Form realm

Mount Meru surrounded by the continents and subcontinents, with the gods of the Desire and Form Realms above

Form realm (Skt. rūpadhātu; Wyl. gzugs khams) — the second of the three realms, only 'populated' by gods and divided into seventeen heavens. The cause for being reborn in one of these heavens is the favourable karma accumulated through the practice of one of the four dhyanas, each 'causal meditative dhyana' acting as a cause of rebirth in one of the corresponding 'resultant dhyana levels'.

Seventeen Heavens of the Form Realm (Skt. rupadhatuvasiñjati; Wyl. gzugs khams gnas ri bcu bdun)

Five Pure Heavens (gtsang gnas lnga)

1. Unexcelled (Skt. Akanishtha, Wyl. ‘og min)
2. Extreme Insight/Great Vision (Skt. Sudarśa; shin tu mthong)
3. Perfect Appearance/The Marvellous (Skt. Sudṛśa; gya nom snang ba)
4. The Painless/Without Distress (Skt. Atapa; mi gdung pa)
5. The Slightest/Not So Great (Skt. Abṛha; mi che ba)

Note: the five pure heavens are also a result of the fourth dhyana meditation.

Fourth Dhyana (bsam gtan bzhi pa)

• Great Fruition (Skt. Bṛhatphala; ‘bras bu che)
• Increasing Merit (Skt. Puṇyaprasava; bsod nams ‘phel)
• Cloudless (Skt. Anabhraka; sprin med)

Third Dhyana (bsam gtan gsum pa)

• Most Extensive Virtue (Skt. Śubhakṛtsna; dge rgyas)
• Immeasurable Virtue (Skt. Apramāṇaśubha; tshad med dge)
• Lesser Virtue (Skt. Parīttaśubha; dge chung)

Second Dhyana (bsam gtan gnyis pa)

• Clear Radiance (Skt. Ābhāsvara; ‘od gsal)
• Immeasurable Radiance (Skt. Apramāṇābha; tshad med ‘od)
• Lesser Radiance (Skt. Parīttābha; ‘od chung)

First Dhyana (bsam gtan dang po)

• Great Brahma (Skt. Mahābrahmaṇa; tshangs pa chen po)
• Priests of Brahma (Skt. Brahmapurohita; tshangs pa mdun na ‘don)
• Heaven of Brahma (Skt. Brahmakāyika; tshangs ris)