The Process of Realisation by Ajahn Achalo Bhikku

The Process of Realisation by Ajahn Achalo Bhikku

I personally know some monks who can actually see different classes of devas in their meditation. I won’t mention any names or I may get into trouble. Suffice to say these experienced senior monks are very well respected within our tradition. After coming out of samādhi absorptions, while the mind is still very bright and lucid, these bhikkhus can see subtle-bodied beings and even have conversations with them. I have enjoyed asking them many questions over the years and have been enthralled by their descriptions.

One of these monks explained that at a glance he could tell the difference between a Brahmā deva who had attained to a realisation of Dhamma and one who had not. Many human beings who become stream enterers, attaining the first stage of enlightenment on the path to arahantship, will naturally also develop deep concentration and will subsequently be destined for a rebirth in the high heaven realms as one of their few remaining births. In the time of the Buddha many beings attained arahantship swiftly, so ripe were their spiritual faculties. However, in general we understand that it takes most beings a few lives between entering the stream, and realising complete and final liberation.

When I asked how he could tell the difference between the two types of Brahmā devas, the Venerable Master explained that the Brahmā devas with amazing concentration  have extremely bright auras that stretch vast distances. The brightness, although impressive, is also somewhat cloudy. The Brahmā devas who have deep insight into the impermanent and not-self characteristic of conditions, however, have extremely bright and vast auras that are also as clear as a diamond. I found this so interesting! If a person has such abilities, they can literally see the manner in which self-view clouds the mind, and how deep insight makes things crystal clear.

The insight of such wise devas will deepen, particularly at the time of death, and within a life or two they will attain to complete liberation from all births, enjoying the unceasing bliss of unshakeable peace, Nibbāna, after which they will have no more births in any conditioned realms. One should note, of course, that in the very same manner these monks can also tell whether humans have samādhi or insight. If you don’t keep precepts, hardly ever meditate, and haven’t developed much wisdom, your aura will appear dull and cloudy. If you have good ethical standards and meditate regularly, your mind will be quite bright and the radiance will shine around you to some degree. Even our ordinary eyes can see that good monks and nuns appear quite bright and radiant, as do most lay people straight after an intensive meditation retreat. If one has deep insight and concentration, then a bright diamond-like clarity can be seen in the aura and mind as well. There are no secrets! You can’t hide anything from those with clear seeing.

Apparently devas who are advanced on the bodhisattva path appear slightly different. When I asked how, the Venerable Master explained that the vast merits and profound spiritual qualities that bodhisattva practitioners develop over many lifetimes generate a radiance that is broader and vaster than that of ordinary beings. This radiance can also be very clear. Such beings can have both great wisdom and great samādhi, yet do not fully enter final Nibbāna, as their attachment to the welfare of others restrains them. I asked the Master how he could tell the difference between an advanced bodhisattva practitioner and an extremely advanced one. This might sound like splitting hairs, but it’s the kind of thing that fascinates me. 

He explained that if a truly well developed bodhisattva were to visit him, he would not be able to see the point where the radiant aura ceased. The radiance literally fills all of space!

We can deduce from these descriptions that no effort at cultivating the mind or wholesome qualities is ever without consequence. The radiance from the goodness of such effort grows and shines in all directions. 

Perhaps this will inspire some people to get serious about developing the compassion brahmavihāra and to let their love shine. I could relay many more things pertaining to the interesting attributes of devas and fascinating manifestations of the subtle mind, but that may prove a distraction. It is, however, helpful to have a sense of the bigger picture and amazing, transformative nature of this path, so I am happy to share this much.

-From Tan Ajahn Achalo's book, 'The Process of Realisation - Twelve Talks by Ajahn Achalo Bhikku'.

25th December, 2022