The Concept of the Six Munis: Nirmanakaya Emanations in Samsara
The Six Munis (also known as the Six Sages/Six Buddhas) is a profound manifestation of universal compassion in the Six Realms of Buddhism. These six personages are particular appearances of the Buddha that appear in the Six Realms of Samsara to guide sentient beings based on their particular needs and abilities. As the sources explain, although Shakyamuni Buddha is the famous sage of the human world, he and other enlightened individuals appear in five different forms to access those stuck in the world of gods, demi-gods, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell-beings.
One must be able to differentiate the Six Munis and the Five Dhyani Buddhas (and Vajrasattva). The sources elaborate that the Dhyani Buddhas are the Sambhogakaya Buddhas that teach in the Purelands, and the six Munis are the Nirmanakaya (emanation body) forms who descend into the six realms of suffering to be the teachers. Every Muni is focused on assisting creatures in getting rid of one of the six poisons, such as arrogance, jealousy, attachment, ignorance, stinginess, and anger, which keep creatures on the wheel of birth.
The Six Realms of Rebirth and Poisons
According to the sources, the six destinations of rebirth are actually the surroundings, where all sentient beings inhabit, and which are mainly in the Desire Realm. Every dominated sphere is characterized by a certain mental contamination or illusion, which the respective Muni aims to purify:
- God Realm (Deva): Inhabited by powerful, long-lived beings who suffer from arrogance and pride. Though they enjoy extraordinary pleasure, they are still trapped in Samsara and subject to the law of karma.
- Demi-God Realm (Asura): These beings are characterized by jealousy and competitiveness, often directed toward the gods.
- Human Realm (Manusya): The primary poison here is attachment and clinging, although humans are unique in that they can experience all six poisons.
- Animal Realm (Tiryak): Beings in this realm suffer from deep ignorance of the true nature of reality.
- Hungry Ghost Realm (Preta): Defined by stinginess, greed, and a constant state of unsatisfied hunger or thirst.
- Hell Realm (Naraka): The lowest state, where beings endure intense suffering caused by anger and hate.
The sources highlight the point that karma ripening determines the future destination, and an angry person who has never repented is known to have one foot already in the hell world.
The Scriptural Origins: Guhyagarbha Tantra and the Bardo Thodol
The teachings about the Six Munis are mostly based on the Guhyagarbha Tantra, known to be the most significant tantra within the Nyingma school. Namely, the root text of these six sages is the so-called short version of this tantra, in which the text consists of twenty-two chapters. According to the sources, although there might be other Sanskrit or Tibetan sources, the Guhyagarbha has been the source of the idea of these six Buddhas.
In addition to this tantra, the Six Munis are also very essential in the Bardo Thodol, or the Tibetan Book of the Dead. They are defined as belonging to the one hundred serene and furious godheads that a consciousness will experience in the intermediate place (Bardo) between death and subsequent rebirth. Their presence in the Bardo is a reminder of the way out to freedom before the karma of the new life has completely consumed them. These six sages are also found in other traditions, including the Kalachakra and other so-called Revealed Treasure (terma) traditions of people like Karma Lingpa and Ratna Lingpa.
About the Six Buddhas :
These Six Buddhas are different compassionate forms of the enlightened mind, appearing in the six realms to engage directly with the predominant afflictions experienced there. In this way, the Buddha skillfully “takes the form” that best suits the understanding and psyche of beings trapped in each realm’s suffering
Below is an explanation of each of the Six Buddhas, their iconography, and their specific spiritual purposes:
Indra Kaushika: Sage of the God Realm
The God Realm (Deva Realm) is a place of great pleasure and luxury, but the beings there often suffer from arrogance and pride due to their perceived superiority over other realms.
- Iconography: Indra Kaushika is depicted as white in color, symbolizing purity and wisdom. He holds a Sitar or Lute, an instrument representing harmony and balance.
- Purpose: His presence helps to subdue the poison of arrogance and pride. Even though the gods (Devas) experience extraordinary pleasure, they are still subject to the law of karma. Indra Kaushika teaches them to look beyond their pride so they may avoid falling into lower realms when their merit is exhausted.
Vemachitra: Sage of the Demi-God Realm
The Demi-God Realm (Asura Realm) is filled with beings driven by jealousy and competition. The Asuras are often in constant conflict with the gods, driven by envy and a desire to surpass them.
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Iconography: Vemachitra is shown as green in color, symbolizing the calming of intense emotions. He carries a Sword, representing the cutting through of jealousy and competitive desires.
- Purpose: Vemachitra’s purpose is to help beings in this realm transform their envy into wisdom. The sword symbolizes his power to cut through negative emotions and guide Asuras toward inner peace and cooperation rather than rivalry.
Shakyamuni: Sage of the Human Realm
(Photo From Thangka Rimo)
As the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni is the central figure in the Human Realm, where beings experience a mixture of pleasure and suffering. Humans face a unique challenge, being subject to all six poisons, but attachment and clinging are considered the most significant obstacles.
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Iconography: Shakyamuni is typically depicted in yellow or gold, representing the element of earth and the grounded nature of human experience. He holds a monk’s bowl and staff, symbols of his renunciation and teachings.
