BRAHMA-LOKA

in Hinduism and Buddhism, that part of the many-layered universe that is the realm of pious celestial spirits. In Theravada Buddhism, the brahma-loka is said to consist of 20 separate heavens: the lower 16 are material worlds (rupa-brahma-loka) inhabited by progressively more radiant and subtle gods, the remaining 4 higher realms are devoid of substance and form and are said to constitute the arupa-brahma-loka. Theravada Buddhists hold that rebirth in the brahma-loka is the reward enjoyed by an individual who has accompanied great virtue with meditation. The actual level an individual attains is determined by his faithfulness to the Buddha, the dhamma (Sanskrit dharma, teachings), and the sangha (the religious community), as well as the depth of his insight into the true formless nature of the universe. Like all other worlds in Theravada cosmology, the brahma-loka undergoes constant change, destruction, and re-creation.