What is the implest way to explain the existence of heaven and hell to those who don’t have faith in the subject?

Although the matter of heaven and hell is true, the explanation about it for others to accept is not as easy because those who acknowledge the issue must have sufficient mental illumination and comprehension.  How many people do we know who possess sufficient mental illumination and comprehension?

1)    Children from the age of kindergarten up to the sixth grade of primary school possess a clean slate, except those who came from a detrimental environment such as children associated with drugs.  Otherwise teaching children on the subject of heaven and hell is effortless

Another group of people who can quickly accept the idea of heaven and hell are adults who can control themselves from the six forms of harmful behaviors that can lead to ruin.  These are adults who’ve never indulged in the consumption of addictive intoxicants, avoided frequenting places that are morally prohibited, and never engaged in gambling because their minds are pure and untainted.
 

However, in today’s society the six forms of harmful behaviors are proliferating unabated.  It is our duty to try our utmost to instill the right understanding regarding the existence of heaven and hell in others, regardless of how darkened and clouded their minds may be.  This is because they are our friends who share the world’s resources with us.  They could be our relatives or close friends.  When we acquire any moral knowledge which is useful, we should share it with them.

 
Even if you have the heart of a virtuous friend with a genuine intention to impart the right understanding to them, I would like to leave you with a thought.  Before you can explain the idea of heaven and hell, you need to ask yourself how certain your belief is on the subject.  If the answer is not 100%, then it will be difficult to convince others to accept the idea.

If your conviction on the subject is 100 percent, the possibility of convincing others to understand things the same way you do, will increase.

 
The explanation that you use to convince them can come from your own experience.  Ask yourself how you went from being a skeptic in the past to a firm believer in the present.  If you can answer yourself this question, the explanation will surface in the same manner.

When I was not yet ordained, I was also skeptical about the existence of heaven and hell.  I searched in all directions for the answer by visiting various temples to ask many reverend monks about the existence of heaven and hell. 

 
Some admitted that they themselves did not really know.  Some confirmed the existence of heaven and hell.  When I asked further whether they had ever seen them for themselves, they couldn’t confirm it but believed it according to what was recorded in the Tipitaka, the Buddhist Scriptures.  When I asked why they were so confident in the Tipitaka, they said it was because the Tipitaka were the words of Buddha recorded by His enlightened disciples.  They had eradicated all their defilements and had no reason to lie to us.

 
It was an acceptable answer, to a certain degree, but deep down inside I still could not believe the whole idea because they could not confirm it as an actual witness.

 
Until one day, I met Khun Yay Archarn Maharattana Upasika Jan Kohnnokyoong, our most gifted meditation teacher.  When I first met her, I was still a layman and student.  I had the opportunity to ask her directly about the existence of heaven and hell.  She answered confidently that they did exist.  She left me no time to pursue a second question but explained further.   She said that, when she newly attained the inner body, Dhammakaya, the inner crystal Dhammakaya was so luminous and clear.  With the supremacy of the Dhammakaya, she could travel to the hell realm to visit her departed father.  She then requested the Dhammakaya to teach her father the five precepts.  The flames of hell temporarily extinguished while her father learned and observed the precepts.

1)   Due to her father recollection of the merit, or boon that derived from almsgiving, observing the precepts and meditating in previous lifetimes, in addition to the new merit accrued from his resolution to take the precepts, he was removed from the hell realm and entered the realm of heaven.  He has a rather shabby residence in the lowest level of the six different levels of heaven.

After Khun Yay finished her story, I felt confident about the existence because she was a kind person who observed the precepts austerely, and her meditation was so advanced that she was able to witness it for herself.

I asked her further whether someone like I would have any chance of acquiring the ability to see heaven and hell.  She answered clearly with a resounding, "yes, if you practice diligently."  I asked her why she thought I was capable.  She said that she attained it even though she was not able to read or write even a single word, but sacrificed and dedicated her life to practicing meditation with Luang Phaw Wat Paknam, Phramongkolthelpmuni, until she could finally travel to see heaven and hell.  She said that there was no reason why a young, well educated man, like myself, couldn’t accomplish it too if I practiced diligently and wholeheartedly.  She said I would attain it in no time.

With the assertion and encouragement from the most adept of meditators, like Khun Yay, my confidence grew to 99%.  The only way to make up the remaining one percent was to get down and earnestly meditate for myself and to go see it for myself.  It could never be a 100 percent if I didn’t approach it like that.

From that moment onward, I have been seriously practicing meditation.  After I graduated, I decided to ordain, and I have enjoyed every single day of the monk hood for the last 33-34 years.  The longer I remained a monk, the more confidence I had in the existence of heaven and hell.

However there are those who are still skeptical about heaven and hell because they are unwilling to believe.  So before you decide to go explain the idea to others you should train yourself well in meditation first, even if you haven’t seen heaven and hell personally.  Keep practicing; at least you will gain some inner brightness.  If we are to experience heaven and hell, we will need the illumination that comes from the brightness of our meditation practice.  Continue your practice diligently.  The brightness may not be much now, but one day the illumination will be sufficient enough to where you can use it to see what Khun Yay and other noble monks saw.

Share with others whatever the knowledge you have regarding heaven and hell.  If they possess enough wisdom to understand, they will realize that we are not making up any lies.  Once they realize that we’ve been diligently and honestly practicing meditation, you will be able to talk to them about it.  Once you are able to communicate at the same level, encourage them to practice meditation too.  One day they will be able to experience it on their own and then they will believe.   No matter how much talking you do about it, they will never have a 100 percent faith on the subject.