The Differences Between Heaven(s) & Pure Land(s)

The Differences Between Heaven(s) & Pure Land(s)

In Buddhist cosmology, there are as many as 26 heavenly planes within the 31 planes of existence. (http://accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html) For focus, this article will compare the most commonly believed kind of heaven (as subscribed by some monotheistic faiths) with Buddhist Pure Lands. Please note that this is not to disparage any faith, but to clarify the common misconception of these worlds being the same in the context of Buddhism.

Of the heavenly planes in the Buddhist context, there is a group of three heavens that is often be seen to be the equivalent of the afterlife destination of some God-centred religions. They are, beginning from the above and more refined in the first jhanic heavens: (1) Maha Brahma heaven (of great Brahmas), (2) Brahma-purohita deva heaven (of Brahma’s ministers; ‘angels’) and (3) Braha-parisajja deva heaven (of Brahma’s retinue; followers).

According to the Kevatta Sutta (http://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html#bigbrahma), Maha Brahma’s delusion led him to imagine himself to be an omnipotent and omniscient creator of the universe. This is why some might regard Maha Brahma to be equivalent of the Godhead of religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism. According to the Ayacana Sutta (http://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html), it was not Maha Brahma, as typically mistaken, but Brahma Sahampati, from the higher Akanistha heaven (the highest of the Suddhavasa heavens), who first invited the Buddha to teach after his enlightenment.

It is however stated in the Kevatta Sutta that Maha Brahma acknowledged the supremacy of the Buddha’s wisdom. Does this mean there is a possibility that his heavens’ inhabitants might be encouraged to learn and practise the Dharma? Even if so, it is surely much more advisable to seek birth in Pure Land to learn the Dharma directly from a fully enlightened Buddha – where enlightenment is guaranteed, along with many myriad blessings. The best known Pure Land is Amitabha Buddha’s (Sukhavati Vyuha: Land of Ultimate Bliss).

What are the key differences between (Maha) Brahma’s heaven(s) and Pure Lands? (1) The Brahma heavens are still within the wheel of life and death, trapped within Samsara’s realms of good and evil. Pure Lands are beyond cyclic planes of existence. They are pure realms that directly facilitate purity, to transcend good and evil. Some believe Pure Lands are within the Pure Abodes (Suddhavasa), where Anagamis (Non-Returners) are also born, before attaining Arahanthood in that lifetime. This resembles how Pure Lands guarantee enlightenment.

(2) Due to possessing great merits, the inhabitants of Brahma heaven(s) have very long lifespans, creating the illusion of being in an ‘eternal heaven’, while possessing ‘eternal life’ and bliss. They are however, still subject to rebirth in Samsara once their merits are depleted – if they do not attain enlightenment in time. They are also mostly unaware that there are much higher planes of heavens, such as Suddhavasa, which do not expire, with the presence of beings who live much longer, while experiencing more sublime bliss. Pure Lands are truly eternal as they are manifestations of Buddhas’ infinite compassion. With the blessings shared by the presiding Buddhas coupled by diligent spiritual cultivation spurred by Pure Lands’ conducive environment, their inhabitants are no longer subject to karmic rebirth in Samsara (will not retrogress), and will definitely attain liberation.

(3) Life in Brahma heaven(s) is generally aimless in nature (unless one realises the need to learn and practise the Dharma), consisting of the enjoyment of the fruits of positive karma and merits while depleting them, and serving ‘God’, with whom one maintains a master-and-servant relationship. The purpose of seeking birth in Pure Lands is very clear in contrast – to learn how to be a perfect Bodhisattva and attain enlightenment, in order to return to Samsara (including the hells) to guide other beings to enlightenment. One’s relationship to the inhabitants of a Pure Land is that of Principal-Teachers-Students (Buddha-Bodhisattvas-Schoolmates). There, all inhabitants are trained to be equally and perfectly enlightened - like their Principal (Buddha).

