The Heavenly Beings of the Pure Abodes

Once, Monks, I was staying at Ukkaṭṭha in the Subhaga grove at the foot of a great sāl‑tree. And as I resided there in seclusion it occurred to me: There is no abode of beings easily accessible that has not been visited by me for so long as that of the heavenly beings of the Pure Abodes. Suppose I were to visit them now?

And then, as swiftly as a strong man might stretch his flexed arm, or flex it again, I vanished from Ukkaṭṭha and appeared among the Aviha heavenly beings.

And many thousands of them came to me, saluted me, and stood to one side.

Then they said:

Sir, it is ninety‑one eons since The Buddha Vipassī appeared in the world.…

And we, Sir, who lived the holy life with guidance from The Buddha Vipassī, having freed ourselves from sense‑desires, have arisen here.

And many thousands of them came to me, saluted me, and stood to one side.

Then they said:

Sir, it is thirty‑one eons since The Buddha Sikhī appeared in the world.

And we, Sir, who lived the holy life with guidance from The Buddha Sikhī, having freed ourselves from sense‑desires, have arisen here.

And many thousands of them came to me, saluted me, and stood to one side.

Then they said:

Sir, it is in the same thirty‑first eon since The Buddha Vessabhū appeared in the world.

And we, Sir, who lived the holy life with guidance from The Buddha Vessabhū, having freed ourselves from sense‑desires, have arisen here.

And many thousands of them came to me, saluted me, and stood to one side.

Then they said:

Sir, in this present fortunate eon since The Buddha Kakusandha appeared in the world.

And we, Sir, who lived the holy life with guidance from The Buddha Kakusandha, having freed ourselves from sense‑desires, have arisen here.

And many thousands of them came to me, saluted me and stood to one side.

Then they said:

Sir, in this present fortunate eon since The Buddha Konāgamana appeared in the world.

And we, Sir, who lived the holy life with guidance from The Buddha Konāgamana, having freed ourselves from sense‑desires, have arisen here.

And many thousands of them came to me, saluted me, and stood to one side.

Then they said:

Sir, in this present fortunate eon since The Buddha Kassapa appeared in the world.

And we, Sir, who lived the holy life with guidance from The Buddha Kassapa, having freed ourselves from sense‑desires, have arisen here.

And many thousands of them came to me, saluted me, and stood to one side.

They said:

Sir, in this fortunate eon now The Buddha has arisen in the world. He was born of Khattiya ethnic group, and arose in a Khattiya family; he is of the Gotama clan; …

And we, Sir, who have lived the holy life under The Buddha, having freed ourselves from sense‑desires, have arisen here.

Then I went with the Aviha heavenly beings to see the Atappa heavenly beings, and with these to see the Sudassa heavenly beings, and with these to see the Sudassī heavenly beings, and with all of these to see the Akaniṭṭha heavenly beings.

And there many thousands of heavenly beings came, saluted me, and stood to one side, saying:

Sir, it is ninety‑one eons since The Buddha Vipassī appeared in the world …

And so it is, Monks, that by his penetration of the fundamentals of The Teachings that The Tathāgata remembers the past Buddhas who have attained Final Nibbāna (Final Enlightenment), cutting through multiplicity, blazing a trail, have exhausted the round, have passed by all discontentedness; he recalls their births, their names, their clan, their life span, their twin‑disciples, their assemblies of disciples: These Fortunate Buddha’s were born thus, were called thus, thus was their clan, thus was their morality, their Teachings, their wisdom, their residing, thus was their liberation.

(Reference: DN 14)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares his recall of past Buddhas that existed, taught, and as a result, there are heavenly beings who reside in the heavenly realm that once studied with those past Buddhas.

Prior to the awakening and arising of a Buddha, the heavenly realm typically has very few beings. In order to experience a rebirth in the heavenly realm, beings would need to learn and practice The Teachings of a Buddha.

Through learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings of a Buddha, human beings are able to improve their wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline to attain Enlightenment. But, if they fall short of Enlightenment, they are oftentimes reborn in the heavenly realm.

Prior to a Buddha’s awakening and arising in the world, The Teachings that lead to Enlightenment are largely unknown to the world. It is the responsibility of a Buddha to provide guidance during their lifetime, to those who choose to be taught, sharing The Teachings that lead to Enlightenment. The same Teachings that lead to Enlightenment, if Enlightenment is not attained, will in many cases, lead to rebirth in the heavenly realm.

During the lifetime of a Buddha, there will be countless Enlightened beings that awaken. Additionally, there will be countless beings who are reborn into the heavenly realm.

The Buddha’s description of interacting with heavenly beings who were reborn there based on previous Buddhas’ Teachings, helps to illustrate his ability to interact with heavenly beings and that the heavenly realm has countless beings experiencing rebirth during the lifetime of a Buddha.

A Buddha does not gain, expect, nor want anything for sharing their Teachings. A Buddha is not required to share their Teachings with the world but instead, chooses to do so out of loving-kindness and compassion for the world, to end all discontentedness and the suffering it causes.