Conceptions of heaven and hell are found universally among the religions of the world. Descriptions of these abodes are often full of graphic and fanciful imagery, conveying in metaphor a reality that can hardly be part of the ordinary experience of mortals. Are these realms objectively real?
The scriptures are unanimous in affirming they are. Yet they do not have any physical location: “up” or “down” is a matter of spiritual geography, not of astronomy or geology. The view found in some texts, that heaven or hell is derived from one’s state of mind, does not make it any less real.
The attitudes and desires of people’s hearts, which may be hidden by the external features of mortal life, constitute the spirit world’s “matter.”
The world’s scriptures describe Heaven as a place of rest, or as an exalted spiritual state, full of divine grace, whose inhabitants live in communion with God and in harmony with one another.
A number of texts describe it as a place of fellowship with the spirits of the departed or a fellowship of saints.
There are also descriptions using more graphic and materialistic imagery: gardens of delights, with riches and pleasures abounding. Father Moon’s colorful descriptions of heaven are in agreement with these themes of scripture.
What’s more, he adds a distinctive note, affirming that heaven is also a place where families dwell together, enjoying perfect love. We conclude with visions or tours of Heaven: a Buddhist description of the Pure Land, Muhammad’s Night Journey through the seven heavens, an Iroquois Native American journey in the Code of Handsome Lake, as well as Father Moon’s own descriptions.
They describe a paradisiacal existence, a world of eternal youth and health where every wish is granted, where the senses are flooded with vibrant colors and melodious music.
1. Realms of Grace
No one who does good deeds will ever come to a bad end, either here or in the world to come. When such people die, they go to other realms where the righteous live. Bhagavad-Gita 6.40-41 (Hinduism)
Those who have faith and do righteous deeds, they are the best of creatures. Their reward is with God: Gardens of Eternity, beneath which rivers flow; they will dwell therein for ever; God well pleased with them, and they with Him; all this for such as fear their Lord and Cherisher. Qur’an 98.7-8
Rabbi Joseph… was ill and fell into a coma. When he recovered, his father asked him, “What did you see?” He replied, “I beheld a world the reverse of this one; those who are on top here were below there, and vice versa.” He said to him, “My son, you have seen a corrected world.” Talmud, Pesahim 50a (Judaism)
Not like this world is the World to Come. In the World to Come there is neither eating nor drinking, nor procreation of children or business transactions, no envy or hatred or rivalry; but the righteous sit enthroned, their crowns on their heads, and feast on the radiance of the Divine Splendor (Shekhinah).
Talmud, Berakot 17a (Judaism)
To the highest regions, in due order, to those regions where there is no delusion, and to those regions which are full of light where the glorious gods dwell—who have long life, great power, great luster, can change their shape at will, are beautiful as on their first day, and have the brilliance of many suns—to such places go those who are trained in self-control and penance, both monks and householders who have obtained liberation by absence of passion.
Uttaradhyayana Sutra 5.26-28 (Jainism)
Higher than all stands the Realm of Grace— None can have access there except heroes of supreme might, Inspired by God-consciousness. In that sphere abide numberless heroines like Sita of surpassing praise And beauty indescribable. Those to God united suffer neither mortality nor delusion. In that sphere abide devotees assembled from the various universes, Cherishing the holy Eternal ever in their hearts. In everlasting bliss. The formless Supreme Being abides in the Realm of Eternity. Over His creation He casts His glance of grace. In that realm are contained all the continents and universes, Exceeding in number all count. Of creation, worlds upon worlds abide therein— All obedient to His Will; He watches over them in bliss, And has each constantly in mind. Saith Nanak, Such is that realm’s [glory] that to try to describe it is to attempt the impossible. Adi Granth, Japuji 37 M.1, p. 8 (Sikhism)
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
How is heaven—the spirit world where God resides—organized?
Its ordering principle is simple. No one who lived a self-centered life can be admitted to Paradise or the heavenly spheres. Heaven is the dwelling-place of people who lived for the sake of the whole.
You may not have experienced the spirit world, but by the grace of God, I experienced the richness of that world. If you enter heaven, you will not find a single person who lived for him or herself. Its citizens are all people who lived for God and humanity. (77:189, April 6, 1975)
Heaven is an ideal realm centered on God; it is a place where everything moves to the rhythm of God’s love, tuned to its frequency. Therefore, unless we prepare on earth the appropriate elements that can tune to God’s frequency, we will not be able to harmonize with the beings in that world. For this purpose, while on earth, we should perfect three different kinds of love: children’s love, conjugal love and parental love.17 (19:335, March 29, 1968)
Heaven begins from a heart that overcomes the world. Although heaven may exist all around us, if our own mind is evil we cannot perceive it, we cannot be harmonized with it, and it would be meaningless to us. Therefore, the basis for receiving the Kingdom of Heaven is not the environment, but I, myself. The pillar for maintaining the Kingdom of Heaven is not my circumstances, but my own heart. (46:24, July 18, 1971)
In the Kingdom of Heaven you will see green grass everywhere. There are mountains, lakes and prairies. Birds sing, flowers bloom in profusion, and animals play happily together. The air is fresh and filled with fragrances like lilac.
Bright light shines throughout, more beautiful than diamond and clear as crystal. Just standing there makes you feel comfortable and refreshed. You are naturally filled with feelings of love and happiness. Unlike in earthy life where happiness comes and goes, in heaven you feel happy continually.
In the Kingdom of Heaven there is no anxiety or suffering. All the spirits have bright and peaceful expressions; they naturally care for each other without needing to say a word.
