色界

(Skt: rūpadhātu) One of the Three Realms, which can only be visualized by Dhyāna, i.e. Zen or Ch'an. There are four levels of heavenly states with 18 heavens in total.

1. First Dhyāna Heaven or First Jhāna Brahmās 初襌天 comprising 3 heavens:
   1. Retinue of Brahmās i.e. Brahmā-parisadya in Sanskrit, Prahma-parisajja in Pāli 梵眾天
   2. Ministers of Brahmās, i.e. Brahmā-purchita in Sanskrit and in Pāli 梵輔天
   3. Great Brahmās, i.e. Mahābrahmās in Sanskrit and Pāli 大梵天
2. Second Dhyāna Heaven or Second Jhāna Brahmās 二襌天 comprising 3 heavens：
   1. Brahmās of Minor Light, i.e. Parittabha in Sanskrit, 少光天
   2. Brahmā of Infinite Light, i.e. Apramanabha in Sanskrit, 無量光天
   3. Brahmā of Utmost Light-purity, i.e. Abhasvara in Sanskrit, or Abhassara in Pāli 極光淨天 / 光音天  
3. Third Dhyāna Heaven or Third Jhāna Brahmās, 三襌天 comprising 3 heavens：
   1. Brahmās of Minor Purity, i.e. Parittasubha in Sanskrit 少淨天
   2. Brahmās of Infinite Purity, i.e. Apramanasubha in Sanskrit, 無量淨天
   3. Brahmās of Universal Purity, i.e. Subhakṛtṣṇa in Sanskrit or Subhakinba in Pāli 遍淨天
4. Fourth Dhyāna Heaven or Fourth Jhāna Brahmās 四襌天 comprising 9 heavens：
   1. Cloudless Brahmās, i.e. Anabhraka in Sanskrit 無雲天
   2. Brahmās of Felicitous Birth, i.e. Punyaprasava in Sanskrit 福生天
   3. Brahmās of Great Reward, i.e. Bṛhatphala in Sanskrit 廣果天
   4. Brahmās of Unconscious Beings, i.e. Asaṃjñisattva in Sanskrit and Asaññāsatta in Pāli 無想天
   5. Brahmās of No-vexation, i.e. Avṛha in Sanskrit and Aviha in Pāli, 無煩天
   6. Brahmās of No-heat, i.e. Atapa in Sanskrit and Atappa in Pāli 無熱天
   7. Brahmās of Visible Beauty, i.e. Sudṛsa in Sanskrit and Sudassa in Pāli 善見天
   8. Brahmās of Beautiful Appearance, i.e. Sudarśana in Sanskrit and Sudassi in Pāli 善現天
   9. Peerless Brahmās or Brahmās of End of Form, i.e. Akaniṣṭha in Sanskrit or Akanittha in Pāli 色究竟天

See also Three Realms.