Buddhist Realms of Existence

 

Beyond this world, exploring the 31 realms of existence. Buddhist Abhidhamma explained. What happens after death? Where do we go and why?

According to the profound teachings of Buddhist Abhidhamma, the universe is not limited to what we see. There are 31 realms of existence, each shaped by karma, the law of moral causation.

Today, we journey through these realms, from the darkest hells to the highest states of pure consciousness. Not as imagination, but as states of mind revealed by enlightened wisdom. Understanding existence in Buddhism, especially in the Abhidhamma, reality is categorized not by matter, but by mental states.

These 31 planes fall under three great realms. Kamaloka, the Sensual World, 11 realms. Rupaloka, the Fine Material World, 16 realms. Arupaloka, the Immaterial World, four realms. Each realm is not a physical location, but a dimension of consciousness.
Where we are born depends entirely on our karma, especially the final moments of our previous life.

Kamaloka, the Sensual Realms, 11 Realms

Kamaloka is the world of the five senses: pleasure, pain, desire, and suffering. It includes four lower realms, the human world, and six heavenly realms of sensual beings.

I. Niraya - Hell realms.
The lowest are the nirayas, hell realms of intense suffering.
These are not eternal, but incredibly long, from millions to trillions of years, depending on kama. There are eight major hells and many subsidiary hells. Beings suffer due to karma of violence, hatred, and cruelty. Examples: beings burned, frozen, crushed, yet reborn elsewhere once karma expires.
Time: one day can be equivalent to thousands of human years.

II, Tiracchana yoni - animal realm.
The animal realm is characterized by ignorance and fear.
Although some animals live comfortably, most suffer from predation, slavery, and limited understanding. Rebirth here is caused by delusion and instinct-driven living.

III. Peta-loka - Hungry ghosts.
Petas or hungry ghosts wander invisibly, consumed by insatiable hunger and thirst. Often depicted with needle-thin throats and swollen stomachs, they are driven by past greed and attachment.
Some see the living, but cannot communicate or eat normal food.
Rebirth here can last hundreds or thousands of years.

IV, Asura-loka - Jealous Titans.
The Asura realm is filled with powerful beings, tormented by envy and aggression. They have strength and knowledge, but not peace.
They constantly war against the Devas, especially the Thawathimza heaven.

V. Manussa-loka - the Human Realm.
The human world is rare and precious. Here, we experience both pleasure and pain, giving us the perfect opportunity for spiritual growth. A human rebirth is the result of a balance of past virtue and wisdom, but it is fleeting. One human life is like a breath in the cosmic cycle.

Six to 11.

VI. Deva realms.
Above the human realm are six heavens where pleasure is abundant, but attachment remains. These are still within the sensual world. Beings here enjoy vast lifespans and subtle bodies, but they are not liberated. The six Deva realms:

1. Chatu Maharajika, four great kings, lifespan 500 years.
2. Tavatimsa, realm of 33 gods, 1,000 celestial years, equals approximately 36 million human years.
3. Yama, carefree realm, 144 million years.
4. Tusita, home of future Buddhas, 576 million years.
5. Nimanarati, self-created delights.
6. Paranimmita-vasavatti, the verse controlling others' creations.

These beings are reborn here through great generosity,
virtue and concentration.

But even heaven ends. Rupaloka, Fine Material Realms, 16 Realms. Beyond the sensual world lies the Rupaloka, a realm free from desire, entered through Jhana, meditative absorption. Beings here are luminous, peaceful, and live for aeons. Rupa Loka is divided into four Jhana levels, each with multiple sub-realms.

First Jhana Realms - Three Realms.

Beings in these realms have just entered deep, sustained concentration. Although still experiencing joy and rapture, they are only beginning to dissolve sensual attachment.

1. Brahma Parisajja - Brahma's attendance.
Nature: the lowest of the form realms.
Experience: beings here experience the initial rapture and one-pointedness characteristic of the first Jhana. Their joy is noticeable, but not as refined.
Characteristics: their physical forms are radiant and stable, yet there is still an undercurrent of the sensory world.

2. Brahma Purohita - Brahma's ministers.
Nature: a slightly higher plane than Brahma Parisadya.
Experience: the concentration deepens, and beings enjoy a more sustained state of internal joy and clarity.
Characteristics: there is an increased refinement of form and mental purity, signaling a gradual separation from gross sensuality.

3. Maha Brahma - Great Brahma realm.
Nature: the highest of the first Jhana realms.
Experience: beings here experience a stronger and more exalted form of the first Jhana, rapture, and concentration.
Characteristics: their form is more luminous and subtle, laying the foundation for further meditative absorption.

Second Jhana Realms, Three realms

In these realms, the experience shifts noticeably. Physical and mental joy become even more refined, and concentration deepens, with the mind wholly immersed in inner rapture.

4. Paritabha - realm of limited radiance.
Nature: the first of the second Jhana planes.
Experience: characterized by a heightened state of inner joy and a narrowing of the mind's focus, free from any lingering gross sensuality.
Characteristics: the radiance is perceptible, yet has defined limits, indicating a shift toward more refined states of consciousness.

5. Apamanabha - realm of immeasurable radiance.
Nature: the second realm in this grouping.
Experience: beings exhibit a nearly boundless quality of inner light and happiness, reflective of deeper absorption.
Characteristics: the perceived brightness and clarity of their form become almost limitless, a sign of advanced meditative achievement.

