In Buddhist cosmology, Tushita is the heaven traditionally associated with bodhisattvas awaiting their final rebirth as Buddhas.
Tushita is one of the six heavens of the desire realm. Buddhist texts especially connect it with Maitreya, the future Buddha, who is said to reside there before appearing in the human world. The historical Buddha, Gautama, is also traditionally described as having lived in Tushita before his final birth as Siddhartha Gautama.
The name is often translated as “contented” or “joyful,” reflecting the realm’s pleasant conditions. However, Tushita is not considered the ultimate Buddhist goal: beings there remain within saṃsāra and are still subject to eventual rebirth. Its heavenly pleasures are therefore temporary rather than liberation itself.
Tushita should not be confused with Sukhāvatī, the Pure Land associated with Amitābha Buddha, or with Trāyastriṃśa, another heaven in Buddhist cosmology. Traditions differ in their descriptions, but Maitreya’s residence in Tushita is a widely recognized Buddhist belief.