Destiny of Gods

VOLUME 7, Chapter 4

 

M2 Concludes they are tranquil and happy.

Sutra:

Ananda, those who flow to these three superior levels will be replete with great compliance. Their bodies and minds are at peace, and they obtain limitless bliss. Although they have not obtained proper samadhi, the joy within the tranquility of their minds is total. This is called the Third Dhyana.

Commentary:

Ananda, those who flow to these three superior levels will be replete with great compliance. That means they can comply with the minds of living beings. They can make living beings happy. Their bodies and minds are at peace, and they obtain limitless bliss. They do not have any false thoughts in their minds, and so they do not act out false thoughts with their bodies. They experience no unrest in either body or mind. Those in the first two dhyana heavens got rid of their sufferings and afflictions, their worries and hang-ups. The beings in these heavens have no such
experiences. Their bodies and minds are quiet and peaceful. They are also dependable. How are they dependable? They have no thoughts of desire. They don't have to go through trying to find someone of the opposite sex in every thought they have and in every move they make, the way ordinary people do. When your body and mind are not at peace, then a new thought arises as soon as the last one ceases. Ah, that person is beautiful. Or, so-and-so is really handsome. All day long you think about that kind of stuff. But if one's body and mind are at peace the kind of peace described in this passage . then those kinds of thoughts simply do not arise any more. It all boils down to this one problem. I keep talking and talking, but in the last analysis, what leads you to create offenses is just this one problem. It's that first thought of ignorance that stirs up so many calamities as a consequence. Emotional love and desire come from that ignorance. So the first thing mentioned in the twelve links of conditioned causation is ignorance. From ignorance comes activity, and from activity comes consciousness. Once there is consciousness, there is name and form. It all starts right there. Although the beings described here have not broken through
ignorance, nonetheless they obtain limitless bliss. Although they have not obtained proper samadhi, the joy within the tranquility of their minds is total. They don't have genuine concentration, but in the peace and quiet of their minds there is a kind of joy. This is called the Third Dhyana. When you reach the third dhyana, your thoughts do not arise. You obtain the genuine bliss of still extinction.

It is said:

When no thought arises,
The entire substance appears.
When the six sense organs suddenly move,
One is covered as if by clouds.

That moment without any thought arising is the original substance of the Buddha; thus it says that the entire substance appears. Your eyes taking a look and your ears listening is the movement by which you are obscured. You're in the clouds. You cover your self nature over. Before the stage now being discussed, one's thoughts were still active. For instance, when one's pulse stopped one would think. How is it my pulse has stopped? With that one thought the pulse would begin to pump again. When one.s breath stopped one thought, I'm not breathing...and as soon as one had that thought the breath started up again. That's what happened before the thoughts stopped. Now, in the third dhyana, there isn't any of that. If the pulse stops or the breath ceases, no matter what happens, one pays no attention. Such thoughts do not arise any more. One has no thoughts at all. They can't be found. That's what's meant by the lines, When no thought arises, the entire substance appears. These lines describe the state of the third dhyana.

L4 Fourth dhyana heavens.
M1 Four heavens of conquering the flow.
N1 Their particular characteristics.
O1 Heaven of the birth of blessings.

Sutra:

Moreover, Ananda, heavenly beings whose bodies and minds are not oppressed put an end to the cause of suffering and realize that bliss is not permanent that sooner or later it will come to an end. Suddenly they simultaneously renounce both thoughts of suffering and thoughts of bliss. Their coarse and heavy thoughts are extinguished, and they give rise to the
nature of purity and blessings. They are among those in the Heaven of the Birth of Blessings.

Commentary:

Moreover, Ananda, heavenly beings whose bodies and minds are not oppressed put an end to the cause of suffering and realize that bliss is not permanent that sooner or later it will come to an end. At this point, suffering, difficulty, worry, and hang-ups no longer oppress these beings physically or mentally.
They don't plant the causes for suffering, but they can't count on the bliss being eternal. Eventually it will go bad. Suddenly they simultaneously renounce both thoughts of suffering and thoughts of bliss. If they reach the Heaven of Pervasive Purity and become attached to the bliss they're experiencing there, they've
made a mistake. They should put both bliss and suffering down, so there is neither a perception of suffering nor a perception of bliss. If they do that, they will have genuine bliss. Their coarse and heavy thoughts are extinguished, and they give rise to the nature of purity and blessings. The pure nature of blessings and virtue
arises. This purity of blessings is just the absence of thoughts of suffering and bliss. They have a pure reward of blessings. These beings are among those in the Heaven of the Birth of Blessings.

