Loka

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(Sanskrit; Pāli, world). The world or universe, in both a cosmological and psychological sense. In the former it is the habitat of gods and human beings, and in the latter all that can be known or experienced through the senses. In general, Buddhism reserves judgement on the ontological status of the external world: early Buddhism assumes the world is more or less as we experience it, while some later schools move in the direction of idealism (see Yogācāra). However, in Buddhist terms, the objective status of the world is of less importance than how one responds to it and whether one becomes enmeshed in its vanities. Loka is also used to refer to the three dhātus or cosmological realms (as kāma-dhātu, etc). See also cosmology.

In Hindu religion, a term for a world or division of the universe. For general purposes, there are three lokas: heaven, earth, and hell, but different philosophical schools have enumerated seven or even eight lokas. The seven lokas are: Bhurloka (earth), Bhwar-loka (space between earth and the sun, inhabited by semi-divine beings), Swar-loka (region between the sun and polar star, the heaven of the god Indra), Mahar-loka (the abode of great sages and saints), Jana-loka (abode of the sons of the god Brahma), Tapar-loka (abode of other deities), and Satya-loka or Brahma-loka (abode of Brahma, where souls are released from the necessity of rebirth).

In Buddhism, there are three worlds—or world systems— named lokas: the kamaloka (world of desire), the rupaloka (world of matter or form), and the arupaloka (world without form). These terms have been adopted by the Theosophical Society.

For other uses, see Loka (disambiguation).

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Loka is a Sanskrit word for "world". In Hindu mythology it takes a specific meaning related to cosmology.

Contents 1 Hindu tradition 2 Buddhism 3 Theosophy 4 See also 5 References

Hindu tradition

In the Puranas, and already in the Atharvaveda, there are fourteen worlds, seven higher ones (vyahrtis) and seven lower ones (paatalas), viz. bhuu, bhuvas, svar, mahas, janas, tapas, and satya above and atala, vitala, sutala, rasaataala, talatala, mahaatala and paatala loka below.

The scholar Deborah Soifer describes the development of the concept of lokas as follows:

The concept of a loka or lokas develops in the Vedic literature. Influenced by the special connotations that a word for space might have for a nomadic people, loka in the Veda did not simply mean place or world, but had a positive valuation: it was a place or position of religious or psychological interest with a special value of function of its own.
Hence, inherent in the 'loka' concept in the earliest literature was a double aspect; that is, coexistent with spatiality was a religious or soteriological meaning, which could exist independent of a spatial notion, an 'immaterial' significance.
The most common cosmological conception of lokas in the Veda was that of the trailokya or triple world: three worlds consisting of earth, atmosphere or sky, and heaven, making up the universe."^[1]

Buddhism

Main article: Six Lokas

Six Lokas refers to a Bönpo and Nyingmapa spiritual practice or discipline that works with chakras and the six dimensions or classes of beings in the Bhavachakra.

Theosophy

The concept of Lokas was adopted by Theosophy, and can be found in the writings of Blavatsky. There is also reference to kamaloka (world of desires) as a sort of astral plane or temporary after-life state, according to the teachings of Blavatsky, Leadbeater, and Steiner.

See also

• Paatala loka

References

1. ^ Soiver, Deborah A., The Myths of Narasimha and Vamana: Two Avatars in Cosmological Perspective State University of New York Press (Nov 1991), ISBN: 978-0791407998 p. 51[1]

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