大乘義章 8.45

8.45

次辨脩羅。依《伽陀羅》，脩羅有三：一天、二鬼、三者畜生。《法念經》中唯說二種，鬼之與畜。鬼脩羅者，是其殺身餓鬼所攝，住在地上眾相山中。畜脩羅者，住在北方須彌山側海底地下。四重之別，入地二萬一千由旬，有其羅睺阿脩羅住，地曠一萬三千由旬，城名光明，縱廣正等八千由旬，有千柱殿，寶房行列，城地山池一切樂具皆以寶嚴。於其城內有四寶園，各百由旬，一一園中有三千種如願之樹，樹皆真金，精靈虛妙，如雲如影。其園池內雜寶色鳥，遊集滿中。王住此城。城外別有十三住處，於一一處各有無量阿脩羅眾。羅睺脩羅，是師子兒，形如須彌，能變自身，大小隨意。人中五百歲，當彼日夜，羅睺於彼壽五千歲。有四婇女，從憶念生。有其十二那由他婇女以為眷屬，圍繞羅睺。其王過去作婆羅門，於曠野處有一佛塔，高二十五里，於中畫作種種佛像，種種華菓樹林莊嚴，為火所燒，是婆羅門救之得免。救已作念：「我救此塔，有福以不？若有福者，願得大身。」又外道中多行布施，故受斯報。餘阿脩羅，於過去世見他殺生強逼令放，或為名利、或為王使、或習父祖不殺之法，非慈悲心，不持淨戒、不作諸善，故生其中。次下二萬一千由旬，是其勇健脩羅住處。王名勇健，民名摩睺，此云骨咽。地名月鬘，漸廣前地，城名遊戲，縱廣正等八萬由旬，嚴好過前。其城住在四金山中，其山高廣五千由旬，王住此城。別更有城，名曰星鬘，民住其中。城外有園，縱廣一萬三千由旬，於中凡有七園差別，種種莊嚴，是諸脩羅於中受樂。勇健脩羅，其形長大，如二須彌。若住自界，變身短小，勢力轉勝。人六百歲，當彼日夜，此地脩羅壽六千歲。其王過去劫奪他物，供養外道離欲之人，故受斯報。餘眾往昔供養外道不離欲者及破戒人，故生其中。次下二萬一千由旬，有其華鬘脩羅住處。王名華鬘，民名遊戲，地名脩那。城名鋡毘羅，縱廣一萬三千由旬，莊嚴微妙，轉勝於前。華鬘脩羅所受之形，如三須彌。若住自界，現微小身，勢力轉增。人七百歲，當彼日夜，此地脩羅壽七千歲。其王過去，飲食施與破戒病人，故受斯報。餘眾前世因種種戲，聚物為食，用以施人，本無淨心，故生其中。次下二萬一千由旬，有鉢訶婆毘摩質多脩羅住處。王名鉢訶，亦名波羅訶，此本一名，人語音異，亦名毘摩質多。所領之民，名一切忍。地名不動，廣六萬由旬。城名鋡毘羅，縱廣一萬三千由旬，七寶宮殿微妙如天。毘摩質多，其形長大，如四須彌。若住本界，現微小身，勢力過前三地脩羅。人八百歲，當彼日夜，此地脩羅壽八千歲。其王前世無正見心，見持戒者來從乞求，久乃施之。施已語言：「我今施汝，有何福德？」我以癡故施汝飲食，邪見心施，故受斯報。餘脩羅眾，於前世時自為身故，守掌菓樹一切諸物，己所不用，然後惠人，故生其中。此諸脩羅，與天怨對，共天戰競，備如經說，不可具陳（脩羅如是）。

