Reply To: Lifetimes of Abhassara/Subhakinha devas

#31886
Lal
Keymaster

Thank you, Zapper.
– Yes. I needed to update the lifetimes in the post, “Pathama Metta Sutta

1. I have corrected the lifetimes there per that sutta.

2. Now, it appears that the lifetimes quoted in that sutta for the Abhassara and Subhkinha realms (2 and 4 kappa) are different from those in the post, “31 Realms of Existence” (8 and 64 kappa)

3. In several other references, he lifetimes match those in the post, “31 Realms of Existence
– One reference is, Section 6.2. Āyuppamāṇa in the vibhaṅga:
Dhammahadaya vibhaṅga

4. I think the resolution is the following.
The Pathama Metta Sutta (AN 4.125) discusses the rebirths in Brahma realms that result from cultivation of the first, second, third, and fourth jhana.
– But each jhana corresponds to several Brahma realms, depending on the “strength” of the jhana.
– In particular, the second and third jhanas correspond to three realms each (based on the strength of the jhana being low, medium, and high).
– Other references give lifetimes for EACH of those realms. But the Pathama Metta Sutta (AN 4.125) gives just one lifetime.

5 You can see the division of each jhana to several realms in, “The Thirty-one Planes of Existence

By the way, the lifetimes that you quoted are the old ones that appeared in my posts BEFORE revisions.