though the flows of consciousness from each of these beings inter-
mingle constantly as they pass through one another’s sphere of
existence, they are as oblivious of others as if theirs is the only
group in existence.
Ordinarily, our minds are unable to know the thoughts of
others. Because of this inability, we might then reason that they
do not really exist. No matter how persistent these denials might
be, we would be wrong because all living beings possess a mind.
Even though we are not aware of the thoughts of other beings,
we have no right to deny that they exist simply because we can’t
perceive them. We cannot afford to hold hostage the existence
of things which are too subtle to see and hear within the limi-
tations of our sense faculties. If we do, we are just fooling our-
selves.
When we say that the heavens and the brahma worlds are
arranged vertically in a series of realms, one shouldn’t understand
this in the gross material sense – such as, a house with many sto-
ries requiring the use of stairs or an elevator. These realms exist
in a spiritual dimension and they are ascended in the spiritual
sense by spiritual means: that is, by the heart which has devel-
oped this sort of capability through the practice of virtue. When
we say that hell is ‘down below’, this does not mean descending
into an abyss. Rather, it refers to descent by spiritual means to
a spiritual destination. And those who are able to observe the
hell realms do so by virtue of their own internal psychic facul-
ties. But those beings who ‘fall’ into these realms do so through
the power of their own evil kamma. They remain there, experi-
encing whatever torment and agony is imposed on them by their
own misdeeds, until they have completed their punishment and
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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