Difference between revisions of "The Three Realms"
(Created page with "thumb|250px| <poem> Buddhist cosmology mentions three realms (or reigns, or worlds, or spheres) of existence, each one referring to a specific kind of rebir...") |
|||
| (3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | [[File:Es-11.jpg|thumb|250px|]] | + | [[File:Es-11.jpg|thumb|250px|]]{{DisplayImages|2182|487|185|2867|989}} |
<poem> | <poem> | ||
| − | + | by Arnie Kozak, {{Wiki|Ph.D.}} | |
| − | + | According to [[Buddhist cosmology]], there are [[three realms]] — or types — of [[existence]]: the [[Realm of Desire]], the [[Realm of Form]], and the [[Realm]] of No-Form. These [[realms]] can be understood as the {{Wiki|fruits}} of [[meditative]] [[experiences]] or the [[jhanas]] ([[meditative]] states). There are eight [[jhanas]] corresponding to the [[three realms]]. If you are in the [[realm of desire]], you have not yet reached the first [[meditative]] state. The [[realm of form]] corresponds to [[meditative]] states one to four, and the [[realm]] of no-form corresponds to the [[highest]] [[meditative]] states (five through eight). | |
| − | + | The [[realm of desire]] will be explored in detail below. It includes the [[Wheel of Life]] and is a potent {{Wiki|metaphor}} for [[karma]], [[suffering]], and the [[motivation]] to get beyond The [[Three Poisons]] of [[greed]], [[hatred]], and [[delusion]] to the [[liberation]] of [[nirvana]]. | |
| + | The [[Realm of Form]] | ||
| − | The | + | The [[realm of form]] ([[rupa]]) and its corresponding [[meditative]] states can be understood through the {{Wiki|metaphor}} of the “higher [[gods]].” These [[meditative]] states correspond to [[contact]] with the [[form]] of the [[body]] and are the basis for [[vipassana]] [[meditation]]. They can also refer to [[forms]] of [[meditation]] that involve [[visualization]]. |
| − | FORM REALM (rupadhātu) | + | The [[Form]] [[jhanas]] are: |
| + | |||
| + | [[Rapture]] and [[Pleasure]] Born of [[Seclusion]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Rapture]] and [[Pleasure]] Born of [[Concentration]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Equanimity]] and [[Mindfulness]] with [[Pleasant]] Abiding | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Equanimity]] and [[Mindfulness]], Neither [[Pleasure]] Nor [[Pain]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Thanissaro]] [[Bikkhu]] presents the [[jhanas]] in The [[Paradox]] of Becoming. The [[Buddha]] said, “Then quiet secluded from [[sensuality]], secluded from [[unskillful]] [[mental]] quality, he enters and remains in the [[first jhana]]: [[rapture]] and [[pleasure]] born of [[seclusion]], accompanied by directed [[thought]] and {{Wiki|evaluation}}.” The [[first jhana]] provides the foundation for the next. The [[Buddha]] said, “[[Rapture]] and [[pleasure]] born of [[concentration]], unification of [[awareness]] free from directed [[thought]] and {{Wiki|evaluation}} — internal assurance.” The [[second jhana]] gives way to the third, “Then with the fading of [[rapture]], he remains [[equanimous]], [[mindful]], and alert, and [[senses]] [[pleasure]] with the [[body]]. [[Equanimous]] and [[mindful]], he has a [[pleasant]] abiding.” He goes on to describe the [[fourth jhana]], “Then with the [[abandoning]] of [[pleasure]] and [[pain]], he enters and remains in [[purity]] of [[equanimity]] and [[mindfulness]], neither [[pleasure]] nor [[pain]]. He sits permeating the [[body]] with a [[pure]], bright [[awareness]].” | ||
| + | The [[Realm]] of No-Form | ||
| + | |||
| + | To reach the [[highest]] [[jhanas]] is to reach the [[realm]] of no-form ([[arupa]]). | ||
| + | |||
| + | Recall, however, from [[Siddhartha's]] story that he had [[attained]] the [[highest]] [[jhanas]] while [[meditating]] with his [[teachers]] [[Alara Kalama]] and [[Udraka Ramaputra]]. Once he came out of these rarified and [[sublime]] states he found himself right back into [[samsara]]. So even though these states are delightful, they do not represent [[liberation]]. [[Nirvana]] is not a state of [[meditation]], but a release from all [[conditioned]] and [[constructed]] [[existence]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | These [[meditative]] states are based on profound [[concentration]], and the [[Buddha]] described these states as, “the complete transcending of [[perceptions]] of [[form]], with the [[disappearance]] of [[perceptions]] of resistance.” The [[practitioner]] will [[experience]] “[[infinite space]]” and will then transcend [[infinite space]] into “[[infinite consciousness]].” And from [[infinite consciousness]] the [[practitioner]] will transcend into the “[[dimension]] of [[nothingness]].” But you're not done yet! This [[dimension]] of [[nothingness]] itself is transcended, and the [[practitioner]] will [[experience]] the [[dimension]] of “neither [[perception]] or nonperception.” These states correspond to the [[jhanas]] five through eight. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[Formless]] [[jhanas]] are: | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Infinite Space]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Infinite Consciousness]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Nothingness]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Neither [[Perception]] Nor Non-Perception | ||
