As Belinda Carlisele famously sang in her 1987 pop classic "Heaven is a place on Earth", there is but some truth to this familiar lyric that many of us grew up hearing, on the radio.
From the standpoint of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, we learn that there are ten worlds in our daily lives ranging from Hell to Buddhahood. The ten worlds are the ten types of life conditions within all of us, which undergo constant change. These ten conditions exist in all human beings throughout the world, regardless of national origin or race.
The ten worlds from the lowest to the highest, consists of:
- Six Lower Worlds: Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Rapture
- Four Noble Worlds: Learning, Realisation, Bodhisattva, Buddhahood
As humans, we possess the basic life condition of Humanity, which can be instantaneously transformed into the worlds of Rapture, Learning, Realisation and Bodhisattva. Buddhahood, however, is not as easily manifested.
When we believe in the Gohonzon, chant Daimoku and exert our utmost effort in our Buddhist practice, we can manifest the process through which to construct the most supreme existence and daily life. Such is the “true and living” form of enlightenment that represents the life condition of Buddhahood.
At a time when mental wellbeing is at the forefront of many conversations relating to our health and overall wellbeing, we hope you will be able to develop a better understanding on the universality and beauty of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism in explaining everyday phenomena we experience, by learning about the existence of the ten worlds in our everyday lives.
New to Nichiren Shoshu? Read more about us here.
We're most happy to welcome you to Kaimyo-in, do reach out to us here so we can assist you directly!