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Part 1. Structure of the Universe
The soul is immortal. The body is born and dies. The word «spirit» has different meanings. In order to understand the different meanings of various religious words, it is necessary to use a constructive image. To do this, take the scheme as a tool. A diagram is just a tool, scissors. We need scissors to cut off some meanings found in spiritual literature from others. Words in spiritual sources often mean many things. Often in different spiritual sources there are the same words, but the meanings behind them are different. Or, on the contrary, the words we meet seem to be different, but the meanings behind them are the same. So, on these diagrams we will lay out different meanings as on a shelf. Different meanings – on different shelves. And different words denoting the same meanings – on one shelf.
Within the framework of this book, the concept of
Unified religious structure
Physical world is the world in which we live. Physical dimension. Body measurement. The material universe. The world of phenomena. Visible reality. In Buddhism: Kamaloka (Desire Realm). The world of phenomena in neo-paganism is called «yavi».
Astral world is the world in which we find ourselves in a dream. Astral dimension. Soul dimension. In Buddhism: Rupaloka (Form Realm). The Astral is divided into Lower and Upper. The lower astral in neo-paganism is called «navi». The upper astral is also called «pravi» (the right). The Lower Astral overlaps the world of phenomena. The Upper Astral has no direct projection with the world of phenomena. The Astral controls Reality by the mechanism of image projection. A phenomenon or object, before appearing in our physical world, first appears in the Astral as an image. A person who has a spiritual level that allows him to be freely reborn in the next life in the upper astral plane or higher is called a «saint».
Causal world is the world that governs the Astral world and the Physical world. The Causal dimension. Spiritual Dimension. In Buddhism: Arupaloka (Formless Realm). The Causal is divided into Upper, Middle and Lower. The Lower Causal overlaps the Lower Astral and the Physical world. The Middle Causal overlaps the Upper Astral. The Upper Causal with the Astral has no direct projection. The Causal controls the Astral by the mechanism of idea projection. That is, the Astral image, before manifesting in the Astral, first appears in the Causal as an idea. The Casual world is the world of causes.
World of Nirvana is the world of the highest Absolute. Nirvana translates as lack of excitement. It is a state of liberation, of absolute peace. In the sutras, nirvana is referred to as the destruction of worldly desires. Nirvana is opposed to samsara, that is, Reality, Astral and Causal are samsara, and nirvana is not samsara. There are minor nirvana, nirvana with remainder, parinirvana, bodhinirvana and mahanirvana.
Minor Nirvana. Just nirvana. Single nirvana. A person who has reached nirvana comes to this achievement of nirvana (the first achievement of liberation) in a single way. Such a person is called «arhat» or «single-minded awakened». Minor nirvana can be conditionally divided into causal nirvana, astral nirvana and nirvana of the world of phenomena, in accordance with what spiritual level the «liberated» person has, and, accordingly, the experience of which world in a horizontal projection he stops (discards).
Nirvana with remainder. By «residue» in this term is meant «life», which the arhat has not yet discarded.
The structure of Nirvana
Parinirvana is the highest level of nirvana, «nirvana without remainder», and the independent existence of the True Ego; «pari» translates as «finally». Parinirvana does not relate to any of the worlds; therefore, it is impossible to be in a state of parinirvana and live at the same time. If an arhat immediately after reaching nirvana discards life, then he will fall into parinirvana. «Parinirvana» and «nirvana with a remainder» are antonyms.
World of bodhinirvana. The arhat, after reaching nirvana, does not stop at this, but expands his achievement, leading other personalities to achieve nirvana, and thus overcoming the bonds of other worlds, other delusions that he did not have before. Such a person is called a «bodhisattva». «Bodhi» is translated as «awakening, enlightenment», and «sattva» is translated as «being», a being striving for awakening. The Bodhisattva makes a shuttle movement: nirvana – samsara – again nirvana – again samsara – nirvana – and so on. Repeating the path of liberation doubles the experience of that person. Then triples. Then quadruples. And so on. In this way the individual has a wider and wider experience of liberation than just one-man nirvana. This state of expanding the experience of nirvana is called «bodhinirvana». In the world of bodhinirvana, in relation to the world of nirvana, one can single out the upper level: bodhiparinirvana, where a bodhisattva can go after death; and bottom. The lower bodhinirvana can also be conditionally divided into three levels, depending on which world experience is being destroyed: causal bodhinirvana, astral bodhinirvana, and bodhinirvana of the phenomenal world.
World of mahanirvana. When a bodhisattva gains the experience of liberation in general from all delusions, which can be in the world of phenomena, and in the astral, and in the causal, he finds himself in a state that he has nothing more to achieve, he has overcome all the experience that is possible. This state is called «buddha» and this state corresponds to mahanirvana. «Maha» is translated as «great». Since mahanirvana corresponds to liberation from all worlds in general, it is divided into only two levels: mahanirvana and mahaparinirvana. Mahaparinirvana stands for the great final destruction of worldly desires. Buddha Shakyamuni left for mahaparinirvana after his death. There is often a discussion in the sources on the question: "can a Buddha-personality return from mahaparinirvana as the same person?" – Yes. Because the buddha personality is free, it is free to choose whether to return from mahaparinirvana or never to return.
Levels of consciousness
A person consists of several bodies. Physical body, Astral body, Causal body and True Ego (True Self).
Physical body is an ordinary human body. The physical body has a consciousness.
Astral body can be described as something similar to the reflection of the body in a mirror. That is, it is not a body, but just a reflection. That is, it is, and at the same time it is not. To see the astral body, you need to have astral vision. The physical body is so arranged that when a person uses physical eyes, he himself, by virtue of a certain mechanism of communication between the astral body and the physical body, suppresses astral vision in himself. However, the ability to see with astral vision is not something unattainable. This ability develops in meditation. The astral body has its own consciousness. This consciousness of the astral body is correlated with what in science is called the subconscious (unconscious). The astral body, separated from the physical body, is also called the ghost body. There are beings who have only an astral body, but no physical body. Such creatures are simply called ghosts. When it is said about a person that a demon has moved into him, it means that a being of the lower astral (ghost), who does not have his own physical body, has superimposed on the astral body of a person or has taken (replaced) the place of his astral body.
Causal body may outwardly look like a ball consisting of plasma, similar to a ball lightning, or, to put it even more precisely: just a ball of light, just light as a ball. The causal body also has its own consciousness. This causal consciousness is correlated with what in science is called superconsciousness (deep unconscious, preconsciousness). You can see causal consciousness like this. If you recall a case when you forgot something so well, for example, the name of an old acquaintance, that there is absolutely nothing in your head. You're trying to remember. You make a mental effort. And suddenly a far, far spark flashes in my head. "I know!" You have not yet remembered what exactly, but you already know that it is in memory, and you know that this information will soon come from the depths of memory. So this spark is the causal consciousness. What is called in psychology the "collective unconscious" is the entire lower causal world as a whole.