Gogly visitations

[Sweetvoice]

There are many stories , during the Buddha's time of visitations by heaven beings (devattas) to the Buddha and his disciples for questioning and learning. Why is it that we haven't heard of such visitations in modern times to enlightened or at least near-enlightened Buddhists.

 

[koan]

Because they are only representations of different states of mind.

 

[Sweetvoice]

Because they are only representations of different states of mind.

Do you mean the Buddha and his disciples were in a different stages of mind when they were talking and seeing these heavenly figures, like we would called the half-way house people "crazy?"

 

[Breathe]

Because they are only representations of different states of mind.

Is this a more Zen, and more modern concept?
This hasn't been my experience from Buddhists from Asia at all, except for a couple here and there.

 

[DreadFish]

I suppose it's possible that around 500 bc there actually were devas who interacted with people on earth. After all, now we are in the Kali Yuga, and this is the dark age, people dont interact with spirits and other beings, are full of ignorance and inertia, etc.

Or not. It could be totally fictional. Or symbolic.


The Buddha would probably say it doesnt matter. But thats just my opinion.

 

[koan]

Well unless one is able to interact with Devas, et all, one will never know. However, if one can imagine conversing/interacting with Devas, isn't this just the mind?

 

[wmjbyatt]

There are many stories , during the Buddha's time of visitations by heaven beings (devattas) to the Buddha and his disciples for questioning and learning. Why is it that we haven't heard of such visitations in modern times to enlightened or at least near-enlightened Buddhists.

I'm pretty sure these kinda of things actually DO happen to Tantric Buddhists, although I haven't been initiated into any Tantric teachings, and there's issues with twilight language, so I have no idea how literal that is.

 

[Vinayaka]

Most people who talk to devas have some pretty decent reasons for not sharing it:
1) rationalists might put them in insane asylums
2) other people can get envious
3) keeping things like this to yourself is part of the 'program'
4) it may draw attention to yourself, and this attention may get in the way of higher purposes, like teaching, or working on inner planes
5) the devas request you to pracitce 'confidence' (not sharing)

 

[koan]

When Buddhism began, 99%of the population were illiterate and very superstitious. Taking this into consideration, teachers at the time would use expedient means to get the message across. If this involved telling the audience, that they conversed with Devas' or so on, It wasn't meant to be literal.