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14-September-2008 12:50:30 - Deva Buddhism Part of a series on Buddhism Portal of Buddhism History Timeline - Buddhist councils Major Figures Gautama Buddha Disciples · Later Buddhists Concepts Four Noble Truths Noble Eightfold Path Karma - Nirvana Three marks of existence Skandha · Cosmology Samsara · Rebirth · Dharma Dependent Origination Practices and Attainment Buddhahood · Bodhisattva Four Stages of Enlightenment PÄ?ramitÄ?s · Mation · Laity Precepts · Three Jewels Countries and Regions Bhutan · Cambodia · China India · Indonesia · Japan Korea · Laos · Malaysia Mongolia · Burma · Nepal Russia · Singapore · Sri Lanka Thailand · Tibet · Vietnam Western countries Schools TheravÄ?da · MahÄ?yÄ?na VajrayÄ?na Early and Pre-sectarian Texts Pali Canon · Tibetan Canon Chinese Canon Related topics Comparative Studies Cultural elements This box: view talk This article is about Buddhist deities. For other uses, see Deva disambiguation. A deva देव Sanskrit and PÄ?li in Buddhism is one of many different types of non-human beings who share the characteristics of being more powerful, longer-lived, and, in general, living more contentedly than the average human being. Synonyms in other languages include Tibetan lha, Chinese tiÄ?n 天）, Korean cheon, Japanese ten, Vietnamese thiên. The concept of devas was adopted in Japan partly because of the similarity with the Shinto's concept of kami. Other words used in Buddhist texts to refer to similar supernatural beings are devatÄ? deity and devaputra PÄ?li: devaputta son of the gods. It is unclear what the distinction between these terms is. Contents 1 Powers of the devas 2 Types of deva 3 Devas vs. gods 4 Confused with devas 5 References Powers of the devas From a human perspective, devas share the characteristic of being invisible to the physical human eye. The presence of a deva can be detected by those humans who have opened the divyacaká¹£us PÄ?li: dibbacakkhu, an extrasensory power by which one can see beings from other planes. Their voices can also be heard by those who have cultivated a similar power of the ear. Most devas are also capable of constructing illusory forms by which they can manifest themselves to the beings of lower worlds; higher and lower devas even have to do this between each other. Devas do not require the same kind of sustenance as humans do, although the lower kinds do eat and drink. The higher sorts of deva shine with their own intrinsic luminosity. Devas are also capable of moving great distances speedily and of flying through the air, although the lower devas sometimes accomplish this through magical aids such as a flying chariot. Types of deva Main article: Buddhist cosmology The term deva does not refer to a natural class of beings, but is defined anthropocentrically to include all those beings more powerful or more blissful than humans. It includes some very different types of being; these types can be ranked hierarchically. The lowest classes of these beings are closer in their nature to human beings than to the higher classes of deva. The devas fall into three classes depending upon which of the three dhÄ?tus, or realms of the universe they are born in. The devas of the Ä€rÅ«pyadhÄ?tu have no physical form or location, and they dwell in mation on formless subjects. They achieve this by attaining advanced mational levels in another life. They do not interact with the rest of the universe. The devas of the RÅ«padhÄ?tu have physical forms, but are sexless and passionless. They live in a large number of heavens or deva-worlds that rise, layer on layer, above the earth. These can be divided into five main groups: The ÅšuddhÄ?vÄ?sa devas are the rebirths of AnÄ?gÄ?mins, Buddhist religious practitioners who died just short of attaining the state of Arhat Brahma Sahampati, who appealed to the newly enlightened Buddha to teach, was an Anagami from a previous Buddha1. They guard and protect Buddhism on earth, and will pass into enlightenment as Arhats when they pass away from the ÅšuddhÄ?vÄ?sa worlds. The highest of these worlds is called Akaniá¹£á¹ha. The Bá¹›hatphala devas remain in the tranquil state attained in the fourth dhyÄ?na. The Åšubhaká¹›tsna devas rest in the bliss of the third dhyÄ?na. The Ä€bhÄ?svara devas enjoy the delights of the second dhyÄ?na. The BrahmÄ? devas or simply BrahmÄ?s participate in the more active joys of the first dhyÄ?na. They are also more interested in and involved with the world below than any of the higher devas, and sometimes intervene with advice and counsel. Each of these groups of deva-worlds contains different grades of devas, but all of those within a single group are able to interact and communicate with each other. On the other hand, the lower groups have no direct knowledge of even the existence of the higher types of deva at all. For this reason, some of the BrahmÄ?s have become proud, imagining themselves as the creators of their own worlds and of all the worlds below them because they came into existence before those worlds began to exist. The devas of the KÄ?madhÄ?tu have physical forms similar to, but larger than, those of humans. They lead the same sort of lives that humans do, though they are longer-lived and generally more content; indeed sometimes they are immersed in pleasures. This is the realm that MÄ?ra has greatest influence over. The higher devas of the KÄ?madhÄ?tu live in four heavens that float in the air, leaving them free from contact with the strife of the lower world. They are: The Parinirmita-vaÅ›avartin devas, luxurious devas to whom MÄ?ra belongs; The NirmÄ?