6. Sixth Jhana realm, Abhassara.
Nature: the third of the second Jhana realms.
Experience: this realm radiates the most refined joy of the second Jhana, with beings enveloped in a gentle, pervasive light.
Characteristics: their form is so subtle that it appears to glow.
There is an almost ethereal quality to their presence.

Third Jhana Realms, Three Realms.

Advancing into the third Jhana, the intense rapture gives way to a tranquil, sustained equanimity. The mind in these realms is marked by profound calmness and steadiness.

7. Paritta Subha, realm of limited glory.
Nature: the initial third Jhana plane.
Experience: beings here experience a soft, enduring state of equanimity, along with a diminished sense of rapture.
Characteristics: their forms exhibit a gentle glow.
The focus is now on serene balance, rather than ecstatic joy.

8. Appamana Subha, realm of immeasurable glory.
Nature: the middle Third Jhana realm.
Experience: this realm features an expansive sense of internal serenity, where the glory of concentration seems boundless.
Characteristics: the subtle radiance of their forms conveys deep inner contentment, without the agitation of desire.

9. Subhakkinha, realm of steady glory.
Nature: the highest of the third Jhana realms.
Experience: here, beings dwell in a state of unwavering equanimity and inner calm.
Characteristics: the clarity and stability of their form are profound, emphasizing a perfected concentration.

Fourth Jhana and Pure Abodes, Seven Realms.

In the fourth Jhana, even the subtle glimmer of rapture fades away, leaving only pure equanimity. Within this level lie what are known as the pure abodes, realms exclusively reserved for non-returners, Anagami, who are on the verge of final liberation.

10. Vehappala, realm of great reward.
Nature: sometimes included as a transitional state into the pure abodes.
Experience: beings here begin to lose even the slightest vestige of mental activity. Concentration is so deep that usual sensory markers vanish.
Characteristics: their form is exceedingly subtle, radiance may be present but is almost imperceptible.

11. Asaññasatta, realm of nonpercipient beings.
Nature: here, the degree of perception is so minimal it nearly ceases.
Experience: the usual markers of sensory or mental activity are nearly extinguished. This is a very high level of equanimity.
Characteristics: forms are maintained only in a very subtle, almost inactive state.

The following five realms traditionally comprise the pure abodes, Sudavasa, and are available only to non-returners.

12. Avihā realm.
Nature: a pure abode where beings dwell with complete detachment from sensuality.
Experience: equanimity and insight predominate.
The forms here are extremely subtle.
Characteristics: the environment exudes quiet, radiant peace, with no distractions of desire.

13. Athappa realm.
Nature: another pure abode marked by refined concentration.
Experience: beings here have transcended ordinary perception and exist in a state of profound inner stillness.
Characteristics: the forms are almost like faint glows in an endless column.

14. Sudassa realm.
Nature: a pure abode realm defined by clarity and tranquility.
Experience: all forms are imbued with a refined clarity that signifies an advanced stage of Jhana.
Characteristics: there is an aura of pristine purity surrounding every being.

15. Sudassī realm.
Nature: this realm reflects even more intricate refinement and inner peace.
Experience: the subtle forms resonate with an inner light that is both gentle and constant.
Characteristics: the presence here is like a soft, unchanging glow.

16. Akanittha realm.
Nature: traditionally considered the highest of the pure abodes.
Experience: beings here have reached the Pinnacle of form-realm existence. Mental activity is at its most refined, yet still present.
Characteristics: the clarity and stillness of the realm hint at the approach toward final liberation, even though form remains.

Summary

First Jhana realms, three, involve the initial entry into deep absorption, where beings retain noticeable joy and concentration.
Second Jhana realms, three, reflect increasingly refined inner light and expansive radiance.
Third Jhana realms, three, mark the transition to enduring equanimity, where bliss is steady and calm.
Fourth Jhana and pure abodes, seven, represent the highest form realms, where sensory desire is fully transcended, setting the stage for eventual liberation.

Arupa-loka, Immaterial Realms, Four Realms.

Even subtler are the Arupa realms, accessible through formless Jhanas, states where perception of form dissolves entirely.
The four Arupa realms:

1. Akasanancayatana, realm of infinite space.
2. Vinnanancayatana, realm of infinite consciousness.
3. Akincannayatana, realm of nothingness.
4. Nevasannanasannayatana, neither perception nor non-perception.

These beings live without form, only in subtle awareness.
Lifespans are immeasurable, but eventually rebirth still occurs.
These realms are not liberation, just refined conditions born from meditative karma.

The Law of Karma

So what decides our destination in this vast universe? It is karma, our intentional actions. Good actions lead upward, evil ones pull us down. But it's not just about what we do, it's also about our mind at death. Last thought moment plays a powerful role. A flash of generosity, hatred, mindfulness, or delusion can shape our next rebirth. That is why daily mindfulness and wholesome living are vital.

Every moment matters.

The way out: Nibbana.

Even the highest realms are impermanent.

Beings are born, die, and wander endlessly, Samsara.

The Buddha did not teach us how to go to heaven, but how to go beyond all realms. Nibbana is the cessation of becoming. When greed, hatred, and delusion are uprooted, no rebirth follows.

Let us reflect, strive, and awaken, not for more realms, but for final peace.

May you walk the path of wisdom and find the peace of Nirvana.