The Other Humans

Exploring the Dhamma, as understood from the perspective of the ancient Pali commentaries.
Post Reply
TRobinson465
Posts: 1783
Joined: Thu May 12, 2016 5:29 pm
Location: United States

The Other Humans

Post by TRobinson465 »

Hello fellow Dhamma practitioners,


According to most accounts of Buddhist cosmology i can find, there are at least four "worlds" with "humans" in the universe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ ... hly_realms

Would anyone be able to point me to the suttas where the Buddha mentions these other human lifeforms? I'm interested in reading about them.
"Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism" - the 14th Dalai Lama

"The Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas or anyone in the cosmos." -Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
User avatar
JamesTheGiant
Posts: 2147
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 8:41 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: The Other Humans

Post by JamesTheGiant »

Haha, some of the people are really big:
The inhabitants of Uttarakuru have cities built in the air. They are said to be extraordinarily wealthy, not needing to labor for a living – as their food grows by itself – and having no private property. They are about 48 feet (15 m) tall and live for 1,000 years
TRobinson465
Posts: 1783
Joined: Thu May 12, 2016 5:29 pm
Location: United States

Re: The Other Humans

Post by TRobinson465 »

JamesTheGiant wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 4:54 am Haha, some of the people are really big:
The inhabitants of Uttarakuru have cities built in the air. They are said to be extraordinarily wealthy, not needing to labor for a living – as their food grows by itself – and having no private property. They are about 48 feet (15 m) tall and live for 1,000 years
the ancient humans of our world were supposed to be pretty big too if im not mistaken.
"Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism" - the 14th Dalai Lama

"The Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas or anyone in the cosmos." -Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
User avatar
Pseudobabble
Posts: 938
Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2017 11:11 am
Location: London

Re: The Other Humans

Post by Pseudobabble »

May I ask why you are interested in this?
"Does Master Gotama have any position at all?"

"A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is perception...such are fabrications...such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.'" - Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta


'Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.' - Genesis 3:19

'Some fart freely, some try to hide and silence it. Which one is correct?' - Saegnapha
TRobinson465
Posts: 1783
Joined: Thu May 12, 2016 5:29 pm
Location: United States

Re: The Other Humans

Post by TRobinson465 »

Pseudobabble wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:11 am May I ask why you are interested in this?
Just seems like a cool thing to know about. I recognize that it isnt relavent to the path to ending suffering. but 40% of the stuff on DW isnt directly related to that. Plus, i don't expect to attain arahantship in this lifetime, so might as well know more about samsara since ill likely be stuck here for at least another life. I've also sorta always had a fascination with the possible existence of aliens, even before i had any spiritual beliefs. Since even according to science the probability of us being the only life forms in the universe is fairly unlikely.
"Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism" - the 14th Dalai Lama

"The Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas or anyone in the cosmos." -Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
User avatar
Pseudobabble
Posts: 938
Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2017 11:11 am
Location: London

Re: The Other Humans

Post by Pseudobabble »

TRobinson465 wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:45 am
Pseudobabble wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:11 am May I ask why you are interested in this?
Just seems like a cool thing to know about. I recognize that it isnt relavent to the path to ending suffering. but 40% of the stuff on DW isnt directly related to that. Plus, i don't expect to attain arahantship in this lifetime, so might as well know more about samsara since ill likely be stuck here for at least another life. I've also sorta always had a fascination with the possible existence of aliens, even before i had any spiritual beliefs. Since even according to science the probability of us being the only life forms in the universe is fairly unlikely.
Fair enough.
"Does Master Gotama have any position at all?"

"A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is perception...such are fabrications...such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.'" - Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta


'Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.' - Genesis 3:19

'Some fart freely, some try to hide and silence it. Which one is correct?' - Saegnapha
Post Reply