Regular events

Sangha night

The six realms of the wheel of life

The god realm

We continue our theme of the Tibetan wheel of life, and this week begin discussing the various realms of being. Tonight, we welcome Beck who is going to share her reflections on the god realm. Notice the absence of a capital letter - in this respect Buddhists don't sanctify gods so much as treat them as a symbol of a type of lifestyle.

You don't need to believe in re-birth to understand the six realms of existence. They can be thought of as places in which we can reside at various times in our life, depending on the conditions we experience and our response to them. The god (deva) realm is populated by beings who enjoy great power, wealth and long life. They live in splendor and happiness, or so it seems. Yet even the gods grow old and die. Further, their privilege and exalted status blind them to the suffering of others, so in spite of their long lives, they have neither wisdom nor compassion. While privileged, they have no transcendental insight or spiritual powers, and will be reborn in another of the Six Realms (during this or a subsequent life).

Join us as Beck reflects on the attractions and drawbacks of living in the god realm.

Wednesday nights are a place for people who have attended our foundation courses to come together and celebrate community, deepen their knowledge of Buddhism, and their understanding of how to practice it. They generally include a talk and discussion, a social cup of tea and meditation.

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