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A Guided Tour of Hell: A Graphic Memoir
Take a trip through the realms of hell with a man whose temporary visitor s pass gave him a horrifying and enlightening preview of its torments.
This true account of Sam Bercholz's near-death experience has more in common with Dante's Inferno than it does with any of the popular feel-good stories of what happens when we die. In the aftermath of heart surgery, Sam, a longtime Buddhist practitioner and teacher, is surprised to find himself in the lowest realms of karmic rebirth, where he is sent to gain insight into human suffering. Under the guidance of a luminous being, Sam s encounters with a series of hell-beings trapped in repetitious rounds of misery and delusion reveal to him how an individual's own habits of fiery hatred and icy disdain, of grasping desire and nihilistic ennui, are the source of horrific agonies that pound consciousness for seemingly endless cycles of time. Comforted by the compassion of a winged goddess and sustained by the kindness of his Buddhist teachers, Sam eventually emerges from his ordeal with renewed faith that even the worst hell contains the seed of wakefulness. His story is offered, along with the modernist illustrations of a master of Tibetan sacred arts, in order to share what can be learned about awakening from our own self-created hells and helping others to find relief and liberation from theirs.
This true account of Sam Bercholz's near-death experience has more in common with Dante's Inferno than it does with any of the popular feel-good stories of what happens when we die. In the aftermath of heart surgery, Sam, a longtime Buddhist practitioner and teacher, is surprised to find himself in the lowest realms of karmic rebirth, where he is sent to gain insight into human suffering. Under the guidance of a luminous being, Sam s encounters with a series of hell-beings trapped in repetitious rounds of misery and delusion reveal to him how an individual's own habits of fiery hatred and icy disdain, of grasping desire and nihilistic ennui, are the source of horrific agonies that pound consciousness for seemingly endless cycles of time. Comforted by the compassion of a winged goddess and sustained by the kindness of his Buddhist teachers, Sam eventually emerges from his ordeal with renewed faith that even the worst hell contains the seed of wakefulness. His story is offered, along with the modernist illustrations of a master of Tibetan sacred arts, in order to share what can be learned about awakening from our own self-created hells and helping others to find relief and liberation from theirs.
147 pages, Hardcover
Published December 6, 2016
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666 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 29, 2017
This was not what I was expecting.
First of all, despite my local library's classifying this as a graphic novel, and despite the "graphic memoir" in the subtitle, this is not comics, or at least not as most people understand the term. It's illustrated prose. There are entire pages of nothing but text, and, if you removed the illustrations entirely, Bercholz' narrative could stand on its own just fine.
Bercholz had a vision of Hell during a near death experience. It's a specifically Buddhist version of Hell, or, more precisely, it's Bercholz' individual vision interpreted through a Buddhist lens. I'll admit to being somewhat skeptical of near death experiences. I don't doubt that they happen, but it seems more likely that they arise from within. I've seen some credible scientific explanations of the similarities between various people's experiences. I suppose, in the end, none of that has much to do with this book, though. Bercholz relates the circumstances that led up to his vision, as well as what followed after. While his vision of Hell is a terrifying one, it's not without hope. The trapped beings he encounters have the capacity to free themselves; they just need to achieve the right mindset. While it clearly won't be easy, it is possible.
The latter fourth of the book goes into detail about the Six Realms of the Buddhist universe, which helps place his vision of Hell in context for readers unfamiliar with the philosophy. I found this book interesting, and the paintings and illustrations magnificent. In the end, it's just not really my cup of tea though.
First of all, despite my local library's classifying this as a graphic novel, and despite the "graphic memoir" in the subtitle, this is not comics, or at least not as most people understand the term. It's illustrated prose. There are entire pages of nothing but text, and, if you removed the illustrations entirely, Bercholz' narrative could stand on its own just fine.
Bercholz had a vision of Hell during a near death experience. It's a specifically Buddhist version of Hell, or, more precisely, it's Bercholz' individual vision interpreted through a Buddhist lens. I'll admit to being somewhat skeptical of near death experiences. I don't doubt that they happen, but it seems more likely that they arise from within. I've seen some credible scientific explanations of the similarities between various people's experiences. I suppose, in the end, none of that has much to do with this book, though. Bercholz relates the circumstances that led up to his vision, as well as what followed after. While his vision of Hell is a terrifying one, it's not without hope. The trapped beings he encounters have the capacity to free themselves; they just need to achieve the right mindset. While it clearly won't be easy, it is possible.
