Ten Worlds I Mutual Possession of Ten Worlds
What Are the Ten Worlds?
The Ten Worlds are one of the most interesting concepts in Buddhism.
According to Buddhism, there are ten distinct life states, or worlds , that people can experience.
One way to understand the Ten Worlds is to think about the different emotions and states of mind we may experience throughout a single day.
From the moment we wake up until we go to bed, we may experience many different states or moods. We may feel frustrated at one moment, joyful at another, calm at another and deeply motivated at yet another.
In Buddhism, these different states of life are described as the Ten Worlds .
We can understand them beginning with the lower life states and moving toward progressively higher and more awakened states.
The Six Lower Paths
The first six worlds are known collectively as the Six Lower Paths .
These states of life are easily influenced by external circumstances and our surrounding environment .
The six worlds are:
The World of Hell
The World of Hungry Spirits
The World of Animals
The World of Asuras
The World of Human Beings
The World of Heavenly Beings
Let us look at each one.
1. The World of Hell
The World of Hell is the lowest state of life.
It is a life state in which we feel that we have no life force and no motivation .
We may feel:
Nothing can work out
There is no way to escape our circumstances
Immense suffering
Rage and frustration
Discontent with ourselves or the world
Complete hopelessness
Torment and misery
When we are in this life state, whatever happens around us may become colored by our unhappiness and misery .
It can feel as though the entire world is inflicting suffering upon us.
2. The World of Hungry Spirits
The World of Hungry Spirits is also known as the life state of hunger .
Hunger is a life state in which we are driven by greed and desire .
This desire can take many forms, including:
Money
Food
Power
Possessions
Other things we strongly desire
The problem is that no matter how much we obtain, we still feel starved or want more .
We become controlled by our desires and can become enslaved by them.
3. The World of Animals
The World of Animals , also known as animality , is characterized by the instinct of the law of the jungle—the survival of the fittest .
In this state, we may:
Threaten those who are weaker
Fear those who are stronger
Try to gain favor with influential people even when they are wrong
Suppress people who are weaker in society
Act according to instinct rather than judgment
When we are dominated by animality, we tend to focus on immediate rewards without considering the consequences of our actions in the future.
We act according to instinct rather than carefully distinguishing between right and wrong or good and evil .
4. The World of Asuras
The World of Asuras is also known as the world of anger .
Anger is not limited to losing our temper.
It can also manifest as:
Jealousy
Animosity
Resentment
Obsession with personal superiority
Excessive concern with self-importance
Constant comparison with others
A person in the world of Asuras may outwardly appear virtuous, refined or humble.
However, beneath that outward appearance may exist deep jealousy, resentment or a desire to appear superior.
This creates a significant gap between outward appearance and inner reality .
The world of Asuras is therefore associated with hypocrisy and self-deception .
Perversity
Perversity is another characteristic associated with the world of Asuras.
In this context, perversity means concealing one's true feelings in order to ingratiate oneself with others .
5. The World of Human Beings
The World of Human Beings , also known as the world of humanity , is a calm and composed state of life.
As expressed in the material:
“Calmness is the world of human beings.”
In the state of humanity, we can reason and think rationally.
We can:
Understand the principle of cause and effect
Distinguish right from wrong
Distinguish good from evil
Exercise self-control
Consider our actions before acting
However, maintaining this state requires continuous effort .
The World of Human Beings represents an important first step toward developing a life state in which we can win over ourselves .
6. The World of Heavenly Beings
The World of Heavenly Beings is also known as the world of rapture .
Rapture is the state in which we experience joy because a desire has been fulfilled.
For example:
Receiving a high score
Receiving praise
Eating our favorite food
Listening to our favorite music
Meeting our favorite sportsperson
These experiences can bring great joy.
However, this life state is temporary and short-lived .
Because it depends on the fulfillment of desires and external circumstances, the happiness gradually fades as circumstances change.
