What is the Buddhist cosmology?The answer may surprise you!

Mondo Culture Updated on 2024-01-31

The Buddhist view of the universe is that there is no creator in the universe, no eternal and unchanging entity.

Buddhism has a long history and is a profound philosophical system. Through this framework of thought, Buddhism reveals the profound truth of the impermanence and emptiness of all phenomena in the universe. Let's take a look at the core concepts of the Buddhist cosmology, including dependent origination, extinction, color and emptiness, etc., in order to unravel the mystery of the Buddhist cosmology.

The Buddhist view of the universe is based on dependent arising and extinguishing, and this concept shows that all phenomena and changes in the universe arise from causes. Everything has its causes and conditions, and without this cause, the universe will remain still. In Buddhism, cause and effect is not only an expression of good and evil actions, but also an explanation of all existence in the universe. Birth, old age, sickness and death, flowers blooming and blooming, are interlocking, forming the basic laws of the operation of the universe.

Buddhism believes that the true Creator does not exist in the universe, but originates from the law of dependent origin and destruction. The Buddha once said: "When you see the origin, you see the Dharma, and when you see the Dharma, you see the Buddha." This shows that only by understanding the idea of dependent origin and dependent extinction can we comprehend the Buddhist view of the universe. In this view, the movement and change of the universe are rooted in dependent origin and end in dependent destruction, and there is no truly eternal and unchanging entity.

In the Buddhist cosmology, there is an important saying: "Color is emptiness." This derives from the teachings of the Heart Sutra, a Buddhist scripture. Here, "color" does not refer to feminine sex, but to all tangible things, that is, the material world. The Buddhist theory of dependent origin holds that all tangible matter is an illusion caused by cause and effect. This illusion blinds the eyes of sentient beings so that they cannot see the essence of things. In layman's terms, there is no immutable self or Creator in the universe and life, everything is illusory, and only emptiness cannot be taken away. This view tells sentient beings not to be too attached to anything in the world.

Through the poems of the two patriarchs in the history of Buddhism, Shenxiu and Huineng, we can understand the Buddhist cosmology more deeply. In his poems, Shenxiu affirms the existence of the material world and the mind, and compares the mind to a mirror, which should be wiped diligently at all times to keep it pure.

Huineng's poems, however, reach a higher realm, denying the actual existence of the material world and the mind. He expressed, "Bodhi is not a tree, and the mirror is not a platform." There is nothing in the first place, where can there be dust", pointing out the vanity of the universe and the emptiness of the mind. Hongren chose Huineng as the first person, perhaps because he took a fancy to his deep understanding of "color is emptiness", "when the body is empty", and "the universe has no substance".

Write to the end. In the Buddhist cosmology, the ideas of dependent origination, extinction, and emptiness provide a unique way of looking at the world. It tells all beings that everything is relative and that there is no eternal and unchanging entity in the universe. The material world is an illusion, and the true self and creator do not exist. This thought profoundly reveals that sentient beings should transcend their attachment to the world and seek inner peace. If you have any other opinions, please leave a message and discuss in the comment area. (*Invaded and deleted on the Internet) Autumn and Winter Check-in Challenge

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