Have you ever looked around and wondered why some people seem to live in constant suffering while others experience ease and joy? Why do some seem born into privilege and peace, while others face relentless hardship from the very start?

Buddhism approaches these questions not by offering a single lifetime of explanations, but by revealing a much broader vision: the cycle of rebirth, known as samsara. Within this cycle, beings are said to be reborn into different realms of existence based on the karma they have accumulated—actions of body, speech, and mind.

In this article, we will explore the Six Realms of Existence, also called the Six Realms of Samsara. These realms represent different states of existence, both literal and metaphorical, through which beings cycle endlessly until they achieve liberation.

Understanding the Six Realms isn’t just about knowing what happens after death—it’s about seeing the patterns of suffering and desire that trap us in daily life. By recognizing these patterns, we begin the journey toward freedom.

☸️ What Are the Six Realms of Existence?

In Buddhist cosmology, the Six Realms (Sanskrit: ṣaḍgati) are distinct modes of existence within the endless wheel of samsara. Beings are continually reborn into these realms based on their karma—the moral quality of their actions.

The six realms are:

  1. God Realm (Deva)
  2. Demi-God Realm (Asura)
  3. Human Realm (Manusya)
  4. Animal Realm (Tiryag-yoni)
  5. Hungry Ghost Realm (Preta)
  6. Hell Realm (Naraka)

These realms are often depicted in the Bhavachakra, or Wheel of Life, a symbolic image used throughout Buddhist cultures to teach the nature of samsara and the way out of it.

Let’s now explore each realm in detail—what it represents, the type of karma that leads to rebirth there, and how it relates to our present experience.

🌸 1. The God Realm (Deva-loka)

Pleasure, pride, and spiritual complacency

The Deva realm is the highest of the six, inhabited by celestial beings who enjoy long lives, immense pleasure, and blissful states of existence. It is sometimes compared to the concept of heaven in other religious traditions.

However, from a Buddhist perspective, even the gods are not free from samsara. Their lifespans may be long and luxurious, but when their good karma is exhausted, they fall to lower realms. Worse, their pleasurable existence can foster spiritual pride and complacency, making them forget the urgency of awakening.

Karma Leading Here:

Rebirth in the God realm arises from immense positive karma, especially from acts of generosity, ethical conduct, and meditation. But if these actions are done with attachment to self or pride, the result is still bound to samsara.

Real-Life Parallel:

A life filled with luxury, status, and comfort—yet marked by spiritual disinterest or distraction—may mirror this realm. People may have everything they desire, but feel little need to question existence or seek deeper truth.

⚔️ 2. The Demi-God Realm (Asura-loka)

Jealousy, ambition, and constant conflict

The Asura realm is populated by powerful beings who are often in conflict—jealous of the gods, desirous of more power, and filled with competitive rage. Despite having many good qualities, they are dominated by envy and aggression.

They may possess strength, intelligence, or beauty, but their need to outdo others leads to endless battles and dissatisfaction.

Karma Leading Here:

Rebirth here arises from acts of goodness tainted by competitiveness, ego, or anger. A person who practices virtue to gain superiority or defeat rivals may generate this type of karma.

Real-Life Parallel:

People driven by status, comparison, or a sense of rivalry—even when successful—may be living the Asura experience. This realm reflects the suffering hidden beneath constant ambition and comparison.

👤 3. The Human Realm (Manusya-loka)

Opportunity, awareness, and the rare chance for awakening

The human realm is considered the most fortunate of the six. While humans experience both pleasure and pain, this balance creates a unique opportunity: the capacity for self-reflection and spiritual practice.

Unlike gods, humans are not distracted by pleasure. Unlike beings in lower realms, they are not consumed entirely by suffering. This middle ground provides the ideal conditions for enlightenment.

Karma Leading Here:

Rebirth in the human realm arises from virtuous actions such as generosity, ethical behavior, and the cultivation of wisdom—especially when done with sincere intentions.

