The Buddha describes nine abodes of sentient beings, distinguished by diversity or identity of body and perception, spanning from human and Brahma realms to the four formless dimensions.
“Navayime, bhikkhave, sattāvāsā. Katame nava?
“There are these nine abodes of sentient beings, bhikkhus. Which nine?
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā nānattakāyā nānattasaññino, seyyathāpi manussā, ekacce ca devā, ekacce ca vinipātikā. Ayaṁ paṭhamo sattāvāso.
1.) There are sentient beings with diverse bodies and diverse perceptions, such as humans, some gods, and some who have fallen into a |realm of downfall::realm of misery [vinipāta]|. This is the first abode of sentient beings.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā nānattakāyā ekattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā brahmakāyikā paṭhamābhinibbattā. Ayaṁ dutiyo sattāvāso.
2.) There are sentient beings with diverse bodies and |having identical perception::percipient of unity [ekattasaññī]|, 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 abode of sentient beings.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā ekattakāyā nānattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā ābhassarā. Ayaṁ tatiyo sattāvāso.
3.) There are sentient beings with identical bodies and diverse perceptions, such as the |radiant gods::effulgent deities; a class of Brahma gods [ābhassarā + devā]|. This is the third abode of sentient beings.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā ekattakāyā ekattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā subhakiṇhā. Ayaṁ catuttho sattāvāso.
4.) There are sentient beings with identical bodies and having identical perception, 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 abode of sentient beings.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā asaññino appaṭisaṁvedino, seyyathāpi devā asaññasattā. Ayaṁ pañcamo sattāvāso.
5.) There are sentient beings who are |non-percipient::unaware [asaññī]| and |non-experiencing::not experiencing sensory impressions [appaṭisaṁvedī]|, such as the non-percipient gods. This is the fifth abode of sentient beings.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ chaṭṭho sattāvāso.
6.) 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 sixth abode of sentient beings.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ sattamo sattāvāso.
7.) 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 seventh abode of sentient beings.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ aṭṭhamo sattāvāso.
8.) There are sentient beings who, with the complete surpassing of the dimension of boundless consciousness, perceive ‘there is nothing.’ They are established in the dimension of nothingness. This is the eighth abode of sentient beings.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ navamo sattāvāso.
9.) There are sentient beings who, with the complete surpassing of the dimension of nothingness, are established in the dimension of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This is the ninth abode of sentient beings.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, nava sattāvāsā”ti.
These, bhikkhus, are the nine abodes of sentient beings.”
“There are these nine abodes of sentient beings, bhikkhus. Which nine?
1.) There are sentient beings with diverse bodies and diverse perceptions, such as humans, some gods, and some who have fallen into a |realm of downfall::realm of misery [vinipāta]|. This is the first abode of sentient beings.
2.) There are sentient beings with diverse bodies and |having identical perception::percipient of unity [ekattasaññī]|, 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 abode of sentient beings.
3.) There are sentient beings with identical bodies and diverse perceptions, such as the |radiant gods::effulgent deities; a class of Brahma gods [ābhassarā + devā]|. This is the third abode of sentient beings.
4.) There are sentient beings with identical bodies and having identical perception, 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 abode of sentient beings.
5.) There are sentient beings who are |non-percipient::unaware [asaññī]| and |non-experiencing::not experiencing sensory impressions [appaṭisaṁvedī]|, such as the non-percipient gods. This is the fifth abode of sentient beings.
6.) 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 sixth abode of sentient beings.
7.) 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 seventh abode of sentient beings.
8.) There are sentient beings who, with the complete surpassing of the dimension of boundless consciousness, perceive ‘there is nothing.’ They are established in the dimension of nothingness. This is the eighth abode of sentient beings.
9.) There are sentient beings who, with the complete surpassing of the dimension of nothingness, are established in the dimension of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This is the ninth abode of sentient beings.
These, bhikkhus, are the nine abodes of sentient beings.”
“Navayime, bhikkhave, sattāvāsā. Katame nava?
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā nānattakāyā nānattasaññino, seyyathāpi manussā, ekacce ca devā, ekacce ca vinipātikā. Ayaṁ paṭhamo sattāvāso.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā nānattakāyā ekattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā brahmakāyikā paṭhamābhinibbattā. Ayaṁ dutiyo sattāvāso.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā ekattakāyā nānattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā ābhassarā. Ayaṁ tatiyo sattāvāso.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā ekattakāyā ekattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā subhakiṇhā. Ayaṁ catuttho sattāvāso.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā asaññino appaṭisaṁvedino, seyyathāpi devā asaññasattā. Ayaṁ pañcamo sattāvāso.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ chaṭṭho sattāvāso.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ sattamo sattāvāso.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ aṭṭhamo sattāvāso.
Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ navamo sattāvāso.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, nava sattāvāsā”ti.