VARIOUS FORMS OF HEAVENLY BLISS
(Why is the Paradise called Eternal Bliss)

Because people are so used to conditions on earth, they may find these heavenly conditions unbelievable, just as a primitive society constantly living in hunger and hardship may not believe in the rich and luxurious living of an affluent society


Getting to Know the Heavens

If you wish to go to heaven one day, practising Buddhism is a very good way to make your dream come true. Many people, including some Buddhists themselves, are unaware that there is not just one, but literally countless heavens in Buddhism! Even in our world system which is known as the Saha world, there are twenty two main heavens. According to the Buddha's teaching, the Saha world is merely one of millions of worlds in our galaxy, and there are millions of galaxies. Each of the countless world system in the myriad galaxies is teeming with life, and has its own heavens.

This, incidentally, is a major difference between Buddhist wisdom and modern science, whose "official" view at present is that life is found only on our earth, although a few eminent scientists believe in extra-terrestrial life. Perhaps future scientists may be astonished at how egoistic and geocentric their 20th century colleagues were, just as present scient¬ists are astonished at their former colleagues claiming the earth to be the centre of the universe barely four centuries ago.

The requirement for being reborn in heaven is having good karma, which can be generalized in the Buddha's advice of "avoiding evil, and doing good." A person who has bad karma because of his evil deeds will be reborn in a lower station in his next human life, or in one of the "evil realms" of animals, ghosts, asuras (titans) and hells. The Buddha explains that an evil deed is one that brings harm to oneself or others, like being prone to anger, stealing someone's spouse, and killing; whereas a good deed brings benefit, like being peaceful, helping others, and saving lives.

The characteristic of heaven is happiness, and heavenly beings enjoy exceedingly long lives by our human standard. For example in the lowest heaven in our Saha system called Catumaharajika, or the Heaven of Four Great Kings -- the realm just above our human realm -- the average life-span of a heavenly being there is 500 Catumaharajika years, which works out to be about 9,124,000 human years. In the highest heaven known as Akanittha, or the Heaven of Form Perfection --the realm just below the four formless realms, and twenty two realms above our physical human world -- the average life-span of a heavenly being there is 16,000 aeons, which in term of human years is a figure beyond the imagination of most people. Thus, for practical purpose, we say life in heaven is "everlasting"; but in reality, when his previous good karma is spent, a heavenly being under¬goes reincarnation according to his current karma.

The heaven of Amitabha Buddha's Sukhavati is different in some crucial aspects. It is situated not in our Saha world system, but millions of galaxies away. Life in Sukhavati is eternal; beings here do not have to undergo further reincarnation unless they wish to, like wishing to be reborn in another world to help other beings. Even humans and other beings who have bad karma, who would not be reborn in any of the hea¬vens in the Saha system, could still go to Sukhavati if they seize the opportunity in time. This is possible by the grace of the great Amitabha Buddha.

Perhaps the most important difference is that while heavenly beings in all the heavens in our Saha system are usually too preoccupied with enjoying heavenly bliss that they neglect to cultivate, heavenly beings in the Sukhavati continue to cultivate under the guidance of Amitabha and other great teachers towards enlightenment or Buddhahood. Moreover, beings in Sukhavati are free to visit other heavens whenever they wish.

However, one should remember that going to heaven, including Sukhavati, is not the highest attainment in Buddhism; the highest attainment is the actualization of the Supreme Reality here or in heaven. Neverthe¬less, for most people who are not yet developed spiritually for perfect enlightenment, going to heaven is certainly the best and most practical choice.

Starting below and continuing for five chapters, the Amitabha Sutra is translated from the Chinese in suitable passages, and explained in each accompanying commentary. The passages are numbered for easy reference. The Chinese version was translated from the original Sanskrit by the great Kumarajiva about 402 under imperial patronage and assisted by eight hundred monks and scholars in Chang-an, the capital of the then Yao-Qin Dynasty.

As a sutra records the sacred words of the Buddha, we should handle a sutra, or any scripture of any religion, with reverence. We should take care, for exampole, not to sit on or step over any holy book, or to leave it at any place that someone may unwittingly desecrate it. We do so not because we are afraid of any retribution, but because of our respect for holiness.


