Looking Beyond The Obvious

I see things for what they are each day. I live in the present moment, however I know things can change also. It would be impossible for me to listen to the negativity others speak into their existence. We are each different and unique. I have no desire to live out another persons reality. Buddhism teaches many things for a more positive life. Happiness and Peace come from within. To be genuinely happy with yourself, despite your surroundings is an accomplishment.

There are 10 world's being manifested at any given time in a person's reality.

1-Hell- This is a state of suffering and despair, in which we perceive we have no freedom of action. It is characterized by the impulse to destroy ourselves and everything around us.

2-Hunger- Is the state of being controlled by insatiable desire for money, power, status or whatever. While desires are inherent in any of the ten worlds, in this state we are at the mercy of our cravings and cannot control them.

3-Animality- IN this state we are ruled by instinct. We exhibit neither reason nor moral sense nor the ability to make long-range judgments. In the world of animality, we operate by the law of the jungle, so to speak. We will not hesitate to take advantage of those weaker than ourselves and fawn on those who are stronger.

4-Anger- IN this next state, awareness of ego ego emerges, but is selfish, greedy, distorted ego, determined to best others at all costs and seeing  everything as a potential threat to itself. In this state we value only ourselves and tend to hold others in contempt. We are strongly attached to the idea of our own superiority  and cannot bear to admit that anyone exceeds us in anything.

5-Humanity- This is a flat, passive state of life, from which we can easily shift into the lower four worlds. While we may generally behave in a humane fashion in this state, we are highly vulnerable to strong external influences.

6-Heaven- This is a state of intense joy stemming, for example, from the fulfillment of some desire, a sense of physical well-being, or inner contentment. Though intense, the joy experienced in this state is short lived and vulnerable to external influences.

7-Voice-hearers- (also called learning)- In this state, we seek the truth through the or experience of others.

8-Cause-awakened ones-(or realization)-This state is similar to voice hearers, except that we seek the truth not through others teachings, but through our own direct perception of the world.

9-Bodhisattva- are those who aspire to achieve enlightenment and at the same time are equally determined to enable all other beings to do the same. Conscious of the bonds that link us to all others, in this state we realize that any happiness we alone enjoy is incomplete , and we devote ourselves to alleviating others suffering. Those in this state find their greatest satisfaction in altruistic behavior.

10-Buddhahood- Is the dynamic state that is difficult to describe. We can partially describe it as a state of perfect freedom, in which we are enlightened to the ultimate truth of life. It is characterized by infinite passion and boundless wisdom. IN this state we can resolve harmoniously what appear from the standpoint of the nine worlds to be insoluble contradictions.A Buddhist sutra describes the attributes of the Buddhas life as a true self, perfect freedom from karmic bonds throughout eternity, a life purified of illusion, and absolute happiness. Also the state of Buddhahood is physically expressed in the bodhisattva way or actions of a bodhisattva.

In the six lower worlds we base our entire happiness or identity on eternal things. The six lower worlds have in common the fact that their emergence or disappearance are governed by external circumstances.