- Purpose: Shakyamuni’s primary role is to teach humans the Six Paramitas (perfections) and the path of the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha). His teachings help transform the six poisons into the six wisdoms, guiding humans toward enlightenment.
Sthirasimha (Shravasingha): Sage of the Animal Realm
Beings in the Animal Realm suffer from ignorance and a lack of awareness. They are not able to understand the Dharma, and their lives are primarily driven by instinct and survival.
- Iconography: Known as the "Splendid Lion Sage", Sthirasimha is depicted in blue color, symbolizing the awakening of wisdom. He holds Dharma Texts, which represent the teachings that will dispel ignorance.
- Purpose: Sthirasimha’s mission is to counter the poison of ignorance and heavy foolishness in the Animal Realm. By carrying the sacred texts, he introduces the light of wisdom to beings who are intellectually blind, helping them progress toward enlightenment.
Jvalamukha: Sage of the Hungry Ghost Realm
In the Hungry Ghost Realm (Preta Realm), beings suffer from insatiable desires and extreme scarcity. They are trapped in endless longing, unable to find satisfaction.
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Iconography: Also known as the "Sage of Flaming Mouth", Jvalamukha is depicted in red and holds a small rice pot symbolizing the provision of spiritual nourishment.
- Purpose: Jvalamukha addresses the poison of greed and stinginess. The container he holds symbolizes the provision of spiritual and physical nourishment to beings who are perpetually deprived, guiding them toward balance and contentment.
Yama Dharmaraja: Sage of the Hell Realm
The Hell Realm represents the lowest state of suffering, where beings endure intense pain fueled by anger and hatred. These beings are trapped by their negative emotions, experiencing torment and retribution.
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Iconography: Known as the "Sovereign of Dharma", Yama Dharmaraja is depicted in brown or light blue and carries a Conch Shell, which represents the triumphant sound of the Dharma.
- Purpose: Yama Dharmaraja’s role is to pierce through the suffering of hell beings with the sound of the Dharma. His conch symbolizes the power of wisdom and purification. Yama Dharmaraja helps beings trapped by anger and hatred to find a path of purification and liberation, even in the most extreme suffering.
The Wheel of Life: Visualizing the Buddhas in Buddhist Art
The Six Munis are regularly observed in Wheel of Life (Samsara) artwork and paintings in Buddhist temples. The sources explain that the traditional "Wheel of Life" was originally a five-section wheel representing hell, ghosts, animals, humans, and gods. However, in later Tibetan traditions, especially those following the Nyingma Guhyagarbha Tantra, it was split into six parts to incorporate the realm of the demi-gods separately.
In these six-part works, the figure of a standing Buddha (one of the Six Munis) commonly appears in each part. They appear in the art as a symbol of the fact that there is no realms where the Buddha is not able to show his mercy. Interestingly, not every Wheel of Life painting has these figures, but some can have either two or three figures and this depends on how the artist was taught or what tradition he or she follows.
The Mechanism of Karma and the Path to Liberation
The sources provide a detailed breakdown of the actions (karma) that lead to specific rebirths and the path to transcending them.
Karmic Causes of Rebirth
- Hells: The result of "ten unwholesome deeds" and "five heinous crimes" (such as killing a parent or shedding the blood of a Buddha) committed with an angry mind.
- Hungry Ghosts: Result from heavy selfishness and stinginess.
- Animals: Predominated by ignorance and heavy foolishness.
- Humans: Attained by following the Five Precepts and taking refuge in the Triple Gem.
- Demigods: Result from performing wholesome deeds but with a mind full of aversion and competitiveness.
- Gods: Result from the "Ten Wholesome Deeds" and the practice of forbearance.
The Levels of Liberation
The sources distinguish between being reborn in "higher" realms and achieving true liberation. Even if one reaches the Form Realm or Formless Realm through meditative concentration (samadhi), they are still trapped in the cycle of rebirth if they have not eliminated self-attachment.
To achieve liberation, one must progress through the Four Fruitions of the Sound-hearer Vehicle:
- Srotaapanna (Stream-enterer): Removes the Three Fetters (misconception about self, precepts and skepticism).
- Sakrdagamin (Once-returner): Alleviates greed, aversion, and delusion.
- Anagamin (Non-returner): Has totally abandoned the desire realm.
- Arhat (Worthy One): Removes any linkage to the three realms.
Conclusion:
Although the attainment of an Arhat is a great accomplishment, the sources make it clear that this does not imply that it is beyond others. By going beyond the Arhat, a Buddha eradicates not just the afflictive hindrances but also the cognitive hindrances and attains the cessation of the ultimate "nirvana of no abiding".
The instructions of the Six Munis act as a guide to this quest. We will be able to cleanse our karma by identifying the poisons inside our own minds, and through the means of the sages of those realms, by means of them, we can cleanse our karma. Whether the practice itself is the Six Paramitas, the chanting of the Ushnisha Vijaya Dharani, or the mindfulness of the Six Wisdoms, the aim is the same, which is to bring all sentient beings out of the cycle of suffering.
