Again, it is unclear whether the Buddha “believed” in these concepts or just used them as part of the vernacular of the time and as metaphors for his teachings. Whether the realms and devas are to be considered real or metaphorical, they provide a colorful element to Buddhism.

To contrast Buddhism in its more secularized form, consider this quote from Professor Kevin Trainor describing worship of the god Kataragama in Sri Lanka: “Worshippers seek the god's favor by engaging in various austere physical practices, including rolling in scorching sand, piercing their cheeks, tongue, and other body parts with skewers or hooks, and walking across burning coals.” This type of worship that has emerged more recently might be explained by the growing population's need for immediate emotional gratification from a god-like figure, rather than “the ideals of sensual and emotional restraint that have traditionally characterized Sri Lankan Buddhism.”