O2 Blessed love heaven.

Sutra:

Those whose renunciation of these thoughts is in perfect fusion gain a purity of superior understanding. Within these unimpeded blessings they obtain a wonderful compliance that extends to the bounds of the future. They are among those in the Blessed Love Heaven.

Commentary:

Those whose renunciation of these thoughts of suffering and bliss is in perfect fusion gain a purity of superior understanding. When they renounce the two kinds of thoughts mentioned above, the purity of blessings arises. Now they gain a
superior understanding of this purity, that is, their wisdom has greatly increased. They gain the purity of wisdom. Within these unimpeded blessings they obtain a wonderful compliance that extends to the bounds of the future. There is nothing that can hinder this reward of blessings; its magnitude is too great. Out of these blessings arises the ability to constantly accord with living beings. This kind of compliance is such that,

If channeled to the east, it flows east,
If channeled to the west, it flows west, just like a river.

There is a total ease in all that one does. Everything one does is correct. One does not make any mistakes. Everything is in accord with one.s intent. Everything one does is totally in accord with the wishes of others. However one goes about doing something, it is appropriate. There are no problems that arise. No matter what one does, no trouble comes from it. All the problems are resolved. That's what's meant
by obtaining a wonderful compliance that extends to the bounds of the future. This continues forever to the ends of the bounds of the future. What are the bounds of the future? They are just that: the bounds of the future. What else is there to say? These heavenly beings are among those in the Blessed Love Heaven.

O3 Abundant fruit heaven.

Sutra:

Ananda, from that heaven there are two ways to go. Those who extend the previous thought into limitless pure light, and who perfect and clarify their blessings and virtue, cultivate and are certified to one of these dwellings. They are among those in the Abundant Fruit Heaven.

Commentary:

Ananda, from that heaven . that is, from the second heaven of the fourth dhyana, the Blessed Love Heaventhere are two ways to go. One way leads to the Heaven of Abundant Results and the other way leads to the No-thought Heaven. There's a fork in the road at this point. Those who extend the previous thought the state of the Blessed Love Heaveninto limitless pure light, and who perfect and clarify their blessings and virtue, cultivate and are certified to one of these dwellings. That is, they are among those in the Abundant Fruit Heaven. Their virtuous nature is abundant and vast and their fruition is large, so they can dwell in
this heaven.

O4 No thought heaven.

Sutra:

Those who extend the previous thought into a dislike of both suffering and bliss, so that the intensity of their thought to renounce them continues without cease, will end up by totally renouncing the Way. Their bodies and minds will become extinct; their thoughts will become like dead ashes. For five
hundred aeons these beings will perpetuate the cause for production and extinction, being unable to discover the nature which is neither produced nor extinguished. During the first half of these aeons they will undergo extinction; during the second half they will experience production. They are among
those in the Heaven of No Thought.

Commentary:

Those who extend the previous thought into a dislike of both suffering and bliss, so that the intensity of their thought to renounce them continues without cease, will lend up totally renouncing the Way. If heavenly beings in the Blessed Love Heaven previously described develop a distaste for both suffering
and bliss, they will do away with them both. Their investigation of the extinction of these two suffering and bliss continues on and on until they end up by totally renouncing the Way. Their bodies and minds will become extinct; their thoughts will become like dead ashes. At this point they are cultivating the Samadhi of No Thought. For five hundred aeons these beings will perpetuate
the cause for production and extinction, being unable to discover the nature which is neither produced nor extinguished. They have a lifespan of five hundred aeons, but the cause they are creating is based on production and extinction. During the first half of these aeons they will undergo extinction. This refers to their renunciation of both suffering and bliss. When they realize the perfection of that renunciation, such thoughts do not arise. But after two hundred and fifty aeons, they once again give rise to false thinking.

During the second half they will experience production. The reward of their Samadhi of No Thought is coming to an end. When the extinction ceases, they have a thought that slanders the Triple Jewel. When the production begins, marking the decline of their lifespan, when their samadhi is destroyed, they slander the Triple Jewel. What do they say? The Buddha said that a fourth-stage Arhat has ended birth and death and will not undergo any further becoming. Now, I.ve already been certified to the fourth fruition, so why am I on my way to undergoing birth and death again? The Buddha must have told a lie. That's how they slander the Triple Jewel . Actually, the fourth dhyana heaven they are in is certainly not the fourth fruition of Arhatship. It.s not even at the level of the first fruition. They make the mistake of thinking that they have become fourth-stage Arhats. They get to the fourth dhyana and think it.s the fourth stage of Arhatship. But they are wrong. The unlearned bhikshu made this mistake. Those who go this road are among those in the Heaven of No Thought.

