The Six Realms

In Buddhist psychology, there are said to be six “realms” of experience: Gods, Asuras, Humans, Animals, Hungry Ghosts, and Hellbeings. It is helpful to think of these as states of mind rather than places that beings go.

For example, someone consumed by anger could spend decades in a hellish rage, constantly seeking revenge, even while those around them experience happiness.

Someone consumed by addiction might experience the pain of insatiable craving that is often called the “hungry ghost realm.”

In fact, we all experience these realms story-by-story, day-by-day, as we go through different life stages and challenges. It’s a profound way to understand your own habitual energy.

It’s important to remember that the descriptions of the experiential “realms” never carry judgement. You’re not a “bad” person for experiencing jealousy or rage and you’re not an inherently “good” person just because you’re experiencing the carefree apathy of the God realm.

Instead, these are descriptions of what it feels like to be in each state of mind. We use them to understand inner experience, not to judge it. Each “realm” has its own element of unsatisfactoriness and private suffering (even if it doesn’t look like it to the outside world) and each is worthy of compassion.

This framework also helps us to better understand the people in our lives and what they might be struggling with. From this space, compassion and insight can grow, which is the greatest healing balm.

Hell Realm:

This is a claustrophobic experience of negative emotion. We are tormented by the intensity of our anger and hatred. When this state arises in us - towards a person, a group of people, or even towards ourselves - it destroys our connection to peace, joy, and happiness. We suffer most in the fires of our own rage.

Dream situations: fighting; a rage or rampage; feeling under attack and retaliating; destruction; acts of violence; war.

Antidote to anger: Practices that cultivate patience, forgiveness, love; acts of kindness;

As the Dalai Lama says, “Anger is often suffering that has not met with compassion”, so practice compassion for yourself and for others (even your enemies) who are themselves consumed with anger.

You can imagine all the qualities of hell beings; fear and anger. A place of endless suffering and anguish. Beings on fire with anger. Anger, anger, anger. It burns. And the cold hells of complete detachment. Not feeling anything. Consumed by their suffering, their anger, they cannot see anything but their suffering. See how the seeds of these qualities are also within you. Have I ever touched this hell realm within myself? Totally consumed with anger, rage, and hurt where I cannot see outside of it. Do I know this realm? Do I know the seeds of this realm within me?

Hungry Ghosts Realm:

Hungry ghosts are depicted with big bellies and tiny mouths, so that they are always hungry and can never get full - and that is what it feels like to be in this state. The Hungry Ghost realm is one of deep, insatiable craving, like an itch that can never be scratched; the pain of never feeling satisfied. This is a mindset that is fixated on lack. We may even have generosity, help, and bounty around us, but because of a deep fixation on what we don’t have, we are unable to see it or may even resent it.

Dream situations: addiction; painful yearning for a person or a thing; striving endlessly for something that feels utterly hopeless; something being just out of reach; fixation on what you don’t have; inability to see what is good or bountiful in a situation.

Antidote to hungry grasping: Generosity of mind and material goods; looking within for satisfaction; generating compassion and forgiveness for oneself and others.

You can imagine all the qualities of the hungry ghosts; craving and attachment. A realm of unremitting, never satisfied desire. The realm of addiction. Endlessly wanting and needing. See how the seeds of these qualities are also within you. Have I ever touched this hungry ghost realm within myself? Endless wanting, craving, and desiring and never satisfied. It’s never good enough. Never being fulfilled. Do I know this realm? Do I know the seeds of this realm within me?

Animal Realm:

This is a realm of complacency, dullness, doubt, and ignorance. It is motivated by basic interest in survival in which we’re fixated on avoiding pain and seeking comfort. This realm lacks intellectual fire, curiosity, and the courage to rise to one’s full capacity.

Dream situations: mundane work situations; muted colors; fulfilling basic needs; making small talk and dull conversation; following orders; feeling like a cog in a wheel; feeling intellectually unchallenged, bored and confused.

