THE PLANES OF REBIRTH
The Buddhist ideas of rebirth and planes of existence are closely tied, as a being is reborn into one of the planes of existence, either at a higher, lower, or equal level to their present life.
The realm into which a person is reborn is a result of their kamma, or “karma.” Karma refers to any intentional actions that we are responsible for, such as words, thoughts, or physical deeds. Every action thus has a consequence for our future self, either good or bad. Likewise, our current state is the result of our past actions.
There are three types of karma. Good karma is brought about by acts such as meditation or generosity, bad karma by acts such as greed and hatred, and neutral karma by acts that have no meaning. The sum total of karma at the end of one’s life determines in which realm of the universe they will be reborn. After many cycles, a being that detaches from desire and the self can attain Nirvana, or liberation from suffering.
There are 31 realms of existence. The realms are divided into three levels: the level of formlessness (Arupaloka), the level of form (Rupaloka), and the level of desire (Kamaloka). The first two are for Brahmas, or supreme deities. The last is for devas, or regular deities, humans, and those in the infernal states.
This mural depicts the Buddhist cosmology, including the realms of existence. We see the sun, the moon, and the stars. Mount Meru is in the centre, with the fiery King Naga. We see great mountain ranges, and raging waters.
At the top centre is the level of Formlessness, or a palace with only darkness inside, surrounded by four smaller palaces with no beings present. This realm is inhabited by Brahmas who have no physical body. They are pure minds. These Brahmas are largely free from dukkha, or “suffering,” but they have no ears to hear the teachings of the Buddha, and thus can never attain full Enlightenment. The highest realm of this level is that of “neither perception nor non-perception,” followed by the realms of “nothingness,” “infinite consciousness,” and “infinite space.”
Spreading out to the left and to the right in the higher reaches of the sky, we see the level of Form. This level is inhabited by Rupa Brahmas who have a physical body but who do not enjoy sensual pleasures, and are thus free from the suffering such pleasures can cause. The realms of this level are divided into four planes, depending on how focussed on meditation (“jhana”) the Brahmas are. The inhabitants of this level are able to achieve Enlightenment; indeed, the top five realms of this level are called the “heavens of purity,” and are reserved solely for Enlightened beings of the non-returner stage. The highest realm is that of “peerless devas,” followed by “clear-sighted devas,” “beautiful devas,” “serene devas,” and “durable devas.” The list continues down through realms of slightly less pure Brahmas, until we reach the last realm of this level, “the realm of the Brahma’s retinue.”
At the bottom and rising up through the centre of this mural, we see the level of Desire. In the centre bottom, we see the human plane, depicted as modern-day Singapore. We see the traditional buildings and the modern iconic structures, such as the new monks’ quarters here on our temple grounds. The banner in the middle is a tribute to Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations, or “SG50,” signifying a recent time when Singaporeans practised the ideals of living in a peaceful community.
Both dukkha and sukha, or “happiness,” are found in the human realm, and we see that it is not the highest realm. However, it is a very special realm, because it is the only realm in which moral initiative can occur. Thus, the only realm from which Enlightenment can be achieved. For this reason, the Bodhisattas prefer the human realm for delivering their teachings, as it is where they can best serve the world.
On the left and the right of the painting (beyond the doors), we see the four infernal realms of deprivation, which humans are reborn into if they have had bad karma at the end of their lives. On the far left is the realm of hell, which is divided into eight degrees of punishment. In hell, the worst form of punishment, the inhabitants are always on fire. In hell, there is no happiness, only suffering.
On the far right are the three remaining levels of unhappiness. We see the realm of animals, which is considered a punishment for bad karma, because animals must search for their food and fight for survival. We see the realm of demons, powerful beings who are opposed to devas. Finally, we see the realm of spirits and hungry ghosts, which exist in a state of woe. Humans can share their merits with the beings in this realm whenever they perform good deeds.
Finally, rising up through the middle of the mural are the six heavenly realms, including Tusita and Tavatimsa heaven. Just above Mount Meru, we see four thrones next to each other. This is the Realm of the Four Great Kings, who watch over each of the cardinal directions, north, south, east, and west. Above them is the Realm of the 33 gods, or Tavatimsa Heaven, which will be referenced frequently in the other murals. Above Tavatimsa is the Realm of Blissful Existence, followed by the Realm of Happiness and Contentment, also known as Tusita Heaven. Tusita Heaven is also seen many times in these murals, as it is the most beautiful realm in the heavens, and it is where all future Buddhas are born before their rebirth in the human realm. The last two heavenly realms are the Realm of Delight in Creating, and, above that, the Realm of Devas Who Enjoy Sensory Pleasures Created by Others For Them.
The many interconnecting elements in this mural illustrate how fluid the movement between realms can be in Buddhist cosmology, based on one’s karma.
“MAY THE PEACE AND WISDOM OF THE BUDDHA ACCOMPANY YOU ON THE JOURNEY, NOW AND ALWAYS.”