Kamadhatu
Realm of Desire (Skt: Kamaloka, Kamadhatu), kamabhava. Beings from the six classes described above live in this realm. Here sexual passion and other forms of desire predominate
The beings born in the Kamadhatu Pali Kamaloka Tib 'dod.pa'i khams differ in degree of happiness, but they are all, other than arhats and Buddhas, under the domination of Mara and are bound by sensual desire, which causes them suffering. The following four worlds are bounded planes. each , yojanas square, which float in the air above the top of Mount Sumeru. Although all of the worlds inhabited by devas that is, all the worlds down to the Caturmaharajikakayika world and sometimes including the Asuras are sometimes called heavens, in the western sense of the word the term best applies to the four worlds listed below Parinirmitavasavartin or Paranimmitavasavatti Tib gzhan.'phrul dbang.byed – The heaven of devas with power over others' creations.
These devas do not create pleasing forms that they desire for themselves, but their desires are fulfilled by the acts of other devas who wish for their favor. The ruler of this world is called Vasavartin Pali Vasavatti, who has longer life, greater beauty, more power and happiness and more delightful sense objects than the other devas of his world. This world is also the home of the devaputra being of divine race called Mara, who endeavors to keep all beings of the Kamadhatu in the grip of sensual pleasures. Mara is also sometimes called Vasavartin, but in general these two dwellers in this world are kept distinct.
The beings of this world are , feet , tall and live for ,,, years Sarvastivada tradition. The height of this world is , yojanas above the Earth. Nirmanarati or Nimmanarati Tib 'phrul.dga' – The world of devas delighting in their creations. The devas of this world are capable of making any appearance to please themselves. The lord of this world is called Sunirmita Pali Sunimmita his wife is the rebirth of Visakha, formerly the chief of the upasikas female lay devotees of the Buddha. The beings of this world are , feet , m tall and live for ,,, years Sarvastivada tradition. The height of this world is yojanas above the Earth. Tushita or Tusita Tib dga'.ldan – The world of the joyful devas.
This world is best known for being the world in which a Bodhisattva lives before being reborn in the world of humans. Until a few thousand years ago, the Bodhisattva of this world was Svetaketu Pali Setaketu, who was reborn as Siddhartha, who would become the Buddha Sakyamuni since then the Bodhisattva has been Natha or Nathadeva who will be reborn as Ajita and will become the Buddha Maitreya Pali Metteyya. While this Bodhisattva is the foremost of the dwellers in Tushita, the ruler of this world is another deva called Santu?ita Pali Santusita. The beings of this world are , feet m tall and live for ,, years Sarvastivada tradition. The height of this world is yojanas above the Earth.
The beings born in the Kamadhatu (Pali: Kamaloka; Tib: dod.pai khams) differ in degree of happiness, but they are all, other than arhats and Buddhas, under the domination of Mara and are bound by sensual desire, which causes them suffering.
The devas of the Kamadhatu have physical forms similar to, but larger than, those of humans. They lead the same sort of lives that humans do, though they are longer lived and generally more content; indeed sometimes they are immersed in pleasures. This is the realm that Mara has greatest influence over.
The higher devas of the Kamadhatu live in four heavens that float in the air, leaving them free from contact with the strife of the lower world. They are:
The Parinirmita vasavartin devas, luxurious devas to whom Mara belongs;
The Nirmanarati devas;
The Tusita devas, among whom the future Maitreya lives;
The Yama devas.
The lower devas of the Kamadhatu live on different parts of the mountain at the center of the world, Sumeru. They are even more passionate than the higher devas, and do not simply enjoy themselves but also engage in strife and fighting. They are:
The Trayastrimsa devas, who live on the peak of Sumeru and are something like the Olympian gods. Their ruler is Sakra.
The Caturmaharajikakayika devas, who include the martial kings who guard the four quarters of the Earth. The chief of these kings is Vaisravana, but all are ultimately accountable to Sakra. They also include four types of earthly demigod or nature spirit: Kumbhandas, Gandharvas, Nagas and Yaksas, and probably also the Garudas.
Sometimes included among the devas, and sometimes placed in a different category, are the Asuras, the opponents of the preceding two groups of devas, whose nature is to be continually engaged in war.
Humans are said to have originally had many of the powers of the devas: not requiring food, the ability to fly through the air, and shining by their own light. Over time they began to eat solid foods, their bodies became coarser and their powers disappeared.
