'sphere', realm. The 3 spheres of existence are:
- the sensuous sphere (kāmāvacara),
- the fine-material sphere (rūpāvacara),
- the immaterial sphere (arūpāvacara).
"Which things are of the sensuous
sphere (kāmāvacara)?
-
Whatever things exist within the interval bounded
beneath by the Avīci-hell and above by the Paranimmitavasavatti-heaven
(s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being therein included, to
wit: the groups of existence, the elements, bases (s.
khandha, dhātu,
Āyatana), materiality, feeling, perception, mental constructions and
consciousness, all these things are of the sensuous sphere. -
But which things
are of the fine material sphere (rūpāvacara)?
-
Whatever things exist
within the interval bounded beneath by the Brahma-world and above by the
Akanittha-world (s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being
therein included ... and also consciousness and mental factors in one who has
entered the (fine-material) absorptions, or who has been reborn in that sphere,
or who already during his life-time is living in happiness (of the absorptions),
all these things are of the fine-material sphere. -
Which things are of the
immaterial sphere (arūpāvacara)?
-
Consciousness and mental factors arising
within the interval bounded beneath by the beings reborn in the sphere of
unbounded space and above by the beings reborn in the sphere of
neither-perception-nor-non-perception (s. jhāna 5-8), and consciousness
and mental factors in one who has entered the (immaterial absorptions), or who
has been reborn in that sphere, or who already during his lifetime is living in
happiness (of the immaterial absorptions), all these things are of the
immaterial sphere."
(Cf. Dhs. 1280, 1282, 1284; Vibh. XVIII). (App.).

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