Tibetan Six Realms From A Hindu-Mystic Viewpoint

Here's my creative synthesis of Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist systems. For purposes of clarity, I stress the negative characteristics of the lower planes, though I know the lower levels can have positive features too. These better features, it's worth pointing out, are principally actualized only after consciousness and energy have risen above the lower three plexuxes or planes. In the video, I simplify a complex esoteric topic for purposes of clarity and brevity.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Tibet
• Buddhist
• heaven
• hell
• Hindu
• mystic
• yoga
• kundalini
• spiritual
• cosmology
• cosmos
• religion
• Buddha

[aspaciousmind]

of each plane the chakra connects to. That or maybe it is a model of pathology. Nonetheless, in my opinion (and you're free to disagree) Buddhism & Hinduism do not mix well. Period. They may both be Indian, but they are like oil and water.

[crabbster21]

In the beginning I do point out that I consider the correspondence of the two systems "rough and approximate." Its just my creative synthesis, meant to be food for thought. I first thought of this when I read John Blofeld's excellent "Tantric Mysticism of Tibet" in the 70s, and it came back to me recently when I read Robert Thurman's fine intro to the Book of the Dead, so I decided to express my thoughts in a video here. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments. Deniz

[crabbster21]

I just had a chance to view your comments more thoroughly and should add that I appreciate that you make some very good points. I emphasize negative aspects of the lower realms for purposes of the comparison in the video, but I realize they have positive dimensions too. As for mixing the two traditions, I always thought that Hinduism and Buddhism beautifully illuminate eachother, and have felt more strongly about this as I've learned more, but this may be a matter of personal disposition.

[jgallagher1968]

One could also see this from a psychological perspective. The hell beings are psychopaths, the hungry beings are personality disordered, the animals are neurotics and there is an absence of mental illness in the human realm.

[jgallagher1968]

I totally get this and it explains so much. My tuppence worth would be that everyone has all of these traits in differing degress. And people will be defined by which areas they are most disposed. I belive that even hell beings are redeemable in 'this' life because I used to be one.

[aspaciousmind]

a natural detachment as you no longer cleave to anything for your satisfaction, but leaves you the freedom to become attached for the sake of further deeper play, if you'd like. This is what it means to be a Jivanmukta; to be able to play the game of Maya, complete with generating desires, karmas, and attachments if you'd like, while remembering you're God and being able burn it all up at will. I would say the tibetan realms correlate to the chakras by possibly mapping of the astral inhabitants

[aspaciousmind]

Material renunciation is the way of the Buddhist and classical Hindu's. This is largely unnecessarily. One can enjoy life to the fullest and attain the highest Realization, this is the true path of (Hindu) Tantra. True renunciation is not denial of worldly pleasure, but the realization that worldly pleasure =/= True Happiness, which can only come from your Self. This, and realizing that your emotions are not effected by anything outside your own thoughts and interpretations. This produces

[aspaciousmind]

This is fundamentally a Buddhist mistake, believing life/samsara to be the source of suffering. Actually, *ignorance* is the source of suffering, not the universe. Samsara = Nirvana when one realizes the suffering was all in your head and the universe is here for enjoyment. Maya is a lovely game of Your own making, not a demon.

[aspaciousmind]

Your correlation between the Tibetan realms and the chakras are very interesting, although I'd point out that in spiritual evolution, one doesn't climb the chakras like a ladder to reach the top, but rather one gradually purifies all of them, while opening up the higher centers. I think it is a mistake to solely associate the lower chakras with suffering and hell, for they can and do bring much joy to life.