| + | The [[Realm of Desire]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Within the [[Realm of Desire]] there are six categories into which you can be born in any given moment. These [[realms]] comprise a circle; one is not “higher” than the other. These represent states, momentary and more [[permanent]], that you may find yourself in at any given moment. {{Wiki|Psychoanalyst}} and [[Buddhist practitioner]] {{Wiki|Mark Epstein}} presents the [[traditional]] [[Buddhist Wheel of Life]] as a model for the neurotic [[mind]]. Each of the [[six realms]] depicted in this model can be understood as a state that you will [[experience]] at some point, perhaps many points in your [[life]]. In the very center of the [[wheel]], at the hub of the [[wheel]], are three [[animals]] representing the [[three poisons]] ([[kleshas]]): | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Greed]] or [[desire]] is represented by the {{Wiki|rooster}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Hatred]] or [[anger]] is represented by the {{Wiki|snake}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Delusion]] or [[ignorance]] is represented by the pig | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[six realms]] are: | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[God Realm]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[Human Realm]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[Realm]] of [[Jealous]] [[Gods]] ([[Wikipedia:Titan (mythology)|Titans]]) | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[Animal Realm]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[Realm of Hungry Ghosts]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[Hell Realm]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Whether or not you end up as a [[god]] or a [[hungry ghost]] largely depends on your [[karma]], your {{Wiki|intentions}} and [[actions]]. [[Nirvana]] is beyond these [[realms]] and is thus the attractive appeal of [[awakening]], [[enlightenment]], or [[liberation]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | According to John Snelling in The [[Buddhist]] Handbook, the most [[fortunate]] age to be born in is termed a [[Bhadra Kalpa]]. During a [[Bhadra Kalpa]], at least 1,000 [[Buddhas]] will be born (over the course of 320,000,000 years). Each [[Buddha]] will discover the [[dharma]], and teach it for anywhere from 500 to 1,500 years, until a dark age sets in and the [[teaching]] is lost. [[Humanity]] is currently in a [[Bhadra Kalpa]] now. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[Realm of Desire]] is named so because it is the [[realm]] in which [[beings]] {{Wiki|perceive}} [[objects]] through their [[senses]] and [[experience]] desirability or undesirability. [[Desire]] is the [[root of suffering]], and there is much [[suffering]] in the [[Realm of Desire]]. The [[Realms]] of [[Form]] and No-Form are not [[subject]] to the same [[experiences]]. | ||
| + | The [[God Realm]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | According to {{Wiki|Mark Epstein}}, the [[God Realm]] is “inhabited by [[beings]] with [[subtle bodies]], not prone to {{Wiki|illness}}, who [[delight]] in [[music]] and dance and [[exist]] in extended version of what has come to be called peak [[experiences]], in which the participant dissolves into the [[experience]] of [[pleasure]], merging with the beloved and temporarily eradicating the [[ego]] boundaries.” In other words, this is a state that [[feels]] good but is temporary. There may be twenty-six “mansions” in the [[god realm]], but there is a tendency to become complacent here. If [[life]] were all [[pleasure]] and [[bliss]], where would the [[motivation]] for {{Wiki|transcendence}} come from? This [[realm]] also tends to be rather [[self-absorbed]] (no [[bodhisattvas]] here), and [[suffering]] persists, albeit in a {{Wiki|subtle}} way. | ||
| + | [[Realm]] of [[Jealous]] [[Gods]] ([[Wikipedia:Titan (mythology)|Titans]]) | ||
| + | |||
| + | According again to Dr. Epstein, the [[jealous]] [[gods]] “represent the [[energy]] needed to overcome a [[frustration]], change a situation, or make [[contact]] with a new [[experience]].” This is the [[realm]] of [[ego]], [[mastery]], and striving. For example, the [[jealous]] [[gods]] can overtake your [[meditation]] practice in an egodriven way, and this remains a pitfall. Striving cannot be overcome with striving. In other words, you can get caught in the trap of [[desiring]] more and more [[pleasurable]] [[meditation]] [[experiences]]. You may have had a {{Wiki|taste}} of one of the [[jhanas]] and now your [[mind]] is fixated on having that [[experience]] again. Sometimes the [[jealous]] [[gods]] are portrayed as titans, [[warrior]] {{Wiki|demons}} ([[asuras]]), which have taken their [[human]] traits and used them in the pursuit of power. They are always in foul temper, always causing trouble for someone, and do not [[symbolize]] rest or [[peace]]. | ||
