Categories: Third Eye: Practical Meditation
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
Today, we continue our exploration of the spiritual life from a practical perspective of meditative calm and insight (Samatha-Vipassana). This teaching is offered for those of you who are sincerely investigating your inner world, especially those whose third eye has begun to awaken. This particular topic has been requested by some who wish for a deeper understanding, especially given the many conflicting ideas in the world today.
What follows is not based on theory, but on direct spiritual experience, seen by myself and others who have developed their spiritual faculties. There is no need to invent or fabricate what you are about to explore. For those with an awakened third eye, or even those familiar with traditions that use tools like ‘Anjan’ for seeing, you can aim your mind and see this for yourselves. This exploration can be a profound help in understanding the true nature of your life.
However, this teaching is not for everyone. As I often mention, people approach these topics with different mindsets. If your mind is filled with skepticism, thinking this is ‘false,’ ‘fake,’ or ‘nonsense,’ then this article will not benefit you. I wonder why someone with such a mindset would even engage with these teachings; it is a waste of your valuable time. Please, use your time for something you find more beneficial.
This article is for those who are dedicated to developing their spirituality. It is for those with an awakened third eye who wish to explore new spiritual abilities, deep states of meditation (Dhyāna), and elevate their minds. It is not for those who believe themselves to be ‘big shots’ in this sensual, material world, indulging in fleeting pleasures until death. If your focus is only on ‘having fun,’ this is not for you. Please, do not waste your time or lose your fun. This teaching is for a different purpose.
Preparing for the Journey: Understanding the Lower Realms
Today, in our 21st practical third eye meditation, we will explore the topic of what is hell in Buddhism, often known as Apāya. For those of you with an awakened third eye, you have been trained to focus your mind and see many things. We have explored sacred sites like the Ruwanwelisaya, Sigiriya, and Adam’s Peak, journeyed to India, and even perceived various deities (devas). So far, we have looked at things above the earth. Today, I thought we would gain insight into something that lies beneath the earth.
The moment you see the word ‘hell,’ you likely have some preconceived notion of what it means. You may be curious about what I will say, but you have heard about it since childhood. The Buddha himself taught about this in the Tripiṭaka, for instance in the Devadūta Sutta (The Heavenly Messengers Discourse). We live in an age where some even claim the Tripiṭaka is false.
Understand that this is a ‘game’ played by Māra, a force personifying delusion and the obstruction to spiritual progress. As I have mentioned before, Māra works to destroy the human world’s spiritual potential, and this game is now being played intensely. He fears the rise of a spiritual world because his power would diminish. Like a demon smashing the pot as he leaves, this is what is happening now. We need not be alarmed. For those with faith, these teachings will be a support for your spiritual development.
Now, for those with an awakened third eye, please sit in your usual meditation posture. Whether it’s in front of the shrine in your home, in a quiet place in nature, or in the silence of your own room, settle into your practice.
The Resolute Intention to See the Truth
As you sit in your meditation posture, you must make a strong, clear intention, known as an adhiṭṭhāna. Resolve in your mind: ‘May I be able to see the realm of Niraya.’ I need to clarify a term here. We have heard of the ‘four lower realms’ (Satara Apāya). These are: the animal realm, the realm of ghosts (peta loka), the realm of titans (asura loka), and finally, the fourth is Niraya. It is this Niraya, the realm of intense torment, that we are setting out to see today.
In total, there are about eight major hells, which are further subdivided. According to the Tripiṭaka, commentaries, and sourcebooks, the Buddha perceived about 136 such hells. Just as there are countless beings in the universe, there are places for those who perform unwholesome, harmful actions to be reborn. Now, let us investigate this.
Once you are seated, make the firm resolution: ‘May I be able to see Niraya.’ You can do this through the power of the mind-made body, also known as the astral body or ‘radiant body’ (kiraṇa kāya). You can travel there and see it directly. Alternatively, you can see it directly through the third eye, as if watching a television screen. Both methods are possible, and they are interconnected, as the mind-made body’s journey is facilitated by the third eye.
The Descent: Journeying with the Mind-Made Body
Let’s first discuss how this happens with the mind-made body. After you make the resolution, ‘May I see the Niraya within the earth’s core,’ you might suddenly perceive a hole or a circle opening up in the ground before you, or feel as if you are sinking into it. This happens spontaneously for many. This is what I am sharing from my direct experience, and anyone who has developed their spirituality with me has seen this.
