The concept of punishment in Islam and Buddhism : a comparative analysis on nar and naraka

Abstract

This study attempts to examine the concept of punishment for human misdeeds in the retribution system of Islam and Buddhism with special focus on the major punishment known as the Nar and Naraka. The goal of this research is to compare the two ideas by drawing a parallel between the respective systems in order to identify the aspects of similarity and dissimilarity. The importance lies in filling a distinct gap in the field of comparative religion on a topic related to salvation holding the greatest significance in Islam and Buddhism because of their connection to human actions in the lifetime and their fate in the afterlife. This research focuses on the concept, belief, significance, function and nature of the hell, as well as the penal process, ruling authority, pathway to and escapeway from hell in both the religions, adopting descriptive, analytical and comparative methods based on the scriptures and available literature from both religions. The study finds out many contact points in the concept of hell such as current status of physical hell, duration of its life and life of the hellish, its location and function of punishing evildoers physically and spiritually. There is also certain level of agreement in the roots of evil, suffering in the way of hell, some sinful acts leading to and the getaway from it. Besides, there are disagreements such as, in Buddhism, non-theistic karmic authority of Naraka, possibility of repeated unidentical rebirth into it and its cosmic essence, whereas Islam enjoys an opposite stand on these issues. These characteristics grant the Buddhists excessive hope likely causing procrastination in devotion unlike Islam trying to create extreme seriousness. However, both religions urge their followers to live a purposeful meritorious life promoting mutual understanding and sphering a wide space to contact each other for multireligious harmony.