Where Heavenly Beings Take Up Lodging

Ānanda, who is building a fortress at Pātaligāma?

Fortunate One, Sunidha and Vassakāra, the Magadhan ministers, are building a fortress against the Vajjians.

Ānanda, just as if they had taken counsel with the Thirty‑Three Gods, Sunidha and Vassakāra are building a fortress at Pātaligāma. I have seen with my divine eye (third eye) how thousands of heavenly beings were taking up lodging there.

And in the parts where powerful heavenly beings settled, they caused the minds of the most powerful royal officials to pick those sites for their dwellings, and where middle and lower‑ranking heavenly beings settled, so too they caused the minds of royal officials of corresponding grade to pick those sites for their dwellings.

Ānanda, as far as the Ariyan (Indo-Iranian people) land extends, as far as its trade extends, this will be the chief city, Pātaliputta, scattering its seeds far and wide. And Pātaliputta will face three dangers: from fire, from water, and from internal conflict.

(Reference: UD 8.6)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares that beings in the heavenly realm are able to communicate with beings in the human realm.

He mentions how “powerful heavenly beings” “caused the minds of the most powerful royal officials to pick those sites for their dwellings”. The Buddha mentions the same for “middle and lower-ranking heavenly beings”.

While beings from all other realms are able to communicate with us, it is our free will choices to determine what does or does not happen in our life. Beings from other realms are able to communicate with us, but they are unable to force us to make any specific decisions.

The Buddha explains that this new city will face the dangers of fire, water (i.e. floods), and internal conflict based on observations he made through the third eye. The Buddha observed this through the “divine eye” or “third eye”.

The “third eye” is an inward looking eye where the mind is able to become aware of insight and wisdom not readily accessible to the unawakened mind. As the mind awakens, it develops the ability to look inward to discover insight and truth to acquire wisdom. The wisdom acquired helps to further liberate the mind.

Through having the third eye awakened, the mind can also become aware of things that are happening currently or will happen in the future. We might refer to this as omniscience or psychic abilities. Some Practitioners with an awakened third eye can read the mind of others, know one’s past or future, and even observe one’s past or future lives. These are all part of the special abilities that one might acquire as the mind gradually awakens towards Enlightenment.

While these things can potentially be experienced, a Practitioner should not crave/desire to acquire these abilities nor hold on to them if experienced. Instead, focus the mind on liberation not holding on to these special abilities or desiring them in any way.

A Practitioner should also not use these special abilities to sustain their life through charging fees for people to access these special abilities from you.

If the mind craves/desires acquiring these special abilities or holds on to them once experienced, the mind will not be able to experience liberation, freedom from strong feelings, peace, or Enlightenment.

With training of the mind, a Practitioner can then control the mind through practicing wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline.