By Venerable Bhikkhu Mihita, Ph. D.

April 23 2025
Introduction
When a Buddhist devotee offers alms to the sangha and/or participate in any other religious activity, the expectation is to earn enough punna merit to gain a berth in Heaven (sagga), obviously by way of having a qualitatively better life than on Earth. Fair enough! But where is heaven? Based in a study of the Tipitaka Tricompendium, this writer has come to identify Heaven as being nothing but the Sky! And hence the term Sky-Heaven as used in this article.
So here then is the basis. As in the Ratana Discourse, a territory hit by a severe drought and hunger, the Buddha implores to the deities to have compassion on the human population (mettam karotha maanusiyaa pajaaya). He addresses Whoever beings (yaaneedha bhootaani) assembled (samaagataani) [to hear his Dhamma], on Earth (bhummaani) or ‘going through air’ (antalikkhe), meaning Space. So what could air, or Space be, as contrasted with Earth, other than the Sky?
This comes to be clear in another line. The pleading is done in the name of the Triple Gem – Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. Declares the Buddha, Whatever treasure there is, here or there [idha vaa huran vaa], or Heaven .. [saggesu vaa], there is none equal to the Buddha”. Taking the reference to ‘here or there’ being to Earth, would Heaven then not mean as contrasting with Earth? If this is based on language analysis, heard of rukkha devatas ‘tree devas’ or ‘ground-based’ bhummattha devas? So there we go! Convincing enough?
And so it is based in Canonical evidence that I have ended up writing the paper, Sky as Heaven, but Temporary Abode: as in Buddhianscience” (https://hdl.handle.net/1807/127073). A point to remember is that just as is life on Earth is temporary, so is life in Sky-Heaven, lasting a few months or years, or even eons!
Sky-Heaven as in the Buddhadhamma is made up of four realms – sense-based, form-based, non-form-based and beyond-world (kaamaavacara, roopaavacara, aroopaavacara, lokuttara). In my paper, I parallel them to the four-plus levels of the Space above Earth as in Westernscience – (0 km to 500 km).

Sky Spheres in Buddhianscience Paralleling Sky Spheres in Westernscience
Is it not of interest that the prefix ‘exos’, in Line 1 Column 4 of the Chart, well parallels ‘beyond-world’ as is the literal translation of ‘lokuttara’ in the Buddhianscientific characterization? That then
should speak to the reality of the realms as in the Tricompendium being in the Sky, beginning from right under our very feet, at 0 km.

A Spontaneous, Parentless Rebecoming in Sky-Heaven

Now that we have an understanding of the Sky-Heaven, the next relevant question is how an Earthly human being passing away ends up in Sky-Heaven, if sufficient merits earned. This then is my most recent paper, linking Buddhadhamma to Physics and Biology. It is titled CittaDNA, Higgs Field and Psychomorphic Resonance Co-conditioning a Rebecoming in Sky-Heaven – a Buddhianscientific Exploration in Relation to Westernscience)” https://hdl.handle.net/1807/141920.
A human being (if also an animal) is a ‘Mindbody’ naamaroopa, as is the Buddhian term. While Westernscience recognizes only the five physical senses – eye, ear, nose, tongue and body, Buddhianscience recognizes a sixth, and indeed the primary, namely the mind sense, behind the other five senses as well. So clearly a human is made up of a visible body, which is guided by a mind behind it.
The death of a person then means the mind being separated from the body. In the final stream of consciousness, without continuing on to the end, halfway through, the mind, Citta, this being the Abhidhammic term, bids goodbye to the body, exiting it, and so it is called the exit-mind (cuti citta).
But then, alas, the mind, not having a body, is orphaned, having lost its lifelong buddy the bosom body!!! So how can it survive? With no physical counterpart with which it can link, there would be no mindbody. And so it is Westernscience that I turn to, specifically Physics and Biology, the Figure below introducing the specifics:

