rūpadhātu. (T. gzugs khams; C. sejie; J. shikikai; K. saekkye 色界).
In Sanskrit and Pāli, the “realm of subtle materiality” or “form realm,” which together with the sensuous, or desire, realm (KĀMADHĀTU) and the immaterial, or formless, realm (ĀRŪPYADHĀTU) constitute the three realms (TRAIDHĀTUKA) of SAṂSĀRA; the term is synonymous with rūpāvacara. The subtle-materiality realm is located above the heavens of the sensuous realm, which are situated on and above Mount SUMERU.
This realm is divided into four meditative heavens associated with the four meditative concentrations of the subtle-materiality realm (RŪPĀVACARADHYĀNA). These meditative heavens are places of rebirth in saṃsāra and are accessible only through mastery of a specific rūpāvacaradhyāna; the beings reborn there are classified as BRAHMĀ gods.
Rebirth in these meditative heavens is the result of a specific kind of virtuous action, called an “immovable action” (S. ANIÑJYAKARMAN), in which the action has the definite and specific effect of bringing about rebirth in either the subtle-materiality or immaterial heavens.
… the fourth meditative heaven of the subtle-materiality realm is considered an ideal state from which to achieve NIRVĀṆA: for example, when the Buddha entered PARINIRVĀṆA, his mind passed through each of the four subtle-materiality and immaterial absorptions before passing into nirvāṇa directly from the fourth absorption.
— Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism
On the left, from Moon to Absolute, is the Ray of Creation. On the right are the four bodies which correspond to their appropriate world on the Ray. Far right are listed the laws under which the bodies are subject — the progressively higher the body, the progressively fewer the laws.
The hierarchy of Worlds interpenetrate one another; our own world of “Earth” — correlating with the Buddhist Desire Realm — contains all the other worlds in subtle form. At a more evolved level, that of a being possessing the Astral Body (sambhogakaya), that being is aware of the Astral World (Buddhist Form Realm), while touching simultaneously the lower Desire Realm at necessary times. Similarly, a possessor of a Mental Body (dharmakaya) inhabits the Formless Realm while living upon the Earth, while necessarily touching the lower two realms also.
A BRIEF OUTLINE OF GURDJIEFF’S BODIES
“You all understand that a man is not merely his physical body. What is really the man himself is the psychological man who lives in the physical body. The formation of further bodies refers to the psychological not to the physical man. They refer to the centres in Man which are psychological. The organization of the centres constitutes the basis of the formation of further bodies that can survive the death of the physical body.”
— Nicoll Commentaries p. 226
Gurdjieff acknowledges the physical body as the foundation for and the birthplace of the three higher bodies. However, within the material body are nascent “centers” of functioning which allow for emotions and intellectuality. These centers, when developed, have the potential to produce ever deeper inner phenomena such as compassion and loving-kindness in the emotional center, and an elevated consciousness along with the direct perception of objective reality in the intellectual center.
It is out of these centers’ development and functioning that the higher bodies themselves can take form.
The second body is the emotional body. Theoretically it grows out of the seed of the middle division of the emotional center: that inner part of us that produces religious emotions and which generates a conscience. This body also consists of astral material which is produced by the breath; including the substance of animal magnetism (i.e. astral light), which makes up a large part of this body.
The third body is known as the mental body. It develops out of the seed of the inner division of the intellectual center. It consists of the extraordinarily fine matters of the impressions we receive. As the name suggests, though, the intellectual center is to a degree created also with the substance of “intellect” itself (Sanskrit: buddhi, Mahat). Consciousness, which Gurdjieff describes as being material, is also a very large part of the three centers making up the nucleus of the mental body.
The fourth body is known as the divine body. Theoretically, it consists of “divine” material adopted from the environment, rather than matter produced through a transformation of “foods” brought in to the physical body. Each level on the ray of creation has evolved one or more “deities” — progressively more divine at each higher level — which consist partially of matters appropriate to that level, and which can contribute divine material to the corresponding higher body, which exists at that same level.