An additional note (from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/268): ‘…the Buddha never taught the existence of an eternal or perfect heaven created by any unenlightened god with limited merits, compassion and wisdom; while the Buddha taught about the existence of immeasurably long-lasting Pure Lands created by fully enlightened Buddhas with perfect merits, compassion and wisdom. (The Buddha also taught that there is no omnipotent, omniscient and omni-benevolent creator god because if there is one, there would be no trace of suffering at all.) In case it is mistaken that Pure Land is exactly the same as, or even comparable to the usual concept of heaven, the Buddha says this in the Infinite Life Sutra to highlight the supremacy of Pure Land in contrast to general heavenly planes:

"Even though a king is the noblest of all men and has a regal countenance, if he is compared with a wheel-turning monarch, he will appear as base and inferior as a beggar beside a king. Likewise, however excellent and unrivaled the majestic appearance of such a monarch may be, if he is compared with the lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods, he will also appear incomparably inferior, even ten thousands kotis of times more so. Again, if this heavenly lord is compared with the lord of the Sixth Heaven, he will appear a hundred thousand kotis of times inferior. If the lord of the Sixth Heaven is compared with a bodhisattva or a shravaka dwelling in the land of Amitayus [Amitabha Buddha; Amituofo], his countenance and appearance will be far from matching those of the bodhisattva or shravaka, being a thousand million kotis of times or even incalculable times inferior.”’

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** https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Amituofo/conversations/topics/280 **

The Monk Attached To Sugar Cane

Posted by Shen Shi'an on September 18, 2013

As the nature of our last thought
leads to a corresponding rebirth,
we should nurture the purest thought now,
via mindfulness of Buddha,
to be like Buddha, to be with Buddha.

- Stonepeace | Get Books

Once, in times past, there were two monks who cultivated together. One liked the high mountain scenery, while the other built himself a hut on the banks of a brook, near a forest. Years went by. The monk who resided by the brook passed away first. Learning the news, his friend went down to visit his grave. After reciting sutras and praying for his friend’s liberation, the visiting monk entered samadhi and attempted to see where his friend had gone–to no avail. The friend was nowhere to be found, neither in the heavens nor in the hells, nor in any of the realms in between.

Emerging from samadhi, he asked the attending novice, ‘What was your Master busy with every day?’ The novice replied, ‘In the last few months before his death, seeing that the sugar cane in front of his hut was tall and green, my Master would go out continually to apply manure and prune away the dead leaves. He kept close watch over the cane, and seemed so happy taking care of it.’ Upon hearing this, the visiting monk entered samadhi again, and saw that his friend had been reborn as a worm inside one of the stalks of sugar cane. The monk immediately cut down that stalk, slit it open and extracted the worm. He preached the Dharma to it and recited the Amitabha Buddha’s name (Amituofo), dedicating the merit to the worm’s salvation. (Master Tam)

Thus Have I Heard: Buddhist Parables & Stories
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http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2013/09/the-monk-attached-to-sugar-cane/

How Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Saved A Boy

Posted by tdeditor on November 13, 2013

A good sacrifice inspires;
A poor sacrifice in vain.
- Stonepeace | Get Books

A thousand years ago in Anwa there was a woman who believed in Jizo [Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva; Dizang Pusa] and prayed that she might have an image of the Bodhisattva in her house to make offerings to. One day she found an old wooden Jizo in the river in front of her house. She rejoiced and prayed to this Jizo every morning and evening to be granted a child. She became pregnant and delivered a boy, but when he was four years old, she suddenly died. Her husband took a second wife who was very cruel to the little boy. The child had learned from his mother to pray to Jizo. One day when his father was away he took a little rice and, weeping for his dead mother, offered it to Jizo and to his mother’s memorial tablet at the family shrine. When the stepmother came into the house she found the child kneeling before the shrine and flew into a rage. She seized the boy and threw him into a kettle that was boiling over the fire.

