Six realms of existence

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Six realms of existence are commonly distinguished in Buddhism. In them, the "rebirth" of all animate beings takes place according to their self-inflicted karma.

The transmigration of the soul through the six realms

It should be noted that rebirth in the six realms of existence is not necessarily a matter of incarnations in the flesh. Rather, according to the Buddhist doctrine of transmigration or metempsychosis, the karmic path of the soul is traced through the various realms of the soul world, especially those that are passed through in the life between death and new birth. There are pictorial representations of these realms in all Buddhist traditions. They are most frequently encountered in the wheel of life of Tibetan Buddhism.

According to the Buddhist doctrine of Anatta (Pali; Sanskrit: अनात्मन् Anātman), the non-existence of a permanent and unchanging core of the soul, the I, which is considered illusory, is not taken into account. The "birth" or "rebirth" meant here must therefore not be misunderstood in the sense of the modern occidental doctrine of reincarnation. There is no mention of the I incarnating in a fleshly body. The sensual-physical event has little weight here compared to the purely soul-spiritual consideration.

„First it is said that transmigration and reincarnation, repeated lives on earth, are the same thing. Transmigration of souls is understood as if the souls of human beings migrated into different animals after death. Such nonsense has never been suggested by me in any way. The repeated earth lives mean something quite different. They are that which follows precisely from spiritual-scientific documents, just as the theory of evolution in the physical world follows from physical bases of research.“ (Lit.:GA 255b, p. 117)

The most precious birth is considered to be the birth in the human kingdom, since liberation from the sorrowful cycle of existence of samsara, the cycle of rebirths, is best possible there. Only here is it actually a real incarnation in a physical body. After death, the soul of the human being can indeed temporarily take on an animal-like form when passing through the Kamaloka or appear in the realm of the hungry spirits or even in hell, as Dante, for example, so drastically describes in his "Divine Comedy" in the cantos of the Inferno. But the I never appears in an earthly animal form.

„In the astral world, the urges and passions take on animal forms. As long as the human being is embodied in the physical body, his astral body takes somewhat the form of this physical body. But when the outer body is gone, then the urges, desires and passions, as they are in their animal [nature], come to the fore in their own form, to break through. Thus man in the astral world is an image of his drives and passions.

Because these astral beings can make use of other bodies, it is therefore dangerous to let mediums come into a trance unless a clairvoyant is present who can avert evil.

The lion is a plastic expression of certain passions in the physical world, the tiger is an expression of other passions, the cat again of others. It is interesting to see how each animal is the plastic expression of a passion, of a drive.

So in the astral, in the Kamaloka, man is approximately similar [to animal nature] through his passions. Hence the misunderstanding that has been given to the Egyptian and Indian priests and wisdom teachers concerning the doctrine of the transmigration of souls. You should live in such a way that you are not embodied in the animal, says this teaching. But this teaching never speaks of the physical life, but of the higher life, and what it wanted was nothing else than to induce people on earth to live in such a way that they need not form their animal form after death in the Kamaloka. Those who develop the characteristics of a cat appear as cats in the Kamaloka. That one also appears in the Kamaloka as a human being is the meaning of the precepts of the doctrine of the transmigration of souls. The true teachings the scholars have not understood, they have only an absurd idea of them.“ (Lit.:GA 324a, p. 40f)

The six realms of existence at a glance

  • Realm of the Devas: According to Indian tradition, the Devas are the "God-serving" gods. This generally refers to angelic beings of the Third Hierarchy. They, too, are not free from suffering and, according to the Buddhist view, are not outside the cycle of "rebirths", which, however, do not take place on earth but in the upper realms of existence if they develop properly. Devas from the hierarchy of the Primordial Angels (Spirits of Personality) are also called Suras. The word Sura means "light being" in Sanskrit and is derived from the name of the Indian sun god Surya. However, because existence as a Deva is relatively happy, it is all the more difficult to see the need for salvation. They are narrow-minded by their temporary state of happiness and are therefore not receptive to the Buddha's teaching.
  • Realm of the jealous gods: They are also called Asuras or Titans. The jealous gods constantly quarrel with the gods and try to take their place. There is a constant struggle. Buddha tries to make peace between the fronts.
  • Human realm: Despite being subjected to great suffering (birth, ageing, illness, death, grief, separation), the human realm is the most favourable. Since it is most possible for people to hear the Buddha's teaching and live according to it. The chance of achieving salvation from suffering and rebirth from this form of existence is higher than in any other realm. Existence as a human being is therefore preferable to all other forms of existence. Buddha's gesture encourages people to come closer and hear his teaching.
  • Realm of animals: Animals are not capable of reflecting on their own situation and sustainably freeing themselves from their respective situations with their own powers. They are in a relentless struggle for survival. Animals are often hunted, enslaved, killed and slaughtered. They can only follow their drives and instincts and are often helplessly at the mercy of other beings. Here, too, the Buddha delivers his message.
  • Realm of the hungry ghosts: The hungry ghosts are also known as pretas. Here are those who were greedy, stingy or gluttonous in their pre-existence, in short: those who could never get enough. Hunger ghosts are incessantly tormented by thirst and hunger. In the figurative representation, their bellies are oversized, fat and bloated. The narrow mouths and thin necks make it impossible for them to fill their huge bellies; they can never become full. To this end, in some depictions, any water they approach turns into liquid fire and food into excrement, etc. Even sleeping is made difficult for the hungry ghosts. Demonic beings or the hotness of the ground prevent them from lying down and sleeping. Buddha encourages them to come closer and present their requests to him, showing his willingness to help with the wish-granting gesture. He holds out nectar capable of satisfying the hunger and thirst of the pretas.
  • Realm of hell: This realm is divided into the hot (Luciferic) and the cold (Ahrimanic) hells. These two forms of hell are in turn divided into numerous sub-hells. Terrible torments await those who find themselves in these hells. They end when the unwholesome karma that led here has been exhausted. The Buddha also offers help and liberation for the beings in this realm.

Literature
References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.

References

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