| Realm |
Cause of Rebirth |
The Age Limit |
(31)Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception
(nevasaññanasaññayatanupaga deva)
|
Fourth formless jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
84,000 Mahãkappa |
(30)Sphere of Nothingness
(akiñcaññayatanupaga deva)
|
Third formless jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
60,000 Mahãkappa |
(29)Sphere of Infinite Consciousness
(viññanañcayatanupaga deva)
|
Second formless jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
40,000 Mahãkappa |
(28)Sphere of Infinite Space
(akasanañcayatanupaga deva)
|
First formless jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
20,000 Mahãkappa |
|
Comments: The inhabitants of these realms are possessed entirely of mind. Having no physical body, they are unable to hear Dhamma teachings.
|
Rῦpa-loka (Realms of Forms) |
| Realm |
Cause of Rebirth |
The Age Limit |
(27)Peerless Devas
(akanittha deva)
|
Fourth jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
16,000 Mahãkappa |
(26)Clear-sighted devas
(sudassi deva)
|
Fourth jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
8,000 Mahãkappa |
(25)Beautiful devas
(sudassa deva)
|
Fourth jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
4,000 Mahãkappa |
(24)Untroubled Devas
(atappa deva)
|
Fourth jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
2,000 Mahãkappa |
(23)Durable devas
(asaññasatta)
|
Fourth jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
1,000 Mahãkappa |
(22)Uncounscious beings
(sudassi deva)
|
Fourth jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
500 Mahãkappa |
(21)Very Fruitful devas devas
(vehapphala deva)
|
Fourth jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
500 Mahãkappa |
(20)Devas of Radiant Glory
(subhakinna deva)
|
Third jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
64 Mahãkappa |
(19)Devas of Unbounded Glory
(appamanasubha deva)
|
Third jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
32 Mahãkappa |
(18)Devas of Limited Glory
(parittasubha deva)
|
Third jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
16 Mahãkappa |
(17)Devas of Streaming Radiance
(abhassara deva)
|
Second jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
8 Mahãkappa |
(16)Devas of Unbounded Radiance
(appamanabha deva)
|
Second jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
4 Mahãkappa |
(15)Devas of Limited Radiance
(parittabha deva)
|
Second jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
2 Mahãkappa |
(14)Great Bramas - One of this realm's most famous
inhabitants is the Great Barahma, a deity whose delusion
leads him to regard himself as the all-powerful, all-seeing
creator of the universe
(Maha brahma)
|
First jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
1 Mahãkappa Kappa |
(13)Brahma's Ministers
(brahma-purohita deva)
|
First jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
½ Mahãkappa Kappa |
(12)Brahma's Retinue
(brahma-parisajja deva)
|
First jhana (Samatha Meditation) |
1/3 Mahãkappa Kappa |
|
| Ten Wholesome Actions |
| 1. Abstaining from killing living beings |
| 2. Abstaining from stealing |
| 3. Abstaining from sexual misconduct |
| 4. Abstaining from false speech |
| 5. Abstaining from malicious speech |
| 6. Abstaining from harsh speech |
| 7. Abstaining from gossip |
| 8. Abstaining from coveting |
| 9. Abstaining from ill-will |
| 10. Possessing Right Understanding of the Dhamma |
|
| Ten Unholesome Actions |
| 1. Killing living beings |
| 2. Stealing |
| 3. Sexual misconduct |
| 4. False speech |
| 5. Malicious speech |
| 6. Harsh speech |
| 7. Gossip |
| 8. Coveting |
| 9. ill-will |
| 10. Wrong View |
|
| Source: Majjhima Nikaya 78 |
Vipasasana (Insight) and Samatha
(concentration on a single external
object to become calm, tranquil and
serene) are two kinds of Buddhist
Meditations |
|
|
| Realm |
Cause of Rebirth |
The Age Limit |
(11)These devas enjoy sense pleasures created
by others for them.
Mara, the personification of
delusion and desire, lives here
(paranimmita-vasavatti deva)
|
Ten wholesome actions-Generosity |
16,000 Celestial years
1 day = 1,600 human years |
(10)Devas who Delight in Creating
(nimmanarati deva)
|
Ten wholesome actions-Generosity |
8,000 Celestial years
1 day = 800 human years |
(9) Heaven of Delight
Bodhisatta's Penultimate Existence
(tusita deva)
|
Ten wholesome actions-Generosity |
4,000 Celestial years
1 day = 400 human years |
(8) Yama devas
(yama deva)
|
The development of virtue and wisdom |
2,000 Celestial years
1 day = 200 human years |
(7) The Thirty-three Gods
Sakka resides here
(tavatimsa deva)
|
The development of virtue and wisdom |
1,000 Celestial years
1 day = 100 human years |
(6) Devas of the Four Great Kings
(catumaharajika deva)
|
The development of virtue and wisdom |
500 Celestial years
1 day = 50 human years |
(5) Human beings (You are here for now)
Rebirth as a human being is extraordinarily rare.
