user8019: I understand that hell is being used for keeping the order of our society. Does hell really exist in Buddhism?  As it creates fears instead of freeing one's mind from suffering. It also creates a mechanism of punishment for not believing in the religion as well.
If it is written in Tipitaka, how do we know that it wasn't added later by someone that wanted to use it as a  rule for making people behave themselves?

user7999: Hell exists in Buddhism but not the kind of you normally you think of as hell (examples would be hell in conventional Christianity. *Ancient Christianity/Gnosis is different story)
In fact, you are in hell right now.
Heaven and hell exists within you at the same time but you just don't realize.
If your life is guided by something imaginary and not own your own and chasing for something imaginary you think is real and suffering by them, 
wouldn't it be reasonable to call that hell?

user10084: How would hell be completely existent in every school of Buddhism if it was a tool added to control society? If something was added not everyone would accept it resulting in various schools as we see now but this hasn't occurred with Hell so it isn't a later addition.

user7611: Yes, hell exists in Buddhism as a literal real place as real as this world we live in, but there many hellish worlds and they are temporary (though many can last for extremely long time-periods).
In reality the concept of hell might have originated in Buddhism because early Hinduism does not seem to have the concept nor does early Judaism or the majority of pre-Buddhist religions, they have only vague ideas and concepts.
Buddhism is among the only religion where hell is central concept, described in high graphic details, highlighted and emphasized all the time. Most certainly it was not added in because it is found everywhere in earliest scriptures. 
This makes me wonder if NT Christian writers had copied the concept of hell from Buddhism since there were many Greco-Buddhists. The Greek concept of hell is vague and only somewhat like the NT Christian version which seems to more resemble Buddhist hell. It would be much more reasonable to argue that hell was added into NT Christianity than added into Buddhism, because the evidence shows Buddhism as the probable originator of the hell concept.
Which other recorded figure had ever described hell in such high graphic details before The Buddha?
The Buddha says:

"In the same manner bhikkhus, the unpleasantness and displeasure
  experienced on account of six thousand whips three times a day
  cannot be reckoned as a comparison, not even as a quarter, nor even
  as a sign for the unpleasantness and displeasure experienced in hell.
  The warders of hell give him the fivefold binding." (Balapandita
  Sutta, MN 129)



"And then later on, with the divine eye, which is purified and
  surpasses the human, I see that on the dissolution of the body, after
  death, he has reappeared in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy
  destination, in perdition, in hell, and is experiencing extremely
  painful, racking, piercing feelings. 
Suppose there were a charcoal pit deeper than a man's height full of
  glowing coals without flame or smoke; and then a man scorched and
  exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched and thirsty, came by a path
  going in one way only and directed to that same charcoal pit. 
Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say: 'This person so
  behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path, that he will come
  to this same charcoal pit'; and then later on he sees that he has
  fallen into that charcoal pit and is experiencing extremely painful,
  racking, piercing feelings. So too, by encompassing mind with mind...
  piercing feelings." (Maha-sihanada Sutta, MN 12)

You said:

"As it creates fears instead of freeing one's mind from suffering. It
  also creates a mechanism of punishment for not believing in the
  religion as well."

I don't know, lots of things create fear, but the belief in hell can create positive fear and motivation to act. The Buddha states the truth not what people necessarily want to hear.
My personal belief is that hellish worlds are really physically real and that it would be proven in the future, it's only a matter of time. I already have a hunch on how it could be proven, but who wants to witness or go to hell?

user295: 
Does hell exist in Buddism?

Yes it does. It is a destination in which you mental state is painful and also painful mental states are sometimes called hell. Hell is mentioned in Bala Pandita Sutta. Painful mental states are compared to hell in Patala Sutta

It also creats a machanism of punishment for not believing in the religion as well.

Buddhism is universal hence there is no notion of punishment. If a Hindu, Muslim, Christian does good then good results follow.
But having said that holding into wrong views does have consequences regardless if you consider yourself a Buddhist or not. 


For one with wrong view, Lohicca, there is either of two destinies, I say, that is, hell or the animal womb. 


Source: (Sāla,vatikā) Lohicca Sutta

It also creats a machanism of punishment for not believing in the religion as well.

If you look at the Abhidhamma associated the right view is belief in Karmic repercussions. Even Hindus can have it. Also to a certain extent people of other faiths if you believe an action has repercussions. This is not aimed at keeping you believing. Also right view does have shades and purity. The ultimate would be the experiential understanding but at a conceptual level the best understanding you can get is by reading Samma,ditthi Sutta.
Also Buddhism is not about any belief but experiencing the realities pertaining to our existance hence understanding the arising of stress and sorrow through whereby you can find a way out of it. You have to have some faith in the techniques as you would have to have in a doctor and his treatment to follow through with it.

If it is written in Tipitaka, how do we know that it wasn't added later by someone that wanted to use it as a rule for making people behave themselves?

Vimanavatthu and Petavatthu was preached to make people understand reciprocation of Karma hence behave themselves. This also is not to keep someone tied to believe in the teaching. Also I do not believe this was added later.