Antidote to dullness: meditations/activities that develop clarity, insight, wisdom, and self-awareness; engaging in activities that inspire and challenge us to think outside the box (eg. studying philosophy, reading literature, learning an art form, practicing a martial art).

You can imagine all the qualities of animals; primitive stupidity. The simple primitive mind. Eating and sleeping. Yet always afraid. Living in fear of predators. No self awareness. No insight. See how the seeds of these qualities are also within you. Have I ever touched this animal realm within myself? A simple life of basic primitive existence, without any insight or self awareness. Very basic, without any interest in life or meaning. No concern with insight. Do I know this realm? Do I know the seeds of this realm within me?

Human Realm:

The human realm is a mixed bag with constantly shifting circumstances: pleasure and pain, peace and strife, gain and loss, bliss and horror. The human realm is plagued by the suffering of change - nothing lasts, so there is deep longing for intimacy and belonging. This can manifest in sexual and relational dissatisfaction, clinging, and flightiness. This realm is the most existentially driven: there is a vague sense that there should somehow be more to life.

Dream situations: Lots of people talking; ever-changing scenes with hints of meaning; extremes of joy and sadness; unrequited love and missed connections; sexual anxiety; short bursts of lucidity that are quickly lost.

Antidote to desire & flightiness: meditations for relaxation, stability, equanimity, insight.

You can imagine all the qualities of humanity; pride & overthinking. A mix of all emotionalities. Pleasure, pain, praise, blame, success, failure, fame and shame. Moving through ignorance, confusion, and desire. Overwhelming overthinking. See how the seeds of these qualities are also within you. Have I ever touched this human realm within myself? A chronic wanting, and dissatisfaction with the world. And yet full of pride, self clinging, and self grasping. Do I know this realm? Do I know the seeds of this realm within me?

Asura/Titan (Demi-God) Realm:

Fueled by ego and pride, this realm is plagued by competitiveness, aggression, jealousy and ambitious striving. This can be striving for power, money, and fame but it can also be for things that seem virtuous, like being the best parent, the best meditator, or the most generous benefactor. When we’re here, we believe in a pecking order. Ego and pride makes us jealous of those we perceive to be above us, cocky and competitive with those on our level, and condescending to those coming up from below.

Dream situations: Fighting or sparring for victory; having a “showdown”; undermining your competitors; asserting your superiority; reveling in praise; bragging; recoiling from criticism; back-stabbing; taking joy in others’ demise.

Antidote to pride & jealousy: rejoicing in the achievements of others; practicing peacefulness; developing a sense of wholeness that isn’t dependent on outer situations; cultivating gratitude.

You can imagine all the qualities of the Asuras; envy and jealousy. Strong. Powerful. Always wanting power. Filled with jealousy, envy, and anger. Paranoid to lose their power. See how the seeds of these qualities are also within you. Have I ever touched this titan realm within myself? Always in competition. Always in battle. Living for the fight. For the competition. Always wanting to advance. Always wanting more power even at the expense or harm of others. Do I know this realm? Do I know the seeds of this realm within me?

God Realm:

A blissful state in which one is so lost in pleasure and privilege that they are oblivious to the suffering of others and to their own need for meaning and growth. It is a state of low motivation for change, because one’s current experience is just peachy.

Dream situations: Lazing on the beach; carefree indulgence of the senses; being surrounded by beautiful people; the dream might have no real narrative or purpose.

Antidote to apathy: developing compassion; connecting with diverse communities; meditative analysis of one’s own mortality; cultivating a personal mission or sense of greater meaning.

You can imagine all the qualities of the devas; pride & pleasure. Pleasure, comfort, ease. Life is about beauty. A world focused on how things look. See how the seeds of these qualities are also within you. Have I ever touched this deva realm within myself? A world of pleasure and external beauty. Where discomfort is not allowed. Living in a bubble of controlled comfort. And yet, a deep fear of aging, disease, death and impermanence. Do I know this realm? Do I know the seeds of this realm within me?