Therefore, the World of Heavenly Beings is not the state of genuine, lasting happiness that should be our ultimate aim.
Transcending the Six Lower Paths
The Six Lower Paths are easily influenced by our external environment.
We may move into the World of Hell when circumstances become overwhelming, into the World of Hunger when desire dominates us, or into the World of Heavenly Beings when something we strongly desire is fulfilled.
The aim of Buddhist practice is therefore to transcend the Six Lower Paths and develop a self-determined state of happiness that is not controlled by external circumstances.
This brings us to the Four Noble Paths .
The Four Noble Paths
The remaining four worlds are collectively referred to in the material as the Four Noble Paths .
These are more awakened states of life that a person can develop through Buddhist practice:
The World of Voice-Hearers
The World of Cause-Awakened Ones
The World of Bodhisattvas
The World of Buddhas
7. The World of Voice-Hearers
The World of Voice-Hearers is also known as the world of learning .
It is attained by those who gain a partial awakening through hearing the Buddha's teaching .
Learning is the life state in which we have an inner motivation to understand and comprehend the workings of life.
We want to:
Learn
Read
Understand
Explore the workings of life
Through this process, we become awakened to the impermanence of all phenomena .
8. The World of Cause-Awakened Ones
The World of Cause-Awakened Ones is also known as the world of realization .
It is attained by those who gain a partial awakening through their own observations and efforts .
Realization is the life state in which we discover something based on what we have learned and experienced.
In this state, a person may become self-determined but self-centered .
The person may use knowledge for their own benefit rather than using it to help others.
Like the World of Voice-Hearers, this state involves awakening to the impermanence of all phenomena .
The Persons of the Two Vehicles
The worlds of Voice-Hearers and Cause-Awakened Ones are together referred to as the persons of the two vehicles .
Persons of the two vehicles:
Become awakened to the impermanence of all phenomena
Experience an awakening that is incomplete and partial
May become content with this lesser degree of enlightenment
May believe they are incapable of attaining complete enlightenment
Do not make efforts to help others attain enlightenment
Tend toward focusing primarily on themselves
Thus, while the two vehicles represent an awakening beyond the Six Lower Paths, their awakening remains partial .
9. The World of Bodhisattvas
A Bodhisattva is a living being who continuously strives to attain the enlightenment of the Buddha.
The World of Bodhisattvas represents a state in which we do not simply seek our own enlightenment.
We also relentlessly strive to help others attain enlightenment .
A person in the life state of Bodhisattva:
Has a strong seeking spirit
Believes that everyone has the potential to become a Buddha
Helps others move toward Buddhahood
Acts with compassion
Makes compassion the foundation of life
The essence of the World of Bodhisattvas is compassion .
Those who manifest this life state direct their compassion toward all people and make it the foundation for their lives.
10. The World of Buddhas
The World of Buddhas , or Buddhahood , is the supreme life state.
Buddhahood is a state of absolute happiness that nothing can destroy .
It can be likened to the spirit of a lion king —a state of complete ease and confidence in which, like the lion king, one fears nothing.
A person in the life state of Buddhahood possesses:
Immense wisdom
Courage to take action for the wellbeing of all people
Compassion flowing from within
The ability to confront circumstances with confidence
Buddhahood is awakened to the fact that the Mystic Law is the foundation of one's being .
This life state is inherent in all of us, although it can be difficult to manifest.
According to the material, Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the Gohonzon as a means for all people to bring forth from within themselves the life state of Buddhahood.
When we believe in the Gohonzon and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for the happiness of ourselves and others, we can tap the life state of Buddhahood within us.
The Lotus Sutra teaches that all people are inherently Buddhas.
