Ten Worlds
十界
Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism Learning
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www.nsba.sg

Summary
● The ten world are the ten types of life conditions within all of us, which undergo constant change.
● These ten conditions exist in all human beings throughout the world, regardless of national origin, or race.
● The ten worlds from the lowest to the highest, consists of:
○ Six Lower Worlds: Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Rapture
○ Four Noble Worlds: Learning, Realisation, Bodhisattva, Buddhahood
● As humans, we possess the basic life condition of Humanity, which can be instantaneously transformed
into the worlds of Rapture, Learning, Realisation and Bodhisattva. Buddhahood, however, is not as easily
manifested.
● When we believe in the Gohonzon, chant Daimoku and exert our utmost effort in our Buddhist practice, we
can manifest the process through which to construct the most supreme existence and daily life.
● Such is the “true and living” form of enlightenment that represents the life condition of Buddhahood.
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

SIX
LOWER
WORLDS
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In our lives, we go back
and forth through the six
paths, which are
governed by our earthly
desires. This is known
as the transmigration of
the six paths.

Six Lower Worlds
Hell
● Life condition of anger and suffering
● Anger is a manifestation of the world of hell
Hunger
● Life condition where desires are unfulfilled
● Greed is a manifestation of world of hunger
Animality
● Life condition governed by animal instincts
● Foolishness is a manifestation of world of animality
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Six
Lower
Worlds
Hell
Hunger
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Animality
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

Six Lower Worlds
Anger
● Life condition of resentment and jealousy
● Flattery is a manifestation of anger
Humanity
● Life condition of living in peace with environment and
tranquility as human beings
● Calmness is a manifestation of humanity
Rapture
● Life condition of happiness
● Joy is a manifestation of world of rapture
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Six
Lower
Worlds
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Anger
Humanity
Rapture
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Transmigration of Six Lower Worlds
In our daily lives, we express our feelings and emotions based on
our karmic relationships with the environment.
Nichiren Daishonin stated in “The True Object of Worship”:
“When we look at a person’s face, at times he appears joyful, enraged or calm.
At other times, we may see the appearance of greed, foolishness, or flattery…”
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Six
Lower
Worlds
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Anger
Humanity
Rapture
Hell
Hunger
Animality
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

Our Basic Life Condition
As humans, our basic life condition is Humanity
● Although it forms the base of being human, it is also a world on edge
● Everyday, we have about 75 different thoughts per second
● If we are not careful, it is very easy for us to be swayed by our thoughts
● That is why humanity is such a turbulent world, as it can all pivot very
easily due to our thoughts
Humanity
“
”
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Anger
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

FOUR
NOBLE
WORLDS
There are actually four other
worlds that we possess, but
they lay dormant and cannot
be seen, due to the strong
forces of earthly desires in
our hearts
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Four Noble Worlds
By performing Buddhist practice, we are able to
free ourselves from the six lower worlds,
and attain the life conditions of the four noble
worlds, particularly Buddhahood
Four
Noble
Worlds
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Learning
Realisation
Bodhisattva
Buddhahood
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

Four Noble Worlds
Learning
● Life condition in which one hears the Buddha’s teachings and
achieves Hinayana enlightenment
Realisation
● Life condition in which a person perceives reason and
achieves Hinayana enlightenment based on one’s karmic
association with natural phenomena
Collectively, Learning and Realisation are known as the two vehicles (“nijo”)
However, people in “nijo” are self-satisfied in their own lowly form of
enlightenment and not motivated to seek salvation for others
Four
Noble
Worlds
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Learning
Realisation
Bodhisattva
Buddhahood
Learning
Realisation
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

Four Noble Worlds
Bodhisattva
● Life condition in which one seeks to achieve one’s own
enlightenment while striving to save all mankind, carrying out
Buddhist practices based on mercy.
● They live by their vow to benefit themselves and others.
Four
Noble
Worlds
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Learning
Realisation
Bodhisattva
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
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Four Noble Worlds
Buddhahood
● To elevate into this ultimate life condition, we would need to chant
Nam-Myo-Ho-Renge-Kyo and practice Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism
● This is the life condition of the Buddha who has achieved
enlightenment through Buddhist practice, and a life condition of
absolute happiness
● This life condition is inherent in our lives, but the forces of earthly
desires are strong, and makes it difficult for us to manifest our
Buddha nature
Four
Noble
Worlds
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Learning
Realisation
Bodhisattva
Buddhahood
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

