Ten Realms
The Tentai school classifies the Realms of Reality into ten vertical states as opposed to the Huayen school’s formulation of the Dharmadhatu into four horizontal states.
The Ten Realms of Reality are
Buddhas, beings of supreme enlightenment
Bodhisattvas, enlightening beings of various illumination
Pratyekas, beings of dependent illumination
Sravakas, sound hearers
Devas, the heavens
Humans
Asuras
Ghosts
Animals
Hells, dwellers in the infernal regions.
All these “realities” are manifestations of the Essence and appear as products of the consciousness Vijñāna. Since the Essence is the Buddha and the Buddha is the Essence, and all phenomena manifest from the Essence, Samsara too is the manifestation of the Essence; therefore Samsara is in Nirvana and Nirvana, in SamSara. This opens up infinite opportunities for all sentient beings for multi-moksa from the Trilokya i.e. from
1. Kapadhatu our mundane world and include the five heavens of appetites and sensual desires.
2. Rupadhatu the 18 heavens of material excellence, but without sexual and dietitic desires.
3. Arupadhatu the four superlative and formless heavens.
In Huayen cosmology, the Saha-loka-dhatu is on level thirteen of the 20-Level Lotus Repository Seed of Worlds. 1016 Buddha lands away to the west of Saha is Sukhavati, world of utmost bliss of Amitabha; 1016 Buddha lands away, to the east of Saha also on level thirteen, is Bhaisajyaguru’s Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli Light. Makes you wonder why there’s no thirteenth floor on every building in the world.
