Some Buddhists refer to Vishnu as Vasavatti Māra Deva. Others say that Upulvan Deva is Vishnu, and some say **Varuna** Deva is Vishnu. So who exactly is Vishnu? Is he Māra or a Deva? In Hinduism, Vishnu is known as the one who holds the chakraudha (sudhssana chakra). Upulvan deva consider as protector of sri Lanka Buddhist people say sri Lankan misunderstood Vishnu as upulvan. Some say both are same deva. So who is Vishnu....

I have heard Buddhist literature Mentions Maha Brahma, a diety attributed with creation but he is still held as a conditioned being. Does any literature of the buddhist canon (Any tripitaka or sutta) mention vishnu or shiva as deities? If so, what position are they accorded? Are they held to be conditioned beings similar to Brahma or something else?

Although my reality is confined to sensory experience, I believe that there are beings that exist in the subtle realm beyond. But how did *asuras* get there? Wasn't heaven only for the good, *sukhumataraṁ*? And without them, what battle could take shape? Is it just dormant tendencies [fantasies] that pop-up there? Any account of *asura* in jhana? Also, does the Hermetic text, 'As above, so below', register within Buddhist circles? From Sakka's Questions comes this: > ‘When a Realized One arises in the world, perfected and fully > awakened, the heavenly hosts swell, while the titan hosts dwindle.’ > ‘yadā tathāgatā loke uppajjanti arahanto sammāsambuddhā, dibbā kāyā > paripūrenti, hāyanti asurakāyā’ti. From Dialogues of the Buddha Vol 2.

The Jagannath temple of Puri currently is one of the most notable Vaishnava hindu temples, wherein the deity is worshipped as Vishnu or Krishna. Many puranic texts such as brahma purana and skanda purana too mention the site as a Vaishnavite pilgrimage. However it is worth noting that certain authorities, religious or non religious have been at many occasions been pointing out that the jagannatha temple was originally buddhist which was later hinduised and given its present form. Even Swami Vivekananda, A hindu saint admits this in one occasion. Quoting from the Complete works of Swami Vivekananda ---------- Questions - 1. Are there any ancient historical mentions, preferably in buddhist literature that assert that the site was originally a buddhist temple? 2. Are there any archaeological evidences that point out that the site was originally buddhist and was later hinduised as Swami vivekananda says?

The ultimate teaching of Buddhism is that of anatta or that there is no permanent soul or self as is there no creator Godhead. However across the vast tapestry of spiritual traditions, there are many which not only actively assert the God/soul beliefs but also have many individuals who say they have attained realizations of soul or God. While the nature of the experiences many vary radically the common thread in all of them is the belief in the soul. An everlasting soul at that. Listing some examples for instance - - The spiritual experiences of an Advaita vedantist, where the practictioner realizes oneself as spirit/consciousness and one with all the cosmos/existence - The spiritual experiences of a Vaishnava involving realizing oneself as a soul, and a part and parcel of a personal God , Vishnu/Krishna. - The spiritual experiences of a Shaivite involving realising oneself as a soul/spirit and identical with the personal God Shiva. Now my question is If an individual attains such realizations/experiences which convince them that they are an eternal soul or are in some way linked/related to some personal or impersonal God, How will such an experience be viewed under the lens of buddhism? Will buddhism view such Soul/God experiences as mental confabulations or accept them having some degree of truth to them?

Can devas in heavenly realms do good deeds and get a rebirth in other higher heavens and progress successively from one higher heaven to other? Preferably, from Mahayana Buddhist or Theravada Buddhist sermons of the Buddha.

This might be a more theoretical question than a directly practical one. I routinely see creatures of different realms approaching humans in the texts. and not just to enlightened ones like Buddha and some of his disciples, but even other far-from-liberated regular monks and householders. Now even though I believe, and to certain extent, understand other realms of existence, it nonetheless remains a mystery to me why would these creatures only appear exclusively in those times and not nowadays. Why do you think it could be the case? I doubt the texts are wrong, although that possibility can't be excluded - especially in the sense of exaggeration etc.

If I were to get a rebirth as a Deva, is it possible for me to interact with humans or my loved ones again? Would it be possible for me to help guide humans or is that forbidden?

Is being reborn as a deva or human better? Can you achieve nirvana if you are reborn as a deva as well as a human?

Are there any instances of people unwillingly capturing photographic evidence of devas/angels? Could the UFO sightings or encounters have been angels or devas(specifically terrestrial devas) all along? Can some one please shed some light on this?

If I am reborn as a Deva, how long would my lifespan be before I'm forced back into Samsara? Factors?

