of hell is reserved for those who have exploited others. Spending one day in this hell is equal to 9 million human years. The banished are tortured by sharp weapons until death. Then the “wind of karma” will resurrect them for another round of punishment.
Kalasutta Narok (กาฬสุตตนรก) — This hell is filled with people who have harmed those who have shown them kindness or have killed animals unnecessarily. They will be lashed by a black rope for 1,000 hell years, with one 1 hell day equaling 36 million human years.
Sangkhat Narok (สังฆาฏนรก) — This is a crushing hell for those without mercy who like to abuse others. They will be hit with an iron hammer and crushed by fireballs and mountains of iron for 2,000 hell years, with 1 hell day equal to 145 million human years.
Roruwa Narok (โรรุวนรก) — This is a groaning hell reserved for greedy and dishonest people. They are punished by lying face down with their head, hands, and feet buried in an iron lotus that’s engulfed in fire. The tortured will wail in suffering for 4,000 years. One day of this Thai hell is equal to 234 million human years.
Maha Roruwa Narok (มหาโรรุวนรก) — This pool of hell is filled with even greater groaning. It is filled with cruel-hearted people who do evil and are filled with vengeful thoughts. The iron lotus of this hell has sharper petals and the entire person is immersed in this blazing iron lotus cauldron for 8,000 years, with 1 hell day equaling 9 Billion and 216 million years.
Dtaap Narok (ตาปนรก) — This piercing hell is for sinners who are full of passion. They will be impaled by a steel spear, and then hell dogs will tear at their flesh and eat them for 16,000 years, with 1 day of hell equaling 18 Billion and 432 million human years.
Maha Dtaap Narok (มหาตาปนรก) — This is a fiery hell for those who have killed someone or killed animals in large numbers unnecessarily. They must stay within blazing walls and iron mountains full of thorns, where whirlwinds continually impale them against the thorns. They must suffer here for half a “gan” (กัลป์), also known as a “kalpa,” which is a length of time in years equal to the number 1 followed by 70 zeros.
Read the Full and Newly Edited Version of This Essay
in Why Thailand: Short Essays on Thai Culture, Language, and Life
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