At that moment the father, who was traveling on a road, became very confused and was unable to go on. He felt compelled to return home. As he turned back he saw a Buddhist monk standing by the road with a child on his back who cried out with a voice that he recognized. It was the voice of his own son! The man asked who this child was. The monk answered, “I have substituted my own body for this child when his stepmother was about to kill him. You must entrust him to other people who will raise and educate him well.” He put the child in the arms of his frightened father. The man asked the monk where he lived. The monk replied, “Near the Temple of the Repository King.” and disappeared into thin air.

After giving his son over to care of kind friends the father returned home. There he found his wife stoking the fire under a kettle. When she saw her husband she quickly put out the fire and became quite distressed. He asked her, “Where is my son?” Pretending grief she told him that the boy had been playing by the river and had drowned. The man strode to the kettle and took off the lid. There he found the old wooden Jizo floating in the boiling water. He realized the terrible thing his wife had done and saw that indeed Jizo had changed places with his son to save the boy’s life. Weeping bitterly he left the life of a householder and became a monk. From that time forth he was utterly devoted to Jizo Bodhisattva.

Jizo Bodhisattva: Guardian of Children, Travelers & Other Voyagers
Jan Chozen Bays

http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2013/11/how-ksitigarbha-bodhisattva-saved-a-boy/

Realisation: The Goat Who Laughed, Wept, Spoke & Died

		No true good can arise from any true harm. – Stonepeace | Get Books
According to the Matakabhatta Jataka, when the Buddha was in Jetavana, some monks asked if there was any benefit in sacrificing animals as offerings for the departed, to which he replied that no good ever comes from such killing. As he recalled, a long time ago, when Brahmadatta ruled Varanasi, a brahmin wanted to offer a 'feast for the deceased'. He bought a sacrificial goat and asked his disciples to bathe him by the river, before grooming, adorning and feeding him. While doing so, he began to laugh with the sound of a pot smashing, before weeping just as suddenly. Amazed at this, they asked him for the reasons for the strange behaviour. The goat requested that they repeat the question when they return to their teacher, to whom they hurried back and recollected what happened. The master thus personally asked the goat why he laughed and wept. The goat replied that in the past, he too was a brahmin, who taught the Vedas, and sacrificed a goat for a 'feast for the deceased'. Having killed that one goat, he have had his head severed 499 times. He laughed aloud as he realised this would be his last life as a sacrificial animal, after which he would be free from such misery. Yet, he also wept – out of empathy as he realised that due to killing him, the brahmin too may lose his head 500 times. Hearing this, the brahmin announced that he will not kill him. However, the goat exclaimed that whether he kills him or not, he could not escape death that day. To that, the brahmin asked him not to worry, as he would protect him. The goat replied that such protection is weak, while the force of his negative karma is strong. Still determined, the brahmin ordered his disciples not to let anyone harm the goat. While grazing under the disciples' supervision, he stretched his neck to reach the leaves on a bush near the top of a rock. There and then, out of the blue, a bolt of lightning struck the rock. A sharp sliver chipped off and flew through the air… before cleanly cutting off the goat's head! A crowd gathered and began to discuss excitedly about the amazing incident. Having witnessed it all, a tree deva (terrestrial god) told everyone that if only they knew such horrible karmic effects of being reborn into sorrow, they would cease from killing. Wary of such hellish retribution, they gave up their traditional sacrificing of animals entirely. He also further instructed on observation of the moral precepts and encouraged them to do good. Faithfully doing so for several generations, they lived charitably and had favourable rebirths. The Buddha then revealed that the deva was himself as a Bodhisattva. Just as the deva was no ordinary god, the wise talking goat was probably a skilful teaching Bodhisattva too? Unrepented negative karma created can have its effects magnified, though new positive karma repentantly created has mitigating effects too. Having fallen into the lower realms of hell-beings, hungry ghosts and animals, it is seldom easy to exit, with many rebirths there until the corresponding karma depletes. Although the lightning seemed like an 'accident', it was the deliberation of the law of karma exacting through nature. When conditions are ripe, karma finds its way! The Buddha also taught that it is much nobler to sacrifice one's harmful spiritual defilements than others' precious lives. In the Ksitigarbha Sutra, it was advised that to relieve suffering and facilitate better rebirths, merits for sharing with the recently deceased should be created by making meat-free offerings to the Buddha and monastics [before the deceased, during funerals and for at least 49 days, during which rebirth can occur]. Those who do so, and go vegetarian or (even more ideally) vegan personally, even if only for this period will receive much blessings too. Instead of ending others' physical lives, Bodhisattvas facilitate the beginning and furthering of their spiritual lives. – Stonepeace | Get Books Related Articles: The Best Sacrifice http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/11/the-best-sacrifice Offering Of Greater Kindness http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2010/12/offering-of-greater-kindness  – Shen Shi'an | Comment | More     Read More in TDE Books | Get TDE Book 6