Sometimes, as soon as you make the intention, beings known as Yamapallo, the guardians or enforcers of hell, may appear. One or two might come not to drag you down, but to guide and assist you in your observation. They hold certain weapons, much like police officers in the human world who carry out the sentence given by a judge. The Yamapallo are the enforcers; the judgment is given by another, whom we will discuss later. So, you may see them appear.
If they don’t appear, you can use your mind-made body to travel. You can make an intention for a circular opening to form in the earth to allow you passage. This is an act of mental power (citta shakti). Don’t be afraid. Even if the hole appears to open right at your feet, do not fear. Nothing is happening to the physical ground. Your mind-made body is simply using the physical earth as a reference to travel through a subtle, non-physical dimension connected to it.
This process utilizes the fundamental elements (pathavi, āpo, tejo, vāyo) in a way that is too complex to detail now, but you will understand it as your mind develops. You can intend, ‘May a circle form here, allowing me to enter the earth’s core to see Niraya.’ You have this ability. With this technique, you could explore the earth’s core for scientific purposes if you wished, not just to see what is hell in Buddhism. You simply don’t know the technique yet.
You may see the circle being cut by flames or as if by gold. Various phenomena can occur as the way opens. You might experience this in a way completely different from what I’ve described. That is also fine.
Navigating the Intense Heat and Darkness
As your mind-made body, or radiant body, descends, you will notice the heat increasing, just as science tells us. You are not in your physical body, but the radiant body can feel this intense heat. If a subtle body can feel it so intensely, imagine a physical body. The heat can feel like burning, and some people get scared and try to return to the surface.
At this point, you must make another intention: ‘To see Niraya, may my body’s temperature equalize with this environment. May I be able to bear it.’ Repeat this resolution several times. Your subtle body will invariably adjust, and the heat will no longer bother you. You can then proceed deeper.
The journey is through deep darkness. You might wonder if your third eye has closed, but it has not. You will feel a distinct sensation of descending, like being in an elevator going down. Your mind-made body senses this movement. Depending on the purity of your mind, your radiant body has its own light, and you may notice it illuminating your immediate surroundings. The earth’s core is truly dark, but the luminosity of your own mind, its radiant nature (pabhassara), will allow you to see what is hell in Buddhism.
Modern technology has not found a way to travel this deep. It can only be done with a developed mind. Science can only make estimations about the earth’s core after years of research. This reliance on technology is part of Māra’s strategy. By providing technology, Māra discourages mind development, increases craving and defilements, and makes people wait for science to ‘prove’ everything. They neglect the mind.
Do you see Māra’s plan? But those who develop spiritually do not fall for this; they trust what they see with their own minds. With the mind, you can reach the depths in a single mind-moment (cittakkhaṇa), a journey that would take machines years, if it were even possible.
The Realm of False Hope and Endless Screams
As you descend, you will quickly reach a section of a hell realm. It is a dark space, like a vast, dark room. If you have developed the ‘divine ear’ (dibba-sota), you will only hear sounds at first, immense, deafening noises of people screaming and wailing. The sound can be so intense it feels like your physical eardrums might burst. Here too, make an intention: ‘May I hear this sound at a level I can bear.’ The volume will then adjust.
Then, you may see a door open in the distance, flooding the area with a brilliant light like the sun. You will see a crowd of beings, who were in darkness, screaming and running desperately towards that light. But just as they get close, the door slams shut, plunging them back into darkness and despair. Your third eye vision may seem to go dark again. After a moment, a similar door of light will open on the opposite side, say, in the east.
The same crowd of beings will again run towards it, only to have it shut before they can reach it. You will see some fall and die on the way, only to be instantly reborn right there, trampled by the others. This sight can evoke a deep sense of fear and revulsion. If doubt arises, thinking it might be a hallucination, remember the spiritual faculty you have developed.
Do not fall for Māra’s tricks or dismiss your spiritual sight just because conventional science hasn’t validated it. Continue to watch. This happens on both sides, over and over. You may only be able to watch for a few minutes before the fear and sorrow become too much.
The Court of Yama: Where Karma is Revealed
When you have seen enough of that realm, if you wish to see the rest of what is hell in Buddhism, make the intention: ‘I want to see the remaining parts. I want to see for myself if King Yama truly exists, whether the Buddha’s teachings are true or false.’ You will then descend even further.
After going much deeper, you will perceive two extremely long queues of naked men and women. Your third eye, or divine eye (dibba-cakkhu), will show you this clearly. It is an endless line. Some people foolishly think only Sri Lankans go to these places.
