bRµyAcnkþTA ba`mhanao bauwaMnaa Qamma dosanaosaazI kolaolaI yaacanaa. Qammaacao gauNaivaSaoYa

• Dýmo gýBIro du¡so durnuboDo s®to pfIto StEkþAvcro inpufo pV»ztvednIyo¦ Bgv®tM qmA SnœCiryA gATAyo pixBMsu puˆbe S‰sutpuˆbAŔ “ikþœCen me SiDgtM, hlM dAin pkþAistuM¦ rAgdospreteih, nAyM Dýmo susýbuDo‹

“pixsotgA˜m inpufM, gýBIrM du¡sM SfuM¦ rAgrØAA n dEKV®t, tmoK®Den SAvuxA”it‹ ivatak- {tpanna haoNyaacao karNa

• þk‰mA pnAyM sˆbbuÂAnM wFpÀjtIit? Dým‰s mh®tBAvM grŒBAvM BAiryBAvM pœcveEKfAy bRµ‡nA yAicte desetukþAmtAy c¦ jAnV®t ih buÂA “avM pirivtVEkþte bRµA SAg®¥vA DýmdesnM yAic‰sit, tto sØAA Dýme gArvM wFpAde‰sV®t, bRµgrŒkþo ih lokþsVÚAvAso”it¦ qit qmeih «Iih kþArfeih SyM ivtEkþowFpÀjtIit¦¦

Buddhaghosa explains that the Buddha was reluctant to preach, not on account of indolence, but because he wished Sahampati to make him this request. For, thought the Buddha, the world honours Brahmā greatly, and when people realized that Brahmā himself had begged of the Buddha to spread his teaching, they would pay more attention to it. Sahampati was, at this time, the most senior of the Brahmās (jettha-Mahābrahmā) (DA.ii.467). Who is bRµ ? Why he called shýpit ? a brahma god, a happy & blameless celestial being, an inhabitant of the higher heavens (brahma -- loka; in which to be reborn is a reward of great merit) I. The Sensuous World (kama-loka) States of deprivation (apaya)

N Realm Pali Life-span Cause of rebirth here o. unwholesome actions, murdering 1 Purgatory niriya varies parents or arahant, injuring arahant, creating schism 2 Asuras asura varies unwholesome actions Hungry 3 peta loka varies unwholesome actions, lack of virtue ghosts unwholesome actions, behaving like an 4 Animals tiracchana yoni varies animal Happy Destinations (sugati) Numbers 5 – 11 are in the realm of the sense world, can experience sense pleasures and displeasures, mostly pleasure for the devas (impermanent gods or angels).

N Realm Pali Life-span Cause of rebirth here o. varies, development of virtue, wisdom, stream- approx. 5 Humans manussa loka entry guarantees rebirth as human or 10 to 120 deva years Devas of the Four catumaharajika 9 million wholesome actions, virtue, generosity, 6 Great deva years wisdom Kings 36 The 33 wholesome actions, virtue, generosity, 7 tavatimsa deva million gods wisdom years 144 Yama wholesome actions, virtue, generosity, 8 yama deva million devas wisdom years Happy Destinations (sugati) Numbers 5 – 11 are in the realm of the sense world, can experience sense pleasures and displeasures, mostly pleasure for the devas (impermanent gods or angels).

No Realm Pali Life-span Cause of rebirth here . 576 Contented wholesome actions, virtue, generosity, 9 tusita deva million devas wisdom years Devas 2.3 nimmanarati wholesome actions, virtue, generosity, 10 delighting billion deva wisdom in creation years Devas wielding 9.2 paranimmita- wholesome actions, virtue, generosity, 11 power over billion vasavatti deva wisdom others’ years creations II. The Fine-Material World (rupa-loka) Numbers 12 – 27 are in the realm of form. There is a subtle body. One attains rebirth to these planes based on kamma and spiritual attainments

No Realm Pali Life-span Cause of rebirth here .

Retinue of brahma-parisajja one-third 12 proficiency in first jhana, minor degree Brahma deva of an aeon

Ministers of brahma-purohita half an 13 proficiency in first jhana, medium degree Brahma deva aeon Great 14 Maha brahma one aeon proficiency in first jhana, highest degree Brahmas Devas of 15 limited parittabha deva 2 aeons proficiency in second jhana, minor degree radiance Devas of appamanabha 16 unbounded 4 aeons proficiency in second jhana, medium degree deva radiance Devas of 17 streaming abhassara deva 8 aeons proficiency in second jhana, highest degree radiance II. The Fine-Material World (rupa-loka) Numbers 12 – 27 are in the realm of form. There is a subtle body. One attains rebirth to these planes based on kamma and spiritual attainments

No Realm Pali Life-span Cause of rebirth here . Devas of parittasubha 18 limited 16 aeons proficiency in third jhana, minor degree deva glory Devas of appamanasubh proficiency in third jhana, medium 19 unbounded 32 aeons a deva degree glory Devas of subhakinna 20 refulgent 64 aeons proficiency in third jhana, highest degree deva glory

