TO HELL WITH IT

In a review of “The Flock” (June 2), reviewer Jacqueline Austin stated, “She finally pulled herself through hell’s nine circles.”

I am intrigued by the statement and would be pleased to be told what are hell’s nine circles.

HAROLD HEIFETZ

NORTH HOLLYWOOD

While Dante allocated nine circles to his “Inferno,” the more popular number among the world’s religions (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism) is seven. Classical Buddhism, for example, lists (1) Revival (where the damned are “reanimated by winds”) (2) the Black String (where they are cut to pieces), (3) Concussion, (4) Weeping, (5) Great Weeping, (6) Heating, (7) Excessive Heating. Appropriately, Tibetan Buddhists’ circles of hell get progressively colder.-- Ed .