| Translations of kāmadhātu | |
|---|---|
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| English | desire realm |
| Sanskrit | kāmadhātu (Dev: कामधातु) |
| Chinese | 欲界 (Pinyin:yùjiè) |
| Japanese | 欲界 (Rōmaji:Yokkai) |
| Korean | 욕계 |
| Glossary of Buddhism | |
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Thedesire realm (Sanskrit: कामधातु,kāmadhātu) is one of thetrailokya or three realms (Sanskrit: धातु,dhātu,Tibetan:khams) inBuddhist cosmology into which a being caught insaṃsāra may bereborn. The other two are theForm Realm (Sanskrit:rūpadhātu) and theFormless Realm (ārūpadhātu).[1]
Within the desire realm are either five or six domains (Sanskrit:gati, also sometimes translated as "realm"). InTibetan Buddhism, there are six domains (Wylie:rigs drug gi skye gnas), and inTheravada Buddhism there are only five, because the domain of theAsuras is not regarded as separate from that of theNāgas. The concept of these five realms is also to be found inTaoism andJainism.[2][3][4][5]
TheŚūraṅgama Sūtra in Mahayana Buddhism regarded the 10 kinds ofXian as separate immortal realms between thedeva and human realms.[6][7]
The six domains of the desire realm are also known as the "six paths of suffering", the "six planes", and the "six lower realms". In schools of thought that use theten realms system, these six domains are often contrasted negatively with the "four higher realms" ofŚrāvaka,Pratyekabuddha,Bodhisattva andfull Buddha, which are considered to be the spiritual goals of the different Buddhist traditions.
A being'skarma (previous actions and thoughts) determines which of the six domains it will be reborn into. A sentient being may also ascend to one of the higher realms beyond the six domains of the desire realm by practicing various types ofmeditation, specifically theEight Dhyānas.
The 8th century Buddhist monumentBorobudur inCentral Java incorporated the trailokya into the architectural design with the plan ofmandala that took the form of a stepped stonepyramid crowned withstupas.[8]
The six domains of the desire realm are as follows:
TheDeva domain (also known as theheavenly domain orBlissful State) is the domain of bliss. The disadvantage of this domain is that things are so very comfortable there that these beings completely neglect to work towards enlightenment. Instead, they gradually use up the good karma they had previously accumulated and so they subsequently fall to a lower rebirth.
The Deva domain is sometimes also referred to as thegods' domain because of its inhabitants' power compared to humans. However, they are not immortal, only long-lived, and are still subject tokarma and thesaṃsāra.
TheAsura domain (also known asthe Jealous God domain) is the domain of the Asuras (demigods). They are here because of actions in past lives based on egotistic jealousy, envy, insincerity, struggle, combat or rationalization of the world. They may be here because in human form they had good intentions but committed bad actions such as harming others. The Asuras of some other domains, however, are fully malevolent (such as the corruptor Mara) and can be more closely related to the translation of demon that is sometimes ascribed to them. These evil Asuras can be alternatively referred to as Rakshasas.
The Asuras are said to experience a much more pleasurable life than humans, but they are plagued by envy for the Devas, whom they can see just as animals can see humans.
TheManuṣya domain (also known as theHuman domain) is based onpassion,desire,doubt, andpride.
Buddhists see this domain as the realm of human existence. Although it may not be the most pleasurable domain to live in, a human rebirth is in fact considered to be by far the most advantageous of all possible rebirths insamsara, because a human rebirth is the only samsaric domain from which one can directly attainBodhi (enlightenment), either in the present rebirth (forBuddhas andArhats) or in a future rebirth in a Deva domain (forAnagamis). This is because of the unique possibilities that a human rebirth offers: beings in higher domains just choose to enjoy the pleasures of their realms and neglect working towards enlightenment, while beings in lower domains are too busy trying to avoid the suffering and pain of their worlds to give a second thought to liberation. Humans have just the right balance: enough suffering to motivate them to achieve liberation, but not too much that every moment of their lives is consumed by it.
A human rebirth is considered to have tremendous potential when used correctly, however in most cases humans waste their lifetimes in materialistic pursuits rather than working towards enlightenment, and so end up reinforcing their unhelpful emotions, thoughts, and actions, rather than letting go of them. Because of this, it is almost always the case that one descends to a lower domain of rebirth after a human life, rather than immediately going on to another human birth, or going up to a higher domain.
In the lower domains, such as the animal domain, it is a very slow and difficult process to accumulate enough merit to achieve a human rebirth once again, so it may be countless lifetimes before one has another chance.
TheTiryagyoni domain (alternately spelledTiryag-yoni ortiracchānayoni) (also known as theAnimal domain) is based on strong mental states of stupidity and prejudice cultivated in a previous life or lives.
Buddhists believe that this domain is the domain of existence of the nonhuman animals on the Earth. Although humans and animals live in separate domains of existence, they can still see each other because their domains are so close to each other in the vertical cosmology, just as the Devas and Asuras can see each other despite being in separate domains.
ThePreta domain (also known as theHungry Ghost domain) is a rebirth based on strong possessiveness and desire which were cultivated in a previous life or lives.
Thesentient beings in this domain are known as "hungry ghosts". They are constantly extremely hungry and thirsty, but they cannot satisfy these needs. InTibetan versions of theBhavacakra these beings are drawn with narrow necks and large bellies. This represents the fact that their desires torment them, but they are completely unable to satisfy themselves.
TheNaraka domain (also known as theNiraya domain or theHell domain) is a rebirth based on strong states of hatred cultivated in a previous life or lives. The sentient beings in Naraka stay there until their negative karma is spent, at which point they are reborn into another domain.
TheBhavachakra or "Wheel of Life" is a popular teaching tool often used in the Indo-Tibetan tradition. It is a kind of diagram which portrays these realms and the mechanism that causes these samsaric rebirths. In this depiction, the realm of theDevas is shown at the top, followed clockwise by the realms of theAsuras, theAnimals,Naraka, thePretas, and theHumans. Close examination will show that the Buddha is shown as being present in every one of these realms.
InMahayana andVajrayana Buddhism, there are some sayings reflecting a tradition that the manner of a sentient being's death indicates the world in which it will be reborn.[9][10] A common one is that in theVerses on the Structure of theEight Consciousnesses (八識規矩補註),[11] which reads: "in those to be reborn as saints the last part to retain bodily heat is the top of the head, in those to be reborn devas it is the eyes, while in the case of the human realm it is the heart, that of the hungry ghosts, the belly, that of animals, the knee caps, and lastly, in that of the hell realm, the soles of the feet." The Tibetan Buddhist textBardo Thodol describes further on the experiences proper to these realms.
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and Chögyal Namkai Norbu Rinpoche have published literature teaching a "Practice of the Six Lokas" designed to "purify the karmic traces that lead to rebirth in the different realms,"[12] wherein the six lokas are also cognate with the principal six chakra system ofVajrayana.
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