The Thirty-one Planes of Existence

© 2005

I. The Immaterial World (arupa-loka)

Realm Cause of rebirth
Comments
here
(31) Neither-perception-nor-non- Fourth formless
perception jhana
(nevasaññanasaññayatanupaga
deva) The inhabitants of these realms are
(30) Nothingness possessed entirely of mind. Having no Third formless
(akiñcaññayatanupaga deva) physical body, they are unable to jhana
(29) Infinite Consciousness hear Dhamma teachings. Second formless
(viññanañcayatanupaga deva) jhana
(28) Infinite Space First formless
(akasanañcayatanupaga deva) jhana

II. The Fine-Material World (rupa-loka)

Realm Comments Cause of rebirth
here
These are the five Pure Abodes
(27) Peerless devas (akanittha deva) (suddhavasa), which are accessible Fourth jhana.
(26) Clear-sighted devas (sudassi only to non-returners (anagami) and (See, e.g., AN
deva) arahants. Beings who become non- 4.123.)
returners in other planes are reborn
(25) Beautiful devas (sudassa deva) here, where they attain arahantship.
(24) Untroubled devas (atappa
deva) Among its inhabitants is Brahma
Sahampati, who begs the Buddha to
(23) Devas not Falling Away (aviha
teach Dhamma to the world (SN 6.1).
deva)

(22) Unconscious beings

Only body is present; no mind.
(asaññasatta)
(21) Very Fruitful devas (vehapphala
deva)

(20) Devas of Refulgent Glory Third jhana

(subhakinna deva) (highest degree).
(See, e.g., AN
4.123.)

(19) Devas of Unbounded Glory Third jhana

(appamanasubha deva) (medium degree)
(18) Devas of Limited Glory Beings in these planes enjoy varying Third jhana
(parittasubha deva) degrees of jhanic bliss. (minor degree)

(17) Devas of Streaming Radiance Second jhana

(abhassara deva) (highest degree).
(See, e.g., AN
4.123.)

(16) Devas of Unbounded Radiance Second jhana

(appamanabha deva) (medium degree)
(15) Devas of Limited Radiance Second jhana
(parittabha deva) (minor degree)
(14) Great Brahmas (Maha brahma) One of this realm's most famous First jhana
inhabitants is the Great Brahma, a (highest degree)
deity whose delusion leads him to
regard himself as the all-powerful, all-
 seeing creator of the universe (DN
11).
(13) Ministers of Brahma (brahma- First jhana
purohita deva) (medium degree)

Beings in these planes enjoy varying

(12) Retinue of Brahma (brahma- First jhana (minor
degrees of jhanic bliss.
parisajja deva) degree). (See,
e.g., AN 4.123.)

III. The Sensuous World (kama-loka)

HAPPY DESTINATIONS (SUGATI)

Realm Comments Cause of rebirth

(11) Devas Wielding Power over the These devas enjoy sense pleasures
Creation of Others (paranimmita-
vasavatti deva)
(10) Devas Delighting in Creation
(nimmanarati deva)
(9) Contented devas (tusita deva)
(8) Yama devas (yama deva)
(7) The Thirty-three Gods (tavatimsa Sakka, a devotee of the Buddha,
deva)
(6) Devas of the Four Great Kings
(catumaharajika deva)
(5) Human beings (manussa loka)
here
· Ten wholesome
created by others for them. Mara, the actions (MN 41)
personification of delusion and desire,
lives here. · Generosity
These devas delight in the sense
objects of their own creation. · The development
of virtue and
A realm of pure delight and gaiety.
wisdom (AN
Bodhisattas abide here prior to their
10.177)
final human birth. This is where the
bodhisatta Maitreya (Metteya), the
next Buddha, is said to dwell.
These devas live in the air, free of all
difficulties.
presides over this realm. Many devas
dwelling here live in mansions in the
air.
Home of the gandhabbas, the
celestial musicians, and the yakkhas,
tree spirits of varying degrees of
ethical purity. The latter are
analogous to the goblins, trolls, and
fairies of Western fairy tales.
· The development
of virtue and
You are here (for now). wisdom (AN
10.177)
Rebirth as a human being is
extraordinarily rare (SN 56.48). It is · The attainment
also extraordinarily precious, as its of stream-entry
unique balance of pleasure and pain (sotapatti)
(SN 35.135) facilitates the guarantees that
development of virtue and wisdom to all future rebirths
the degree necessary to set one free will be in the
from the entire cycle of rebirths. human or higher
realms.

STATES OF DEPRIVATION (APAYA)

Realm Comments Cause of rebirth here

(4) Asuras The demons — "titans" — that dwell · Ten unwholesome actions (MN 41)
(asura) here are engaged in relentless conflict
with each other.
(3) Hungry Ghosts and unhappy spirits wander · Ten unwholesome actions (MN 41)
Shades/Ghosts hopelessly about this realm,
(peta loka) searching in vain for sensual · Lack of virtue, holding to wrong
fulfillment. views (AN 10.177)

Read Ajaan Lee's colorful description

of this realm.

(2) Animals This realm includes all the non-human · Ten unwholesome actions (MN 41)
(tiracchana yoni) forms of life that are visible to us
under ordinary circumstances:
animals, insects, fish, birds, worms,
etc.
(1) Hell (niraya)
These are realms of unimaginable
suffering and anguish (described in
graphic detail in MN 129 and MN
130). Should not be confused with
the eternal hell found in other
religious traditions, since one's time
here is — as it is in every realm —
temporary.
· 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.;
AN 10.177).
· Behaving like an animal (MN 57)
· Ten unwholesome actions (MN 41)
· Lack of virtue, holding to wrong
views (AN 10.177)
· Murdering your parents, murdering
an arahant, injuring the Buddha, or
creating a schism in the Sangha (AN
5.129)
· Being quarrelsome and annoying to
others (Snp II.6)