What significance does the concept of Pure Abodes and Heavens have for you?
 

What significance does the concept of Pure Abodes and Heavens have for you and for you practice?

Do you believe they exist, and if so where?

In the words of Henry David Thoreau, "One world at a time."

I'm certain these abodes exist,they are all in your own heart.
Of course this is one of those situations that require faith.
The title of a book comes to mind "You'll see it when you believe it" by Wayne W. Dyer.
Unfortunately many people seem to think that this naive approach is un-academic.

None, but it's a nice idea.

Hello Y'all:
It would be be nice if they exist, but Thoreau's (courtesy of Sobeh) "one world at a time"makes sense to me. I'll do my thing here the best I can, and see what happens later. Besides, I don't want to get too attached to an eschatological landing pad of any kind.
Metta to all,
Bill

If they do exist, they are irrelevant to my practice here and now.

Personally, I have no thoughts on these concepts. To me, it is neither here nor there. It's sorta akin to the theories of creation. To me, it doesn't matter. What does contemplating about our creation do to help me in this life? The answer is, nothing. It is nothing more than an additional fetter to break free from.
Yes, it is nice to daydream, and that is ok. But to allow oneself to be taken in by such things to the point of arguement or contemplation brings nothing but yet another barrier to cross. You can never really find the answer, and therefore it can allow you to slide down that slippery slope to suffering over your own inability to find the answer.

Makes my head hurt just thinking about it.
I think a nice cup of tea is in order.

The problem as l see it is that we want the world to "make sense" this is another fairy tale,the world doesn't make sense. We try to make sense of the world,and look where it's got us.
The "answer" of course lays in your own heart,if you have no confidence in your own heart,then l would suggest such a person will find it very difficult to advance on the Path,Mahaggata citta (a developed state of consciousness)/Jhannas/Nimitta's/ and such like.

For me they our just life states, within this life I feel times of Heaven and times of hell just as at others I feel hunger or learning.

Heaven is this earth at the right time, place and circumstances!

"Following the heart" is clinging to emotions, latching on to the world's bait. The Buddha advises us to drop the world's bait, in as many words. This is accomplished through discernment.

The Buddha said:


It's a gain for you, monks, a great gain, that you've gained the opportunity to live the holy life. I have seen a hell named 'Contacts Sixfold Base.' Whatever form one sees there with the eye is undesirable, never desirable; displeasing, never pleasing; disagreeable, never agreeable. Whatever sound one hears there with the ear... Whatever aroma one smells there with the nose... Whatever flavor one tastes there with the tongue... Whatever tactile sensation one touches there with the body... Whatever idea one cognizes there with the intellect is undesirable, never desirable; displeasing, never pleasing; disagreeable, never agreeable.

"It's a gain for you, monks, a great gain, that you've gained the opportunity to live the holy life. I have seen a heaven named "Contacts Six Fold Base.' Whatever form one sees there with the eye is desirable, never undesirable; pleasing, never displeasing; agreeable, never disagreeable. Whatever sound one hears there with the ear... Whatever aroma one smells there with the nose... Whatever flavor one tastes there with the tongue ... Whatever tactile sensation one touches there with the body... Whatever idea one cognizes there with the intellect is desirable, never undesirable; pleasing, never displeasing; agreeable, never disagreeable.

"It's a gain for you, monks, a great gain, that you've gained the opportunity to live the holy life."


Khana Sutta - SN


The Buddha himself makes perfect sense of the way we experience the world and latch onto that experience, causing misery for ourselves and others -- and how to stop that cycle.

For any mundane state, the Buddha used 'dhamma language'.

As the pure abodes and heavens are mundane states, there can be both the conventional meaning & dhammic meaning.

Heavenly state can be any blissful jhana or a world after death of many eons of bliss.

Pure abode can be a place non-returners go after death to finish the path or the fourth jhana.

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I've always thought of the different realms/planes of existence as different mental states that one can experience.......

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Yes, I share this idea... if not, it would have been imposible to bring Dharma at the female prision...

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I believe they are real but practice is the focus at this point.

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unless they're allegories, none. i like "one world at a time".

I was looking at this thread again and wondering if you could say a little more about this, please Element. Do you actually believe there is a world or pure abode after death....and if so, where is it located?

Everything is a sense experience. What we call planet Earth is a sense experience. Any world is a sense experience, located in the mind.

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I was looking at this information about the 31 Planes of Existence and the chart which follows.


http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/d...agga/loka.html



Excerpt:

"The suttas describe thirty-one distinct "planes" or "realms" of existence into which beings can be reborn during this long wandering through samsara"


I couldn't find a reference to the sutta/s where the Buddha mentions "31" specific planes of existence. Anyone know of a sutta that I can look at, please ?

Very http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/good.gif. My sentiments also.

I love this question! I pretty much rejected this concept initially as wishful thinking akin to thinking that "believing in Jesus" will result in heaven and not believing will result in hell. I read Jamgon Kongtrul's Treasury of Knowledge , Book 1 on various perspectives on Buddhist cosmology last spring. A lot of meant virtually nothing to me but a few things I picked up there have totally altered my perception of reality and I am really grateful. Specifically, when he describes how the pure realms are formed out of the interaction of the compassion/wisdom of Buddhas and the karma of sentient beings. Getting a glimpse into the process of their formation in relation to cause & effect took them out of the realm of wishful thinking for me and they now seem a viable opportunity. The idea that interactions between Buddhas and sentient beings can possibly create an entire physical universe, is really mind blowing! It is no wonder then, that is really difficult to believe.

[Putting on my mad scientist hat] If it is possible that when Buddhas and sentient beings hook up in the right way, an entire universe is created that is so incredibly good, that it is almost impossible to believe. What does that say about the opportunity to meet accomplished masters in the flesh who certainly embody Buddha-like qualities? WOW