White Sun (The Paths of Reincarnation)

The setting sun here is the rising sun elsewhere. Theoviparous, insect and creature of water.
world is round, and if we think we are ahead of others,The Hungry Ghosts - This is a very pitiful ghost who
we are actually behind many others. We arehas a very narrow throat and big belly with a ghostly
constantly creating new causes from the effects untilfigure. Any food that they come across and want to
we become helpless and confused in this universaleat will turn into burning charcoal where they cannot
turbulence of cause and effect. The vicious cycle iseat and is always hungry looking for food.
also called karma as suffering begets confusion;2] The Realm of Form - There are eighteen levels of
confusion begets karma; karma begets suffering andheavens.
never ending story.3] The Realm of Formless - There are four levels of
There are four holy ways and six conditions of theheavens.
existence of sentient beings. The four holy ways areThese heavens are not true eternal heaven and are
Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Pratyeka Buddha and Sravakas.sometimes called lower heaven or middle heaven. It is
The six conditions of rebirth are deva, human, asuraalso called The Spiritual World.
demon, animals, hungry ghosts and ghosts in hell.In these heavens, even though there is enjoyment of
These six rebirths dwell in three realms: Realm ofthe reward, they still belong to part of the cycle of
Desire, Realm of Form and Realm of Formless.reincarnation and do not belong to eternal heaven.
1] The Realm of Desire is divided into a) Three UpperCultivators of different paths may easily reach these
Ways and b) Three Lower Ways.a] Three Upperheavens but it is very difficult to reach eternal heaven
Ways - Those who performed good deeds butwhich has no more reincarnation and the end of all
without improving his or her shortcomings such assufferings.
hatred or ignorance will be reincarnated as AsuraThe Buddhist scripture says: "There is no peace in the
Demon. This is the inferior class of goodness whichthree realms. Just like a burning house, filled with
has good karma but without virtue. The second is thesuffering and fear, there are also endless flame of
middle class of goodness where it will be a return tobirth, growing old, illness and death."
human life. The upper class of goodness is rewardedBuddha said: "We inherited our karma. If we want to
with the deva life (deity), who will dwell in the sixknow about our past lives, we can simply learn about
heavens of the realm of desire.b] Three Lower Waysthem from what situations we encounter in this life. If
- These are hells, animals and hungry ghosts. Therewe want to know about the conditions of our future
are central hells, adjacent hells and isolated hells.lives, we can learn about them from what we have
Central hells have eight hot hells and eight cold hells.done in this life."
The terms used for these hells are Arbuda, Nirarbuda,All changes of cause and effect come from the
Atata, Apapa and Huhuva with different degree ofactivities in our present daily life. Our fate is of our
suffering and punishment. The adjacent hells havecreation and it centered in our heart and depends upon
sixteen inferior cells next to each hot hell. Isolated hellsour inner intentions, attitude and external deeds.
are beyond words to describe the suffering and haveIn the teaching of Tao, it is said: "Our intentions from
no chance of reincarnation until the end of time. Fullour heart formed our attitudes. Our attitudes formed
description can be found in my website under the linkour behavior, our behavior formed our habits, our habits
"Journey to the Underworld."formed our character, and our character formed our
The Animals - Our eyes can see this world and isfate."
classified into four different types. They are viviparous,Author: T.