Samatha to See Gods.

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Viscid
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Viscid »

daverupa wrote:One might discuss a Sutta about merit with such a being, to some benefit, yes? Maybe craft a short four-line poem about it (or just find one to offer), since that seems to be what devas are fond of.
I agree, actually. I like the poem idea-- it'd be a way to express himself authentically without it being some awkward 'discussion.' How about a physical offering as well: food, perhaps? Fruit and nuts? Incense would be a no-no in a forested area.

So, proper procedure would be to: Bow, give offering, recite sutta/poem, bow, exit. Or something along those lines..
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JBG
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by JBG »

I too don't get it, but I don't make fun of it, 'cause I'm sure there are people who get it, whatever it is.
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Eccedustin
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Eccedustin »

Have you tried taking photographs of these Devas?
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Rui Sousa
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Rui Sousa »

I believe the Jhanas are a requirement for rebirth in the Deva realms, and a Deva's mind is more often than not in a Jhana state.

I guess a good way to comunicate could be to sit a do samatha. If a Deva recognizes in the human the ability to reach Jhanas it may have some interest in communication.
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by santa100 »

Is it possible to communicate with a Deva? Sure, but...one will need to attain the fourth jhana according to MN 79, Culasakuludayi Sutta (ref: http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Culasakuludayi_Sutta" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )
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Son
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Son »

Rui Sousa wrote:I believe the Jhanas are a requirement for rebirth in the Deva realms, and a Deva's mind is more often than not in a Jhana state.

I guess a good way to comunicate could be to sit a do samatha. If a Deva recognizes in the human the ability to reach Jhanas it may have some interest in communication.
For rebirth in the brahma spheres, yes. Not the six paradises of the world. The jhanas lead to existence in one of 15 different brahma spheres. Here beings are made of thought-form. Life as worldly gods is much, much different, and no meditation is required to become a deva-god.
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Son
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Son »

santa100 wrote:Is it possible to communicate with a Deva? Sure, but...one will need to attain the fourth jhana according to MN 79, Culasakuludayi Sutta (ref: http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Culasakuludayi_Sutta" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )
Is this the segment you were referring to? Or could you quote it yourself? I wasn't able to see where "communicating with devas," is expressed in the passage. And at any rate, I have communicated with worldly devas to some extent in my life--directly--without at all achieving the fourth jhana. However to communicate with brahmas, the jhanic achievements are of course necessary. This much is obvious.

Here, Udàyi, the bhikkhu secluded from sensual desires and thoughts of demerit abides in the first jhana: Overcoming thoughts and thought processs and the mind in one point internally appeased, without thoughts and thought processes abides in the second jhana. Again with equanimuity to joy and detachment, feeling pleasant with the body too, abides in the third jhana. To this the noble ones say abiding in pleasantness with equanimity. Udàyi, this is the course of actions, for realising the world of only pleasant feelings. `

ßVenerable sir, isn't there another course of actions, for realising the world of pleasant feelings, is this the only course of action?'

ßUdàyi, this is not the only course of actions, for realising the world of pleasant feelings only. There are other courses of action, for realising the world of pleasant feelings only. `
Even this segment deserves a lot of clarification. Does realization here mean "to perceive" that world? Is the world of pleasant feelings the sensual heavens, the meditative heavens, or is it both? In any case, he goes on to say that morality and wisdom is enough, even without meditation, to "realize the world of pleasant feelings."

I don't know if I have ever achieve the first jhana, but I'm confident that I have achieved the subtle jhana that is said to proceed the jhanas. However I repeat that I wasn't able to see the gods clearly until after I had begun intense meditation. After study, I learned this was quite normal among some practitioners, and the previous lives of the individual--I think--do influence this phenomenon.

No, I haven't tried taken photographs. I'll ask about it.
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Son
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Son »

Daily meditation in a nearby area where gods dwell has produced some encouragement. A devi who I hadn't seen before found what I was doing was interesting, and lead me and my friend back to her dwelling, a very mossy area covered by trees. I'm going to start trying to talk to her about meditation, and see if I can establish some understanding of the community she's in, or near. Any more experience or knowledge from teachers would be helpful.
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yawares
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by yawares »

Son wrote:
Viscid wrote:Ever see any nagas?
I see one almost every time I visit a certain spring. It is very long and thick, but it doesn't have a human body like you see in pictures sometimes. This one in particular has an owl-like man face, you might would say, and antlers of some kind. He is very protective of the entire spring area. The spring itself is a state park. If you want to see the god for yourself, the park is called Ponce de Leon Springs State Park, in Ponce de Leon Springs, Fl. Beautiful place really.

Relating this to the topic, in my thinking if I could communicate with him in some way, I'm wondering how if at all he might help other beings around him, including the multitude of animals under his watch.


