What do buddhists mean when they talk about "realms"

[Tianzun]

Do they mean other planets? Other universes? Other planets within other universes?

[ChiDragon]

2 hours ago, Tianzun said:

Do they mean other planets? Other universes? Other planets within other universes?

 

This applies to all practices and cultivation, 'Realms' simply mean that the highest level of cultivation has been achieved or acquired. For example, the normal breathing can constantly go deeply into the abdomen(LDT). It can be said that the highest realm of breathing has been accomplished.

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by ChiDragon

[Taoist Texts]

9 hours ago, Tianzun said:

Do they mean other planets? Other universes? Other planets within other universes?

different planes/dimensions/universes within our multiverse

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desire_realm

[Apech]

14 hours ago, Tianzun said:

Do they mean other planets? Other universes? Other planets within other universes?

 

The word 'realm' as it implies is a domain, like a kingdom, with a ruler.  In the Buddhist sense everything which seems to exist is a projection of mind.  Thus Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have 'buddha fields' which are realms of their consciousness, where their aspirations create environments conducive to sentient beings achieving enlightenment.

 

Additionally there are said to be six realms in which six different kinds of beings 'exist'.  Gods, demi-gods, human, animals, hungry ghosts and beings in hell(s).  Reality is perceived differently by the beings in the realms according to the conditioning of their consciousness.  Also as Taoist Texts has shown various realms such as the form realm, formless realm, desire realm arise through minds attachment in various ways.

 

 

[Indiken]

37 minutes ago, Apech said:

 

The word 'realm' as it implies is a domain, like a kingdom, with a ruler.  In the Buddhist sense everything which seems to exist is a projection of mind.  Thus Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have 'buddha fields' which are realms of their consciousness, where their aspirations create environments conducive to sentient beings achieving enlightenment.

 

Additionally there are said to be six realms in which six different kinds of beings 'exist'.  Gods, demi-gods, human, animals, hungry ghosts and beings in hell(s).  Reality is perceived differently by the beings in the realms according to the conditioning of their consciousness.  Also as Taoist Texts has shown various realms such as the form realm, formless realm, desire realm arise through minds attachment in various ways.

 

 

 

That is a nice story, but for ordinary person these concepts have to be connected to the concepts ordinary person understand. Otherwise, ordinary person can assume that reality is mystery.

[steve]

12 minutes ago, Indiken said:

 

That is a nice story, but for ordinary person these concepts have to be connected to the concepts ordinary person understand. Otherwise, ordinary person can assume that reality is mystery.

 

One way to make these concepts come alive for me is to look at each of these realms as existing in this moment in ways I have the potential to experience them in my life. If we read descriptions of these realms, we can look for ways they can relate to our lives. 

So when it is said that:

54 minutes ago, Apech said:

Reality is perceived differently by the beings in the realms according to the conditioning of their consciousness.

I think of this in terms of my own direct experience. When I crave something, or feel a strong urge to do something, or if I am living with an addiction... I feel that I am abiding in a "hungry ghost realm." I am insatiable, I desire and no matter how much I try to satisfy that desire, I desire more or something else. This is pervasive in a highly materialistic society...

When I am full of anger or I want to hurt someone in explicit or more subtle ways, I am occupying a "hell realm."

When I'm feeling lazy and indulging myself, ignoring important things that need to get done, I am in a "god realm" and so on.

This works for the six realms of existence.

We can do something similar to have a closer relationship to other types of realms.

 

I'm not saying this is a more correct interpretation but simply a way to connect our lives to the teachings more directly.

[Indiken]

9 minutes ago, steve said:

I think of this in terms of my own direct experience. When I crave something, or feel a strong urge to do something, or if I am living with an addiction... I feel that I am abiding in a "hungry ghost realm."

 

With all due respect, this looks like illusion to me and have subjective moral intention, I cannot hold this view, because it seems to be not practical. This is my first thought when reading.

[Apech]

46 minutes ago, Indiken said:

 

That is a nice story, but for ordinary person these concepts have to be connected to the concepts ordinary person understand. Otherwise, ordinary person can assume that reality is mystery.

 

Are you an 'ordinary person' then?

 

Have you not heard that the world is an unfathomable mystery?

[Apech]

28 minutes ago, steve said:

 

One way to make these concepts come alive for me is to look at each of these realms as existing in this moment in ways I have the potential to experience them in my life. If we read descriptions of these realms, we can look for ways they can relate to our lives. 

So when it is said that:

I think of this in terms of my own direct experience. When I crave something, or feel a strong urge to do something, or if I am living with an addiction... I feel that I am abiding in a "hungry ghost realm." I am insatiable, I desire and no matter how much I try to satisfy that desire, I desire more or something else. This is pervasive in a highly materialistic society...

When I am full of anger or I want to hurt someone in explicit or more subtle ways, I am occupying a "hell realm."

When I'm feeling lazy and indulging myself, ignoring important things that need to get done, I am in a "god realm" and so on.

This works for the six realms of existence.

We can do something similar to have a closer relationship to other types of realms.

 

I'm not saying this is a more correct interpretation but simply a way to connect our lives to the teachings more directly.

 

As humans we stand midway between the gods and hells.  This is why the precious human birth is optimal for enlightenment.  We taste each of the other realms as you describe - but the beings in those realms are locked in for eons - for them it is totally immersive if you like - while for us - sure we get caught up in say, greed but in never totally consumes us.