No, you will see beings from all over planet Earth who have done unwholesome deeds and broken the five precepts. A unique feature of this realm is that beings are reborn with an appearance similar to their previous human form, an instantaneous rebirth known as opapātika. They are reborn with the form of their last life, but naked, as a result of their unwholesome karma (actions).
You may pass through a gateway with two Yamapallo guarding it. Do not be afraid. They sense spiritual visitors and will not harm you; they allow you to observe. They can recognize you, no matter which subtle body you travel in. Proceed inside and observe the queues. As you see this truth with your own eyes, the words of those who deny what is hell in Buddhism will mean nothing to you. You are seeing it yourself. Your own ability becomes your proof.
Continue forward, and you will see a large figure seated on a great throne. This is the being known as King Yama. You can now verify the stories you heard as a child. In front of him is a large book. Nothing is pre-written in it. But as soon as a being from the queue is brought before Yama, their life’s record spontaneously appears in the book.
This is the result of karma. I could explain the ‘science’ behind this, but it would take too much time and is not necessary. Karma simply manifests. Just as an accident happens suddenly in life, the record appears in an instant. Another Yamapalla, whose duty it is, reads the record aloud for Yama to hear.
I have observed the mental state of these beings. They remember almost nothing of their past lives, especially not their good deeds. No matter how much they are prompted, they cannot recall acts of kindness. King Yama does his best to help them remember any good they have done, trying to save them and send them to a higher rebirth. But their minds are so overcome by unwholesome karma, from lives spent breaking precepts, indulging in sensual pleasures, thinking ‘money is everything,’ and just having ‘fun’, that they can’t remember any good.
What they remember most vividly are their harmful actions: ‘I killed cows,’ ‘I killed chickens,’ ‘I drank and smoked and had fun.’ The mind was conditioned towards these things in the human world. Think about it. Through mindfulness practice, as taught in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, we see how easily the mind inclines towards greed, hatred, and delusion. Imagine a person who never practiced mindfulness and only indulged in unwholesome acts.
What would their mind state be at the moment of death? You can imagine what kind of rebirth they would take in one of the four lower realms. There is no distinction of gender, race, caste, or religion here. Whatever labels we hold in the human world, everyone is subject to this universal law.
A Conversation with the Ruler of the Underworld
Here, you can even communicate with King Yama. Depending on your spiritual development, you can ask him questions. If your divine ear is open, you might hear his voice. Otherwise, his words may come to you as a message or a direct knowing in your mind. You can ask about the processes you are witnessing. You can ask the beings in the queue about their lives, or even question the Yamapallo. I am sharing this from my experience to help you grasp this reality.
Yama himself might ask why you have come. He will speak with great kindness and compassion, saying things like, ‘Do not even think of coming here. I do not like performing this duty, but I am bound to it due to a mix of my own past wholesome and unwholesome karma.’ He is in a state of sorrow.
He will express his wish to be reborn in the human world as soon as possible to strive for Nibbāna (liberation). You can have these conversations and see for yourself whether the spiritual worlds described in the books are real. After this, you will see the Yamapallo drag the judged beings away, often striking them and prodding them with their weapons.
Witnessing the Direct Consequences of Harmful Actions
From the court of Yama, you can proceed to the areas where the punishments, or more accurately, the karmic consequences, are experienced. As you move, you might feel molten liquid on the soles of your feet, like stepping on hot water. What is in the earth’s core? Science confirms it is molten rock.
The universe is structured in such a way that these natural conditions of the earth’s core serve as the environment where beings who have committed grave injustices and unwholesome acts experience the results of their karma. If you feel the heat, you can make the intention as before to adjust your subtle body to it.
Once you enter these realms, I do not need to describe much. You will see with your own eyes the things you have read or heard about. You will see beings boiled in pits of liquid, and you will see if the stories of climbing the Katu Imbula (a tree with sharp thorns pointing downwards) for those who committed sexual misconduct are true. You will see the results of all kinds of actions. Everything you have heard about what is hell in Buddhism can be witnessed here after the beings are brought from Yama’s court.
There are said to be 136 such hells. If you observe just one or two, you may get a headache; the suffering is unbearable. If you wish, you can make the intention, ‘May I feel the nature of this suffering.’ Even though your physical body is safe on earth, you will begin to feel the heat and the agony in your own body. Making such a resolution can powerfully deter you from wrongdoing.
The Return, and Two Ways of Seeing
When you have seen enough, you can make the intention to return. Your mind-made body will exit the way it came, or perhaps another way, and instantly return and merge with your physical body. You can then rise from your meditation. This process is simple and you likely already know how to do it.