Next, to explain asuras: According to the *Gāthā[saṅgraha?]*, there are three kinds of asuras: first, devas; second, ghosts; third, animals. The *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra* speaks only of two kinds: ghosts and animals. Ghost asuras are included among the body-destroying hungry ghosts and dwell upon the earth on the All-Aspects Mountain (Sarvākāra?). Animal asuras dwell on the northern side of Mount Sumeru, beneath the ocean and under the earth. Divided into four tiers: twenty-one thousand yojanas into the earth, Rāhu Asura dwells; the land is thirteen thousand yojanas wide, and his city is named Radiant (Prabhā), eight thousand yojanas square. It has a palace of a thousand pillars, with rows of jewelled chambers, and the ground, mountains, and ponds of the city are all adorned with jewels, providing all instruments of pleasure. Inside the city are four jewelled gardens, each one hundred yojanas [in extent], and in each garden are three thousand wish-fulfilling trees. The trees are all of genuine gold, spirit-like, subtle, and ethereal, like clouds or shadows. In the ponds of the gardens, birds of various jewelled colors flock together and fill them. The king dwells in this city. Outside the city are thirteen other dwelling places, and in each place are immeasurable hosts of asuras. Rāhu Asura was the child of a lion; his form is like Mount Sumeru, and he can transform his body to be large or small at will. Five hundred years among humans equals one day and night for him, and Rāhu lives there for five thousand years. He has four court ladies born from recollection, and twelve nayutas of court ladies as his retinue who surround Rāhu. In the past, this king was a brāhmaṇa: in the wilderness there was a stupa twenty-five li high, decorated inside with various painted Buddha images and adorned with diverse flowers, fruits, and groves; when it was being consumed by fire, this brāhmaṇa rescued it, averting [its destruction]. Having rescued it, he thought: 'Does my rescue of this stupa have merit or not? If there is merit, may I obtain a vast body.' Moreover, while among the non-Buddhists he practiced much giving; therefore he received this retribution. The remaining asuras, seeing others take life in past lifetimes, forcibly compelled them to release [the creatures], or did so for fame and profit, or as the king's emissaries, or in adherence to their ancestors' practice of non-killing; but it was not done with a mind of compassion, nor did they uphold pure precepts or practice wholesome deeds; thus they were born among them. Next, twenty-one thousand yojanas below is the dwelling place of the Heroic (Śūra) Asuras. The king is named Heroic, and the subjects are named Maho, translated here as 'Bone-Throat'. The land is named Moon-Garland (Candramālā), gradually broader than the previous land. The city is named Playful (Krīḍā), eighty thousand yojanas square, with adornments surpassing the former. The city sits among four golden mountains, five thousand yojanas high and broad, and the king dwells in this city. There is another city named Star-Garland (Tārāmālā), where the subjects dwell. Outside the city is a park thirteen thousand yojanas in extent, within which are seven distinct gardens, adorned in diverse ways, where the asuras enjoy pleasure. The Heroic Asura's form is tall and large, like two Mount Sumerus. When dwelling in his own realm, he transforms his body to be short and small, while his power and strength become superior. Six hundred years among humans equals one day and night there, and the asuras of this land live for six thousand years. In the past, this king robbed others' possessions to make offerings to non-Buddhists who were free from desire; hence he received this retribution. The rest of the host in the past made offerings to non-Buddhists who were not free from desire and to precept-breakers; hence they were born among them. Next, twenty-one thousand yojanas below is the dwelling place of the Garland (Mālyadhara) Asuras. The king is named Garland, the subjects are named Playful, and the land is named Śunā. The city is named Gambhīra, thirteen thousand yojanas square, its adornments subtle and superior to the former. The body assumed by the Garland Asura is like three Mount Sumerus. When dwelling in his own realm, he manifests a minute body, while his power and strength increase. Seven hundred years among humans equals one day and night there, and the asuras of this land live for seven thousand years. In the past, this king gave food and drink to sick precept-breakers; hence he received this retribution. The rest of the host in past lives gathered things as food for diverse amusements and used them to give to others, lacking a pure mind from the start; hence they were born among them. Next, twenty-one thousand yojanas below is the dwelling place of the Prahlāda / Vemacitra Asuras. The king is named Prahā, also named Prahlāda—this is originally one name, differing due to human pronunciation—and is also named Vemacitra. The subjects he leads are named All-Forbearing. The land is named Immovable, sixty thousand yojanas broad. The city is named Gambhīra, thirteen thousand yojanas square, with palaces of seven jewels subtle like those of the devas. Vemacitra's form is tall and large, like four Mount Sumerus. When dwelling in his native realm, he manifests a minute body, with power and strength surpassing the asuras of the previous three lands. Eight hundred years among humans equals one day and night there, and the asuras of this land live for eight thousand years. In past lives, this king had no right view; seeing precept-holders come to beg, he gave to them only after a long delay. Having given, he said to them: 'Now that I have given to you, what merit is there?' Giving them food and drink out of delusion and with wrong views, he received this retribution. The remaining host of asuras, in past lives for their own sakes, guarded fruit trees and all manner of goods, and only gave to others what they themselves had no use for; thus they were born among them. These asuras are enemies of the devas and wage war against them, as fully explained in the sūtras and cannot be recounted in full. (Such is the explanation of asuras).