ṇarati devas; The Tuá¹£ita devas, among whom the future Maitreya lives; The YÄ?ma devas. The lower devas of the KÄ?madhÄ?tu live on different parts of the mountain at the center of the world, Sumeru. They are even more passionate than the higher devas, and do not simply enjoy themselves but also engage in strife and fighting. They are: The TrÄ?yastriṃśa devas, who live on the peak of Sumeru and are something like the Olympian gods. Their ruler is Åšakra. The CÄ?turmahÄ?rÄ?jikakÄ?yika devas, who include the martial kings who guard the four quarters of the Earth. The chief of these kings is VaiÅ›ravaṇa, but all are ultimately accountable to Åšakra. They also include four types of earthly demigod or nature-spirit: KumbhÄ?ṇá¸?as, Gandharvas, NÄ?gas and Yaká¹£as, and probably also the Garuá¸?as. Furthermore, you should recollect the devas: 'There are the devas of the Four Great Kings, the devas of the Thirty-three,...2 196. Dh. Feeders of joy we shall be like the radiant gods devas. Sometimes included among the devas, and sometimes placed in a different category, are the Asuras, the opponents of the preceding two groups of devas, whose nature is to be continually engaged in war. Humans are said to have originally had many of the powers of the devas: not requiring food, the ability to fly through the air, and shining by their own light. Over time they began to eat solid foods, their bodies became coarser and their powers disappeared. Devas vs. gods Although the word deva is generally translated god or, very occasionally, angel in English, Buddhist devas differ from the gods, God, or angels of western religions past and present in many important ways. Buddhist devas are not immortal. They live for very long but finite periods of time, ranging from thousands to at least billions of years. When they pass away, they are reborn as some other sort of being, perhaps a different type of deva, perhaps a human or something else. Buddhist devas do not create or shape the world. They come into existence based upon their past karmas and they are as much subject to the natural laws of cause and effect as any other being in the universe. They also have no role in the periodic dissolutions of worlds. Buddhist devas are not incarnations of a few archetypal deities or manifestations of an all-embracing pantheistic One. Nor are they merely symbols. They are considered to be, like humans, distinct individuals with their own personalities and paths in life. Buddhist devas are not omniscient. Their knowledge is inferior to that of a fully enlightened Buddha, and they especially lack awareness of beings in worlds higher than their own. Buddhist devas are not omnipotent. Their powers tend to be limited to their own worlds, and they rarely intervene in human affairs. When they do, it is generally by way of quiet advice than by physical intervention. Buddhist devas are not morally perfect. The devas of the worlds of the RÅ«padhÄ?tu do lack human passions and desires, but some of them are capable of ignorance, arrogance and pride. The devas of the lower worlds of the KÄ?madhÄ?tu experience the same kind of passions that humans do, including in the lowest of these worlds, lust, jealousy, and anger. It is, indeed, their imperfections in the mental and moral realms that cause them to be reborn in these worlds. Buddhist devas are not to be taken as a Buddhist refuge. While some individuals among the devas may be beings of great moral authority and prestige and thus deserving of a high degree of respect, no deva can show the way of escape from saṃsÄ?ra or control one's rebirth. The highest honors are reserved to the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Saá¹…gha. Confused with devas Mahayana and Vajrayana mation and practice includes several types of being that are often called gods, but are distinct from the devas. Bodhisattvas: A bodhisattva may be a deva in a particular life, but bodhisattvas are not essentially devas, and if they happen to be devas it is only in the course of being born in many different worlds over time. A bodhisattva is as likely to be born as a human or as an animal, and is only distinguished from other beings by the certainty that eventually, after many lives, the bodhisattva will be reborn as a Buddha. For example, the current bodhisattva of the Tuá¹£ita heaven is now a deva. In his next life, however, he will be reborn as a human - the Buddha Maitreya. Advanced Bodhisattvas are also capable of manifesting themselves in a great variety of forms, including the forms of devas, depending upon the circumstances. Yidams: These mational deities sometimes take the form of ordinary devas and sometimes appear as manifestations of bodhisattvas, but they are in all cases to be taken as manifestations of enlightened mind with which the mator intends to unite. Buddhas: A NirmÄ?