It is also extraordinarily precious, as its unique
balance of pleasure and pain facilitates the
development of virtue and wisdom to the degree
necessary to set one free from the entire cycle
of rebirths (samsara)
(manussa loka)
|
The development of virtue and wisdom
The attainment of stream-entry (sotapatti)
guarantees that all future rebirths will be in
the human or higher realms and not more
than seven existences |
10 years upwards
Average Life-span varies
depending on kama, but
cannot exceed the age limit that exist any one
time |
| Comments: Human body decay as it gets older and they get sick and suffer from disease which all makes easier to
understand the four noble truth and practice the eight noble path. Beings born above human world do not have
those conditions. They were born as sixteen years and stay that way until they die. They do not have physical
body like human, and as such, they do not know the pain of ageing and sickness and do not have DNA research.
That is why Buddhas always appear in the human world and set up the teaching for human first. Buddhas never
appear outside of human world.
|
State of Deprivation (Apaya) |
| Realm |
Cause of Rebirth |
The Age Limit |
(4) Asuras (Demons)
(asura)
The demons — "titans" — that dwell here are
engaged in relentless conflict with each other.
|
Ten unwholesome actions |
depends on their kama
|
(3) Hungry Shades/Ghosts (Peta)
(peta loka)
Ghosts and unhappy spirits wander hopelessly
about this realm, searching in vain for sensual
fulfillment.
|
Ten unwholesome actions
Lack of virtue, holding to wrong views
|
depends on their kama
|
(2) Animals
(tiracchana yoni)
This realm includes all the non-human forms
of life that are visible to us under ordinary
circumstances: animals, insects, fish, birds,
worms, etc.
|
Ten unwholesome actions
Lack of virtue, holding to wrong views
If one is generous to monks and nuns,
however, one may be reborn as an "ornamented"
animal (i.e., a bird with bright plumage;
a horse with attractive markings, etc.
|
depends on their kama
|
(1) Hell (niraya)
These are realms of unimaginable suffering and
anguish. Should not be confused with the eternal
hell proposed by other religions, since one's time
here is — as it is in every realm — temporary.
|
Ten unwholesome actions
Lack of virtue, holding to wrong views
Murdering your parents, murdering an
arahant, injuring the Buddha, or creating
a schism in the Sangha. Being quarrelsome
and annoying to others
|
depends on their kama
|
| Hells (Eight Major Hells) |
1. Sañjīva Naraka
- In this Naraka the ground is made out of hot iron heated by an immense fire. Beings in this Naraka appear fully grown, already
in a state of fear and misery. As soon as the being begins to fear being harmed by others, their fellows appear and attack each
other with iron claws. Or else, the attendants of Yama appear and attack the being with many fiery weapons. As soon as the being
experiences an unconsciousness like death, they are suddenly restored to full health and the attacks begin again. Other tortures
experienced in this Naraka include having molten metal dropped upon them, being sliced into pieces, and suffering from the heat
of the iron ground.
|
2. Kālasūtra Naraka
- Here, in addition to the torments mentioned above, black lines are drawn upon the body, and Yama's servants cut the beings upon
the lines with fiery saws and sharp axes.
|
3. Saṃghāta Naraka
- This Naraka is also upon a ground of hot iron, but is surrounded by huge masses of rock that smash together and crush the beings
to a bloody jelly. When the rocks move apart again, life is restored to the being and the process starts again.
|
4. Roruva Naraka
- Here beings run wildly about, looking for refuge from the burning ground. When they find an apparent shelter, they are locked
inside it as it blazes around them, while they scream inside.
|
5. Mahāroruva Naraka
- Punishment in here are for people who maintain their own body by hurting others. In this hell, ruru animals known as kravyāda
torment them and eat their flesh.
|
6. Tapana Naraka
- Here Yama's servants impale the beings on a fiery spear until flames issue from their noses and mouths.
|
7. Mahātāpana Naraka
- The tortures here are similar to the Tapana Naraka, but the beings are pierced more bloodily with a trident.
|
8. Avīci Naraka
- Beings are roasted in an immense blazing oven with terrible suffering.
Beings who have committed grave misdeeds may be reborn here.
|
|