Don't you want to know More?

  • Modern Science
  • Cosmology
  • Astrophysicist
  • Kabbalah
  • Buddhism
  • ...

Are we alone in this universe? What about God? Heaven? Satan? Hell?
自
從
一
讀
楞
嚴
後

不
看
人
間
糟
粕
書

Digital  universe

The Known Universe takes viewers from the Himalayas through our atmosphere and the inky black of space to the afterglow of the Big Bang. Every star, planet, and quasar seen in the film is possible because of the world's most complete four-dimensional map of the universe, the Digital Universe Atlas that is maintained and updated by astrophysicists at the American Museum of Natural History. The new film, created by the Museum, is part of an exhibition, Visions of the Cosmos: From the Milky Ocean to an Evolving Universe, at the Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan through May 2010. 
Modern science offers us a startling and highly detailed account of Cosmology—the origin of everything. This same issue—and its significance—have occupied religious thinkers for thousands of years. Their insights are very different from those of science, but can also be beautifully complementary. In this unique Wonder Dialogue, an astrophysicist, a Jewish scholar, and a Buddhist monk bring their own perspectives to these vast, yet highly personal questions.
Picture
The Buddhist universe

​Buddhist cosmology presents a complex and layered view of the universe, emphasizing the impermanent and interconnected nature of all things. Below are some key concepts related to the Buddhist understanding of the universe:
1. Three Realms of Existence (Triloka)
  • Kāmadhātu (Desire Realm): This is the realm where beings are driven by desires and sensory pleasures. It includes various heavens, the human world, and lower realms like animals, ghosts, and hell beings.
  • Rūpadhātu (Form Realm): This realm is characterized by a higher state of consciousness where beings are free from gross desires but still possess form. It is divided into four levels of meditative absorption (jhanas).
  • Arūpadhātu (Formless Realm): Beings in this realm have no physical form and exist in a state of pure mental absorption. It is further divided into four formless states, each corresponding to a different level of meditative attainment.
2. Samsara (Cycle of Rebirth)
  • Samsara refers to the cyclical process of birth, death, and rebirth that all beings go through. The nature of one's rebirth is determined by karma (actions) accumulated in past lives.
  • Moksha/Nirvana: Liberation from the cycle of samsara is the ultimate goal in Buddhism. Achieving Nirvana involves the complete cessation of desire, ignorance, and suffering.
3. The Six Realms of Existence
  • Deva (Gods): Beings in a state of great pleasure and happiness, but still within the cycle of samsara.
  • Asura (Titans/Demigods): Powerful beings who experience a mixture of pleasure and strife, often envious of the Devas.
  • Human: Considered the most favorable realm for achieving enlightenment due to the balance of pleasure and suffering.
  • Animal: Beings driven by instinct, experiencing suffering and ignorance.
  • Preta (Hungry Ghosts): Beings suffering from extreme hunger and thirst due to past greed.
  • Naraka (Hell): Realms of intense suffering, reserved for those with very negative karma.
4. Mount Meru and the Buddhist Cosmological Structure
  • Mount Meru: At the center of the Buddhist universe lies Mount Meru, a cosmic mountain surrounded by seven concentric rings of mountains and oceans. It is the axis mundi, connecting the heavens, earth, and the underworld.
  • Four Continents: Surrounding Mount Meru are four large continents, each inhabited by different types of beings. Human beings are believed to live on Jambudvipa, one of these continents.
5. Kalachakra (Wheel of Time)
  • The Kalachakra is a concept in Vajrayana Buddhism that represents the cyclical nature of time and the universe. It encompasses both macrocosmic cycles (like the creation and destruction of the universe) and microcosmic cycles (like the cycles within human life).
6. Indra’s Net
  • This metaphor illustrates the concept of interdependence. The universe is envisioned as an infinite net, with a jewel at each node. Each jewel reflects all other jewels, symbolizing the interconnectedness of all beings and phenomena.
7. Karma and Interconnectedness
  • The law of karma underlies the functioning of the universe, determining the conditions of rebirth and the experiences one encounters. Everything in the universe is interconnected, and actions have far-reaching consequences.
8. The Impermanence of the Universe
  • Buddhism teaches that the universe, like all things, is subject to impermanence (Anicca). It goes through cycles of creation, existence, and destruction, emphasizing that nothing is eternal or unchanging.
This intricate view of the universe reflects the core Buddhist teachings of impermanence, suffering, and the potential for liberation through enlightenment.