ṇakÄ?ya Buddha physically manifesting Buddha is always a human and not a deva, as the right conditions for attaining supreme enlightenment do not exist in the deva-worlds. A SambhogakÄ?ya Buddha has the form of a very high-ranking deva, but does not exist within the universe, subject to birth and death, as all the devas do. The DharmakÄ?ya is beyond all worlds and limitations. References ^ Susan Elbaum Jootla Teacher of the Devas: The Wheel Publication No. 414/416 Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1997 article link at Access to Insight ^ The Ä€rya Saïghà ñasÃ¥tra DharmaparyÄ?ya v d e Buddhism topics History Timeline · Gautama Buddha · Buddhist councils · History of Buddhism in India · Decline of Buddhism in India · Ashoka the Great · Greco-Buddhism · Silk Road transmission of Buddhism Foundations Three Jewels Buddha, Dharma, Sangha · Four Noble Truths · Noble Eightfold Path · Nirvana · Middle Way Key Concepts Three Marks of Existence: Impermanence, Suffering, Not-self · Dependent Origination · Five Aggregates · Karma · Vipaka · Rebirth · Samsara · Defilements · Five Hindrances · Ten Fetters · Enlightenment Qualities · Perfections · JhÄ?na · Sense Bases · Four Great Elements · Renunciation · Bodhi · Parinirvana · Two truths doctrine · Emptiness · Bodhicitta · Bodhisattva · Buddha-nature · Bhumi · Trikaya Cosmology Ten spiritual realms · Six Realms Hell, Animal realm, Hungry Ghost realm, Asura realm, Human realm, Heaven · Three Spheres Practices Threefold Training: Morality, Concentration, Wisdom · Buddhist devotion · Taking refuge · Four Divine Abidings: Loving-kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic joy, Equanimity · Mindfulness · Merit · Puja: Offerings, Prostration, Chanting · Paritta · Generosity · Morality: Five Precepts, Eight Precepts, Ten Precepts, Bodhisattva vows, Patimokkha · Bhavana · Mation: Kammaá¹á¹hÄ?na, Recollection, Mindfulness of Breathing, Serenity mation, Insight mation, Shikantaza, Zazen, KÅ?an, Mandala, Tonglen, Tantra Attainment Types of Buddha · Bodhisattva · Four stages of enlightenment: Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, Arahant Monasticism Monk · Nun · Novice monk · Novice nun · Anagarika · Ajahn · Sayadaw · Zen master · Roshi · Lama · Rinpoche · Geshe · Tulku · Householder · Lay follower · Disciple · Ngagpa Texts Tipitaka Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, Abhidhamma Pitaka, Commentaries · Mahayana sutras · Chinese Buddhist canon Tripitaka Koreana · Tibetan Buddhist canon Major Figures Gautama Buddha · SÄ?riputta · MahamoggallÄ?na · Ananda · Maha Kassapa · Buddhaghosa · Nagasena · Bodhidharma · Nagarjuna · Asanga · Padmasambhava · Dalai Lama Branches Theravada · Mahayana: Chan/Zen, Pure Land, Tendai, Nichiren, Madhyamaka, Yogacara · Vajrayana: Tibetan Buddhism, Shingon · Early Buddhist schools · Pre-sectarian Buddhism · Basic points unifying Theravada and Mahayana Countries Bhutan · Burma · Cambodia · China · India · Indonesia · Japan · Korea · Laos · Malaysia · Mongolia · Nepal · Russia · Singapore · Sri Lanka · Thailand · Tibet · Vietnam · Western countries Comparative Buddhism Science · Psychology · Hinduism · Jainism · East Asian religions · Christianity · Theosophy · Gnosticism Lists Buddhists · Buddhas · Twenty-eight Buddhas · Bodhisattvas · Temples · Books · Buddhism-related topics · Terms and concepts Miscellaneous topics TathÄ?gata · Maitreya · AvalokiteÅ›vara Guan Yin · AmitÄ?bha · BrahmÄ? · MÄ?ra · Dhammapada · Visuddhimagga · Vinaya · Sutra · Abhidharma · Buddhist philosophy · Eschatology · Reality in Buddhism · God in Buddhism · Liturgical languages: Pali, Sanskrit · Dharma talk · Buddhist calendar · Kalpa · Buddhism and evolution · Buddhism and homosexuality · Fourteen unanswerable questions · Ethics · Culture · Monastic robe · Cuisine · Vegetarianism · Art · Greco-Buddhist art · Buddha statue · Budai · Symbolism Dharmacakra · Flag · Bhavacakra · Mantra Om mani padme hum · Prayer wheel · Mala · Mudra · Holidays · Vesak · Uposatha · Vassa · Architecture: Vihara, Wat, Stupa, Pagoda · Pilgrimage: Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar · Bodhi tree · Mahabodhi Temple · Higher Knowledge · Supernormal Powers · Miracles of the Buddha · Physical characteristics of the Buddha · Family of the Buddha Category · Portal Retrieved from http://en..org/wiki/Deva_Buddhism Categories: Buddhist cosmology | Deities, spirits, and mythic beings | Buddhist deities, bodhisattvas, and demons | Sanskrit words and phrases | Pali words and phrases Views Article Discussion this page History Personal tools Log in / create account Navigation Main page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Search Go Search Interaction Community portal Recent changes Contact Donate to Help Toolbox What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Printable version Permanent link Cite this page Languages 日本語 Polski Português РуÑ?Ñ?кий ä¸æ–‡ This page was last modified on 13 September 2008, at 02:45
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