Buddhahood is inherent in our lives
“All living beings are the entities of the Mystic Law. Actually, according to the Law,
all existence is the precious entity of Myo-Ho-Renge-Kyo. However, people, other
than those who believe in the true significance of the Mystic Law and chant the
Daimoku, are completely ignorant of how precious they really are. In particular,
sentient beings who posses various mental functions based on earthly desires,
are unaware that they are the entities of Myoho-Renge-Kyo, because this fact is
concealed.”
67th High Priest Nikken Shonin, April 2004 Kosenrufu Shodai-kai
“Living beings have already believed and obeyed me.”
(Kaiketsu, p. 439)
Gongyo book page 24
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MANIFESTING
THE
BUDDHAHOOD
WITHIN US
● The only way to manifest Buddhahood within us is
to project our life condition upon the Gohonzon
● It is essential for us to face Gohonzon with no
doubts and to maintain a practice in which we can
muster our faith
● Sincerely performing Gongyo and chanting
Daimoku brings about this immediate
manifestation of our Buddhahood, even if one may
now be in the world of hell
● When our life condition connects with the
Gohonzon, this is known as the fusion of reality
and wisdom (kyochi myogo 境智冥合)
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Why is
Buddhahood
important to
me?
Some common thoughts...
Because I don’t want to suffer
Because I want to be happy
Because people
encourage me to do so
Never tried before, curious
to know how it feels like...
I don’t want to transmigrate
in the lower 6 worlds
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How can I start to achieve Buddhahood?
● It doesn’t matter at what stage of life, or life condition you are at
currently.
● Even those in the world of hell can directly achieve Buddhahood if
they chant sincerely in front of the Gohonzon, as the world of
Buddhahood is inherent in all the other nine worlds.
"The world of Buddhahood encompasses all the nine worlds and each of
the nine worlds contains within it the world of Buddhahood.”
Nichiren Daishonin
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Learning
Realisation
Bodhisattva
Buddhahood
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

How can I start to achieve Buddhahood?
“Without a karmic association with the Gohonzon, the entity of absolute
enlightenment, the supreme life condition of Buddhahood cannot be
manifested…
Regardless of what negative karma we may possess, when we uphold True
Buddhism, we can come in contact with the supreme karmic entity of
Buddhahood, which will awaken the dormant Buddha nature within our
hearts. As a result we will be able to lead a wonderful life.”
68th High Priest Nichinyo Shonin
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Learning
Realisation
Bodhisattva
Buddhahood
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

How can I start to achieve Buddhahood?
3 Key Components
● Sincere mouth
● Sincere body
● Sincere heart
To manifest Buddhahood, we must strive to achieve all 3 components
Hunger
Animality
Hell
Buddhahood
Bodhisattva
Realisation
Learning
Rapture
Humanity
Anger
Learning
Realisation
Bodhisattva
Buddhahood
© Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association (Singapore). All Rights Reserved.

How can I start to achieve Buddhahood?
“ If we sincerely believe in the Gohonzon, it will permeate our hearts and
function as the true cause (honnin-myo) based on the principle that the world
of Buddhahood possess all nine worlds. If we recite the mystic law (Myoho)
with our mouths, our lives will immediately permeate the Gohonzon and
manifest the true effect (honga-myo) based on the principle that the nine
worlds posses the world of Buddhahood. As a result, reality and wisdom will
fuse. Then, how could the body and mind be separate from one another? The
actual practice of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo will be characterized by the mutual
possession of the ten worlds, the hundred realms and the thousand factors,
and three thousand realms in a single life-moment (ichinen sanzen).”
26th High Priest Nichikan Shonin in the Exegesis on the “Essentials of the Lotus
Sutra” (Hokke shuyo-sho mondan)
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Reference Source
“The Ten Worlds”, Reverend Rikido Takeyasu, Reverend Yushin Nishioka,
Reverend Endo Ishida, Reverend Nendo Uragami, Reverend Shinga
Takikawa.
Kaimyo Magazine Issue 11, Apr May 2004.
As extracted from Shinyo, October 1997, The 5th Overseas Believers
Summer Study Tozan.
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