History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c71.s1.647

v5.c71.s1.647

Buddhists appear to have borrowed the doctrine about hells from Brahmanical writers. Vide Dr B C. Law's monograph on 'Heaven and Hell in Buddhist perspective' (1925), pages 111-113, which refer to eight Mahānirayas and there are other lesser Hells. The eight Mahānirayas are Sañjīva, Kālasutta, Saṅghāta, Roruva, Mahāroruva, Tapa, Mahātapa and Avīci. It will be noticed how those names agree closely with Manu's list of hells. For the gruesome details of Hell and torments therein in ancient Jain works, vide Uttarādhyayana-sūtra (S B. E. vol. 45 pp 93–97 ) and Sūtrakṛtāṅga I. 5 (S B. E. vol. 45 pp. 279–286). Similarly, for the ideas of Heaven and Hell in Zoroastrianism, vide Mr. S. N Kanga's 'Heaven and Hell and their location in Zoroastrianism and in the Vedas' (1933).