(1) The Buddha's Disciples

Translation

Thus have I heard. Once, the Buddha was at Anathapindika Park of Jeta Grove in the country of Sravasti, with a great following of 1,250 monks, who were all great Arahants, known and recognized by the public. Among them were the Venerable Sariputra, Maudgalyayana, Mahakasyapa, Mahakatyayana, Mahakau-stila, Revata, Suddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ananda, Rahula, Gavampati, Pindola-Bharahaga, Kalodayi, Mahakapphina, Vakkula, Aniruddha, and other great disciples; and great Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas, such as Manjusri, the Prince of the Dharma, Bodhisattva Ajita, Bodhi-sattva Gandhahasti, Bodhisattva Nityodyukta, and other great Bodhisattvas; and also Sakradeva Indra and countless heavenly beings.


Commentary

This is the preface of the Sutra, stating the time, the place and the beings present. "Thus have I heard" is the conventional start of almost all sutras. The "I" here is Ananda, who, being the Buddha's personal attendant, had heard most of the Buddha's teaching. Ananda also had the power of miraculous memory, being able to remember everything he had heard. In the first Great Council held in Rajagrha a few months after the Buddha's parinirvana (final nirvana), five hundred disciples gathered to rehearse and compiled the Buddha's teaching. Ananda recited what the Buddha had taught, and the Council verified it.

Those present to hear this Sutras included both human and heavenly beings. Some names were mentioned and the following is a brief description of them.

Sariputra was the Buddha's chief disciple, and the foremost among the Arahants in wisdom. Maudgalyayana was the foremost in miraculous powers. His filial effort to save his mother from hell initiated the Ullambana festival, where merits made in offerings to monks are transferred to one's dead parents. Maha¬kasyapa was a hundred and sixty years old when he became the Buddha's disciple. He is still around in our world system, and will accomplish his task of handing the Buddha's bowl to Maitreya when the latter comes to our world as the Buddha of the next aeon.

Mahakatyayana was the foremost in debate. Once a believer of anihilationism asked, "If the doctrine of rebirth is correct, why hasn't any person come back from hell?" Mahakatyayana said, "Before I answer your question, please tell me whether a prisoner jailed for a crime can come home at his convenience?" "Of course not!" "It is even less free in hell," added Mahakatyayana.

"Then what about those reborn in heaven? Why don't they return to visit their families?" "If you have left a place of suffering, and reach a new place of happiness, would you return to your old place to suffer?" "Of course not!" the anihilationist replied. "So it is the same with those reborn in heaven. More¬over, there is the question of time. A day in the Heaven of Thirty Three, for example, is equi¬valent to a hundred years in the human world. So, by the time a new arrival settles down at that heaven and thinks about visiting his family back in the human world, his family is no longer there." (The Heaven of Thirty Three, or Trayastrimsa Heaven, is just above the Heaven of Four Great Kings. There are thirty three heavens in this heavenly realm.)

Mahakausthila was Sariputra's maternal uncle, and had very long nails. Revata was foremost in being calm and clear-minded. One night in his sleep he saw two ghosts eating his body. On awaking, he went round asking people whether he had a body. Everyone thought he was mad until he met two Arahants, who told him that his body was actually an illusion of five aggregates.

Suddhipanthaka is an inspiration for all of us. He was so stupid that he could not remember even a line of the Buddha's teaching. His elder brother, Maha¬pathaka, who was also a monk, told him he was not fit to be in the monastic order. Suddhipanthaka wept profusely for he really wanted to cultivate as a monk.

The Buddha advised him that his brother was his brother, and he was he, so if his brother said he was not fit to be a monk, it did not necessarily have to be so. The Buddha taught him just one word -- sweep -- to be recited whenever he swept the temple floor, which he did very often. After some time there was nothing in his mind except this word "sweep". He then asked the Buddha what did "sweep" mean. "It means sweep away all defilements from your mind," the Buddha explained. The Buddha then taught him how to meditate on his breath¬ing, and Suddhipanthaka soon attained enlightenment. All the Buddha's teaching suddenly became very clear to him. If a person reckoned to be stupid could attain enlightenment, most people could do so more readily if they are serious and dedicated.

