An Analysis of the Guidelines for Practice to Become Devatā According to the Tipiṭaka

Abstract

The research entitled “An Analysis of the Guidelines for Practice to Become Devatā According to the Tipiṭaka” consisted of 3 objectives as follows: 1) to study Devatā in the Tipiṭaka; 2) to study the guidelines to become Devatā in the Tipiṭaka; and 3) to analyze the guidelines for practice to become Devatā in the Tipiṭaka. The study applied a qualitative research approach by studying the Tipiṭaka, commentaries, documents, books, and related researches. The acquired data were used to explain according to the research objectives. The results of the research are as follows:

1) The Tipiṭaka mentions about 3 kinds of Devatā which are: 1) Sammati-deva refers to gods by convention; 2) Upapatti-deva refers to gods by rebirth; and
3) Visuddhi-deva refers to gods by purification. There are 16 planes for Devatā and each plane has different ranges of time for living depending on the merits made as a human being. The 16 planes are as follows: Arūpāvacara-bhūmi refers to the 4 formless planes; Devaloka refers to world of gods which are the 6 heavenly worlds; and Kāmasugati-bhūmi refers to the 6 sensuous blissful planes for human beings.

2) To be Devatā in the heavenly worlds where there are abundant and complete divine consumer goods, it depends on the merits and perfections each one makes as a human being whether through dāna (giving), observing the precepts, doing reverential salutation towards those who are virtuous, listening to the Dhamma, behaving morally, practicing meditation, having honesty towards spouse, taking care of parents, etc. Therefore, the accurate merit-making in Buddhism consists of three aspects: (1) Dāna refers to the giving with a faithful mind will result in a lot of benefits; (2) Sīla refers to the observance of the 5 and 8 percepts and abstention from all unwholesome actions will result in a happy life in the present and next life; (3) Bhāvana refers to listening to the Dhamma, cultivating both Samatha and Vipassanā meditation, contemplating and realizing the realities until realizing Nibbāna.

3) There are 3 guidelines for practice in order to become Devatā in the Tipiṭaka: 1) Giving; 2) Percepts; and 3) Mental development, all of which is called Puññakiriyā-vatthu (3 Bases of Meritorious Action). Dānamaya refers to merit-making by giving materials which are rice, water, clothes, transport, flowers, incense, sanitary wares, lodging, and light. Dāna is both the principle and guideline for practice leading a person to be born as a devatā in various planes.  Sīlamaya refers to the observance of percepts which will result in merits because it is the guideline for practice to be disciplined for the coexistence between human beings, human beings and society, human beings and nature. All of which will result in happiness upon oneself and society. Bhāvanāmaya refers to the practice according to the following aspects of Bhāvanā, namely, Kāya-bhāvanā (physical development), Sīla-bhāvanā (moral development), Citta-bhāvanā (emotional development), and Paññā-bhāvanā (wisdom development). The practice of this dhamma will eliminate the bad deeds whether physically, verbally, or mentally. It will also bring external prosperity by having money, fortune, fame, position, praise as well as internal prosperity by practicing the 3 Bases of Meritorious Action in order to achieve Manussa-sampatti (human prosperity), Deva-sampatti (heavenly prosperity), and Nibbāna-sampatti (successful attainment of Nibbāna).