Plane (cosmology)
- For other uses of the word plane, see plane.
A plane of existence (or plane or dimension) is in esoteric cosmology and metaphysics, a theoretical region of space and/or consciousness beyond the known universe, or the region containing the universe itself. Many esoteric teachings (e.g. theosophy) propound the idea of a whole series of planes or worlds or dimensions beyond the physical universe.
The concept of planes of existence might be seen as a deriving from shamanic and traditional mythological ideas of a vertical world-axis, a cosmic mountain or tree or pole (e.g. Yggdrasil, Mt Meru, etc), or a philosophical conception of a Great Chain of Being, arranged metaphorically from God down to inanimate matter.
However the original source of the word "plane" in this context is the late Neoplatonist Proclus, who refers to to platos, "breadth", which was the a term direct equivalent of the 19th century theosophical use. e.g. en to psuchiko platei [Dodds, cited in Poortman, 1978, vol II, p.54].
Directly equivalent concepts in Indian thought are lokas and bhuvanas. In Hindu cosmology, there are traditionally seven lokas or worlds, while Buddhist cosmology has a much larger number of "deva lokas", identified with both traditional cosmology and states of meditation. Later, in the medieval West and middle East, one finds reference to four worlds (olam) in Kabbalah, or five in Sufism (where they are also called "descents" (tanazzulut)), and also in Lurianic Kabbalah. In Kabbalah, each of the four or five worlds are themselves divided into ten sefirot, or else divided in other ways.
In the late 19th century, the metaphysical term "planes" was popularised by the theosophy of H.P. Blavatsky, who in The Secret Doctrine and other writings propounded a complex cosmology consisting of seven planes and subplanes, based on a synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas. From theosophy the term made its way to later esoteric systems such as that of Alice Bailey, who was very influentual in shaping the worldview of the New Age movement. The term is also found in some Eastern teachings that have some Western influence, such as the cosmology of Sri Aurobindo and some of the later Sant Mat, and also in some descriptions of Buddhist cosmology.
See also
References
- Blavatsky, H.P. (1888) The Secret Doctrine, Theosophiphal Publishing House,
- Poortman, J.J., (1978) Vehicles of Consciousness. The Concept of Hylic Pluralism, The Theosophical Society in Netherlands