Enfant terrible
Kraken
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Buddhism divides incarnations into realms. They are referred to as the "Six Styles of Imprisonment", and Buddhists believe we all, sooner or later experience each of them. A hell realm, a hungry ghost realm, an animal realm, the human realm, the jealous god realm, and the god realm.
So for Buddhists there are potentially billions of gods too, indeed the Judeo/Christian/Muslim/Hindu ones could all be included there. It is often asked of those who believe in reincarnation, "Taking into account population growth, where all the 'new people' are coming from?" This is where they're coming from according to Buddhist belief.
The Hungry Ghost Realm
The hungry ghost realm results from a life where extreme frustration and unsatisfied desire ruled your consciousness. In a life previous to this form of existence a being acted with extreme avarice, greed, meanness, or stinginess. It has nothing to do with external conditions. Even a billionaire can have the mentality of a hungry ghost. The suffering is less intense here. They don't feel as oppressed or confined, but the suffering is still significant due to the weight of the negative actions that have caused them to be born in this state. In this realm, beings wander endlessly, obsessed with what they lack. They live as wraiths, in desolate places. Some have died violent deaths, and are still bewildered by pain and fear, some are malevolent or twisted in some way, some are there because they want to injure others because of injuries which have been done to them in the past. Again, they have no real, inherent lack of abundance in this realm. Everything they need and want IS THERE, but their delusion prevents them from seeing it, and if they see it, their insatiable hunger prevents them from enjoying it. They are so totally obsessed with satisfying their own needs, that they cannot afford to feel the pain of others. The Buddha in this realm is called Jvalamukha, the Mouth of the Flame. He glows with limitless light and warmth which can never be drained away. He holds a vessel of ambrosia to satisfy every need. To liberate oneself here, one would have to give, or engage in hope, being willing to accept gifts and pass them on.
So for Buddhists there are potentially billions of gods too, indeed the Judeo/Christian/Muslim/Hindu ones could all be included there. It is often asked of those who believe in reincarnation, "Taking into account population growth, where all the 'new people' are coming from?" This is where they're coming from according to Buddhist belief.
The Hungry Ghost Realm
The hungry ghost realm results from a life where extreme frustration and unsatisfied desire ruled your consciousness. In a life previous to this form of existence a being acted with extreme avarice, greed, meanness, or stinginess. It has nothing to do with external conditions. Even a billionaire can have the mentality of a hungry ghost. The suffering is less intense here. They don't feel as oppressed or confined, but the suffering is still significant due to the weight of the negative actions that have caused them to be born in this state. In this realm, beings wander endlessly, obsessed with what they lack. They live as wraiths, in desolate places. Some have died violent deaths, and are still bewildered by pain and fear, some are malevolent or twisted in some way, some are there because they want to injure others because of injuries which have been done to them in the past. Again, they have no real, inherent lack of abundance in this realm. Everything they need and want IS THERE, but their delusion prevents them from seeing it, and if they see it, their insatiable hunger prevents them from enjoying it. They are so totally obsessed with satisfying their own needs, that they cannot afford to feel the pain of others. The Buddha in this realm is called Jvalamukha, the Mouth of the Flame. He glows with limitless light and warmth which can never be drained away. He holds a vessel of ambrosia to satisfy every need. To liberate oneself here, one would have to give, or engage in hope, being willing to accept gifts and pass them on.
