The six realms.

In Tibetan Buddhism there are six psychological profiles of sentient beings. Because of our karma (our propensities), we drift – or are driven – into these states throughout the day. Our whole lives may be dominated by one or other of these realms. It is said that there 84,000 types of disorders, but they may be broken down into these six disturbing emotions: hatred, aversion, ignorance, desire, jealousy and pride.

This is part of the Chenrezi puja (a prayer to the lord of compassion) wishing all sentient beings to be reborn into higher psychological realms.

From the power of bad karma accumulated from beginningless time, beings experience, as a result of the force of hatred, the suffering of hot and cold by being born into a (psychological) hell realm.

From the power of bad karma accumulated from beginningless time, beings experience, as a result of the force of miserliness, the suffering of hunger and thirst by being born into a (psychological) hungry ghost realm.

From the power of bad karma accumulated from beginningless time, beings experience, as a result of the force of ignorance, the suffering of stupidity by being born into a (psychological) animal realm.

From the power of bad karma accumulated from beginningless time, beings experience, as a result of the force of desire, the suffering of excessive activity and frustration by being born into a (psychological) human realm.

From the power of bad karma accumulated from beginningless time, beings experience, as a result of the force of jealousy, the suffering of dispute and quarrelling by being born a (psychological) jealous god realm.

From the power of bad karma accumulated from beginningless time, beings experience, as a result of the force of pride, the suffering of decline and fall by being born into a (psychological) god realm. 

Sorting Your Self Out

There six neurotic psychological realms that we live in as sentient being. During a day we may pass in and out of them without noticing. We may also find that we get stuck in one for a lifetime.
Let’s use ‘acquiring knowledge’ as an example: this may reveal what type of person we are.

Hell realms: It’s never right.
Hungry ghosts: Want it desperately but cannot digest it.
Animal realm: They acquire it and store it, but never look at it.
Human realm: They indulge in it, but get frustrated because it never quite satisfies.
Jealous gods: They collect it and use it as a weapon.
Gods: They have knowledge and enjoy it, but it will not last and there will be the pain of loss.

Not to worry! In the stillness and silence of meditation, these realms cease…for a while.
When wisdom is gained, and emptiness is recognised, these realms reveal their true nature which is the five Buddha families represented by:

All encompassing space…Ignorance
Mirror-like wisdom…Anger
Wisdom of equanimity…Pride
Discriminating wisdom….Desire
All accomplish wisdom…jealousy

These Buddha families are different attributes of the same emptiness. As we have a leaning towards one of the six realms, we also have a leaning towards one of the five Buddha families (to find out which, we would have to be able to see our true inclinations – or go and ask an authentic teacher!)

The point is that if we can identify someone’s patterning, we can understand where they are coming from…and understand why communication is difficult. The six realms, the nine different vehicles and the range of traditions all mean that a meeting of minds is rare. Sometimes silence is golden, and a nod and a smile are good enough!

THE FIVE BUDDHA FAMLIES.

Family and Wisdom.
Buddha………….all encompassing.
Varjra…………….mirror.
Ratna……………..equanimity.
Padma……………discriminating.
Karma…………….all accomplishing .

Enlightened style.
Buddha……………spacious, accommodation.
Varjra………………clarity, precision.
Ratna……………….generosity, richness.
Padma……………..selfless appreciation, love.
Karma……………..efficiency without ambition.

Neurotic style.
Buddha…………..spaced-out, stupid.
Varjra……………..aggressive, irritable.
Ratna………………territorial, suffocating.
Padma…………….clinging, grasping, poverty stricken.
Karma……………..competitive, pugnacious.