How Karmic Power Overpowers Supernormal Powers

Posted by Shen Shi'an on June 13, 2013

What pride should we have,
when we might be humbled
by great suffering at any time,
when our negative karma ripens?
- Stonepeace | Get Books

 

Among Sakyamuni Buddha’s great Arhat disciples, Maudgalyayana (Moggallana; 目犍连) is considered the one foremost in supernormal powers, them second only to the Buddha, as naturally developed in his deep meditation. To name a few, his abilities included mind-reading, flight, teleportation to other realms of existence and manifestation into myriad forms – all expressed only for greater ease of reaching out to more beings for guiding them towards enlightenment. Despite his many fantastic and inspiring adventures, his manner of demise might come somewhat as a shock to many, for he was brutally stoned by bandits hired by some Jains, who wronged him to have caused their loss of public support. (Ironically, it is a major Jain precept to be non-violent, which is why they did not want blood directly on their hands.) Dwelling alone in a forest hut with knowledge that his remaining days were few, and feeling that the body was becoming a burden, he did not wish to use his powers to sustain it much longer. However, when he saw the bandits nearing, he rendered himself invisible. This was not out of fear of death but out of compassion to prevent them from creating the grave misgiving of killing an Arhat. Returning for six consecutive days, the bandits could not find him. But on the seventh, his powers suddenly vanished, leading to his eventual murder. Before his actual passing, he was able to regain consciousness and travel to the Buddha to pay his last respects, where he took his last breath. 

When asked why Maudgalyayana could not protect himself, and why a great Arhat experienced such a death, the Buddha explained that he had created the karma to be killed in a past life – when he murdered his parents, also very grave misgivings, from the consequences of which he could not escape from (even when mitigated to some extent), which he graciously accepted. This was why his powers were naturally karmically ‘suspended’ despite already being an Arhat ‘with’ them. Way back, he was an only but dutiful son who cared for his parents. When they became old and blind, his work increased and they urged him to seek a wife for help. However, his wife soon became hostile to his parents, even maligning them for faults they did not have. Spurred by her, he decided to lie that their relatives elsewhere wished to meet them. Ferrying them off in a carriage into the middle of a forest, he stepped off to walk beside the carriage, claiming that he had to look out for ‘robbers’ – before mimicking ‘their threats’ to attack. Yelling at him to fend for himself as they were already old and blind, his parents begged the ‘robbers’ to leave him alone. While they were crying out, they were clubbed to death before being abandoned. As a turn of events in the life he met the Buddha, as recorded in the Ullambana Sutra, Maudgalyayana became renowned for his great filial kindness to his deceased mother with his efforts to practise the Dharma to rescue her from intense suffering as a hungry ghost.
 