(The Buddhist title, “His Holiness”, often describes an actual quality of holiness that the holder of the title has acquired. My own Lama had the “perfume” of a very real holiness at certain times, which was palpable. The perfected divine body also is infused with the fragrance of holiness.)
MIND VS. DEVELOPMENT OF “KNOWLEDGE & BEING”
“…channels are subtle pathways extending throughout the body through which the volatile winds move. Since winds and mind are fused in tantric theory, the channels are the pathways not only for winds, but also for the mind that rides on those winds. Therefore, channels are the avenues by which the mind comes to pervade the entire body.”
— Secrets of the Vajra Body: Dngos po'i gnas lugs and the Apotheosis of the Body in the work of Rgyal ba Yang dgon pa (A dissertation by Willa Blythe Miller)
The intellectual center, and also the emotional center, should not be confused with the “mind” (Sanskrit: manas). The mind is a partner of the inner energies or winds which move and operate within the subtle body, in my view. The mind, from its vantage in the subtle body, also interacts with the emotional center and most prominently the intellectual center. Unfortunately, when either center is undeveloped, or in some cases fairly non-existent, the mind ends up compensating, and then indulging in its various imaginings and negative emotions. This is the problem we all have in some way or another, up until Buddhahood.
The subtle body, I believe, is what is known in the Fourth Way as “life energy” (fa 96). In my opinion, the subtle body is more of a mass of energy or sheath, rather than an actual body for those of us who are starting out. With development, it can form to become what the Tibetans call the vajra body. But this is an accomplishment I have not achieved.
(It is my opinion that the fundamental nature of the mind — what the Gurdjieffians call “Attention” — is empty of a material nature, but, as the Buddhists say, “Luminous”, and innately pure. However, I believe that the imperfect so-called “energetic mind” that operates within the subtle body primarily, can also be gradually perfected; perfected through following the Buddhists’ highest level tantra. At its perfection, the energetic mind has Divine appearance.)
In doing the daily Work of self-evolution, it is also important to distinguish between the centers — intellectual, emotional, and physical — and the mind itself. The mind becomes dramatically calmer and much less a “monkey mind” after headway has been made in development of the various centers along with their corresponding bodies. The three higher bodies are actually a part of the subtle body; they are connected to the subtle body and can be considered to be higher levels of the subtle body.
I believe that the undeveloped subtle body is controlled to a large degree by the direct and indirect influences from the moon. These influences in turn move the gears of the monkey mind, in service to the moon’s needs or “wishes”. (This is derived from Gurdjieffian theory, along with my own meditations on Kalachakra theory.) Once the second body has been crystallized however, the subtle body and the mind then gradually move to reside within that higher body. The mind along with its subtle body then reside under the astral body’s auspices. All three consequently operate under the higher influence of the astral world, called “all planets” (see above), instead of under the influence of the moon. At this level the mind becomes what the Buddhists call “clearer”, or, that is, freer of obscurations.
“We have both an intuitive, emotional aspect and an intelligent, logical aspect. The emotional aspect corresponds exactly to the method side of the path and attaining the buddha’s form body (the activities of an enlightened being), whereas the logical aspect corresponds to the wisdom side and the buddha’s truth body (the wisdom aspect of an enlightened being).”
— Geshe Tashi Tsering, Relative Truth, Ultimate Truth
ARE GURDJIEFF’S FOUR BODIES BUDDHA BODIES?
"A practitioner of Yoga … should hold his mind on the five forms of the elements in their respective centers within the body. This is called dharana.”
— Trishikhibrahmanopanishad, mantra section 133 - 134
Are Gurdjieff’s four bodies Buddha Bodies? This is a question that can perhaps only be answered by a Buddhist, rather than a Gurdjieffian. Each follower of Gurdjieff is doing their best to achieve inner being, in accordance with the written and oral legacy Gurdjieff left us. However, the fully developed and perfected bodies are in actuality and in reality achieved, even to this current day, solely by the Buddhists, not by the Gurdjieffians.
