Bhante Anandajoti: The Planes of Existence
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This video is built around a talk given in the Vivekavana Buddhist Society, Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia on September 2nd 2012. The talk is illustrated with infographics describing the planes of existence as they are envisioned in the traditional Buddhist conception, and with photographs of representations of the various realms. The talk shows how knowing these realms can be useful for a person's understanding of their place in the universe, and how they move between these realms both in this life, and in future lives. An extension of the Geography of Buddhism series, this video looks at the sacred geography of Buddhism. The original infographic can be found here: http://www.photodharma.net/Nature/Posters/Existence.htm A second talk discusses Devolution and Evolution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFaoyp_wrlY For references to the Planes in the Tipitaka, please see here: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html For more detailed information on the Planes of Existence, please see Bhante Suvanno's book here: http://archive.org/download/The31PlanesOfExistence/allexistence.pdf
Comments
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Very good talkthank you Bhante Anandajoti
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Would anyone like to talk to me about these things mentioned here? The speaker keeps making reference to "you", saying this will happen to "you" or that will happen to "you". When there are connectivity issues in the brain, one side seems unable to communicate to the other, and learn and act independent. Which one of those is "you"?
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You can quiet the mind in the same way you quiet a cough. This is non traditional modern method. Once the newer and noise filled brain is numb and silent - presto. Study this carefully and proceed with common sense.
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It is very rare to find anyone teaching about this and believing in it, even in Asia, let alone the west. My compliments, bhante.
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Hello! I have a question that I've pondered for a long time. Buddhism states that one can attain nirvana / nibbana. When this happens, the being is no longer in samsara. The total population of samsara is then one less. Does this entail that in some far future, all beings attain nibbana and samsara ceases to exist? Once one has attained nibbana, can one fall back into samsara?
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Do different religions exist in different planes? i.e. a Devaloka for Buddhists and another for Christians each following their own scriptures for heaven and hell Catu Apaya? In the Bible when they mention God, who are they likely referring to within the plane? I have a feeling that they may be referring to more than one God as a single entity. I know both Buddha and Jesus exists, just want to know how everything interrelates in the big picture.
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All this makes sense, but I see it in reverse... For example Parinimmita-vasavattin deva-loko could be seen as Bill Gates or Movie stars enjoying the sensual pleasures creates by other's slavery. If we think holistically, it would tie-in with the upwards progression of Human merit (Manussa Loka) where someone is born rich if they were generous in a past life. Hence the reason also why Mara (the delusions, desires) rules the entire sensual world bellow them. Even though Parinimmita-vasavattin deva beings have not put as much energy as a slaves have, they probably have less karmic pay-off than others as a result of enjoy their position one step higher (It's all relative). Regardless if these people are in the position I say they are, the analogy of "ENJOYING" material life increases as your conscience increases to a point where you've done it all and find material life obsolete. At that point higher realms become available because of the renunciation to daily life, you go from Movie star maybe to mental philosopher and then to the 4-Jhannas (reason why everything is formless after that). So in other words I see it in reverse because I believe that riches, material possessions, etc... are more easily accessible as the conscience increases with good deads (within the sensual world), as long as more generosity is given rather than taken, one will move upwards... It's all about balancing give & take. And you can take more without falling down, only if you've given more. Although if might be slower progression upwards when taking as equally as giving. I don't think they are deities punishing and controlling lower realms... I think these "controller deities" are analogous to Humans stepping on an ant by mistake. So all the pictures of hell are not very accurate in my opinion. This is why it's all in reverse.
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Saadhu ! Saadhu ! Saadhu !
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Hi Rakuna, the only way to be SURE of the 31 planes of existence is to so develop your meditation that you have experience of them for yourself. This is not so difficult as it may sound, because as mentioned in the video the cosmological is a reflection of the psychological, so if you develop your meditation sufficiently you will experience these planes yourself.
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is there anybody here who knows how can i get those charts/posters about Buddhist cosmology ? please help!
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thanks a lot for this video.
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Thank you for sharing the Dharma.
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Sorry I stated that wrong, it should have been "all beings in any of the realms are impermanent", but if you listen to the talk you will see that in Buddhist cosmology nearly all realms are impermanent too. Best if you listen to the whole talk first...
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You should maybe have listened a little longer as the point is it is fairly easy to fall down into the lower realms if you are not careful, but once there it is difficult to get out as there is little room for good deeds in lower destinations. This is not eternal hell, as all realms are impermanent, but it is best not to go in the first place...
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Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu
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this is a phenomenal talk with some great insight, thank you very much!
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Can you name the suttas which describe these planes of existence?
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