In Buddhist cosmology, Avīci is the lowest and most severe hell realm.
Avīci is described as a realm of uninterrupted suffering, and its name is commonly explained as meaning “without interruption.” Beings are said to be reborn there because of exceptionally grave karma. This is a temporary realm within Buddhist samsara, not an eternal destination created by a permanent divine judge.
The term appears in Indian Buddhist literature and became especially prominent in Mahayana Buddhist texts. Some sources associate Avīci with severe offenses such as killing one’s parents, killing an arhat, causing a Buddha to bleed, or creating schism in the monastic community. Lists and interpretations vary by Buddhist tradition.
Avīci should not be confused with naraka, the broader Sanskrit category for Buddhist hell realms. Nor should it be confused with preta existence, associated with hungry ghosts, or with the six-realm framework as a whole. The duration of suffering in Avīci is extraordinarily long, but Buddhist cosmology ultimately treats even hell rebirth as impermanent.