Triple conditions for a Rebecoming in Sky-Heaven captured in the form of a cell
As in the Figure, the three components that then come together towards conditioning a Rebecoming in Sky-Heaven are CittaDNA, Higgs Field and Psychomorphic Resonance.
To explain CittaDNA, while what left the body at the point of death as above is ExitCitta, what links up with Higgs Field is what I have come to call CittaDNA! DNA is the genetic code inherited from parents. Likewise is Citta the bearer of the history of a given individual. Hence the name change.
But now, CittaDNA is orphaned. And there would be no continuing on without a mass. This is where Higgs Field, named after British Physicist Peter Higgs, one of the three founders, comes to the rescue. It is
a field of energy that is thought to exist in every region of the universe. [It] is accompanied by a fundamental particle known as the Higgs boson, which is used by the field to continuously interact with other particles, such as the electron. Particles that interact with the field are given” mass and, in a similar fashion to an object passing through ….. Higgs bosons contain the relative mass in the form of energy.

Let us note how particles that interact with the field are given” mass and, and also an object passing through. And so it is that the CittaDNA comes to be given mass, and no longer orphaned, but in interaction with mass.
However, while the mind is now linked with a mass, it has no specific shape. This is where Morphic Resonance pitches in. Advanced by British Biologist Rupert Sheldrake, it is a process whereby self-organizing systems inherit a memory from previous similar systems”. But given that mind is the forerunner, as in Buddhianscience, it is to capture this dimension that I have called it Psychomorphic Resonance.
So the memory of Devas in Sky-Heaven , literally ‘shining ones’, now joining the CittaDNA-Higgs Field joint duo, there comes to be a Rebecoming in Sky-Heaven! And, would you believe, it is spontaneous, meaning instantaneous!!
The Buddhian formula of ‘conditioned co-origination’ (paticca samuppaada) well explains the process of three strangers ending up as an amicable single unit. It is a co-origination, since the outcomes emerges conditioned in a mutual relationship of A <>B <> C. If A serves as the mind dimension, B is the Higgs Field physical dimension. But it is C, Morphic Resonance, that gives shape to the Rebecoming.
To draw a rather mundane analogy, a mother hugs baby who hugs mom. Happiness emerges for both, co-conditioned by each other. Likewise in relation to the threesome. To give a rather material parable, let’s say an artist thinks of doing a painting of the scene of Prince Siddhartha leaving the palace, and getting a horse back ride with Channa at the ropes. There then is the mind dimension. So he gets the material for it – brush, paint and paper. And now he begins to draw the horse. So what guides him? Would it not be the memory of the Prince on horseback, and other details? So based in memory, the picture of Prince Siddhartha on horseback with Channa in front holding on to the reins, and the horse in galloping stride emerges on paper! So, the thought to build is the mind dimension (CittaDNA), the material the physical (Higgs Field), and Psychomorphic Resonance the memory.
The end product of the union of the threesome is called a Rebecoming, and not a birth, since it is parentless. Rebecoming is, as above, spontaneous, the Buddhian term ‘Opapaatika’ literally meaning ‘falling near’; that is, instantaneous, since there is no birth process.
Interestingly, we get the explanation and justification of the Buddhian concept of spontaneity in Westernscience:
… when … a system is far from equilibrium, or where it is at a much higher temperature than its environment, new types of structures may originate spontaneously. The result is that new dynamic states of matter, namely, organic life, are created.
This then is the complex process of how, an earthly, terrestrial being, as in the chart, upon passing away, would end up in Sky-Heaven. Anyone voting to go through the process? Yes, you all will all, if enough merit gathered and are looking for a happier life!

