I generally have no issue with it, if in people's minds they equate the existence of god's with 'superstition' and wish to reinterpret it as for example the wealthy only or in some other way.
It is however too close for me to the common worldling attitude of deification of celebrities, who are ubiquitous and do indeed manifest such 'deva-like' qualities such as being omnipresent through variagated media and basically worshipped,a fleeting and gross counterpart of a Deva existence.
Another common reinterpretation among western Buddhism is that the various heavens and hells are merely descriptions of mind-states.
Again this may be an acceptable practical interpretation as indeed the the higher and lower realms do have counterparts within the mind.
However from a strict sutta perspective it is not correct.
The existance of devas is included in the very frequent epitath of the Buddha:
"The Blessed One is an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, possessed of true knowledge and conduct, an exalted one, a Knower of the Worlds, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, enlightened, the Awakened One."
Furthermore it clear that the Buddha's opening the door to stream entry ensures that one cannot fall into the planes of deprivation, that is below the realms of devas or human as it is frequently defined.
The reflection on the devas is described also as a benefit of holding the Uposatha observance (8 precepts).
"When this Uposatha of the Noble Ones is undertaken, it is of great fruit & great benefit, of great glory & great radiance. And how is it of great fruit & great benefit, of great glory & great radiance?..."
"A human century is equal to one day & night among the Devas of the Thirty-Three. Thirty such days & nights make a month... One thousand such heavenly years constitute the life-span among the Devas of the Thirty-three. Now, it is possible that a certain man or woman — from having observed this Uposatha endowed with eight factors — on the break-up of the body, after death, might be reborn among the Devas of the Thirty-three. It was in reference to this that it was said, 'Kingship over human beings is a meager thing when compared with heavenly bliss.'"
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
In terms of attainment of the higher devas realms beyond this, they have counterparts to jhana as they are described as requisite condition for rebirth there and the exponential rewards of kamma.
"There is the case where an individual, withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the devas of Brahma's retinue. The devas of Brahma's retinue, monks, have a life-span of an eon. An ordinary worldling having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated worldling, when there is a destination, a reappearing."
"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Abhassara devas.The Abhassara devas, monks, have a life-span of two eons...
"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Subhakinha devas. The Subhakinha devas, monks, have a life-span of four eons..."
"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Vehapphala devas. The Vehapphala devas, monks, have a life-span of 500 eons.."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
This then leads to the overall description of the various levels of being.