The Buddha's disciples came from the noble and rich as well as the humble and poor. Nanda was a cowherd, but was a king in a former reincarnation. Such Buddhist knowledge reminds us to treat all people respectfully, irrespective of their present social or economical position. Once the Buddha asked Nanda to preach to 500 nuns, who attained Arahantship after hearing his sermon. The nuns, interestingly enough, were his concubines in their former lives.

Ananda was the Buddha's cousin and personal attendant. He had the miraculous power of not forgetting anything he had heard even once; hence he recited and compiled all the Buddha's teachings into sutras after the Buddha's parinirvana.

Rahula was the Buddha's son; he was foremost in practice, being able to attain samadhi anywhere. As retribution for insulting a monk in a past life, Gavampati became a cow for five hundred reincarnations; but after enlightenment as a Arahant, he lived in heaven and was the foremost in receiving offerings from gods. Arahants and Bodhisattvas are many levels above gods and goddesses.

Pindola-Bharahaga is believed to be still in the Saha world, blessing those who make offerings to the Triple Gem, i.e. the Buddha, the Dharma (Teaching) and the Sangha (Monastic Order). Kalodayin was foremost in teaching the Dharma on behalf of the Buddha. Mahakapphina was foremost in astrology. Vakkula did not cry but smiled when he was born. Aniruddha, who was the Buddha's cousin, had the miraculous power of "heavenly eyes", being able to see countless other worlds.

Bodhisattva Manjusri is often called the Prince of the Dharma. When he was born, ten auspicious signs were manifested: bright light filled his room, sweet dew filled all vessels, seven jewels rained from the sky, gods opened buried treasures, hens gave birth to phoenixes, pigs gave birth to dragons, horses gave birth to unicorns, cows gave birth to mystical oxen, grains turned to gold, and elephants with six tasks appeared.

Bodhisattva Ajita will appear in our world in the next aeon as Maitreya Buddha, the Laughing Buddha. Our world in the present aeon is characterized by suffering; the next aeon will be characterized by laughter. "Gandhahasti" means "never resting", and "Nityodyukta" means "ever vigorous". These two Bodhisattvas complemented each other in their spiritual cultivation.

Actually, the number of heavenly beings taught by the Buddha's was greater than that of men. Sakradeva Indra, the ruler of the Trayastrimsa Heaven, led countless heavenly beings to hear the Buddha's sermon.


(2) Heaven in a Distant Galaxy

Translation

At that time the Buddha told the Venerable Sariputra: passing over ten thousand billions of Buddhaland to our west is a world known as Sukhavati, where a Buddha called Amitabha teaches the Dharma.


Commentary

It is a convention in Buddhist sutras for the Buddha to name one disciple, although the Buddha is actually speaking to countless beings. As in many other sutras, the Buddha addresses Sariputra, the wisest of the Arahants. But unlike other sutras which are often the Buddha's responses to questions asked by his disciples, in this sutra the Buddha teaches from his own initiative, without any prior inquiry, thus illustrating the great importance of this teaching for the people.

It is indeed astounding that at a time when almost all other religious teachers and philosophers were thinking of a geocentric cosmology comprising of only earth, hell and heaven, and twenty centuries before Copernicus suggested that the sun and not the earth was the centre of the universe, the Buddha already taught of a world separated from us by billions of other worlds! The Buddha explained that millions of "small- worlds", figuratively described as specks of dust in the cosmos, make up a "middle-world", and millions of "middle-worlds" make up a "great-world", and there are millions of "great-worlds". Translated into modern terms it reads millions of stars make up a galaxy, and millions of galaxies make up a universe, and there are millions of universes.

This world in a distant galaxy where another Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, is teaching the Dharma, is the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss, or Sukhavati in Sanskrit, and Jile Shijie (pronounced as "jit-lerk-shi-jie") in Chinese. It is so called because suffering, which unfortunately is the characteristic of our own world, is unknown here and its inhabitants experience boundless bliss.

It is significant to note that what Amitabha teaches in the Western Paradise is called the Dharma, which is translated as the Teaching, and sometimes translated as the Law. It is not described as Buddhism as we know it in our world. Dharma, in its wide sense as used here, refers to the teaching of an Enlightened One who leads sentient beings to enlightenment. Hence, even on our puny earth, Dharma may refer to the teaching of any other religions beside Buddhism as taught by Sakyamuni Buddha. This illustrates the liberal attitude of the Buddha's teaching.


