One of the five or six classes of living beings, specifically engendered and dominated by exaltation, indulgence, and pride. Like human beings and asuras, they are all within the higher realms (svarga, mtho ris) of rebirth, but nonetheless remain trapped within cyclic existence. The gods are said to exist in realms higher than that of the human realm, their realms and abodes set out in their own hierarchy. The god realms altogether comprise (1) six god realms within the realm of desire (kāmadhātu), commencing with Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika and Trayastriṃśa, and concluding with Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin; (2) twenty-one realms in the realm of form (rūpadhātu), including (a) the sixteen Brahmā realms, extending from Brahmakāyika through Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, Parīttabṛhat, and Apramāṇabṛhat to Bṛhatphala, which are attained corresponding to lesser, middling, and higher degrees of the four meditative concentrations; (b) the five Pure Abodes at the pinnacle of the realm of form, extending from Avṛha, through Atapa, Sudṛśa, and Sudarśana to Akaniṣṭha; and (3) the four formless realms at the summit of existence. See UT22084-026-001-411 and similar passages. Note that the list in this text differs from those in other texts in including four realms (instead of three) for each of the four groups of Brahmā realms, i.e., in listing sixteen Brahmā realms instead of twelve, and therefore twenty-one realms of form in all.

Lit. “son of a god.” A class of beings in the higher planes of existence in the desire realm, as well as in the form and formless realm.

Lit. “son of a god.” A class of beings in the higher planes of existence in the desire realm, as well as in the form and formless realms.

In Buddhist cosmology, the gods are one of the five or six classes of beings, and are said to populate realms higher than the human realm within the realm of desire (kāma­dhātu), and to exist in the realm of form (rūpa­dhātu) and the formless realm (ārūpyadhātu) as well.

Gods, demigods, and human beings compose the three fortunate realms of higher rebirth. Gods enjoy comfort and peace, but rarely attain enlightenment. The three realms of gods include the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm.

In most cases used to refer to a class of long-lived celestial being, but occasionally appears as an honorific term of address for royalty, similar to “Your Majesty,” here rendered as “Deva.”

Literally “son of gods” or “divine scion,” the Sanskrit devaputra is often simply used as a synonym for “god” (deva), with -putra indicating that it involves a male member of this category of beings. But the term can have the added connotation of a being of divine origin who, due to a heroic feat, is able to enjoy long-lasting bliss in heaven.

It can also refer to a deity in the human world and is sometimes (as in the present work) used as a term of endearment for a ruler or leader (translated as “lord”).

See “deva.”

Cognate with the English term divine. The devas are most generically a class of divine, celestial beings who populate the narratives of Indian mythology. The term can also be used to refer to the major gods of the brahmanical pantheon.

A being in the paradises from the base of Mount Meru upward. Also can refer to a deity in the human world, or can be used as an honorific form of address for kings and other important personages.

See “gods.”

See “deity.”

Lit. “god.” An honorific term of address for royalty, similar to “Your Majesty.”

In common use, the term is synonymous with ‘deva’. See also ‘god’.

A term that is essentially synonymous with deva, “god.” See the entry for “god.”

In Sanskrit and Pali, devatā is an abstract noun referring to divine beings, or “the state of being a deity.” Any being who is worshiped or to whom offerings are made may be called a devatā. Therefore, it can encompass not only the gods (deva) of the higher heavenly realms (devaloka), but also any earthly forces, spirits, animals, or any beings, including religious mendicants, who are the objects of worship. Often it refers simply to the gods (Skt. deva, Tib. lha) of the higher realms.

In Sanskrit and Pali, devatā is an abstract noun referring to divine beings, “the state of being a deity.” Any being who is worshiped or to whom offerings are made may be called a devatā. Therefore, the term can encompass not only the gods (deva) of the higher heavenly realms (devaloka), but also any earthly forces, spirits, animals, or any beings, including religious mendicants, who are the objects of worship. Often it refers simply to the gods (Skt. deva, Tib. lha) of the higher realms.

See “god.”

A common epithet for gods.

See “gods.”

Generic term for a class of long-lived celestial beings.