| + | [[Animal Realm]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the [[animal realm]], you are caught up in [[desire]] and {{Wiki|instinct}}, especially {{Wiki|sexuality}} and the [[pleasures]] of the [[senses]]. It is a [[realm]] without [[awareness]] and states that are probably all too familiar to you. [[Animals]] are trapped in [[ignorance]], and have no way of getting out of their instinct-driven behaviors. The [[animal realm]] is [[pure]] [[desire]] and tinged with the [[suffering]] that comes with [[desire]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | “Never forget how swiftly this [[life]] will be over, like a flash of summer {{Wiki|lightning}} or the wave of a hand. Now that you have the opportunity to practice [[dharma]], do not waste a [[single moment]] on anything else.” — [[Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[traditional]] [[Buddhist]] [[view]] is that [[animals]] do not have sufficient [[awareness]] to generate good [[karma]] (due to the lack of [[conscious]] {{Wiki|intentionality}}). “Does a {{Wiki|dog}} have [[Buddha-nature]]?” is a question that divides [[Buddhists]]. Again, {{Wiki|metaphorically}}, the [[animal]], like the state of [[passion]], is probably quite familiar to you. | ||
| + | [[Realm of Hungry Ghosts]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The forth [[realm]] is restless [[spirits]] ([[pretas]]). [[Hungry ghosts]] are the most [[interesting]] [[form]] of [[preta]]. The [[hungry ghost]] has a pinhole {{Wiki|mouth}} and a huge {{Wiki|stomach}} and is therefore never satisfied. Adequate amounts of [[food]] can never pass through their small mouths and the narrow necks, and when it does, immense [[pain]] is [[experienced]]. This can be seen as a {{Wiki|metaphor}} for [[greed]] that takes the [[form]] of excessive [[desire]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | For instance, if you try to find [[happiness]] through having material things, this can become a futile pursuit. The more you have the more you want. That is like being a [[hungry ghost]]. A {{Wiki|materialistic}} [[guru]] once said, “To become one with everything you need to have one of everything.” But can this really provide [[happiness]]? Research suggests that material [[wealth]] beyond a certain point of providing for basic needs does not lead to [[happiness]]. If taken literally, if you are not generous in this [[lifetime]] you may be [[reborn]] as a [[hungry ghost]]. Fortunately, [[traditional]] [[Buddhists]] set out [[food]] from their meals to “feed” [[hungry ghosts]]. Some [[Buddhist festivals]] in {{Wiki|Asia}} aim to take care of the [[hungry ghosts]] who are [[suffering]] as a result of their bad [[karma]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | There is an episode of [[South]] Park that features one of its eight-year-old characters, Cartman, pacing in front of a game store awaiting the release of the new Wii. Unfortunately for him (and everyone around him), the Wii won't be released for another three weeks. Cartman grunts, “Come on…Come on…How much longer?” He bemoans his [[fate]], “[[Time]] is slowing down. It's like waiting for {{Wiki|Christmas}}, times a thousand.” Cartman is a [[hungry ghost]]! | ||
| + | [[Hell Realm]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{Wiki|Fear}}, even to the point of paranoia, can characterize the [[hell realm]]. It's not the place you want to be. Early [[Buddhists]], just like everyone else, had vivid [[imaginations]] when it came to [[suffering]] and torture. Metaphorically, you could be endlessly cut up, burned, frozen, eaten, beaten, or tortured in any number of ways, only to [[die]] and wake up and do it all over again. Some areas of [[hell]] contain abominable nightmares, unbearable sensory [[experiences]], and horrible visions. The denizens of [[hell]] [[symbolize]] [[hatred]], and the {{Wiki|pervasive}} self-inflicted [[anxiety]] of [[dukkha]]. There are as many as ten [[hells]] in the [[Realm of Desire]], and the inhabitants must make their way through all in order to escape the anguish and [[suffering]]. There are [[realms]] where you may be [[hot]] (eight of those) or cold (also eight of those), or where you may be lacerated, or eaten alive. Take your pick! | ||
| + | |||
| + | The third [[realm]] is the {{Wiki|demon}} ([[asura]]), a state dominated by [[anger]]. In {{Wiki|Asia}}, however, these {{Wiki|demons}} may not be regarded {{Wiki|metaphorically}}. [[Evil spirits]] can wreak havoc or [[cause]] mischief. | ||
| + | [[Human Realm]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[human]] [[form]], on the other hand, is a very desirable [[realm]] to inhabit. It could be said to be the center of everything in the [[Buddhist]] [[cosmos]]. It is within the [[human]] [[form]] that you have your only chance for [[enlightenment]] and [[escape from samsara]]. In any given moment you can be in any of the [[realms]], depending upon your [[actions]] and {{Wiki|intentions}}. One way to think about [[samsara]] is the [[endless]] cycling between these [[realms]] of [[experience]]. The [[human realm]] contains the seed of its own [[awakening]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Although [[humans]] still have some very negative traits, they are free from the extreme negativities of [[life]] as a [[hungry ghost]], [[animal]], or hell-being. [[Humans]] have the capacity to do right and wrong; it is therefore in the [[human realm]] that positive or [[negative actions]] are performed. This is state where your [[karma]] gets played out. [[Buddhists]] who take [[rebirth]] literally see the [[human realm]] as the only [[realm]] that can influence its {{Wiki|future}} [[rebirth]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Buddhist cosmology]] mentions [[three realms]] (or reigns, or [[worlds]], or spheres) of [[existence]], each one referring to a specific kind of [[rebirth]] connected with the [[fruits]] of the [[attainment]] of a [[meditative]] state ([[pali]]: [[jhāna]], sanscrit: [[dhyāna]]). | ||