(3) Worldly Suffering and Heavenly Bliss

Translation

Sariputra, why is this world called Sukhavati or Eternal Bliss? It is because the inhabitants of this world not only have no suffering, but also have boundless bliss. Thus, it is named Sukhavati or Eternal Bliss.


Commentary

Our human realm in the Saha world is characterized by suffering. This does not mean that there is no joy in the human realm, but it means that there is comparatively more suffering than joy. This comparison may be made between joy and suffering in the human realm itself, or between the human realm and heavenly realms. Of course, if the human realm is compared with the lower realms of animals, asuras, ghosts and hell inhabitants, our human realm is full of joy.

Suffering may be classified into three main cate¬gories:

  1. "bitter-suffering" (ku-ku, pronounced as "kh'u kh'u") or suffering due to desires;
  2. "destructive-suffering" (huai-ku) or suffering due to the impermanence of form;
  3. "samsaric-suffering" (xing-ku) or suffering due to samsara.
Beings existing in the realms of desire, like humans, are subjected to all the three categories of suffering; beings existing in the realms of form, like Brahma-gods, are subjected to only the latter two categories; and beings existing in the formless realms, like Sravakas and Prateyakabuddhas, are subjected to only samsaric suffering.

Suffering due to desires is classified into eight types, namely suffering due to:

    1. birth;
    2. age;
    3. sickness;
    4. death;
    5. failure to satisfy needs;
    6. parting of loved ones;
    7. meeting of persons who hate each others;
    8. illusion of the five skandhas (aggregates of form, perception, thought, activity and consciousness) that make up a person.
Brahma-gods, who exist in the realms of form above the realms of desires, are free from suffering due to desires, but as they still have form, they suffer from the impermanence of their form. Sravakas and Prateyakabuddhas, who are very advanced beings existing as pure consciousness in the formless realms above the realms of form, still have some traces of samsaric suffering because they have not attained Buddhahood.

Sukhavati, the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss is free from all suffering. Beings in this Pure Land of Amitabha enjoy three categories of bliss:

  1. the bliss of purity and tranquillity, i.e. the heavenly beings are free from defilement and carving, thus eli¬minating suffering due to desires;
  2. the bliss of everlasting life, i.e. the beings do not die and the Paradise is eternal, thus elimin¬ating suffering due to impermanent form;
  3. the bliss of nirvanic stability, i.e. the beings are not subjected to further rebirth, thus elimin¬ating suffering due to samsara.
In contrast with the eight types of human suffering, beings in Sukhavati enjoy the bliss of:
  1. transformation by way of the lotus to the Pure Land, thus overcom¬ing suffering due to human birth;
  2. magnificent body, which does not grow old, thus overcoming suffering due to old age;
  3. spontaneous purity, which has spontaneous harmony of "earth", "fire", "water" and "wind" (the four fundamentals of the universe), thus overcoming suffering due to sickness;
  4. boundless longevity, thus overcoming suffering due to death;
  5. materialization according to wish, which enables the beings to materialize whatever they need by thought, thus overcoming suffering due to failure to satisfy needs;
  6. sea of beings, where the heavenly beings can meet whoever they wish at any time, thus overcoming suffering due to parting of loved ones;
  7. meeting of goodness, where hatred is absent in the Paradise, thus overcoming suffering due to meeting hated persons;
  8. tranquillity, where the existence of the heavenly beings is due not to karma but to the grace of Amitabha Buddha, thus overcoming suffering due to five skandhas which come together because of various karmic conditions.
Because people are so used to conditions on earth, they may find these heavenly conditions unbelievable, just as a primitive society constantly living in hunger and hardship may not believe in the rich and luxurious living of an affluent society. What is the main cause for the difference between our world and the Western Paradise? It is the mind of the inhabitants -- the mind of humans is defiled, whereas that of beings in the Pure Land is purified. The Western Paradise and our own world, as well as all other phenomenal realms of existence, are a creation of mind!

LINKS

Overview

Courses and Classes