<p>I suggest you take a look at the <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.intro.budd.html" rel="nofollow">Dhammapada</a> which is part of the Pali Canon if you are interested in Buddhism. </p>

<p>The Buddha taught that such questions weren't important. He rather encouraged people to focus on the life here and now. There are a few dialogs in the Pali Canon in which Buddha answers his apprentice's similar question with a metaphor.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-28T05:42:38.687Z
2014-08-28T08:11:53.667Z
2014-08-28T08:11:53.667Z
Jordy van Ekelen
<p>I would say that our goal is to free ourselves from the notions of "life" and "non-life", from "before" and "after".</p>

<p>"We
are
scared
because
of
our
notions
of
birth
and
death,
increasing
and
decreasing,
being
and
non-­‐being.
Nirvana
means
extinction
of
all
notions
and
ideas.
If
we
can
become
free
from
these
notions
we
can
touch
the
peace
of
our
true
nature.</p>

<p>There
are
eight
basic
concepts
that
serve
to
fuel
our
fear.
They
are
the
notions
of
birth
and
death,
coming
and
going,
the
same
and
different,
being
and
non-­‐being.
These
notions
keep
us
from
being
happy.
The
teaching
given
to
counteract
these
notions
is
called
"the
eight
no's,"
which
are
no
birth,
no
death,
no
coming,
no
going,
not
the
same,
not
different,
no
being,
no
non-­‐being."</p>

<p>No
Death,
No
Fear:
Comforting
Wisdom
for
Life
by
Thich
Nhat
Hanh
2003
pg
51
–
53</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-28T18:34:07.997Z
2014-08-28T18:34:07.997Z
Thien
<p>At the end of a Maha Kalpa, if the world system gets destroyed by fire, all the Brahma, Deva, human and hell realms <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html" rel="nofollow">below Abhassara Brahma realm</a> get destroyed. But once the earth is reformed, beings come back from the Abhassara Brahma realm to populate the earth once more. <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/itc/religion/f2001/edit/docs/aggannasutta.pdf" rel="nofollow">Agganna Sutta</a> hints that the last time, it was destroyed by fire while the Sapthasuriyuggamana sutta says that this time also it is going to be destroyed by fire. The pattern is: 7 times by fire, 1 time by water and at the 64th repetition, it will be destroyed by air.</p>

<p>"Abhassara brahmas" means Brahmas with streaming radiance. They feed on delight, self luminous and glorious. Abhassara realm is said to be located 5508000 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yojana" rel="nofollow">Yojanas</a> away from the human realm. One has to cultivate the <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana.html#j2" rel="nofollow">2nd Jhana</a> to the highest degree to be born there. There are two more Brahma realms at the same level. Appamanabha(2nd Jhana- medium degree), Parittabha(2nd Jhana- minor degree).</p>

<p>The lifespan of an Abhassara Brahma is 7 Maha-kalpas since the Abhassara realm also gets destroyed at the 8th time. One day there lasts an Asankya(10 to the power 140) human years. </p>

<p>1 Maha-kalpa = 4 Asankya-kalpa</p>

<p>1 Asankya-kalpa = 64 Antah-kalpa</p>

<p>1 Antah-kalpa = time period it takes for the human lifespan to increase from 10 to Asankya and drop down to 10 again. The increase or decrease said to happen at a rate of 1 year per every 100 years.</p>

<p>Apart from them, there are other beings with Nihilistic(no rebirth, no karma etc.) views who refuse to do good deeds and cultivate Jhana to get into higher Brahma realms. They get caught in the destruction of the world and are born in an Asura hell called the <a href="http://www.mahindaramatemple.com/e-library/31planes1.htm" rel="nofollow">Lokantarika Narakaya</a>. There is no mention as to if they ever get to come back when the new world system is formed. It is said to be situated at the center of three worlds - the human world, the ordinary hells and heavens.</p>

<p>At the center of these three worlds, there is a dark sea of acid water surrounded by rocky mountains. This sea is covered with eternal darkness; no ray of light can reach this place.  The creatures of the Lokantarika-niraya hang themselves on cliffs like bats. They are tortured by hunger and thirst as there is no food for them. While moving along the cliff they sometimes come across each other.  Thinking that they have come across food, they jump upon each other and start fighting. As soon as they start fighting, they let loose their grip on the cliff and as a result they fall into the sea below and their bodies melt away just like salt melting away in water.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-28T15:08:42.007Z
What happens to the beings when the Abhassara Brahma world is destroyed at the eighth time? :D
dmsp
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-28T15:19:25.213Z
At the eighth time, the world system is destroyed by water. All the realms upto the Abhassara realm get destroyed. Before that, the beings attain the 3rd Jhana and go to the Parittasubha,Appamanasubha,Subhakinna Brahma realms. Beings at Subhakinnaka has a lifespan of 63 Maha-kalpas. Because that realm only gets destroyed at the 64th time when the world system is destroyed by air.
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-28T15:27:56.863Z
Once Subhakinna gets destroyed by air do they go to the realms of 4th Jhana and so on?
dmsp
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-28T15:36:44.270Z
Yes, the 4th Jhana realms and the formless Jhana realms are safe from end of Kalpa destruction. That's why they have huge life spans. The highest is the Nevasaññanasaññayatana realm with a lifespan of 84000 Maha-kalpas.
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-28T15:42:38.470Z
But they would also get destroyed one day. When that happens, beings are transferred to another universe? Do you have a reference for this?
dmsp
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-28T15:46:56.623Z
Destruction of those realms are not mentioned. But those realms are also impermanent. Whether they get destroyed or not, once the lifespan of beings runs out, they fall back to lower realms. There's a nice chart here: http://www.aathaapi.net/Charts/Sakwala_-Ver_5..jpg
But it's in Sinhala. Couldn't find an English version.
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-28T07:16:37.660Z
2014-08-29T07:18:20.490Z
2014-08-29T07:18:20.490Z
Sankha Kulathantille
<p>Is there any reference in Buddhism about how our life was before life has appeared on this earth? Were we all in heaven or hell realms?</p>

<rebirth>
Life before life on earth
# Life before life on earth

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-08-27)

Is there any reference in Buddhism about how our life was before life has appeared on this earth? Were we all in heaven or hell realms?

