Abhassara Brahma

On page 75 of the Long Discourses (DN), my version translated by Maurice Walshe, there's a casual references to when the world contracts, everyone goes to Abhassara Brahma.

When I read about the cosmology of early Buddhism, I could find this article, which has a whole elaborate cosmology Dr. Ari Ubeysekara, and mentions it in context, complicated, rich setting. I feel overwhelmed and skeptical, like nobody thinks any of this stuff any more. It's just a thought experiment from spiritually evolved beings. For some reason in my mind I keep coming back to Amos Bronson Alcott's weird prophetic writings Tablets, which I haven't actually read, but I wonder about, and get flummoxed quite quickly reading a few pages. And I think about Sangharakshita in the Hindu ashram with the guy who took down dictation from God. Sangharakshita spent a lot of time with him, I was really surprised. I think I'd like to come up with my own cosmological imaginings. But mostly I just want to get on with the practice: Study, community, devotion, ethics and meditation. Included in this is the study of mind stretching books. 

I think the mating brain is a supercomputer that is overclocked, and wants to do something, even if you're not into attracting a mate. I also enjoy a Jungian exploration of mythology. What is important? What are the foundation myths in the machine language of your brain?

Dwelling in Abhassara Brahma, "...there they dwell, mind-made, feeding on delight, self luminous, moving through the air, glorious--and they stay like that for a very long time."

Sounds like a pure land, not like the pure lands where your tongue covers everything, and there are all these jewels, and or the fantastical magic of The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava, or the Lotus Sutra. I don't always speak California slang, but these books are far out, man. 

We can choose what sacred writings to perfume our minds with. Is it true crime? Is it romance? Is it operation manuals? Is it investment strategies to grow wealth? Is it nutrition? I think a Buddhist will spend time with the word of the Buddha, the Buddhavacana, that miraculously is handed down to us through centuries. Every day I'm amazed that I get to read this stuff, and come across new concepts that launch my mind that is ready to be launched and reigned in. 

The internet is devoted to manic pixie girls latest outfits, but there's not a lot on this: link: Abhassara. Wisdom Library.

Mind stretching is what spirituality is all about, the freedom of pushing boundaries. I don't like the language of transcendence because I look up instead of to my body. The body will lead you to enlightenment with all it's ramshackled questions. What do you keep coming back to?