The latter fourth of the book goes into detail about the Six Realms of the Buddhist universe, which helps place his vision of Hell in context for readers unfamiliar with the philosophy. I found this book interesting, and the paintings and illustrations magnificent. In the end, it's just not really my cup of tea though.
May 16, 2018
This is a frustrating book. It’s a collaboration between a Buddhist scholar and a Tibetan-American painter, centered on the scholar’s near-death vision of a hell-journey, which was then illustrated by the painter. My disappointment with the book stems from having seen an exhibit of the paintings and hoping that this would be basically an exhibit catalog, since I was deeply moved by the exhibit. Well, no: most of the paintings are there, in various sizes, plus many little fragmentary snippets. And the writer has greatly expanded his brief exhibit commentaries, adding various tenets of Buddhism along with more specific verbal descriptions of his vision-encounters.
Problem for me is that his prose is radically inferior to the paintings he inspired. While the journey comprises the pain & suffering of Dante’s Inferno, the intention isn’t a depiction of eternal punishments from God but the process of purgation of the hells we create in ourselves. His subjective experience is utterly believable in the illustrations, but in prose it becomes strained, groping for more and more adjectives of suffering. At one point he describes in detail a Buddhist painting of the Wheel of Life yet omits the picture itself. This may be due to copyright, etc., but it feels indicative of an instinct to mistrust the visuals that he’s so vividly inspired.
When he includes a half dozen character profiles of specific sufferers, for me it blows credibility. Indeed, it starts to sound like a specially-arranged tour for his personal benefit—I start wondering, what, were you standing there asking this agonized person to tell you his life story? And indeed takes on the Dantesque tone of the-punishment-fits-the-crime.
So, for me, it’s deeply flawed but still very much worth experiencing. I intend to return to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco before the exhibit closes. And I have to commend the writer for manifesting the concept.
Problem for me is that his prose is radically inferior to the paintings he inspired. While the journey comprises the pain & suffering of Dante’s Inferno, the intention isn’t a depiction of eternal punishments from God but the process of purgation of the hells we create in ourselves. His subjective experience is utterly believable in the illustrations, but in prose it becomes strained, groping for more and more adjectives of suffering. At one point he describes in detail a Buddhist painting of the Wheel of Life yet omits the picture itself. This may be due to copyright, etc., but it feels indicative of an instinct to mistrust the visuals that he’s so vividly inspired.
When he includes a half dozen character profiles of specific sufferers, for me it blows credibility. Indeed, it starts to sound like a specially-arranged tour for his personal benefit—I start wondering, what, were you standing there asking this agonized person to tell you his life story? And indeed takes on the Dantesque tone of the-punishment-fits-the-crime.
So, for me, it’s deeply flawed but still very much worth experiencing. I intend to return to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco before the exhibit closes. And I have to commend the writer for manifesting the concept.
March 26, 2017
Here's the Buddhist take as viewed by Sam Bercholz, life-long Buddhist practitioner, and founder of Shambhala Publications. At age 60, Sam had a sextuple coronary by-pass, and while recuperating suffers a severe blood infection. He feels his feet lassoed, consciousness descends, and space and time cease. When "he" comes to, he is greeted by the Buddha of Hell, and thus begins the tour. Let's just say it's a magnitude freakier than Dante's version, and you don't want to go. The good news is the souls may eventually burn enough Karma to get out. This is a graphic memoir, illustrated to extraordinary effect by Pema Namdol Thaye.
I got this at the library and was so taken (good word) that I bought a copy.
Fantastic.
I got this at the library and was so taken (good word) that I bought a copy.
Fantastic.
August 2, 2020
Well Dante certainly does not need to worry about this as competition. Perhaps I could recommend Inferno by Niven and Pournelle instead?
April 6, 2020
這麼多年在東方的哲學或者宗教大家都何常不知道的所謂人假如生前做了壞事，都會被地獄先審判或者在地獄中度過⋯韓國電影與神同行也活生生的讓大家知道：地獄，輪迴業障，是什麼回事⋯⋯殺人的在地獄中就要被受到嚴厲的懲罰等等⋯⋯我們人一出生一念無明：貪，嗔，癡，慢，疑五毒是我們每分每秒都在犯的
當我看到這本書是外國人寫的，他生命度過第三次的難關尤其第三次他被邀請去看了地獄的狀態然後加了他的好朋友幫忙：把他在地獄一遊的現象用我們正常人的語言和抽象的圖片表達給我們世人看⋯不太像中文版的地獄一遊：刀山火海⋯超高的溫度剪舌頭這種⋯
總括：這位外國人形容成地獄為一個和我們共同一個空間⋯其實人死後無形無狀但心的層面是存在的⋯既然是魔是從心起來就要從心去消滅它⋯或者說平息
六道是存在的但不是說你always都是VIP⋯
業障不像我們用二元思考去想說我們現在做很多好事就必然去天堂哪一種。他不像我們會計方式：做10樣的正事會抵銷10樣的壞事....