Life in Sky-Heaven
So is there any record of Sky life in the Tricompendium? You bet! One night, a young man appears before the Buddha, and speaks in verses, beginning with
This indeed is that Jeta’s Grove, The Resort of the Order of Seers,
Dwelt in by the Dhamma King,
A place that gives me joy.
He immediately disappears. Buddha relating the experience to monks the next day, Ananda wonders if that was not Anathapindika, the Buddha’s greatest benefactor, who had died the day before. The Buddha confirms.
Then there is the deitess Devata in the Mahaamangala Blessings Discourse, who lightens up the entire Jeta grove” in the night, and appears before the Buddha, and beseeches him:
Many a deva and human have wondered about the Blessings. For their benefit, may the Blessings be please spelled out.
So the Buddha does. And you have heard them at paritta ceremonies, even though you may not have known the meaning of the words.
So does the fact that both Deity Anathapindika and the nameless Deitess appear in human form, and also communicate in language, indeed poetic diction, not speak to the presence of the six senses in them?
But if the examples above are taken from the Tricompendium, would you believe if evidence comes from the 20th c. Westernscience? To give an example, one day, at about 6 am, a grandson gets a call from his brother living in a different city, Picking up the phone, he immediately asks,
Did grandpa die”?
Yes. How did you know?”
He says that awakened from sleep up at 1.10 am, he saw grandpa smiling, the dark room well-lit up. The brother confirms that that is when he died.
So first it is clear that Rebecoming in Sky-Heaven has been in the form of a sentient-being – i.e., one with senses, in a sentient form as are humans, with six senses. This then renders the Sky-being Deitesses and Deities (devatas and devas) a phenotype, just as animals are, too. And this would be under the genotype satto, meaning ‘Sky-being’ (plural sattaa).
To give mundane parallel, let us take the term ‘vehicle’. Taking it as a genotype; several are those that fall under it: 2-wheel bikes, baby tricycles, 4-wheel cars and buses and multi-wheel trains, all as phenotypes on Earth. But not to be forgotten airplanes as phenotypes in the Sky!
And the Buddha makes the distinction between the two types absolutely clear. You may remember the term naamaroopa ‘mindbody’ as above. And ‘roopa’ reference here is to ‘body’ in general. But in relation to a specific body, the term used is kaaya. In mindfulness meditation, e.g., one begins with ‘kaayaanupassnaa’ i.e., reflecting on one’s own specific body.
Above then is the evidence for the reality of Sky-beings, Devatas and Devas, paralleling Earth-beings, female and male! Hope you have well grasped it.
Incidentally, if by chance you are intrigued by my term Buddhianscience as replacement for the misnomer ‘Buddhism’, please go to my article, Buddhianscience: Truth Yesterday, Truth Today, Truth Tomorrow” https://hdl.handle.net/1807/128886.
Closure
So my intent in presenting this media piece is, first, to give a realistic picture of that goal of Sky-Heaven that temple goers and alms-givers eternally aspire to. A second is to bring to the general reader, regardless of religion, some Westernscientific theories that is only in the hands of scholars. A third is to give a hint, with a specific example, of the scientific nature of the Buddhadhamma, a reality rarely dealt with if ever, even in scholarly literature,.
And so I invite anyone interested to go deeper, and the sources quoted in this piece, particularly those with a background in Westernscience, to look up the article itself (as above), but also my book length
treatment, Phenotype Devas in Sky-Heaven Paralleling Humans under the Genotype ‘sentient beings’ https://hdl.handle.net/1807/141697. Hope my short piece establishes the reality of Sky-Heaven, and demolish the sceptical doubts about Sky-Heaven, taking it to be mythological. But finally, it is to show how Sky-Heaven in Buddhianscience has no associations with divinity – i.e., a creator God, Angels, etc., .
However, for all the advanced knowledge gained, let us in this Wesak Season, listen to the words of the Buddha in the Agganna Discourse (see Wikipedia for a quick access), where he outlines the Devolution and Evolution process of the Universe (see my paper, under my pre-ordination name, . But the advice at the end of it all is straightforward – that is that living the Dhamma far outweighs gaining the highest knowledge!
So recognizing that Sky-Heaven is only a temporary abode, and that returning to Earth would mean continuing suffering, would you be not be interested in modifying your goal of getting a berth in Sky-Heaven, to experiencing Nibbana? And, if interested, the first step towards this is letting go of the ‘body is me’ view (sakkaayaditthi). And this is by coming to see that there is no ‘I’ or ‘me’, but that the body, as is the mind, a mere process of constant change (anicca), and on auto-pilot, i.e., with no doer behind, as e.g., a ‘soul’. And that the body will end up as nothing more than a worthless log of wood fallen dead, as in the Buddhian parable. The book, Thoughts without a Thinker, by Mark Epstein well speaks to it. But you may also read up my short piece, Fetters in Tatters Towards Sotàpanna” https://hdl.handle.net/1807/139402.
Looking to end up in Sky-Heaven would mean a coming back to Earth again and again, continuing in the samsaric life-cycle of, would you believe, suffering and suffering and suffering! And the outcome of letting go of the ‘body is me view’ would be coming to be a Stream-entrant, i.e., a sotāpanna. Just as a stream goes only one way, as guaranteed by the Buddha, once a sotāpanna, there will only be a maximum of 7 lifetimes, and only 4 on Earth before attaining Nibbàna. We can see it in an arithmetic chart:

(Sky-Heavenly)

In Sky-Heaven as Born Stream-entrant

In Sky-Heaven
as Born

Stream-entrant

In Sky-Heaven
as Born
Once-returner
In Sky-Heaven born Non-returner > Nibbàna
Terrestrian
(Earthly)

Becoming a Stream-entrant (sotāpanna)

Born-Stream-entrant

Born Stream-entrant >
Once-returner
(sakadaagaamin)
Born Once-returner >
Non-returner
(anaagaamin)
An Arithmetic Chart: Stream-entry to Nibbana
However, the earthly lifetimes could be even less, becoming a Once-returner in Earthly life 2, and coming to be a Non-returner in 4, and attaining Nibbàna in life-time 5, while in Sky-Heaven. And indeed, if one were to walk the Path even more diligently, a Stream-entrant, Once-returner or Non-returner could come by the experience of Nibbàna in that very lifetime. This, however, would not be as a householder, unless living in an Empty House, with all relationships with the world cut off. Any interest?
The beginning for all this, however, is living by the Five Self-Training Principles (Pancaseela) diligently, undertaking them willingly in a self-discipline:
1.
to abstain from taking life (killing);
2.
to abstain from taking what is not given (i.e., stealing);
3.
to abstain from sexual misconduct (infidelity);
4.
to abstain from language abuse (lying, back-biting, gossip, foul language);
5.
to abstain from going overboard on liquor & drugs.
6
Taking to meditation would be helpful as well. Even for 20 minutes daily might be a good beginning, to help keep one’s calm. But there would be no need to be at a temple or forest retreat. Home would be just as good.
If this is in a self-care, as in the Buddhian advice, not to be forgotten is other-care. And this is through the four Noble Abidings – Metta, Karuna, Mudita, Upekkha (friendliness, compassionate action, joy in the joy of others and equanimity). If living guided by them is certainly an other-care, would you be happy to hear that the beneficiary would be yourself as well, with good, healthy cells coming to be formed in your own mindbody!?
So while aspiring to end up in Sky-Heaven would certainly be a good goal, when compared to being born an animal or into a woeful state, would not ending suffering for ever not be the far better? And so it is hoped that you would take to walk the Path diligently towards Nibbàna Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu!
Thank you, Metta!
Ven. Bhikkhu Mihita is a US Fulbright scholar, Interdisciplinarian Buddhist scholar and Lifetime Buddhist practitioner. Formerly at University of Toronto, and Founder of Nalanda College of Buddhist Studies, Toronto, and Visiting Professor, University of Havana, he was to get ordained at the prime age of 83, introducing Theravada to Cuba as well. Pioneer in Canadian Buddhism, he was to bring World Buddhism under one umbrella, holding the first North American Pan-Buddhist Wesak in Toronto in 1981.