8019: <p>I understand that hell is being used for keeping the order of our society. Does hell really exist in Buddhism?  As it creates fears instead of freeing one's mind from suffering. It also creates a mechanism of punishment for not believing in the religion as well.</p>

<p>If it is written in Tipitaka, how do we know that it wasn't added later by someone that wanted to use it as a  rule for making people behave themselves?</p>
 7999: <p>Hell exists in Buddhism but not the kind of you normally you think of as hell (examples would be hell in conventional Christianity. *Ancient Christianity/Gnosis is different story)</p>

<p>In fact, you are in hell right now.
Heaven and hell exists within you at the same time but you just don't realize.
If your life is guided by something imaginary and not own your own and chasing for something imaginary you think is real and suffering by them, 
wouldn't it be reasonable to call that hell?</p>
 10084: <p>How would hell be completely existent in every school of Buddhism if it was a tool added to control society? If something was added not everyone would accept it resulting in various schools as we see now but this hasn't occurred with Hell so it isn't a later addition.</p>
 7611: <p>Yes, hell exists in Buddhism as a literal real place as real as this world we live in, but there many hellish worlds and they are temporary (though many can last for extremely long time-periods).</p>

<p>In reality the concept of hell might have originated in Buddhism because early Hinduism does not seem to have the concept nor does early Judaism or the majority of pre-Buddhist religions, they have only vague ideas and concepts.</p>

<p>Buddhism is among the only religion where hell is central concept, described in high graphic details, highlighted and emphasized all the time. Most certainly it was not added in because it is found everywhere in earliest scriptures. </p>

<p>This makes me wonder if NT Christian writers had copied the concept of hell from Buddhism since there were many Greco-Buddhists. The Greek concept of hell is vague and only somewhat like the NT Christian version which seems to more resemble Buddhist hell. It would be much more reasonable to argue that hell was added into NT Christianity than added into Buddhism, because the evidence shows Buddhism as the probable originator of the hell concept.</p>

<p>Which other recorded figure had ever described hell in such high graphic details before The Buddha?</p>

<p>The Buddha says:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"In the same manner bhikkhus, the unpleasantness and displeasure
  experienced on account of six thousand whips three times a day
  cannot be reckoned as a comparison, not even as a quarter, nor even
  as a sign for the unpleasantness and displeasure experienced in hell.
  The warders of hell give him the fivefold binding." (Balapandita
  Sutta, MN 129)</p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<blockquote>
  <p>"And then later on, with the divine eye, which is purified and
  surpasses the human, I see that on the dissolution of the body, after
  death, he has reappeared in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy
  destination, in perdition, in hell, and is experiencing extremely
  painful, racking, piercing feelings. </p>
  
  <p>Suppose there were a charcoal pit deeper than a man's height full of
  glowing coals without flame or smoke; and then a man scorched and
  exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched and thirsty, came by a path
  going in one way only and directed to that same charcoal pit. </p>
  
  <p>Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say: 'This person so
  behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path, that he will come
  to this same charcoal pit'; and then later on he sees that he has
  fallen into that charcoal pit and is experiencing extremely painful,
  racking, piercing feelings. So too, by encompassing mind with mind...
  piercing feelings." (Maha-sihanada Sutta, MN 12)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>You said:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"As it creates fears instead of freeing one's mind from suffering. It
  also creates a mechanism of punishment for not believing in the
  religion as well."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I don't know, lots of things create fear, but the belief in hell can create positive fear and motivation to act. The Buddha states the truth not what people necessarily want to hear.</p>

<p>My personal belief is that hellish worlds are really physically real and that it would be proven in the future, it's only a matter of time. I already have a hunch on how it could be proven, but who wants to witness or go to hell?</p>
 295: <blockquote>
  <p>Does hell exist in Buddism?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes it does. It is a destination in which you mental state is painful and also painful mental states are sometimes called hell. Hell is mentioned in <a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.22-Bala-Pandita-S-m129-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Bala Pandita Sutta</a>. Painful mental states are compared to hell in <a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.25-Patala-S-s36.41.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Patala Sutta</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>It also creats a machanism of punishment for not believing in the religion as well.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Buddhism is universal hence there is no notion of punishment. If a Hindu, Muslim, Christian does good then good results follow.</p>

<p>But having said that holding into wrong views does have consequences regardless if you consider yourself a Buddhist or not. </p>

<blockquote>
  <blockquote>
    <p>For one with wrong view, Lohicca, there is either of two destinies, I say, that is, hell or the animal womb. </p>
  </blockquote>
</blockquote>

<p>Source: <a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/34.8-Salavatika-Lohicca-S-d12-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">(Sāla,vatikā) Lohicca Sutta</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>It also creats a machanism of punishment for not believing in the religion as well.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>If you look at the Abhidhamma associated the right view is belief in Karmic repercussions. Even Hindus can have it. Also to a certain extent people of other faiths if you believe an action has repercussions. This is not aimed at keeping you believing. Also right view does have shades and purity. The ultimate would be the experiential understanding but at a conceptual level the best understanding you can get is by reading <a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.14-Sammaditthi-S-m9-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Samma,ditthi Sutta</a>.</p>

<p>Also Buddhism is not about any belief but experiencing the realities pertaining to our existance hence understanding the arising of stress and sorrow through whereby you can find a way out of it. You have to have some faith in the techniques as you would have to have in a doctor and his treatment to follow through with it.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>If it is written in Tipitaka, how do we know that it wasn't added later by someone that wanted to use it as a rule for making people behave themselves?</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimanavatthu" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Vimanavatthu</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petavatthu" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Petavatthu</a> was preached to make people understand reciprocation of Karma hence behave themselves. This also is not to keep someone tied to believe in the teaching. Also I do not believe this was added later.</p>
