Deva
Deva
16. “I had an experience yeserday in which I may have seen a group of beings above us, particularly above you....I don't think I'm crazy, but I'm very interested in what the Dhamma says about otherworldly/non-material beings.” [Deva] [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Mental illness] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Culture/Thailand] [Realms of existence] [Culture/Natural environment]
Recollection: Spirits at Wat Pah Nanachat would request Ajahn Pasanno to dedicate merit. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Funerals] [Ghost] [Deva] [Merit]
Quote: “They always had to use an intermediary because I was thick, thick, thick.” [Deva] [Psychic powers]
Story: Ajahn Plien declares Casa Serena free of ghosts. [Ajahn Plien] [Abhayagiri] [Rebirth]
1. “What would be a way to connect with the deva-like humans?” [Human] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas] // [Realms of existence]
2. “What would be a way to connect with the devas if you were out walking by yourself...[audio unclear]?” [Culture/Natural environment] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas] // [Recollection/Buddha] [Spiritual search]
3. “I've heard that devas and brahmas aren't able to become enlightened. Is that right?” Answered by Ajahn Yatiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [Liberation] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas] // [Delusion] [Heedlessness] [Sutta] [Great disciples] [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
Story: Ajahn Sudanto's pūjā on Mount Hood. [Pacific Hermitage] [Pūjā] [Culture/Natural environment] [Merit] [Goodwill]
4. Comment: Contemplating the devas opens my mind to waking up. [Liberation] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas]
Response by Ajahn Yatiko. [Mindfulness] [Energy] [Proliferation] [Depression] [Sutta] [Culture/Natural environment]
5. Comment: I ask myself, "Do I believe in Māra?" There's no doubt. I try to balance this with the devas. [Māra] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas]
Response by Ajahn Yatiko. [Skillful qualities]
6. “Are angels devas...[audio unclear]?” [Christianity] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas] // [God] [Delusion]
7. Comment: Maybe recollection of the devas isn't frequently taught because it could slip into a desire for heaven. [Craving for material existence] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas]
Response by Ajahn Yatiko. [Sutta] [Hell] [Kamma] [Delusion]
8. Comment: For me it is a question of whether I can believe it or not. It depends on where I place my mind. [Faith] [Science] [Emptiness] [Proliferation] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas] [Dalai Lama] [Death]
Response by Ajahn Yatiko. [Doubt] [Trust] [Tranquility]
4. Comment: The descriptions in Mae Chee Kaew's biography of how difficult it was for her to give up her experiences with the astral world speak to me. [Mae Chee Kaew] [Clinging] [Deva] [Gradual Teaching]
Reference: Mae Chee Kaew: Her Journey to Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment by Ajahn Dick Sīlaratano
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] [Mindfulness of body]
7. Comments about the role of heaven as a haven in the practice. [Deva] [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Four Noble Truths] [Gradual Teaching]
8. “How do we know when to ask for directions on the path as opposed to just continuing farther? What would we ask?” Answered by Ajahn Yatiko. [Questions] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Gradual Teaching] // [Suffering] [Discernment] [Conditionality] [Faith]
Sutta: SN 12.23: Suffering is the cause of faith.
Follow-up: “What about when things are pleasant, but we're not headed in the right direction?” [Happiness] [Mindfulness] [Deva] [Relinquishment]
Sutta: MN 75: Simile of the leper. [Similes]
Sutta: SN 56.35: Stream entry after 100 years. [Stream entry] [Four Noble Truths]
3. “When Luang Ta Mahā Boowa says he's looking for a sign or vision, what does he mean by that?” [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Nimitta] [Deva] // [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/West] [Dreams] [Determination]
Story: Ajahn Tiradhammo asks Ajahn Chah what event convinced him that he was on the path to liberation. [Ajahn Tiradhammo] [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma books] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Liberation]
5. “Did you think of relocating Wat Pah Nanachat to Wat Keun?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Wat Keun] // [Seclusion] [Ajahn Puriso] [Deva]
Story: Ajahn Chah asks Ajahn Pasanno to take over as abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat. [Ajahn Chah] [Abbot]
Story: Supporters offer Ajahn Pasanno several properties to start monasteries, but he passes them to others. [Generosity] [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Gavesako] [Ajahn Liem] [Environment]
12. “If you had moved Wat Pah Nanachat to Wat Keun, would you have left Thailand?” [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Wat Keun] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Quote: “I had one plan and the devas had a different one.” [Deva]
Sutta: DN 16.6.15: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta [Buddha/Biography] [Deva] [Great disciples]
4. Reading: SN 41.10: Death of Citta the Householder [Great disciples] [Death] // [Deva] [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Generosity]
7. Readings: MN 143, SN 2.20: Death of Anāthapiṇḍika [Great disciples] [Death] // [Sense bases] [Relinquishment] [Teaching Dhamma] [Lay life] [Deva]
22. “I read about the advice given to dying devas. Should more people know about the cosmological background of the Buddha's teachings?” [Deva] [Realms of existence] [Death]
Sutta: Iti 83: Five omens that appear when a deva is about to pass away. [Deva] [Rebirth]
13. “Ajahn Mun spent a lot of time teaching the devas. Can you share any thoughts on this relevant to Western culture?” [Ajahn Mun] [Teaching Dhamma] [Deva] [Doubt] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Culture/West] // [Faith] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Nature of the cosmos]
Reference: Venerable Ācariya Mun Bhūridatta Thera: A Spiritual Biography by Ajahn Mahā Boowa
5. “As I understand it, it is rare and fortunate to have a human birth because of the amount of suffering in the human realm that may lead one to practice to end suffering. On the other hand, devas have less suffering. Therefore they would be less motivated to practice to end suffering, correct? If so, would it not be better for one to wish oneself and others to be reborn in the human realm if one aspires full liberation?” [Human] [Deva] [Rebirth] [Liberation] [Suffering]
16. “I enjoy the teaching about devas, they seem to be a good counter-balance for left-brain people. Is it correct to say that the Hindu deities are included into the Buddhist universe as higher devas, mighty but not omniscient and impermanent beings? I am particularly interested in Shiva, who for me is a positive symbol of cessation, relinquishment and play of the elements. I know that Brahma is mentioned a lot in the Canon, but what about Shiva? Also, since Thailand borrowed a lot from Indian culture, are there any devotional practices for Hindu deities, and if yes are they somehow integrated with Buddhism, perhaps on a folk level?” [Deva] [Culture/India] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Culture/Thailand] [Devotional practice]
8. “Please explain the hierarchy of devas, gods, etc. in relation to the Buddha. How is it that a mortal being can be more evolved or enlightened than gods? Do gods and devas create karma? Are they born again as gods or devas or humans?” [Deva] [Buddha]
3. Comment: I appreciate that AN 5.48 includes devas and Māra. [Deva] [Māra] [Realms of existence] [Sutta] [Human]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
7. ““Teacher of Gods and Humans”. Can you talk about this? What Gods did the Buddha teach? What other beings did the Buddha teach?” [Recollection/Buddha] [Buddha] [Teaching Dhamma] [Deva] [Human]
6. ““Buddha is Teacher of Gods and Humans”, so according to Buddha, there is no one God but many Gods or it depends on what is meant by God?” [Recollection/Buddha] [Deva]
2. “What are spontaneously reborn beings? [in the context of Right View, e.g. MN 117]” [Rebirth] [Realms of existence] [Right View] // [Deva] [Birth] [Ghost]