Entering the Seventh World

World of the Shravaka

The World of Learning

  In his earlier “tactful” teachings, and again in the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha points out that experiencing the world of learning, the 7^th world of the shravaka, is gaining knowledge, discovering larger perspectives on how to live life, responding to others with compassion, and plays a pivotal role in entering the Buddha-path leading to enlightenment—the eighth, ninth, and tenth worlds.

  Briefly, the ten worlds describe the lower worlds of “hells and angry spirits,” anger, covetous­ness, ignorance, contention; the fifth world of humanity; the sixth, the world of temporary enlightenment from which too often we return to the lower worlds. The key or “gateway” to reaching beyond these lower worlds is to enter the world of learning.

  From the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings – “Many living beings discriminate falsely—it is this or it is that, either advantageous or disadvantageous. They entertain confused and evil thoughts, make various evil choices (causes), and thus transmigrate within the six realms of existence, the six lower worlds, in lifetime after lifetime  and cannot escape from there during infinite countless kalpas, suffering all manner of miseries.”

  This may seem judgmental, but significantly the Buddha continues, “Bodhisattva-mahasattvas, observing rightly like this, should raise the mind of compassion, display the great mercy desiring to relieve others of suffering, and once again penetrate deeply into all laws.” Pass no judgments—show compassion.

  Thus, in one fell swoop, the Buddha dismisses all judgments and discriminations, and does so repeatedly in the Lotus Sutra, always responding to his observations of human suffering with compassion: “Beholding this my heart is stirred with great pity . . . I behold all living beings sunk in the sea of suffering, hence I do not reveal myself (reveal my teachings) but set them all aspiring, till their hearts are longing, I appear to preach the law . . . Ever making this my thought, how can I cause all the living to enter the Way supreme and speedily accomplish their enlightenment?”

  Entering the world of learning is to take us out of the six lower worlds on a path leading to enlightenment—to reach the eighth world and the mindfulness of self-attained enlightenment (pratyekabuddha); dwelling in the ninth, compassionate world (bodhisattva), seeking to gain enlightenment, first for others, even though one’s own enlightenment will be delayed. The tenth world is the world of the Buddha’s Perfect Enlightenment.

  Study introduces thrilling surprises as one learns to discover the beauty and probability that knowledge enhances our beliefs and encourages and motivates us to expand our beliefs and perceptions, leading to productive and compassionate relationships with others. It’s important, most of all, not to shut one’s self off from the ever-existing possibility that there is something new to learn and discover. The thrill of learning and discovering must be nourished, never impeded; keeping one’s mind in the world of learn­ing is not a bad thing. Residing there one continues to gain new perspectives, and the process seems never ending,

  The Threefold Lotus Sutra as our daily guide gives structure, substance, and continuity to both our study and practice. A celebration of life, reliving the life and teachings of the Buddha.

New Moon

January 16 (Pacific Coast-6:18 pm)

The Five Realms of Human Destiny

Intent / Faith *

Continuing / Zealous Progress *

Recognizing / Memory *

Participating  / Meditation *

Constructing Intent / Wisdom *

Opportunities offered at this new beginning – not imposed, but inclusively self-directed – from Dane Rudhyar’s Astrological Mandala.

Intent 27° Capricorn – Pilgrims climbing the steep steps leading to a mountain Shrine

Keynote : Ascent of individualized consciousness to the highest realizations reached by spiritual leaders.

  “Peak experiences” the symbol tells us, depend, to a great extent, on following a path many have trod before under the inspiration of great teachers and sages. The pilgrimage is hallowed by the devotion of many, even though persons find their own mountaintop which seems to the individual a unique and transcendent revelation. It is humanity’s task to rise like fire, impelled by a vision shared with companions. The Keyword: upreaching.

Continuing  9° Aries – A crystal gazer

Keynote : Development of an inner realization of organic wholeness

  The crystal sphere symbolizes wholeness which may reveal future events, but more significantly pictures the situation as a whole. What the intelligence perceives is the function of every inner impulse and outer events still unclouded by egoism. This reveals a new technique for individualized consciousness. Keyword: concentrated attention.

Recognizing  21° Gemini – A tumultuous labor demonstration

Keynote : Revolutionary impact of mental concepts on emotions and desires

  The oppressed or repressed instincts stage an emotional outburst, claiming their due.

Participating  3° Virgo – Becoming aware of nature spirits and normally unseen spiritual agencies

Keynote : Opening new levels of experience

  The consciousness gradually is reaching beyond physical characteristics and may become aware of energy processes – the dynamism of forces which externalize themselves as life forms. The mind in its analytic character always tends to give “name” and “form” (nama and rupa in Sanskrit—see Heart Sutra which teaches “name and form” do not exist) to that which it contacts as energy. We call this imagination.

[Thich Nhat Hahn in Buddhahood in 3 Dimensions: “When the Buddha’s sense organs had been purified, he could see very deeply and understand how the six sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind) produce the six kinds of consciousness. When his senses had been purified he was capable of touching reality as it is, the ultimate dimension. There was no more confusion, no more delusion in his perception of things. This passage describes a kind of transformation that we too can experience. When the ground of our consciousness is prepared, when our sense consciousnesses and our mind consciousness have been purified through the practice of mindfulness and looking deeply into the ultimate nature of reality, we can hear in the sound of the wind in the trees, or in the singing of the birds, the truth of the Lotus Sutra. While lying on the grass or walking in meditation in the garden, we can get in touch with the truth of the dharma that is all around us all the time. We know that we are practicing the Lotus samadhi and our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are automatically transformed and purified.”]

Constructing Intent – 15° Scorpio – Children playing around five mounds of sand

Keynote : Early steps in development of a mind seeking to be attuned to the highest level of human evolution.

  A particularly cryptic symbol; deciphered if one realizes that humankind’s essential destiny is to develop as a five-fold being, a “Pentagram” or five-pointed star. Number 5 symbolizes mind in its most creative and penetrating aspect. Our Western civilization has realized only the lower level of this vibration 5; i.e., mind contaminated by compulsive instincts and emotional involvement. All individuals are born with the special potential of the creative mind, and in social circumstances favoring this development, but in many cases, they are still “playing around.” future oriented growth demands dedication to humankind as a whole.

* Faith, Zealous Progress, Memory, Meditation, and Wisdom are the “five roots” or “five powers” called for in following the path of the One Vehicle, the Lotus Sutra. Five roots synchronizes with the development of the “Five Realms of Human Destiny” which I developed in 1978; also note the five characters in Japanese for the Lotus Sutra: “Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo” The Mysterious Law of the Lotus Flower.