| + | |||
| + | The picture of the [[world]] presented in [[Buddhist cosmology]] cannot be taken as a literal description of the [[shape]] of the [[universe]] from an ordinary point of [[view]]. Rather, it is the [[universe]] as seen through the [[eyes]] of a [[Buddha]], since an [[enlightened]] {{Wiki|being}} can {{Wiki|perceive}} all of the other [[worlds]] and the [[beings]] born, risen up and passing away within them. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[DESIRE REALM]] ([[kāmadhātu]]) | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[beings]] born in the [[Kāmadhātu]] differ in [[degree]] of [[happiness]], but they are all, other than [[arhats]] and [[Buddhas]], under the {{Wiki|domination}} of [[Māra]] and are bound by [[sensual desire]], which [[causes]] them [[suffering]]. Within the [[desire]] [[world]] are either five or [[six realms]] of [[existence]] representing different kind of [[suffering]] (in [[Theravada]] [[tradition]] for example there are only five [[realms]], because the domain of the [[asuras]] is not regarded as separate from that of the [[devas]]). | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[FORM REALM]] ([[rupadhātu]]) | ||
[[File:ChakraCover.jpg|thumb|250px|]] | [[File:ChakraCover.jpg|thumb|250px|]] | ||
| − | It’s the first of the physical realms though the bodies of its inhabitants are composed of a subtle substance which is invisible to the inhabitants of the Kāmadhātu. The dwellers in the form realms have minds corresponding to the four lower meditative states (rupadhyānas). There are five form realms, the first four corresponding to the four types of rupadhyānas: | + | It’s the first of the [[physical]] [[realms]] though the [[bodies]] of its inhabitants are composed of a {{Wiki|subtle}} [[substance]] which is {{Wiki|invisible}} to the inhabitants of the [[Kāmadhātu]]. The dwellers in the [[form]] [[realms]] have [[minds]] corresponding to the four lower [[meditative]] states (rupadhyānas). There are five [[form]] [[realms]], the first four corresponding to the four types of rupadhyānas: |
| − | BRAHMĀ WORLDS The mental state of the devas of the Brahmā worlds corresponds to the first meditative state, and is characterized by observation and reflection as well as delight and joy. The Buddha said about this state: “Quiet secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful mental quality, he enters and remains in the first jhana (pali for dhyāna, the meditative state): rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought and | + | [[BRAHMĀ WORLDS]] The [[mental state]] of the [[devas]] of the [[Brahmā]] [[worlds]] corresponds to the first [[meditative]] state, and is characterized by observation and {{Wiki|reflection}} as well as [[delight]] and [[joy]]. The [[Buddha]] said about this state: “Quiet secluded from [[sensuality]], secluded from [[unskillful]] [[mental]] quality, he enters and {{Wiki|remains}} in the [[first jhana]] ([[pali]] for [[dhyāna]], the [[meditative]] state): [[rapture]] and [[pleasure]] born of {{Wiki|seclusion}}, accompanied by directed [[thought]] and {{Wiki|evaluation}}”. |
| − | ĀBHĀSVARA WORLDS The mental state of the devas of the Ābhāsvara worlds corresponds to the second meditative state, and is characterized by delight as well as joy. These devas are said to have bodies that emit flashing rays of light like lightning. The Buddha described this state as | + | [[ĀBHĀSVARA]] WORLDS |
| + | The [[mental state]] of the [[devas]] of the [[Ābhāsvara]] [[worlds]] corresponds to the second [[meditative]] state, and is characterized by [[delight]] as well as [[joy]]. These [[devas]] are said to have [[bodies]] that emit flashing rays of [[light]] like {{Wiki|lightning}}. The [[Buddha]] described this state as “[[rapture]] and [[pleasure]] born of [[concentration]]n of [[awareness]] free from directed [[thought]] and {{Wiki|evaluation}}, {{Wiki|internal}} assurance.” | ||
[[File:Image034.jpg|thumb|250px|]] | [[File:Image034.jpg|thumb|250px|]] | ||
| − | ŚUBHAKṚTSNA WORLDS The mental state of the devas of the Śubhakṛtsna worlds corresponds to the third meditative state, and is characterized by a quiet joy. These devas have bodies that radiate a steady light. About the spiritual practitioner who entrers this meditative state the Buddha said: “Then with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, and alert, and senses pleasure with the body. Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.” | + | ŚUBHAKṚTSNA WORLDS The [[mental state]] of the [[devas]] of the [[Śubhakṛtsna]] [[worlds]] corresponds to the third [[meditative]] state, and is characterized by a quiet [[joy]]. These [[devas]] have [[bodies]] that radiate a steady [[light]]. About the [[spiritual]] [[practitioner]] who entrers this [[meditative]] state the [[Buddha]] said: “Then with the fading of [[rapture]], he {{Wiki|remains}} [[equanimous]], [[mindful]], and alert, and [[senses]] [[pleasure]] with the [[body]]. [[Equanimous]] and [[mindful]], he has a [[pleasant]] abiding.” |
