Do you believe Heaven and Hell exist as external places? 

Many space missions are being conducted around the world. If Heaven truly existed as an external location, would it be possible to reach it by a rocket? Could future advancements in science and technology allow us to travel to Heaven or Hell? 

The answer is no! Heaven and Hell are not external places but states of mind, created within a single moment by the mind’s own power. 

According to the Buddha’s teaching, if ignorance exists at the moment the mind consciousness arises, one of 31 realms of existence manifests. 

These 31 realms are categorized as follows: 

• 4 Realms of Misery (Hells): Niraya (Hell), Animal world, Hungry Shades/Ghost world (Peta Loka), Asura world.

• 7 Sensuous Worlds: Human world, Devas of the Four Great Kings (Cāturmahārājika), The Thirty-Three Gods (Tāvatiṃsa), Yāma, Contented Devas (Tusita), Devas Delighting in Creation (Nimmānarati), Devas Wielding Power Over the Creation of Others (Paranimmita-Vasavatti).

• 15 Form Worlds: Retinue of Brahma (Brahma-Parisajja), Ministers of Brahma (Brahma-Purohita), Great Brahmas (Mahā Brahma), Devas of Limited Radiance (Parittābha), Devas of Unbounded Radiance (Appamāṇābha), Devas of Streaming Radiance (Ābhassara), Devas of Limited Glory (Parittasubha), Devas of Unbounded Glory (Appamāṇasubha), Devas of Refulgent Glory (Subhakiṇṇa), Very Fruitful Devas (Vehapphala), Unconscious Beings (Asaññasatta), Devas Not Falling Away (Avihā), Untroubled Devas (Atappā), Beautiful Devas (Sudassā), Clear-Sighted Devas (Sudassī), Peerless Devas (Akanitthā).

• 4 Formless Worlds: Infinite Space (Ākāsānañcāyatana), Infinite Consciousness (Viññāṇañcāyatana), Nothingness (Ākiñcaññāyatana), Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception (Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana).

The mind consciousness is nothing but a vibration, and its power shifts according to the level of ignorance at that moment. 

When this vibration holds the greatest power—driven by intense attachment or aversion—it resonates with the lower realms, such as the hells. The more value we assign to our perceptions, the stronger this vibration becomes. 

For example, imagine someone who owns a car and assigns a great deal of importance to it. This attachment strengthens the mind’s vibration. If they experience the loss of the car, the mental distress generates a powerful vibration that resonates with one of the lower realms. 

When the intensity of the thought diminishes but still retains a significant level of attachment, the vibration aligns with one of the sensuous worlds. 

If the vibration holds no value but form perception still arises, it resonates with the form world. 

When the mind vibration exists but form perception ceases, it aligns with the formless world, where the power of vibration is at its lowest. 

As the power of vibration decreases, it moves progressively from the lower realms (hells) toward the higher realms, culminating in the formless worlds.

Page: 31 Realms in the Present Moment