Reply To: If Dhātu Describes the Rūpa, How can I Understand Viññana Dhātu?

#40163
Lal
Keymaster

Thank you, Seng Kiat, for displaying Dosakkhayo’s chart. It is good to see it there.

1. By the way, only a Buddha can see the INITIAL manomaya kaya of gandhabba. Even yogis with the highest abhinna powers cannot see that.
– But once born, a gandhabba may “grow” a bit by absorbing scents from flowers, etc. (Thus the name “gandha + abba” or “taking in scents.”) Then even some average humans with punna iddhi may be able to see one.

2. However, an arupavacara Brahma remains with that manomaya kaya of just a hadaya vatthu. Thus no one else but a Buddha can see those arupavacara Brahmas.
– Thus, ancient yogis (including Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta) thought getting to the arupavacara realms would end the rebirth process.
– That is also why those realms are labeled “arupa” or “without rupa.” Only after the Buddha was it realized that those “fine rupa” of the arupavacara Brahmas are there. Thus, in a way, “arupavacara” is not strictly correct.