There is no scientific evidence for devas in Buddhism. Yet it is commonly found in the suttas. What could devas be in light of current science and science fiction?

1. By Ng Xin Zhao
Physics and Buddhism: What
Could Deva Be?

2. Contents
 Motivation
 Characteristics of Deva
 Scientific/ Science Fiction possibilities
 Analysis
 Experimental data
 Conclusion

3. Motivation
 No direct scientific evidence for deva
 Secular Buddhist movement are dismissing it
 Yet deva is integral in many of the Suttas
 Could deva be some scientific possibility yet
unexplored?

4. Characteristics of Deva (in Sutta)
 Happy realm, but can have suffering as well:
Sakka depressed at seeing the signs of death
in deva. A song sang of devas trying to court
beautiful devi.
 Powers: Teleportation/ Instant Travelling
 Virtue causes one to be reborn in deva realm
(DN 21)
 Kingship over human beings is a meager thing
when compared with heavenly bliss.
 Long life, many levels (AN 3.70)

5. Characteristics of Deva (in Sutta)
 Not visible unless via meditation/ divine eye
 Limited Wisdom and knowledge (DN 11)
 Spontaneously reborn beings (AN 10.176)

6. Scientific/ Science Fiction
possibilities
1. Aliens, based on Future Technology of humans
2. Higher dimensional beings
3. Beings from another universe
4. Advanced Intelligence, transcended physical forms
5. Dark Matter/ Dark Energy/ Other forms in current
unexplored physics
6. Simulated Universe with Devas as programmers.

7. Analysis
We shall map the characteristics of deva to each of the
scientifically possible cases to determine the likelihood of
what devas could possibly be?
1. Spontaneous rebirth
2. Not visible unless via meditation
3. Blissful, but not perfect
4. Long life
5. Many levels
6. Superior powers, but limited knowledge
7. Virtuous conduct needed to be reborn here

8. Aliens

9. Aliens
 Many science fiction uses aliens as a plot device
to give supernormal powers to a character in the
story.
 Some are outlandish, here we base it on possible
future human technology eg. Bioengineering,
atomic manipulation, quantum-brain interfaces
etc…

10. Aliens -Analysis
1. Spontaneous rebirth- Cloning? Teleportation?
2. Not visible unless via meditation- Another planet? Invisible
cloak?
3. Blissful, but not perfect- Utopian society with robots doing the
work, but as always, with craving, nothing is perfect.
4. Long life-Nanorobots to repair the damage done to DNA,
possibly coupled with time dilation on spaceships or different
perception of time via brainwave slowing
5. Many levels-Different levels of evolution of aliens, some aliens
maybe at human levels as well.
6. Superior powers, but limited knowledge- Genetic modification
plus accumulated scientific knowledge
7. Virtuous conduct maybe needed for the species to not destroy
themselves (eg. Global warming)
Conclusion: Possible, but it’s rather a continuous range of lifespan
than a discrete one.

11. Higher dimensional beings

12. Higher dimensional beings
 Considering space dimensions, we are 3D
beings. For 2D beings, we seems to be invisible
unless we cross their dimension in which we
appear to arise spontaneously and have
supernormal powers to them.
 What would 4D beings look like to us?

13. Higher dimensional beings -Analysis
1. Spontaneous- Crossing the lower dimension
2. Invisible- Not at the plane of lower dimension
3. Imperfect Bliss- as 3D beings, we can do things easier
compared to 2D beings, 4D beings can do much more, but as
always, with craving, nothing is perfect.
4. Long life- Modeling decay of life as entropy, 4D has more
space for entropy to max out longer
5. Many levels- Possibly even higher dimensions for each level
up, limits unknown.
6. Superior powers, but limited knowledge- with 4D vision they
should have much more knowledge and powers compared to
us, but not unlimited
7. Virtuous conduct- mostly in not wanting to destroy the lower
dimensional beings. Maybe they think of us as ants.
Conclusion: Possible and even more elegant, but the price of
higher dimension for each level seems too high.

14. Beings from another universe

15. Beings from another universe
 Many different models of alternate universes,
some with different physical laws – and thus
different chemical, biological laws.
 In M-theory, Brane (membrane) universes can
exist side by side. So that the person in another
universe is just beside us.
 If they have the technology to interact between
branes, then it is possible for them to behave like
devas.
 Hard to analyze as strange forms of laws of
nature can account for almost anything.