The Ten Worlds at a Glance
The Ten Worlds can be understood as a progression from lower, externally influenced states to higher, awakened states:
1Hell2Hungry Spirits / Hunger3Animals / Animality4Asuras / Anger5Human Beings / Humanity6Heavenly Beings / Rapture7Voice-Hearers / Learning8Cause-Awakened Ones / Realization9Bodhisattvas10Buddhas / Buddhahood
The first six are the Six Lower Paths , while the final four are presented here as the Four Noble Paths .
Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds
The most interesting and revolutionary aspect of the Ten Worlds is the concept of Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds .
What does this mean?
The beauty of this concept is that it reveals the potential of every human life.
A person can manifest Buddhahood at any moment.
At the same time, even someone experiencing Buddhahood can potentially descend into the World of Hell in another moment.
In other words:
Each of the Ten Worlds contains the potential for the other nine worlds.
Every Life State Contains the Other Nine
This means that we can be experiencing the World of Hell at one moment and then, in another moment, move into:
Hunger
Humanity
Learning
Realization
Bodhisattva
Buddhahood
and so on.
Our current life state therefore does not permanently define who we are.
This recognition gives us hope .
Regardless of our current life state, we can summon forth Buddhahood and create value in our present circumstances.
A Reason to Remain Vigilant
At the same time, Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds makes us humble and vigilant.
We need to continually examine our thoughts, behavior and actions.
Even when experiencing a high life state, we cannot simply assume that we will remain there without continued effort.
Buddhahood should therefore not be viewed as merely an ultimate, static condition.
Rather, we need to continue exerting ourselves moment after moment to manifest and maintain the life state of Buddhahood.
Why Understanding the Ten Worlds Matters
The Ten Worlds give us a way to understand the constantly changing states of our own lives.
We may experience:
Hell when we feel completely defeated.
Hunger when we are controlled by desires.
Animality when we act purely on instinct.
Anger when jealousy and self-importance dominate us.
Humanity when we calmly reason and exercise self-control.
Rapture when our desires are fulfilled.
Learning when we seek to understand life.
Realization when we awaken through our own observations.
Bodhisattva when compassion drives us to help others.
And Buddhahood when we manifest profound wisdom, courage, compassion and absolute happiness.
Most importantly, our current life state is not our permanent identity .
Through Buddhist practice, we can bring forth the life state of Buddhahood and create value in whatever circumstances we face.
Key Points to Remember
The Ten Worlds describe ten different life states that people can experience.
The first six worlds are called the Six Lower Paths .
The Six Lower Paths are strongly influenced by external circumstances.
The World of Hell represents profound suffering and hopelessness.
The World of Hungry Spirits represents desire and greed.
The World of Animals represents instinct and the survival-of-the-fittest mentality.
The World of Asuras represents anger, jealousy, self-importance and hypocrisy.
The World of Human Beings represents calmness, rational thinking and self-control.
The World of Heavenly Beings represents temporary joy or rapture resulting from fulfilled desires.
The final four worlds are presented as the Four Noble Paths .
The World of Voice-Hearers represents learning.
The World of Cause-Awakened Ones represents realization.
The World of Bodhisattvas represents compassion and the desire to help others attain enlightenment.
The World of Buddhas represents Buddhahood , the supreme life state.
Buddhahood is presented as a life state inherent in all people.
The Gohonzon is presented as a means for bringing forth the life state of Buddhahood.
Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for the happiness of oneself and others enables us to tap the life state of Buddhahood.
Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds means that each world contains the potential for the other nine.
Our current life state does not permanently define us.
Through Buddhist practice, we can bring forth Buddhahood and create value in any situation.
From Hell to Buddhahood
The Ten Worlds are not simply ten categories into which people are permanently placed.
They describe the dynamic nature of life .
At one moment we may feel defeated and experience the World of Hell. At another, we may calmly reason through a situation in the World of Humanity. We may then develop compassion and enter the World of Bodhisattvas.
And at any moment, we have the potential to bring forth Buddhahood .
This is the profound hope expressed through the concept of Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds : whatever our present circumstances or life state, Buddhahood exists within our lives and can be manifested .