Or is it more complicated than that? i.e random?

In lord Buddha's daily routine, divided into five parts as follows. 1. the morning session 2. the afternoon session 3. the first watch 4. the middle watch **(10.00 P.M. TO 2.00 A.M.)** 5. the last watch So the 4th part is The Middle Watch, from 10.00 PM to 2.00 AM. In that time Lord Buddha will answer the questions from "Devas", and these Devas come to see Buddha by flying Machine called "Wimanas" (or [Vimana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimana)) . So my question is, does "Devas" here means Aliens? Did Aliens came to see Lord Buddha, and learn about Buddhism?

In Jāṇussoṇi sutta (AN 10.177) the brahmin asks the Buddha whether offers to departed relatives and family members benefit them. The Buddha says that **"on the right occasion, brahmin, it can be of benefit not on a wrong occasion"**, and later on, he says about someone who is reborn in the deva's world that **"this is a wrong occasion, when the gift is not of benefit to one living there"**. At the same time, we find in suttas such as Ratana Sutta and quite a few others, references not only to devas desiring offerings, humans making offerings to them, and even sharing merits with them. Of course, it's a fact known that the many (if not all?) traditions, specially in the Theravada countries support the practice of offerings and merit sharing with devas. My questions then are: a) Does any literature (eg. commentaries) deal with this seemingly conflict? b) Are there any known explanations by elders of any tradition commenting on this sutta?

Out of all six kinds of existence, only humans can achieve nirvana. It occurred to me that someone who has accumulated too much good karma in this life without managing to achieve nirvana might get reborn in the gods (deva) realm and waste a very long time having fun without working towards nirvana. So could a person refuse reincarnation in the gods realm?

From what i understand, moha - loba - dosa - ( greed, hatred, attachment, delusion...) are mind qualities and actions that strengthen samsara and are the path to lower rebirth. The opposite is also true, selflessness, compassion, non-attachment, non-self are path to higher rebirth but also nibbanna. In the highest planes of existences, attachment toward body reduce more and more. Therefore, what is the difference between the path to nibbana and the path to higher realms since you need to practice the same values and mind qualities to reach them?

How can I tell the difference between joy bourne of karma that will expire and joy bourne of karma which has turned the irreversible wheel of the dharma?

The more good kamma one has, the more likely one is to be reborn as a deva, and not a human, right? [This article](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/jootla/wheel414.html#ch5) says the following about devas: > So in spite of their excellent concentration and present opulence, they are even at a disadvantage compared to human beings, who are driven by pain and frustration to seek the path to deliverance. Later on, it says that devas actually aspire to be humans, in order to comprehend impermanence, suffering, and non-self. Does it mean that generating too much good kamma is an obstacle for following the path towards enlightenment?

From the Mettanisamsa Sutta , one of the benefits of practising metta is that the Devas would protect him. This leads me to my question. According to Buddhism and the suttas, do the Brahmas and Devas have any direct interaction with human beings? Please provide examples. Are these interactions all positive or also negative? Which ones are initiated by humans and which ones are initiated by Brahmas and Devas? Could this explain some interactions between God and human prophets in other religions? The God of the Old Testament sounds very much like the Mahabrahma of the Brahmajala Sutta : > Then a certain being, due to the exhaustion of his life-span or the > exhaustion of his merit, passes away from the Ābhassara plane and > re-arises in the empty palace of Brahmā. There he dwells, mind made, > feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in > glory. And he continues thus for a long, long period of time. > > "Then, as a result of dwelling there all alone for so long a time, > there arises in him dissatisfaction and agitation, (and he yearns): > 'Oh, that other beings might come to this place!' Just at that moment, > due to the exhaustion of their life-span or the exhaustion of their > merit, certain other beings pass away from the Ābhassara plane and > re-arise in the palace of Brahmā, in companionship with him. There > they dwell, mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving > through the air, abiding in glory. And they continue thus for a long, > long period of time. > > Thereupon **the being who re-arose there first thinks to himself: 'I am > Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the > Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker and Creator, > the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that > are and are to be. And these beings have been created by me.** What is > the reason? Because first I made the wish: "Oh, that other beings > might come to this place!" And after I made this resolution, now these > beings have come.'

The Dokkaebi are legendary creatures present in Korean mythology. Notably described as having supernatural abilities used to interact with humans. They often play tricks on or help humans and are described to be "impish" or goblin-like. They possess an "awe-inspiring" or "fearful" appearance as well as the ownership of indescribably magical objects. Are there any parallels of creatures that fit these descriptions in Buddhism?