Suddhavasa
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Pure Abodes (Suddhavasa)
The Pure Abodes, are distinct from the other worlds of the rupa-loka in that they do not house beings who have been born there through ordinary merit or meditative attainments. Birth in these five realms are a result of attaining the fruit of non-returning or Anagami, the third level of enlightenment. These Pure Abodes are accessible only to those who have destroyed the lower five
fetters consist of self-view, sceptical doubt, clinging to rites and ceremonies, sense desires, and ill-will. They will destroy their remaining fetters of craving for fine material existence, craving for immaterial existence, conceit, restlessness and ignorance during their existence in the Pure Abodes. Those who take rebirth here are called "
non-returners" because they do not return from that world, but attain final nibbana there without coming back. They guard and protect Buddhism on earth, and will pass into enlightenment as Arhats when they pass away from the Suddhavasa worlds. According to the Ayacana Sutta, among its inhabitants is Brahma Sahampati, who begs the Buddha to teach Dhamma to the world.
The five Pure Abodes are:
27 - Peerless Devas (Akanittha deva) World of devas "equal in rank". The highest of all the Rūpadhātu worlds, it is often used to refer to the highest extreme of the universe. The current Śakra will eventually be born there.
26 - Clear-Sighted (sudassi deva) The "clear-seeing" devas live in a world similar to and friendly with the Akaniṣṭha world.
25 - Beautiful devas (sudassa deva) The world of the "beautiful" devas is said to be the place of rebirth for five kinds of anāgāmins.
24 - Untroubled devas (atappa deva) The world of the "untroubled" devas, for whose company those of lower realms long.
23 - Devas not Falling Away (aviha deva) The world of the "not falling" devas, perhaps the most common destination for reborn Anāgāmins. Many achieve arhatship directly in this world, but some pass away and are reborn in sequentially higher worlds of the Pure Abodes until they are at last reborn in the Akaniṣṭha world. These are called in Pāli uddhaṃsotas, "those whose stream goes upward".