| − | BṚHATPHALA WORLDS The mental state of the devas of the Bṛhatphala worlds corresponds to the fourth meditative state, and is characterized by equanimity. About the spiritual practitioner who entrers this meditative state the Buddha said: “Then with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, he enters and remains in purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. He sits permeating the body with a pure, bright awareness.” | + | [[BṚHATPHALA]] WORLDS The [[mental state]] of the [[devas]] of the [[Bṛhatphala]] [[worlds]] corresponds to the fourth [[meditative]] state, and is characterized by [[equanimity]]. About the [[spiritual]] [[practitioner]] who entrers this [[meditative]] state the [[Buddha]] said: “Then with the [[abandoning]] of [[pleasure]] and [[pain]], he enters and {{Wiki|remains}} in [[purity]] of [[equanimity]] and [[mindfulness]], neither [[pleasure]] nor [[pain]]. He sits permeating the [[body]] with a [[pure]], bright [[awareness]].” |
| − | ŚUDDHĀVĀSA WORLDS This world are said the | + | [[ŚUDDHĀVĀSA]] WORLDS This [[world]] are said the “[[Pure Abodes]]” and they are {{Wiki|distinct}} from the other [[worlds]] of the [[form]] because in [[Śuddhāvāsa]] don’t [[live]] [[devas]] who have been born there through ordinary [[merit]] or [[meditative]] [[attainments]], but only those [[Non-returners]] ([[Anāgāmins]]) who are already on the [[path]] to [[Arhat-hood]] (the state of a [[spiritual]] [[practitioner]] who has [[realized]] certain high stages of [[attainment]]) and who will attain [[enlightenment]] directly from the [[Śuddhāvāsa]] [[worlds]] without {{Wiki|being}} [[reborn]] in a lower plane (even if [[Anāgāmins]] can also be born on lower planes). Every [[Śuddhāvāsa]] [[deva]] is therefore a [[protector]] of [[Buddhism]]. No [[Bodhisattva]] is ever born in these [[worlds]], because a [[Bodhisattva]] must ultimately be [[reborn]] as a [[human being]]. |
| − | FORMLESS REALM (Ārūpyadhātu) | + | [[FORMLESS REALM]] ([[Ārūpyadhātu]]) |
| − | The formless realm would have no place in a purely physical cosmology, as none of the beings inhabiting it has either shape or location. In this realm live those devas who attained one of the four Formless Absorptions of the ārūpadhyana (the four higher meditative states) in a previous life, and now enjoys the fruits of the good karma of that accomplishment. Bodhisattvas are never born in the Ārūpyadhātu even when they have attained the arūpadhyānas. There are four types of Ārūpyadhātu devas, corresponding to the four types of arūpadhyānas: | + | The [[formless realm]] would have no place in a purely [[physical]] [[cosmology]], as none of the [[beings]] inhabiting it has either [[shape]] or location. In this [[realm]] [[live]] those [[devas]] who [[attained]] one of the four [[Formless]] Absorptions of the ārūpadhyana (the four [[higher]] [[meditative]] states) in a previous [[life]], and now enjoys the [[fruits]] of the good [[karma]] of that [[accomplishment]]. [[Bodhisattvas]] are never born in the [[Ārūpyadhātu]] even when they have [[attained]] the [[arūpadhyānas]]. There are four types of [[Ārūpyadhātu]] [[devas]], corresponding to the four types of [[arūpadhyānas]]: |
| − | ĀKĀŚĀNANTYĀYATANA This world is also said the | + | [[ĀKĀŚĀNANTYĀYATANA]] This [[world]] is also said the ”[[Sphere]] of [[Infinite Space]]”. In this [[sphere]] [[formless]] [[beings]] dwell [[meditating]] upon [[space]] or extension as infinitely {{Wiki|pervasive}}. |
| − | VIJÑĀNĀNANTYĀYATANA This world is also said the | + | [[VIJÑĀNĀNANTYĀYATANA]] This [[world]] is also said the ”[[Sphere]] of [[Infinite Consciousness]]”. In this [[sphere]] [[formless]] [[beings]] dwell [[meditating]] on their [[consciousness]] as infinitely {{Wiki|pervasive}}. |
| − | ĀKIṂCANYĀYATANA This world is also said the | + | ĀKIṂCANYĀYATANA This [[world]] is also said the ”[[Sphere of Nothingness]]” (literally “[[lacking anything]]”). In this [[sphere]] [[formless]] [[beings]] dwell [[meditating]] upon the [[thought]] that “there is no thing“. This is considered a [[form]] of [[perception]] ([[samjñā]]), though a very {{Wiki|subtle}} one. |
| − | NAIVASAṂJÑĀNĀSAṂJÑĀYATANA This world is also said the | + | [[NAIVASAṂJÑĀNĀSAṂJÑĀYATANA]] This [[world]] is also said the ”[[Sphere]] of Neither [[Perception]] nor Non-Perception”. In this [[sphere]] the [[formless]] [[beings]] have gone [[beyond]] a mere {{Wiki|negation}} of [[perception]] and have [[attained]] a state where they do not engage in [[perception]] ([[samjñā]]) but are not wholly [[unconscious]]. |
</poem> | </poem> | ||
{{R}} | {{R}} | ||
[http://wordsofdharma.net/?p=405 wordsofdharma.net] | [http://wordsofdharma.net/?p=405 wordsofdharma.net] | ||
[[Category:Three Realms]] | [[Category:Three Realms]] | ||
Latest revision as of 04:53, 29 March 2014
by Arnie Kozak, Ph.D.