N2 Concludes they are unmoving and have pure heat.

Sutra:

Ananda, those who flow to these four superior levels will not be moved by any suffering or bliss in any world. Although this is not the unconditioned or the true ground of non-moving, because they still have the thought of obtaining something, their functioning is nonetheless quite advanced. This is called the Fourth Dhyana.

Commentary:

Ananda, those who flow to these four superior levels will not be moved by any suffering or bliss in any world. Whether they experience suffering or bliss, their minds do not move. Although this is not the genuine unconditioned or the true ground of nonmoving, they are still able to control their minds and keep them
from moving. But it's a forced control; they have not been certified to the higher level. That is because they still have the thought of obtaining something. In the fourth dhyana they still harbor the thought of having gained something. For instance the unlearned bhikshu thought he had reached the fourth fruition of Arhatship. Their functioning is nonetheless quite advanced. They have reached the maximum in their application of effort, given the level they are on. This is called the Fourth Dhyana. These are the heavens of the fourth dhyana.

M2 The five heavens of no return.
N1 Reveals the dwelling in the sagely fruit.

Sutra:

Beyond these, Ananda, are the Five Heavens of No Return. For those who have completely cut off the nine categories of habits in the lower realms, neither suffering nor bliss exist, and there is no regression to the lower levels. All whose minds have achieved this renunciation dwell in these heavens together.

Commentary:

Beyond these, Ananda, are the Five Heavens of No Return. These upper five heavens are sometimes considered to be among the heavens of the fourth dhyana. However, these five are the dwelling places of sages, and thus differ from the heavens of the first, second, third, and fourth dhyanas. Beings who have been
certified to the fruition of Arhatship reside in the five heavens of no return. For those who have completely cut off the nine categories of habits in the lower realms, neither suffering nor bliss exist, and there is no regression to the lower levels. The nine categories of habits refer to the first nine categories of the eighty-one
categories of delusion of thoughts. We will not go into them in detail here. These beings do not have to return anywhere at this point. They will not regress to the lower levels. All whose minds have achieved this renunciation dwell in these heavens together. A multitude of beings reach this level of renunciation and dwell
together in emptiness on a cloud that shelters the earth. Those who dwell there are sages who have reached the level of the five heavens of no return.

N2 The particular characteristics of the five heavens.
O1 The no affliction heaven.

Sutra:

Ananda, those who have put an end to suffering and bliss and who do not get involved in the contention between such thoughts are among those in the Heaven of No Affliction.

Commentary:

They do not have thoughts of suffering and they do not have thoughts of bliss, and so there is no involvement in the struggle between the two. Those who don't experience this battle between suffering and bliss are .among those in the Heaven of No Affliction. The beings in this heaven don.t have any afflictions at all.

O2 The no heat heaven.

Sutra:

Those who isolate their practice, whether in movement or in restraint, investigating the baselessness of that involvement, are among those in the Heaven of No Heat.

Commentary:

Those who isolate their practice, whether in movement or in restraint, investigating the baselessness of that involvement, are beings from the previous heaven who have progressed in their cultivation. In the first of the five heavens of no return, they did not get involved in contention between thoughts of suffering and bliss.
This means that they were basically devoid of such thoughts, although occasionally a little of that kind of thinking might arise. They might still get a little bit involved sometimes. But at this level, in the Heaven of No Heat, they look into the fact that such involvement lacks any foundation whatsoever, until they reach the point where they simply cannot give rise to that kind of thought or have it in mind. For those beings, such thoughts never arise. They are among those in the Heaven of No Heat. They are cool and refreshed at all times.

O3 The good view heaven.

Sutra:

Those whose vision is wonderfully perfect and clear, view the realms of the ten directions as free of defiling appearances The Seven Destinies and devoid of all dirt and filth. They are among those in the Heaven of Good View.

Commentary:

Those whose vision is wonderfully perfect and clear, view the realms of the ten directions as free of defiling appearances and devoid of all dirt and filth. Their vision is subtle and wonderful as well as being absolutely clear not turbid or
confused. Their view contains no defiling opinions. Their vision is said to be perfect and clear because it contains no defilement. All defiling dharmas are extinguished. Ignorance and delusions as many as dust and sand have been cleared away. These heavenly beings are among those in the Heaven of Good View.

