AN 7.44  Satta viññāṇaṭṭhiti sutta - Seven Planes of Consciousness

“Sattimā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo. Katamā satta?

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven |planes of consciousness::stations of consciousness [viññāṇaṭṭhiti]|. What seven?

Santi, bhikkhave, sattā nānattakāyā nānattasaññino, seyyathāpi manussā, ekacce ca devā, ekacce ca vinipātikā. Ayaṁ paṭhamā viññāṇaṭṭhiti.

1.) Bhikkhus, there are sentient beings with diverse bodies and diverse perceptions, such as humans, certain gods, and some who have fallen into a |realm of downfall::realm of misery [vinipāta]|. This is the first plane of consciousness.

Santi, bhikkhave, sattā nānattakāyā ekattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā brahmakāyikā paṭhamābhinibbattā. Ayaṁ dutiyā viññāṇaṭṭhiti.

2.) Bhikkhus, there are sentient beings with diverse bodies but identical perceptions, such as the gods belonging to the |Brahma’s::God, the first deity to be born at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle and whose lifespan lasts for the entire cycle [brahmā]| assembly who are reborn through the first [jhāna]. This is the second plane of consciousness.

Santi, bhikkhave, sattā ekattakāyā nānattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā ābhassarā. Ayaṁ tatiyā viññāṇaṭṭhiti.

3.) Bhikkhus, there are sentient beings with identical bodies but diverse perceptions, such as the |radiant gods::effulgent deities; a class of Brahma gods [ābhassarā + devā]|. This is the third plane of consciousness.

Santi, bhikkhave, sattā ekattakāyā ekattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā subhakiṇhā. Ayaṁ catutthā viññāṇaṭṭhiti.

4.) Bhikkhus, there are sentient beings with identical bodies and identical perceptions, such as the |gods of Refulgent Glory::MA: By mentioning these, all beings occupying the plane of the third jhāna — the gods of Limited Glory and the gods of Immeasurable Glory — should be included [subhakiṇha]|. This is the fourth plane of consciousness.

Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ pañcamā viññāṇaṭṭhiti.

5.) Bhikkhus, there are sentient beings who, with the complete surpassing of |perceptions of form::recognition of matter, concept of materiality [rūpasaññā]|, with the vanishing of |perceptions of sensory impact::recognition of sense impression, aversion; lit. striking against perception [paṭighasaññā]|, and non-attention to |perceptions of diversity::recognition of diversity, perception of multiplicity [nānattasaññā]|, perceive ‘boundless space.’ They are established in the dimension of boundless space. This is the fifth plane of consciousness.

Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ chaṭṭhā viññāṇaṭṭhiti.

6.) Bhikkhus, there are sentient beings who, with the complete surpassing of the dimension of boundless space, perceive ‘boundless consciousness.’ They are established in the dimension of boundless consciousness. This is the sixth plane of consciousness.

Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ sattamā viññāṇaṭṭhiti.

7.) Bhikkhus, there are sentient beings who, with the complete surpassing of the dimension of boundless consciousness, perceive ‘there is nothing at all.’ They are established in the dimension of nothingness. This is the seventh plane of consciousness.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, satta viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo”ti.

These, bhikkhus, are the seven planes of consciousness.”