According to Buddhist cosmology, there are three realms — or types — of existence: the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Realm of No-Form. These realms can be understood as the fruits of meditative experiences or the jhanas (meditative states). There are eight jhanas corresponding to the three realms. If you are in the realm of desire, you have not yet reached the first meditative state. The realm of form corresponds to meditative states one to four, and the realm of no-form corresponds to the highest meditative states (five through eight).
The realm of desire will be explored in detail below. It includes the Wheel of Life and is a potent metaphor for karma, suffering, and the motivation to get beyond The Three Poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion to the liberation of nirvana.
The Realm of Form
The realm of form (rupa) and its corresponding meditative states can be understood through the metaphor of the “higher gods.” These meditative states correspond to contact with the form of the body and are the basis for vipassana meditation. They can also refer to forms of meditation that involve visualization.
The Form jhanas are:
Rapture and Pleasure Born of Seclusion
Rapture and Pleasure Born of Concentration
Equanimity and Mindfulness with Pleasant Abiding
Equanimity and Mindfulness, Neither Pleasure Nor Pain
Thanissaro Bikkhu presents the jhanas in The Paradox of Becoming. The Buddha said, “Then quiet secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful mental quality, he enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation.” The first jhana provides the foundation for the next. The Buddha said, “Rapture and pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation — internal assurance.” The second jhana gives way to the third, “Then with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, and alert, and senses pleasure with the body. Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.” He goes on to describe the fourth jhana, “Then with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, he enters and remains in purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. He sits permeating the body with a pure, bright awareness.”
The Realm of No-Form
To reach the highest jhanas is to reach the realm of no-form (arupa).
Recall, however, from Siddhartha's story that he had attained the highest jhanas while meditating with his teachers Alara Kalama and Udraka Ramaputra. Once he came out of these rarified and sublime states he found himself right back into samsara. So even though these states are delightful, they do not represent liberation. Nirvana is not a state of meditation, but a release from all conditioned and constructed existence.
These meditative states are based on profound concentration, and the Buddha described these states as, “the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance.” The practitioner will experience “infinite space” and will then transcend infinite space into “infinite consciousness.” And from infinite consciousness the practitioner will transcend into the “dimension of nothingness.” But you're not done yet! This dimension of nothingness itself is transcended, and the practitioner will experience the dimension of “neither perception or nonperception.” These states correspond to the jhanas five through eight.
The Formless jhanas are:
Infinite Space
Infinite Consciousness
Nothingness
Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception
The Realm of Desire
Within the Realm of Desire there are six categories into which you can be born in any given moment. These realms comprise a circle; one is not “higher” than the other. These represent states, momentary and more permanent, that you may find yourself in at any given moment. Psychoanalyst and Buddhist practitioner Mark Epstein presents the traditional Buddhist Wheel of Life as a model for the neurotic mind. Each of the six realms depicted in this model can be understood as a state that you will experience at some point, perhaps many points in your life. In the very center of the wheel, at the hub of the wheel, are three animals representing the three poisons (kleshas):
Greed or desire is represented by the rooster
Hatred or anger is represented by the snake
Delusion or ignorance is represented by the pig
The six realms are:
The God Realm
The Human Realm
The Realm of Jealous Gods (Titans)
The Animal Realm
The Realm of Hungry Ghosts
The Hell Realm
Whether or not you end up as a god or a hungry ghost largely depends on your karma, your intentions and actions. Nirvana is beyond these realms and is thus the attractive appeal of awakening, enlightenment, or liberation.
According to John Snelling in The Buddhist Handbook, the most fortunate age to be born in is termed a Bhadra Kalpa. During a Bhadra Kalpa, at least 1,000 Buddhas will be born (over the course of 320,000,000 years). Each Buddha will discover the dharma, and teach it for anywhere from 500 to 1,500 years, until a dark age sets in and the teaching is lost. Humanity is currently in a Bhadra Kalpa now.