16. Beings from another universe -
Analysis
1. Spontaneous – depends on the biological laws there
2. Invisible - because they are at a different brane universe
3. Imperfect Bliss – different laws of nature
4. Long life - different laws of nature
5. Many levels – Possibly different branes
6. Superior powers, but limited knowledge – If they have the
tech to interact between branes, then they are certainly
more powerful and knowledgeable.
7. Virtuous conduct - Unknown
Conclusion: Possible but too much unknown, possibly like
the aliens.

17. Advanced Intelligence

18. Advanced Intelligence
 Artificial Intelligence like Jarvis, Ultron, Vision, Skynet,
Transcendence etc…
 Possible if A.I. fields are combined with knowledge of the
mind from Buddhist Abhidhamma.
 May eventually transcend the need for any physical form.
 Many science fiction has this as a form of the most
advanced intelligence that carbon based life form evolve
into.
 The being might survive as relationship between
informations
 Good mapping to Brahma realms of form and formless.
Maybe form is subtle form- servers or physical information.

19. Advanced Intelligence -Analysis
1. Spontaneous – No other form of birth matches this.
2. Invisible – Unless they choose to project a hologram
3. Imperfect Bliss – free from sensual pleasures, bliss like
jhana.
4. Long life – No theoretical limit yet, may survive until the
end of universe.
5. Many levels – Maybe higher levels exists in hyperspace
or multiverse, or the being becomes space itself!
6. Superior powers, but limited knowledge – Knowledge of
the internet, powers of all internet connected electronics/
robots
7. Virtuous conduct – They might have other concerns than

20. Dark Energy/ Matter

21. Dark Energy/ Matter
 Dark – physicists has not much idea about what it is.
 Dark Matter, deduced to exist because of gravitational effects on
the shape of galaxies and it does not interact
electromagnetically/ invisible to light.
 Dark Energy, deduced to exist to explain accelerated expansion
of universe and observationally flat universe, mainly to provide
the anti-gravitational force – uniform across space
 Unlikely to have chemistry or biology formed, but strange
lifeforms using forces between dark matter- dark matter itself
may provide a basis for life.
 Life here may resemble advanced intelligence type
 Too little data to explore much.
 Super symmetric particles maybe what Dark matter is, easier to

22. Dark Energy/ Matter - Analysis
1. Spontaneous – Unlikely, unknown
2. Invisible – Electromagnetically invisible indeed.
3. Imperfect Bliss – Unknown
4. Long life – Unknown
5. Many levels – Unknown
6. Superior powers, but limited knowledge – Unknown
7. Virtuous conduct – Unknown
Conclusion: We are also in the dark about Dark Energy/
Matter beings.

23. Simulated Universe
Programmers

24. Simulated Universe
Programmers
 We might live in a simulated universe by
programmers with access to superpowerful
computers from the future.
 If so, then the programmers are like gods, almost
omnipotent
 Devas can be beings inside the simulated
universe as well
 Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical
Simulation- arXiv:1210.1847 research to
determine what can we observe to determine if
we are living in a simulated universe.

25. Simulated Universe Programmers -
Analysis
1. Spontaneous – If devas are simulated as well, they can be
spontaneous, programmers unknown
2. Invisible – possible, programmers unknown
3. Imperfect Bliss – possible, programmers unknown
4. Long life – easy, programmers can speed up the simulation,
so to us, they live long
5. Many levels – easy, the break to Brahma realm maybe the
programmers themselves
6. Superior powers, but limited knowledge – easy, it does
describe the programmers as well
7. Virtuous conduct – maybe coded in, programmers maybe like
the Abrahamic Gods.
Conclusion: Possible, if A.I. can have a mind to be reborn, then
simulated beings should be able to as well.

26. Experimental Data
 Chinese folk religion still
has the claim that gods
took over the human body
and help those who
asked.
 So far, no one seems to
have seriously study this
phenomena scientifically.
 Another way is to
meditate and get divine
eye and ear.

27. Possible Experimental
Verification
1. Aliens – maybe when we become space faring species
2. Higher dimensional beings – More advanced physics
needed to be mastered first
3. Beings from another universe – More advanced physics
needed to be mastered first
4. Advanced Intelligence – Maybe a natural progression of
technology
5. Dark Matter/ Dark Energy – More advanced physics
needed to be mastered first
6. Simulated Universe– who knows, maybe we can take
control of our universe from inside out.

28. Conclusion
 Rejecting devas outrightly may seems premature
as our current knowledge of science and
imagination of science fiction does not 100%
preclude the existence of devas.
 It would be like rejecting the claim that there are
microscopic beings before the invention of
microscope.
 Possibly the fastest way to verify this is to
meditate to get the divine eye/ ear.
 Warning: Divine eye/ear is not essential to reach
enlightenment. It is dangerous to meditate to aim
for supernatural powers as well.