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The Third Circle
This Circle is connected
with the Second one. In the first three stages, at the beginning, a person
who has transcendental wisdom creates various good actions and gains the
related results:
- Having taken and maintained 5 precepts, a human mind is obtained for
the next rebirth. Keeping the precepts and practising meditation will
lead to heaven. When the mind is cheerful and bright, it has the same
quality as the mind of a celestial being.
- More mental development and keeping of precepts retain the mind in
heaven and transform it into the mind of a celestial being.
- After more meditation practices, the mind develops a high level of
absorption (Jhana) and automatically has the same quality as the mind of
a divine being - of the formed sphere or of the formless sphere. (Brahma
god who has Metta (loving kindness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita
(sympathetic joy) and Upekkha (equanimity).)
The results of bad Kamma are Rebirths in woeful states as follows:- - A
description of a human mind where there is the continuity of greed, hatred
and delusion.
- An illustration of the plane of hell beings. The mind that enters
hell represents an angry mind, full of vindictiveness.
- A scene of the world of hungry ghosts (Peta) where human mind
becomes the mind of a hungry ghost because of greed, craving for other
people's belongings.
- A description (or picture) of the animal plane. The animal mind is a
mind which, lacking mindfulness, is under the power of delusion and can
rapidly lower its capacity. The mind is at a very low level and can sink
into deeper and deeper hells according to its state. It is being
controlled by greed, hatred and delusion and will be overcome by
suffering until the end of his or her life. Thus the Buddha (Vijja or
Transcendental wisdom) cannot appear. Only the one who has recollection
of Him can escape from the hells and enter a higher realm.
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Fourth Circle | Index to
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