This brief account of Maudgalyayana’s story teaches us many important lessons. The power of even great psychic abilities cannot overcome the power of heavy negative karma, which even the enlightened cannot escape from. This ought to remind us to uphold morality strictly, by observing the precepts well to avoid evil, and to do good – so as to mimimise the creation of negative karma, while maximising the creation of positive karma – lest both our worldly and spiritual lives get endangered. It might seem somewhat a ‘consolation’ that even a great Arhat could have misfortune due to negative karma’s ripening, as this means we should not expect our spiritual journey to be smooth-sailing. The less consoling part, however, is that if even an Arhat might have ‘terrible’ remnant karma, should we not expect more, as we are merely ordinary beings with perhaps worse negative karma? Technically, Arhats are already free from the rounds of life and death – even before the demise of their physical forms. As such, they do not suffer mentally, even if there is physical pain. (Incidentally, as Buddhas have much greater merits than Arhats, they can never be killed!) So long as we are far from enlightenment, we are liable to be cyclically good and evil, leading to the complex alternating of karmic blessings and misfortunes we create for ourselves. If so, we need to fortify our resolution to be better persons more diligently – all the way… till we perfect our morality as faultless Buddhas!

Being occasionally good
is never good enough.
Being always good
is surely pure enough.
- Stonepeace | Get Books

 http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2013/06/how-karmic-power-overpowers-supernormal-powers/

How A Great Beauty Realised Greater Beauty

Posted by Shen Shi'an on July 12, 2013

Fleeting in nature
is the false beauty of forms
selfishly clung by the deluded.
- Stonepeace | Get Books

 

Khema, the chief consort of King Bimbisara, was said to be extremely beautiful. Revelling in her own exquisite beauty, she was ‘naturally’ uninterested in meeting Sakyamuni Buddha, as he was known for teaching that external beauty is impermanent – a truth she rejected. However, as the King was a devoted follower of the Buddha, he wanted her to learn from him. Using a skilful means to trick her to visit the monastery the Buddha was residing in, he got musicians to sing praises of the natural beauty of the grove the monastery was in. Being attracted to attractions sung, Khema decided to experience the grove in person. Seeing Khema approaching while teaching to a large assembly, the Buddha used his supernormal powers to manifest a beautiful maiden fanning him by his side. While engrossed in the beauty of the trees and flowers, Khema drew closer to the assembly. When she caught sight of the maiden, she was intrigued by her beauty, as it greatly surpassed hers. The Buddha then made the maiden age gradually, yet swiftly enough for her to see. Her skin wrinkled, her hair turned grey and her body collapsed in death, leaving a corpse that decayed into bones.

Finally recognising that conditioned forms were transient, Khema realised that the same would happen to hers. If even a form deemed more beautiful and precious than hers comes to pass, how could she retain hers? Her focus now shifted to the Buddha, he taught on the danger of lust for sense pleasures (as they breed spiritual complacency), and invited her to renounce them as they are fleeting in nature. Reflecting thus, she soon attained liberation as an Arhat, and became his first female chief monastic disciple, respected for her skills in explaining advanced teachings. Beyond the remarkableness of the Buddha’s means and Khema’s ability to awaken through it, this story also warns us of the possibility of spiritually backsliding in future lives. In her past lives, Khema already met and studied the Dharma from many Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Pratyekabuddhas. She also made sincere offerings, once by selling her beautiful hair, for getting alms to offer to a Buddha, and made the aspiration to be a future Buddha’s chief female disciple. Despite these and more great efforts, she almost forgot the greater preciousness and beauty of the Dharma due to vanity before meeting Sakyamuni Buddha!

Although with the near miss of neglecting the Dharma, she was fortunate to have had forged strong enough affinity with it, to be able to reconnect firmly in time. What about the rest of us? If we have learnt and practised the Dharma for some time already, we should roughly know the strength of our connections with the Dharma. Seemingly far from possible sudden enlightenment, we differ from Khema, who needed only an appropriate nudge from the Buddha. This is a compelling reason for us to aspire for birth in a Buddha’s Pure Land, where we can always learn from a Buddha and be mindful of the Dharma until liberation is attained – without the interruption of death when reborn, which causes forgetfulness of the Dharma and distractions by merits manifesting as beauty, wealth, status, power and such. As Dharma practitioners of average spiritual capacity, we are liable to repeatedly backslide, making it difficult for most to smoothly advance towards enlightenment in this life. This is why, as emphasised in the Amitabha Sutra by Sakyamuni Buddha, all Buddhas, including himself, highly urge beings of their worlds to seek refuge in Amitabha Buddha’s (Amituofo) Pure Land.

