The Heaven Named ‘Contact’s Sixfold Base’

It is a gain for you, Monks, it is well gained by you, that you have obtained the opportunity for living the holy life. I have seen, Monks, the heaven named ‘Contact’s Sixfold Base’.

There whatever form one sees with the eye is desirable, never undesirable; lovely, never unlovely; agreeable, never disagreeable.

Whatever sound one hears with the ear …

Whatever odor one smells with the nose …

Whatever flavor one tastes with the tongue …

Whatever physical object one touches with the body …

Whatever mental objects one recognizes with the mind is desirable, never undesirable; lovely, never unlovely; agreeable, never disagreeable.

It is a gain for you, Monks, it is well gained by you, that you have obtained the opportunity for living the holy life.

(Reference: SN 35.135)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares an aspect of the heavenly realm where The Six Sense Bases always have contact with desirable, lovely, and agreeable forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects.

This will produce exclusively pleasant feelings in the mind, therefore, the mind of heavenly beings is discontent (i.e. not Enlightened).

Heavenly beings are experiencing exclusively pleasant feelings, therefore, they will oftentimes lack the motivation to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings that lead to Enlightenment. They will continue to be reborn throughout all the realms of existence until they apply determination, dedication, and diligence to progress to Enlightenment.

While many have been taught that rebirth in the heavenly realm is desirable and a goal to achieve, the heavenly realm is not permanent and those beings have not yet attained Enlightenment to escape The Cycle of Rebirth.

They continue to exist and continue to experience discontentedness. Their challenges and struggles continue as long as the mind is complacent and unEnlightened. They will continue to be reborn through The Cycle of Rebirth in all the various realms of hell, animal, afflicted spirits, human, and heaven until they attain Enlightenment.