Naraka (Sanskrit: नरक) is the realm of existence in Jain cosmology characterized by great suffering. Naraka is usually translated into English as "hell" or "purgatory". The Khmer language for "Naraka" is norok (នរក) and is also a term used in Jainism and other Indian religions in Cambodia. Naraka differs from the hells of Abrahamic religions as souls are not sent to Naraka as the result of a divine judgment and punishment. Furthermore, the length of a being's stay in a Naraka is not eternal, though it is usually very long—measured in billions of years. A soul is reborn into a Naraka as a direct result of their previous karma (actions of body, speech and mind), and resides there for a finite length of time until their karma has achieved its full result. After their karma is used up, they may be reborn in one of the higher worlds as the result of an earlier karma that had not yet ripened.
Types of hells These realms are situated in the seven lower levels (adho lok) of the universe while the human abode of Jambudvip is in the middle (madhya lok) and the heavenly realms exist above (urdhva loka). These layers together, form the shape of a man with arms akimbo (the familiar 'keyhole' shaped emblem of Jainism), with the human realm of Jambudvip at the waist, adho lok below, urdhva lok above, and siddha lok or siddhashila (the realm of the siddhas) at or above the head. Many Jain temples are built to display this cosmology such Jambudvip in Hastinapur and the fifteen story Trilok Teerth Dham temple in Uttar Pradesh. The seven lower grounds are:
Ratna prabha Sharkara prabha Valuka prabha Panka prabha Dhuma prabha Tamah prabha Tamastamah prabha The first ground, owing to a predominance of ratnas or jewels, is called Ratnaprabha. Similarly, the second, owing to a predominance of sarkara or gravel, is called Sarkraprabha. The third owing to a predominance of valuka or sands, is called Valukaprabha. The fourth, owing to an excess of panka or mud, is called Pankaprabha. The fifth, owing to an excess of dhuma or smoke, is called Dhumaprabha. The sixth, owing to a marked possession of tamas or darkness, is called Tamahprabha, while the seventh, owing to a high concentration of mahatamas or dense darkness, is called Mahatamahprabha.
Hellish beings The hellish beings (Sanskrit: नारकीय, Nārakī) are a type of soul which reside in these various hells. They are born in hells by sudden manifestation. The hellish beings each possess a vaikriya body (protean body which can transform itself and take various forms). They have a fixed life span in the respective hells where they reside. The minimum life span of hellish beings in the first to seventh hellish grounds is 10000 years, 1 sagaropama year (Ocean-measured years which are countless years as per Jain cosmology), 3 sagaropama years, 7 sagaropama years, 10 sagaropama years, 17 sagaropama years and 22 sagaropama years respectively. The maximum life span of hellish beings in the first to seventh hellish grounds is 1 sagaropama year, 3 sagaropama years, 7 sagaropama years, 10 sagaropama years, 17 sagaropama years, 22 sagaropama years and 33 sagaropama years respectively. They experience five types of sufferings: bodily pain, inauspicious leśyā or soul colouring and pariṇāma or physical transformation, from the nature and location of hells, pain inflicted on one other and torture inflicted by mansion-dwelling demi-gods (Asura/Rakshasa).
Causes of birth in Hell
In a dialogue between Sudharma Swami and Mahavira in the Jain text Sutrakritanga, Mahavira speaks of various reasons a soul may take birth in hells:
Sudharma Swami: What is the punishment in the hells? Knowing it, O sage, tell it me who do not know it! How do sinners go to hell? Mahavira: I shall describe the truly insupportable pains where there is distress and (the punishment of) evil deeds. Those cruel sinners who, from a desire of (worldly) life, commit bad deeds, will sink into the dreadful hell which is full of dense darkness and great suffering. He who always kills movable and immovable beings for the sake of his own comfort, who injures them, who takes what is not freely given, who does not learn what is to be practised (viz. control). The impudent sinner, who injures many beings without relenting will go to hell; at the end of his life he will sink to the (place of) darkness; head downwards he comes to the place of torture. The prisoners in hell lose their senses from fright, and do not know in what direction to run. Going to a place like a burning heap of coals on fire, and being burnt they cry horribly; they remain there long, shrieking aloud. According to Jain scripture, Tattvarthasutra, following are the causes for birth in hell:
Killing or causing pain with intense passion. Excessive attachment to things and worldly pleasure with constantly indulging in cruel and violent acts. Vowless and unrestrained life.
Description of tortures of hell
In a dialogue between Sudharma and Mahavira the Jain text Sutrakritanga, Mahavira describes various tortures and sufferings in hells:
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