Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra

The Buddha emitted a ray of light from the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows, which illuminated the 18,000 worlds in the east. This light was able to penetrate down to the lowest realms of existence, such as the Avichi hell, and up to the highest realms, such as the Akanishtha heaven. This means that the light was able to reach every single realm of existence and make all the living beings in those realms visible.

Additionally, the passage states that this light also made the present Buddhas living in those lands visible, and their preaching of sutras audible. This means that not only could people see the Buddha who was emitting the light, but they could also see and hear other Buddhas who were currently living in different realms and preaching the Dharma. This passage further states that one could see practitioners such as the monks, nuns, lay male disciples, and lay female disciples in those lands, as well as bodhisattvas-mahasattvas practicing the bodhisattva ways through various causes and conditions, faith and understanding, as well as forms and appearances.

This passage also speaks about seeing the buddhas entering parinirvana, which means the buddhas passing away or death, and the seven-jeweled pagodas being built for the keeping of the relics. This is an allusion to the traditional practice of building a stupa or pagoda to house the relics of a buddha after their passing, as a way to honor and remember them.

Overall, the Ray of Light illumination 18,000 realms describes a powerful spiritual manifestation of the Buddha’s abilities, showing the universality of his teaching and his ability to reach all realms of existence and make all living beings visible, as well as the ability to see other buddhas and practitioners. It is also an allusion to the traditional customs and practices of Buddhism.

In Buddhist cosmology, there are six realms of existence in which beings can be reborn:

1. The realm of hell: This is the lowest realm, where beings are punished for their negative actions and suffer intense pain and suffering.
2. The realm of hungry ghosts: This is a realm where beings are constantly hungry and thirsty, but can never find satisfaction.
3. The realm of animals: This is a realm where beings are often in danger, and their lives are ruled by instinct and survival.
4. The realm of humans: This is a realm where beings have the capacity for wisdom and understanding, but also experience suffering and difficulties.
5. The realm of Asura: This is a realm where beings are constantly fighting and engaged in battles.
6. The realm of heaven: This is the highest realm, where beings enjoy pleasure and happiness, but it is not permanent and eventually, they will fall to lower realms again.

The Akanishtha heaven is the highest of the heavens in Buddhist cosmology, it’s a realm of complete purity where only the highest form of Bodhisattvas can dwell.

The Avichi hell is the worst of the hell realms, where beings suffer eternally without any chance of release.