How to be reborn into the various realms?

[Maarten]

I know breaking precepts will lead to the lower realms, and keeping them leads to the human realm. Having Jhana's and the Brahmaviharas lead to the Brahma realms, but how does one get into the other realms? If someone was aiming for Tavatimsa, or Tusita, etc, how would they go about it?

[santa100]

If someone was aiming for Tavatimsa, or Tusita, etc, how would they go about it?

The accesstoinsight's "31 Planes of Existence" link gave pretty good info with backup sutta references on the cause of rebirth into various realms (the third column of the table).

[Ontheway]

The answer lies in this Sutta.

Saṅkhārupapattisutta
https://suttacentral.net/mn120/en/sujat ... ript=latin

[Maarten]

If someone was aiming for Tavatimsa, or Tusita, etc, how would they go about it?

The accesstoinsight's "31 Planes of Existence" link gave pretty good info with backup sutta references on the cause of rebirth into various realms (the third column of the table).

Thanks! Now that you post this I remember having asked this question before. I must not have studied it very well.

So rebirth in the deva realms is determined by the intention with which you give. Is that correct?
I've made a little abstract of the article, perhaps you could see if I understood this correctly:

The Immaterial World - Mastery of one of the Jhanas corresponding with this realm.

The Fine-Material World - Mastery of one of the Jhanas corresponding with this realm.

The Sensuous World - 5 precepts, right speech, right view, and abandoning thoughts of covetousness and Ill will

• Giving in order to get a good rebirth - The Four Great Kings

• Giving because one believes giving is good - Devas of the Thirty-three

• Giving out of tradition - Devas of the Hours

• Giving out of compassion - Contented Devas

• Giving to emulate holy men - devas who delight in creation

• Giving because one enjoys it - devas who have power over the creations of others

• Giving to make the mind more wholesome - Brahma's Retinue

• No giving - the human realm

The Sensuous World (STATES OF DEPRIVATION) - the absence of the above.

[Maarten]

The answer lies in this Sutta.

Saṅkhārupapattisutta
https://suttacentral.net/mn120/en/sujat ... ript=latin

Interesting, thank you!

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
...
Those choices and meditations of theirs developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

So if you have 'faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom' you get to go to whatever realm you cultivated a desire for?

[Ceisiwr]

The answer lies in this Sutta.

Saṅkhārupapattisutta
https://suttacentral.net/mn120/en/sujat ... ript=latin

Interesting, thank you!

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
...
Those choices and meditations of theirs developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

So if you have 'faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom' you get to go to whatever realm you cultivated a desire for?

Nothing is guaranteed unless you are a stream-enterer or higher.

[Ontheway]

The answer lies in this Sutta.

Saṅkhārupapattisutta
https://suttacentral.net/mn120/en/sujat ... ript=latin

Interesting, thank you!

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
...
Those choices and meditations of theirs developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

So if you have 'faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom' you get to go to whatever realm you cultivated a desire for?

The Sutta confirmed it.

But like Ceisiwr said, there is no guarantee for anything. We could overestimate ourselves.

For me, I think it is better just focus on Dhamma practice, be a better person, and putting effort to get rid of defilements.

[befriend]

I think this sutta is important in the framework of practice and cosmology https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

[Maarten]

I agree with you guys. It is better to focus on the practice, which I try to. It's just that I'd prefer not to come back here again.

So it is nice to have a backup plan.

[Maarten]

I was thinking about how the The Dog-duty Ascetic fits into this. The sutta seems to imply that if one perfectly emulates the behavior of a certain being, one will be reborn as such a being. (On the condition that one also believes this will happen)

Then perhaps the requirements of virtue and generosity for the various realms are just ways of emulating the natural inclinations of those devas?

[santa100]

I was thinking about how the The Dog-duty Ascetic fits into this. The sutta seems to imply that if one perfectly emulates the behavior of a certain being, one will be reborn as such a being. (On the condition that one also believes this will happen)

Actually the "condition that one believes this will happen" doesn't affect the outcome of their future rebirth. Afterall, those Dog-duty acetics apparently believed that their strange practice would lead to a much more fortunate/refined rebirths! But just because they believe in something doesn't mean they'll be able to attain their goal. Their practice would inevitably lead them to the dark paths ahead. Fortunately, they met the Buddha and received His instructions on the true Dhamma and the proper way of practice.

[Akashad]

If someone was aiming for Tavatimsa, or Tusita, etc, how would they go about it?

The accesstoinsight's "31 Planes of Existence" link gave pretty good info with backup sutta references on the cause of rebirth into various realms (the third column of the table).

Thanks! Now that you post this I remember having asked this question before. I must not have studied it very well.

So rebirth in the deva realms is determined by the intention with which you give. Is that correct?
I've made a little abstract of the article, perhaps you could see if I understood this correctly:

The Immaterial World - Mastery of one of the Jhanas corresponding with this realm.

The Fine-Material World - Mastery of one of the Jhanas corresponding with this realm.

The Sensuous World - 5 precepts, right speech, right view, and abandoning thoughts of covetousness and Ill will

• Giving in order to get a good rebirth - The Four Great Kings

• Giving because one believes giving is good - Devas of the Thirty-three

• Giving out of tradition - Devas of the Hours

• Giving out of compassion - Contented Devas

• Giving to emulate holy men - devas who delight in creation

• Giving because one enjoys it - devas who have power over the creations of others

• Giving to make the mind more wholesome - Brahma's Retinue

• No giving - the human realm

The Sensuous World (STATES OF DEPRIVATION) - the absence of the above.

Thank you..this is so valuable.

I always had the habit of giving but I only realised now thanks to this post that my intention behind it has changed over the years.

[Maarten]

I was thinking about how the The Dog-duty Ascetic fits into this. The sutta seems to imply that if one perfectly emulates the behavior of a certain being, one will be reborn as such a being. (On the condition that one also believes this will happen)

Actually the "condition that one believes this will happen" doesn't affect the outcome of their future rebirth. Afterall, those Dog-duty acetics apparently believed that their strange practice would lead to a much more fortunate/refined rebirths! But just because they believe in something doesn't mean they'll be able to attain their goal. Their practice would inevitably lead them to the dark paths ahead. Fortunately, they met the Buddha and received His instructions on the true Dhamma and the proper way of practice.

Ah right, It's been a while since I read the sutta.
It only matters if they have wrong views of where they are going.

[Maarten]

Thank you..this is so valuable.

I always had the habit of giving but I only realised now thanks to this post that my intention behind it has changed over the years.

That is nice to hear. I'd love to hear some more about that.

For me, it is a weakness in my practice. Part of the reason is that I never really had all that much to give, but when I do, it's usually out of compassion.

[bpallister]

I like to give to feel like a big shot.