跟天主教一樣自殺是絕對不被接受的，因為我們在人道其實是最幸福的
地獄有兩種一種是非常炎熱的一種是非常冷的兩種都是修煉的一種
我們人活在這個世界上嚴重受到二元思考所以生存的時候並沒有對其他生物或者對自己有倍加進度的修煉⋯在有危機包含這個疫情之中大家怕死的程度處處可見⋯
作者要帶出來是說當下這個時候你要做什麼事情是對得起這個地球，對得起其他的動物，對得起你的周邊的朋友，或者陌生人，甚至與商業夥伴⋯
四聖諦是對苦的了解：人間常聽得就是吃苦當補⋯其實不然⋯⋯
活在當下不是四個字這麼簡單：你當下的心放在哪裡？這才是有趣的修煉
不管有沒有地獄的存在，我們能夠在人道之中就有多多想一下自己的弱點，短處跟醜陋的一面，而不是說活在當下繼續泡在五毒之中⋯⋯
發人深省
當我看到這本書是外國人寫的，他生命度過第三次的難關尤其第三次他被邀請去看了地獄的狀態然後加了他的好朋友幫忙：把他在地獄一遊的現象用我們正常人的語言和抽象的圖片表達給我們世人看⋯不太像中文版的地獄一遊：刀山火海⋯超高的溫度剪舌頭這種⋯
總括：這位外國人形容成地獄為一個和我們共同一個空間⋯其實人死後無形無狀但心的層面是存在的⋯既然是魔是從心起來就要從心去消滅它⋯或者說平息
六道是存在的但不是說你always都是VIP⋯
業障不像我們用二元思考去想說我們現在做很多好事就必然去天堂哪一種。他不像我們會計方式：做10樣的正事會抵銷10樣的壞事....
跟天主教一樣自殺是絕對不被接受的，因為我們在人道其實是最幸福的
地獄有兩種一種是非常炎熱的一種是非常冷的兩種都是修煉的一種
我們人活在這個世界上嚴重受到二元思考所以生存的時候並沒有對其他生物或者對自己有倍加進度的修煉⋯在有危機包含這個疫情之中大家怕死的程度處處可見⋯
作者要帶出來是說當下這個時候你要做什麼事情是對得起這個地球，對得起其他的動物，對得起你的周邊的朋友，或者陌生人，甚至與商業夥伴⋯
四聖諦是對苦的了解：人間常聽得就是吃苦當補⋯其實不然⋯⋯
活在當下不是四個字這麼簡單：你當下的心放在哪裡？這才是有趣的修煉
不管有沒有地獄的存在，我們能夠在人道之中就有多多想一下自己的弱點，短處跟醜陋的一面，而不是說活在當下繼續泡在五毒之中⋯⋯
發人深省
April 17, 2022
Being a visitor to the hell realms with the ability to come back and tell your story - what a gift that is! While the author's worldview has been shaped by his long connection with Tibetan Buddhism, you can also see elements of how one's individual experience of life informs what lies beyond death. I believe Bercholz was chosen to have this experience and to remember it as a cautionary tale for those who still believe their actions have no effect. The artist chosen for the illustration was a perfect match for both the "day in the life" transition drawings and the appropriately startling hell realm paintings. The book itself is beautifully designed and printed - a loving homage to the author who founded Shambhala Publishing.
February 1, 2023
A walk into Buddhist hell through the eyes of an American - sounds strange? It rather is.....
At first its very intriguing, the scenes described having seen during his near death experience. First few chapters you're pulled in, the horrific scenes really make you feel terror as if you were the one witnessing firsthand. The accompanying images, far from being art masterpieces do a convincing job of representing the horror described in the text.
But as the book goes on it just feels decreasingly unauthentic. The images seem to take over and the book begins looking more like an art exhibition than a memoir of death. Also the authors uncanny ability to remember complex non-English names which you as the reader still can't seem to remember after reading it several times.
