a god, a divine being; usually in pl. devā the gods. As title attributed to any superhuman being or beings regarded to be in certain respects above the human level. Thus primarily (see 1a) used of the first of the next-world devas, Sakka, then also of subordinate deities, demons & spirits (devaññatarā some kind of deity; snake-demons: nāgas, tree-gods: rukkhadevatā etc.). Also title of the king (3). Always implying splendour (cp. above etym.) & mobility, beauty goodness & light, & as such opposed to the dark powers of mischief & destruction (asurā: Titans; petā: miserable ghosts; nerayikā sattā: beings in Niraya). A double position (dark & light) is occupied by Yama, the god of the Dead (see Yama & below 1 c). Always implying also a kinship and continuity of life with humanity and other beings; all devas have been man and may again become men (cp. DN.i.17 sq.; SN.iii.85), hence “gods” is not a coincident term. All devas are themselves in saṃsāra, needing salvation. Many are found worshipping saints (Thag.627–Thag.9; Thig.365)
■ The collective appellations differ; there are var. groups of divine beings, which in their totality (cp. tāvatiṃsa) include some or most of the well-known Vedic deities. Thus some collect. designations are devā sa-indakā (the gods including Indra or with their ruler at their head: DN.ii.208; SN.iii.90, AN.v.325), sa-pajāpatikā (SN.iii.90), sa-mārakā (see deva-manussaloka), sa-brahmakā (SN.iii.90). See below 1 b. Lists of popular gods are to be found, e.g. at DN.ii.253; DN.iii.194
■ A current distinction dating from the latest books in the canon is that into 3 classes, viz. sammuti- devā (conventional gods, gods in the public opinion, i.e. kings & princes Ja.i.132; DN-a.i.174) visuddhi˚; (beings divine by purity, i.e. of great religious merit or attainment like Arahants & Buddhas); upapatti˚; (being born divine, i.e. in a heavenly state as one of the gatis, like bhumma-devā etc.). This division in detail at Cnd.307; Vb.422; Kp-a.123; Vv-a.18 Under the 3rd category (upapatti˚) seven groups are enumerated in the foll. order: Cātummahārājikā devā Tāvatiṃsā d. (with Sakka as chief), Yāmā d., Tusitā d. Nimmānaratī d., Paranimmita-vasavattī d., Bṛahmakāyikā d. Thus at DN.i.216 sq.; AN.i.210, AN.i.332 sq.; Cnd.307; cp. SN.i.133 & Ja.i.48. See also devatā.
- god, etc.
- sg. a god, a deity or divine being MN.i.71 (d. vā Māro vā Brahmā vā); SN.iv.180 = AN.iv.461 (devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vā ti: I shall become a god or some one or other of the (subordinate gods angels); Snp.1024 (ko nu devo vā Brahmā vā Indo vāpi Sujampati); Dhp.105 (+ gandhabba, Māra, Brahmā) AN.ii.91, AN.ii.92 (puggalo devo hoti devaparivāro etc.); Pv-a.16 (yakkho vā devo vā)
- pl. devā gods. These inhabit the 26 devalokas one of wh