The Realm of Desire is named so because it is the realm in which beings perceive objects through their senses and experience desirability or undesirability. Desire is the root of suffering, and there is much suffering in the Realm of Desire. The Realms of Form and No-Form are not subject to the same experiences.
The God Realm
According to Mark Epstein, the God Realm is “inhabited by beings with subtle bodies, not prone to illness, who delight in music and dance and exist in extended version of what has come to be called peak experiences, in which the participant dissolves into the experience of pleasure, merging with the beloved and temporarily eradicating the ego boundaries.” In other words, this is a state that feels good but is temporary. There may be twenty-six “mansions” in the god realm, but there is a tendency to become complacent here. If life were all pleasure and bliss, where would the motivation for transcendence come from? This realm also tends to be rather self-absorbed (no bodhisattvas here), and suffering persists, albeit in a subtle way.
Realm of Jealous Gods (Titans)
According again to Dr. Epstein, the jealous gods “represent the energy needed to overcome a frustration, change a situation, or make contact with a new experience.” This is the realm of ego, mastery, and striving. For example, the jealous gods can overtake your meditation practice in an egodriven way, and this remains a pitfall. Striving cannot be overcome with striving. In other words, you can get caught in the trap of desiring more and more pleasurable meditation experiences. You may have had a taste of one of the jhanas and now your mind is fixated on having that experience again. Sometimes the jealous gods are portrayed as titans, warrior demons (asuras), which have taken their human traits and used them in the pursuit of power. They are always in foul temper, always causing trouble for someone, and do not symbolize rest or peace.
Animal Realm
In the animal realm, you are caught up in desire and instinct, especially sexuality and the pleasures of the senses. It is a realm without awareness and states that are probably all too familiar to you. Animals are trapped in ignorance, and have no way of getting out of their instinct-driven behaviors. The animal realm is pure desire and tinged with the suffering that comes with desire.
“Never forget how swiftly this life will be over, like a flash of summer lightning or the wave of a hand. Now that you have the opportunity to practice dharma, do not waste a single moment on anything else.” — Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
The traditional Buddhist view is that animals do not have sufficient awareness to generate good karma (due to the lack of conscious intentionality). “Does a dog have Buddha-nature?” is a question that divides Buddhists. Again, metaphorically, the animal, like the state of passion, is probably quite familiar to you.
Realm of Hungry Ghosts
The forth realm is restless spirits (pretas). Hungry ghosts are the most interesting form of preta. The hungry ghost has a pinhole mouth and a huge stomach and is therefore never satisfied. Adequate amounts of food can never pass through their small mouths and the narrow necks, and when it does, immense pain is experienced. This can be seen as a metaphor for greed that takes the form of excessive desire.
For instance, if you try to find happiness through having material things, this can become a futile pursuit. The more you have the more you want. That is like being a hungry ghost. A materialistic guru once said, “To become one with everything you need to have one of everything.” But can this really provide happiness? Research suggests that material wealth beyond a certain point of providing for basic needs does not lead to happiness. If taken literally, if you are not generous in this lifetime you may be reborn as a hungry ghost. Fortunately, traditional Buddhists set out food from their meals to “feed” hungry ghosts. Some Buddhist festivals in Asia aim to take care of the hungry ghosts who are suffering as a result of their bad karma.
There is an episode of South Park that features one of its eight-year-old characters, Cartman, pacing in front of a game store awaiting the release of the new Wii. Unfortunately for him (and everyone around him), the Wii won't be released for another three weeks. Cartman grunts, “Come on…Come on…How much longer?” He bemoans his fate, “Time is slowing down. It's like waiting for Christmas, times a thousand.” Cartman is a hungry ghost!
Hell Realm
Fear, even to the point of paranoia, can characterize the hell realm. It's not the place you want to be. Early Buddhists, just like everyone else, had vivid imaginations when it came to suffering and torture. Metaphorically, you could be endlessly cut up, burned, frozen, eaten, beaten, or tortured in any number of ways, only to die and wake up and do it all over again. Some areas of hell contain abominable nightmares, unbearable sensory experiences, and horrible visions. The denizens of hell symbolize hatred, and the pervasive self-inflicted anxiety of dukkha. There are as many as ten hells in the Realm of Desire, and the inhabitants must make their way through all in order to escape the anguish and suffering. There are realms where you may be hot (eight of those) or cold (also eight of those), or where you may be lacerated, or eaten alive. Take your pick!
The third realm is the demon (asura), a state dominated by anger. In Asia, however, these demons may not be regarded metaphorically. Evil spirits can wreak havoc or cause mischief.
Human Realm
The human form, on the other hand, is a very desirable realm to inhabit. It could be said to be the center of everything in the Buddhist cosmos. It is within the human form that you have your only chance for enlightenment and escape from samsara. In any given moment you can be in any of the realms, depending upon your actions and intentions. One way to think about samsara is the endless cycling between these realms of experience. The human realm contains the seed of its own awakening.