I believe the problem in the modern-day Work, is that Gurdjieff’s system is stripped, intentionally or unintentionally, of an emphasis on what the Buddhists call “merit”. Gurdjieff does reference the way of the monk, as the second way, working with the emotional center. And Gurdjieff in his Beelzebub’s Tales does mention the importance of “faith, hope, and love”. But in that same work, he attests that these emotions (and presumably others like these) are withered and absent in mankind. Gurdjieff then relates that the development of conscience is the optimal way for mankind to progress. This emphasis on conscience and the de-emphasis of the higher, spiritual affections is also pronounced throughout Ouspensky’s In Search of the Miraculous. The current disciples of Gurdjieff as well all nearly universally fairly reject the intentional Work on the expression and development of the spiritual affections such as faith, hope, and love. I have never heard this ideal taught by Fourth Way leaders; but on the contrary “morality” as a concept is denigrated, and the development of conscience is emphasized instead exclusively.
So the practical result of this is that Gurdjieffian bodies are always described by contemporary practitioners in solely material terms, never as possessing any spiritual qualities. It is known generally that the astral body has something vaguely to do with the emotions; but there is never talk of evolving the emotions or emotional center. Same with the mental body and the intellectual center; intellectual evolution is not talked of.
The Buddhists are clear, however, in that they attest that the accumulation of merit & wisdom directly results in the eventual possession of the Buddha Bodies. A Buddhist strives consciously at developing the qualities of the ten perfections — prominent among them being compassion and loving-kindness. There is absolutely no doubt of this being of primary importance to a Buddhist.
The Gurdjieffians do have the concept of the development and elevation of knowledge and being; and also the measurement of those mentioned two on a scale. If this concept were taught in a practical way in the Work, using as a model and inspiration the Buddhist practical emphasis on merit and wisdom, then there would be indeed a spiritual development within the Gurdjieff bodies, in the contemporary followers of the Fourth Way.
Alternatively, it would serve Buddhists well, however, if they could admit to the existence of certain higher subtle substances as elements in the making up of each of the Buddha Bodies. It is advantageous to recognize that the elements and subtle elements do indeed have a nominal type of existence, and have a role to play in nirvana. In other words, “emptiness” is not the extreme of “nothingness”.
A PRACTICAL SOLUTION
“Dharana is holding the Divine Spirit in consciousness during concentration.”
— Amritanadopanishad 15
One way of solving the problem of scale in Gurdjieffian bodies — of the emphasis on matter, and the de-emphasis of a higher scale of the so-called higher bodies — would be to start the development of the divine body early, from the very beginning of the Work. In a practical sense, the divine body is merely a collection of divine or holy qualities. It is the divine qualities which inject vertical height and scale — meaning — into the Gurdjieff bodies.
I’ve never ever in my memory heard anyone in the Work speak of the development of the divine body. But in reality, any virtue one can project upon a God or gods, can somehow be projected onto and become a part of oneself, too. But, as was said earlier, these qualities can not be “manufactured” through the activity of the “mind”. They must be genuine, they must emanate from and become a part of a center; and/or injected into the being-substance which makes up the higher body — the body which has formed around the centers.
Alternatively, the Buddhists, in visualizing the Bodhisattvas, could easily concentrate on experiencing within their minds the various qualities of each deity. For example, along with visualizing Chenrezi, a tantric could in meditation experience and practice the expression of Chenrezi’s compassion. After time, compassion hopefully would become an integral part of the tantric’s being. And by the time the practitioner had integrated a majority of Chenrezi’s qualities, he/she would effectively be at Chenrezi’s level, and perhaps even look like him, astrally.