Image
Dear Son,
I truly love the picture....you know? since I watched LAKE PLACID(movie:Bill Pulman/Bridget Fonda) I didn't dare to swim in any lake only rowed a boat around....silly???
yawares :heart:


That's the spring pool, the place where I usually saw him is the dark shrouded area in the back, behind that gorgeous tree there.
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Son
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Son »

While visiting the area of the devas nearby our neighborhood last night, we had a startling encounter. It was 2 AM and I hadn't seen hardly any devas at all. The deva who greeted us on an earlier night was missing. In fact the only devas I saw were the ones living in the air above one section of the path, and even they didn't seem to be "awake." However, once we reached our destination at the creek and sat down, apparently an unseen deva spoke into my friend's ear (she of course couldn't hear it), but the message came out of her mouth repeatedly regardless. She sad, "they're coming." I agreed with her, and so we left. On the way back, as the lightning strikes had become silent, I saw an asura cloaked in shadow standing on the path before us. It bothered me as usual, but my friend stopped dead in her tracks and stared at it. I asked her if she could see it, and she said, "what is that shadow standing there? There's someone right there." She was terrified, and when it moved, she recoiled. I was surprised that she could see it, having no meditative experience whatsoever, but realized that she had been cultivating openness of mind for a long time, and the asura was obviously wanting her to see him. As it is known, devas and asuras can reveal themselves to people if they wish to. Provided they're not completely blind.

Afterward, she began seeing devas that I saw too, and the experience was very illuminating for her. However, she was terrified the entire time.
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by whynotme »

lol, very interesting experiences. I think that I learn very much of the dhamma but if I suddenly see those being, I may be scared as hell. I think it is of course beneficial for those beings and for you if there is a dhamma bridge between you. The Buddha taught that giving dhamma is the best of give alms, and the merit return to you for this life or next lives. If you think native Americans learnt a lot from them, then future generations can learn a lot from them when many people seeing devas as superior to human.

The human is superior to deva in some ways, I don't remember exactly but the Buddha taught that, again, I don't remember exactly whether the Buddha taught that or not.

Thank you for sharing experiences,
Regards.

PS: What are the size of those devas? I mean how tall are they, similar to human or much bigger? Do you ever see pretas?
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by whynotme »

And what about their photograph, did you try any? I think you should try infra red camera as well just in case they don't appear in normal camera. And what language do they use? English or not?

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Son
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Son »

whynotme wrote:lol, very interesting experiences. I think that I learn very much of the dhamma but if I suddenly see those being, I may be scared as hell. I think it is of course beneficial for those beings and for you if there is a dhamma bridge between you. The Buddha taught that giving dhamma is the best of give alms, and the merit return to you for this life or next lives. If you think native Americans learnt a lot from them, then future generations can learn a lot from them when many people seeing devas as superior to human.

The human is superior to deva in some ways, I don't remember exactly but the Buddha taught that, again, I don't remember exactly whether the Buddha taught that or not.

Thank you for sharing experiences,
Regards.
Thank you.
PS: What are the size of those devas? I mean how tall are they, similar to human or much bigger? Do you ever see pretas?
Most of them seem pretty normal size. The one that greeted us was somewhat over 7 feet tall with very large eyes. The devi I meet at the creek was small like a young girl. The devi who led me further back was about 6 feet tall. However where I used to live, there was a darker skinned deva who was almost twice my height and size. So they seem to vary in size, as well as beauty, luminance, and ability. Some of them live on the ground while I've seen others in the air, and of course many tree devas.

Yes, I've seen a few pretas. They're not helpful in any way. They either make people feel bad or cause harm, and to see them is very unpleasant.

whynotme wrote:And what about their photograph, did you try any? I think you should try infra red camera as well just in case they don't appear in normal camera. And what language do they use? English or not?
I think some of them use English just because they can, but they seem to have their own sort of special language that they all understand. This was clear in our conversation with an asura which was sometimes very strange to translate. As though he wasn't able to use English well.
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Assaji
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Assaji »

Son wrote:But again my focus is to establish more of a relationship, for the sake of helping others and myself spiritually. In this direction.
Devas are much more able and powerful than humans, so humans are prone to come under influence (or even control) by devas, when communicating with them.

IMHO, the best way of applying such communication to spiritual development would be the practice of brahma-viharas with devas as recepients.
The higher devas are naturally kind (that's why brahma-viharas have such name), so one would be able to tune to them and develop such kindness as well.

Good luck!
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Son
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Re: Samatha to See Gods.

Post by Son »

Dmytro wrote:
Son wrote:But again my focus is to establish more of a relationship, for the sake of helping others and myself spiritually. In this direction.
Devas are much more able and powerful than humans, so humans are prone to come under influence (or even control) by devas, when communicating with them.

IMHO, the best way of applying such communication to spiritual development would be the practice of brahma-viharas with devas as recepients.
The higher devas are naturally kind (that's why brahma-viharas have such name), so one would be able to tune to them and develop such kindness as well.

Good luck!
the viharas are the four mental cultivations, and the way to the company of Brahma... Are you speaking of beings who dwell in that cultivation? As a meditator I have of course cultivated the four immeasurables in all corners of the mind. But all the communicating I've had with brahmas was not assuring because I wasn't clear on what they were. I don't have jhana attainments, so it was just them speaking to me of their own accord and I didn't have discernment of anything. One of them declared himself God and made me very averse.
A seed sleeps in soil.
It's cold and alone, hopeless.
Until it blooms above.
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