Buddhist Cosmology

Buddhist cosmology is the study of philosophy dealing with the process, origin, and structure of the universe. The patterns and laws of the universe are understandable. This seems like a herculean task, but the guidance we gain from the study of the universe is the basis of everything. If we follow the teachings of Buddhist cosmology, we may avoid bad decisions and create a better world for the next generation. Through imagination and contemplation, wisdom is gained. The elders found the concept of time was immeasurable and vast. This led them to know of the concept of infinity.

Buddha clarified the concept of infinity with a supernormal vision. He theorized that the beginning of time was limitless and the end of time would never be calculable. There are 31 planes of existence. Time is infinite. There are an infinite number of worlds that live and die over endless time. To illustrate this concept, Buddha perceives a vision of being in a dark room with no windows and walking outside to gaze upon a clear starry night as for how infinite life is.

A Kalpa, a world of incalculable length, is divided into four shorter periods. During a Kalpa, a world is destroyed, and the inhabitants are reborn into the Brahma world. The Brahma world is the highest world and never gets destroyed. The second Kalpa is the destruction of the last world and its residual energy. The Brahma and the Kalpa are now separated. The third Kalpa is the new world reforming, and some beings come back from Brahma to return to earth. As the ethereal beings stay on Earth, they become stable again, and evolution starts to take shape. As time passes they become different species and separate genders. Lust, passion, and hatred are introduced as war and society take hold. The fourth Kalpa is the lead up to the destruction of the planet. As greed is magnified we degrade our own spiritual beings. This is where we are at now!

Kalpas extend over vast amounts of time. The appearance of Buddha is rare. Some kalpas will not have a Buddha and others will thrive with them.

There is a higher plane than what humans live. Beings are there because of merit and virtue, although when good karma is