What starts off as a horrific memoir of death quickly turns into a tedious repetitive read.
Feel like a trip through hell, just go back to Dante
At first its very intriguing, the scenes described having seen during his near death experience. First few chapters you're pulled in, the horrific scenes really make you feel terror as if you were the one witnessing firsthand. The accompanying images, far from being art masterpieces do a convincing job of representing the horror described in the text.
But as the book goes on it just feels decreasingly unauthentic. The images seem to take over and the book begins looking more like an art exhibition than a memoir of death. Also the authors uncanny ability to remember complex non-English names which you as the reader still can't seem to remember after reading it several times.
What starts off as a horrific memoir of death quickly turns into a tedious repetitive read.
Feel like a trip through hell, just go back to Dante
September 17, 2017
Simple and accessible to read, this graphic memoir of a Buddhist practitioner's guided "tour" of the Hell realms is profound, disturbing, and yet inspirational in its inherent message: we humans have the power to both create our own Hellish existence AND the choice to embrace the compassion within and around us to leave Hell and dwell in equanimity.
June 17, 2017
A very eye opening read, makes you stop and reflect on hell. There is a chapter on the tunnel of suicides. Where ones whom chose to end their life. The author is a Buddhist, so told from his view. Still a very compelling read. I still have thoughts about what I read.
November 20, 2017
The story of a modern day 'Delog'. A journey through the Buddhist hell, accompanied by blessed beings. And the positive after effect. This graphic memoir deserves many re readings to absorb all of its "truths". The wqisdom of the teacher always shines.
September 17, 2017
This book can be summed up in one sentence: hell is of your own making, both in this life and the next. Read it.
June 30, 2018
Great read in combination with a tour of the exhibit of the same name at the Asian Art Museum, SF
July 16, 2018
I would call this an "illustrated memoir" rather than a graphic novel, FWIW. Kinda weird, kinda wise.
March 8, 2019
Terrifying and yet fascinating. And a little depressing.
Read
October 19, 2020Quit reading shortly after the extremely lengthy introduction. This book is a fictional account of b.s. written by a spiritual lunatic claiming to have had metaphysical experiences.
April 12, 2023
This one was a bit weird. A slog to get through.
Read
February 14, 2024I like the concept, but I wish it had more faith in its art to do the talking
May 16, 2024
Graphic descriptions of hell. Interesting moral stories. Fun read.
March 1, 2017
A personal account, told through text and expressive art, of a man's near-death experience.
It involves his journey to hell, accompanied by the "Buddha of Hell", as the realized being takes him on a tour of the hot, cold, and peripheral areas of the notorious afterlife destination. The descriptions bear resemblances to the various hells described in Patrul Rinpoche's seminal Buddhist guide, The Words of My Perfect Teacher. The author describes several inhabitants he meets along the way, supplying names and stories of how they lived their lives.
In Tibet, people who have this experience are called "deloks", and their recollections were the inspiration for the Tibetan Book of the Dead. One teacher jokes that there is finally an American delok in Sam Bercholz. His otherworldly journey serves as a reminder of the effects of karma, and how we must all take care when interacting with others, lest we find ourselves with the same fate.
It involves his journey to hell, accompanied by the "Buddha of Hell", as the realized being takes him on a tour of the hot, cold, and peripheral areas of the notorious afterlife destination. The descriptions bear resemblances to the various hells described in Patrul Rinpoche's seminal Buddhist guide, The Words of My Perfect Teacher. The author describes several inhabitants he meets along the way, supplying names and stories of how they lived their lives.
In Tibet, people who have this experience are called "deloks", and their recollections were the inspiration for the Tibetan Book of the Dead. One teacher jokes that there is finally an American delok in Sam Bercholz. His otherworldly journey serves as a reminder of the effects of karma, and how we must all take care when interacting with others, lest we find ourselves with the same fate.
December 26, 2016
For Buddhists in the Mahayana tradition it is a stark reminder to get your Mind right, now! Written by the founder of Shambala publishing about his near death experience in which a Buddha of hell gave him a tour of hell. Illustrated by the very talented Pema Namdol Thaye it is visually memorable as well. I will donate my copy to our Tibetan learning center's library since I will never forget what I read and to accumulate positive karma.
Want to read
November 16, 2016Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
January 17, 2017
4 STARS
January 18, 2017
beautifully written and so timeless in it's relevance, recommended new year read
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews