Buddha Abhidhamma - Ultimate Science - BuddhaNet

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ii Vi¤¤àna¤càyatana-bhåmi – the realm of infinite consciousness,
iii âki¤ca¤¤àyatana-bhåmi – the realm of nothingness, and
iv N’evasa¤¤à-n’àsa¤¤àyatana-bhåmi – the realm of neither
perception nor non-perception.
Counting all the separate planes, we get 4 apàya planes, 7
kàmasugati-planes, 16 råpa-planes and 4 aråpa-planes, making
31 planes in all.
Situation of Bhåmis
1 The human realm, the animal realm, the peta realm and
the asura realm exist on the surface of the earth. These
realms are not separated, but the beings move about in
their own worlds.
2 Niraya represents several woeful states where beings
atone for their evil kamma. They are not eternal hells.
Upon the exhaustion of the evil kamma, beings may be
reborn in good states as the result of their past good
actions.
There are 8 major nirayas or narakas which exist
below the surface of the earth. Their names, in order of
distance from the surface of the earth, are Sa¤jãva,
Kàëasutta, Saïghàta, Roruva, Mahàroruva, Tàpana,
Mahàtàpana and Avãci.
(The reader may refer the Bhåmi-chart attached at
the back of this book. The chart also mentions the
distances between planes in yojana which is about 8
miles.)
Each major niraya has the form of a square. On each
side of the square there are again four minor nirayas