Buddha Abhidhamma - Ultimate Science - BuddhaNet

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namely, sewage swamp, field of hot ash, forest of thorny
threes and hot river with canes.
Thus there are 16 minor nirayas on the four sides
of a major niraya and 128 minor nirayas for the eight
major nirayas.
3 The Six Sensuous Celestial Planes (deva-planes) are
situated above the ground and high up in the sky.
i Catumahàràjikà – The lowest of the heavenly realms
where the four guardian deities reside with their
followers. Some lower beings of this plane have their
dwellings on earth.
ii Tàvatiüsà – The realm of 33 gods and their followers.
Sakka, the king of the gods, reside in this celestial plane.
iii Yàmà – The realm of the Yàmà gods.
iv Tusità – The heaven of delight.
v Nimmànarati – The heaven of the gods who rejoice in
their own creations.
vi Paranimmita-vasavatã – The heaven of the gods who bring
under their sway things created by others.
These six celestial planes are temporary blissful
abodes where beings live happily enjoying sensual
pleasures as the results of their good kammas.
Superior to these sensuous planes are the Brahma
realms where beings delight in jhàna-bliss achieved by
their råpàvacara- and aråpàvacara-kusala kammas.
4 The 16 Planes of Fine Material (Råpa-bhåmi) are situated
much higher than the 6 Sensuous Blissful Planes.