 

 

[steve]

2 hours ago, Indiken said:

 

With all due respect, this looks like illusion to me and have subjective moral intention, I cannot hold this view, because it seems to be not practical. This is my first thought when reading.

 

It’s the opposite for me, completely practical and experiential. 

[steve]

2 hours ago, Apech said:

 

As humans we stand midway between the gods and hells.  This is why the precious human birth is optimal for enlightenment.  We taste each of the other realms as you describe - but the beings in those realms are locked in for eons - for them it is totally immersive if you like - while for us - sure we get caught up in say, greed but in never totally consumes us.

 

 

 

Yes, I don’t claim what I wrote is the way things are but for me the other realms are imaginary, stories and threats, little more. When I can see and feel these things in my life and see it in others around me,  then I can use the practices to work with them.

[stirling]

The 6 "realms" are HERE right now. We can observe gods, hungry ghosts, and the rest in our day to day experience. Our experience of the world could be understood to align most with an individual realm moment to moment. The point of the realms is to underline which type of experiencing we are trapped in. 

 

A buddha has surpassed attachment and aversion and is therefore not living in any realm, or generating karma. 

 

 

[Mark Foote]

15 hours ago, Indiken said:

 

With all due respect, this looks like illusion to me and have subjective moral intention, I cannot hold this view, because it seems to be not practical. This is my first thought when reading.
 

Some of what Steve is talking about, perhaps, but here in more practical terms--at least, that's my take:
 

“But, [Gautama], what is the condition, what the cause of not knowing and not seeing? How do not knowing and not seeing have a condition and a cause?”
 

“At such time, prince, as one dwells with heart possessed and overwhelmed by sensual lust, and knows not, sees not in very truth any refuge from sensual lust that has arisen, –this, prince, is the cause of not knowing. of not seeing. Thus not knowing, not seeing have a condition, a cause.”
 

“Then again, prince, at such time as one dwells with heart possessed by malevolence… by sloth and torpor… by excitement and flurry… by doubt and wavering, and knows not, sees not in very truth any refuge therefrom, –this, prince, is the condition, this is the cause of not knowing, of not seeing. Thus, prince, not knowing and not seeing have a condition, have a cause.”
 

“What, [Gautama] is this method of teaching called?”
 

“These, prince, are called –‘the hindrances’”.

(SN V 127, Vol V pg 108)
 

 

As to the OP's original question, I think Apech has it right.  I'm reminded of the lodge ceremonies of the original nations of North America, and in particular of the kachinas in the Southwest USA.  I believe that to actually see a kachina was an omen of death, but the dances performed in costumes representing the kachinas were meant to invoke particular spirits, maybe one could say from various realms?  



Kachina dancers, Shongopovi pueblo, Arizona, sometime before 1900 (from Wikipedia "Kachina")

Technically, I guess in Buddhist teaching the realms have to do with rebirth--I'd love to be able to quote a particular sermon from the first four Nikayas, attributed to Gautama and about the realms, but to tell the truth I never paid much attention to it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saṃsāra_(Buddhism)#Realms_of_rebirth
 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Mark Foote

[awaken]

The realm is the realm of entering a state of Samadhi.
Desire Realm, Form Realm, Formless Realm.
Please read the Agama Sutra and don't talk nonsense.
The Buddha never said that breathing to the abdomen is the realms.
It also never said that the six realms are realms.

 

境界就是入定態的境界。
欲界，色界，無色界。
請各位要看阿含經，不要亂說。
佛陀從來沒有講過呼吸到腹部就是境界。
也沒有說過六界就是境界。

[Lairg]

19 hours ago, Apech said:

The word 'realm' as it implies is a domain, like a kingdom, with a ruler. 

 

Realm seems to be the same as a plane: physical, emotional, mental, buddhic, atmic etc.

 

By tradition the substance of each plane is the body of incarnation of the Lord of that plane - hence the plane has a "ruler" from a human perspective.

 

The Lord of the physical plane is sometimes called Kshiti.  The Lord of the astral plane is called Varuna, and of the mental plane Agni

 

As you might expect, the Lords of the Planes experience the karma implicit in the substance of those planes

 

 

 

[Invisible Acropolis]

 

[Invisible Acropolis]

On 2/2/2023 at 2:29 PM, Tianzun said:

Do they mean other planets? Other universes? Other planets within other universes?

 

It refers to the Six Lokas, or "bardos".

[Eduardo]

 

Verses no. 15 to no. 16 of the chapter called "twin verses" of the Dhammapada inform the reader of the existence of painful and more or less happy destinies, depending on the future of their actions (Karma).
Duggati-Suggati: "State of miserable existence", "State of happy existence"

1. Niraya: Place of punishment, a kind of hell similar to the Catholic one 
2. Tiracchanayoni: The animal kingdom.
3. Pettivisaya: The kingdom of the deceased, souls or manes.
4. Manussa: The Human Kingdom
5. Deva: The realm of the gods.

The rebirth in one of the five indicated spheres is determined by the bad or good deeds that the man has done in his previous life.
They constitute, therefore, part of the system of retribution of acts.

 

The Lalitavistara Sūtra is a Buddhist sutra of the Mahayana tradition in which the story of Gautama Buddha is told from the time of his descent from the Tushita realm of high Bodhisattvas and gods, that is, from his incarnation as Siddhartha Gautama to his first sermon in the Deer's Park in Benares.
In Mahayana Buddhism, the kingdoms or pure lands where Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and those devotees who have performed good deeds and have aspired to be born in such superior kingdoms live.