法苑珠林 70.55

70.55

Question: It is not known how the forty-two dwellings are differentiated. Answer: As stated in the Lokasthāna-sūtra, there are twenty dwellings within the desire realm, eighteen within the form realm, and four within the formless realm; taken together across the tridhātu, there are forty-two dwelling places. The twenty of the desire realm are: the eight great hells, together with animals and hungry ghosts, which make ten; further taking the humans of the four continents and the devas of the six desires makes another ten, totaling twenty dwelling places. The eighteen in the form realm are: the eighteen heavens within the four dhyānas, which make eighteen dwellings. In the formless realm are the four stations of formless absorption. Combined, they make forty-two dwellings.