3. Heaven’s Delights

World Scripture

He who enters paradise will be in affluent circumstances and will not be destitute, his clothing will not wear out and his youth will not pass away.
Hadith of Muslim (Islam)

The Pure Land (Sukhavati) is fragrant with many sweet-smelling odors, rich in manifold flowers and fruits, adorned with jewel trees, and frequented by flocks of various birds with sweet voices, which have been produced by the miraculous power of the Tathagata. The jewel trees have various colors, many colors, many hundreds of thousands of colors. They are composed of varying combinations of the seven precious things: gold, silver, beryl, crystal, coral, red pearls, and emerald… Their roots, trunks, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits are pleasant to touch, and fragrant. And when these trees are moved by the wind, a sweet and delightful sound proceeds from them, which one never tires of hearing…
Many kinds of rivers flow along in this Pure Land… whose banks are lined with variously scented jewel trees, and from them hang bunches of flowers, leaves, and branches of all kinds. When beings wish to indulge in sports full of heavenly delights on those riverbanks, then as they step into the water, the water rises as high as they wish it to—up to the ankles, or to the knees, or to the hips, or to their sides, or to their ears. If beings wish the water to be cold, for them it becomes cold; if they wish it to be hot, for them it becomes hot; if they wish it to be hot and cold, for them it becomes hot and cold, to suit their pleasure.
Those rivers flow along, full of water scented with the best perfumes, covered with lilies, lotus, and all manner of beautiful flowers, resounding with the sounds of peacocks, sparrows, parrots, ducks, geese, herons, cranes, swans, and others, with small islands inhabited by flocks of birds, easy to ford, free from mud, and with golden sand on the bottom. And all the wishes those beings may think of, they will be fulfilled, as long as they are rightful.
Larger Sukhavativyuha Sutra 15-18 (Buddhism)

For all there is heaven; earth is heaven, and sea heaven; and animal and plant and man; all is the heavenly content of that heaven: And the gods in it, despising neither men nor anything else that is there where all is of the heavenly order, traverse all that country and all space in peace.
To “live at ease” is there; and, to these divine beings, verity is mother and nurse, existence and sustenance; all that is not of process but of authentic being they see, and themselves in all: For all is transparent, nothing dark, nothing resistant; every being is lucid to every other, in breadth and depth; light runs through light.
And each of them contains all within itself, and at the same time sees all in every other, so that everywhere there is all, and all is all and each all, and infinite the glory. Each of them is great; the small is great; the sun, there, is all the stars; and every star, again, is all the stars and sun. While some one manner of being is dominant in each, all are mirrored in every other.
Plotinus, Enneads 5.8.3 (Hellenism)

The Messenger of God said, “While I was at Mecca, the roof of my house opened and Gabriel entered. He opened my chest, washed me with the water of Zamzam, brought a golden basin full of faith and wisdom and emptied all of it into my chest. After that he closed it, took me by the hand and raised me towards the lowest heaven.
“When I arrived at the lowest heaven, Gabriel said to the doorkeeper, ‘Open.’ ‘Who is there?’ he asked. ‘Gabriel,’ the angel replied. ‘Is there anyone with you?’ responded the doorkeeper. ‘Yes,’ replied Gabriel, ‘Muhammad is with me.’ ‘Has he been commanded?’ added the doorkeeper. ‘Yes,’ said the angel.
“When the doorkeeper had opened to us, we rose up within the lowest heaven, and suddenly we saw a man sitting, having some spirits on his right and others on his left. Every time he looked to the right he smiled, but as soon as he looked to the left he wept. He said, ‘Welcome virtuous prophet and virtuous son.’ ‘Who is this?’ I asked Gabriel. ‘This man,’ he replied, ‘is Adam, and those spirits on the right are destined to Paradise, while the spirits on his left are destined to hell. That is why, when he looks to the right, he smiles, and when he looks to the left, he weeps.’
“Then Gabriel raised me up to the second heaven and said to the doorkeeper, ‘Open.’ He asked the same questions as the first, and then opened to us.” The Prophet found in the various heavens Adam, Idris, Moses, Jesus, and Abraham…
“Then the angel raised me until he brought me to a height where I heard the beating of wings… Then Gabriel led me away and brought me to the Lote-Tree of the Boundary, which is covered with unspeakably beautiful colors. Next I entered Paradise. There are domes of pearls, and the sun there is made of musk.”²⁰
Hadith of Bukhari (Islam)

