Thank you. I personally do not recall the Buddha ever taught about “cosmology” in the EBTs. Its seems the focus on rigidly systematizing “cosmology” occurred later.
Related to this, for example, is the use of “sensory realm” or “sensory existence” for “sensual realm” (“kamabhava”), including by translators such as Bhikkhu Bodhi.
The above is what seems to happen when the primary focus & interpretation of Dhamma becomes reincarnation. “Bhava” becomes “reincarnation” and then the “cosmologists” try to fit all of the various realms the Buddha taught into the three types of bhava of Dependent Origination.
The above seemed to begin with the Paṭisambhidāmagga & Abhidhamma Vibhanga, then with the Visuddhimagga, where all three text use the introduced term “upapatti bhava” (“rebirth becoming”) into Dependent Origination. This gives the impression of influencing Theravada Buddhists to attempt to systematize each of the six realms within the three bhava.
For example, the Suttas generally, if not always, say that there are five strings of sensuality via the five physical sense organs. Yet suttas such as SN 35.135 say there is a “hell” experienced at the mind/sixth sense base; which I imagine is the same as the “hells” in AN 4.123 I previously mentioned.
I’ve seen the hell called ‘the six fields of contact’. There, whatever sight you see with your eye is unlikable, not likable; undesirable, not desirable; unpleasant, not pleasant.
Whatever sound you hear …
Whatever odor you smell …
Whatever flavor you taste …
Whatever touch you feel …
Whatever thought you know with your mind is unlikable, not likable; undesirable, not desirable; unpleasant, not pleasant.
SN 35.135