MAHAYANA SUTRA

Explation on the structure of the universe

First of all, let me tell you about the structure of the universe, because the contents of the lectures can be little difficult to understand if you don't know this.

Not to mention, this universe which I am talking about is the structure of the universe which is corresponds with both Buddhism and Yoga. Though it seems that it is far away from the reality, in fact this is the truth. Everyone can check it by oneself if his spiritual stage goes up to certain level. What is more, if you read the lectures in this book, questions and answers, or the experiences of the attainers, you may clearly visualize that they actually exists.

The structure of the universe is made outfo three worlds. In Yogic terminology, these three worlds are; the phenomenal world, the Astral world, and the Causal world. In Buddhist terminology, they are; the six realms of desires, the realm of form, and the realm of non-form.

The phenomenal realm which I first mentioned includes this world where we live. Since this world is made out of the rough materials, it is sometimes called the rough world. The phenomenal world can be divided further more into six. From the bottom up, they are; hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, animal realm, human realm, the world of Asuras, and heaven.

The Astral world which comes after this is the world made out of the sublte material. It can be divided into the high Astral world and the low Astral world, and they both are also divided into 6 parts again. The six parts of the low Astral world overlaps with hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, animal realm, human realm, the world of Asuras, and heaven of the phenomenal world. To be overlapped means that they are connected with each other.

In the end comes the Causal world where there is nothing but light and thoughts. It can be divided into three parts in which each can be divided into six parts. The lower Causal world is overlapped with the phenomenal world and the low Astral world, and the middle Causal world is overlapped wiht the high Astral world. The high Causal world is not overlapped at all with any world. I sometimes call this ginuine Causal world. The higher it can be, the stronger the clear light is. And the lightt exist as information. Above the Causal world there exists Mahayana (see chart).

Through all worlds, the density of the souls who exist in each world is less as it goes higher.

We often speak about ghosts. They are looking through the lower Astral world from the phenomenal world where we exist. Problems with being haunted by spirits occurs because of being connected to the lower world, especially the worlds which is lower than the human world. This indicates the lack of merit and the low lovel of mentality. So such thing would not occur if he goes into the high Astral world with the help of spiritual practice.............

About nothingness and emptiness

In Japanese Buddhism...... Nothingness is ........ Complete darkness......
On the other hand, ........ The spiritual level is uncomparably high......