**Tags:** rebirth


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-08-28. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

At the end of a Maha Kalpa, if the world system gets destroyed by fire, all the Brahma, Deva, human and hell realms [below Abhassara Brahma realm](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html) get destroyed. But once the earth is reformed, beings come back from the Abhassara Brahma realm to populate the earth once more. [Agganna Sutta](http://www.columbia.edu/itc/religion/f2001/edit/docs/aggannasutta.pdf) hints that the last time, it was destroyed by fire while the Sapthasuriyuggamana sutta says that this time also it is going to be destroyed by fire. The pattern is: 7 times by fire, 1 time by water and at the 64th repetition, it will be destroyed by air.

"Abhassara brahmas" means Brahmas with streaming radiance. They feed on delight, self luminous and glorious. Abhassara realm is said to be located 5508000 [Yojanas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yojana) away from the human realm. One has to cultivate the [2nd Jhana](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-samadhi/jhana.html#j2) to the highest degree to be born there. There are two more Brahma realms at the same level. Appamanabha(2nd Jhana- medium degree), Parittabha(2nd Jhana- minor degree).

The lifespan of an Abhassara Brahma is 7 Maha-kalpas since the Abhassara realm also gets destroyed at the 8th time. One day there lasts an Asankya(10 to the power 140) human years.

1 Maha-kalpa = 4 Asankya-kalpa

1 Asankya-kalpa = 64 Antah-kalpa

1 Antah-kalpa = time period it takes for the human lifespan to increase from 10 to Asankya and drop down to 10 again. The increase or decrease said to happen at a rate of 1 year per every 100 years.

Apart from them, there are other beings with Nihilistic(no rebirth, no karma etc.) views who refuse to do good deeds and cultivate Jhana to get into higher Brahma realms. They get caught in the destruction of the world and are born in an Asura hell called the [Lokantarika Narakaya](http://www.mahindaramatemple.com/e-library/31planes1.htm). There is no mention as to if they ever get to come back when the new world system is formed. It is said to be situated at the center of three worlds - the human world, the ordinary hells and heavens.

At the center of these three worlds, there is a dark sea of acid water surrounded by rocky mountains. This sea is covered with eternal darkness; no ray of light can reach this place. The creatures of the Lokantarika-niraya hang themselves on cliffs like bats. They are tortured by hunger and thirst as there is no food for them. While moving along the cliff they sometimes come across each other. Thinking that they have come across food, they jump upon each other and start fighting. As soon as they start fighting, they let loose their grip on the cliff and as a result they fall into the sea below and their bodies melt away just like salt melting away in water.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: What happens to the beings when the Abhassara Brahma world is destroyed at the eighth time? :D  
> **username_3**: At the eighth time, the world system is destroyed by water. All the realms upto the Abhassara realm get destroyed. Before that, the beings attain the 3rd Jhana and go to the Parittasubha,Appamanasubha,Subhakinna Brahma realms. Beings at Subhakinnaka has a lifespan of 63 Maha-kalpas. Because that realm only gets destroyed at the 64th time when the world system is destroyed by air.  
> **username_4**: Once Subhakinna gets destroyed by air do they go to the realms of 4th Jhana and so on?  
> **username_3**: Yes, the 4th Jhana realms and the formless Jhana realms are safe from end of Kalpa destruction. That's why they have huge life spans. The highest is the Nevasaññanasaññayatana realm with a lifespan of 84000 Maha-kalpas.  
> **username_4**: But they would also get destroyed one day. When that happens, beings are transferred to another universe? Do you have a reference for this?  
> **username_3**: Destruction of those realms are not mentioned. But those realms are also impermanent. Whether they get destroyed or not, once the lifespan of beings runs out, they fall back to lower realms. There's a nice chart here: http://www.aathaapi.net/Charts/Sakwala_-Ver_5..jpg But it's in Sinhala. Couldn't find an English version.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-08-28. Score: 3

I suggest you take a look at the [Dhammapada](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.intro.budd.html) which is part of the Pali Canon if you are interested in Buddhism.

The Buddha taught that such questions weren't important. He rather encouraged people to focus on the life here and now. There are a few dialogs in the Pali Canon in which Buddha answers his apprentice's similar question with a metaphor.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-08-28. Score: 1

I would say that our goal is to free ourselves from the notions of "life" and "non-life", from "before" and "after".

"We
are
scared
because
of
our
notions
of
birth
and
death,
increasing
and
decreasing,
being
and
non-­‐being.
Nirvana
means
extinction
of
all
notions
and
ideas.
If
we
can
become
free
from
these
notions
we
can
touch
the
peace
of
our
true
nature.

There
are
eight
basic
concepts
that
serve
to
fuel
our
fear.
They
are
the
notions
of
birth
and
death,
coming
and
going,
the
same
and
different,
being
and
non-­‐being.
These
notions
keep
us
from
being
happy.
The
teaching
given
to
counteract
these
notions
is
called
"the
eight
no's,"
which
are
no
birth,
no
death,
no
coming,
no
going,
not
the
same,
not
different,
no
being,
no
non-­‐being."

No
Death,
No
Fear:
Comforting
Wisdom
for
Life
by
Thich
Nhat
Hanh
2003
pg
51
–
53


---

