Four Planes of Existence
According to Buddhism the earth is an almost insignificant speck in the universe, and is not the only habitable world, and the human are not the only living beings. Re-births may take place in any 31 spheres of existence.
1. Arupa-bhumi (Plane of Non-material)(4)
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 ) |
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. |
| Sanjiva | |
| Kalasutta | |
| Sanghata | |
| Roruva | |
| Maharoruva | |
| Tapana | |
| Mahatapana | |
| Avici |
