| 1. Arupa-bhumi (Plane
of Non-material)(4)
| N'evasanna-n'asannayatana.bhumi
|
The
Realm of neither perception nor non-perception |
| Akincannayatana-bhumi
|
The
Realm of Nothingness |
| Vinnanancayatana-bhumi |
The
Realm of Infinite Consciousness |
| Akasanancayatana-bhumi |
The
Realm of Infinite Space |
2. Rupa-bhumi (Plane of
Fine Material)(16)
Fourth
Jhana Planes(7)
(1-5) Suddhavasa=the
heaven of pure abodes( 5 planes ) (only anagamis and arahats are found in these
abodes)
- Akanittha=the supreme heaven
- Sudassi=the clear-sighted heaven
- Sudassa=the beautiful heaven
- Atappa=the serene heaven
- Aviha=the durable heaven
(6) Asanna-satta=the heaven of
Brahmas with just rupa and no nama
(7) Vehapphala=the
heaven of the gods of great reward
|
Third Jhana
Planes(3)
- Subha-kinha=the heaven of gods full of steady aura
- appamana-subha=the heavens of the gods of infinite aura
- paritta-subha=the heaven of the gods of minor aura
|
Second Jhana
Planes(3)
- Abhassara=the heaven of radiant gods
- Appamanabha=the heaven of infinite lustre
- Parittabha=the heaven of minor lustre
|
First Jhana Planes(3)
- Maha-brahma=the realm of great Brahmas
- Brahma-purohita=the realm of Brahma's ministers
- Brahma-parisajja=the realm of Brahma's retinue
|
3. Kamasugati-bhumi (
Sensuous blissful plane )(7)
| Deva Realm
( 6 Celestial planes )
These six celestial
planes are temporary blissful abodes where beings are supposed to live enjoying
fleeting pleasures of sense for a longer life span from 9 to 9,216 million
human years
| Catumaharajika
(the Realm of the Four Great
Kings: the lowest of the heavenly realms.)
|
Four Great Kings (Guardian
Deities) live here. East: Dhatarattha; South:Virulhaka; West:Virupakkha;
North:Vessavana
|
| Tavatimsa
(The Realm of Thirty-three Gods)
|
The
King is Saka, (Magha in previous life) residing in Vejayanta Palace in Capital
Sudassana. It was in this heaven that the Buddha taught the Abhidhamma to the
Devas for three months. |
| Yama (
The Realm of the Yama Gods )
|
King
Yama rules this realm of great happiness.That which destroys pain is Yama. |
| Tusita
( The Delightful Realm for
happy-dwellers )
|
The
Bodhisattas reside here before moving on to the human realm to attain
Buddhahood. The Bodhisatta Metteyya, the future Buddha, is at present, residing
in this realm awaiting the right opportunity to be born as a human being and
become a Buddha. |
| Nimmanarati |
The
gods here can create objects and mansions for sensual enjoyment by thought.
|
| Paranimmita-vasavati |
The
gods here makes others' creation serve their own ends. |
|
| Human Realm(Manussa)
It is a blissful realm as
the human, manussa, can develop up to Buddhahood.There is a mixture of both
pain and pleasure. Buddhas are always born as human beings.
|
4. Apaya-bhumi ( Kamaduggati-bhumi)(4)
|
Asura Realm
(Demon World) |
The
Realm of a kind of petas who live miserably in secluded places. Asura,
literally means, those who do not shine or those who do not sport. |
Peta Realm
( Peta-yoni/ Ghost world ) |
The
Realm of ever-hungry beings with deformed physical forms, generally invisible
to the naked eye, living in forests and dirty surroundings. |
Tiracchana Realm
( Tiracchana-yoni /Animal World )
|
Beings
are born as animals because of evil kamma. But there is the possibility for
them to be born as human beings as a result of the good kamma accumulated in
the past. |
Niraya
Realm
( Hell, devoid of happiness )
Sanjiva
Kalasutta
Sanghata
Roruva
Maharoruva
Tapana
Mahatapana
Avici
|
The
Realm of intense continuous suffering because of the bad Kamma although they
are not eternal hells. Re-birth in higher states is possible after the
exhaustion of the evil Kamma. |
|
