The ten states of life is a basic principle of Nitiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. It teaches that all people have ten states inherent in human life. The ten states from lowest to highest are classified as: hell, hunger, animality, anger, tranquillity, joy, erudition, absorption, Boddhisattva and Buddha. They all have positive and negative aspects with the exception of the state of Buddha, which is being in itself.

Buddhist philosophy teaches that all people, without exception, can manifest these states in a single day, in other words, they are not permanent states. We fluctuate from one state to another constantly. This also means that even if a person is going through conditions of extreme suffering, the state of Buddha is submerged within them, but by transforming their internal conditions they can manifest it.

The first six states (hell, hunger, animality, anger, tranquillity and joy) are known as the six bad paths, because they are states that essentially interact with the environment or external conditions. In other words, they are states that depend solely and exclusively on what happens around them; in these states we are products of our circumstances. Therefore, when we are in these states, we don’t have 100% self-mastery.

On the other hand, the state of erudition, absorption, Boddhisattva and Buddha are the four noble paths, in other words, they are the states that depend on your interest and diligence to manifest.

1. State of Hell

Extreme suffering, feelings of hatred, disgust, addictions, intense anxiety, disturbance, despair, deep depression, disgust with yourself and/or others are characteristic of the state of hell. On the other hand, its positive side lies in the prospect of seeing the opposite, which is happiness. Without the state of hell, we wouldn’t be able to say what the state of supreme, intrinsic happiness is.

2. State of Hunger

Feelings of desire, greed, vanity, dissatisfaction, avarice and envy are typical of the state of hunger. This is a state in which the person aspires to money, material goods, power, fame, prestige, etc., guided by uncompromising desires. However, it is in this state that we can find ourselves seeking to improve, to live better and to idealize new principles.

3. State of Animality

The will to survive, fear, eating animal flesh, acting on instinct, seeking pleasure, ignorance and stupidity are all standard feelings in the state of animality. However, through this state we fulfill basic needs such as sleeping, eating, reproducing and protecting.

4. State of anger

Arrogance, arrogance, anger, haughtiness, ostentation, pride, frustration, indignation, irritation, contempt, bitterness, resentment are some of the feelings of the state of anger. But although they are low-vibration feelings that make us blind, they often help us to fight for justice, for a fairer world.

5. State of Tranquility

Quietness, calmness, rest, rest are indicators of the state of tranquillity. It’s interesting that we tend to think that this state is one of peace and we treat it as something always good, since when we’re calm we don’t worry too much and we solve problems more logically, but it’s a state of stagnation and doldrums, in other words, we’re surrounded by inertia, by something that doesn’t change anything.

6. State of Joy

Euphoria, good humor, contentment, jubilation, delight, contentment, brief happiness are the feelings experienced in the state of joy. An ephemeral happiness that if desired for a long time leads down the path of exaggeration, that is, from joy to a lower state takes only a few steps.

So, once we know the first six states of life, we can conclude that they are states that leave us at the mercy of events. Furthermore, they show us that because they are the majority of the ten states, we are influenced most of the time, directly, by the environment in which we find ourselves. Have you ever thought about which state of the first six you manifest the most? How long do you stay in it and what do you do to control it?

In the next post I’ll continue to talk about the other four states of life or the four noble paths and talk about another principle linked to the ten states that will make more sense of this theory.

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Until the next sip,

Cha ಌ