Enduring in nature
is the true beauty of truth
selflessly shared by the wise.

http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2013/07/how-a-great-beauty-realised-greater-beauty/

Knowing Contentment

 

Those who do not know contentment,
although rich, they are poor.
Those who know contentment,
although poor, they are rich.

Those who do not know contentment,
are constantly led by their five desires,
pitied by those who know contentment.

- The Buddha (Sutra Of Bequeathed Teachings)
[Five desires: wealth, sex, fame, food and sleep]

不知足者  虽富而贫
知足之人  虽贫而富

不知足者  常为五欲所牵
为知足者  之所怜悯

- 佛陀 (遗教经)
[五欲: 财色名食睡]

http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2012/07/knowing-contentment/

How Pure Land Facilitates Fruition Of Bodhicitta

Posted by tdeditor on December 6, 2011

Amituofo’s Pure Land, being the best Dharma school in the universe,
presided by the best principal (Amituofo) and teachers (Bodhisattvas),
guarantees graduation of its inhabitants towards Buddhahood.

- Stonepeace

What is the wish for rebirth in the Pure Land [of Amitabha Buddha; Amituofo]? Why should we want to be reborn in the Pure Land? Progress in the Path [to Buddhahood] is difficult when we cultivate in this world, the Saha World [of endurance of suffering]. Although we can cultivate here, it is very difficult to make constant, daily progress. But once we have been born in that land, the Land of Ultimate Bliss, becoming a Buddha is easy. “When the [lotus] flower blooms, we see the Buddha, and awaken to the patience in which no phenomena arise.” Because cultivating is easy there in the Pure Land, we can be successful in a single lifetime. Because it is difficult here in the Saha world, many kalpas have passed and we still have not accomplished our goal. Therefore, each and every sage and worthy of the past has taken the path that leads to this land. All the patriarchs and worthies of the past sought to be reborn in the Pure Land. And passage after passage in all the thousands of sutras [scriptures] spoken by the Buddha and myriads of shastras [commentaries] written by the patriarchs, as well as all Vinaya texts, points in this direction. The main import of these texts is to instruct us to seek to be reborn in the Pure Land. For cultivators in the Dharma Ending Age, like us now, nothing surpasses this method. The Pure Land method is the easiest and most direct of all the Dharma doors.

The Amitabha Sutra says, however, that we cannot be reborn there if our good deeds are few. The Amitabha Sutra says, “Shariputra, one cannot have few good roots, blessings, virtues, and causal connections to attain birth in that land.” Only through many acts deserving of blessings can we be successful. You need to do more good deeds to gain more blessings. They say that none of the many acts deserving of blessings equals maintaining mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha’s name [Amituofo]. How can you do more blessed deeds? Simply by reciting the Buddha’s name, you can be doing blessed deeds and increasing your blessings and virtue. They say that none of the many good deeds equals a great resolution of the mind. How can you do good deeds? Simply by making the great resolve upon Bodhi  [Bodhicitta: the aspiration for Buddhahood, and for guiding all beings to it]. Therefore, reciting the Sage’s, Amitabha Buddha’s name, even briefly is superior to practicing giving for a hundred years. Reciting the Buddha’s name for a short while is better than making gifts of the seven kinds of jewels for a hundred years. And by simply making the great resolve, we transcend kalpa after kalpa, kalpas as many as particles of dust, of cultivation.