O4 The good manifestation heaven.

Sutra:

Those whose subtle vision manifests as all their obstructions are refined away are among those in the Heaven of Good Manifestation.

Commentary:

Everything the beings in the previous heaven see is good. Now, with the manifestation of this subtle vision, everything they see is far superior to anything they have ever seen before. This heaven is a lot purer than the heavens already described. The word refined refers to the process of smelting, molding, and fashioning. It's like the firing done in a kiln or the shaping done on an anvil . What is
refined here is the mind and nature of a sage so that it becomes unobstructed and comfortable in every way. These are the beings who dwell In the Heaven of Good Manifestation.

O5 The ultimate form heaven.

Sutra:

Those who reach the ultimately subtle level come to the end of the nature of form and emptiness and enter into a boundless realm. They are among those in the Heaven of Ultimate Form.

Commentary:

Those who reach the ultimately subtle level come to the end of the nature of form and emptiness. .Ultimate. has the meaning of epitome or perfection. The subtle level. refers to the detachment from desires. They reach the end of the nature of emptiness and the nature of form and enter into a boundless realm. They are among those in the Heaven of Ultimate Form. They reach the ultimate extreme of the nature of form.

N3 Concludes that those in the four dhyana heavens cannot see these gods.

Sutra:

Ananda, those in the four dhyanas, and even the rulers of the gods at those four levels, can only pay their respects through having heard of the beings in the heavens of no return; they cannot know them or see them, just as the coarse people of the world cannot see the places where the Arhats abide in holy Way-places deep in the wild and mountainous areas.

Commentary:

Ananda, those in the four dhyanas, and even the rulers of the gods at those four levels, can only pay their respects through having heard of the beings in the heavens of no return. The leaders of the gods in the heavens of the four dhyanas know about the sages dwelling in the five heavens of no return only through
having heard about them. They cannot know them or see them themselves. In the same way the coarse people of the world cannot see the places where the Arhats abide in holy Wayplaces deep in the wild and mountainous areas. The
Bodhimandas of the sages are in places where people do not go. Those who dwell in such places are great Arhats and great Bodhisattvas. Their presence is a supporting influence on the areas where they dwell. Ordinary people never see these holy beings. Although they all live in the same world, people cannot see the sages. So the
text likens the five heavens of no return to the sages in the remote Way-places. The gods in the heavens of the four dhyanas don't know where the sages reside.

Sutra:

Ananda, in these eighteen heavens are those who practice only non-involvement, and have not yet gotten rid of their shapes, as well as those who have reached the level of no return. This is called the Form Realm.

Commentary:

Ananda, in these eighteen heavens are those who practice only non-involvement, and have not yet gotten rid of their shapes. The eighteen heavens are the three each of the first, second, and third dhyanas; the four of the fourth dhyana; and the five heavens of no return. Together they comprise the heavens of the form realm. As to the .practice of non-involvement,. the beings in each of these heavens have their own particular causes and effects regarding cultivation. They have eliminated the coarser desires and transcended that realm, but they still have their own forms. The form realm also includes those who have reached the level of no return. However, because these heavens are inhabited by sages, they are really in a class by themselves. The text likens them to Arhats whose dwellings in the wilds are unknown to the average person. This is called the Form Realm.

J3 The four places of emptiness.
K1 The fork that is other than sagehood.

Sutra:

Furthermore, Ananda, from this summit of the form realm there are also two roads. Those who are intent upon renunciation discover wisdom. The light of their wisdom becomes perfect and penetrating, so that they can transcend the
defiling realms, accomplish Arhatship, and enter the Bodhisattva vehicle. They are among those called great Arhats who have turned their minds around.

Commentary:

Furthermore, Ananda, from this summit of the form realm there are also two roads. At this point there is another fork in the road. Those who are intent upon renunciation discover wisdom. Once they practice renunciation they can uncover their wisdom. The light of their wisdom becomes perfect and penetrating, so
that there are no more obstructions. Then they can transcend the defiling realms. They can leave the triple realm by taking this fork in the road and accomplish Arhatship. They attain the fruition of Arhatship and enter the Bodhisattva vehicle. These kinds of living beings are among those called great Arhats who have
turned their minds around. That means they have turned from the small and come around to the great. They have turned from the small vehicle, and they tend toward the great vehicle.

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