Bhuma devas - the gods who live among us

In the World of Desire (Kamadhatu), there are several classes of gods with their specific realms: bhuma devas who are gods that live among us, in forests, cities, in the sky, clouds, etc, and sagga devas[1] who live in the realms above our sphere of existence.

 Bhuma devas are connected to the same space as humans. They represent the lowest category of gods. Their strenght and hapiness differs a lot among them with some doing just a little better than pretas while others being glorious and powerful.  They are invisible to the naked eye and they generally prefer wild places, especially the forests, although some of them live in cities. Sometimes they interact with human, are venerated by them and are given offerings in exchange for protection and various benefits[2]. Some bhuma devas that are called „guardian gods” ( arakkadevata) are in fact, ancestors who were reborn in this form and are now protecting their former families or even countries. For example, in Jataka 545 we are told about a king who had a passion for gambling and whose guardian god (his own mother who died and was reborn in that state) always fixed his dice with her magic power. In another story (Jataka 536) an abandoned children was saved by his guardian god who transformed into a goat and fed him until a group of sheperds found him and took him with them. In Jataka 301 two armies are fighting supported by their respective protector gods who themselves fought each other.[3]

The most often mentioned in the texts are the spirits of the trees (rukkhadeva) about which we say that they live in an invisible dwelling place in the foliage[4]. Sometimes they are presented as identifying themselves with the whole tree like this would be their own body. This is why many buddhists, including myself, have the custom that before cutting a tree (especially if its a big and old one) they inform the spirit/spirits living inside it three days in advance and humbly ask them to move into another tree. 

Other bhuma devas live in the seas and oceans (Jataka 146, 190, 296), rivers (Jataka 288), parks (Jataka 539), plants (Jataka 370), grass (Jataka 121), cities (Jataka 497), etc.[5] 

Also, some bhuma devas live in the clouds and have somewhat control over the weather. They are called Valahakadeva and are divided in many categories: 1) warm clouds gods, 2) storm clouds gods, 3) wind gods and 4) rain gods. However, the weather is not influenced only by them. In the Samyuta Commentary (Saratthappakasini) there seven factors are mention that  cause or influence the weather: the power of nagas, the power of garudas, the power of gods, the power of a statement of truth (the power of true words with karmic weight), natural causes related with temperature, humidity, etc, the intervention of maras and the manifestation of a supranatural power. Generaly speaking, the changes in weather are due to natural processes and only unusual weather is caused by these gods. Also, the morality of people has an indirect effect towards the weather, causing the bhuma devas to be satisfied or irritated and so the rains come at proper time or there is draught[6] (Anguttara Nikaya 4:70)[7]. 

The leader of these sky gods that can influence weather is Pajjuna who belongs to the realm of the four kings abouth which I speak here. 

Above the bhuma gods and the human zone of existence there are six realms of superior gods (Sagga Deva). I talked about the superior gods in this article (click here to read). 

---

[1] “Saga” (Pali) means realm of the gods.
[2] The Buddhist Cosmos: A Comprehensive Survey of the Early Buddhist Worldview; according to Theravada and Sarvastivada sources, by Punnadhammo Mahathero, Independently Published, Arrow River Forest Hermitaje, 2018, p.257
[3] The Buddhist Cosmos: A Comprehensive Survey of the Early Buddhist Worldview; according to Theravada and Sarvastivada sources, by Punnadhammo Mahathero, Independently Published, Arrow River Forest Hermitaje, 2018, p.258
[4] I repeat what I said on various occasions – a small place for us may hide an entire world or an immense area populated with many beings. Thus, it should not sound strange that in foliage there can be palaces with a numerous family of gods living in that tree.
[5] The Buddhist Cosmos: A Comprehensive Survey of the Early Buddhist Worldview; according to Theravada and Sarvastivada sources, by Punnadhammo Mahathero, Independently Published, Arrow River Forest Hermitaje, 2018, p.258
[6] Sometimes, the gods themselves become neglijent due to their lives filled with distractions  (Commentary to Anguttara Nikaya 5: 197).
[7] The Buddhist Cosmos: A Comprehensive Survey of the Early Buddhist Worldview; according to Theravada and Sarvastivada sources, by Punnadhammo Mahathero, Independently Published, Arrow River Forest Hermitaje, 2018, p.266