Thus, we may practice mindfulness of the Buddha with the hope of becoming Buddhas, but if we fail to make the great resolve, our mindfulness will not be sincere [enough]. The reason we are mindful of the Buddha is that we wish to become Buddhas. If you don’t want to become a Buddha, you don’t need to be mindful of the Buddha. But if you don’t make a great resolve to attain Bodhi, you won’t have any [ideal] reason to be mindful of the Buddha, and your mindfulness and recitation will be aimless. We may be determined to cultivate, we may be determined to practice, but retreat is easy, despite our resolve, unless we are reborn in the Pure Land. Therefore, plant a Bodhi seed by making a vast, great resolve. Till with the plow of mindfulness of the Buddha, like tilling the soil, and the fruits of the Path will naturally grow. As you recite, a lotus will sprout in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Sail the ship of great vows to enter the ocean of the Pure Land. Then we will certainly be reborn in the West, by being mindful of Amitabha Buddha. This is the ninth cause and condition for making the resolve to attain Bodhi [according to Great Master Xing An: the 11th Patriarch of the Pure Land tradition].

Exhortation to Resolve Upon Bodhi: The Ultimate Commitment of a Buddhist
An Essay by Great Master Xing An, with Commentary by Master Hsuan Hua

How Even The Gods May Fall

Posted by tdeditor on September 12, 2011

That even gods may fall
is a powerful reminder
that merely doing good
is not good enough.
- Stonepeace

Whoever has accumulated much merit, after his rebirth in the Deva-realms [heavenly planes of gods], lives there till the end of the life-span of that realm is attained. If, however, the force of the meritorious deed [good karma] that caused his rebirth onto that realm [which is limited] is exhausted before the end of the life-span of that realm, is reached, he dies [and resume rebirth within Samsara, if not yet enlightened]. Some devas sometimes so indulge themselves in the pleasures and enjoyments of the Deva-realms, that they forget to take their food at the due and proper time. Consequently, at last, they come in for a fainting fit and then pass away. Some others die due to extreme anger caused by jealousy against another’s prosperity. That is because their subtle bodies cannot endure the burning that their anger generates within themselves, so their bodies are consumed and wither. (This description is given in the story of Ghosaka in the commentary of the Dhammapada.)

In describing the actual manner in which death occurs in these Deva-realms, we are told that when death is approaching and a deva is destined to fall away (die), five signs of warning are shown to him: (1) His garland fades, (2) his garments become soiled, (3) sweat exudes from his arm pits, (4) his body becomes ill-coloured, and (5) he feels no delight in his seat even as he remains seated.

It is also of interest and significance to note that from the moment of birth in a Deva-realm to the moment of death, neither the decaying and breaking of teeth, nor the greying of hair seems to occur. A heavenly female being (devi) for instance, maintains the appearance of a sixteen year old maiden all throughout her life, and a male has the appearance of a twenty year old youth. At the last moments preceding death, however, their bodies lose their colour, they feel exhausted and faint. Up to this last moment they never feel tired. When they near death, they begin to yawn… Only a few of the devas who are the wisest among them know what is about to happen… When devas die, their mansions too vanish and no residue remains, just as when a piece of camphor is burnt.

[Editor: As such, the mere doing of good to create merits for heavenly rebirths is dangerous, as wisdom is needed too, while the safest place for rebirth is a Buddha's Pure Land, where enlightenment will be eventual, where there is no possibility of sensual indulgence, rise of defilements like anger, spiritual complacency, ageing, disease or untimely death.]

Related Articles:
The Spiritual Obstacles of Extreme Complacency & Suffering
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/197
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Is Life in Pure Land Eternal?
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The Middle Path Between Nihilism & Eternalism
http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/09/the-middle-path-between-nihilism-eternalism

Wheel of Life: 31 Planes of Existence (Rebirth)
Egerton C. Baptist

Verse For Repentance (忏悔文)

All the evil karma I have created in the past,
from beginningless greed, hatred and delusion,
that arose from my body, speech and mind,
for all these I now seek repentance and reformation.

- Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (Avatamsaka Sutra)

我昔所造诸恶业
皆由无始贪嗔痴
从身语意之所生
一切我今皆忏悔

- 普贤菩萨 (华严经)

http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/11/verse-for-repentance-%E5%BF%8F%E6%82%94%E6%96%87/