Real-Life Value:

As a human, you have the rare chance to study the Dharma, meditate, and break free from samsara. The Buddha himself was born in the human realm, and it is here that enlightenment is most accessible.

This makes your current life—right now—an immeasurable gift.

🐾 4. The Animal Realm (Tiryag-yoni-loka)

Ignorance, fear, and survival instinct

Beings in the animal realm live under the dominance of instinct. They suffer from fear, vulnerability, and ignorance. Their lives are governed by basic needs: food, shelter, reproduction, and defense.

Because they lack the capacity for self-awareness, animals cannot practice the Dharma or accumulate positive karma for higher rebirths. They often live at the mercy of other beings.

Karma Leading Here:

Rebirth as an animal is caused by ignorance and actions rooted in delusion—mindlessness, stubbornness, or unexamined habits.

Real-Life Parallel:

When we live life purely on autopilot—driven by habits, fear, or immediate gratification—we experience something of the animal realm. Forgetting our higher potential, we live in reaction rather than reflection.

👻 5. The Hungry Ghost Realm (Preta-loka)

Unquenchable desire and constant dissatisfaction

The beings in this realm are tormented by insatiable hunger and thirst. No matter how much they try to consume, their desires are never fulfilled. They are depicted as having huge stomachs and tiny mouths—forever longing, but never satisfied.

This realm symbolizes the suffering of greed, addiction, and craving—desires that can never be quenched, whether physical or emotional.

Karma Leading Here:

Rebirth as a hungry ghost comes from a life dominated by greed, stinginess, and clinging—especially when wealth, food, or emotional needs are hoarded without sharing.

Real-Life Parallel:

We may enter this realm metaphorically when we obsess over material goods, approval, or addictive behaviors. No amount of buying, eating, scrolling, or seeking praise brings true peace. The more we crave, the emptier we feel.

🔥 6. The Hell Realm (Naraka-loka)

Hatred, violence, and intense suffering

This is the realm of greatest suffering—marked by pain, fear, torture, and extreme torment. There are many kinds of hells in Buddhist cosmology (hot and cold, sudden and endless), each representing different forms of karmic consequences.

Unlike in some traditions, Buddhist hells are not eternal. Beings suffer for vast periods of time, but eventually exhaust the karma and are reborn elsewhere.

Karma Leading Here:

Hell-rebirth comes from intense hatred, violence, cruelty, and harm toward others—especially if done with deliberate malice.

Real-Life Parallel:

When we are consumed by rage, bitterness, or vengeance, we taste the hell realm even in this life. Wars, abuse, and cycles of hatred reflect this suffering here and now—not just in a future life.

🌏 Seeing the Realms in Everyday Life

Though the Six Realms are often seen as literal places, many Buddhist teachers emphasize that they can also be states of mind we cycle through daily:

We may not physically die and be reborn in each realm right now, but our inner world constantly shifts among them. Recognizing these patterns helps us respond with wisdom.

🛤️ The Way Out: Breaking Free from the Realms

The Buddha taught that the Six Realms are all impermanent, bound by dukkha (suffering), and lacking a permanent self (anatta). None of them offer true refuge. The goal is not to reach a better realm—but to be liberated from the cycle entirely.

How?

Through the Noble Eightfold Path, which offers a way out of samsara:

By cultivating insight and compassion, we can break the cycle of karmic rebirth and attain nirvana—the end of suffering.

🌅 Your Journey Begins Here

The Six Realms of Existence may sound mythical, but they speak directly to the human heart. They describe the cycles of suffering and longing that keep us trapped—not just after death, but in each moment we lose our clarity.

As you reflect on your own life, ask:

The Buddha’s wisdom invites us not to fear the realms—but to wake up within them. Every moment of mindfulness is a step out of the cycle.

As the Dhammapada says:

“Mind is the forerunner of all things. If with a pure mind one speaks or acts, happiness follows like a shadow that never leaves.”

Let your next step be one of awareness, kindness, and liberation.