Very fruitful vehapphala 500 21 proficiency in fourth jhana devas deva aeons

Unconsciou 500 22 asaññasatta proficiency in fourth jhana s beings aeons Realms 23 to 27 are the Pure Abodes (suddhavasa), which are accessible only to non-returners (anagami) and arahants. Beings who become non-returners in other planes are reborn here, where they attain arahantship. Among its inhabitants is Brahma Sahampati, who begs the Buddha to teach Dhamma to the world

No Realm Pali Life-span Cause of rebirth here . Devas not 1,000 23 aviha deva proficiency in fourth jhana falling away aeons

Untroubled 2,000 24 atappa deva proficiency in fourth jhana devas aeons Beautiful, clearly 4,000 25 sudassa deva proficiency in fourth jhana visible aeons devas Clear- 8,000 26 sighted sudassi deva proficiency in fourth jhana aeons devas Peerless 16,000 27 akanittha deva proficiency in fourth jhana devas aeons III. The Immaterial World (arupa-loka) Numbers 28 – 31 are in the realm of the formless. This means there is no body of any kind. There is just a type of consciousness, conventional existence as we know it, but without a body. The life spans are very long in the formless realm and one attains to these levels by the formless jhanas these planes are named after, jhanas or realms 5 to 8. Numbers 28- 31 are not necessarily the best places to be. At these levels, one cannot hear the Dhamma from a Buddha or arahant on earth or any other planet. The best destinations are the pure abodes at numbers 23 – 27 which are deva realms for non-returners. Rebirth to these planes means that enlightenment will be attained while at one of these planes of existence. N Realm Pali Life-span Cause of rebirth here o. Sphere of akasanañca 20,000 proficiency in fifth jhana (the first 28 Infinity of yatanupaga aeons formless jhana) Space deva Sphere of viññanañca 40,000 proficiency in sixth jhana (the second 29 Infinity of yatanupaga aeons formless jhana) Consciousness deva akiñcaññay Sphere of No- 60,000 proficiency in seventh jhana (the third 30 atanupaga thingness aeons formless jhana) deva Sphere of Neither nevasañña 84,000 proficiency in eighth jhana (the fourth 31 Perception nor nasaññayat aeons formless jhana) Non- anupaga Perception ba`mh sahmpaitaMcaI yaacanaa • “desetu, B®te, BgvA DýmM, desetu sugto DýmM¦ sV®t sØAA SFprjEKjAitkþA, S‰svntA Dým‰s pirhAyV®t, Biv‰sV®t Dým‰s S²YAtAro”it¦

“pAturhois mgDesu puˆbe¦ Dýmo SsuÂo smleih icV®tto¦ SpApuretM Smt‰s «ArM¦ suf®tu DýmM ivmlenAnubuÂM‹

“sele yTA pˆbtmuÂiniÖto¦ yTAip p‰se jntM sm®tto¦ tTUpmM DýmmyM sumeD¦ pAsAdmArŒ†h sm®tcEKu¦ sokþAvit»fM jntmpetsokþo¦ SveEK‰su jAitjrAiBBUtM‹

wÖeih vIr ivijts½Am¦ s¥TvAh Sff ivcr lokeþ¦ des‰su BgvA DýmM¦ S²YAtAro Biv‰s®tI”it‹ sØAesu c kþArŒ²YtM pixœc buÂcEKunA lokMþ volokeþis¦ • S¡sA Ko BgvA buÂcEKunA lokMþ volokeþ®to sØAe SFprjEKe mhArjEKe itVEKV®ªye muidV®ªye ‰vAkþAre «AkþAre suiv²YApye duiv²YApye, SFpekþœce prlokþvÀjByd‰sAivne ivhr®te, SFpekþœce n prlokþvÀjByd‰sAivne ivhr®te¦ se†yTAip nAm wFpilinyM vA pduiminyM vA pu»zrIikþinyM vA SFpekþœcAin wFplAin vA pdumAin vA pu»zrIkþAin vA wdkeþ jAtAin wdkeþ sMv¾Ain wdkþAnuŸgtAin S®to inmuŸgposIin, SFpekþœcAin wFplAin vA pdumAin vA pu»zrIkþAin vA wdkeþ jAtAin wdkeþ sMv¾Ain smodkMþ iXtAin, SFpekþœcAin wFplAin vA pdumAin vA pu»zrIkþAin vA wdkeþ jAtAin wdkeþ sMv¾Ain wdkMþ SœcuŸgým iXtAin SnupilØAAin wdkeþn ¦ Qammadosanaa svaIkRtaI

“SpArŒtA tesM Smt‰s «ArA¦ ye sotv®to pmu²c®tu sÂM¦ iv˜hss²YI pgufM n BA˜s¦ DýmM pfItM mnujesu bRµe”it‹