I must mention that for those whose third eye is awakened but who have not yet developed the ability to travel with the mind-made body, the experience will be different. You will see all of this as if you are watching a television screen. You may not feel the heat or other sensations. This is perfectly fine. Do not worry about it. Either way, you can see for yourself what lies beneath the earth and confirm whether what is hell in Buddhism truly exists.
It is important to know that these hell realms do not occupy the entire core of the Earth. The Earth is vast. They exist only in certain regions. In a future teaching, I may guide you on how to observe the Earth’s gravity with your third eye. But for now, focus on this exploration. Please, if you have this experience, share it in the comments to help others.
Unshakeable Faith: The Fruit of Direct Experience
After seeing this for yourself, you will have no more doubts. No matter who tells you that hell doesn’t exist, even if Māra himself were to appear in the guise of the Buddha and say it, you would not be swayed. Why? Because you have seen it. You have experienced it.
You trust your own spiritual faculties. No one in the world can change your conviction. This stable, unwavering state is a characteristic of a Sotāpanna, a ‘Stream-enterer,’ who has reached the first stage of enlightenment. A Stream-enterer has unshakable faith in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, and their observance of the five precepts becomes unbreakable. They cannot be converted to another path because they have realized a level of truth for themselves; their mind is ‘locked’ onto the path. Seeing these things helps you understand the reality of life.
I have visited these realms more than three thousand times, often to guide others with an awakened third eye. I encourage you to see this for yourself, either alone or with trusted spiritual friends. Share your experiences and deepen your understanding. You will see beings there who have fallen from heavenly realms, even Brahma worlds, due to an unwholesome thought arising at the moment of death.
This is why the Buddha repeatedly emphasized striving for Nibbāna, for complete liberation, and constantly performing wholesome actions. A single karmic memory from ten lifetimes ago can surface at the moment of death and determine your next existence.
Universal Justice and the Deceptions of Māra
When people say there is no hell or heaven, that the five precepts are pointless, and that there is no moral shame or fear of wrongdoing (hiri-ottappa), understand that these are the voices of Māra’s agents. They come in both lay and monastic guise. Today’s youth are encouraged to indulge in sensual pleasures, to live for fun, to use intoxicants, and to engage in lustful behavior. This is promoted by those who claim the Tripiṭaka and its commentaries are false. Māra’s goal is to corrupt future generations.
Some argue that the ideas of heaven and hell were invented by ancient people to enforce morality. But think about it. Look at our world today. Corrupt politicians steal from the people and often escape the law, living comfortable lives until they die peacefully.
Is there no justice for them? No universal law that addresses this inequity? This is where the Universal Law, the Law of Kamma, comes into play. It is a natural principle of cause and effect (Paticca-samuppāda). If you could see, you would find those very politicians in the queues in the hell realms. You cannot bribe the law of karma.
If this were our one and only life, as some Western sciences suggest, then why suffer? Why not just rob, kill, and indulge to have the most fun? Why are we born into such different circumstances? The existence of a universal law is the only logical answer. Those who claim hell was an invention for control ignore history.
Ancient kings already had horrific methods of punishment, like the ‘thirty-two forms of torture,’ to maintain order. The sages, Buddhas, and Rishis who saw these other realms spoke of them out of compassion, to show that even if you escape human laws, you cannot escape the law of karma.
The lack of moral shame and fear is dangerous. As I explained in a teaching on why the deities protect the Buddha’s dispensation, these moral safeguards are essential. Without them, we enter a dark age where spiritual progress becomes impossible. Therefore, see this for yourself, develop your spirituality, and accomplish the true purpose of your human life. Do not cling to everything with craving.
A Final Blessing for Your Journey
This practical guidance on how to see what is hell in Buddhism has now been explained. I will not prolong this teaching further. Please explore these things for yourself. If you have someone who trusts you, share what you have seen. Do not try to convince skeptics; it will just be a joke to them, as their wisdom is not yet mature.
If you wait for science to prove everything, you will die and be reborn countless times before you find out, and by then, you will have squandered your precious human life and your journey in saṃsāra (the cycle of rebirth) will be endless.
I conclude the 21st practical third eye meditation on the topic of the hell realms here. I bless you all that your third eye may awaken. For those whose third eye is already open, may you use it to explore these truths, develop your spirituality, abandon unwholesome actions, and cultivate wholesomeness. May what you see be a cause for your progress on the path.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