Then they went out upon the narrow road and had not gone far when a brilliant light appeared. It was then that they smelled the fragrant odors of the flowers along the road. Delicious looking fruits were growing on the wayside, and every kind of bird flew in the air above them. The most marvelous and beautiful things were on every hand. All these things were on the heaven road. Eniaiehuk.
They continued on their journey, and after a short time they came to a halt. Then spoke the messengers, “This place is called The Spring, and it is a place for rest.” Then behold, he saw the spring and he thought that he had never seen so beautiful and clear a fount of water. Then said the four, “This is a place of refreshment.” One of the four drew a bottle from his bosom, so it seemed and it was, and dipped it in the spring.
Then he said, “You must partake first,” and so he took it, but when he looked at it he thought it was not enough. So he said, “I think that this is not sufficient.” When he had said this, the messengers looked at one another and smiled, and one said, “Truly it is enough. If it lacks, there is still the spring and the vessel may be refilled.” So all took and drank, and all the drink that all wished was in the bottle… Eniaiehuk.
They proceeded on their journey, and had gone but a short way when they saw someone coming toward them, and it was not long before they met. He saw it was a dog, and when they met, the dog began to wag its tail and sprang upon him. Then he recognized the animal as his own dog, appearing just as it had when he had decorated it for the sacrifice in the New Year’s ceremony. Then said the four, “This thing attests to the value of our thank-offering to the Creator.” So they said. Eniaiehuk.
They took up their journey again, and in a short time came to a halt. In the distance before them a man appeared to be coming, and soon he came nearer. Then he saw that the man was guiding two others, one on either side. As he looked, he saw that one was the daughter of Gaiant’waka, and it appeared that she was a large child. With her was Ganio’dai’io’, his own son, an infant. The son and the daughter greeted one another. One could see that they were not strangers, for they were friendly. Moreover a fourth person was leading them all. Eniaiehuk. Now that person spoke and said, “I brought them with me to testify to the truth that those of the lower world when they pass away come hither.”
The Code of Handsome Lake 112-116

(Native American Religion) The inhabitants of paradise will eat and drink in it, but they will not spit or pass water or void excrement, or suffer from catarrh.
Hadith of Muslim (Islam)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon

What is it like to live in the other world? There is no need to worry about what to eat, where to live or what to wear. Anything is possible just by thinking about it or wishing it. People eat in the spirit world. They can feel the pulse in the veins. Although theirs is a spiritual body, they can feel it just the same as the pulse in a physical body.
Whatever you want to eat, it immediately appears. Make a list of the foods you would like to enjoy, and they will be set out on the table before your eyes. Where does it come from? The spirit world is active and self-organizing; it assembles the elements that are needed. What is the governing and active force that can mobilize the whole? It is not power, nor is it knowledge or money. It is love, only love.
God is supreme, yet if you call for Him with deep and heart-felt sincerity, He immediately replies, “Yes, my child. What do you want?” If you ask, “Where are you?” God answers, “Where else could I be, other than in your heart?” God is the origin of all creation. God is in the root of heart. In heaven, if you wish, you can hold celebrations millions of times a day. In the ecstasy of love, whatever you desire is done at your command.
(194:42, October 15, 1989)

Dogs can follow their masters to the heavenly realms. Pets and beloved articles can accompany their owners wherever they go.
(78:337, June 10, 1975)

Are there automobile factories in the other world? Here on earth, people are proud of their Mercedes Benzes. Will you brag about your car in the spirit world? Cars are not necessary over there… By the power of your imagination alone, you can have anything you want. If you wish for a car encrusted with diamonds, it will appear. Yet why would you need a car? Even without a car, you can travel billions of light years in an instant. As long as you have the heart of true love, that is enough.
(207:94-95, November 1, 1990)

When God created this vast universe, there were neither cars nor food. Yet, just as the Creator God made all kinds of things to realize the ideal of true love, we too, centering on love, can create by exercising our original innate powers and abilities.
Centering on love, when you think of something in your mind, whatever you name will appear before your eyes. You can gather millions of people for a banquet and request particular dishes, and they will appear on the table. If you want to wear a golden formal gown, you can have it, too. How fantastic! After such a delicious meal, your tongue might hang out! What would your tongue do at that point? It wants to taste true love. It wants to reach a higher plane, jumping up and up, exclaiming, “I like it! I like it! That is enough for me. Now I want to enjoy these things with my loving spouse.” As long as you are standing within love’s sovereignty, standing as one of God’s companions, whatever you desire can be realized in a moment.
Everything looks beautiful, everything sounds wonderful, and you feel content with everything around you. Sleeping is sound and sweet, and waking up is wonderful.
Yet in the spirit world you do not need sleep. Even in the middle of the night, every cell of your body can dance. Each cell is like your partner; it dances accompanied by melodies whose beauty far surpasses any earthly music…
In heaven, love connects you with everything. You breathe the air of love, eat the food of love, and wear the clothes of love. God your Parent provides you with all these, out of His true love.
(217:293, June 2, 1991)

Do you think that people urinate in the spirit world? I am telling you that we do; when you get there you will see for yourself. What about defecating? Yes, we do, but afterwards the waste immediately returns to its elements. [There are 107 known elements in the universe.] Hence, it is not necessary to clean it up. With a mind of love, all you do is make a motion with your hand and all the waste returns to its origin.
(212:30, January 1, 1991)