And if a Gurdjieffian were to do something similar for each center at the nucleus of each of the three stories of every higher body, then he/she would measure up very well on the scale of knowledge and being. A higher body would not be merely a mass of substance that one senses, but a body with actual functions, as Gurdjieff defines the bodies to be. In other words, an astral body would be able to express higher emotions. And a mental body would have elevated consciousness and the ability to think higher thoughts.
But the key to developing functions within higher bodies is to develop the centers along with and as an integral part of the higher bodies. As a rule, though, evolution of centers is not currently taught anywhere by Foundation teachers, that I am aware of. The world needs teachers to start teaching the adoption and integration of the divine qualities into the substance of the first three bodies’ centers. It is the divine qualities of the first, second, and third bodies which collectively make up the divine body. And it is the skillful development and expression of the divine body which elevates a Gurdjieffian on the scale of being and knowledge; and which defines him/her as Gurdjieff’s “man number seven”: the perfected human.
—————————————————————————————————-
EPILOGUE: A CONVERSATION WITH DR. AZIZE, ON HIS BLOG
Hello Dr. Azize,
I will stay out of the debate regarding whether Gurdjieff went to Tibet, or derived his system there from. But I am a Gurdjieffian as well as a Vajrayana practitioner. I find the system of ethics of the Mahayana to be a great addition to the Fourth Way system; because these ethics seem crucial to the formation of the emotional body. The Gurdjieffians attest to the accumulation of knowledge and being. And the Buddhists to the accumulation of merit and wisdom, to realize the Buddha Bodies.
Unfortunately, I am doubtful if the realization of higher levels of being is an intentional Aim with most Gurdjieffians.
I just came across your post just now. But I have two recent posts of my own concerning Buddhism and Gurdjeff, including one on Shambhala, on my blog: to-be-able.blogspot.com
A nice eirenic statement. I had a look at your web site and what I read was thoughtful. I would put the conclusion differently. I doubt that it is possible for us ever to speak or write absolutely objectively about higher being bodies and real I, but in so far as it is possible, Gurdjieff’s is the closest yet. I would say that the Gurdjieff Work is only for a very few. It can never be a major societal religion like Buddhism. Much else is related to this, e.g. that Gurdjieff seeks accelerated results; but what I have said indicates the general direction.
Thank you, Dr. Azize, for your reply, and for checking my blog; I do appreciate it!
In spite of the irony and ethical dissonance of engaging in an argument about higher being bodies, I find myself constantly dwelling on and speaking about the subject.
In fact, to me higher bodies, once developed, seem to be the only Real part of a human being. Gurdjieff is constantly saying Man needs to realize his nothingness. And I believe that he means Man, in his normal unformed state, is a churning flux of random thoughts and emotions, all simply a response to external inputs.
The cure for this inner disorganization is the formation of, through one’s own efforts, of something solid and reliably dependable within oneself, psychologically.
As Gurdjieff says, “Right work on oneself begins with the creation of a permanent center of gravity.” A solid, permanent center of gravity — if it happens to be an appropriate emotional or intellectual center — can be the seed around which a higher being body can develop. It’s no secret what substance the astral body itself is based on: re 96, or Gurdjieff’s “hanbledzoin”.
However, amassing hanbledzoin by itself alone to form a higher being body is unsatisfactory. For, as Gurdjieff says, we can deduce the existence of a higher body through its “functions”, not through the substance it consists of. The astral body is an emotional body or instrument; thus its main function is to express emotions from the higher emotional center.
That is the reason I said before that Buddhist Six Perfections can play an essential part in the formation and functioning of the astral body.
The most impressive human being I ever encountered was my high Lama here in Seattle. He exhibited both an incredible ability to express the perfections, such as kindness and compassion, and he was also probably the highest intellect I’ve known.
Whether or not he actually possessed “higher bodies”, I am not sure. But he did possess highly developed emotional and intellectual centers. And even though Buddhists deny the so-called “self”, my Lama undoubtedly did possess Gurdjieff’s “Real I”.