The Thirty-one Realms of Existence
The Immaterial World or Formless Realms
Beings reborn here are only mind and can not hear the Dharma. Rebirth is caused by death while meditating in the Jhanas.
Neither perception nor non-perception
Forth Jhana
Nothingness
Third Jhana
Infinite Consciousness
Second Jhana
Infinite Space
First Jhana
The Fine-Material World or Form Realms
These realms are all about mental pleasure. The highest three realms are called the Pure Abodes. Non-returners are reborn here. To be reborn in one of the other thirteen realms a person must have attained a level of Jhana.
Peerless devas
Clear-sighted devas
Beautiful devas
Untroubled devas
Devas not Falling Away
Unconscious beings
Very Fruitful devas
Devas of Refulgent Glory
Devas of Unbounded Glory
Devas of Limited Glory
Devas of Streaming Radiance
Devas of Unbounded Radiance
Devas of Limited Radiance
Great Brahmas
Ministers of Brahma
Retinue of Brahma
The Sensuous World or Desire Realms
Beings here are bombarded by both positive and negative sensations. Even if you are born in one of the higher realms you are still constantly receiving a huge amount of information through your five senses. Most of us are constantly reacting to the information we receive unconsciously. It takes a great deal of practice to reach the point where we are aware of the information we are receiving let alone to be able to act instead of react.
Devas Wielding Power over the Creation of Others
Devas Delighting in Creation
Contented devas
Yama devas
The Thirty-three Gods
Devas of the Four Great Kings
Human beings
~You are here~
Asuras
Hungry Shades/Ghosts
Animals
Hell
Hot hells
The Reviving Hell
The Black Line Hell
The Crushing Hell
The Wailing Hell
The Great Wailing Hell
The Hot Hell
The Greatly Hot Hell
The Unceasing Hell
Cold hells
The Blister Hell
The Bursting Blister Hell
The Brrr Hell
The Alasss Hell
The Chattering Teeth Hell
The Utpala Flower Hell
The Cracked Like a Lotus Hell
Greatly Cracked Like a Lotus Hell
Beings reborn here are only mind and can not hear the Dharma. Rebirth is caused by death while meditating in the Jhanas.
Neither perception nor non-perception
Forth Jhana
Nothingness
Third Jhana
Infinite Consciousness
Second Jhana
Infinite Space
First Jhana
The Fine-Material World or Form Realms
These realms are all about mental pleasure. The highest three realms are called the Pure Abodes. Non-returners are reborn here. To be reborn in one of the other thirteen realms a person must have attained a level of Jhana.
Peerless devas
Clear-sighted devas
Beautiful devas
Untroubled devas
Devas not Falling Away
Unconscious beings
Very Fruitful devas
Devas of Refulgent Glory
Devas of Unbounded Glory
Devas of Limited Glory
Devas of Streaming Radiance
Devas of Unbounded Radiance
Devas of Limited Radiance
Great Brahmas
Ministers of Brahma
Retinue of Brahma
The Sensuous World or Desire Realms
Beings here are bombarded by both positive and negative sensations. Even if you are born in one of the higher realms you are still constantly receiving a huge amount of information through your five senses. Most of us are constantly reacting to the information we receive unconsciously. It takes a great deal of practice to reach the point where we are aware of the information we are receiving let alone to be able to act instead of react.
Devas Wielding Power over the Creation of Others
Devas Delighting in Creation
Contented devas
Yama devas
The Thirty-three Gods
Devas of the Four Great Kings
Human beings
~You are here~
Asuras
Hungry Shades/Ghosts
Animals
Hell
Hot hells
The Reviving Hell
The Black Line Hell
The Crushing Hell
The Wailing Hell
The Great Wailing Hell
The Hot Hell
The Greatly Hot Hell
The Unceasing Hell
Cold hells
The Blister Hell
The Bursting Blister Hell
The Brrr Hell
The Alasss Hell
The Chattering Teeth Hell
The Utpala Flower Hell
The Cracked Like a Lotus Hell
Greatly Cracked Like a Lotus Hell
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