There is no fighting, no fallen nature of jealousy, hate or arrogance. Everyone is filled only with true love and lives for the sake of others. (Heung Jin Moon, Message from the Spirit World, January 1, 2002)
2. Fellowship with the Saints and Our Ancestors
Where men of goodwill and good deeds rejoice, Their bodies now made free from all disease, Their limbs made whole from lameness or defect— In that heaven may we behold our parents and our sons! Atharva Veda 6.120.3 (Hinduism)
All who obey God and the Apostle are in the company of those on whom is the grace of God—of the Prophets who teach, the sincere lovers of Truth, the witnesses [martyrs] who testify, and the righteous who do good: Ah! what a beautiful fellowship! Qur’an 4.69
You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant. Hebrews 12.22-24
When you die, you will be again with those you love who have gone before you. Again you will be young and strong, though you might have been old and feeble on the day you died. In the spirit land the corn will grow and all will be happy, whether they were good or bad when they were alive. So death is not something to be afraid of. Yuma Tradition (Native American Religions)
And those Foremost [in faith] will be Foremost [in the hereafter]. These will be those nearest to God; In Gardens of Bliss; A number of people from those of old, and a few from those of later times.
They will be on thrones encrusted, reclining on them, facing each other. Round about them will serve youths of perpetual freshness, with goblets, shining beakers, and cups filled out of clear-flowing fountains; No after-ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication;
And with fruits, any that they may select, And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire. And there will be companions with beautiful, big and lustrous eyes, Like unto pearls well-guarded: A reward for the deeds of their past life. Qur’an 56.10-25
For [the ancestors] Soma is purified, some accept the molten butter; to the company of those, for whom the honey flows, let him go! To the company of those who are invincible by spiritual discipline (tapas), and through spiritual discipline have gone to heaven, to men of great spiritual fire, let him go!
To the company of those who fight contested battles, heroes who cast away their lives, to those who made a thousand gifts, let him go! To those ancient followers of the Law, steadfast in the Law, who furthered the Law, to the Fathers, Yama, great in their spiritual fire, let him go!18 To the sage-poets, the leaders of thousands, those who protect the sun, to the Rishis of great spiritual discipline, born of spiritual discipline, Yama! let him go! Rig Veda 10.154.1-5 (Hinduism)
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
The Kingdom of Heaven is an extension of family life. (Way of God’s Will 1.8) The Chinese character “heaven” (天) is written by combining two characters: the character 二 means “two,” and 人 means “person.”
In other words, heaven consists of two people. All beings in heaven live in mutual relationships with corresponding entities. (92:309, April 24, 1977)
In heaven, you do not age, since you are in the supreme state, your mind intoxicated with love. My mother should be old by now, but when I glimpse her [in the spirit world] she looks beautiful, as she did in the prime of her life. (201:103, March 11, 1990)
What is heaven like?
It is a realm centered on love. There you enjoy being loved. You enjoy receiving love endlessly and never tire of it… Captivated by love, the sleepers awaken, the deaf hear and the dumb speak.
There are no barriers to communicating with anyone, and you can continue speaking endlessly for tens of millions of years. All your cells and all your senses are activated one hundred percent. (102:160-61, December 17, 1978)
In the afterlife, it is no problem to travel hundreds of millions of miles in an instant. The power of love is the speediest.
If you call someone whom you are yearning to see with true love, that person will immediately appear before your eyes. It doesn’t matter that your beloved is a hundred million light-years away. As long as you have love, you can see that person any time.
A mother at one end of the universe and a son is at the other end can meet each other in an instant. If you long to meet a person who lived tens of millions of years ago, he or she will appear immediately.
Past and future do not exist in heaven. Only the present exists. A thousand years ago is as the present. Such is the spirit world, transcending time and space. (194:133-34, October 17, 1989)
What is the best way to greet God, returning joy and glory to Him?
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve would have greeted God best by loving each other in God’s presence.
Likewise, in the spirit world, a couple stands before God wearing their wedding garments; then they embrace and make love, and in that moment they become one with God. That is the best way to greet God. (314:25, December 30, 1999)
The Kingdom of Heaven is a world of relations. Therefore, our entire family should be included. So should all members of our clan and all the people of our nation. (18:331, August 13, 1967)
If only parents were to enter heaven without their children accompanying them, it would not be heaven. In the Kingdom of Heaven, parents enjoy the love and support of their entire family. They live together and relate with each other with God as the center.
Thus, we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven by ourselves. Parents and children enter heaven together. Suppose you were in heaven while your mother was in hell and screaming for help, “My child, please save me!” Would you say, “Heaven is wonderful, but Mother, you deserve to be in hell and suffer in pain”?
Heaven is not such a place. According to God’s purpose of creation, all family members, parents and children, should dwell together in heaven. Not only your immediate family, but also your clan and your entire nation should enter there. Everyone in the world should dwell together there. (15:265, October 17, 1965)
In the spirit world you do not need formal introductions. On meeting someone, you immediately know who he or she is. That person may have lived a thousand years ago or even many millions of years ago, yet still you will recognize him or her. People believe that biblical history is 6000 years, but that number is only symbolic.
When you know the spirit world, you will understand the actual length of human history. It could stretch back millions or tens of millions of years. You can call for an ancestor from a certain era, and he or she will appear in front of you. You recognize that person at a glance, without speaking a word.
You instantly grasp all the essentials, including the manner of respect you should use when addressing him.19 Hence, you do not need formal introductions like on Earth.
Everyone automatically observes the hierarchical order. What can keep the order? By living with love. Love determines position. Therefore, unless you become a child of God, you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (208:142-43, November 17, 1990)
3. Heaven’s Delights
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 Muthe slim (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)
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)
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)
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 the 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 heartfelt 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)
Sun Myung Moon