1343. About sensation and portrayals in the other life
There is a variety of dwellings of the blessed. These are portrayed to them as such, exactly as in life, so that none of their senses perceives any difference. This may of course seem unbelievable, but from everything that has been told and is yet to be told, it should be clear enough. For what is sensation, where do the senses come from-sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell? Do they belong to the body, or to the soul? Do they not belong to the soul, for when the soul departs, no organ or part has sensation? And there is much other evidence as well.
Of course, some will say it is not a real dwelling, because not the same as in the world. But it is enough that a soul, spirit, angel, does not know at all otherwise than that it is real, with every sense. So if he should touch it, he would have the sensation of touch - something more obvious to me than to others. I have had a sense of touch exactly the same as when I am awake, when yet I was a spirit, and with my body separated-in fact, my sense was sharper. (These points may be repeated, together with more demonstrative evidence.)
If this were not so, what would life after death, or the life of the soul be? Without fine sensation there is no life. Even man's mental life must be exquisitely sensorial. Not even the smallest part of a mental image exists without a fine sensation at the same level, so the sharpness of sensation increases according to the level.
However, those who are in the heavens are not concerned with these details and therefore consider them nothing, paying no attention to them. Yet if they do turn their mind to them, they are at once in possession of them.
1343. CONCERNING SENSATION AND REPRESENTATIONS IN THE OTHER LIFE
The habitations of the blessed are various. They are presented to themselves altogether as they are during life, so that there is no difference, yea, [they are perceived] with every sense. This may seem incredible but it can be sufficiently evident from all that has been said and is still to be said. For what is sensation, as sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell? And whence is it derived? Is it from the body or from the soul? Is it not from the soul? for when the soul is separated no organ or member has sensation. There are also many other examples. It is indeed said that it is not real because not such as in the world; it suffices that a soul, spirit or angel knows no otherwise than that it is so with every sense. Thus if a spirit should touch anything he would have the sensation of touch. This moreover can be evident to me more than to others, for although I was a spirit and separated from the body, I have had an altogether similar sense of touch as in wakefulness, yea, a more exquisite sense. (These things may be repeated with more proofs and demonstrations.) If this were not so, what would life after death be? Or what the life of the soul without an exquisite sense? It would not be life. Indeed, man's intellectual ought to be exquisitely sensual, for there is not the least part of an intellectual idea without an exquisite sensation of a like degree, for which reason the keenness of sensation ascends according to degrees. Nevertheless, those who are in the heavens care nothing at all for such things [of sense] and thus hold them in no esteem; they pay no attention to such things, but when they do attend, they at once have them.
1343. De sensu et repraesentationibus in altera vita
Sunt habitacula beatorum varia, sibi ita repraesentata, prorsus sicut in vita, sic ut nulla sit differentia, imo cum omni sensu, quod quidem incredibile videtur, sed ex omnibus quae dicta, et dicenda sunt, satis constare potest, nam quid sensus, unde sensus, ut visus, auditus, tactus, gustus, olfactus? an corporis vel an animae? nonne animae, quia anima separata, nulli organo et membro sensus? praeter ex aliis documentis pluribus; dicitur quidem quod [hoc] non reale sit, quia non tale ut in mundo, satis est, quod anima, spiritus, angelus, prorsus non aliter sciat, quam quod ita sit, cum omni sensu, ut si tangeret, haberet tactum, sicut etiam mihi prae aliis constare potest, qui tactum similem prorsus habuerim, sicut in vigilia, eram tamen spiritus, et corpus separatum, imo sensus exquisitior. (Haec repetantur, cum documentis et demonstrationibus pluribus.) Si non, quid foret vita post mortem, seu vita animae? absque exquisito sensu, non vita; imo intellectuale hominis debet esse exquisite sensuale; ne minimum ideae intellectualis datur absque exquisito ad similem gradum, sensu, quare sensus acies ascendunt secundum gradus; tametsi ii qui in coelis sunt, quoque talia nihil curant, et sic pro nihilo aestimant, sic ea non attendunt, {a} cum attendunt illico habent.