Avīci
/əˈviːtʃi/noun
In Buddhist cosmology, Avīci is the lowest hell, associated with uninterrupted suffering and rebirth caused by exceptionally grave karma.
Did you know?Although Avīci is often called eternal hell in popular retellings, mainstream Buddhist traditions generally describe it as an immensely long but finite karmic rebirth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weyǵ-
“A reconstructed root associated with turning, changing, or moving; its relationship to Sanskrit vīci is etymologically discussed rather than certain.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
vīci
“Wave, ripple, interval, or pause.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
a-vīci
“Without waves or without intervals; uninterrupted.”
3rd Century BCE–1st Century CE
Pāli
Avīci
“The lowest Buddhist hell, characterized by continuous suffering.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Avīci
“A hell realm in Buddhist cosmological and narrative literature.”
19th Century
English
Avīci
“An English loanword used in translations and scholarly discussions of Buddhist hell cosmology.”
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