Although humans still have some very negative traits, they are free from the extreme negativities of life as a hungry ghost, animal, or hell-being. Humans have the capacity to do right and wrong; it is therefore in the human realm that positive or negative actions are performed. This is state where your karma gets played out. Buddhists who take rebirth literally see the human realm as the only realm that can influence its future rebirth.
Buddhist cosmology mentions three realms (or reigns, or worlds, or spheres) of existence, each one referring to a specific kind of rebirth connected with the fruits of the attainment of a meditative state (pali: jhāna, sanscrit: dhyāna).
The picture of the world presented in Buddhist cosmology cannot be taken as a literal description of the shape of the universe from an ordinary point of view. Rather, it is the universe as seen through the eyes of a Buddha, since an enlightened being can perceive all of the other worlds and the beings born, risen up and passing away within them.
DESIRE REALM (kāmadhātu)
The beings born in the Kāmadhātu differ in degree of happiness, but they are all, other than arhats and Buddhas, under the domination of Māra and are bound by sensual desire, which causes them suffering. Within the desire world are either five or six realms of existence representing different kind of suffering (in Theravada tradition for example there are only five realms, because the domain of the asuras is not regarded as separate from that of the devas).
FORM REALM (rupadhātu)
It’s the first of the physical realms though the bodies of its inhabitants are composed of a subtle substance which is invisible to the inhabitants of the Kāmadhātu. The dwellers in the form realms have minds corresponding to the four lower meditative states (rupadhyānas). There are five form realms, the first four corresponding to the four types of rupadhyānas:
BRAHMĀ WORLDS The mental state of the devas of the Brahmā worlds corresponds to the first meditative state, and is characterized by observation and reflection as well as delight and joy. The Buddha said about this state: “Quiet secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful mental quality, he enters and remains in the first jhana (pali for dhyāna, the meditative state): rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation”.
ĀBHĀSVARA WORLDS
The mental state of the devas of the Ābhāsvara worlds corresponds to the second meditative state, and is characterized by delight as well as joy. These devas are said to have bodies that emit flashing rays of light like lightning. The Buddha described this state as “rapture and pleasure born of concentrationn of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation, internal assurance.”
ŚUBHAKṚTSNA WORLDS The mental state of the devas of the Śubhakṛtsna worlds corresponds to the third meditative state, and is characterized by a quiet joy. These devas have bodies that radiate a steady light. About the spiritual practitioner who entrers this meditative state the Buddha said: “Then with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, and alert, and senses pleasure with the body. Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.”
BṚHATPHALA WORLDS The mental state of the devas of the Bṛhatphala worlds corresponds to the fourth meditative state, and is characterized by equanimity. About the spiritual practitioner who entrers this meditative state the Buddha said: “Then with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, he enters and remains in purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. He sits permeating the body with a pure, bright awareness.”
ŚUDDHĀVĀSA WORLDS This world are said the “Pure Abodes” and they are distinct from the other worlds of the form because in Śuddhāvāsa don’t live devas who have been born there through ordinary merit or meditative attainments, but only those Non-returners (Anāgāmins) who are already on the path to Arhat-hood (the state of a spiritual practitioner who has realized certain high stages of attainment) and who will attain enlightenment directly from the Śuddhāvāsa worlds without being reborn in a lower plane (even if Anāgāmins can also be born on lower planes). Every Śuddhāvāsa deva is therefore a protector of Buddhism. No Bodhisattva is ever born in these worlds, because a Bodhisattva must ultimately be reborn as a human being.
FORMLESS REALM (Ārūpyadhātu)
The formless realm would have no place in a purely physical cosmology, as none of the beings inhabiting it has either shape or location. In this realm live those devas who attained one of the four Formless Absorptions of the ārūpadhyana (the four higher meditative states) in a previous life, and now enjoys the fruits of the good karma of that accomplishment. Bodhisattvas are never born in the Ārūpyadhātu even when they have attained the arūpadhyānas. There are four types of Ārūpyadhātu devas, corresponding to the four types of arūpadhyānas:
ĀKĀŚĀNANTYĀYATANA This world is also said the ”Sphere of Infinite Space”. In this sphere formless beings dwell meditating upon space or extension as infinitely pervasive.
VIJÑĀNĀNANTYĀYATANA This world is also said the ”Sphere of Infinite Consciousness”. In this sphere formless beings dwell meditating on their consciousness as infinitely pervasive.
ĀKIṂCANYĀYATANA This world is also said the ”Sphere of Nothingness” (literally “lacking anything”). In this sphere formless beings dwell meditating upon the thought that “there is no thing“. This is considered a form of perception (samjñā), though a very subtle one.
NAIVASAṂJÑĀNĀSAṂJÑĀYATANA This world is also said the ”Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception”. In this sphere the formless beings have gone beyond a mere negation of perception and have attained a state where they do not engage in perception (samjñā) but are not wholly unconscious.
