Goddess in Buddhism

Question

When I did bit research, I found that. All the Goddess in Buddhism are Demons (Yesha) by origin. After getting enlightenment and following from Buddha's teaching, they are transform from Demon to Goddess.

For Example: Hārītī Ajima who use to kill and feed on human children, become the goddess to protect infant children (Very Interesting Story).

I am just interested to know more about Buddhism. I heard there are certain steps or processor that need to achieve to reach such Divine stage.

So just wondering what are those process or steps called and there definition??

If possible can, someone can share sites with interesting and motivation stories on Buddhism??

Answer 1

Before all I appreciate your interesting towards the Buddhism my friend. I have few clarifications to be done before answering.

First thing you have mentioned "All the Goddess in Buddhism are Demons" is completely wrong. Ladies who were died with good and powerful enough karma wipaka to be born in heaven will born as goddess.

Actually there are very few english translations are available about dhamma.

I recommend you to read "wimana wattu and Pretha watthu". there are lot of stories contain information about people who were born among heaven and hell.

Answer 2

In Tibetan Buddhism, a deity is an Enlightened person in my experience.

Answer 3

It is a very important question that you asked IMO. It is because we live in very unfortunate times. The outside forces and other distractions are so many that it is extremely difficult to practice the Dhamma in this lifetime. So it is vital that we make sure that we are born in the heavenly worlds amongst the Devas.

Realizing the fact that there is not going to be another chance of getting the protection of the Dhamma in this human world, we should cultivate the Sēkha Bala Dhamma – Saddhā (faith), Sīla (virtue), Sutha (Dhamma knowledge), Thyāga (generosity), and Paññā (wisdom of the Dhamma) – at this present time. These are qualities that are found in the Devas. If you develop them, then there is divinity within you.

If a person gets a chance to be born among divine beings by developing the Sēkha Bala Dhamma in this life, he/she will get another chance to practice the Dhamma. But that chance will be missed if that person gets a birth in the human world or a lesser world instead. That is because we do not know how long this chance of practicing the Dhamma will last in this human world.

Therefore, you should realize the importance of getting a help from this life by wisely cultivating wisdom and mindfulness. If you get a birth in the Thuthisa Divine World for instance by realizing this importance and cultivating the Sēkha Bala Dhamma, then you will definitely get the protection to your life. Scriptures talk about many Deva worlds. So you can get the chance to complete the rest of the path of the Dhamma even in the Chatummahārājika Divine World. If you get a birth either in Thāvathinsa, Yāma, Thusitha, Nimmānharathi, or Paranimmitha Vasavatthi Divine World, you will still have the protection in the Dhamma since you already have the Sēkha Bala Dhamma developed in you. The teachings of the Supreme Buddha clearly show this protection – it is your duty to secure it to your life.